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51,575 COPIES FOR FAMILIES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN North London www.primarytimes.co.uk DAYS OUT • EDUCATION • COMPETITIONS • FAMILY FUN BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 4TH SEPT - 13TH OCT ‘19

51,575 COPIES FOR FAMILIES

OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

North London

www.primarytimes.co.uk

DAYS OUT • EDUCATION • COMPETITIONS • FAMILY FUN

BACK TO SCHOOL 2019

4TH SEPT - 13TH OCT ‘19

Contents

4 News

Dear Readers,

BACK TO

SCHOOL 2019

51,575 COPIES FOR FAMILIES

OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

WELCOME

North London

6 WOW: Family events

Welcome to our back to school edition! We hope you had a fantastic summer break and

have been enjoying the warm weather, and now feel ready to start a new school year.

We also want to give a warm welcome to all of our new readers who have little ones

www.primarytimes.co.uk

9 Performing Arts

just starting their first year of school! It’s such an exciting time full of new experiences

for them and you, and we hope these first few weeks go just as well as you hope. For

14 Education Focus

opportunities for fun with your family.

Make sure to check out our What’s On Where pages for a huge array of family and

our regular readers, we hope this new school year brings positive change and lots of

28 Box Office

child-friendly events and activities on in your local area. We’ve got everything from

festivals to bee clubs. We always make sure to include lots of activities that are free

BACK TO SCHOOL 2019

DAYS OUT • EDUCATION • COMPETITIONS • FAMILY FUN 4TH SEPT - 13TH OCT ‘19

or low cost too so you can fill your schedule without worry! Don’t forget to browse our

30 Competitions

Box Office pages for local theatre shows suitable for your budding theatre-goers. When

you find an activity you’d like to take part in, remember to check the venue’s website

30 Loopy Library

Primary Times in North London is

published by: Schools Publishing Limited

Unit 1, Accent Park, Bakewell Road,

Peterborough, PE2 6XS

Telephone: 01733 385300

www.primarytimes.co.uk/North_London

to make sure you’re getting the most up to date information (sometimes details are

subject to change!) and book in advance when necessary. Details of our Christmas card

competition are inside too; we can’t wait to receive your entries!

With very best wishes,

The Primary Times Team

Sales: Victoria Jelleyman:

victoria.jelleyman@

primarytimes.co.uk

Tel: 01733 385324

Production: Kathy Wright

kathy.wright@primarytimes.co.uk

Design: Holly Aston

Primary Times is independently published and distributed free through national primary schools in North London . It aims to

inform families and children about current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses, attractions and to give teachers,

pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or by joining in the competitions.

It is NOT our intention to publish any racist, sexist or politically based material whatsoever. We also undertake not to carry

any advertising which we would consider to be offensive to young families or harmful to the best interests of young children.

Primary Times would like to thank all the schools in North London for their assistance in distributing the magazine and for their

contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the advertisers who have supported this publication and therefore

made it possible. Please support their endeavours when and where you can. The copyright on all written material, logos and

advertising artwork produced by our studio remains with Primary Times or with the relevant contributor. Primary Times is

currently publishing over 2 million copies per issue under franchise licences throughout Britain.

Total Average Qualified

Circulation: 51,575

BPA March Statement 2018

The UK’s biggest free ‘what’s on’

magazine for parents! Primary

Times in North London distributes

52,000 copies seven times a year,

and is part of a national network

distributing more than 2.7 million

copies in 59 regions across the

UK and Ireland

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 3

Primary Times North London

NEWS

Do

you have news to celebrate? We’d love to hear!

Email victoria.jelleyman@primarytimes.co.uk

www.primarytimes.co.uk/North London

Halloween Fun with

the Epping Ongar Railway

The ‘Ghost Train’ runs for 4 zany

days in October from North Weird

Station when this former part of

the Underground is taken over by

ghouls and zombies. The owls

from the Epping Forest Hawk and

Owl Sanctuary will be flying in too.

Look out for the ‘Ghost Bus’!

The Halloween Specials are a

regular feature at the Railway.

