Holiday Camps

If you need to work during the school breaks or simply want to give your child a new experience, skill or make new friends, then holiday clubs could be the answer! Fun away from home has so much going for it – take a look at what’s on offer.

Holiday good times at Pinewood Gymnastics Club

Pinewood Gymnastics Club has something for everyone during the summer holidays. Half and full day camps are available for children to participate in gymnastics in their fully equipped gym as well as taking part in outdoor activities and arts and crafts. Two-hour workshops are also available for those gymnasts keen to learn a more specific skill. You can pay-as-you-go for under-3 sessions and, new for this summer, they are offering pay-as-you-go drop-in sessions available for any children under 10. Non-members are welcome and bookings are being taken from 10th June. T: 01344 773237 W: www.pinewoodgymnastics.co.uk Get your kids moving and learning with Startrack Athletics this summer

If you’ve got children aged 5-13 who love being active and running around, then Startrack Athletics camp is perfect for you! Running from the 30th May – 1st June and from the 25th July – 19th August at Thames Valley Athletics Centre in Eton, Startrack Athletics will coach your children in the different and exciting events in Athletics from sprints, high-jump, shotput, javelin and more! Many of the coaches have performed at high levels in their chosen event, some even representing GB! Every day starts at 9am and finishes at 3pm (and extended hours are available if needed). T: 01753 770037 E: kidsactivities@deleisure.com W: www.deleisure.com Boredom Busting School Holidays!

There’s something for every 3–11-year-old at the Beehive Holiday Clubs! With themed weeks, their holiday programme is a mix of high energy and calm activities which includes sports, arts and crafts, cooking, traditional games and toys, gaming consoles, outdoor adventures, treasure hunts, den building, bouncy castles and so much more! They also offer exciting experience sessions where children get up close with birds of prey, handle reptiles, learn street dance, performing and acting techniques, perfect football skills and even meet real life Disney princesses! Days are 8am-6pm with morning (£20), afternoon (£20) and all-day sessions (£36) available. All activities & snacks are included. Block book the whole week or pick and choose the days, the choice is yours. Book their May Half Term club at either Crown Wood Primary School or Nine Mile Ride Primary School 30th May – 1st June. W: www.beehiveclub.co.uk

Summer Holiday Camps at Kidz Enterprise

Kidz Enterprise will be offering a fun filled Summer Holiday Club for 4-12 year olds at Cippenham School from Thursday 21st July to Friday 2nd September. The Holiday Club will be offering loads of stimulating activities, themed days and trips to keep your children happily entertained. For information and early booking discounts, please book directly at W: www.kidzenterprise.co.uk/holiday-club.html or contact directly for more information. T: 07973 791419 or 01628 665981

Activities for all ages! Arts & Crafts, Team Sports, Baking, Bouncy Castles, Traditional Games, Tech and much more! Open to all children aged 3-11 Years

Bracknell & FinchampsteadSchool Holiday Clubs!Morning 8am-1pm £20, Afternoon 1pm-6pm £20 Allday 8am-6pm £36, Includes snacks & all activities!

May Half Term HolidayClub 30th May - 1st June

www.beehiveclub.co.uk 07769 881946 enquiries@beehiveclub.co.uk

Holiday Fun Holiday Fun

At Cippenham School

May Half Term: Friday 27th May – Monday 6th June 2022 Summer: Thursday 21st July – Friday 2nd September 2022

Activities may include: Fun games, outside play area, trips, bouncy castle, themed activities including art & craft, cookery & lots more

free Breakfast for early birds 7.30am – 6pm daily Age: 4-12 years

Holiday Clubs operate during all school holidays (including Christmas)

Contact: 07973 791 419 www.kidzenterprise.co.uk Ofsted regi s tered 

May half term & Summer holidays Startrack Camp is all athletics based activities, for ages 5-13! kidsactivities@deleisure.com 01753 770037 • www.deleisure.com Thames Valley Athletics Centre Pococks Lane, Eton, Windsor, SL4 6HN

May half term 30th May – 1st June 9am – 3pm Summer holidays 25th – 29th July 1st – 5th August 8th – 12th August 15th – 19th August 9am – 3pm

LIFE-CHANGING LIBRARIES WITH CRESSIDA COWELL

Primary Times chats with Cressida Cowell, best selling author of How To Train Your Dragon, about her Life-changing Libraries campaign and the eff ect it has had on children so far.

Cressida Cowell, the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2019-2022 and best selling author, launched the Life-changing Libraries campaign last year. The campaign aims to place primary school libraries at the heart of the governements yearly investments aﬞ er it highlighted a severe long-term underfunding. Primary Times caught up with Cressida to understand the importance of libraries, and to see the impact that the campaign has made so far.

“The benefi ts of engaging with books and becoming a reader for pleasure are life-changing,” Cressida explains. “Decades of research show a reader for pleasure is more likely to be happier, healthier, to do beמּ er at school, and to vote – all irrespective of background. The more a child reads, the greater the benefi ts. And that is where libraries come in. Libraries are where the magic happens. They are like sweetshops where all the sweets are FREE. When I was a child in the 1970’s, we went to the public library once a week, that was the norm back then, and I must have read practically every single book in that entire library. It allows a child to experiment, fi nd out what they like. I was convinced then about the importance of libraries – both local and school libraries – and I’m more convinced than ever of their magical power to create life-long readers.

“The project spotlights the four pillars of a successful school library – space, book provision, expertise, and wholeschool and parent involvement – through the creation of ‘pilot’ libraries in six very diff erent primary schools. It has been extraordinary to see how these beautiful new spaces, since opening last June, have become the beating heart of these six schools, encouraging the development of wellbeing, empathy, learning and a whole school reading culture.

“What has been clear from the reaction to the campaign is that people assume that all primary schools have libraries, and that those are well-stocked and resourced. But, this is simply not the case. One in eight primary schools has no library provision. Does yours? I’ve been struck by how many people are surprised that we even need to make this ask. Oﬞ en, people know that reading for pleasure is important, but don’t know quite how life-changing it is. Reading opens up a world of new possibilities for children and develops aspiration, with research showing that it can drive social mobility and mitigate the eff ect of social inequality. But, how can a child become a reader for pleasure if their parents or carers cannot aff ord books, and their primary school has no library, or that library is woefully insuffi cient?

“We are nearing the end of these year-long pilots and will be sharing our fi ndings in June – but the words of a young boy in Griffi n primary school, where we introduced a new ‘Lifechanging Library’ keep returning to me. When asked, ‘What does this library mean to you?’, his reply was: ‘Well, it means I don’t have to read the same book, again and again and again.’”