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What’s on guide<br />
62,000 copies for Parents,<br />
Teachers & Children<br />
30 Jan - 19 March 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Issue 104<br />
in <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong><br />
Red Nose Day is back!<br />
To get involved go to www.rednoseday.com<br />
The Best Family Guide to What’s On<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
1
RHS Search for Young Wildlife<br />
Enthusiasts to Create Scarecrows for<br />
RHS Hampton Court Palace Show<br />
Schools needed from across <strong>London</strong> and South East England<br />
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is searching for pre-schools and primary schools<br />
from the South East to take ‘a walk on the wild side’ and design wildlife themed<br />
scarecrows for display at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, 4-9 July.<br />
The shortlisted schools will be asked to build their scarecrow designs which will be<br />
judged by visitors at the show. To enter, pupils must be in year six or below and must be<br />
registered with the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.<br />
The lucky winners will receive £200 worth of gardening vouchers, with second and third<br />
placed schools receiving £150 and £50 worth of gardening vouchers. The deadline for<br />
entries is 10 March 20<strong>17</strong>.<br />
The schools are challenged to use plants and recycled materials to create their ‘walk on<br />
the wild side’ inspired scarecrows. Children can let their imaginations run wild, taking<br />
inspiration from people, places and animals across the UK. The ‘wildlife’ theme will run<br />
across this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, raising awareness of the<br />
urgent need to support Britain’s declining wildlife.<br />
To enter and to sign up to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, schools should<br />
visit https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/Competitions/Hampton-Court-Scarecrows<br />
Registered Charity No. 211058<br />
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Book an appointment now:<br />
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<strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong> : Contents<br />
Dear reader...<br />
Welcome to our <strong>Feb</strong>ruary half term issue.<br />
We hope that you all enjoyed the festive<br />
break and that you have managed not to<br />
get the awful cold virus that seems to have<br />
swept across our country. Daylight hours<br />
are already stretching out and provide<br />
encouraging thoughts that outdoor play after<br />
school is not far away now.<br />
In this issue we bring you a whole host of events and activities<br />
that will be happening across <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> during half term and<br />
beyond – indoor and outdoor activities that will help to keep your<br />
children entertained, from craft activities to steam train rides! There<br />
is something to suit everyone! We haven’t been able to include all<br />
activities in this issue so please don’t forget to check online at<br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london for additional things to do.<br />
We have an exclusive discount from Oxygen Freejumping so do<br />
make sure you take advantage of this fabulous offer – see page<br />
5 for more details. Plus our annual party guide starts on page 13<br />
offering lots of inspiration and ideas to suit your budget, including the<br />
opportunity to win a kids crafting party with Paperchase on page 16!<br />
Don’t forget to send us your news – are you holding any special<br />
events at Easter that you would like us to include in our listings? –<br />
email us on ptwl@schoolspublishing.co.uk.<br />
Marion, Jackie, Marie, Julie & Carol<br />
News & Views<br />
Focus on Education<br />
Roundabout<br />
Let’s Party!<br />
Cook up a treat<br />
for Pancake Day!<br />
Theatre<br />
Book Reviews<br />
Loopy Library<br />
4<br />
6<br />
10<br />
13<br />
19<br />
20<br />
22<br />
23<br />
The <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> in <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> team:<br />
Editor:<br />
Marion McAdam<br />
marion@schoolspublishing.co.uk<br />
Sub-Editor & Designer:<br />
Jackie Bourne<br />
Sales:<br />
Marie McArthur & Julie Daruvalla<br />
ptwl@schoolspublishing.co.uk<br />
01491 411848<br />
Production:<br />
Carol George<br />
production@<br />
schoolspublishing.co.uk<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> in <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong><br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Magazine Group<br />
Unit 1A, Thamesview Industrial Estate<br />
Newtown Road, Henley on Thames<br />
Oxfordshire RG9 1HG<br />
T: 01491 411848 | www.primarytimes.net/west_london<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> is independently published and distributed free through national primary schools<br />
in <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong>. It aims to inform families and children about current educational issues,<br />
forthcoming events, courses, attractions and give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity<br />
to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or by joining in the competitions. It is<br />
NOT our intention to publish any racist, sexist or politically biased material whatsoever. We<br />
also undertake not to carry any advertising which we would consider to be offensive to young<br />
families or harmful to the best interests of your children. <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> would like to thank<br />
all of the schools in <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> for their assistance in distributing the magazine and or their<br />
contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the advertisers who have supported<br />
the publication and therefore made it possible. Please support their endeavours when and<br />
where you can. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced<br />
by our studio remains with <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> or with the relevant contributor. <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> is<br />
currently publishing 59 titles and over 2.7 million copies per issue under franchise licenses<br />
throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. All advertisements are accepted in good faith and<br />
on the same basis that the advertised goods and services are as stated in the advertisement.<br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
3
News & Views <strong>West</strong><br />
<strong>London</strong><br />
Get involved with<br />
British Science<br />
Week: 10-19 March<br />
We all know how difficult it can<br />
be to think of innovative ways<br />
to educate children without<br />
seeing their minds wander<br />
and their eyes droop. So, if<br />
you’re looking for a touch of<br />
inspiration, look no further than<br />
British Science Week (BSW).<br />
BSW is a national<br />
celebration of science,<br />
technology, engineering and<br />
maths - featuring fascinating<br />
events and activities across<br />
the UK. It is run by the British<br />
Science Association (BSA)<br />
and will take place from 10-19<br />
March 20<strong>17</strong>. There will be a<br />
variety of events happening<br />
all over the country during the<br />
week which will be open for<br />
anyone to attend.<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> schools, children<br />
and families are an extremely<br />
important part of BSW. The<br />
BSA provide free activity<br />
packs full of inspiring ideas<br />
that you can do in your<br />
classroom or at home, with<br />
information about what you’ll<br />
need and how to extend the<br />
activities. The theme for this<br />
year is “Change”, encouraging<br />
young people to investigate<br />
the changes happening in<br />
the world around us and the<br />
changes they can make to<br />
have a positive impact on the<br />
future.<br />
There is a primary school<br />
pack which contains activities<br />
ranging from chemistry you<br />
can do in the kitchen, to<br />
creating a Moon diary, and<br />
even instructions on how to<br />
build your own rocket.<br />
Pupils can also enter the<br />
annual poster competition to<br />
be in with a chance of winning<br />
an array of prizes. Posters<br />
will be based on the theme<br />
of “Change” and are judged<br />
on how creative and wellresearched<br />
the ideas are, as<br />
well as how well the poster has<br />
been made or drawn.<br />
New for primary schools in<br />
20<strong>17</strong> is Demo Day; an annual<br />
campaign during BSW that<br />
aims to inspire school teachers<br />
and technicians to explore new<br />
concepts, provoke discussions<br />
and generate excitement<br />
through running science<br />
demonstrations. Demo Day<br />
will take place on Thursday<br />
16 March and teachers<br />
who are planning to run a<br />
demonstration on Demo Day<br />
can pledge their involvement.<br />
The pledges will be added to<br />
an interactive map which will<br />
display all participants from<br />
schools across the UK.<br />
To find out more and<br />
get involved visit www.<br />
britishscienceweek.org<br />
There will also be further<br />
announcements over the next<br />
month, including exciting new<br />
events for 20<strong>17</strong>, so do keep<br />
checking back and follow the<br />
hashtag #BSW<strong>17</strong> on Twitter for<br />
important news and updates.<br />
Save the date and put your thinking caps<br />
on – Wear A Hat Day is coming again!<br />
What is Wear A Hat Day?<br />
Wear A Hat Day is the UK’s premier<br />
brain tumour research fundraising<br />
event. Taking place on Friday 31st<br />
March 20<strong>17</strong>, which is the last day<br />
of Brain Tumour Awareness Month,<br />
schools and families across the<br />
country get involved to help raise<br />
funds for research into this devastating<br />
disease.<br />
Why get involved?<br />
Brain tumours kill more children<br />
and adults under the age of 40<br />
than any other cancer… yet just<br />
1% of the national spend on cancer<br />
research has been allocated to<br />
this devastating disease. No parent<br />
should lose a child and no child<br />
should lose a parent prematurely.<br />
Brain Tumour Research is the<br />
only national charity that invests in<br />
sustainable long-term research at<br />
UK Centres of Excellence. Wear<br />
A Hat Day is a great way to show<br />
support and raise money for this<br />
research. Children and adults take<br />
part in days of hat-filled fundraising<br />
events. School children maximise<br />
their fundraising by selling<br />
exclusive hat-shaped pin badges<br />
– with new designs from the charity<br />
created each year, they have become<br />
collector’s items among the<br />
youngsters!<br />
How do I get involved?<br />
Register now at www.wearahatday.<br />
org and start planning your event.<br />
Your fundraising pack will include<br />
leaflets and posters to help promote<br />
your event and will arrive in<br />
plenty of time for your Wear A Hat<br />
Day. The charity provides exciting<br />
Wear A Hat Day merchandise<br />
to buy and sell to help with your<br />
fundraising – wristbands, plush<br />
hats, baseball caps, car hats and<br />
designer brooches for parents and<br />
teachers joining in with little fundraisers.<br />
Event ideas and fundraising<br />
top tips can be found on the<br />
website. Many children make hats,<br />
have hat competitions, parades<br />
and fashion shows, and the charity<br />
publishes the best photos on social<br />
media.<br />
All in all it is simply too<br />
#HATTASTIC to miss!<br />
Help your child develop fine motor skills<br />
while having fun family bonding time!<br />
The DoUp4Ways cushion has been designed<br />
to help parents to support their children to learn<br />
and develop a range of skills without them even<br />
noticing that this is what they are doing.<br />
Interactive cushions is the brain child of stay<br />
at home Dad Alfred Munroe who is the proud<br />
father of 4 sons.<br />
To find out more go to www.doup4ways.com<br />
4<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london
A very special Tree of Wishes is<br />
planted at The John Lyon School<br />
To celebrate and commemorate the 140th anniversary<br />
of the founding of the John Lyon School, boys in Year 7<br />
held a very special tree planting. The 140th tree is a<br />
sapling with quite a heritage; it is part of Chiswick House<br />
& Gardens Trust’s Cedar of Lebanon Conservation project.<br />
The future of the famous Cedars of Lebanon at<br />
Chiswick House & Gardens has been secured by grafting<br />
five different clones and sharing these with other historic<br />
public gardens. 31 Cedars of Lebanon have been<br />
successfully grafted as part of an English Heritage Project<br />
and are now thriving in historic sites including Hyde Park<br />
Gardens Square, St James’s Square, Boston Manor,<br />
Walpole Park and Painshill. The John Lyon School are<br />
delighted to have been<br />
offered one of these saplings<br />
and for our newest pupils to<br />
be able to join together to<br />
plant the tree in our grounds.<br />
Year 7 boys each wrote<br />
their wishes for the future on<br />
a postcard that they planted<br />
around Cedar. The Year 7<br />
Tree of Wishes will thrive in<br />
the Red House Garden at<br />
this historic School for years<br />
to come.<br />
Jumping Fun for Everyone in Acton<br />
Oxygen Freejumping, <strong>London</strong>’s<br />
favourite trampoline park, is set<br />
to make your family time soar with<br />
a great offer on 1-hour jumping<br />
sessions exclusively<br />
for <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> readers!<br />
Oxygen Freejumping is the place<br />
where you can jump, flip, leap, play<br />
and soar to your heart’s content.<br />
Unlike other trampoline parks it has<br />
multiple different jumping zones, so<br />
whether you’re a superstar flipper or<br />
a bouncing beginner you’ll<br />
be in for a treat at Oxygen<br />
Freejumping!<br />
The whole family is<br />
welcome to have a bouncing<br />
time as you defy gravity on<br />
the mega airbags! Take on the<br />
Oxygen Allstars at dodgeball,<br />
battle your friends on the<br />
speed reaction walls and<br />
practice your super slamming<br />
skills on the basketball hoops.<br />
It’s also the home of the<br />
most jumping kids parties<br />
going, so if there’s a special<br />
birthday coming up be sure to put a<br />
trampolining date in the diary – then all<br />
you need to do is send the invites!<br />
Plus, exclusively for <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
readers, you can save 20% if you<br />
use code PT20 when booking!<br />
Get ready to make some memories<br />
with the whole family at Oxygen<br />
Freejumping. Visit oxygenfreejumping.<br />
co.uk to book. Located on Kendal<br />
Avenue, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> W3 0AF.<br />
Offer ends 28 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary 20<strong>17</strong>.<br />
JUMPING FUN FOR EVERYONE!<br />
PRIMARY TIMES EXCLUSIVE<br />
20% OFF<br />
FREEJUMPING!<br />
USE CODE: PT20<br />
VALID UNTIL: 28.02.<strong>17</strong><br />
KIDS PARTIES ALSO BOOKING NOW<br />
KENDAL AVENUE, LONDON, W3 0AF<br />
BOOK ONLINE: OXYGENFREEJUMPING.CO.UK<br />
BOOKING HOTLINE: 0203 846 1386<br />
To advertise in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> call 01491 411848<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
5
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Weekly Coding Classes for Ages 8–14<br />
Visit our website for information on GCSE and A-level courses.<br />
Coding Classes for ages 8-14<br />
DiscoG Coding Academy uses the Raspberry Pi – a credit card<br />
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Join one of our unique coding programmes to discover the Python<br />
Programming Language.<br />
The Young Coders Course, for children aged 6-8 and 9-14 is an<br />
ideal introduction to the world of coding. The 11+ exams are now<br />
over, this is the perfect time to discover a new skill that is essential<br />
to your child’s future. In one-to-one sessions, each student is<br />
encouraged to learn at their own pace, whilst students taught<br />
in small groups of a similar age are able to collaborate, share<br />
thoughts and provide support, utilising their individual strengths.<br />
We are living in a world dominated by technology,<br />
understanding hardware and software is now as important as<br />
reading and writing and is essential to surviving in the 21st<br />
Century. Get inspired and join the digital revolution today!<br />
For more information visit www.discogcodingacademy.com<br />
Give your child the best<br />
chance with Examberry<br />
Examberry are 11+ specialists and run small<br />
friendly classes with a maximum of 8 children<br />
per class only. We have centres in Ealing,<br />
Hounslow, Slough, Kingston, New Malden and<br />
Teddington. All our tutors are qualified teachers<br />
and we teach in a positive interactive way. At Examberry we have one<br />
goal – to teach, support and encourage the children to always do their<br />
best. I can’t put into words our delight when we see a child progress and<br />
achieve great things. Their joy is our joy.<br />
Today we have over 200 children registered with us and our published<br />
11+ Test Papers in Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non Verbal<br />
Reasoning are selling in major retail shops. This year we joint with Mensa<br />
wrote the entrance tests for the Channel Four programme “Child Genius”<br />
which puts gifted children through their paces.<br />
I love what I do and feel a duty to give something back to society.<br />
We sponsor many talented and gifted children through our sponsorship<br />
programme and also support local schools with fundraising programmes.<br />
The greatest gift we can give our children is education. I am happy I<br />
can contribute in my small way in doing that. Nav Johal, Partner.<br />
EducationInvestor<br />
Awards 2016<br />
Try Kumon’s two-week Free Trial now!<br />
At your local Kumon Study<br />
Centre our aim is to develop<br />
students into confident,<br />
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them achieve their full potential.<br />
Kumon enables children<br />
to confidently take on new<br />
challenges and develop strong<br />
study skills.<br />
We believe this opportunity to<br />
grow academically and personally<br />
should be available to children of<br />
all ages and abilities. This is why,<br />
between 1-28 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary, we are<br />
offering a two-week Free Trial of<br />
the Kumon Maths and/or English<br />
Programme for all new students.<br />
The Free Trial will allow you to<br />
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please contact your local Kumon<br />
Study Centre or visit our website<br />
at kumon.co.uk/find-a-tutor/freeassessment.<br />
6 <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Don’t forget to say you saw it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!
