Primary Times West Midlands Whitsun Issue by Publishing Ink Ltd

for parents, teachers and children

WHITSUN ISSUE 2013

In The Mid lands & Black C ountry

JOIN THE PIRATE CREW for a swashbuckling adventure at Thinktank this summer!

Experience the film sets on display for the first time!

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t t s e n o n c Welcome

PINBOARD

BEHIIND THE SCENES AT THE ZOO

MOVIES

H INTERVIEW WIT PS EL PH R OLIVE

THEATRE

TENNIS

p BOOKWORM

ROUNDABOUT

a m m E

SCHOOL UNIFORM

y. Have a great holida

Don’t Bin It, Recycle It!

Times Team and the Primary

Don’t forget to check the website for more Primary Times news, lists and reviews at www.primarytimes.net/midlands_homepage

Primary Times in the West Midlands and the Black Country Publisher: Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham B2 4EU T: 0121 631 6101 F: 0121 336 1936 Managing Director: Andrew Riley Editorial: Emma Iannarilli E: emma@publishingink.co.uk T: 0121 631 6101 Advertising Dept: 0121 631 6101 Sales: E: sales@publishingink.co.uk Design: Damian Bennett, Mark Sargent You can now follow us on Twitter and Facebook! @PrimaryTimesMid Primary Times Midlands and The Black Country

Primary Times West Midlands and The Black Country is independently published and distributed free through primary schools in The West Midlands and The Black Country. It is also available by subscription at £10 per year. It aims to inform families and children about current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses and attractions and to give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or joining in the competitions. It is NOT our intention to publish any racist, sexist or politically-based material whatsoever. We also undertake not to carry any advertising which we would consider to be offensive to young families or harmful to the best interests of young children. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced by our studio remains with Primary Times or the relevant contributor.

FREE Children’s Activities this Half Term

Cylinder City #2

Tuesday 28 – Friday 31 May

Drop in any time between 10.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm Help to create a huge group sculpture in response to Matthew Picton’s Dresden 1945. The work will be filmed as it grows and then shown as a time lapse film on our YouTube channel! For more information go to our NEW website www.theherbert.org Have you downloaded our FREE activity sheets yet? Visit www.theherbert.org

We would also like to thank all the advertisers who have supported this publication and therefore made it possible. Primary Times is currently publishing over 2 million copies per issue under franchise licences throughout Britain. Primary Times in The West Midlands and The Black Country is operated under franchise licence. Disclaimer: All reasonable efforts have been taken to give accurate information and any facts given are true to the best of our knowledge. However, you should rely wholly on your own enquiries and take advice where appropriate. Information is correct at time of going to press.

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est welcome to the lat Hi everyone and u yo n Ca . es Tim edition of Primary gh ost half way throu believe we are alm erm lf-t ha e on t jus the year, and have s out for Summer? left before school’ a busy one so The year has been a selection of some far, and we have photographs from us of your fabulo y ch as Red Nose Da special events su that so ow sh t tha y Da and World Book . a whole lot of fun far, 2013 ha been s thi ing the sunshine While you are enjoy n. itio ed st k at our late half-term, take a loo is it at wh on wn do We bring you the low a zoo, and you can really like to work in r iew with Harry Potte also enjoy an interv ep ke u yo re su ke Ma star Oliver Phelps. ions, all our fab competit your eyes open for d an ie nn Wi rs aracte our new cartoon ch and you m the ot sp u yo lp Winchester will he r at prizes. Plus, all ou could win some gre our on ed ter en be w competitions can no t ﬁnd the competition Facebook page, jus d ve your answer an photograph and lea into the ed ter en be l wil u your name, and yo competition draw.

In iss this ue

Jordan Well, Coventry. CV1 5QP T: 024 7683 2386 WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

From massive lions, young giraffes such as Josie (left) to tiny insects, Amy is busy and certainly versatile all day!

ZOO

Behind the scenes at a

What’s it like to work in a zoo? Amy took us behind the scenes to find out! I’m 20 and I live in Walsall. Animals are my number one passion in life. For the last six months I have been volunteering one day each week at Dudley Zoo. I studied Animal Care for 4 years at South Staffordshire College at the Rodbaston Campus. I started with level 1 Animal Care and worked all the way up to level 3, due to ﬁnish this July with the grade DDD (three distinctions). I’m not currently studying, but I’m very busy, as well as volunteering at the zoo I also have a casual keeper’s job at Rodbaston, where I work with the Reptiles and Fish! I hope eventually to be head of a section or a senior animal keeper at a zoo. My Day at Dudley Zoo begins at 9am. I go and check that all the animals I speciﬁcally work with are ok. I am based in the Discovery Centre so I work with

the small animals, the ferrets, Shadow, Smokey and Storm, the Guinea pigs, Toffee, Rufus and Alfie who is an albino guinea pig, and the chinchillas Eric, Elton, Buzz and Bowie. I gather all the tools and equipment I will need to clean them out. I also go to the kitchen area to check we have the different sorts of food we need to feed all the different species. Mammals are fed pellets that are specific to that animal, rat pellets, chinchilla mix and guinea pig mix. They also get a small amount of chopped fruit and vegetables. As extra treats, the rats have bread and the guinea pigs oranges. The oranges are very important because they give the Guinea Pigs vitamin C which they are unable to produce themselves. At the zoo, Animal Care comes before anything else so after food the mammals have a full clean which takes quite some time, usually until about 10:30. I then also have to clean the general area I’ve been working in. Next I move onto the reptiles; the snakes, lizards, frogs, spiders and even a few bugs! They all get fresh food and water. Reptiles eat very finely cut veg, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, and, on the top, we also put meal worms. Snakes will get fed a mouse once a week. Reptiles also need water spray to keep them humid. The amphibians have special dechlorinated water. Dechlorinated water is purified water used for amphibians, it helps keeps them humid. When handling the frogs we also have to put it on our hands before we touch them, touching them without this can cause their skin to burn so the water is special as it acts like a barrier. Once the reptiles are finished it’s time to tidy down. And I do mean down! Surfaces and floors are all fully cleaned down. Hygiene is always the key to keeping the animals healthy and safe. Some mornings I have to talk to the visitors about the animals, I love that. I love listening to them whilst they ask questions and show interest. I really enjoy being able to tell them things they never knew. I show visitors the animals they are especially interested in, I think it’s nice to educate about our animals rather than visitors just looking at them. I did a Creature Feature once where I talked

COMPETITION TIME

WIN

Dudley Zoo are very kindly offering a very special prize in a great competition. One lucky winner will win a family ticket to the Zoo, which gives free entrance to 2 adults and 2 children. To enter, simply answer the following question. What are Amy’s favourite animals in the zoo? 1. The lions 2. The Tigers 3. The Bears. Competition closes 14th June 2013.