The staff and volunteers are

always ensure that the ‘Ghost

Train’ is good fun and this year

is no different. The buses pick

passengers from right outside of

Epping Tube station and whisk

you to North Weird. There, you’ll

find children’s magic show, a

disco, a bar, Hallowe’en games.

Recent paranormal investigations

have shown there could be ghosts

at the Epping Ongar Railway,

but all children have a chance

of finding them on the Ghost

Hunt! Of course there’s also a

full-sized Ghost Train to Ongar

with its gruesome graveyard.

Travel on the train is not for the

faint-hearted.

Trains running 26, 27, 30, 31

October. Adult fares £16 and

children £12.

More details on the EOR website

www.eorailway.co.uk/events/

halloween

CIRCUS 1903 at the

Southbank Centre

Experience all the thrills and

daredevil entertainment of a turnof-the-century

circus when CIRCUS

1903 returns to the Southbank

Centre this Christmas.

A range of dazzling new acts

from around the globe will

accompany favourites from last

year, transporting audiences back

to the wonders of the Golden Age

of Circus. Undoubtedly the most

charming puppet elephants on

any stage, created by the awardwinning

team behind War Horse,

Queenie and Peanut, will return,

alongside Ringmaster Willy

Whipsnade. New for 2019, the

Wheel of Death is a ginormous

rotating apparatus featuring large

metal hoops at each end in and

on which three performers will

carry out eye-popping acrobatic

skills whilst the wheel is rotating.

Joined by strong men to

contortionists, acrobats to

musicians, knife throwers, high wire

and much more, CIRCUS 1903 will

amaze and captivate audiences of

all ages. CIRCUS 1903 is in town for

three weeks only.

Book now at

www.southbankcentre.co.uk

to avoid disappointment!

Disney On Ice celebrates

100 Years of Magic

Grab your Mickey ears and get ready

for the ultimate Disney experience

when Disney On Ice celebrates 100

Years of Magic. Be charmed by a cast

of over 50, including Mickey Mouse,

Minnie Mouse, Disney Princesses,

and Disney’s Frozen as they bring

14 stories and over 30 songs to life,

leaving your whole family captivated

with memories to last a lifetime. See it

live at The SSE Arena, Wembley.

Book your tickets now

at disneyonice.co.uk

Leaders are Readers

Leaders are Readers help children

develop a passion for learning

and gain skills in learning to read,

Maths, English and Reasoning.

Their Saturday and Summer

Schools help to bridge the gap

between education and selfdevelopment.

Children enjoy an

experience where class numbers

are small, allowing each child

more personal attention.

Leaders are Readers focus on

pupil’s specific strengths and

identify their needs to help them

fulfill their potential. Their flexible

programmes empower gifted

students to develop their skills

and talents, as they are given an

outlet to learn more advanced

topics than their school years.

The culture of the schools offers

a healthy learning environment.

Like-minded parents who share a

commitment for their children to

thrive generate a positive learning

attitude in their children. Quality is

what distinguishes a good school

and engaged parents. Leaders are

Readers offer quality face-to-face

tutoring and resources.

The school provides lots of

opportunities to practice and

develop key study skills such as

exam preparation and techniques,

independent learning and selfregulation.

For more information or to book

a trial lesson for Leaders are

Readers’ next Open Day, please

call 01992 651 300 or visit www.

leadersarereaders.co.uk

4

BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon

Primary Times North London

WHAT’S ON WHERE

WOW!

Daily

Mail Rail Family Trail

The Postal Museum,

London, WC1X 0DA

www.postalmuseum.org

10am-5pm. A new self-led family trail is now

available, taking wannabe engineers around

the Mail Rail exhibition. It’s been beautifully

Salvatore Rubbino. Suitable for all ages,

best for ages 5-8. Charges apply.

Every First Friday of the Month

Bee Club

The Wildlife Garden, Coram’s Fields,

WC1N 1DN

email: kasheena@coramfields.org.uk

6-7pm. Bee Club sessions will now include

gardening activities to keep the space in a

great condition for everyone to enjoy. Learn

about life inside the hive, look for eggs and

larvae and see bees bring in nectar and

pollen.

