Primary Times West Midlands, Easter by Publishing Ink Ltd

for parents, teachers and children

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

In The Midlands & Black Country

THE PERFECT EASTER FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

The Tiger Who Came to Tea a musical play by DAVID WOOD based on the book by JUDITH KERR

“…the cat’s meow” ★★★★ The Times

E LIVN O E! G STA

TUE 3 - THU 19 APRIL Box Office: 0121 780

www.thsh.co.uk

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WIN! DVDS, TICKETS, BOOKS AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

VENTURING

O L L HO

EART

John Barrowman is the smiley singing man who often graces our screens as a singer, dancer or actor. Now, he has taken on a new role: author. With the help of co-author and sister, Carole Barrowman he has written a book. Hollow Earth is the third of their books together, but their first for children. We spoke to the Barrowman siblings … PT: How have you found the experience of working with your brother/sister? Carole: We’ve worked together on a number of projects before Hollow Earth, so we know each other’s work rhythms and style really well. We hardly ever squabble. John: We work well together. So much so that after each project ends, we try to have another one ready in the wings. PT: Do you have different working styles? Carole: I don’t think so. We both bring a lot of energy to a project we’re committed to. We also share a similar sense of humour, which makes anything we do a lot more enjoyable. John: Each project we’ve worked on together needs a different process, so that always changes our working style a little, but we’re both disciplined and hard working and we like to have a good laugh … and we eat lots of sweeties while we work. PT: You’ve written two other books together; how does your process differ when writing for children?

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Carole: We really had to channel our inner children, which, thankfully, are not buried very deep in either one of us. We worked to make sure the plot was exciting. John: We probably spent a lot more time creating our main characters, Matt, Em and Zach because we really wanted our readers to ﬁnd them interesting and think about them as friends. PT: What was your inspiration for Hollow Earth? Carole: We both loved adventure stories when we were children, books like Treasure Island and The Secret Seven. We’re both mystery, sci-ﬁ and fantasy

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

fans, too. When we were thinking about our next project, writing a novel seemed to make sense. One day, we were brainstorming ideas about giving a character a superpower and we came up with the question: what if a characters’ superpower was their imagination? Most of all, I think we wanted to write a book that we would want to read. PT: Carole, does John have any annoying habits that get on your nerves? Carole: He picks his nose when we’re working. PT: John? John: She won’t let me pick my nose when we’re working. PT: What about each other’s likes and dislikes? Carole: John likes to have a good laugh. He loves dogs, movies, shopping, games and cars. He gets angry when he sees or hears someone being rude or impatient with an elderly person. John: Carole likes to swim. She loves books and hosting parties. She hates monkeys. PT: John, what is your lasting memory of Carole as a child? John: She was always trying to boss me around.

INTO

THE BARROWMAN SIBLINGS IN ONE MINUTE … JOHN … FAVOURITE CAROLE … Singin’ In The Rain

FILM

Blade Runner

S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders

BOOK

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road

Too many favourites to choose just one!

SONG

David Bowie’s Drive-In Saturday

Changes daily, depending on my mood Captain America or Elphaba

FICTIONAL CHARACTER

Sula Peace or Sydney Carton

Palm Springs, California

HOLIDAY DESTINATION

Lake Gilmore, Wisconsin

A watch my parents gave me

POSSESSION

Lithograph of Mary Shelley my children gave me

Ralph Lauren hoodies

PT: Carole?

Carole: He was an obnoxious toddler and cried a lot.

PT: Carole, you’re a lecturer, columnist and an author. What is your favourite job?

Chris Whitley’s Living With The Law

Knock Knock! Who’s there? Doctor. Doctor Who?

ITEM OF CLOTHING JOKE

Swimsuit What do cats eat for breakfast? Mice Krispies!

Carole: I have to say that I’m lucky, they all have something to do with passions of mine: writing, reading and teaching. I don’t think I could pick one over the other. They’re all part of who I am. PT: What about you, John? You’re an actor, singer, dancer and now author. What’s your favourite?

PT: Hollow Earth is about twins Matt and Emily who can ‘animate’ their drawings. Are you anything like the ﬁctional siblings?

PT: Being born in Scotland and raised in America, where do you call ‘home’? Carole: I’m proud of my Scottish heritage, but I’ve lived in America for longer than I lived in Scotland. Home is Milwaukee, Wisconsin with my family. John: The UK is my home because it’s where my partner Scott and I live with our three dogs. PT: Carole, as a lecturer, do your students treat you differently when they ﬁnd out who your brother is? Carole: Not really, although last term a student came to class wearing a t-shirt with John as Captain Jack from Torchwood on it. It was a bit disconcerting to see his face staring back at me when I was teaching.

PT: Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party? Carole: Abraham Lincoln, my Grandma Emily, Margaret Sanger and Terry Gilliam. John: Cole Porter, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Willy Wonka. PT: Who have been your inspirations in your life and your work? Carole: Oh, my! Lots of people from my parents to my husband Kevin, to my students at Alverno College. John: My parents have always been a great inspiration to me. There have been lots of people over the years I’ve worked with who have inspired me in big and little ways.

Carole: Hmmm. There’s probably a little bit of both of us in each of them; although John and I are not as good at art as the twins. John: Maybe … PT: If you had the powers of an Animare for a day, what scene would you like to jump in to and why? Carole: I’d probably pick John Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott. I’d really like to have a closer look at the tapestry she has in the boat with her. John: Paul Delaroche’s The Death of Lady Jane Grey has always fascinated me. I would jump in and save Lady Jane from the chopping block and then I’d help all the ladies in waiting recover from the trauma.

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

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John: I love doing all of those things. They’re all an important part of who I am.

d a r b o n pi

MAKE YOU R NATURE COUNT!

ES SUPERHERO ! REQUIRED

The RSPB (th at’s the Roya l Society for your help to the Protectio save nature. n of Birds) ne By joining th eds ‘make your na e summer w ture count’, yo ildlife survey u can let us kn forages and sn ow what slith uffles in your ers, tweets, garden. Last year 80,0 00 people step ped up for na count, and th ture to take pa is year we’re rt in the hoping for ev just want to kn en more. The ow what bird RSPB doesn’ s you see in to know abou t your garden t all wildlife in ... they want cluding squirre worms ... the ls, hedgehogs, de list is endless. er, slow

ing an organis s pice is s provide o s H rn ’s at Aco hildren th C s re a to rn c o Ac ants rtant strong? particip e impo in feeling r more y for th uilding Are you elp raise mone is appealing fo se of Fraser b y fee is u h tr rity he en the Ho abseil to ren. The cha To take part 20ft of ay 20. T be at least hild in ‘make your down 1 on Sunday M il st e u s m poorly c b a nature ts for t e co n e il a unt’, go to w e th e tr ip s in S ic b rt rt a n / a a o ww.rspb.org k p P ti . e .u ra 5 k g o 7 r ta £ rp .o f .u o s k/ o C na n , e r tu recount to se o ham fundrais ww.ac e all the deta Birming Put ils. inimum ted? Go to w ‘M ! ak m o e yo a to ur , s nature count’ r you £10 plu f age. Interes runs from June 2-10, so ething fo g event in o m o rs s a te e e ll us everything 12 y on. e hav walkin see in your ga you 3km or formati worry, w s special dog rden then! ng for a of more in der 12, don’t lo rn a o to c n g e A o d e m n r e th u u m o e in y a ’r u g e rd If yo , brin forwa receiv May 27 og will st paw sted? your be Sunday ur walk, your d g. Intere tion. n o O d . r rk e a o p y P a 5 f n £ o m o r f d tt o Su e en try fee the info lk. At th you. En gwalk for all k n a 6km wa th .uk/do y to say their da w.acorns.org w w Go to Baby Ballet and Dinky Dance is the new and exciting interact ive parent and child dance session brought to you from the foun ders of Tickety Boo and Arabesque School of Dance. Designed to gently introduce your little ones to the basic techniques of dan ce and movement, this fun and ima ginative class will get everyon e hopping and bopping, giggling and wig gling. Stay and enjoy sensory play with a free drink after your dance session. Three classes are ava ilable: Baby Boppers, six months to walking, Waddlers and Toddler GREAT VALUE DAYS OUT s, Walking to two and a half yea rs, Adventure Aerobics for 2-4 years. £5 per session including free 01952 433424 www.ironbridge.org.uk drink and stay and play. Visit www.babyballetdanc e.co.uk for more informa tion.