Critical Thinking at Clifton Lodge<br />
At Clifton Lodge we believe<br />
that education is more than<br />
just learning the right answers.<br />
We want our pupils to be<br />
independent thinkers and have<br />
introduced Critical Thinking<br />
classes for our pupils from Year<br />
4 to 7 as part of their weekly<br />
curriculum. These classes<br />
include logic problems, both<br />
literacy and numeracy based and<br />
debating. The benefits of Critical<br />
Thinking include:<br />
• Children are empowered with<br />
the tools to think for themselves<br />
such as perseverance and<br />
looking at problems from<br />
different angles.<br />
• Improving Children’s reasoning<br />
skills, through class debate.<br />
• Teaching children to listen to<br />
other opinions, whether they<br />
agree or disagree.<br />
• Enhancing Pupil skills in<br />
expressing themselves which<br />
are life skills needed for senior<br />
school interviews, and beyond.<br />
• Supporting verbal and nonverbal<br />
curriculum lessons.<br />
This forms part of our overall<br />
plan to address more than just<br />
the traditional subjects covered<br />
in most prep and junior schools.<br />
We firmly believe a holistic<br />
education gives our pupils life<br />
skills as well as knowledge.<br />
For more information please<br />
contact the Headmaster, Dr<br />
Tony Thamia on tony.thamia@<br />
cliftonlodgeschool.co.uk, visit<br />
www.cliftonlodgeschool.co.uk<br />
or call 020 8579 3662.<br />
A fearless start<br />
to the year with<br />
Explore Learning<br />
At Explore Learning we<br />
are working hard to create<br />
a generation of fearless<br />
learners! For us, a child’s<br />
educational journey goes<br />
beyond acing a quick spelling<br />
test or getting to the top<br />
of the class for a term. It is<br />
about building long-lasting<br />
confidence that takes<br />
them through their entire<br />
life. Whether it’s through<br />
developing a ‘have a go<br />
attitude’, or knowing it’s ok<br />
to put their hand up without<br />
fear, or simply feeling excited<br />
about their next step, we can<br />
help. It’s about nurturing<br />
a sense of pride, and a<br />
fearless attitude to learning<br />
for every child.<br />
Our incredible tutors have<br />
one goal: to unlock a love of<br />
learning. Whether your child<br />
is with us to prepare for their<br />
11-plus, raise attainment<br />
or just grow in confidence,<br />
we’ll prepare an inspiring<br />
programme to help achieve<br />
their version of amazing.<br />
Because when children<br />
Explore, they excel.<br />
To celebrate the new<br />
year and all of the potential it<br />
brings, we would like to offer<br />
you a little something to help<br />
your child along their fearless<br />
learner journey. From the<br />
16th January until the 28th<br />
<strong>Feb</strong>ruary, you’ll save £50<br />
when you join any one of<br />
our maths and English<br />
tuition centres. To find out<br />
which one is closest to you<br />
and to book your free trial,<br />
check out our website:<br />
www.explorelearning.co.uk/<br />
offer.<br />
Inspiring a love<br />
of learning<br />
“It is a very friendly school with happy, polite and confident children. The teaching<br />
methods are such that the children love learning and want to go to school.” (Current Parent)<br />
An independent preparatory<br />
school for boys and girls<br />
from Nursery to 13 years<br />
Open Days<br />
Saturday 18th March 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Saturday 20th May 20<strong>17</strong><br />
10.00am - 12.00 noon<br />
Clifton Lodge School,<br />
8 Mattock Lane, Ealing W5 5BG<br />
Call now to reserve your place<br />
or to arrange a private tour at<br />
your convenience.<br />
Tel: 020 8579 3662<br />
admissions@cliftonlodgeschool.co.uk<br />
www.cliftonlodgeschool.co.uk<br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
7
Focus on<br />
Education<br />
Good habits work wonders<br />
Students who are falling behind are<br />
obvious candidates for attention. But even<br />
high-achieving students may not reach<br />
their potential if they’re not developing<br />
effective work habits, according to Rhian<br />
Prosser, of NumberWorks’nWords Ealing.<br />
“Most students can benefit from improved<br />
time management and organization skills.<br />
Some students may not be sufficiently<br />
challenged, while others may be unable to<br />
bridge the gap on their own.”<br />
Rhian has excellent news: NumberWorks<br />
’nWords’ Centres offer one-to-one tuition<br />
to all school-aged students, with unique<br />
programs and<br />
“so much fun it<br />
doesn’t feel like<br />
learning”. For a<br />
free assessment<br />
and introductory<br />
lesson call Rhian:<br />
020 8840 8404.<br />
DoUp4Ways: The interactive cushions that allow you to increase<br />
your child’s development while having fun family bonding time.<br />
Interactive cushions is the brain child of stay at home<br />
Dad Alfred Munroe who is the proud father of 4 sons.<br />
Thinking about what children tend to struggle with<br />
when getting dressed, he came up with the idea of<br />
incorporating laces, zips, buttons and fasteners to the<br />
cushion, adding to the theme of helping children and<br />
even adults to develop their fine motor skills.<br />
The DoUp4Ways cushion has been designed to help parents to support their children to<br />
learn and develop a range of skills without them even noticing. Visit www.doup4ways.com<br />
Junior Music Day:<br />
Friday 28 April 20<strong>17</strong><br />
On Friday 28th April, The John Lyon School’s<br />
Music Department will open its doors to<br />
budding musicians for a Junior Music Day.<br />
The event is for pupils from local schools<br />
who are in Years 5-7 and are either emerging<br />
or established musicians or singers. The fun<br />
day will be packed with mass music-making,<br />
and children will experience performing in<br />
a large orchestra or choir. The day will be<br />
held at the well-equipped Music Department<br />
of The John Lyon School on Middle Road,<br />
Harrow, HA2 0HN, under the care and<br />
guidance of the Director of Music, Mr Huw<br />
Jones and his team of both classicallytrained<br />
and contemporary specialist music<br />
teachers. The day will culminate in a concert<br />
for family and friends at 3pm. Children<br />
must register by Friday 10th <strong>Feb</strong>ruary by<br />
emailing wendy.constantine@johnlyon.org;<br />
places are limited. An application will<br />
be forwarded by reply.<br />
First Class Learning<br />
Are you looking for dynamic and effective tuition?<br />
Helping Children Succeed<br />
in Maths and English<br />
4 Courses based on National Curriculum<br />
4 Improves confidence & encourages<br />
enjoyment in learning<br />
4 Helps with school assessments & exams<br />
4 Suitable for all ages & abilities<br />
4 Tailored to suit individual needs<br />
National Programme supported by Professional<br />
Educationalists and the Dyspraxia Foundation<br />
Ealing Central 01895 673114<br />
Hanwell 020 8737 9820<br />
Harrow Kenton 07989 538313<br />
Harrow South 07401 20 80 40<br />
Harrow Town 020 8933 7019<br />
Hayes 08454 901 902<br />
Northwood 07811 194 499<br />
Pinner 01923 593 252<br />
Sudbury 01895 673114<br />
Uxbridge 07701 00 77 48<br />
For more information visit www.firstclasslearning.co.uk<br />
8 <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london
To tutor or not to tutor?<br />
Tutoring has long been the go-to choice of anxious parents<br />
trying to ensure a coveted grammar school place or for<br />
children who are struggling to keep up at school.<br />
Tuition can help children with their<br />
self-confidence; provide an extra<br />
challenge in their strongest areas;<br />
help prepare for exams; catch<br />
up after absence; help grasp key<br />
concepts in maths or literacy.<br />
Whatever the reason, tutoring<br />
has been shown to help improve<br />
school performance, confidence<br />
and self-esteem, as well as help<br />
children develop independent<br />
study skills and learn at their<br />
own pace.<br />
How to choose the right<br />
tuition for your child<br />
In the past, choosing a tutor<br />
was largely based on personal<br />
recommendation, but nowadays<br />
there are many different tutoring<br />
services to choose from:<br />
One-to-one tutoring at home<br />
These lessons usually take place<br />
in the home. One-to-one attention<br />
may be required if a child is really<br />
struggling in a subject or if they<br />
have a complicated learning style.<br />
One-to-one and small group<br />
tutoring at a study centre<br />
A tutor will be responsible for<br />
no more than six children at a<br />
time. The tutor works with each<br />
child on their own individualised<br />
learning programme and also<br />
encourage independent learning.<br />
When children study alongside<br />
other children in a small group, the<br />
pressure of one-on-one attention<br />
is taken away. Tutoring as part<br />
of a small group is more cost<br />
effective than individual learning.<br />
Online tutoring<br />
Online tuition uses programmes<br />
such as Skype or Google+.<br />
Private online tutors are cheaper<br />
as they will not be required to<br />
travel and may tutor more than<br />
one student at once.<br />
very quickly be able to gauge their<br />
level of understanding and identify<br />
any misconceptions and deal with<br />
them effectively.<br />
2. Engagement<br />
Engaging a child’s interest is<br />
paramount. If the student is<br />
interested, they understand, and<br />
once they understand they gain<br />
confidence and improve much<br />
more quickly.<br />
3. Flexibility<br />
Tutors should create an<br />
individualised learning<br />
programme, according to each<br />
specific child’s needs and learning<br />
style, to help them reach their<br />
‘eureka’ moment or see difficult<br />
subjects in a new light.<br />
4. Variety<br />
The more resources a tutor<br />
can use during the session, the<br />
better. Some study centres, have<br />
developed their own resources<br />
using teams of maths and English<br />
specialists which are designed to<br />
meet the outcomes of the National<br />
Curriculum - this makes the work<br />
directly relevant to pupils.<br />
5. Independence<br />
Guidance and assistance<br />
should be given by the tutor,<br />
but one of the main aims is<br />
to give children the ability to<br />
tackle and consolidate learning<br />
independently. Often small pieces<br />
of homework will be given to<br />
encourage this. It really makes a<br />
difference!<br />
Contributed by Becky Nicholson,<br />
Centre Manager,<br />
First Class Learning<br />
www.firstclasslearning.co.uk<br />
Fine motor skills are essential<br />
for performing everyday skills<br />
like cutting, self care tasks (e.g.<br />
managing clothing fastenings,<br />
opening lunch boxes, cleaning<br />
teeth) and pencil skills.<br />
“You can race to see who<br />
does everything up first.<br />
It can really be a lot of fun!”<br />
For all sales, orders and<br />
enquiries visit the website.<br />
The interactive cushions that allow you<br />
to increase your child’s development<br />
whilst having fun family bonding time.<br />
Special offer:<br />
£29.99<br />
£49.99<br />
www.doup4ways.com<br />
YOUR CHILDREN ARE<br />
AMAZING ALREADY. WE<br />
JUST HELP THEM PROVE IT.<br />
Maths & English<br />
FREE ASSESSMENT<br />
BOOK NOW!<br />
Ealing Ph 020 8840 8404<br />
numberworksnwords.com<br />
What to expect<br />
from your tutor<br />
Whatever learning style you<br />
choose, the tutor should provide:<br />
1. Understanding<br />
A tutor should be familiar with<br />
specific aspects of the curriculum<br />
your child needs to cover and will<br />
To advertise in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> call 01491 411848<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
9
Adventure Holidays<br />
for 7-<strong>17</strong> year olds<br />
UP TO<br />
40%<br />
of<br />
*<br />
With all activities, tuition, meals and accommodation included, and more<br />
choice than ever before, our holidays offer incredible value for money.<br />
Call free on 0800 840 3744<br />
or visit www.pgl.co.uk/40<br />
*Terms & conditions apply.<br />
Roundabout<br />
Your family diary of what’s on and when<br />