Every First Sat of the Month

Learning to Grow

Wyevale Garden Centre,

Enfield, EN2 9DX

www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk

10.30am, 11.15am. Go along for an

educational planting activity, and get your

Little Diggers planting and learning. Each

month, pick a fruit or vegetable to talk

about. Children will learn all about planting

seeds, and how to care for them.

Every Sat

what’s on where

Wonderful Wildlife Weekends

Woodberry Wetlands, N16 5HQ

www.woodberrywetlands.org.uk

From 10am-12noon meet at the Education

Ponds by the East Entrance for pond

dipping and minibeast hunting. Followed

by nature craft activities from 1-3pm at the

Coal House Cafe. These sessions are jampacked

with fun activities including bug

hunting, nature crafts, stories, games, songs

and making wildlife habitats.

Every Sat & Sun

Rising Stars Birthdays

Archer Academy,

Venues in N2 and NW8

email: info@risingstarsactivities.com

Enjoy a memorable birthday with an

individually tailored birthday party to suit

the birthday child and their friends, ensuring

an unforgettable experience for all! Choose

from a large variety of party themes such as

Multi Sports & Games, Football, Nerf Gun,

Gaming, Disco & more! Ages 4 yrs+.

Until 8 Sep

London’s Hottest Beach

Brent Cross Shopping Centre, NW4 3FP

www.brentcross.co.uk

12noon-10pm. The double award-winning

beach is back and it’s bigger and better

than ever before. There is more sand,

more space and more water, so there is

even more room for you to play, relax, and

work on your suntan. There will also be a

range of exciting rides for adults, children

and families - there really is something for

everyone.

Until 15 Sep

Summer of Spitfire

RAF Museum, Colindale, NW9 5LL

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london

From 10am. This summer will see the Royal

Air Force Museum paying homage to one

of the most iconic aircraft ever built with a

programme of family events and activities

dedicated to the Spitfire.

Family Sundays

Camden Arts Centre,

Arkwright Rd, NW3 6DG

www.camdenartscentre.org

2-4.30pm. Throughout the exhibitions

families can drop in to the Drawing Studio

and galleries to take part in activities

inspired by Alice Morey and Emily Mulenga.

You can make your own multi-layered

paintings, avatars and face filters.

Until 28 Sep

Join the Docks

London’s Royal Docks, E16 1S

www.londonsroyaldocks.com

Soak up summer vibes at this waterfront

hangout during fun-filled events and family

activities. Spanning 4km of London’s historic

docklands, this cultural programme will

nurture connections between neighbours,

Londoners and the communities that make

up East London.

Until 29 Sep

Underbelly Festival 2018

Southbank, SE1 8XX

www.underbellyfestival.com

The festival will bring the best in live circus,

comedy, cabaret and family entertainment

to the heart of London. There’s an amazing

line-up of shows, international street food

and a true festival atmosphere.

Summer Opening

Buckingham Palace, SW1A 1AA

www.rct.uk

Visit the official London residence of the

Queen, as Buckingham Palace opens its

doors to the public every summer. Explore

the lavishly furnished State Rooms of one

of the world’s few remaining working royal

palaces.

Until 30 Sep

What If?

Tower Bridge, SE1 2UP

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

To celebrate Fantastic Feats: The Building

of London, enjoy an outdoor exhibit

and fascinating glimpse at some of the

alternative river crossing designs presented

by over 50 architects and engineers to the

City’s special committee.

Comic Creators, the Famous and

the Forgotten

The Cartoon Museum, W1A 3AE

www.cartoonmuseum.org

10.30am-5.30pm. A new exhibition

celebrating the world of comics, curated by

Comics Curator Steve Marchant.

Totally Thames Festival

Various Locations

www.totallythames.org

Totally Thames brings the river to life with a

month-long season of river-related events

- art, music, open days, family fun, talks,

walks and boats galore.

Until 1 Oct

Andy’s Clock

The Natural History Museum, SW7 5BD

www.nhm.ac.uk

See the clock from the CBeebies shows

Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures and Andy’s

Prehistoric Adventures for free in Hintze

Hall.