TICKETY BOO !

The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUMS

EDGBASTON HIGH SCHOOL! Sandwell Valley Riding Centre

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Meet the Victorians at Blists Hill Victorian Town. Get hands-on at Enginuity. The Annual Passport Ticket allows unlimited daytime admission for 12 months to all 10 museums.

Bored? Why not learn to ride? Lessons Everyday 9-4 Camps Own a pony for a day. Learn to look after a pony, groom, ride, feed, tack up. All you need to know!! Ring to book. Ask for Hannah or Toni. Tel: 0121 588 2103

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

Are you moving up to high school in September? Do you know where you’re going yet? Edgbaston High School has a Senior School open day on June 28 from 4.30pm to 7pm for children aged 11-16. Find out all about the subjects that you could be studying as well as the GCSEs that you could be taking in a few years. There is also a Preparatory School open day on May 15 from 9.30am to 3pm for children aged 2 ½ to 11. For more information about Edgbaston High School and open days visit www.edgbastonhigh.co.uk or call 0121 454 5831.

OPEN MORNING Saturday 19th May 2012 10.00am-12 noon

Hallfield School Edgbaston

heights... Helping your child reach new

0121 454 1496 www.hallfieldschool.co.uk

Watch world class athletics in Birmingham this summer.

Supporting British athletes since 1999

Aviva 2012 Trials Birmingham Alexander Stadium 22nd - 24th June 2012

Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix Birmingham Alexander Stadium 26th August 2012

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out! Tickets now on sale.

uka.org.uk ÂŽ

r a child? Could you foste

n that you need to For all the informatio 75 g, call 0800 040 76 understand fosterin ering.net or or go to www.fost k where you can www.direct.gov.u u ion packs to help yo download informat sion make the right deci

national

Ever wondered about adopting or fostering, but talked yourself out of it? Well, May 14-27 is Foster Care Fortnight so now is the time to get all the help and advice you need to make that first step to helping a child

FOSTERING fortnight

With the theme fostering: time to care, the campaign fortnight will be raising awareness of the urgent need for more people to come forward to become foster carers. Foster carers provide children in care with a safe and secure environment while they can’t live with their own families, for anything from a few days to many years. As more and more children are going into care, ﬁgures published by the Fostering Network have shown that 8,750 new foster families are needed for 2012, 7,100 of those in England.

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It is a difficult task, finding the right foster family for a child. Unless more people come forward to be a foster family, it will become even more difficult. The number of children in need of foster care has been on the rise for the last five years and is still continuing to rise. Together for Change, part of The Fostering Network believes that every child has the

right to live in a family where they get the care, support and encouragement they need. When foster care works well, the children are offered the opportunity to experience a safe and stable family life in a place where they feel comfortable and where they can grow and ﬂourish. Foster carers are experts on childcare, but they don’t always get the support, information and training they need to become great fosters carers. All children need a family who can raise them, teach them and love them. All children deserve that. Foster carers have the power to welcome a child into their home, giving them the best chance of a positive future.

For more information about adoption, visit www.adoptionblackcountry.co.uk

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

theatre

In the Midlands and Black Country

Birmingham Hippodrome Box Ofﬁce: 0844 338 5000 Hurst Street, Birmingham www.birminghamhippodrome.com

March 13-April 21

Oliver! Everyone loves the ﬁlm about the little boy who asks for more, and now here’s your chance to see Oliver on the stage. In this fabulous performance, Charles Dickins’ story really comes to life. With famous songs including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself and You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, Oliver is a great family musical that every member will love. Tickets from £18.50 to £52. 7.30pm.

Alexandra Theatre

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Box Ofﬁce: 0121 230 9070 Station Street, Birmingham www.alexandratheatre.org.uk

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

April 8-9

April 7-8

Chinese State Circus: Yin Yang Overview

The Chuckle Brothers: In Stranger Tights

The unique Chinese extravaganza showcases the best in entertainment. Witness acrobats defying gravity as the ancient discipline of Icarian Games returns to the centre stage. Rarely seen in circus acts, it’s steeped in tradition and sees human juggling, explosive moves and unbreakable agility. Also featured is the amazing Bicycle Act with 12 artistes manoeuvring on to a single bike. It is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Suitable for all the family. Tickets from £17 to £31. 7.30pm Sunday, 2.30pm and 7.30pm Monday.

Ahoy, there! The most popular brothers of television are coming to Wolverhampton Grand in their tights – yes, tights. Paul and Barry are visiting a theme park for the day and decide to brave going on one of the daring water rides. However, in true Chuckle Brothers style, they fall through the wall of the ride and are magically transported back in time to a world of pirates and sunken treasures. Adults £12.50 or £14.50, children £9.50 or £11.50. 2.30pm and 5.30pm Saturday, 2pm and 5pm Sunday.

The King and I

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One of the most loved musicals of all time is coming to Birmingham. The King and I has been seen by millions of people all over the world since it was ﬁrst performed back in 1951. The heartwarming story of a British governess brought to the court of Siam to tutor the King’s many children is told with some of the best songs ever written including Shall We Dance, I Whistle a Happy Tune and Getting to Know You. Tickets from £14.50 to £34.50. 7.30pm Tuesday to Friday, 2.30pm Saturday matinee.

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

The Wiggles Back by popular demand are The Wiggles! Celebrating the return of original yellow Wiggle Greg Page, the fab four Wiggles will be touring the UK in May and June, with a stop off at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre on June 15. Tickets are £16. 1pm and 4.30pm.

Mugenkyo Taiko drummers The Mugenkyo Taiko drummers certainly put on a good show. This amazing two-hour concert displays the ancient Japanese art of precision drumming with the addition of modern and theatrical choreography. The thundering rhythms of the massive taiko drums will get your feet tapping, your heart pounding and your mind blowing. Tickets £18.50. 7.30pm. LG Arena Box Ofﬁce: 0844 338 8000 NEC, Birmingham www.lgarena.co.uk

April 13

CBeebies Live!

June 15 May 1-5

May 10

April 24-28

Swallows and Amazons All aboard the Swallow! Follow Captain John and his crew as they set sail to Wildcat Island on an exciting adventure where they encounter savages, capture dastardly pirates and defeat mortal enemies. This action-packed musical adventure will be loved and enjoyed by the whole family. Tickets £9.50 to £22.50 for Tuesday to Thursday evening 7pm and Saturday matinee 2.30pm. £6.50 to £18.50 for Wednesday and Thursday matinee 1pm. Certain performances are signed with British Sign Language, check website for details.

Get ready for a night full of fun, frolics and fascinating characters when CBeebies comes to town! Join Mr Tumble, Postmand Pat, Squiglet, Zingzillas, Jess the Cat, Justin Fletcher, PC Plum and the brand new CBeebies character, Mike the Knight. Presenters Andy Day and Katy Ashworth will also be live on stage. LazyTown’s Stephanie and Sportacus are ready to save the day when Robbie Rotten tries to hude the other characters, leaving him the star of the show. Will everything turn out okay? Sing along, stamp your feet, reach to the stars and make all your dreams come true. Adults from £15, children from £12.50, family from £50. Please note this show is not suitable for children under 18 months. 2pm and 5pm.