CH R E ESTW WIN! WI IN I N WIN! WIN!

Daseep the tiger

Orry the male Patagonian Sea Lion. He is a huge favourite at the zoo. He loves his ﬁsh!

One of the things I really love about my time at the zoo is working in the Discovery Centre. This gives me the chance to not only work with the animals but also with children too. The Discovery Centre is sometimes used as a venue for children’s birthday parties with a difference. The guests enjoy all the usual party food and games, but also get the opportunity to get hands on with a couple of our animals. Ferrets are a real favourite as they are easy to hold, you just need to grip them behind the forearms and support their back end. Sometimes we take a cockroach out for the children to stroke, they just have to run one ﬁnger down its back. Also, there is sometimes the chance to meet a bearded dragon, you let the dragon sit on your arm and then support it, keeping your other hand on its back. The dragon feels comfortable that way. There is an age limit of 3 years to handle the reptiles, only children over 3 years can hold them and they must have their parent’s consent. One animal we are unable to let the children handle in the Discovery Centre is the Chinchilla. We are unable to take chinchillas out the front of the DC as they are quite simply too fast and could try to make a quick escape! After lunch, we have to do a stock check to make sure we have enough of supplies for the next day. If not we note it down anything we need. Afternoons mainly consist of lots of shows and demonstrations at the Zoo, so whilst they are being done we use the time to tidy down. We ensure that all animals have

clean water and that their food hasn’t been tipped over (ferrets like to do that!). At 1:30pm I have to go and help collect the birds of prey in readiness for the bird of prey display that takes place in the Discovery Centre theatre at 2pm. In the show we have Nacho the Cara Cara, Echo the barn owl and Adelaide the kookaburra who is native to Australia. I do get involved in the shows. I sometimes hand out the hand wash to the audience, both before and after they have been in contact with an animal. Around 3pm we empty the bins and put the rubbish out before wrapping up the day at 4pm. In the summer we ﬁnish at 5pm and the keepers at 6pm. When the zoo closes the animals are all taken inside, where they spend the night and are safe. I feel very lucky to be able to work alongside amazing people in such a great Zoo. I love all of the animals I work with myself, being able to form a bond with them is a magical feeling. There are no really bad things about working in the zoo, except maybe not being able to work with the much bigger animals like the Big Cats or orang-utans, but that takes a lot of serious training. I did have the chance for one day to work with the other animals as part of a special ’Be a zookeeper for the day’ package. This included working with the Giraffes, Tigers, Sea lions, chimps, lions and penguins. They were all really special in their own way but my favourite were the Tigers. They were wonderful, I think they are two of the best tigers in the world. Another favourite was Orry the male Patagonian Sea Lion. He is a huge favourite at the zoo and loves his ﬁsh! Working at the zoo is just the best feeling in the world.

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to the public about a snake, cockroach and chinchilla. I loved answering the questions and hearing the positive feedback from my audience.

With thanks to Dudley Zoo for allowing Amy to tell us all about her experiences.

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

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Priory Primary School, Dudley proud of Georgina’s success Priory Primary School in Dudley want to say a big well done to year 6 pupil Georgina Willets, who has won a place at Wolverhampton Girls School. Headteacher Jill Bennett says;“Georgina is a popular pupil of our school who has always been impeccably behaved. Her industrious attitude and desire to learn has been a fabulous example for the rest of our pupils. She has a mature attitude which has allowed her to develop and sustain wonderful relationships with both pupils and staff. Georgina has been the very epitome of what a Priory child should be. As Headteacher, I am very proud of her achievements. I am sure she will go on to do great things in life. Well Done Georgina! “

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s p l e h P r e v Oli FIVE MINUTES WITH

PT: What was school like as you became fully ﬂedged movie stars – did old friends still treat you the same?

OP: Oh yes, my old school mates are some of my closest. Turning up to school one day with my hair dyed ginger certainly turned a few heads. But they never treated me any differently. PT: Everyone always mentions how grounded you are – how did you keep your feet on the ground as your fame grew?

Ahead of this month’s special ‘Sellabrity’ football match and extravaganza, raising funds for the Harry Moseley charity, we grabbed a quick chat with one of the stars of the day, Harry Potter star Oliver Phelps, who chatted to us about all things football, Harry Potter and how you can get involved in ‘Help Harry Help Others’. Primary Times: Hello Oliver, first of all, you are involved with the ‘Sellabrity’ football match for HHHO. How did you become involved with the Harry Moseley charity? Oliver Phelps: I first met Harry when he was giving a talk at his primary school in 2010. I’ve never been so impressed by a speaker I’ve heard anywhere in the world before or since that first time I met Harry. After chatting with Harry afterwards I spoke about our meeting on Twitter and spoke of Harry’s story. Then, whilst I was in Australia, I did a Skydive and within 2 days was able to raise £2000, and, more importantly, spread Harry’s word on the other side of the world. It was even featured in a major newspaper in Sydney. PT: Why is supporting this event so important to you? OP: Help Harry Help Others is very important to me. The work Georgie (Harry’s mum), Adam Rickett and the rest of the team put in is brilliant. Being lucky enough to be an Ambassador for the charity makes this event very VERY important to me, hopefully we’ll be able to raise a good amount of money.

www.primarytimes.net 10

PT: I know you are both Birmingham City supporters, so how excited are you about this match – and which one of you is the best footballer? OP: BIG CORRECTION HERE..... James is a Birmingham city fan, I’m an Aston Villa fan. This has always been a divide in MY family. It’s a big deal for both of us, for James because he’s playing at the stadium he’s been going to since he was 6. I’ll be going to the stadium where I’ve been able to see Villa get some memorable results.

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

PT: What positions will you be playing in? OP: I’ll be playing in the midﬁeld hopefully, but I’ll probably drop back to defence every now and then. James will be playing off the front two.

OP: I think it’s my family, my friends and my upbringing. I’ve been able to go to some very cool places, do some awesome things, and meet some interesting people. But when you meet people like Harry, who was not only making these bracelets, ordering the beads and selling them, but was also going through life of a primary school student, and was battling the terrible condition of a brain tumour, it really puts things into his perspective. PT: How did you feel as you ﬁlmed the ﬁnal movie?

PT: Joe Cazalghe is also playing – do you ever ﬁnd yourself getting starstruck when you meet someone like the former World champion boxer?