Mon 2 – Sun 29 Sep

Potato Shindig

Willows Activity Farm, St Albans, AL4 0PF

www.willowsactivityfarm.com

Get your dungarees on, it’s time to harvest

your free bag of potatoes at Willows Potato

Patch. Plus, tattie-tastic potato arts and

crafts.

Wed 4 Sep

Creative Fun for 2-5s

House of Illustration, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH

www.houseofillustration.org.uk

10.30am-12noon. A fun introduction to

the gallery and a making session tailored

specifically to welcome 2-5 year-olds,

parents and carers. Charges apply.

Thurs 5 – Sun 15 Sep

Butterfly Biosphere

Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, W1K 2HP

www.mayfairandbelgravia.com/

butterflies

10am-7pm. Visitors will be invited to

embrace a moment of Mayfair mindfulness

by getting up-close with an abundance

of the winged wonders, observing them

hatching, feeding and fluttering among the

trailing fruit and foliage-filled Insta-dream

iridescent backdrop.

Sat 7 Sep

Horrible Histories: Rotten Romans

Regent Street Cinema, W1B 2UW

www.regentstreetcinema.com

11.30am. Roman Teenager Atti is forced

to join the Roman Army when one of his

schemes falls foul of Emperor Nero and he

is sent to ‘cold and miserable’ Great Britain.

But he gets more than he bargained for

when he crosses the wrong girl. Film part of

the Kids Kino Club.

Summer Street Festival

Queens Crescent Community Centre,

NW5 4QE

www.lovecamden.org

11am-6pm. Enjoy a day packed with

entertainment, stalls, children’s activities,

outdoor boxing, food stalls, animal shows

and so much more.

Bird Barmy Army

Victoria Park, E3 5TB

email: victoriapark@towerhamlets.gov.uk

10am-12.30pm. Find out more about Vicky

Park’s feathered friends in this guided tour

lead by the park’s resident ornithologist. No

need to book. Meet at the V&A Building.

Sat 7 – Sun 8 Sep

Wing Fest

London Stadium, Queen Elizabeth

Olympic Park, Stratford, E20 2ST

www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

Europe’s biggest chicken wing show-down

returns to London. 35 contestants from

across the country will work their culinary

magic in a bid to be crowned the King or

Queen of the Wing.

Sun 8 Sep

Put It in Print

Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of

Arts, W1S 3ET

www.royalacademy.org.uk

11am-3pm. Learn about Félix Vallotton, the

Swiss artist who created luminous paintings

and atmospheric black and white prints that

often look like illustrations or film stills. Meet

in Front Hall of Burlington Gardens. Free, no

booking required.

RT and RF Celebration – Bus Event

and Running Day

Epping Ongar Railway, CM5 9BN

www.eorailway.co.uk

The event based at the Railway’s North

Weald Station will feature new routes

operating to local towns and villages. The

regular route 339 will also run connecting

Epping Underground station (Central

Line, zone 6) with North Weald at regular

intervals.

A Gift for Athena

The British Museum,

London, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

(Also 14 Sep) 11am-4pm. Visit the Parthenon

gallery with your family and see the

sculptures come to life while you play

an augmented reality game on Samsung

tablets. A passport, national ID or driver’s

licence is required as a deposit. Ages 7+.

Free, drop-in.

Drawing Dreams

Burgh House & Hampstead Museum,

Hampstead, NW3 1LT

burghhouse.museumssites.com

11am-12.30pm. Bringing a taste from the

past, Burgh House presents Margaret

Rowney works. In this workshop children

will explore creative drawing techniques

through different art pieces. Ages 5+.

Because We Can Variety Show

Chickenshed, Southgate, N14 4PE

www.chickenshed.org.uk

From 2.30pm. Chickenshed is delighted

to welcome Nisa-Nashim who are raising

money towards the creation of a multi-faith

room at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice in

High Barnet, which will open in the autumn.

Charges apply.

Classic and Vintage Car Show

Capel Manor Gardens, EN1 4RQ

www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk

10am-5pm. See a wide range of fabulous

cars, some dating back to the 1920s and

the Annual Rally of the North London

Middlesex Morris Minors Club. Plus enjoy an

RAF flypast and live music.