NEC Birmingham Box Ofﬁce: 0844 338 8000 NEC, Birmingham www.thenec.co.uk

April 11-15

The Gadget Show Live 2012 The Gadget Show Live is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before. The show is the place to be if you want to get your hands on the very latest gadgets and gizmos. Alongside ﬁve halls of tech heaven, Suzi, Jason, Ortis, Jon and Pollyanna will all be back in the Super Theatre providing an hour of entertainment three times each day. Entrance tickets start at £14.99. Check the website for all information about VIP tickets and Super Theatre tickets. The show is open from 9am to 6pm from Wednesday April 11 to Sunday April 15.

Belgrade Theatre

Birmingham REP

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

Box Ofﬁce: 0121 236 4455 St. George’s Court, Albion Street www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

April 18-21

April 21

Horrible Histories – The Terrible Tudors

Tiddler and other Terrific Tales

Who would you like to meet from history? Henry VIII? Queen Victoria? Well, now’s your chance. Using actors and ground-breaking 3D special effects, Terrible Tudors with Vile Victorians is a show that all the family will love. Historical ﬁgures and events will come alive on stage right in front of you. Adults from £12 to £16.50, children from £7 to £11.50. Evening performances start at 7pm, matinees start at 2.30pm.

A magical collection of Julia Donaldson’s most popular titles including Tiddler, the Smartest Giant in Town, A Squash and a Squeeze and Monkey Puzzle. Under the sea, over land, on the farm or in the jungle, you will be taken on a real adventure with this show. A real treat for ages 3+ and all the family. Adults £7.50, children £4.50, babes in arms £1.50. The Old Rep. 11.30am and 2pm. May 1-5

White Welcome to the beautifully strange world of White. Full of birdsong and birdhouses, it gleams and dazzles and shines in the night. Two friends

are looking after the birds to make sure the eggs stay safe. The world is bright, ordered and white, but high up in the trees, all is not white. Colour appears. First red, then yellow, then blue. What will happen? Adults £7.50, children £4.50, babes in arms £1.50. The Water Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Visit website for full times. Town Hall Box Ofﬁce: 0121 345 0600 Broad Street, Birmingham www.thsh.co.uk

April 3-19

The Tiger Who Came to Tea The doorbell rings. Who could it be? As Sophie opens the door, the one thing she doesn’t expect to see is a bit, stripy tiger … but that’s exactly who it is. This muchloved tale of a tiger that created mayhem at teatime is most certainly one for all the family. Tickets £10.50. Check website for full times.

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11+ Mock Exams and Intensive Courses

St George’s School Edgbaston Give your child the best start in life with an education at St George’s School, in Edgbaston.

Mock Exams & Courses Covering:

Maths • English • Verbal • Non-Verbal

11+ Free Trial

A fully co-educational independent day school, offering a caring and friendly community for children from age 3 to18 years.

Personalised course highlights strengths and weaknesses

CMY

Excellent success rates Picture from KSOL’s Mock Exam

Very small teaching groups (1:5)

13:55

An individual approach to education

Excellent Success Rate in 2012 Birmingham’s leading 11+ Provider

13/3/12

Small classes with a fun learning ethos for younger pupils Outstanding dyslexia support 11+ tuition and excellent exam results After school care until 5.50pm Extra-curricular and enrichment activities

“We have good lessons because we have great teachers.” Matthew, Year 5

Places still available for 2012 entry

Call us now 0121 733 6558 or visit www.ksol.co.uk/pt C O V E N T R Y

T R A N S P O R T

M U S E U M

Tel: 0121 625 0398 31, Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 1RX www.sgse.co.uk Email: admissions@sgse.co.uk

Great Eggspectations at Selly Manor, Bournville

Adm

FREission E

3rd - 8th April

6 April to 10 June An exhibition of vehicles used by members of the British Royal Family, in celebration of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. PLUS loads of ‘Royal’ family activities during school holidays and weekends! Tel: 024 7623 4270 www.transport-museum.com

Tuesday - Friday 10am-5pm. Saturday and Sunday, 2pm-5pm Celebrate Easter with some seasonal craft activities. Make a chick badge, a fingerprint lamb card, and Easter hat. Join the Eggciting Egg Hunt and lay some garden games! No booking needed. Also! Easter workshops at 10am and 1pm, booking essential. Muddy Crafty Gardening! 11th April Decorate a plant pot and plant seeds, make a bird feeder and create your own windmill. Dashing Dickens! 13th April Make a brilliant book, a terrific top hat, a quirky quill, practice your calligraphy and take part in the Dickens trail

Selly Manor, Maple Road, Bournville, B’ham, B30 2AE

0121 472 0199

www.bvt.org.uk/sellymanor

Adults £3.50, Concessions £2.50, Children £2, Family (2Ad,3Ch) £10. No booking required.

t o n o b d ru a u Easter at Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle is offering fun for the whole family this Easter with a sorcerous dragon egg hunt, medieval siege, Warwick Warriors, the Mighty Trebuchet and Castle favourites including the Flight of the Eagles. www.warwick-castle.com. Open daily from 10am to 6pm. Usual admission prices apply: adults £30.60, seniors £27, children £25.80, family (2+2) £107.40, family (2+3) £132, online discounts available. March 31 - April 15

Record Breaking Easter fun at Heritage Motor Museum Dudley Zoo

March 31 - April 15

Easter Holiday Fun at Shugborough ding Daily activities for the family inclu craft ed them and ng baki , trails er East activities. You could also meet the . newborn spring animals at the farm daily n Ope .uk. .org ough www.shugbor n from 11am to 5pm. Usual admissio ns essio conc £15, ts adul ies: appl £10.50, children £9. March 31 - April 15

All things spring at Black Country Museum on Celebrate the lovely spring seas eum Mus g Livin ntry Cou at the Black and search the site in the prize draw gy. discovery trail for all things sprin Make your own keepsake with the re new Hands on Heritage crafts whe out toys e mak to how you can learn of materials that would have been e. commonly found around the hom See and learn how your ancestors used to play and join in with the e traditional street games in the villag . including hopscotch and skipping www.bclm.co.uk. Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Adults £14.95, concessions £11.95, children £7.95, family £39.95.

Join in the Easter fun at the Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire where you can make and race your own egg car and maybe even set a new record. There will also be selfguided activities including the Record Breaker quiz, make your own Land Rover and brass rubbing. www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk. Open daily 10am to 5pm, Easter craft days on April 5 and 12 from 11am to 3pm. Adults £11, concessions £9, children £8, under 5 free, family £34. March 31 - April 15

Easter Eggstravaganza at Cadbury World Head down to Cadbury World to eggsperience the greatest, most eggciting eggstravaganza this eggshaped world has ever seen. Find out how chocolate is made, packaged and, most importantly ends up in your mouth. www.cadbury.co.uk. Book a time slot to guarantee entry. Adults £14.75, concessions £11.10, children £10.75, family 2+2 £45, family 2+3 £53. March 31 - April 22

Easter Eggstravaganza at Hatton Village Hatton Farm Village is one of the many places in the region that is putting on special Easter events just for you! At Hatton Farm Village there will be a children’s entertainer performing shows throughout the day and the Easter Bunny will be visiting, too! In the Easter Garden there will be an Easter Egg Hunt with Bunny Hunts and lots of chocolatey treats. In addition to all of this, all of the usual activities will be running

Hatton Farm

including the Farmyard Favourite s, Guinea Pig Village, outdoor agili ty trail, trampolines, bouncy castles, funfa ir rides, panning for gold and the huge indoor soft play centre. www.hattonworld.com, Open from 10am to 5.30pm. Entry prices: £12. 95 (adult), £13.95 (child).