OP: It was like ﬁlming the others to be honest. Only on the last day when they were getting ready to knock down the studios did it hit home this was coming to an end.

OP: I’ve met Joe before, I remember when I met him the ﬁrst time I was rather starstruck. He’s a legend in British sport, but what’s even better than that is that he’s a nice guy.

PT:The cast seemed to grow up together – do you all still keep in touch?

PT: Could you give us your score prediction for the match? ( We can check back after and see if you were correct!)

OP: I still chat to a couple of the guys from ﬁlming and the crew. We built some great bonds over the years. PT: What were your own favourite movies from the series?

OP: I’m going to say my team will win 3-1.

OP: My favourite was for ﬁlming the Goblet of ﬁre.

PT: How can children and young people get involved with HHHO?

PT: What advice would you give to other young people reading this who dream of getting into the acting profession.

OP: Go to www.hhho.org.uk and see what events are happening. Also order your HHHO bracelets. PT: You were 14 at the time of your first Harry Potter movie. How did you get the role? OP: From my mum seeing in the paper that there was an open audition (anyone can try out) for every role in the movie. We thought why not?!? Miss a day off school and maybe get into a major movie, it really was a no brainer. We received a call back to meet the director and producers. This happened a couple more times until after our screen test we were told we were Fred and George Weasley. PT: Did you ever expect the films to be so successful? OP: I always knew it was going to be popular, the book sales made that obvious. But would I have thought when we started filming the 1st film that there would be 8 highly successful films to follow, a theme park attraction and to be known the world over?

OP: Never give up and stick with it. PT: What’s next up for Oliver Phelps? OP: Scoring a hat-trick at St Andrews on the 18th of May!

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Alexandra Theatre Box Ofﬁce: 0844 871 3011 Station Street, Birmingham www.alexandratheatre.org.uk

Friday 14th June

Shaolin Warriors “The Master Returns” The internationally acclaimed Shaolin Warriors are back at the Belgrade with their new show Return of the Master. With a fully choreographed spectacular production that features 22 professionally trained Kung Fu Masters, they vividly depict rarely-seen feats of agility, strength and skill. Tickets £20-£24

www.primarytimes.net 12

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

Friday 5th – Sunday 7th July

Dora the Explorer Live Everyone’s favourite explorer is embarking on a live musical adventure across the UK! In Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys, Dora has lost her teddy bear Osito, and the search is on to retrieve him! Tickets £17-£19 No nursing tickets (free tickets for under 2s)

Belgrade Theatre Box Ofﬁce: 024 7684 6738 Belgrade Square, Coventry www.belgrade.co.uk

Tuesday 11th – Saturday 15th June

James and the Giant Peach The Birmingham Stage Company proudly presents Roald Dahl’s amazing story. James lives with Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, the most revolting aunts in England. They make him work and slave and never let him play with other children. Then one day he meets a mystical old man who gives him a bag that contains the strongest magic the world has ever known. When James accidentally spills the bag near an old peach tree, the most incredible things start to happen and James embarks on the adventure of a lifetime with the most amazing group of characters you could ever meet! Tickets £13 - £17.50

Belgrade Theatre

Wolverhampton Grand

Box Ofﬁce: 024 7684 6738 Belgrade Square, Coventry www.belgrade.co.uk

Box Ofﬁce: 01902 429212 Lichﬁeld Street, Wolverhampton www.grandtheatre.info

Saturday 8th June

Wednesday 22nd - Thursday 23rd May

Coventry Schools Young Entertainer 2013

Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom

21 secondary schools will battle it out to become the Young Entertainer(s) of 2013 with the lucky winners performing at this year’s Godiva Festival. Come along and see the stars of the future performing extracts from musicals to magicians, singers, dancers and much more. Young Entertainer is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Coventry Jubilee and is hosted by their very own Brody Swain. Tickets £6.75

“Somewhere, hidden amongst the thorny brambles is a little kingdom where everyone is very very small...” Holly is a young Fairy Princess, who is still learning how to fly and her magic doesn’t always go quite according to plan. Her best friend, Ben the Elf, doesn’t have wings and he doesn’t do magic, but he runs very fast and flies on the back of Gaston the Ladybird. Ben and Holly have fun and games helping Gaston the Ladybird clean up his messy cave, they go on a trip into The Big World with tooth-fairy Nanny Plum, even plan a surprise birthday party for King Thistle, and oops, let’s hope there’s not another jelly flood! Tickets £11.50 - £13.50

Wednesday 19th - Saturday 22nd June

Grandpa in my Pocket GRANDPA IN MY POCKET comes to the stage in a whole new ‘Grandpa’ theatre experience for young fans of the hugely popular Cbeebies television series. Sunnysands Pirate, Horatio Heave Ho takes Jason and Jemima on a pirate adventure in search of treasure. But when things go wrong, it’s time for Grandpa to put on his Shrinking Cap and save the day. It’s Teamwork! Tickets £11.50 - £14.50

Summer Fun My Brother the Robot

Wed 29 May Based on the bestselling book about Bobbie whose inventor dad makes her a little robot brother! Presented by Tall Stories, who toured with The Gruffalo. Contains music, humour & storytelling for ages 4+ at 1.30pm & 4pm £6

Alice 7pm on Thurs 25 July An Extraordinary Adventure

Join the crazy folk at a quirky tea party in an energetic blend of both C. S. Lewis’ Alice tales. High quality outdoor show by Heartbreak Prods. Suitable 5+ £7(£6 ch.) advance, £8 (£7) on gate. In Brueton Park, Solihull, bring your seat/blanket/picnic, Also: Romeo & Juliet is performed on Tues 9 July -see website.