The Best Family<br />
Guide to What’s On<br />
Available in the<br />
App Store<br />
for iphone and Android<br />
ONGOING<br />
On now, until 26 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Chiswick House & Gardens, W4<br />
Magical Lantern Festival<br />
A spectacular fusion of art, heritage and<br />
culture, as beautifully sculpted lanterns<br />
take on various forms. This year’s theme<br />
is ‘Explore The Silk Road’, with lantern<br />
scenes highlighting the route of trade<br />
and culture from Europe to Ancient<br />
China. Plus refreshments, merchandise,<br />
ice-rink, virtual reality gaming, a mini<br />
funfair and more. All ages. 5pm-<br />
10.30pm. Charges apply, booking<br />
recommended. www.magicallantern.uk<br />
Ongoing now<br />
(Sundays only)<br />
Camden Arts Centre, NW3<br />
Studio Takeover<br />
Taking inspiration from Joachim<br />
Koester’s exhibition In the Face of<br />
Overwhelming Forces, families will have<br />
the opportunity to creatively consider<br />
movement, gesture and memory<br />
through drawing, film and mixed media.<br />
All ages. Drop-in: 2pm-4.30pm. Free.<br />
www.camdenartscentre.org<br />
From Wed 8 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Science Museum, SW7<br />
Robots<br />
An exhibition featuring a unique<br />
collection of over 100 robots, including<br />
15 working models. Discover how<br />
robots and society have been shaped<br />
by religious belief, the industrial<br />
revolution and by our dreams of the<br />
future. All ages. 10am-5pm. Charges<br />
apply, booking recommended.<br />
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk<br />
From Sat 25 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
(weekends only)<br />
WWT <strong>London</strong> Wetland<br />
Centre, SW13<br />
Weekend Family Activities<br />
Spot the first signs of spring, enjoy<br />
pond-dipping and craft activities and<br />
join in with a nature walk. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 9.30am-4.30pm. Entrance<br />
charges apply. www.wwt.org.uk<br />
FEBRUARY - DAILY DIARY<br />
Wed 1 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Northwood Library, HA6<br />
Origami Workshop<br />
Learn about and create with origami to<br />
celebrate Chinese New Year. All ages.<br />
4pm-5pm. Free. www.hillingdon.gov.uk<br />
Wed 1 & Sat 4 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
North Kensington Library, W11<br />
Harry Potter Moving Portraits<br />
Imagine having your portrait as a<br />
teacher at Hogwarts School of<br />
Witchcraft and Wizardry? Join in and<br />
conjure it together! All ages. This<br />
workshop is in two parts and children<br />
should aim to attend both Wed and Sat<br />
sessions. Wed 3.45pm-4.30pm & Sat<br />
10.30am-12noon. Fancy dress is<br />
encouraged! www.rbkc.gov.uk<br />
Thu 2 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Hounslow Library, TW3<br />
Harry Potter Book Night<br />
Celebrate the wizarding world of Harry<br />
Potter! Take part in some magical crafts,<br />
quizzes, games and spells. 4.30pm-<br />
6pm. Ages 7+. Small charge applies,<br />
booking required. www.hounslow.info<br />
South Ruislip Library, HA4<br />
Harry Potter Book Night Quiz<br />
Get together in teams of up to four and<br />
test your Harry Potter knowledge with<br />
this fun quiz. Ages 7+. 4.30pm-6pm.<br />
Free. www.hillingdon.gov.uk<br />
Wood End Library, UB6<br />
Harry Potter Book Night<br />
Celebrate Harry Potter Book Night<br />
by participating in some of Hogwarts’<br />
most exciting classes! All ages.<br />
3.45pm-4.45pm. Free but booking<br />
required. www.ealing.gov.uk<br />
I saw your event<br />
in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!<br />
Please mention us when<br />
attending a listed event.<br />
10<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Don’t forget to say you saw it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!
Sat 4 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Harrow Libraries<br />
Storytelling activities<br />
Celebrate National Storytelling week<br />
with stories and crafts at your local<br />
library. Sessions include Princess and<br />
the Dragon at Gayton Library, Winter<br />
Tales to Warm You at Pinner Library and<br />
Poetry Storytelling at Roxeth Library. All<br />
ages. <strong>Times</strong> vary - visit the library for<br />
details. Free. www.harrow.gov.uk<br />
Hounslow Libraries<br />
Poetry with Joanna Harker Shaw<br />
Join a local poet for poetry writing, book<br />
cover crafts and colouring. Meet the<br />
Witches of Aira Falls and create witches<br />
and monsters to put into your own<br />
poetry book. Ages 6+. At Brentford<br />
Library 10.30am-11.30am and at<br />
Isleworth Library 2pm-3pm. Free but<br />
booking required. www.hounslow.info<br />
Kensington Central Library, W8<br />
Harry Potter Extravaganza<br />
Experience the sorting hat ceremony,<br />
earn points for your Hogwarts house<br />
and bask in the magic with other<br />
likeminded fans. All muggles, witches<br />
and wizards are invited! All ages.<br />
1pm-4pm. Free but limited spaces.<br />
www.rbkc.gov.uk<br />
Wood End Library, UB6<br />
Jack and the Beanstalk craft<br />
What’s at the top of the beanstalk? Do<br />
you dare to find out? Make your own<br />
beanstalk to celebrate National<br />
Storytelling Week. All ages. 2pm-3pm.<br />
Free. www.ealing.gov.uk<br />
We check listings<br />
carefully but event details<br />
and prices may be subject<br />
to change. Please check<br />
with the venue.<br />
Sun 5 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
British Museum, WC1<br />
Get your tech on!<br />
Connect to the Museum in exciting,<br />
new ways using wearable technology.<br />
Ages 7+. Drop-in: 11am-4pm. Last<br />
admission to borrow a device is 3.15pm<br />
(A passport, national ID or driver’s<br />
licence is required as a deposit).<br />
Free. www.britishmuseum.org<br />
V&A Museum, SW7<br />
Cabinets of Curiosities for 40<strong>17</strong><br />
Explore the Museum to discover curious<br />
treasures. What will choose to collect<br />
and keep in the future? Select and<br />
collect objects and artworks to create<br />
your own Cabinet of Curiosities for<br />
40<strong>17</strong>. All ages. Drop-in: 10.30am-5pm.<br />
Free. www.vam.ac.uk<br />
Thu 9 - Sun 19 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Southbank Centre, SE1<br />
Imagine Children’s Festival<br />
11 days of children’s theatre, literature,<br />
music, creative workshops and more.<br />
Uncover the magic of storytelling<br />
through pictures with Chris Riddell or<br />
listen to the popular rhyming stories of<br />
Julia Donaldson with a double-bill<br />
of The Gruffalo & Room on the Broom.<br />
Full programme available online.<br />
www.southbankcentre.co.uk<br />
Sat 11 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Institute Français, SW7<br />
Book Swap<br />
Calling all book worms! Enjoy an<br />
afternoon of book swapping, fun and<br />
special crafty activities, including an<br />
origami workshop at 2.30pm. Ages 6+.<br />
Drop-in, from 12noon. Free.<br />
www.institut-francais.org.uk<br />
Royal Institution, W1<br />
Family Fun Day: Supercharged<br />
An action-packed day of talks,<br />
demonstrations and experiments that<br />
explore the exciting supercharged<br />
world of energy. All ages. 11am-4pm.<br />
Charges apply, booking recommended.<br />
www.rigb.org<br />
Serpentine Gallery, W2<br />
Winter Family Day<br />
Work with artists to construct a<br />
temporary studio that will change and<br />
grow over the afternoon. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 1pm-5pm. Free.<br />
www.serpentinegalleries.org<br />
Sat 11 & Sun 12 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Tate Britain, SW1<br />
BP Family Festival: Play the<br />
Gallery<br />
Tate Britain will be transformed into<br />
a place of play through games, music<br />
and movement, with artist-led activities,<br />
creative workshops and more.<br />
All ages. Drop-in: 11am-4pm. Free.<br />
www.tate.org.uk<br />
Sat 11 - Fri <strong>17</strong> <strong>Feb</strong><br />
WWT <strong>London</strong> Wetland<br />
Centre, SW13<br />
Owl Pellet Workshops<br />
Owls are amazing animals that swallow<br />
their prey whole and as not all of the<br />
animal can be digested; part of it is<br />
regurgitated in the form of a pellet. Find<br />
out what owls eat by identifying the<br />
bones within a pellet. You might even be<br />
able to reconstruct a skeleton found<br />
inside it! Ages 5+. Drop-in: 9.30am-<br />
4.30pm. Charges apply.<br />
www.wwt.org.uk<br />
Sat 11 - Sun 19 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Hampton Court Palace, KT8<br />
Palace Adventures<br />
Discover the stories of Hampton Court<br />
Palace by taking part in a fun filled,<br />
palace adventure. Meet characters,<br />
solve puzzles and create your own piece<br />
of the past. Ages 5-11. Drop-in:<br />
11am-3pm. Admission charges apply.<br />
www.hrp.org.uk<br />
<strong>London</strong> Museum of<br />
Water and Steam, TW8<br />
Spectacular Science<br />
Take part in special science family<br />
activities as well as seeing the railway in<br />
steam! Plus enjoy the Spectacular Mad<br />
More Roundabout<br />
BE<br />
GOOD<br />
AT<br />
BEING<br />
YOURSELF<br />
EALING<br />
01494 260249<br />
ealing@stagecoach.co.uk<br />
stagecoach.co.uk/ealing<br />
HARROW<br />
0203 5040100<br />
harrow@stagecoach.co.uk<br />
stagecoach.co.uk/harrow<br />
Unlock your child’s potential with<br />
Stagecoach Performing Arts<br />
Singing, dancing and acting classes<br />
for 4 - 18 year olds, where students<br />
learn to embrace life with creativity<br />
and courage<br />
<br />
®<br />
Creative Courage For Life<br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london<br />
STANMORE<br />
0203 5042154<br />
stanmore@stagecoach.co.uk<br />
stagecoach.co.uk/stanmore<br />
SUDBURY HILL<br />
WEMBLEY NORTH<br />
01923 248294<br />
sudburyhill@stagecoach.co.uk<br />
stagecoach.co.uk/sudburyhill<br />
UXBRIDGE<br />
0208 3570273<br />
uxbridge@stagecoach.co.uk<br />
stagecoach.co.uk/uxbridge<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Stagecoach Performing Arts Schools are operated under franchise and are independently owned by their Principals.<br />
Stagecoach is a registered trademark of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Ltd.<br />
11
Roundabout<br />
Science Show (weekends only, at 2pm).<br />
All ages. 11am-4pm. Entrance charges<br />
apply. www.waterandsteam.org.uk<br />
V&A Museum, SW7<br />
The Imagination Station<br />
Play with space and simple materials<br />
on a large scale to create your own<br />
monumental environments using<br />
Raphael, room 48a for inspiration.<br />
All ages. Drop-in: 10.30am-5pm.<br />
Free. www.vam.ac.uk<br />
WWT <strong>London</strong> Wetland<br />
Centre, SW13<br />
<strong>London</strong> Puddle Jumping<br />
Championships<br />
Grab your wellies and have fun jumping<br />
in puddles! Use your imagination to<br />
create the biggest splash and throw<br />
some shapes in the air for extra style!<br />
Every contestant will receive a sticker<br />
to celebrate their puddle jumping skills.<br />
All ages. 11.30am-12.30pm & 2.30pm-<br />
3.30pm. Entrance charges apply.<br />
www.wwt.org.uk<br />
ZSL <strong>London</strong> Zoo, NW1<br />
Vets in Action<br />
Step into the role of a vet! Get prepped<br />
with gloves and a mask, and join the<br />
team in the specially recreated ‘surgery’<br />
to help experts examine X-rays and<br />
carry out toy treatments. Discover how<br />
vets keep the Zoo’s 18,000 animals in<br />
tip-top condition - from microchipping<br />
meerkats to checking tiger teeth! All<br />
ages. Session times vary. Charges<br />
apply. www.zsl.org<br />
It’s back!<br />
Sun 12 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
British Museum, WC1<br />
Amazing Animal Mummies<br />
Find out about Egyptian animal<br />
mummies. Play digital games to<br />
discover why the ancient Egyptians<br />
mummified animals and what gods they<br />
represented. Ages 5+. Drop-in:<br />
11am-4pm. Free.<br />
www.britishmuseum.org<br />
Jewish Museum <strong>London</strong>, NW1<br />
Access for All Family Day<br />
A family ceramics day with a range of<br />
clay-based sensory activities and object<br />
handling. Enjoy stories, a family tour and<br />