April 1-15

Easter at Ironbridge There’s a whole range of events takin g place at Ironbridge over Easter, inclu ding Float a Boat at Enginuity where you can design and make a sailing boat then test it on the Enginuity pool (April 1-15, daily from 11am to 4pm); Tile deco rating workshops at Jackﬁeld Tile Museum where you can let your creativity run wild at a drop-in tile making session (Apr il 2-5 and 10-13, daily 10am to 5pm); Cera mic workshops at Coalport China Mus eum where you can decorate ceramics with an Easter theme (April 2-6 and 9-13, daily 10am to 5pm); and East er celebrations in Blists Hill Victorian Town, celebrating Easter the way the town sfolk would have done all those years ago with ‘hunt the chick’ competitions , Easter bonnets and an Easter para de (April 6-9, daily 10am to 5pm). For full times and prices, visit www.ironbridge.org.uk or call 01952 433 424. April 2

Animalmania at BM&AG

The animals from Animalmania are coming to visit Birmingham Mus eum & Art Gallery for one day only. You might meet a giant rabbit, tortoises, snak es, mice or even stick insects. www.bmag.org.uk. 11am to 4pm in the Learning Zone. £1.50 per person. April 2

Let’s go fly a kite at Lickey Hills

Make your own kite and see how high you can ﬂy it. www.birmingham.g ov.uk. Meet at the Lickey Hills Visitor Cen tre, Warren Lane. Booking essential. Small charge for materials. Call 0121 447 7106 for more information. April 2-20

Daily Wild at Brandon Marsh There’s lots of Easter fun for the kids at Brandon Marsh Nature Centre with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. Get pond dipping, crafting, bird watching and much much more. www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust. org.uk. 10.30am to 12pm. Book your plac e by calling 024 7630 2912. £4 per child (£3 members).

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

www.primarytimes.net

March 31 - April 15

roundabout April 3-8

Great Eggspectations at Selly Manor Celebrate Easter with seasonal craft activities at Selly Manor. Make a chick badge, a ﬁngerprint lamb card or an Easter hat. Join the Eggciting Egg Hunt and play some garden games. www.bvt.org.uk/sellymanor. Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 5pm. Usual admission applies, adults £3.50, concessions £2.50, children £1.50, family £9.50.

April 6-22

Easter Holiday at Coventry Transport Museum To celebrate the Royalty on the Road exhibition, Coventry Transport Museum will be bursting with Royal themed crafts, activities and a Crown Jewels activity trail. www.transport-museum.com. Craft activities are available from 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 4pm. Admission to the Museum and the Royalty on the Road exhibition is free of charge. Small charge of £1 to £3 for activity trails and craft activities.

April 4

Easter Baskets at Handsworth Park

Spring Spectacular AT KEnilworTh CASTlE Easter Family Fun Trail Sat 31 Mar – Sat 7 Apr (10am - 5pm) (Sat 31 Mar trail ends at 4pm) Clash of the Knights! Sun 8 & Mon 9 Apr (11am - 5pm) St George & the Dragon Sat 21 & Sun 22 Apr (11am - 5pm) Medieval Melee Sun 6 & Mon 7 May (11am - 5pm) www.primarytimes.net 14

Family Sleepovers Sat 19 May (8pm - 10am) www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworth or call 01926 852078 Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 1NE

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

Join the rangers of Handsworth Park to learn how to make woven baskets out of willow to take home and plant up. www.birmingham.gov.uk. Sessions at 1pm and 3pm. Meet at the Sons of Rest building. Admission free. Booking essential, visit website for details. April 6-9

Family Fun Days with National Trust

April 8

Easter Service at Darby Hand Chapel The beautiful chapel in the Black Country Living Museum hosts its annual Easter Service. Visitors are invited to join the Friends of the Museum to enjoy a special Easter Service in the historic Darby Hand Chapel. www.bclm.co.uk. The service begins at 3.20pm. Limited space, pre-booking is advised: call 01902 670402 for information. April 9

Bank Holiday Fun Day at Shugborough

Baddesley Clinton: Family Easter trail with chocolate eggs Special events for Easter Bank and activities to take home. Holiday Monday at Shugborough Face painting on Sunday and with Stone Town Brass Band, on es gam Monday and outdoor family entertainment and you the lawn. 11am to 4pm. can even have a go at some ies: appl n Usual admissio traditional Victorian games. adults £9, children £4.50, www.shugborough.org.uk. family £23.60, plus £2.50 per Open from 11am to 5pm. Usual ily Fam se: trail. Packwood Hou admission applies: adults £15, Easter trail with chocolate eggs concessions £10.50, children £9. tent, ity activ the and crafts in and face painting on Sunday Monday and try your hand at an old fashioned egg and spoon race. 11am to 4pm. Usual admission applies: adults £8.30, children £4.55, family £21.15, plus £2.50 per trail. Coughton Court: Family Easter trail with chocolate eggs, outdoor games and take home crafts, old fashioned duck race on the river, face painting on Sunday and Monday, closed Good Friday. 11am to 4pm. Usual admission applies: adults £9, Aracaladanza children £4.50, family £23.60, trail. per 0 Dance plus £2.5 www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

E D G B A S TO N HIGH SCHOOL for GIRLS

An independent school for girls aged 2½-18 years

Preparatory School ‘Open House’ Tuesday 15th May 2012 9:30am-3:00pm Now oﬀering scholarships at 7+ Scholarships at 11+ and 16+ Means tested bursaries

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We s tb o urne R o a d , Edg b a s ton , B irm ing ha m B 1 5 3 TS Tel . 0 1 2 1 4 5 4 5 8 3 1 a dm iss i ons @ e dg b a s ton h ig h . c o .u k w w w. e dg b a s ton h ig h . c o .u k R e g is tere d Cha r it y no : 5 0 4 0 1 1 L im ite d C omp a ny re g is tere d in L ond on no 1 0 6 3 1

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A WORLD OF WONDER BENEATH YOUR FEET

round

April 10-19

Craftplay Easter at Bilston Craft Gallery

An opportunity to visit the network of underground tunnels and famous Limestone Mines. Sit back and enjoy the skipper guided tour as our experienced boatmen take you on a magical journey.

Booking Hotline:

01384 236275 e: enquiries@dudleycanaltrust.org.uk Dudley Canal Tunnel and Limestone Mines car park, A4123 Birmingham New Road, Dudley DY1 4SB Registered office and administration: Dudley Canal Trust (Trips) Limited, Blowers Green Pumphouse, Peartree Lane, Dudley, DY2 0XP

Under New

Management

Fu n ky M o n keys

P l ays c h e m e M in i M o n keys

www.primarytimes.net

All school holidays inc election days and strike action 3 – 8 years P re sc h oo l gr oup Ofsted registered – fully Tu esdays Free To a st fo qualified staff r ever y ch ild 10 – 4pm £12 (Top up sessions available) Monthly memberships Contact us on Join us for unlimited play 0121748317 to book for £7.50 a month

FREE ENTRY TUESDAY & THURSDAY (term time only) After school meal deal – £5.00 FRIDAYS – Come and play after school and get a hot meal for free Open Daily 7.30am - 6.00pm Tel: 0121 748 5824 Fort Dunlop | Fort Parkway | Birmingham | B24 9HL

www.funkymonkeys.co.uk | fortdunlopnursery@funkymonkeys.co.uk

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

Create crafts with spring themes inspired by the garden and home and explore the sensory greenhouse at Bilston Craft Gallery during Easter. www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk. Booking essential, call 01902 552507. Open April 10 and 17 from 1.30pm to 3pm, April 12 and 19 from 10.30am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 3pm. Spring Fun Day on April 11: get creative in one of the four drop-in workshops to make your own colourful spring bunting, or use collage to create your own decorative Easter egg. Open from 2-4pm. Free entry.