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District 12 - Theatre Summer School Based on ‘The Hunger Games’ novels. Unique week long course for young people to work with Playbox Theatre School professionals on stage learning all sorts of skills and theatre craft + a show finale for family. Suitable for ages 9-18 (40 places). Mon 29 Jul - Fri 2 Aug (10am-4pm) Course fee £120. n sale now! LK - o THE BEANSTA Panto - JACK &

Box Office: 0121 704 6962

www.solihullartscomplex.co.uk WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

The Old Rep Theatre Box Ofﬁce: 0121 245 4455 Station Street, Birmingham www.oldreptheatre.org.uk

Wednesday 3rd July

The Red Balloon Birmingham Town Hall Box Ofﬁce: 0121 345 0600 Broad Street, Birmingham www.thsh.co.uk

Birmingham Hippodrome Wednesday 29 Thursday 30 May 2013

Box Ofﬁce: 0844 338 5000 Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB www.birminghamhippodrome.com

Spot’s Birthday Party

Friday 28 June - Saturday 28th September

The Lion King

You are invited to join Spot and all his friends as they celebrate his birthday. Meet Steve the Monkey, Helen the Hippo and Tom the Crocodile plus Spot’s Mum and Dad, Sally and Sam, even special guest Marco the Rabbit Magician will be there too, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. Tickets £12

Disney’s The Lion King is a worldwide theatrical phenomenon, seen by over 65 million people and still drawing sell-out crowds at London’s Lyceum Theatre in its 14th year. In June 2013 this acclaimed production will begin a limited season at Birmingham Hippodrome as part of its ﬁrst UK tour. Ingeniously adapted from Disney’s classic ﬁlm, this spectacular production explodes with glorious colours and stunning effects, all set to the enchanting rhythms of Africa. Tickets £25-£60

This performance forms part of the Young REP Festival – a two week long showcase of productions by our youth theatre companies. The Intermediate Young REP tells the touching story of Pascal and the colour brought into his troubled life through his friendship with a magical Red Balloon. A previous hit for the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, this play brings magic and balloons to life! Tickets £5

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0121 474 3182

suzy@thetheatreworkshop.com www.thetheatreworkshop.com

• Eastbourne • Brighton • Hove • Chichester • Birmingham Bexhill •Bexhill Eastbourne • Brighton • Hove • Chichester • Birmingham suzy@thetheatreworkshop.com www.thetheatreworkshop.com Theatre_Workshop_A5_Leaflet_Birmingham.indd 2 Theatre_Workshop_A5_Leaflet_Birmingham.indd Theatre_Workshop_A5_Leaflet_Birmingham.indd 1

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

21/01/2013 09:57

21/01/2013 09:57 21/01/2013 09:57

HOME USER

LANGUAGENUT a nutshell Primar y languages in

Family Day

Sun 2 Jun

It’s guaranteed to be a sunny day at Warwick Arts Centre as we host our Family Day with plays, picnics, music, films, cakes, treasure hunts, deckchairs and the chance to bathe in moonlight in the middle of the day!

Trestle Theatre

The Snow Queen

based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen Sat 1 & Sun 2 Jun Age 6+ “…can hold an audience of children rapt from start to finish” Financial Times

Languagenut: Help your child excel in languages FRENCH SPANISH GERMAN ITALIAN JAPANESE MANDARIN ● ●

The PoetryJoe Show 12pm & 2.15pm Age 3 – 6

“Wonderful, inspiring & imaginative show – created a brilliant atmosphere & captivated the children from the start. Well done!” Audience Member

Join PoertyJoe, star of CBeebie’s Rhyme Rocket, performer, writer and, of course, poet, in his light-up, pop-up world of fabulous foods, beastly bugs and peculiar pets.

Travelling Light presents an East London Dance, Sadlers Wells and Stratford Circus production

Varmints

Based on the award-winning book Varmints by Helen Ward and Marc Craste Tue 4 & Wed 5 Jun 7pm Wed matinee 1.15pm Age 8+ The poignant tale of one small creature’s struggle to preserve a world in danger.

Complicite

Lionboy

Tue 18 - Thu 20 Jun Age 8+ Award-winning theatre company Complicite presents its first show for families and young people, inspired by Zizou Corder’s bestselling Lionboy trilogy.

Warwick Arts Centre

@warwickarts

box office: 024 7652 4524 www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

Warwick Arts Centre, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL

Supports Key Stage 2 learning ● Fun and motivating Used in over 1,000 UK schools ● Online resource ● For children aged 5-12 years old

FOR YOUR FREE TRIAL go to www.languagenut.com To get your discount simply type in the code save20 in the promo code section. For more information contact: info@brighterkidz.com Tel: 01564 200948 **Pc and Internet access required

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e s i v o m

DVD

Specia l

This edition we bid a warm welcome back to our movie page, and this month we have a DVD special, with two fab new releases to read about. You can also enter our competitions to win copies of both. Don’t forget you can now also enter all competitions on our Facebook page, as well as online and by post.

CURIOUS GEORGE SWINGS INTO SPRING

A high-flying springtime adventure! DVD Released by Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd . Release Date: 20th May 2013

COMPETITION TIME We have three copies of Curious George to give away. Simply answer this question. What is the name of George’s best friend? a. Bingo b. Hundley c. Rex Curious George. Film (c) Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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You know it must be springtime if a curious monkey named George is dancing on the balcony at sunrise! The Man with the Yellow Hat is sure that George has spring fever so he takes George to the park to experience all the wonders of spring. Spring has sprung and the world’s favourite monkey returns - as curious as ever - in this high-flying, full-length feature. George and his best friend, Hundley, explore all the wonders of the season together - including blooming flowers, baby animals and canoe rides. But when Hundley loses his way and gets lost in the countryside, George takes to the skies in a hot air balloon to find his pal, in a wild adventure that ends with a very fun surprise! Finally, to George’s delight, Hundley now has spring fever, too! Gently paced, educational and entertaining, Curious George Swings into Spring is ideal is pre-schoolers and key stage one children. Available from ALL MAJOR RETAILERS, priced £6.99 (RRP)

WIN

WIN! WIN! ! WIN! !

NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON’T! Everything’s Rosie DVD launches in June 2013 Rosie, Raggles and friends are back for more fun-ﬁlled adventures, excitement and laughter in the latest DVD compilation featuring episodes from Series 2 of hit Cbeebies series Everything’s Rosie. On shelves from 24th June 2013, little ones can join Rosie, Raggles (everyone’s favourite loveable rabbit) and all their friends - including Big Bear and Bluebird, on a journey of discovery. Follow them all in their new adventures, where they will meet Archie the cheeky chameleon in Now You See Me, Now You Don’t! Young children will continue to have their imaginations sparked by Reaching for the Moon and The Great Outdoors. This new compilation of episodes is a must have treat for Rosie fans everywhere. Explore a world where everything’s right, everything’s fun and everything’s cosy because Everything’s Rosie! With timeless storylines and vibrant animation, combined with an educational ethos, these 13 classic episodes of Everything’s Rosie will keep little ones engaged time and time again. The Everything’s Rosie: Now You See Me Now You Don’t DVD is available from all major retailers from 24th June 2013, priced £6.99 RRP. DVD Released by Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd.

WIN

www.primarytimes.net 16 WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

COMPETITION TIME Win one of three copies of Everything’s Rosie: Now you see me Now you Don’t by answering the question below. What sort of animal is Raggles? a. A rat b. A pig c. A rabbit

Lordswood Tennis Club Open Day was a great success!