have a go on the potter’s wheel! All<br />
24.03.20<strong>17</strong><br />
Red Nose Day is back and we’d<br />
love your school to join the fun.<br />
Get your free primary fundraising<br />
pack full of ideas, learning resources,<br />
balloons and stickers. But be quick<br />
because they run out faster than<br />
kids at home time!<br />
Order your free primary fundraising<br />
pack at rednoseday.com/pack<br />
Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England and Wales); SC039730 (Scotland). Photo credit: Jack Lawson.<br />
ages. 10am-12noon. Charges apply,<br />
booking recommended.<br />
www.jewishmuseum.org.uk<br />
Sun 12 - Sat 18 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Kensington Palace, W8<br />
Beautiful Things<br />
Discover the beautiful things inside<br />
Kensington Palace! Dress-up in fine<br />
costumes, meet the court painter and<br />
create your own beautiful mask to wear<br />
around the palace. Ages 5-11. Drop-in:<br />
11am-3pm. Adult entrance charges<br />
apply, children free. www.hrp.org.uk<br />
Mon 13 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Harrow Libraries<br />
Family Puppet Workshop<br />
Work together to make puppets of<br />
favourite book characters to help bring<br />
stories to life. Explore a variety of<br />
techniques for making puppets to<br />
encourage creativity, develop skills and<br />
stimulate your imagination! Ages 6-8. At<br />
Gayton Library 11am-12.30pm, and at<br />
Roxeth Library 3pm-4.30pm. Free but<br />
booking required. www.harrow.gov.uk<br />
The Library at Willesden<br />
Green, NW10<br />
Urban Art!<br />
Discover your creative side in this street<br />
art and graffiti workshop. Ages 10-16.<br />
2.30pm-4pm. Full details to be<br />
confirmed - please ask at the Library.<br />
www.brent.gov.uk<br />
Mon 13 - Fri <strong>17</strong> <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Cartoon Museum, WC1<br />
Half Term Workshops<br />
A week of themed cartooning and<br />
animation workshops. Sessions include<br />
Superheroes, Cut-Out Animation, Animal<br />
Manga and more. Full programme<br />
available online. Ages 8+. Charges<br />
apply, booking essential. www.<br />
cartoonmuseum.org<br />
Going away this<br />
Half Term? Don’t forget<br />
you can find events listings<br />
for the rest of the UK at<br />
www.primarytimes.net<br />
Harrow Arts Centre, HA5<br />
Puppetry workshop<br />
A week-long workshop exploring the<br />
fantastical origins of the Chinese<br />
Zodiac. Learn how to design and make<br />
your very own animal of the zodiac<br />
puppet and then the puppetry<br />
performance techniques to tell the epic<br />
story of the Great Race! Ages 7-11.<br />
1pm-4pm each day. Charges apply,<br />
booking essential. www.harrowarts.com<br />
Harrow Libraries<br />
Half Term Crafts<br />
Enjoy themed craft sessions at your<br />
local library, including Valentine’s Day<br />
Craft, K’Nex, Pancake Day Craft and<br />
more. Ages 3+. Dates, times and<br />
themes vary. Full programme available<br />
online, or visit your local library for<br />
details. Free but booking required.<br />
www.harrow.gov.uk<br />
JW3, Jewish Community<br />
Centre, NW3<br />
<strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term Scheme<br />
Express your wild side through science,<br />
sound and sport! An exciting week-long<br />
programme with a different session<br />
each day, including making edible<br />
worms, dance workshop, experimental<br />
and electronic music-making and more.<br />
Full programme available online. Ages<br />
5-11. 10am-3pm, lunch included.<br />
Charges apply, booking recommended.<br />
www.jw3.org.uk<br />
National Portrait Gallery, WC2<br />
Life through the Lens<br />
Inspired by the Luc Tuymans display and<br />
the permanent Collections, take part in<br />
a range of activities exploring portraits<br />
of people wearing glasses. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 11am-4.30pm. Free.<br />
www.npg.org.uk<br />
RAF Museum, NW9<br />
Airfix Make and Take<br />
Pick up a kit, including glue and paints<br />
and make your own First World War<br />
Albatros or Sopwith Pup, complete with<br />
hangar to take it home in! Ages 8+.<br />
Drop-in: 11am-3pm. Charges apply.<br />
www.rafmuseum.org.uk<br />
Squires Garden Centre, TW2<br />
Create and Grow<br />
Paint a terracotta owl money box to look<br />
after your pocket money and brighten<br />
your room. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
10am-4pm. Charges apply.<br />
www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk<br />
Welsh Harp Environmental<br />
Education Centre, NW2<br />
Half Term Fun<br />
Enjoy fun-filled winter environmental<br />
activities. Create a bird feeder and make<br />
yummy cake for hungry birds, search<br />
for woodland mini-beasts and get<br />
creative with clay to make a mini-beast<br />
sculpture. Ages 5+. 10am-2pm. Small<br />
donation required, booking<br />
recommended. www.brent.gov.uk<br />
Tue 14 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Battersea Park<br />
Children’s Zoo, SW11<br />
Valentine’s Day Fun at the Zoo<br />
Join in the heart shaped feeding time<br />
fun and make your own lovebird puppet.<br />
All ages. Drop-in puppet sessions<br />
Roundabout continues on p16<br />
12<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london
Let’s Party! - The <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> annual party guide<br />
Let’s Party!<br />
Often the highlight of a child’s year, the birthday<br />
party will etch an enormous mark on the family<br />
celebratory calendar. Filled with wonderment and<br />
wishes, this magical moment is dreamt about long<br />
before it arrives – for a child that is!...<br />
When I was a child in the 1970s and 80s a birthday party<br />
consisted mainly of sandwiches and cake. If it was a posh affair there<br />
was also trifle. Most children these days would scorn at such lack of<br />
sophistication. Or would they? Funnily enough, one of the latest trends<br />
on the children’s party circuit is ‘Retro’, where kids get jelly with icecream,<br />
sandwiches, sausage rolls (or sausages on sticks) and of course<br />
birthday cake. Games like Pin-the-Tail on the Donkey, Pass the Parcel<br />
and Musical Chairs never go out of fashion and going Retro can<br />
keep costs down.<br />
Themed parties never go out of fashion whether its pirates,<br />
princesses or superheroes. In the past few years Frozen<br />
parties (after the Disney film of the same name) have become<br />
extremely popular. Theme parties need not cause huge expense<br />
as many supermarkets and discount shops have decorations<br />
and table accessories to suit the various favourites including<br />
the ever-popular Frozen. Don’t discount leaving home as an<br />
expensive option as many local amenities have facilities that<br />
are under-used and often up for rental. If you provide your own<br />
food and decoration that will help keep costs down, and it has<br />
the advantage that no priceless family heirloom or treasured<br />
possession is going to get smashed to pieces.<br />
Entertainment is always a worry for parents and while clowns<br />
and jugglers are still popular children these days may also find<br />
themselves being tutored in football skills or meeting an Elsa<br />
(from Frozen) lookalike. Again, on the surface these might seem<br />
like pricey options but shop around on the internet and there are<br />
bargains to be found. Activity parties are increasingly popular;<br />
your child can learn to make pizza in a restaurant, paint crockery<br />
or even go on a Bear Grylls adventure in the woods.<br />
As children start to reach the end of primary school they often<br />
become too ‘sophisticated’ for ‘children’s parties’. One option<br />
in this case is to have a cinema party where they all go to see a<br />
film. Many cinemas will organise this for you, but you can just as<br />
easily do it yourself. If money is an issue you can always have a<br />
cinema party at home, let the guests choose DVDs and make<br />
their own popcorn – then disappear! Pizza parties work equally<br />
well for both older and younger children. Pizzas are easy and<br />
quick to prepare but do keep an eye on local pizza chains for<br />
vouchers and discounts<br />
Many parents stress about what food to provide for their small<br />
guests. Some of the delicacies on offer at children’s parties<br />
would put pricey restaurants to shame. Don’t be tempted down<br />
this path, these are small children, not the Michelin committee<br />
(although there will always be one precocious child who would<br />
prefer caviar to fish fingers). The only food that should worry a<br />
host is one that a guest may be allergic to, or intolerant of, as<br />
some allergies can be very severe or even fatal.<br />
Anne Marie Scanlon for <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
Party Checklist<br />
Invites. Aim to send out invites three weeks before the party.<br />
Don’t forget to include how old your child will be, the full address<br />
of the venue (including a map if it’s tucked away), a start and finish<br />
time, theme and fancy dress code if relevant. You might want to<br />
request information regarding allergies (food and pet allergies if you<br />
have pets and are hosting at home). Make it easy for parents to<br />
RSVP by providing both a telephone number and email address if<br />
possible. Keep a track of who has responded because no matter<br />
how easy you make it for people to RSVP you will probably have to<br />
issue a gentle reminder to some.<br />
Music. Get your playlist ready and do a test run before the big<br />
day. If you’re hosting away from home don’t forget to take the music<br />
with you! You can’t play musical chairs without it!<br />
Food. Keep it simple - as long as there’s plenty of crisps and<br />
enough birthday cake for everyone. Provide plenty of water. you<br />
can get individual water bottles from supermarkets for little expense.<br />
Don’t bother with juice or fizzy drinks as there’s enough sugar in<br />
the food and many parents take a dim view of both.<br />
Birthday Cake. Home made vs shop bought. It’s up to your<br />
child. It’s their birthday. Your child knows whether you are a super<br />
British Bake Off style parent or not.<br />
Candles & Matches for the cake. They are often<br />
overlooked with all the other preparation. If you’re hosting away<br />
from home don’t forget a knife too!<br />
Entertainment. If you hire someone, be sure to call them<br />
a day or two before the event to confirm they are coming.<br />
Decorations. Balloons are non-negotiable. It’s not a party<br />
without balloons.<br />
Running Order. Before the party, consider how long games<br />
and activities are likely to take, to make sure you don’t run out of<br />
time to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Don’t feel you have to plan every<br />
second though - the children will probably welcome a bit of ‘down<br />
time’ for messing about with balloons!<br />
To advertise in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> call 01491 411848<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
13
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For very busy mums and dads, Parteaz Cakes offer a great range of<br />
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Bespoke and completely unique birthday<br />
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www.parteaz.co.uk<br />
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√ 18 Holes Adventure Golf √ Party Room Available<br />
√ Birthday Invites √ Dinosaur Themed Party Boxes<br />
Dinosaur Escape Adventure Golf, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> Golf Centre, Ruislip Road, Northolt, UB5 6QZ<br />
Visit Dinosaur Escape Adventure Golf for a prehistoric expedition the whole family will enjoy! Come and wander<br />
safari style through dinosaur territory and watch our near life size predators move, breathe and ROAR!<br />
For more information or to discuss arrangements for your party please email<br />
dinosaurescape@adventureexperience.co.uk or call 020 8842 3438<br />
www.dinosaurescape.co.uk<br />
@DinoEscape<br />
facebook.com/DinosaurEscape<br />
14 <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Don’t forget to say you saw it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!