Midlands Art Centre (MAC), this festival will feature world premieres, spectacular outdoor performances, workshops and crafts so everyone can get involved. The award-winning Spanish dance company Aracaladanza are back at the festival with two shows of Fantasy and Imagination. For full programme of events and prices go to www.idfb. co.uk/whats-on. Throughout Easter

Thinktank

There are lots of activities and events going on at Thinktank in Birmingham throughout Easter and beyond. Robot Rebuild is the storytelling session for children under the age of 8. Someone has stolen parts from Ivor the inventor’s robot and you April 12 need to help him find them all to Junior Bird get him working again. Hosted in Watching at classroom Banneker on level 1, Edgbaston Reservoir until the end of April. Be the Curator for a day. You Great fun for the little ones can become the museum curator as they can join the rangers to investigate the science of of Edgbaston Reservoir for a keeping the collections clean. site walk to spot and identify Find out what it takes to keep feathered friends. everything safe. Hosted in the www.birmingham.gov.uk. Sessions at 11am and 12.30pm. Handling Hub, until the end of April. Star Tots – Early Years Admission free. Booking essential, visit website for details. Planetarium gives children under five the chance to learn all about April 22 the Planetarium with the legend of the great warrior Orion and the Tale of the Hunter and the Lions being told to little ears. Hosted in the Planetarium, Saturdays and Calling all thrillseekers (or Sundays until the end of April. All wannabe thrillseekers) to Ackers children must be accompanied by Adventure on April 22 for an an adult. www.thinktank.ac. activity taster day. One day, one price, eight activities to try. Throughout Easter You can try skiing, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, archery, zip wiring, the fan descender and the jungle challenge. With Easter holiday ice-skating at www.ackers-adventure.co.uk. Solihull Ice Rink, you can skate Open from 10am to 2.30pm. from 11am to 4pm every day. Adults £18, juniors (5-16) £15. You can book a five-week Learn to Skate course for just £40. You May 5-7 can also have the coolest birthday party ever with party packages only £13 per child (minimum of 10) that includes skating, a meal, a gift for the birthday child and vouchers Get your feet moving and for every party guest. www. your fingers creating as the solihullicerink.co.uk. Admission International Dance Festival returns to Birmingham for May £6.90, adults with skate hire £8.90, children with skate hire £8.70, bank holiday. Taking place family with skate hire £27. in Cannon Hill Park and the

Thrillseekers at Ackers Adventure

Easter at Solihull Ice Rink

International Dance Festival at MAC

dabout Alton Towers

The wait is over. Ice Age: The 4D Experience is now open! Located in the Cloud Cuckoo Land Theatre, the cinema combines 3D footage based on the third Ice Age movie with a variety of physical effects providing fans with the ultimate, ultra-cool, 4D experience. There are also Ice Age themed rooms available, inspired by the ﬁlms, where you can sleepover in style. Where: Alton, Staffordshire. www.altontowers.com. Open: Daily from 10am to 5.30pm or 6pm (check website for speciﬁc dates and times). Admission: Adults £42 (online £31.50), children £33.60 (online £25.20).

Dudley Canal Trust A trip into the Dudley canal tunnel and Ice Age 4D limestone mines can entertain, excite and educate young and old minds. Dudley was once under a coral seabed, and with a journey with Dudley canals you can see how and why. The boat trip takes you through loading wharfs with ﬂooded mines, open ivy covered canal basins, a fossilized coral reef and there’s a chance to experience the old fashioned art of legging the boat from the tunnel. Light refreshments available from snack bar. Free parking. Where: Dudley. www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk. Open: Daily 10am to 5pm. Admission: Adults £5.70, children £4.70, seniors £5.15, family £18.50/£22.75.

Drayton Manor Drayton Manor theme park is home to some of the biggest rides around. Take your chances on Ben 10 Ultimate Mission, Thomas Land, Shockwave and Stormforce 10. (Height and age restrictions apply to some rides). See a ﬁlm in the 4D cinema, learn about exciting species in the zoo and stay over at the Drayton Manor

Hotel. Everything’s there. Where: Tamworth, Staffordshire. www.draytonmanor.co.uk. Open: Daily from 9.30am to 5pm. Admission: Adults £36 (online from £22), children £25 (online from £21), seniors £19 (online from £17).

Sea Life Centre Feel like getting a bit wet? If you’ve ever wondered who and what lives in the rockpools around our coast, the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham can tell you … and show you. Get up close and personal to the wonderful creatures that live on our shores. Where: BrindleyPlace, Birmingham. www.visitsealife.com/birmingham. Open: Weekdays from 10am to 5pm, weekends from 10am to 6pm. Admission: Adults £18, children £14.40, family £56.40. Online discounts available.

Dudley Zoo From lions and tigers to snakes and spiders there’s fun for all ages at Dudley Zoological Gardens with over 1,000 animals, many exotic and endangered, on the 40-acre site. Come face to face with lemurs as they roam freely in their woodland home. Walk through an indoor rainforest to see primates, otters and meerkats. Watch amazing birds of prey as they demonstrate their ﬂying skills around the Castle grounds. Make some new furry friends down on the farm. Travel back in time in the History Discovery Zone and learn about ghosts and the horrible history of Dudley Castle. Enjoy regular talks and feeds with zoo keepers plus Creature Features where you can get to know all about your favourite animals and discover the important conservation projects we carry out. Bring a picnic or dine in our licensed restaurant. Land train, adventure playground, fair rides, face painting, gifts & souvenirs plus much more. Where: Dudley. www.dudleyzoo.org.uk. Open: Daily from 10am, last admission 3pm. Admission: Adults £11.30, concessions £9.90, children £8.90.

Meet everyone’s No.1 Blue Engine at

Thomas returns to the Severn Valley Railway

March 31st – April 1st April 14th – 15th Meet Sir Topham Hatt

Take a ride with Thomas, and join in with all the fun activities

Pre-book and save!

In partnership with:

www.svr.co.uk

www.primarytimes.net

places to visit

Tel.01299 403816

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

2 for 1 offer Easter Eggstravaganza 31st March to 22nd April 2012

A fantastic choc-o-bloc programme of Easter events for the holidays ● Easter Egg Hunt with free chocolate eggs ● Bunny Hunt with chocolate prize

Bunnies & Chicks ● Hatton's Sheepstakes ● Fun Fair Rides ● Tractor Trek ● Pig Palace ● Falconry Displays ● Farmyard Favourites ● Guinea Pig Village ● Children's Shows ● Pan for Gold ● Agility Play Trail ● JCB Young Drivers Zone ● Tristan the Runaway Tractor ● Daft Duck Trials ● Snorty’s Bouncing Barnyard ●

Hatton Country World, 3 miles outside Warwick off A4177 Warwick-Solihull Road

Tel: 01926 843411 www.hattonworld.com

2 for 1 offer

This voucher admits two for the price of one Valid up to 20th July 2012 (Excludes Monday 9th April 2012) Adult’s Name Adult’s email 1. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer, school/group bookings, birthday parties or Hatton Membership. 2. One person admitted free with each full paying ticket. Cheapest ticket is free. 3. No photocopies accepted or copies from electronic versions of publications. 4. This voucher can only be used once and must be given up at the time of use. 5. One voucher required per free entry.

www.hattonworld.com

Programme subject to change.