Lordswood Tennis Club held an Open Day on Saturday 27th April and it was an enormous success. The weather was great and a large number of children and adults turned up for the event, many playing tennis for the ﬁrst time ever, learning a host of new skills and having loads of fun in the process. The open day was brilliant, attracting over 65 juniors, many of which have now signed up to courses and lessons at the club. On the day, all players took part in activities including

‘Tennis Freestyle,’ tennis coaching, and tennis games, and were given the chance to win mini tennis prizes, such as keyrings, sweets and pens etc. There were also fun ﬁtness activities such as relay races and animal movements. As well as junior coaching, existing members came down to meet adults and play with them using mini tennis balls, which make playing the game much easier, and allows beginners to play a real game straight away.

All players attending each day were put in to prize draw to win one of 6 Babolat Rackets, T-shirts and other prizes. The day was made possible by Give it Your Max who make tennis opportunities available for primary school aged children. Well done to all who turned up and ‘had a go’. It was a great day and a wonderful event. Visit www.edgbastonpriory.com for more information

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

t o n o b r u da u SATURDAY 25TH MAY 2013

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Saturday Arts Club!

Join artist/illustrator Ruth Radcliffe at the Saturday morning Arts Club for children aged 7-11. This session looks at portraits and how to do one! The session lasts from 10.30 - 12.30. Tickets are £3 per child and will be available on the day at the Vestibule Reception desk. http://www. bmag.org.uk/events?id=2425 SATURDAY 25TH MAY – SUNDAY 2ND JUNE

Ongoing until Sunday 16th June

999

COVENTRY TRANSPORT MUSEUM Coventry Transport Museum will be alive with the sights and sounds of the ‘blues and twos’, as the exciting exhibition ‘999’ showcases a variety of historical vehicles from all three of Britain’s emergency services. Admission is free. http://www.transport-museum.com/

ONGOING

Stratford upon Avon Butterfly Farm Have you visited the UK’s largest tropical butterfly paradise yet? Discover many of the world’s most beautiful butterflies in an exotic environment of splashing waterfalls and fish filled ponds. Call 01789 299 288 or visit the website www.butterflyfarm.co.uk

www.primarytimes.net 18

TUESDAY 21ST MAY 2013

Bilston Craft Gallery Craftplay Explorers Become a Craftplay Explorer! Join one of our friendly weekly sessions where you and your child can enjoy a wealth of materials for sensory and creative play. Sessions are drop-in and take place from 10.00 - 11.30am or 1.30-3.00pm. http://www. wolverhamptonart.org.uk/visit/bilston/

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

Coventry Transport Museum - Whitsun Half Term Activities

Whether your kids are fascinated by ﬁre engines, amazed by ambulances or captivated by cop cars, we have a cool half term treat in store for them. This school holiday bring the family to enjoy the 999 exhibition of historic emergency vehicles, and then have a go at a fun family activity trail or a creative crafty project - full timetable below: Saturday 25th May 12 noon to 4pm Police hat and badge craft (£1) Monday 27th May/Tuesday 28th May 10am to 12 noon & 1pm to 4pm Crime scene notebook craft activity (£1) Wed 29th May/Thursday 30th May/ Friday 31st May 10am to 12 noon & 1pm to 4pm 999 Clipframe collage & canvas activity (£2) Sat 1st June/Sunday 2nd June 10am to 12 noon & 1pm to 4pm 999 Bookmark craft activity (£1) Activity trails take place daily from 10am – 4pm. Cost £1.50

SUNDAY 26TH MAY

Aston Hall - It’s Horrible at the Hall! A family fun day celebrating everything that’s horrible at Aston Hall! Visit the Hall for a day explo ring the less pleasant bits of history. Meet a Barb er Surgeon and find out about Civil War wounds and horrible medicines. Take a look down a micro scope and find out about the pests eating the Hall and its objects today. Join AnimalMania to handle bugs and beasts. Take a trail to spot the bugs or to find out about the revolting side of life in the past. Join in a craft activity and make your own medicine book or rat to take home! The event runs from 12-4pm and costs £2 per person - this covers entry to the Hall and to all activities. http://www.bmag.org.uk/aston -hall

Ongoing until Sunday 31 August

ENGINUITY, ALE COALBROOKD MR WATT, GRUMPY MAN OF METAL This fascinating exhibition, by blacksmith artist Jon Mills, showcases fun and whimsical sculptures showing the many adventures of Mr Watt, Grumpy Man of Metal, who features in a series of illustrated books and makes unusual metal objects such as a crab’s bicycle, ﬂying machine and a new kind of trumpet. The exhibition is included in the museum admission price of £8.50 adults; £7 for 60 plus and £7 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free www.ironbridge.org.uk

Every day is an adventure at a National Trust place near you

hunting monsters

• Baddesley Clinton • Charlecote Park • Coughton Court • Packwood House • Upton House

Tracking down wild beasties is just one of the many exciting adventures waiting for you at a National Trust place in the Midlands, with our ultimate list of ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’. Come along and see how many you can do!

Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/midlands50things to start your adventure.

Discover more at our Open Days We will be holding events in Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham and Gateshead during June 2013. These events offer you the chance to talk to specialist advisers, look at course materials and find out how studying with The Open University could work for you. Find out more

0845 300 60 90

www.openuniversity.co.uk/north

INSPIRING LEARNING The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).

n o r u da WIN TICKETS TO THIS YEAR’S BBC GARDENERS’ WORLD LIVE AND GET YOUR HANDS ON SOME GREAT GARDENING GOODIES BBC Gardeners’ World Live returns to the NEC, Birmingham from 12-16 June 2013 and we’re giving you the chance to go to the show. One lucky winner will get a family ticket (four tickets) and a fantastic Little Pals children’s wheelbarrow and matching tool kit. The metal barrow, with soft hand grips and a chunky plastic wheel, is easy to self-assemble and comes with full instructions. The matching tool kit comprises spade, lawn rake, hand trowel, hand fork and gloves. Packed into a carry bag with adjustable shoulder strap, it’s perfect for the kids to carry down to the vegetable patch to help out with those important jobs in the garden. Whilst at the show, they can even pick up some top tips from the Little Pals team, who will be on Stand F1352. BBC Gardeners’ World Live, featuring The RHS Flower Show Birmingham, is promising to be one of the best days out this summer with expert advice, hundreds of exhibitors and of course demonstrations from members of the Gardeners’ World team. The initial line-up includes some of the nation’s favourite gardening stars and top designers including Monty Don, Diarmuid Gavin, Cleve West, James Alexander-Sinclair and many more! Your tickets will also give you entry into BBC Good Food Show Summer, which is packed full of celebrity chefs including Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry, James Martin, John Torode and Gregg Wallace demonstrating live on the Supertheatre sponsored by Tesco Real Food. Plus you’ll get to see your favourite TV programmes brought to life including The Great British Bake Off, MasterChef and Saturday Kitchen. Shop till you drop from over 200 food stands and visit the Producers’ Village and the Good Food Champions area to ﬁnd small and artisan produce that you won’t see on the high street.

www.primarytimes.net

COMPETITION TIME As well as this star prize, we also have ﬁve pairs of runners’ up tickets to the show. To enter, simply answer this question.