Children’s Chocolate Parties<br />
Children’s Chocolate Parties are now in their fifth year of trading and growing<br />
quickly. Covering all counties between Bournemouth and <strong>London</strong>, Leoni will come<br />
to your home or other venue you have booked and run a fantastic chocolate party<br />
for your children! In Bournemouth parties are in our own venue. New this year are<br />
Cookery parties and again, Leoni will come to you. Everything is provided (except<br />
tables) and all the party-goers take home what they make. With the pizza making,<br />
they sit and eat their creation. Parties are suitable for children aged between<br />
6-13yrs, with different options to suit different ages.<br />
www.childrenschocolateparties.co.uk<br />
Bish Bash Birthdays<br />
Bish Bash Birthdays are the UK’s premier kids party franchise. Their acclaimed<br />
assortment of age appropriate activities includes guessing games, ball challenges,<br />
disco dancing, fun races, talent show, musical games, puppet pet, magic and<br />
much more. Nothing lasts longer than 5-10 minutes. It’s a winning formula and<br />
keeps the kids fully engaged from start to finish. Bish Bash Birthdays specialise<br />
in themed parties and can adapt their party plans to absolutely any theme the<br />
birthday child would like. Bish Bash Birthdays are entertaining hundreds of happy<br />
kids every weekend. Visit the website to see what all the fuss is about!<br />
www.bishbashbirthdays.co.uk<br />
Inspire their creativity with a craft party<br />
at Paperchase, Tottenham Court Road<br />
Suitable for ages 4-13 our parties are perfect for kids who<br />
love getting stuck into arts and crafts. Take your pick from<br />
a range of themes including mermaids, pirates, princesses<br />
and superheroes or from a selection of our popular kids<br />
workshops including scrapbooking, jewellery making and<br />
dream catchers. An optional catering package is available<br />
from our coffee shop Tinderbox and includes sandwiches,<br />
cakes and milkshakes.<br />
For booking enquiries please email projectcraftTCR@<br />
paperchase.co.uk or pop into store. Find us at 213 - 215<br />
Tottenham Court Road, Fitzrovia, <strong>London</strong>, W1T 7PS.<br />
www.paperchase.co.uk/project-craft<br />
For your chance to WIN a kids’ crafting party at Paperchase,<br />
Tottenham Court Road, see the competition on p16!<br />
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THEMED CRAFT PARTIES AVAILABLE<br />
IN OUR TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD STORE<br />
ANIMALS | MERMAIDS | UNICORNS<br />
SUPERHEROES | PRINCESSES | PIRATES<br />
For booking enquiries email<br />
projectcraftTCR@paperchase.co.uk<br />
213 - 215 Tottenham Court Road<br />
Fitzrovia, <strong>London</strong>, W1T 7PS<br />
paperchase.co.uk/project-craft<br />
E-mail: joan@bishbashbirthdays.co.uk Phone: 07740 793 957<br />
Quote “<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>” to claim a 10% discount<br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
15<br />
PRIMARY TIME ADVERT kids craft 20<strong>17</strong>.indd 1 16/01/20<strong>17</strong> 16:30
Roundabout continued from p12<br />
between 11am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-<br />
3.30pm. Charges apply.<br />
www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk<br />
Ealing Libraries<br />
Valentine’s Day Crafts<br />
Make a crown of books and hearts or<br />
love bug bookmarks in these fun craft<br />
sessions. Tue 14 <strong>Feb</strong> at Ealing Road and<br />
Kingsbury Libraries and Wed 15 <strong>Feb</strong> at<br />
Harlesden and Kilburn Libraries. Ages<br />
5+. 2.30pm-3.30pm. Free.<br />
www.brent.gov.uk<br />
Foundling Museum, WC1<br />
Victorian Street Games<br />
Learn about the outdoor games that<br />
children played in the 19th century and<br />
make your own game to take home.<br />
Ages 5+. 1-hour workshops at<br />
10.30am, 1pm & 2.30pm. Free.<br />
www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk<br />
Stanmore Library, HA7<br />
Anansi the Spider<br />
Listen to the amusing story of Anansi<br />
the Spider and make your own spider to<br />
take home. Ages 4-8. 2.15pm-3.15pm.<br />
Free. www.harrow.gov.uk<br />
Tue 14 - Fri <strong>17</strong> <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Hounslow Libraries<br />
Half Term Crafts<br />
Enjoy themed craft sessions at your<br />
local library. Ages 5+. Dates, times and<br />
themes vary. Full programme available<br />
online. Small charge applies, booking<br />
required. www.hounslow.info<br />
Win<br />
a kids crafting<br />
party at Paperchase<br />
Tottenham Court Road<br />
Win a themed craft party for up<br />
to 10 children. Choose from a range<br />
of themes, including mermaids,<br />
pirates, princesses and superheroes.<br />
For your chance to win, simply<br />
answer this question:<br />
Which one of these is a themed<br />
craft party that we offer?<br />
a) Sailors<br />
b) Superheroes<br />
c) Skeletons<br />
Enter online: www.primarytimes.net/<br />
west_london/competitions<br />
or via www.facebook.com/PT<strong>West</strong><strong>London</strong><br />
Closing date: 23 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary 20<strong>17</strong><br />
To find out more visit<br />
Paperchase.co.uk/project-craft<br />
Watermans, TW8<br />
Bring a Bear to Life!<br />
Work with skilled puppeteers from The<br />
Bear to make your own bear puppet and<br />
learn the basics of how to give it a<br />
personality of its very own. Ages 4-8.<br />
12.15pm. Charges apply, booking<br />
recommended. www.watermans.org.uk<br />
Tue 14 - Sat 18 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Grant Museum of Zoology, WC1<br />
Weird and Wonderful Wildlife<br />
Flying lizards, giant starfish, duck-billed<br />
platypuses, thorny devils and spiny<br />
anteaters, the Grant Museum is home to<br />
some Weird and Wonderful Wildlife.<br />
Take part in hands-on activities and<br />
come face to face with these beasts<br />
and many more. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
1pm-4.30pm. Free. www.ucl.ac.uk<br />
Tue 14 - Sun 19 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Museum of Brands,<br />
Packaging and Advertising, W11<br />
Half Term Activities<br />
Pick up an Adventure Bag and enjoy<br />
design activities and trails throughout<br />
half term. Discover the Time Tunnel,<br />
café and garden. All ages. Open Tue-Sat<br />
10am-6pm & Sun 11am-5pm.<br />
Admission charges apply, under 7s free.<br />
www.museumofbrands.com<br />
Wed 15 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Chelsea Physic Garden, SW3<br />
The Wiggly Wild Show<br />
Meet a variety of animals including a<br />
pygmy hedgehog, giant African land<br />
snails, corn snake, gecko, giant<br />
millipede, hermit crab and more! Find<br />
out how these creatures are suited to<br />
their natural environments and hold<br />
them (if you like). All ages. 10.30am-<br />
12noon & 1pm-2.30pm. Charges apply,<br />
booking essential.<br />
www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk<br />
Fulham Palace, SW6<br />
Family Activity Day: The<br />
Venerable Victorians<br />
Imagine yourself as a Victorian Lady or<br />
Gent, with costumes to try on and a<br />
whole host of Victorian themed activities<br />
and take-home crafts. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
11am-3pm. Free.<br />
www.fulhampalace.org<br />
Pitzhanger Library, W5<br />
Storytelling with Richard Neville<br />
Join popular storyteller Richard Neville<br />
for a fun-filled session with stories,<br />
musical instruments and puppets. Help<br />
Richard to make up new stories and<br />
to retell old ones. Ages 6+. 11am-<br />
11.45am. Free but booking required.<br />
www.ealing.gov.uk<br />
Sir John Soane’s Museum, WC2<br />
Regency Baking<br />
Take a tour of the museum, including<br />
the recently opened kitchens. Learn<br />
about cooking in the Regency period<br />
and have a go at making some of the<br />
dishes enjoyed by Sir John Soane<br />
and his family. Ages 6+. 11am-3pm.<br />
Charges apply, booking essential.<br />
www.soane.org<br />
Wallace Collection, W1<br />
Drop in and Draw<br />
Meet artist Hattie Moore to learn how to<br />
use drawing as a tool to learn more<br />
about the objects and paintings in the<br />
Wallace Collection. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
10.30am-12.30pm.<br />
www.wallacecollection.org<br />
Wed 15 & Thu 16 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Hyde Park (Education Centre), W2<br />
Discovery Day - Brilliant Birds<br />
Make a bird feeder or nest box, follow<br />
the Discovery Trail, take part in bird<br />
watching and enjoy art activities. All<br />
ages. Drop-in: 11am-3pm. Free, but<br />
charge applies for nest boxes.<br />
www.supporttheroyalparks.org<br />
Royal Mews,<br />
Buckingham Palace, SW1<br />
Touch, Feel & Make<br />
Explore objects from the handling<br />
collection, take inspiration from the<br />
garments on view and design a new<br />
coachman’s hat. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
11am-3pm. Admission charges apply.<br />
www.royalcollection.org.uk<br />
Thu 16 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Chelsea Physic Garden, SW3<br />
Silk // Unwoven Histories<br />
Through a mix of story-telling, self-led<br />
exploration and practical activities, learn<br />
the facts and stories surrounding silk<br />
production, and its global spread as a<br />
highly desirable fabric. Plus plant some<br />
mulberry seeds and create silk panels<br />
representing your silk discoveries. Ages<br />
7-16. 10.30am-3pm. Charges apply,<br />
booking essential.<br />
www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk<br />
Battersea Park Zoo, SW11<br />
Hibernating Animalzzz<br />
Find out which animals are sleepy<br />
heads and who braves the cold! Enjoy<br />
stories and make a 3D picture of a<br />
hibernating bear. All ages. Drop-in craft<br />
sessions between 11am-12.30pm &<br />
1.30pm-3.30pm. Stories at 11.45am<br />
& 2.15pm. Entrance charges apply.<br />
www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk<br />
Harrow Arts Centre, HA5<br />
Angry Birds - Film and workshop<br />
Make an Angry Bird and then enjoy the<br />
film. Workshop at 10am, film at 11am.<br />
Charges apply, booking recommended.<br />
www.harrowarts.com<br />
Royal Academy of Arts, W1<br />
Half Term Family Workshops<br />
Be inspired by the exhibition Revolution:<br />
Russian Art from 19<strong>17</strong>-1932. Explore<br />
the galleries and create a collaborative<br />
artwork in response to what you have<br />
learned. Ages 5+. 10.15am-1pm.<br />
Charges apply, booking essential.<br />
www.royalacademy.org.uk<br />
Sir John Soane’s Museum, WC2<br />
Make a Miniature Georgian House<br />
Be inspired by the exhibition of Robert<br />
We check listings<br />
carefully but event details<br />
and prices may be subject<br />
to change. Please check<br />
with the venue.<br />
16<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london
Adam’s designs for <strong>London</strong> houses, and<br />
take part in a collaborative project to<br />
make a miniature town house. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 11am-3pm. Free.<br />
www.soane.org<br />
Fri <strong>17</strong> <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Foundling Museum, WC1<br />
Musical Storytelling<br />
Immerse yourself in the music and<br />
sounds of games played by children<br />
on the streets of <strong>London</strong> throughout<br />
its history. Ages 5+. 45-minute<br />
workshops at 10.30am, 11.45am,<br />
1.30pm & 2.45pm. Free.<br />
www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk<br />
Sat 18 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Cockpit Theatre, NW8<br />
Costume Jewellery<br />
- Crowns & Amulets<br />
Join in and up-cycle pieces of old<br />
jewellery using glue, wires and treads to<br />
create a personal amulet or head<br />
decoration. Ages 8+. 2-4pm. Charges<br />
apply, booking recommended.<br />
www.thecockpit.org.uk<br />