15546a 02.11

Open 10am - 5.30pm

LOCAL STORES AT STRATFORD LEAMINGTON SPA & WARWICK AND THROUGHOUT THE UK

24-7 shopping @ charlesclinkard.co.uk

s e p i c e r for Easter

Everyone loves Easter, the time of year when people buy you chocolate! What’s not to love? We’ve put together a few chocolate recipes for you to have fun making with your friends. Do remember to get help from an adult, though. Happy Easter from Primary Times!

Chocolate Nests - Makes 30 Ingredients: - 500g Shredded Wheat (or 16 large biscuits) - 400g milk chocolate - 2 x 100g bags Mini Eggs

Method:

Method: • Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (get an adult to help you with this bit). • When the chocolate and the butter have melted, pour in the golden syrup and stir well. • Add the Rice Krispies (or whatever cereal you have decided to use) and mix until completely covered. • Spoon the mixture into paper cake cases and leave to cool.

Chocolate Flapjacks

- Makes 20

Ingredients: - 210g unsalted butter - 125g brown sugar - 2 ½ tbsp. golden syrup - 375g porridge oats - 80g milk or plain chocolate

Method: • Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Grease and line, with greaseproof paper, a 40cm square tin (or two 20cm tins). • Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over a gentle heat . • Pour the oats into the saucepan with the butter, sugar and golden syrup and mix well. • Stir in the chocolate (the chocolate should start to melt as it mixes with the other hot ingredients). • Pour the whole mix into the bakin g tin and press down with a palette knife or the back of a spoon. • Bake for 15-20 minutes until gold en brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack. Slice into your desired shapes – be creat ive!

www.primarytimes.net

• Crush the Shredded Wheat biscuits into a bowl with your hands, or use a food mixer (if using a food mixer, get help from an adult). • Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (get an adult to help you with this, too). • Once melted, pour the chocolate into the bowl with the Shredded Wheat and mix well until completely coated. Rice Krispie Cakes • When mixed, spoon the mixture into paper cake cases and - Makes 12 press down in the middle of each to create a small hole for the Ingredients: eggs. Press two or three (depending on how many you want!) - 60g unsalted butter Mini Eggs into the middle of the nests. Leave to cool and set - 3tbsp golden syrup for two hours. - 100g milk chocolate - 100g Rice Krispies (also works with Corn Flakes and other cereals)

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

r m k w o boo Our pick of

helf

r your books

st-haves fo the latest mu

Fitter, Faster, Funnier Olympics (8+)

Michael Cox, A&C Black, £4.99

Everyone and everything has been obsessed with the Olympics since the Olympic Committee announced that it would be coming to London in 2012. Well, 2012 is now here, and we are even more obsessed! Michael Cox’s book Fitter, Faster, Funnier explains ‘everything you ever wanted to know about the Olympics, but were afraid to ask’ from how to throw an Olympic hammer to how to be an Olympic wrestler to the etiquette of winning. This is a great book for the inquisitive, the sporty and the witty. Did you know that, in 1936, after competing in the high jump at the Berlin Olympics, German athlete Dora Ratjen was discovered to be a male German waiter called Hermann? Did you know that the men’s golf champion at the 1904 Olympics, George Lyon walked up to the ofﬁcials on his hands to collect his trophy? There are more of these fascinatingly funny facts in this book. On you marks … get set … go!

Star Fighters (7+)

Max Chase, Bloomsbury, £4.99 each

Paw Prints in the Snow (8+)

Roger Stevens, A&C Black, £4.99

Sally Grindley, Bloomsbury, £5.99

Do you have what it takes to be a star ﬁghter? Now is your chance to ﬁnd out. It’s the year 5012 and the galaxy is under attack. After a war that almost brought destruction to every known universe, the planets in the Milky Way got together to create an intergalactic force: The Star Fighters. In this series of three Star Fighters adventures, Alien Attack, Deadly Missions and The Enemy’s Lair (with another three released in April) there are explorations and assignments a plenty as cadet pilot Peri and his friends battle to keep the universe safe. Will they succeed?

www.primarytimes.net 20

What Rhymes with ? (7+) ze? neeze Snee

Joe and his family are in Russia on the trail of one of the world’s greatest creatures, the beautiful Amur tiger. Joe comes closer to the Amur tiger than he ever imagined possible when he discovers an injured cub and decides to help. This thrilling adventure was written with the help of London Zoo and the Zoological Society of London to make sure that all the facts and representations of the Amur tiger are accurate. A heartwarming book that will be read and enjoyed over and over again.

about We want to hear rite to us W s! ok your favourite bo ishing Ink, bl Pu , es at Primary Tim House, 111 New Fifth Floor, White am, B2 4EU Street, Birmingh at or email us ngink.co.uk and jennifer@publishi vourite books fa tell us about your ve them. lo u yo hy w d an your name here e se en ev ht ig You m in the next issue!

Saint Martin's N to Y6 Open Session 2 May 2012_Layout 2 01/03/2012 10:24 Pa

Saint Martin’s School Solihull

Tuition for grammar school 11 plus FREE Assessments for all children in years 3,4 and 5. To book a place call 0121 709 1200

Tudor House Tuition www.tudorhousetuition.co.uk

Nursery to Sixth Form - Where girls succeed

Open Session Nursery to Year 6

Wednesday 2 May 2012 9.30 - 11.30 am We offer small classes in a stimulating and stretching environment

You are welcome to visit at anytime Nursery vouchers accepted Means-tested assisted places available from Year 3 Independent Girls’ Day School Saint Martin’s, Malvern Hall, Brueton Avenue, Solihull B91 3EN Tel. 0121 705 1265 mail@saintmartins-school.com www.saintmartins-school.com Registered Charity No. 528967

Blue Ice Solihull Rink ‘The coolest place to be’

From April 14th 2012 we are offering morning yoga clubs for children at our Walsall and West Bromwich venues. Also booking for mum and baby yoga. Adult classes widely available. For more details please call Michelle w: blissyoga.org.uk on 07910 158275 e: blissyoga@ymail.com

Calling all Mums

Join us this Easter. School Holiday Skating, Friday 30th March until Friday 20th April. Daily skating 11am to 4pm (Evening sessions also available)

£5

Would you like flexible working hours to fit around your family life? If you are honest, ethical and self-motivated then find out more

For further information contact

Natalie Ford

01902 741811

full training and support given

Use this voucher to claim £5.00 off a family ticket (normal price up to £27.00).

A family ticket is for 2 parents & 2 children or 1 parent & 3 children. Voucher cannot be used on a Friday or Saturday evening disco session. Offer expires 29/04/12 Your name ........................................................................ Area where you live .......................................................... Email address or mobile no................................................ If you do not wish to be informed of any other offers or promotions please tick here

Don’t want to go back to work but still need an income? Are childcare fees making it not worth going out to work?

off a family ticket

“We are a lot closer than you think… just 5 minutes away from junction 5 or 6 of the M42 and CAR PARKING IS FREE”

information provided will not be passed to any third parties.

• Skating Lessons Available, for only £40.00 (5 week course) • Parent & Toddler Classes only £30.00 (5 weeks) • Book the coolest Birthday Party on ice... only £13.00 per child, includes skating and a meal Blue Ice Solihull Rink, Hobs Moat Road, Solihull B92 8JN Tel: 0121 742 5561

Maths & English tuition HILDCARE

designed to

USE THEM AT EXPLORE!

Interactive Dance fun for Parent and Child • Baby Boppers - 6 months-walking • Waddlers and Toddlers - walking-2 1/2 years • Adventure Aerobics - 2-4 years

UCHERS

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your child!