Which of these is the name of a celebrity gardener? A. Monty John

B. Monty Don

C. Monty Gone

Don’t worry, if you’re not a winner you can still book tickets and ﬁnd out more information at bbcgardenersworldlive.com or by calling 0844 581 1340. Closing date for competition is Wednesday 5th June, and don’t forget you can also enter competitions on our Facebook page.

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

WIN! WIN! WIN!

t o b da u

EDGBASTON HIGH SCHOOL for GIRLS

WEDNESDAY 29TH MAY

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - Medicine Through Time

Meet the plague doctor, handle some weird & wonderful historical medical objects and dress up like a patient of Dr. John Ash. Find out all about medicine in the past at the special family day celebrating the purchase of Dr Ash’s portrait. The session lasts from 11am - 4pm and takes place in the Learning Zone. This activity is suitable for all ages and is Free - donations welcome. WEDNESDAY 29TH – THURSDAY 30TH MAY

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter Dreamcatcher’s Workshop

An independent school for girls aged 2½-18 years

Senior School Open Day & Art Exhibition ursday 27th June 2013 4:30 - 7:00pm

Join designer maker Louise Mary to create your own dreamcatcher usings a variety of beads in this family friendly workshop. This is a Family Craft Activity lasting from 1.00-3.00pm. £3.00 per person. Booking essential - call 0121 554 3598 to book your place now!

Tuesday 28th May

BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY ANIMALMANIA Come and meet the amazing animals from Animalmania - from cute rabbits to snakes and lizards. Find out more about these fascinating animals, meet their keepers and even have a go at holding some of them! Sessions last from 11 am - 4 pm (Please note that a break will be taken around 1pm). This is a drop - in event in the Learning Zone.£2 per person (adults & children) . Visit www.bmag.org.uk

7+,11+ and 16+ Scholarships Means tested bursaries available

Tel. 0121 454 5831 www.e dg bastonhig h .co.uk Charit y no : 504011

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

t o n o b r u da u WEDNESDAY 29TH MAY

Clent Hills National Trust - Bushcraft Day

Join the rangers for an intrepid adventure in the woods at Clent. Learn to light ﬁres, build dens and survive in the wild. This is a popular event, so don’t forget to book in advance on 01562 712822 or clenthills@nationaltrust.org.uk. Cost Child £5. Sessions last from 10am-2pm. You can ﬁnd further details about this event and more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk or visit www.50things.org.uk for 50 of the best outdoor activities for children to do before they’re 11¾.

Wightwick Manor and Gardens National Trust – Wightwick Woodland Day If you like messing about in the woods and ﬁnding out about nature, then this is the club for you. The National Trust is looking for 5-11 year olds, to along with their families to have some fun and enjoy the outdoors. Come dressed for the weather and have fun in the fresh air. You can ﬁnd further details about this event and more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk or visit www.50things.org.uk for 50 of the best outdoor activities for children to do before they’re 11¾. SATURDAY 1ST - SUNDAY 2ND JUNE

Enginuity, Coach Road, Coalbrookdale, Float-a-Boat Design and make a sailing boat then test it on the Enginuity pool of doom. Daily sessions 10.30am-3.45pm; small additional charge for materials plus admission; activities vary from day-to-day. Museum admission £8.50 adults; £7 for 60 plus and £7 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free www.ironbridge.org.uk SATURDAY 15TH JUNE

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley Meet the Horses Find out more about the town’s horses, chat to their keepers and see them being groomed. Museum entrance fee £15.95 adults; £12.50 for 60 plus and £10.50 for children (up to 18 years and in full time education), under 5s free. Museum opens 10am - 5pm daily

www.primarytimes.net 22

WIN A NATIONAL TRUST KIDS’ GOODY PACK After the hugely successful launch of the National Trust’s list of 50 things to do before you’re 11¾ last year, they have asked the nation to tell them about their favourite outdoor adventures to help them come up with the ultimate list of 50 things for 2013. The ultimate list includes 15 brand new activities, including making a daisy chain and holding a scary beast, as well as old favourites like building a den and flying a kite. Can’t decide where to start? Here’s our favourite 10 activities to get you going: • Climb a tree • Build a den • Go on a really long bike ride • Go on a walk barefoot • Hunt for fossils and bones • Hold a scary beast • Track wild animals • Discover what’s in a pond • Go bird watching • Cook on a campfire You can find out where to complete 50 things activities at a National Trust place near you in the Midlands with the downloadable planner at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/midlands50things Or why not get in touch on Facebook (NTmidlands) or Twitter (@NTmidlands) to share your stories about the activities you’ve been enjoying? To celebrate the launch of the ultimate list, we’re giving away a pack full of goodies to one lucky winner to help them start ticking activities off the 50 things list. Four runners up will also win a pocket kite.

COMPETITION N TIME TIM TI IME ME

www.ironbridge.org.uk

To enter the competition, simply answer this question:-

SATURDAY 22ND JUNE

How many things to do are we looking for? A. 25 B. 100 C. 50 Winners will be selected at random from all the completed entries, comp ends 20th June 2013. Don’t forget you can now enter all competitions on our Facebook page, as well as in all the usual ways.

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley Blitz Hill (evening event) To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Blists Hill Victorian Town is travelling some 40 years forward into the 20th century to the 1940s of World War II. Come dressed in period civilian costume, pick up your ration coupon at the gate and experience the food and entertainment of the day. Tickets must be purchased in advance; £8.50 adults; £5.50 children aged 3-15 and £25 family (2+2). Ironbridge Gorge Museum Annual Passport Tickets are not valid for this evening; dogs are allowed. Event times 6pm - 9pm www.ironbridge.org.uk

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

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SATURDAY 1ST – SUNDAY 2ND JUNE AND SATURDAY 6TH – SUNDAY 7TH JULY

WIN

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Explore the Zoo, go behind the scenes & learn more about the animals here at Dudley Zoological Gardens.

Go Wild Adventurers!