Wood End Library, UB6<br />
Monsters!<br />
Make a book monster to celebrate<br />
National Storytelling Week. All ages.<br />
2pm-3pm. Free. www.ealing.gov.uk<br />
More Roundabout<br />
Love Food? Then You’ll Love JRC!<br />
JRC Buffet is a restaurant like no other. You’ll find<br />
hundreds of delicious, freshly prepared dishes.<br />
Their stylish restaurants are perfect for any<br />
special occasion or just catching up with family<br />
and friends. With so much choice, parents love<br />
introducing new dishes to their children– even the<br />
fussiest eaters will find new dishes they’ll love.<br />
Your kids will love watching JRC’s chefs prepare<br />
delicious meals from fresh ingredients at the<br />
spectacular Live Cooking Stations which add a<br />
sense of occasion to any meal.<br />
At the Sushi Bar you’ll see chefs preparing<br />
authentic Japanese Sushi using recipes that<br />
have been handed down from generation to<br />
generation. It’s healthy, fresh and extremely<br />
delicious. Watch in awe at the Teppanyaki Bar as<br />
expert chefs prepare your meal with flair, creativity<br />
and a touch of showmanship. The chef takes<br />
your choice of fresh ingredients and transforms<br />
them on the sizzling hotplate into delicious<br />
creations. The Yakatori Grill is very popular in<br />
Japanese restaurants throughout the world. You’ll<br />
find food cooked in a wok at the Noodle & Wok<br />
Bar is as healthy as it gets, as it uses a very small<br />
amount of oil. The Dim Sum Bar, each dim sum<br />
has been handmade and filled with ingredients<br />
from traditional recipes. Remember you can enjoy<br />
as much as you like for one set price.<br />
Most soft and hot drinks are free of charge<br />
with free refills too and for the adults there are<br />
special menus for World Banquet and Pan Asian<br />
drinks for an extra cost. Don’t forget to leave<br />
room for one or a few of the indulgent desserts.<br />
A trip to JRC is great value and great fun for the<br />
whole family. Visit www.jrc-globalbuffet.com to<br />
find your local restaurant.<br />
Eggs-perience Easter at<br />
JRC Global Buffet...<br />
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Review us on TripAdvisor<br />
*See website for T&Cs.<br />
To advertise in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong> call 01491 411848<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
<strong>17</strong>
Roundabout<br />
Sun 19 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
Keats House, NW3<br />
Family Day: Melodies are Sweet<br />
Lyres, lutes and nightingale song can all<br />
be found in Keats’s poetry. Make a<br />
percussion stick with beads and sticks<br />
and create music inspired by the words<br />
of Keats. All ages. Drop-in: 1pm-4pm.<br />
Free. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk<br />
National Gallery, WC2<br />
Walking on clouds<br />
Explore National Gallery paintings as<br />
inspiration. Fly high with Tiepolo<br />
and create your own ceiling<br />
masterpiece. Ages 5-11. 11am-<br />
12.30pm & 2pm-3.30pm.<br />
Free but booking required.<br />
www.nationalgallery.org.uk<br />
National Portrait Gallery, WC2<br />
Portraits in paint<br />
Be inspired by the contemporary<br />
collections and explore colour, shape<br />
and form by trying out different paints,<br />
from oil to acrylic. 1pm-2.30pm for<br />
ages 3+. 3pm-4.30pm for ages 7+.<br />
Free. www.npg.org.uk<br />
Royal Academy of Arts, W1<br />
Russian monster puppet ballet<br />
Join in and create large scale<br />
propaganda puppets at this Sovietinspired<br />
block party. Dancers will team<br />
up with collective U Make Me, for a riot<br />
of collaged colossuses, music and<br />
dance, inspired by the exhibition,<br />
Revolution: Russian Art from 19<strong>17</strong>-<br />
1932. All ages. 11am-3pm. Free.<br />
www.royalacademy.org.uk<br />
Sat 25 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
British Library, NW1<br />
Family Day: Festival of Maps<br />
A fun and creative day inspired by the<br />
exhibition, Maps and the 20th Century:<br />
Drawing the Line. Enjoy a full<br />
programme of activities, from<br />
storytelling and interactive trails, to<br />
musical performances, art workshops<br />
and taster sessions in British Sign<br />
Language. All ages. Drop-in: 12noon-<br />
4pm. Free. www.bl.uk<br />
British Museum, WC1<br />
Fun family photos<br />
Become a sailor on a galleon, a siren<br />
from the deep or a jockey on horseback.<br />
Use green screen technology to create a<br />
picture of your family interacting with<br />
some of the Museum’s most fascinating<br />
objects. Ages 5+. Drop-in: 11am-4pm.<br />
Free. www.britishmuseum.org<br />
Holland Park Ecology Centre, W8<br />
Build a Nest Box Day<br />
Help create a home for wildlife by<br />
building nest boxes, and learn more<br />
about nesting birds with the nest box<br />
trail. All ages. Drop-in: 12noon-4pm.<br />
Free. www.rbkc.gov.uk/ecology<br />
Kensington Palace, W8<br />
Make History workshops<br />
Be inspired by the Palace’s story, and<br />
make your own piece of the past by<br />
taking part in a range of exciting<br />
activities. This is a monthly event and<br />
the story and theme varies each month.<br />
Ages 5-11. 45-minute sessions at<br />
11.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm.<br />
Entrance charges apply.<br />
www.hrp.org.uk<br />
Museum of Comedy, WC1<br />
Children’s Magic Workshop<br />
An interactive workshop covering simple<br />
sleight of hand and the basics of magic,<br />
taught by a top Magic Circle <strong>London</strong><br />
magician. Ages 7-13. 1.30pm.<br />
Charges apply, booking essential.<br />
www.leicestersquaretheatre.com<br />
MARCH - DAILY DIARY<br />
Fri 3 - Sun 5 March<br />
Vineries Close, UB7<br />
Grow Heathrow<br />
A weekend of celebration with<br />
attractions including poetry slam,<br />
community stalls, workshops, games,<br />
live music and more. Full details to be<br />
confirmed. Search Grow Heathrow on<br />
Facebook or see www.hillingdon.gov.uk<br />
Sat 4 March<br />
Gayton Library, HA1<br />
Where’s Wally?<br />
Where’s Wally been since World Book<br />
Day? See if you can find him in the<br />
library. Ages 5-10. 11am-11.45am.<br />
Free. www.harrow.gov.uk<br />
Hounslow Libraries<br />
Where’s Wally Day<br />
Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the<br />
first ever Where’s Wally book! See if you<br />
can find Wally and take part in themed<br />
activities! Full details to be confirmed -<br />
please ask at your local library.<br />
www.hounslow.info<br />
V&A Museum, SW7<br />
The Man Who Chewed His<br />
Way Around The World<br />
Join award winning African Storyteller<br />
Usifu Jalloh in this lively performance<br />
and find out all about the man who just<br />
has to chew! All ages. 11am, 1pm &<br />
3pm. Location: Level 1, South Asia,<br />
Room 41. Free. www.vam.ac.uk<br />
Sun 5 March<br />
National Gallery, WC2<br />
Family walk & talk:<br />
Blossoming Spring<br />
Journey through the collection to<br />
walk, talk and bring the paintings<br />
alive! This month’s Walk and Talk<br />
theme is Blossoming Spring.<br />
All ages. 12.30pm-1.30pm. Free.<br />
www.nationalgallery.org.uk<br />
Wallace Collection, W1<br />
The Little Draw<br />
Meet the new Little Draw Artist, Niamv<br />
Ahern, who will help you explore and<br />
discover the Wallace Collection through<br />
drawing, observation and plenty of<br />
creative experimentation. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 1.30pm-4pm. Free.<br />
www.wallacecollection.org<br />
Thu 9 - Sat 25 March<br />
(Selected dates)<br />
Ealing Libraries<br />
Mothers’ Day Crafts<br />
Make a unique gift or card for mum, to<br />
let her know how much you care. Ages<br />
5-11. Dates and times vary - please<br />
visit your local library for details. Free.<br />
www.ealing.gov.uk<br />
Sat 11 March<br />
Grant Museum of Zoology, WC1<br />
Creature Creations<br />
Create works of art inspired by some of<br />
the weird and wonderful animals that<br />
call the Grant Museum home or invent a<br />
new animal, give it a name and add it to<br />
the collection. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
1.30pm-4.30pm. Free. www.ucl.ac.uk<br />
Handel & Hendrix in <strong>London</strong>, W1<br />
Junior Harpsichord Competition<br />
Musicians aged <strong>17</strong> and under will<br />
perform their best pieces, including 1<br />
each by Handel himself. Drop-in to<br />
listen: 2pm-5pm. Entrance charges<br />
apply. www.handelhendrix.org<br />
Roxeth Library, HA2<br />
Characters workshop<br />
Expand your vocabulary and develop<br />
your story writing skills as you focus on<br />
creating great characters, in this<br />
workshop run by Bright Young Things.<br />
Ages 8+. 10am-11am. Free but<br />
booking required. www.harrow.gov.uk<br />
Sun 12 March<br />
National Gallery, WC2<br />
Real Royal Silver<br />
Create your own silver on paper by<br />
transforming paint into shiny metal fit<br />
for kings and princes. Ages 5-11.<br />
11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm. Free but<br />
booking required.<br />
www.nationalgallery.org.uk<br />
Sat 18 March<br />
Brent Museum, NW10<br />
Can you handle it?<br />
Get up close and personal with gems in<br />
your local Museum in this object<br />
handling session. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
2pm-3pm. Free. www.brent.gov.uk<br />
Chiswick Library, W4<br />
Mothering Sunday Craft<br />
Make something to show your mother<br />
how special she is! Ages 5+. 3pm-4pm.<br />
Small charge applies, booking required.<br />
www.hounslow.info<br />
Holland Park Ecology Centre, W8<br />
Seeds of Spring<br />
Learn more about the Edible Forst<br />
Teaching Garden and Wildlife Garden as<br />
you sow some seeds and enjoy craft<br />
activities. All ages. Drop-in: 12noon-<br />
4pm. Free. www.rbkc.gov.uk/ecology<br />
Institut Français, SW7<br />
A Little Bit of Everything<br />
An interactive storytelling session, in<br />
easy French. All ages. 11am-11.45am.<br />
Charges apply, booking recommended.<br />
www.institut-francais.org.uk<br />
Royal Mews,<br />
Buckingham Palace, SW1<br />
Family Saturday: 3D design<br />
Make and decorate a carriage inspired<br />
by the Gold State Coach. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 11am-3pm. Admission charges<br />
apply. www.royalcollection.org.uk<br />
Sun 19 March<br />
Fulham Palace, SW6<br />
Hands-on Archaeology<br />
Get up close and personal with<br />
archaeological finds and learn more<br />
about the rich and varied history of this<br />
ancient site. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
1pm-3pm. Free. www.fulhampalace.org<br />
Keats House, NW3<br />
Family Day: ‘A Faery’s Child’<br />
Do you believe in fairies, elves<br />
and goblins? Make the little people<br />
a toadstool house and hear some<br />
‘faery’-filled poetry. All ages.<br />
Drop-in: 1pm-4pm. Free.<br />
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk<br />
Natural History Museum, SW7<br />
Investigate for families<br />
Get a feel for how scientists work by<br />
having a go yourself. Explore real nature<br />
specimens, with science educators on<br />
hand to help you look closely using the<br />
tools provided. All ages. Drop-in:<br />
11am-5pm. Free. www.nhm.ac.uk<br />
Royal Institution, W1<br />
Paper folding, problem solving<br />
There are many interesting<br />
mathematical shapes that can be made<br />
using paper or card; do you have the<br />
skills to make them? Build some<br />
interesting and unusual shapes, and try<br />
your hand at some tricky puzzles too.<br />
Ages 7-11. 10.30am-12.30pm &<br />
1.30pm-3.30pm. Charges apply,<br />
booking recommended. www.rigb.org<br />
Don’t forget to say<br />
you saw it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!<br />
Our next issue is available<br />
from Mon 20 March.<br />
18<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Don’t forget to say you saw it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!