Maths & English mapped to the curriculum

Handwriting & Creative Writing Support in secondary school

Encourages natural progression onto the Midlands pioneering pre-school dance programme created in line with EYFS and The RAD. • PreSchool Ballet and Dinky Disco 2 1/2-4 years.

11+ & exam preparation Confidence boosting

Book your free trial session today!

Classes in and around Solihull and Sutton Coldfield & Programmes for Libraries, Nurseries & Children’s Centres

Kings Heath Leamington Spa Oldbury

01216 617409 01926 422800 01216 476369

www.explorelearning.co.uk

Sandwell Leisure Trust

Easter

Holiday Camps 2 - 13 April 2012

Tipton Sports Academy

FOR

www.sandwellfor2012.co.uk

Enjoy being Active during the Easter Break! *5-16 year olds can take part in a variety of activities, all day camps, swimming, multi sports, football & fun sessions.

Wednesbury Oak Road, Tipton, West Midlands DY4 0BS

Urban Street

Monday 4pm-5pm, Ages 8-11 years, £3 This high energy class will include the latest urban street dance moves including street and break dancing to the latest house and dance tunes

Fuse the Moves

*Check for under 8 sessions. Sessions hourly to all day.

Friday 5pm-6pm, Ages 12-16 years, £3

• Discounts with Leisure Pass • Half price concessions and 10% discounts available

Powerful and energetic. This class includes the latest dance moves including Capoeira, break dancing, street and contempory styles.

Strictly Ballroom Friday 7pm-8pm, Adults, £4

(Standard or Concessionary individual membership only where eligible)

Call your local Leisure Centre for more information SANDWELL LEISURE TRUST

www.slt-leisure.co.uk 0845 659 4815

Award winning services supporting Sandwell's scorecard

Da nc

If you love the glitz and glam of ballroom dancing you'll love this! Learn the steps with your partner to some of the classic dances including, waltz, quickstep and foxtrot ses and not forgetting salsa, cha cha cha, the sions rock & roll, jive and rumba.

e for sta eve r in ryo ne

SANDWELL LEISURE TRUST

www.slt-leisure.co.uk 0845 659 4815

Award winning services supporting Sandwell's scorecard

e s i v o m

At the

The Pirates! in an adventure with scientists

l wit is packed with verba this 3D animation , as at se h be to hig pts the em re on voice) att A rollicking adventu ptain (Hugh Grant, than ur as the Pirate Ca pirates, some nicer the et Me . ard and physical humo Aw ar Ye rring sta the o of Als . ate bo Pir Bo veted Bellamy and Mr ck his rivals to the co Bla , Liz o ss wh tla rs Cu ino Pirate, lm is from the creato others, including Alb . vid Tennant. This ﬁ od Da go d be an k to ye ing Ha go a lm it, so you know it’s om Martin Freeman, Sa Gr & e llac Wa en Run and brought you Chick

DU OU E T Ma

G) t a Zoo (P We Bough 16 from March

t Christmas issue, bu this film back in the true story a on We told you about d se Ba . ed tunately delay its release was unfor shows how he and min Mee, this film nja Be e of life the about zoo. Benjamin Me a y bu ir life savings to the h wit ) life l his family spent the rea in o, d zoo (Dartmoor Zo plan: bought a dilapidate h his children. The wit rt sta sh fre a g rring sta lm fi hopes of makin ily fam is is a heartwarming . ing nn reopen the zoo. Th Fa Elle d an ett Johansson Matt Damon, Scarl

A) Wrath of the Titans (12 from March 30

The gods and the titans return in this latest installment of the epic story. When Perseus (Sam Worthington), the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson) is living a quiet life as a ﬁsherman, a decade after his defeat of the monstrous Kraken, the gods lose control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader Kronos returns to embark on an heroic quest to rescue his father and save mankind. An action-packed hour and a half that will keep the family entertained from start to ﬁnish. www.primarytimes.net

Beauty and the Beast (PG) from May 4

The classic Disney animation from 1991 returns to cinemas for 2012 in 3D. The timeless tale tells the story of Belle, a young village girl who ﬁnds herself falling for an unlikely suitor in the form of a much misunderstood creature hidden away in the grand castle. Will they all live happily ever after?

Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White (PG) from April 2 This fantastic new fantasy telling the story of Snow White (Lily Collins) and the wicked enchantress Queen Clementianna (Julia Roberts). Queen Clementianna plots and schemes for control of the spirited orphan Snow White’s throne. However, when Snow White’s beauty wins the heart of the charming Prince Andrew, the Queen banishes her to the forest where all manner of evil awaits. A great take on a classic tale.

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

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you have any s Corner! If et P to e what you m Welco ts, advice on should pe ur yo t ou questions ab ing them, how often you or if ed them outside, pet should be fe em or letting be walking th send in a picture of your rry, t to Fu you just wan ar from you! all we want to he ve for us to see, big enough to ride, we lo few a ﬂuffy, scaly or picture of your pets with a to do, e lik ey th t pets! Send us out them, wha . sentences ab t and why you love them ey co.uk k. in ng what th ea hi lis k, nnifer@pub Email us at je ary Times, Publishing In m ri P Street, ew N 1 or write to 11 hite House, Fifth Floor, W ingham, B2 4EU. Birm le to return we are unab quire your Please note, post. If you re amped by nt se s ph photogra enclose a st back, please lope. photograph ve en d addresse

s t e p r e n r o c We hea wan t you r abo to r p ut ets !

This issue’s Pets Corner comes from Joanna Manning from Birmingham. Joanna is 7 years old. She has two guinea pigs called Birthday and Six. Here’s Joanna to tell you all about them:

Don’t forget the creatures in your gardens can be your pets, too! The RSPB is asking for your help to ‘make your nature count’. Join in the count at www.rspb.org.uk/naturecount. Check out Pinboard for more information.

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

www.primarytimes.net

“These are my two guinea pigs, Birthday and Six. Their life is pretty easy, all they have to do is eat, sleep and drink! They like eating grass, hay, guinea pig mix and carrots, broccoli leaves, dandelion leaves and spinach. They live indoors and because I have two of them I have to have a big cage. I like to get them out and cuddle them a lot. In the summer we put them out in the garden in a run, and they run about like maniacs and do frisky hops which makes me laugh! They also played with a really long tube which a kite came in and they ran through it in the blink of an eye. We couldn’t stop laughing for ages. In the picture the one on the right hand side is Six and the one on the left is Birthday. Six’s fur goes the opposite way to Birthday’s. They are brothers.”

g n i t e k c i r c d n a l t Eng t o r T n a h t a n o J r a t s r e p u s Jonathan of the Year r te e k c ri C World ickshire nd & Warw poke to ICC s la g s n e E im h T it w ry Prima cricket is career in h t u o b a tt Tro Can you explain the feeling you get when you step out onto the cricket pitch? It’s a proud moment, because I’m representing my country or my county, England and Warwickshire. By playing with England I’ve been fortunate to play in some of the biggest ﬁxtures and best grounds around the world, so it’s a great moment to walk onto the pitch at the start of every match.

How can we get more youngsters involved in the game of cricket? Well, as the England team, we need to keep winning as this will attract more youngsters to the game. Seeing their team win is a great motivation for youngsters. We play a lot of international cricket throughout the summer, so there is plenty of opportunity to see England play. At Edgbaston we’re here in all three forms of the game in 2012.

How can cricket beneﬁt children? Firstly there’s the opportunity to be part of a team. Then there’s the element of making you more disciplined by maintaining your concentration for long periods of time.