12-16th and 19th-23rd August (8-11 yrs)

2 or

S UMMER ACAD EMY!

GO WILD!

Wonderful Whitsun 25th May - 2nd June 2013 A wonderful programme of events with an amazing Dog Agility Show and Goat Racing

Go Wild Rangers! 5-9th August (11-14 yrs)

A week of fun activities only £120 per child Follow us on

www.dudleyzoo.org.uk

get closer to the world’s rarest animals

VOUCHER 1 Any bouncy castle or soft play hire at Tickety-Boo

VOUCHER 2 Your first pair of ballet shoes or uniform order

VOUCHER 3 FREE Giant Garden Game Worth £15

VOUCHER 4 Face painting when a party or bouncy castle or soft play package is booked

*When a bouncy castle or soft play package is booked *subject to availability. Book early to guarantee

VOUCHER 5

DJ Disco Party with TicketyBoo for Weddings, Christenings, Children’s Parties, Special Occasions, School Discos, Events

JCB Young Drivers Zone ● Build ‘n Play ● Fun Fair Rides ● Daft Duck Trials ● Guinea Pig Village ● Farmyard Favourites ● Pig Palace ● Goat Racing ● Children's Shows ● Pan for Gold ● Snorty's Workout Trail ● Falconry Displays ● Tractor Trek ● Tristan the Runaway Tractor ● Frisbee Golf ● Bouncy Castles ●

VOUCHER 6 Introduce a NEW friend to Tickety-Boo PlayTime and get 50% off your entrance fee. Present this voucher and your NEW friend on entry to Tickety-boo to get your discount.

Open 10am - 5.30pm Hatton Country World, 3 miles outside Warwick off A4177 Warwick-Solihull Rd

Tel: 01926 843411 Programme subject to change.

3 for 2

*Voucher can be used without limits as long as you bring a new friend each time

This voucher admits one person free with each two full paying tickets.

Valid until 19th July 2013 (Excludes 29/30 June 2013) Terms and conditions One person free with each two full paying tickets. Cheapest ticket is free. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer, school/group booking, birthday parties or Hatton Membership. This voucher can only be used once and must be given up at the time of use. One voucher required per free entry. No photocopies accepted. Name: Email: Hatton Adventure Farm do NOT sell/pass on your details to third parties.

*1679*

www.hattonworld.com

0844 474 2272

16144a 05.13

TO BOOK PLEASE CALL:

t o n o b r u da u SATURDAY 22ND JUNE

Herbert Museum Eating in Wonderland

To celebrate the opening of the Looking in Wonderland exhibition, bring a picnic and join us at the Herbert for a Mad Hatters style tea party! There will be an Alice inspired art activity to do as you eat your picnic, helped along by costumed characters. Each participant will be given a trail linked to the new exhibition to take part in afterwards. Don’t fancy taking part in the picnic? If you just fancy joining the art activity, it will be running separately in our learning space to drop into throughout the day. This is a free activity but booking is required. Sitting 1 is from 11.30am – 1.00pm & Session 2 is from 1.30pm – 3.30pm, Please arrive promptly. To book events please call 024 7629 4774 or ask at Herbert reception.

ON THE TRAIL OF ROYAL HISTORY

y Tuesday 28th - Friday 31st Ma

HERBERT GALLERY, COVENTRY CYLINDER CITY EVENT After the success of last year’s Cylinder City event, families can join the Herbert from 28 – 31 May for its spectacular return, completely FREE. Cylinder City #2 will see participants decorate hundreds of cylindrical structures and ﬁll 15 square metres of the Herbert. The dramatic group sculpture will be in response to Matthew Picton’s mixed media artwork, Dresden 1945. This refers to the cities devastation during the Second World War in which 15 square miles of Dresden was destroyed with over 25,000 fatalities. The event will run Tuesday to Friday from 10.30am until 3.30pm, Children and their adults are encouraged to drop in anytime and get building! www.theherbert.org

With the recent discov ery of the bones of Kin g Richard III, Leicestershire’s famous Wistow Maze has a tim ely and appropriate historical theme for 2013. Create d in the shape of a ‘boar’ (Richard III’s emblem), this year’s Wis tow Maze has been designed not onl y to intrigue and deligh t our appetite for all things historical, but also to test visitors’ kno wledge of our great British Kings & Queens. “This year the Wistow Maze really has the win ning combination of fun and learning, as well as being a celebratio n of one of the biggest archaeological ﬁnds for decades”, exp lains Diana Brooks, owner of Wistow Maze. Opening this year on Sat urday 20th July, the Wis tow Maze features over three miles of intrica te pathways through 8 acres of living corn, with high level bridges and towers giving unriva lled 3D panoramic views. Diana continues: “The challenge for visitors is to ﬁnd 12 quiz boards hidden amongst the pat hways in the giant maze. Each quiz board focuses on a British mo narch and will help unr avel the answer to the Quiz Trail, whilst als o giving top facts about that particular King or Queen. An excellent, family day out, visitors can not onl y pit their wits against the maze but can also take part in a variety of mini mazes, games and table top act ivities in the Activity Fun yard, which includes a space hopper track, hoopla and a foo tball shooting game. Across the road is the Wistow Rural Ce ntre with its cafe, garden centre, art gallery , model village and num erous shops, ensuring there really is something to satisfy all ages. Celebrating its 10th Ann iversary, the Wistow Ma ze attracts over 15,000 visitors each yea r and is a winner of Lei cestershire’s “Best Visitor Attraction”. At the end of each sea son, the maze is harves ted for cattle fodder and then redesigned the following Spring using GPS satellite technology. Wistow Maze opens on Saturday 20th July - Sun day 1st September (daily), (and then weeke nds only until Sunday 22n d September). 10am – 6pm. Free Parkin g. Admission charges: Child £4.95 Adult £5.95 Family Ticket (2+ 2) £19.95. More informa tion on: www.wistow.com or ring 07884 403889

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

KEHS

Open days

KING EDWARD VI

HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Thursday 27th June 2013 5.00 – 8.00 p.m

Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2UB Telephone 0121 472 1834

www.kehs.org.uk

Comedy for Kids

Sunday 26th May . 2pm Tickets £6 . Foyle Studio

Recommended age 5+ but younger siblings are welcome.