Cook up a treat for Pancake Day!<br />
Some people like to keep it simple, with just a squeeze of lemon and a<br />
sprinkle of sugar, whilst others prefer to indulge with lashings of toppings or a<br />
sophisticated savoury approach. Whatever your style - grab your trusty frying<br />
pan and get ready to flip homemade pancakes this coming Shrove Tuesday!<br />
What and when is Shrove Tuesday?<br />
This year, Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day<br />
as it’s known in the UK, falls on Tuesday 28th<br />
<strong>Feb</strong>ruary. Shrove Tuesday is the traditional<br />
feast day before the start of Lent on Ash<br />
Wednesday. Lent - the 40 days leading up to<br />
Easter - is marked by fasting, from both food<br />
and festivities, and is a season of reflection and<br />
preparation before the celebrations of Easter.<br />
Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of<br />
shriving. In shriving, a person confesses their<br />
sins and receives absolution for them. Shrove<br />
Tuesday is a day to clean the soul but also a<br />
day of celebration whilst embracing the last<br />
chance to feast before Lent.<br />
Why do we eat pancakes on<br />
Shrove Tuesday?<br />
The custom of eating pancakes on Shrove<br />
Tuesday comes from the tradition of using<br />
up rich foods, such as eggs, milk and sugar,<br />
on the eve of Lent. During Lent, people<br />
eat plainer food and refrain from food and<br />
treats associated with pleasure. The filling of<br />
pancakes can be either sweet or savoury. To<br />
go with the tradition of using up ingredients,<br />
it can be the perfect opportunity to clear out<br />
the baking cupboard, and stuff your pancakes<br />
with the contents of those half-finished packs<br />
of mini marshmallows, chocolate drops and<br />
hundreds-and-thousands to create a sweet<br />
extravaganza!<br />
What’s the origin of Pancake Races?<br />
Pancake races are thought to have begun in<br />
1444 in Olney in Buckinghamshire. The story<br />
goes, that a woman of Olney was so busy<br />
making pancakes that she completely lost<br />
track of the time, and on hearing the church’s<br />
shriving bell, went running to the church in her<br />
apron, still clutching her frying pan! The Olney<br />
pancake race is now world famous and other<br />
towns across the UK have followed holding<br />
their own pancake races. Pancake races today<br />
are often for charity with local businesses<br />
competing against one another.<br />
Celebrating around the world<br />
Around the world, Shrove Tuesday is<br />
celebrated in many different ways. In<br />
Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island off the<br />
coast of Canada, pancakes are made, but<br />
instead of edible fillings, small gifts are hidden<br />
inside. Children delight at discovering the<br />
objects, which are intended to be divinatory.<br />
So, for example, the child who receives a coin<br />
will be wealthy and a nail indicates that they<br />
will become or marry a carpenter. Remember<br />
to warn the recipient that the pancakes aren’t<br />
edible if you’re going to try this at home! In<br />
many countries Shrove Tuesday is known as<br />
‘Mardi Gras’, the French for ‘Fat Tuesday’, the<br />
last day of ‘fat eating’ before the start of fasting<br />
for Lent. Most of us know ‘Mardi Gras’ for its<br />
more popular meaning as carnival day, and<br />
will have seen the colourful street processions<br />
and flamboyant fancy dress costumes of<br />
the world famous Rio de Janeiro Carnival in<br />
Brazil. Venice also celebrates carnival in style.<br />
Leading up to Shrove Tuesday Venice<br />
bursts into life with partying, dancing<br />
and people dressed in elaborate<br />
costumes and masks attending<br />
the famous Venetian masquerade<br />
balls in the great palaces lining<br />
the Grand Canal in the centre of<br />
Venice.<br />
So banish those winter blues<br />
with the carnival spirit this<br />
Shrove Tuesday. Pump<br />
up the volume of some<br />
samba beats, get the<br />
family together and<br />
cook up a treat!<br />
Easy Pancake Recipe<br />
To make approximately 8 pancakes<br />
you will need...<br />
100g plain flour<br />
2 eggs • 300ml milk<br />
1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil,<br />
plus a little extra for frying<br />
Method<br />
Sieve the flour and a pinch of salt into<br />
a bowl and make a well in the centre.<br />
Crack the eggs into the well.<br />
Add 50ml milk and 1 tbsp oil.<br />
Whisk gradually bringing the flour into<br />
the eggs, milk and oil until a smooth,<br />
thick paste. Keep adding more milk<br />
and whisking until the mixture is the<br />
consistency of slightly thick single cream.<br />
Heat the pan with a little oil over a<br />
moderate heat.<br />
Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting<br />
the pan to move the mixture around for<br />
a thin and even layer.<br />
The pancake should turn golden<br />
underneath after about 30 secs and<br />
will be ready to turn.<br />
Ease a fish slice under the pancake,<br />
then quickly lift and flip it over.<br />
Fillings to try<br />
A quick squeeze of lemon and<br />
a sprinkle of sugar<br />
Lashings of chocolate spread,<br />
banana or a dollop of cream<br />
For a savoury pancake, a combination of<br />
cheese, onions, and tomatoes<br />
works well<br />
Create your own!<br />
Get creative and make your own dream<br />
pancake. Why not be brave and try<br />
some of your favourite foods all together<br />
in one tasty pancake!<br />
After you’ve made your very own<br />
original pancake make sure you give it a<br />
personal name and don’t forget to<br />
take a picture to share with us on<br />
facebook and twitter.<br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
19
Photo by Manuel Harlan<br />
Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox, Lyric Hammersmith<br />
Your family theatre guide, <strong>Feb</strong>ruary – March<br />
The trademarks Amaluna and Cirque du Soleil are owned by Cirque du Soleil and used under license. Design : Bob King Creative Ltd.<br />
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Barons Court Theatre<br />
The Curtains Up, W14<br />
Box office: 020 8932 4747<br />
www.falseimpressions.co.uk<br />
Sun 26 <strong>Feb</strong> & Sun 5 & 12 March<br />
THE SUPERSTITIOUS MAGIC SHOW<br />
A themed magic show, covering topics<br />
of superstition, good and bad luck. Ages<br />
8+. 2.30pm. Tickets £12/£10.<br />
Beck Theatre, UB3<br />
Box office: 020 8561 8371<br />
www.becktheatre.org.uk<br />
Sun 12 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW<br />
ABOUT DINOSAURS<br />
Join Ben Garrod (the TV scientist in<br />
Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur)<br />
who will tell you everything you ever<br />
wanted to know about dinosaurs, with<br />
the help of TV film footage and photos<br />
of his own palaeontological dinosaur<br />
digs. This is an interactive show where<br />
children will be given the chance to ask<br />
questions and show off their dinosaur<br />
knowledge to the audience. All ages.<br />
2.30pm. Tickets £<strong>17</strong>.50.<br />
Tue 14 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS<br />
The best comedians from the UK and<br />
world circuit doing what they do best…<br />
but without the rude bits! Ages 6+.<br />
2pm. Tickets £11.<br />
Wed 15 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
ALICE IN WONDERLAND<br />
Follow Alice and the White Rabbit in<br />
this fantastical, larger-than-life musical<br />
brimming with nonsensical fun and<br />
excitement. With a chance to meet the<br />
characters after the show. Fancy dress<br />
encouraged. All ages. 2pm. Tickets £14.<br />
Cockpit, NW8<br />
Box office: 020 7258 2925<br />
www.thecockpit.org.uk<br />
Sat 25 March<br />
SCIENCE BLAST: THE BIG BANG!<br />
The UK’s most dangerous scientist,<br />
Prof Kaos looks at what makes things<br />
go Bang and the science behind the<br />
explosion! Family fun with lots of mad<br />
stuff you really shouldn’t do at home.<br />
Ages 5+. 2pm. Tickets £7.<br />
Hackney Empire, E8<br />
Box office: 020 8985 2424<br />
www.hackneyempire.co.uk<br />
Wed 22 - Sat 25 March<br />
RUNNING WILD BY MICHAEL<br />
MORPURGO<br />
For Lilly, going to Indonesia isn’t just<br />
another holiday – it’s a new start, and<br />
the chance to ride an elephant called<br />
Oona. But then the tsunami hit – and<br />
Oona charges into the jungle, with<br />
Lilly desperately clinging on. Michael<br />
Morpurgo’s novel is brought to life with<br />
extraordinary heart, vibrant colour and<br />
exceptional creativity. Ages 6+. <strong>Times</strong><br />
and ticket prices vary.<br />
Harrow Arts Centre, HA5<br />
Box office: 020 8416 8989<br />
www.harrowarts.com<br />
Wed 15 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
A POCKETFUL OF GRIMMS<br />
An exciting new look at some of<br />
the Grimm Brothers’ favourite tales,<br />
including Rumpelstiltskin, the Golden<br />
Goose, Cat and Mouse in Partnership<br />
and the original version of Beauty and<br />
the Beast. These tales come to life in a<br />
high-energy mix of clowning, physical<br />
theatre, puppetry, music and much<br />
more! Ages 4+. 2pm. Tickets £9.<br />
Jermyn Street Theatre, SW1<br />
Box office: 020 7287 2875<br />
www.falseimpressions.co.uk<br />
Sat 25 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
SATURDAY MORNING MAGIC<br />
An intimate hour-long magic show,<br />
presented by Richard Leigh. All ages.<br />
11.30am. Tickets £9.<br />
JW3, Jewish Community<br />
Centre, NW3<br />
Box office: 020 7433 8988<br />
www.jw3.org.uk<br />
Sun 26 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
THE PARTY: A CIRCUS SHOW<br />
A man gets ready to host his long<br />
anticipated birthday party, which goes<br />
spectacularly wrong with the arrival of<br />
some uninvited guests. A totally madcap<br />
celebration that spirals out of control<br />
through clowning, juggling, trick cycling<br />
and tumbling. Ages 4+. 4pm.<br />
Tickets £10.<br />
20<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
www.primarytimes.net/west_london
Leicester Square<br />
Theatre, WC2<br />
Box office: 020 7734 2222<br />
www.leicestersquaretheatre.com<br />
Sat 11 & Sun 12 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
JAMES CAMPBELL’S THE<br />
FUNNY THING ABOUT<br />
A stand-up show for anyone over 6,<br />
who likes comedy without the rude bits!<br />
Making fun of everything from couscous<br />
to penguins to Nintendo Wii, James’<br />
jokes are written and performed to get<br />
children and parents laughing out loud.<br />
Ages 6+. 2pm. Tickets £11/£9.<br />
Sat 18 March<br />
WEST END MAGIC<br />
An exciting family friendly show offering<br />
the best in magic, illusion, comedy,<br />
juggling and variety, including the<br />
award-winning magic and illusions of<br />
Oliver Tabor. Ages 5+. 3.30pm. Tickets<br />
£15/£10.<br />
Lyric Hammersmith, W6<br />
Box office: 020 8741 6850<br />
www.lyric.co.uk<br />
Until Sun 19 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
ROALD DAHL’S<br />
FANTASTIC MR FOX<br />
A musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s<br />
juicy tale of greed, pride and the power<br />
of friendship. Can Mr Fox outsmart the<br />
three greedy farmers to save his family<br />
and his friends? Ages 5+. <strong>Times</strong> and<br />
ticket prices vary.<br />
Sat 11 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
MAVIS SPARKLE<br />
With a magician for a dad and a<br />
stargazer for a mum, there’s more to<br />
Mavis than meets the eye… Join her<br />
for magic, illusion and laughter, inspiring<br />
us all to reach for the stars! Ages 4-11.<br />
11am & 1pm. Tickets £8.<br />
Tue 14 - Sat 18 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
LILY AND THE LITTLE SNOW BEAR<br />
Lily loves snow! So, she pops on<br />
her coat and sets off to explore. But<br />
when she discovers a trail of soft<br />
little footprints, she’s in for a very big<br />
surprise… A funny, heartwarming tale<br />
of friendship. Ages 3-11. 11am & 1pm.<br />
Tickets £10.<br />
Sat 4 March<br />
CHESTER TUFFNUT<br />
The curious creatures in Woodland<br />
have gone so long without excitement,<br />
they’ve forgotten how to have fun.<br />
Luckily, Chester, the adventure-loving<br />
tree mole, is on hand to bring happiness<br />
and laughter back to his new Woodland<br />
friends. Ages 2-5. 11am & 1pm. Tickets<br />
£8.<br />
Sat 18 March<br />
THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES<br />
OF PINOCCHIO<br />
Crickets, cats, foxes and, of course, the<br />
world-famous puppet, will spring out of<br />
a collection of dusty, old, magic books<br />
in this unique retelling of Pinocchio -<br />
where the story leaps off the page and<br />
onto the stage! Ages 5-11. 11am &<br />
1pm. Tickets £8.<br />
Peacock Theatre, WC2<br />
Box office: 020 7863 8222<br />
www.sadlerswells.com<br />
Tue 21 <strong>Feb</strong> - Sat 11 March<br />
MOTHER AFRICA: KHAYELITSHA<br />
- MY HOME<br />
Acrobats, dancers and musicians from<br />
seven African nations blend circus feats,<br />
shimmering costumes and jaw-dropping<br />
dance, to bring the pulse of daily life in<br />
Khayelitsha to the <strong>West</strong> End. Ages 7+.<br />
<strong>Times</strong> and ticket prices vary.<br />
Tue 14 - Sat 25 March<br />
YAMATO: CHOUSENSHA<br />
- THE CHALLENGERS<br />
A high-energy, exhilarating<br />
performance, in which drummers<br />
push their own limits in a staggering<br />
display of physical strength as they<br />