How important is fitness and nutrition to your performance as a cricketer? It’s very important for the modern day cricketer to be as fit as we can be. That’s why we each have dedicated fitness programmes as we want to be able to bat for long periods of time and be very agile in the field. A diving catch or an athletic piece of fielding could be the difference between winning or losing a game, so we aim to give ourselves the best possible chance with England and Warwickshire. But it’s not just about physical fitness, we also have to maintain our concentration for long periods of time and have quick reactions.

You have an impressive looking set of statistics including strike rate, innings, not-outs, best, average, caught etc. Can you explain exactly what they mean? Why thank you. Well if we look at my stats: Strike rate is the number of runs that I average per 100 balls. Innings is the number of times that I’ve batted in a match. Not outs is the number of times that I’ve ﬁnished

t Club Warwickshire County Cricke und Gro nty The Cou Edgbaston, B5 7QU 0844 847 1902 www.edgbaston.com

an innings without being out. Best is my personal top score. The average is the most common score for batsmen as it’s based on our average score for each innings. This is worked out by dividing the total number runs that I’ve scored by the number of times that I’ve been out in an innings. Not outs don’t count as an innings, but the runs get added to my total Caught is the total number of catches that I’ve made

You’ve recently signed a further three-year contract extension with the Warwickshire Bears until the end of the 2015 season. Was that a difﬁcult decision to make? Not at all. Warwickshire is a great Club with a young side that’s capable of challenging for honours in all competitions. The redevelopment of our home ground, Edgbaston, has made it one of the best venues in world cricket. I love playing my County cricket here and Birmingham has very much become my home.

You’re only 30 years old, still a tender age, but an age that many sportsmen reach and decide to hang up their boots. No thoughts of retirement yet for you, then? Certainly not. I won ICC World Cricketer of the year for my performances with England in 2011 and I’ve got big ambitions for the future. We became the world’s number one Test team last summer, but have a very busy programme over the next few years. There’s the Test series against the West Indies and South Africa this summer, then a tour of India in the winter and then back-to-back Ashes series’. Some of the world’s best cricketers go on playing still into their 40s. Our England batting coach, Graham Gooch is the perfect example of this, who is actually England’s record run scorer in Test Matches.

What has been the highlight of your career so far? Both Ashes wins with England in 2009 and 2010/11 have to be my highlights. Scoring 100 on my debut in a game when we clinched the Ashes in 2009 was an amazing experience and just made me hungrier to achieve more in international cricket. Then being part of the ﬁrst England team to win the Ashes in Australia for 25 years was unbelievable. We worked very hard for several months to ensure that we were in the best possible shape for the tour of Australia and it was great to share the moments with so many travelling fans.

What piece of advice would you give to a budding cricketer? Work hard, stay focused and you’ll get your rewards.

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THE WIGGLES! The Wiggles are touring again! Back by popular demand, The Wiggles are celebrating the return of yellow Wiggle Greg by touring the UK. Greg rejoins Murray (red), Jeff (purple) and Anthony (blue) back on tour with Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus and Captain Feathersword. We have teamed up with The Wiggles promoters and the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham to give Primary Times readers the chance to win one of two family tickets to see the show on June 15. For your chance to win, just answer this question:

WHAT COLOUR IS WIGGLE GREG PALE? Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/competitions or send your entry to The Wiggles Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by June 11.

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The doorbell rings. Who could it be? As Sophie opens the door, the one thing she doesn’t expect to see is a bit, stripy tiger … but that’s exactly who it is. The Tiger Who Came to Tea is the much-loved tale of a tiger that created mayhem at teatime is most certainly one for all the family. The Tiger is coming to Birmingham Town Hall from April 3-19 and we have teamed up with the promoters to offer Primary Times readers the chance to win one of two family tickets to the performance on Saturday April 7 at 11am. For your chance to win, just answer this question: WHAT IS THE NAME OF

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO ANSWERS THE DOOR TO THE TIGER? Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/ competitions or send your entry to The Tiger Who Came to Tea Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by April 4.

EASTER 2012 ISSUE

Do you like reading poems and rhymes but are not sure how to write them? Look no further; this is the book for you. Stuffed with some fantastic rhymes and poems, children of all ages will love the feel of this book. Learn how to ﬁnd words that rhyme and what to do when you have a word that nothing rhymes with, like orange or purple. Learn how to write tongue twisters, structure your lines and have fun with place names. We have teamed up with A&C Black publishing to give Primary Times readers the chance to win one of ﬁve copies of What Rhymes with Sneeze? For your chance to win, just: NAME ONE WORD THAT NO OTHER WORDS RHYME WITH. Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/competitions or send your entry to What Rhymes with Sneeze Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by May 30.

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STAR FIGHTERS BOOKS! Do you have what it takes to be a star fighter? Now is your chance to find out. It’s the year 5012 and the galaxy is under attack. After a war that almost brought destruction to every known universe, the planets in the Milky Way got together to create an intergalactic force: The Star Fighters. In this series of three Star Fighters adventures, Alien Attack, Deadly Missions and The Enemy’s Lair (with another three released in April) there are explorations and assignments a plenty as cadet pilot Peri and his friends battle to keep the universe safe. Will they succeed? You will have to read the books to find out! Here’s your chance, as we’ve teamed up with Bloomsbury publishers to give Primary Times readers the chance to win one of five sets of the series. For your chance to win, just answer this question: WHAT YEAR ARE THE STAR FIGHTERS

BOOKS SET IN? Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/competitions or send your entry to Star Fighters Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by May 30.

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AND AMAZONS! All aboard The Swallow! Follow Captain John and his able crew as they set sail to Wildcat Island on an exotic adventure to encounter savages, capture dastardly pirates and defeat mortal enemies at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. An action-packed musical adventure for the whole family, Swallows and Amazons is a story of an idyllic era, of endless summer evenings and the beauty of youthful imagination, based on the book by Arthur Ransome. We have teamed up with the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre to give Primary Times readers the chance to win one of three family tickets to the performance on Friday April 27 at 7pm. For your chance to win, just answer this question:

WHO WROTE THE BOOK SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS? Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/competitions or send your entry to Swallows and Amazons Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by April 23.

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What’s Up Ducks? and other stories are being put together on DVD for you to enjoy. A big hit on CBeebies, Big Barn Farm is about four young animals, the Farmyard Bunch – Petal the Piglet, Gobo the ‘kid’ goat, Dash the young donkey and Digger the puppy and their views on life on Big Barn Farm.

WHAT BREED OF TIGER DOES JOE FIND? Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/ competitions or send your entry to Paw Prints in the Snow Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by May 30.

In What’s Up Ducks?, Gobo, Dash and Digger decide to build their own houses like the Three Little Pigs. Join Gobo the ‘kid’ goat, Dash the young donkey and Digger the puppy on this and other day to day adventures down on Big Barn Farm as they play hide and seek and search for a monster. Big Barn Farm follows the day-to-day adventures of these and all the other farmyard animals, with children seeing this magical world entirely from the animal-perspective. We have ﬁve copies to give away to Primary Times readers. For your chance to win, just answer this question:

WHAT ANIMAL IS GOBO? Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/competitions or send your entry to Big Barn Farm Competition, Primary Times, Publishing Ink, Fifth Floor, White House, 111 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4EU by May 30.

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Joe and his family are in Russia on the trail of one of the world’s greatest creatures, the beautiful Amur tiger. Joe comes closer to the Amur tiger than he ever imagined possible when he discovers an injured cub and decides to help. This thrilling adventure was written with the help of London Zoo and the Zoological Society of London to make sure that all the facts and representations of the Amur tiger are accurate. We have teamed up with Bloomsbury publishing to give Primary Times readers the chance to win one of ﬁve copies of Paw Prints in the Snow. For your chance to win, just answer this question:

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