This comedy club is specifically for children and their families, performing family friendly comedy. mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH Sales and Information: 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk www.thelaughingsole.org.uk

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11+

The Best Range for 2013 Including new CEM resources — only from CGP

There are over 30 products in our full 11+ range — find them at:

www.cgpbooks.co.uk/11plus

r m k w o boo aves latest must-hders e th f o k ic p a r -re Ou kshelf and e for your boo

Monster Odysse y: The Eye of Neptu ne By Jon Mayhew Published by Bloomsbury in paperback, £6.99, 9th May Age 9+ Prince Dakkar has been abducted from the streets of London and taken to the coastal residence of the mysterious Count Oginski. Here he discovers that the Count has been working on a top-secret machine: the world’s ﬁrst submersible. But in a dangerous world of spies and secrecy, someone would do anything to capture Oginski’s invention. When the Count is kidnapped, Dakkar escapes in the submarine, only to face horrifying creatures of the deep, lethal giant squid, and above all, the sinister Cryptos, who is hell-bent on taking over the world.

My Brother’s Famous Bottom Gets Crowned By Jeremy Strong Published by Puffin Books on 6th June 2013 Paperback – (£5.99) age 6+ Nicholas’s neighbours are in a royal frenzy! They’re celebrating the Queen’s coronation (whatever that means) and everyone’s gone BONKERS! Dad’s dressing up as a banana and why has Cheese got a crown on his bottom? It’s going to be the biggest street party they’ve ever had, until a letter from the Prince and Princess announcing the arrival of THEIR very own twins adds an extra-special surprise!

Unlocking the Spell

We wan your favou t to hear about ri at Primary te books! Write to us Times, Pub lishing Ink, Fifth Floor, Wh New Stree ite House, 111 t, Birmingh am, B2 4EU or email us at emma@pu bli tell us abou shingink.co.uk and t your and why yo favourite books You might e u love them. ven see you r name here in the next issue!

Annie has helped her sister Gwendolyn (otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty) wake up from the 100-year curse by reuniting her with Prince Beldegard, so you’d think that things would be back to normal. Think again! The beloved prince is stuck in the body of a bear and the only way that Annie can be free of the two irritating lovebirds is to come to his rescue. Luckily, Annie has her own handsome prince to hand - and many tricks up her non-magical sleeve.

The Summer of Telling Tales By Laura Summers Published by Piccadilly £6.99 paperback Age 10+ Grace and Ellie are beginning a new life with their mum, as far away from their bullying father as they can get. For the ﬁrst time ever, the girls are free to be who they want to be. But can you ever really start again?

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

www.primarytimes.net primarytimes.net

By E.D. Baker Available in paperback original and ebook Published by Bloomsbury in paperback £5.99 9th May Age 9+

The Exhibition at Thinktank this summer Visitors to Thinktank, Birmingham’s science museum, will experience a swashbuckling adventure this summer when they get the chance to immerse themselves in the world created in Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman Animations’ Academy Award-nominated blockbuster, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! The touring exhibition brings together for the first time in public the exquisitely crafted sets and puppets from the film and encourages visitors to become part of The Pirate Captain’s crew. From dressing up in pirate finery to steering a galleon and playing a part in the movie using clever blue-screen technology, there is a wealth of activities to enchant all audiences.

into making of one of our films. People will have a chance to get up close to some of the fantastic models and sets that we made. We’ve got Charles Darwin’s cabin, part of Blood Island, a huge pile of pirate treasure - and of course the magnificent Pirate Ship in all it’s glory. Have a look at it. Some rather dodgy Pirates must have done a ‘cut and shut’ job on her because the bow end and the stern end don’t match at all. And the figure-head clearly lost her head a long time ago. There’s so much detail and comedy in all these sets. “And then of course we will take the visitors behind the scenes to catch a glimpse of all the crafts involved in filmmaking – everything from design to model making to animation. So as well as being a visual delight, I also hope the exhibition will inspire young animators to have a go themselves.” The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists The Exhibition opens to the public at Thinktank on May 25th and will run until September. Entry to the exhibition will be included in the Thinktank ticket price and a programme of accompanying events and activities will be made available nearer the date of the exhibition. For further information visit www.thinktank.ac

COMPETITION TIME

WIN

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In a reference to the ﬁlm’s ‘Polly’ – the dodo that thinks it’s a parrot - visitors will also have the chance to see the renowned ‘Oxford Dodo’. Oxford University Museum of Natural Historywill be lending its reconstruction of the the famously extinct bird to Thinktank for the duration of the exhibition, which links the animation and creativity of the ﬁlm with the world of Natural History. Janine Eason, Director of Learning and Exhibitions at Thinktank said: “It’s been very exciting to see this exhibition develop and we look forward to welcoming visitors into the Pirates’ world. Working with Aardman Animations on the project is fantastic; the painstaking detail and craftsmanship in the sets alone is breathtaking. When you couple that with the imagination-capturing and interactive elements Thintank’s exhibition will offer, it’s a summer show not to be missed”. Peter Lord, Co-founder and Creative Director of Aardman Animations said: “I’m so happy that our Pirates exhibition is coming to Birmingham. It shows off all the things that I’m most proud of – the care, the artistry and the genius that goes

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

We have a family ticket(2 adults and two children) to give away for Thinktank. This includes entrance to the Pirates! Exhibition. To enter, simply answer the following question;Which of these characters was Not a famous pirate? A. Long John Silver B. Peter Pan C. Captain Hook Don’t forget you can enter all our competitions online, and also on our Facebook page. Competition closes 10th June

CH ESTER WIN! WIN! WIN!

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Parents are being urged to support their local economy by buying school uniforms from local suppliers. A new campaign to highlight the benefits is being launched by The Schoolwear Association, whose members clothe three quarters of Britain’s children. The association lists three reasons for buying your child’s uniform from local school shops and independent suppliers. • Buying locally supports the small, independent businesses that make up 99 per cent of all firms, keeping town centres alive and buzzing. • School specific uniform, typically sourced and supplied by independents, creates a sense of pride in your child’s school and community. • Independents and school shops provide excellent quality garments from ethically sourced factories. They offer custom-designed uniforms for schools, proper fitting, good stocks and service all year round, not just at “back to school” time. Matthew Easter, Chairman of the Schoolwear Association, said: “Many people want to support the smaller, more local businesses and retailers. They can see that it’s good for their community, and we want school uniform to be a part of that.

The Schoolwear Association represents businesses involved in the manufacture and supply of school speciﬁc uniform from manufacturers to wholesalers, independent retailers and direct to school suppliers. All members agree to a Code of Practice. Established in 2006, the Schoolwear Association is run on an entirely voluntary basis by some of the sector’s most experienced professionals.

WHITSUN 2013 ISSUE

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“We understand that price is important, but there are real beneﬁts if you are willing to pay a little extra for a premium product and service. It’s good for the local economy, the community and your child.”

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