use their entire bodies to produce their<br />
thunderous music. Ages 7+. <strong>Times</strong> and<br />
ticket prices vary.<br />
Polka Theatre, SW19<br />
Box office: 020 8543 4888<br />
www.polkatheatre.com<br />
Sat 25 - Sun 26 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
THE GIANT JAM SANDWICH<br />
What a to do! One hot summer day,<br />
when 4 million wasps invade the village<br />
of Itching Down, everything changes.<br />
The wasps are noisy, nasty and worst<br />
of all, they don’t mind who they sting!<br />
Luckily Bap the baker has an ingenious<br />
idea - to bake the biggest wasp trap<br />
ever! Ages 3-7. 11am & 2.30pm.<br />
Tickets £13.50.<br />
Fri 3 - Sun 5 March<br />
MAVIS SPARKLE<br />
With a feather duster in one hand and a<br />
few tricks up her sleeve, join Mavis on<br />
a journey north to see nature’s biggest<br />
light show. Ages 4+. <strong>Times</strong> vary. Tickets<br />
£12.50.<br />
Sat 11 March - Sun 2 April<br />
TO DREAM AGAIN<br />
A poignant story about a girl coming<br />
to terms with her parents’ separation.<br />
Acclaimed children’s writer Toby Hulse<br />
mixes comedy and drama, as real life<br />
meets the playful, magical world of A<br />
Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ages 7-11.<br />
<strong>Times</strong> vary. Tickets £13.50.<br />
Puppet Theatre Barge, W9<br />
Box office: 020 7249 6876<br />
www.puppetbarge.com<br />
Until Sun 19 March<br />
THE RED BALLOON<br />
A String Theatre production telling the<br />
story of a small boy’s friendship with a<br />
balloon, exploring the poignancy of a<br />
child’s imagination. All ages, 3+. <strong>Times</strong><br />
and ticket prices vary.<br />
Questors Theatre, W5<br />
Box office: 020 8567 5184<br />
www.questors.org.uk<br />
Wed 1 - Sat 4 March<br />
EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES<br />
Join Emil and his gang of detectives<br />
in an exciting chase through 1920s<br />
Berlin. Emil is all alone in the big city,<br />
More Theatre<br />
‘animal<br />
magic rivals<br />
war horse’ THE GUARDIAN<br />
THE CHILDREN’S TOURING PARTNERSHIP PRESENTS<br />
BY MICHAEL MORPURGO<br />
AN ADAPTATION BY SAMUEL ADAMSON<br />
ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE<br />
AND REGENT’S PARK THEATRE<br />
WED 22 – SAT 25 MAR<br />
020 8985 2424 hackneyempire.co.uk<br />
£25 – £10 | £10 Schools Price for best available<br />
(BOOKING FEE £1 PER TICKET ONLINE AND £1.25 OVER THE PHONE)<br />
To RW_Hackney_various advertise in <strong>Primary</strong> ads.indd <strong>Times</strong> 2 call 01491 411848<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half 08/12/2016 Term 20<strong>17</strong><strong>17</strong>:18<br />
21
Theatre<br />
and someone has stolen his money.<br />
There are no grown-ups to help, so Emil<br />
sets about tracking down the thief by<br />
himself. But he soon discovers he is not<br />
on his own after all. <strong>Times</strong> and ticket<br />
prices vary.<br />
Thu 9 - Sat 11 March<br />
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS<br />
Downtrodden Seymour bites off more<br />
than he can chew when he decides to<br />
nurture a strange new plant in boss<br />
Mr Mushnik’s flower shop. But will<br />
colleague and potential sweetheart<br />
Audrey notice him if he finally makes<br />
something of himself? Just one scary<br />
dentist stands in their way… An<br />
all-female cast tell an exciting new<br />
rendition of this classic American<br />
musical. 7.30pm. Tickets £15/£13.<br />
Richmond Theatre, TW9<br />
Box office: 0844 871 7651<br />
www.atgtickets.com/richmond<br />
Sat 18 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
MR BLOOM’S NURSERY LIVE!<br />
Mr Bloom and his Veggies are getting<br />
the Nursery ready for a very special<br />
occasion - a member of the Royal family<br />
is paying them visit! Can you lend a<br />
hand and help them get the Allotment<br />
ready in time? Featuring all of the much<br />
loved elements of the TV show. Ages<br />
2-7. 11am & 2pm. Tickets £<strong>17</strong>.<br />
Royal Albert Hall, SW7<br />
Box office: 020 7589 8212<br />
www.royalalberthall.com<br />
Until Sun 26 <strong>Feb</strong><br />
AMALUNA<br />
A tale of castaway romance and the<br />
obstacles that true love presents, filled<br />
with jaw-dropping performances and<br />
Cirque du Soleil’s signature mindblowing<br />
acts. Amaluna is a tribute to<br />
women, with female performers making<br />
up the majority of the cast. All ages.<br />
<strong>Times</strong> and ticket prices vary.<br />
Mon 13 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC<br />
FOR KIDS<br />
The Blue Lions present a concert<br />
of Indian Classical music, including<br />
traditional works and very rare<br />
compositions, some of which are<br />
hundreds of years old and based upon<br />
traditional ragas and mantras. All ages.<br />
10.30am. Ticket prices vary.<br />
Tue 14 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
LILY AND BEAR<br />
Lily likes nothing better than to imagine<br />
and draw the things she loves. She<br />
draws cats and birds, boats and<br />
houses… and one day she draws<br />
a bear who comes to life… A truly<br />
magical tale about the give and take of<br />
friendship. Ages 0-5. 11.30am & 2pm.<br />
Thu 16 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
TALES FROM THE SHED<br />
Informal, fun and very silly show, with<br />
plenty of colourful puppets and live<br />
songs. Experience magical stories<br />
featuring Chickenshed’s much loved<br />
characters – from Can-Can the beautiful<br />
bird to laid back Lion Down and The<br />
Thing That Goes Blurgh! All ages. 11am<br />
& 1.15pm. Ticket prices vary.<br />
SSE Arena Wembley, HA9<br />
Box office: 0844 815 0815<br />
www.ssearena.co.uk<br />
Wed 29 March - Sun 2 April<br />
DISNEY ON ICE CELEBRATES<br />
100 YEARS OF MAGIC<br />
Grab your Mickey ears and get ready<br />
for the ultimate Disney experience!<br />
Be charmed by a cast of over 50<br />
unforgettable Disney characters and<br />
sing-along to over 30 favourite songs.<br />
Watermans, TW8<br />
Box office: 020 8232 1010<br />
www.watermans.org.uk<br />
Sun 12 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
BIG HOWARD’S LOL-TASTIC<br />
YURKFEST FOR KIDS<br />
Enjoy an hour of silly stand-up,<br />
interactive digital animation, sound<br />
effects, jokes and lots, and lots and<br />
lots of clever nonsense! Ages 5+. 3pm.<br />
Tickets £8.<br />
Tue 14 - Fri <strong>17</strong> <strong>Feb</strong><br />
THE BEAR<br />
One night an enormous snowy white<br />
bear climbs into Tilly’s bedroom. But Tilly<br />
is not scared. With puppets, music and<br />
lots of laughs. See Roundabout listings<br />
for related puppet making workshop.<br />
Ages 3-8. <strong>Times</strong> vary. Tickets £9.<br />
Sun 12 March<br />
GOLDILOCKS!<br />
An original adaptation of the well-loved<br />
tale. Join feisty ragdoll Goldilocks as<br />
she enters the Raggedy Woods and<br />
follow her hilarious journey to the three<br />
bears’ house. Expect hurdy-gurdy<br />
music, naughty goblins, helpful spiders,<br />
porridge, and sing-a-long fun! Ages 4-8.<br />
3pm. Tickets £8/£7.<br />
Wigmore Hall, W1<br />
Box office: 020 7935 2141<br />
www.wigmore-hall.org.uk<br />
Sun 18 March<br />
CAVATINA FAMILY CONCERT:<br />
PIATTI QUARTET<br />
Join the award-winning Piatti Quartet,<br />
one of the UK’s most exciting young<br />
string quartets, for an interactive family<br />
concert which explores the wonderful<br />
world of chamber music, featuring<br />
works by some of the best-loved<br />
composers of all time, including Haydn,<br />
Ravel and Beethoven. Ages 5+. 11am.<br />
Tickets £10/£8.<br />
Winston Churchill<br />
Theatre, HA4<br />
Box office: 01895 250615<br />
www.hillingdontheatres.uk<br />
Sat 18 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary<br />
MONSTERSAURUS!<br />
Follow the young inventor Monty as he<br />
creates a world of wacky inventions and<br />
incredible monsters, but now he has<br />
made them all, what is he going to do<br />
with them? An energetic show full of<br />
thrills, spills, magic and mayhem. Ages<br />
3+. 1pm. Tickets £8.<br />
Enjoy the show!<br />
Don’t forget to say you saw<br />
it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!<br />
Kids’ Book<br />
Reviews<br />
Get your nose stuck in a book...<br />
Our Kids Book Review Panel is a group<br />
of children from across the UK who have<br />
an avid interest in reading. They receive books<br />
from us on a regular basis and post their reviews online.<br />
To see reviews for other titles visit www.primarytimes.net/reviews/<br />
J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World: Movie<br />
Magic Vol. One, by Jody Revenson<br />
Published by: Walker Books. ISBN: 1406376094<br />
Reviewed by Lillie, aged 9 from Devon: I really<br />
enjoyed the book, I learnt a lot about a film/book<br />
I haven’t seen yet (Fantastic Beasts and where to<br />
find them) and I found a lot of useful things on Harry<br />
Potter. It has great pictures and some characters<br />
I didn’t even know about. I loved the pop-up things inside,<br />
I found reading it lots of fun! A must for any Harry Potter Fan (like me)!<br />
Double Down (Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 11)<br />
by Jeff Kinney Published by: Puffin. ISBN: 0141373016<br />
Reviewed by Alex, aged 8 from North Yorkshire: I really like the<br />
Wimpy Kid books because they are funny and easy to read. It is about a<br />
wimpy kid called Greg, who has two annoying brothers<br />
as well as an annoying mum! Greg is always trying to<br />
be more popular and normally his plans don’t go very<br />
well... When Greg tries to film a horror movie, everything<br />
seems to be against him and when a flock of wild geese<br />
come after his film props (gummy worms), he has to<br />
admit defeat. This book was great, I really enjoyed it.<br />
You don’t need to have read other Wimpy Kid books to<br />
enjoy this one!<br />
The Bad Guys, by Aaron Blabey<br />
Published by: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0545912407<br />
Reviewed by Eddie, aged 7 from Devon:<br />
The book was good to read. It was funny and they are<br />
good guys, not bad guys! There are lots of pictures on<br />
every page which makes it easy to enjoy. I can’t wait to<br />
read Episode 2.<br />
Secret Princesses: Pop Princess, by Rosie Banks<br />
Published by: Orchard Books. ISBN: 1408336146<br />
Reviewed by Gracie, aged 8 from Derbyshire:<br />
This book is about Mia and Charlotte, who have to get<br />
4 gems to get a pure gold crown and stop Princess<br />
Poison and Hex destroying Wishing Star Palace. I liked<br />
the bit where they helped Samira to not feel shy by<br />
granting her three wishes. The wishes were a new<br />
guitar, new clothes and makeup and that her family<br />
was at the concert with Samira. I didn’t like the bit<br />
where Hex broke Samira’s guitar which made her really upset.<br />
I enjoyed the book and I think it was one of my favourite books I’ve read.<br />
In at the Deep End, by Michelle Magorian<br />
Published by: Barrington Stoke Ltd.<br />
ISBN: <strong>17</strong>81125023<br />
Reviewed by Ellie, aged 9 from Devon: This book<br />
is about a boy called Ben who has to swim 100 lengths<br />
for charity, he waits for his friends but they don’t turn<br />
up! He then has help from Betty, a ‘wrinkly’, and Ben<br />
learns if your friends let you down, there is still someone<br />
there to help and age doesn’t matter! This book is easy<br />
to read and teaches you to believe in yourself.<br />
22<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Don’t forget to say you saw it in <strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>!
What do you get if you<br />
cross a parrot and a<br />
centipede?<br />
A walkie talkie!<br />
Kylah Redman, aged 4<br />
What did the<br />
duck say to the<br />
shopkeeper?<br />
Put it on my bill!<br />
Ayaan Shah<br />
What do you get if you<br />
cross a shark with a<br />
snowman?<br />
Frostbite!<br />
Molly, aged 11<br />
Why did Adele cross<br />
the road?<br />
To say hello from<br />
the other side!<br />
Rihanna Malcolm,<br />
aged 9<br />
Email your<br />
joke to: marion@<br />
schoolspublishing<br />
.co.uk<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
23
KUMON MATHS AND ENGLISH STUDY CENTRES<br />
Contact your local Kumon Maths and English Study Centre<br />
to book your two-week Free Trial.<br />
Bayswater<br />
020 7603 1499<br />
Canons Park<br />
020 8876 9954<br />
Chiswick<br />
020 8876 9954<br />
Eastcote<br />
020 8933 9187<br />
Edgware<br />
020 8200 8822<br />
Fulham<br />
020 7266 4401<br />
Greenford<br />
020 8795 4869<br />
Hounslow <strong>West</strong><br />
020 8580 0069<br />
Northwood<br />
01923 820 367<br />
Pinner<br />
020 8868 7580<br />
Queensbury<br />
020 8907 3232<br />
Rayners Lane<br />
020 8429 4048<br />
Ruislip<br />
01895 602 501<br />
Stanmore<br />
020 8952 7854<br />
Shepherds Bush<br />
020 3002 0735<br />
St Margarets<br />
020 8707 5612<br />
Wealdstone<br />
020 3372 4979<br />
Wembley Central<br />
020 8426 1222<br />
Wembley Park<br />
020 8863 7718<br />
Terms and conditions apply. Fees vary. Participating study centres only.<br />
Please refer to your local study centre. Subject to availability.<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> <strong>Times</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>London</strong> • <strong>Feb</strong>ruary Half Term 20<strong>17</strong><br />
24