6

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Primary Times North London

PERFORMING ARTS

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 7

Primary Times North London

WHAT’S ON WHERE

Klezmer in the Park

Regent’s Park Bandstand, NW1 4NT

www.jmi.org.uk

12.30-6.30pm. Join a fun-packed afternoon

for all the family in one of London’s most

beautiful parks with special guest presenter

BBC Radio 3’s DJ Max Reinhardt. Free event.

Mon 9 – Sun 15 Sep

World Para Swimming

Championships

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford,

E20 2ST

www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

London Aquatics Centre is set to host the

very best athletes in Para swimming, with

600 swimmers from 60 nations competing.

With many of the athletes having competed

in the London 2012 Paralympic Games,

the iconic venue will no doubt bring back

memories.

Tues 10 Sep

Little Swifts

RAF Museum, Colindale, NW9 5LL

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london

(Also 26 Sep) 10.30am. These fun and lively

Little Swifts sessions, for children aged

2-5 years, are linked to the RAF London’s

amazing collection. Tuesdays include a funpacked

hour of drama, dance and music

- a magical session that gets all children

participating and Thursdays include stories,

songs and messy play - a lively session that

gets children exploring.

Thurs 12 Sep

Cycling Fun

Osidge Library, N11 1EY

www.barnet.gov.uk

5.15-6.30pm. Osidge Library proudly

presents an afternoon of cycling fun with

a family cycling session. You need to be

complete beginners and to be able to take

along your own bikes. There will also be a

‘ditch the stabilisers’ session for children 5+

at 4-5pm.

Sat 14 Sep

Lotte Reiniger’s Fairy Tales (PG) +

Show and Tell

Barbican Cinema 2, EC2Y 8DS

www.barbican.org.uk

11am. Featuring a stunning selection of

Lotte Reiniger’s silhouette fairy tales

accompanied live by pianist Lillian Henley.

Part of Barbican’s Family Film Club sessions.

Ages 5+. Charges apply.

Letter for Letter

Sir John Soane’s Museum, WC2A 3BP

www.soane.org

11am-3pm. Combine letter sets and your

own printed letters to create concrete

stories and poetry inspired by the Museum.

This event is designed for adults and

children to enjoy together, so all ages are

welcome. Free, drop-in.

Community Dock Open Day

Royal Wharf Park & Royal Wharf

Community Dock, E16

www.royaldocks.london

12noon-4pm. Experience the wide range of

activities taking place in West Silvertown’s

newest community centre. Try out yoga,

singing a tune or three, or simply coming for

the food and meeting your neighbours.

Open Air Cinema

Lee Valley White Water Centre,

Waltham Cross, EN9 1AB

www.visitleevalley.org.uk

Film starts at 7.30pm. Join in for a fun-filled

evening with party atmosphere watching

Mamma Mia! in support of The Nightingale

Cancer Support Centre. Fancy Dress is

welcome but of course optional. Take along

your own chairs, blankets and picnics.

Princess Emmy (U)

Regent Street Cinema, W1B 2UW

www.regentstreetcinema.com

11.30am. Princess Emmy is a young girl

with a secret gift – she is the only one in

the Kingdom of Kandis who can speak to

horses. When her scheming cousin Gizana

appears, she threatens Emmy’s chances of

becoming an officially inaugurated princess.

Film part of the Kids Kino Club.

Autumn Flower and Produce Show

King Henry’s Walk Garden, N1 4NX

www.khwgarden.org.uk

12noon-4pm. There will be competitions for

the best flowers, vegetables and produce

grown and made locally. Homemade

preserves and honey from bee hives will be

for sale plus live music and lots of activities

for all ages. Free entry.

Sat 14 – Sun 15 Sep

Autumn Diesel Gala

Epping Ongar Railway, CM5 9BN

www.eorailway.co.uk

Featuring the first ever visit of a Warship

locomotive to the line, where the loco,

alongside the home fleet, and, hopefully,

some other interesting visiting locomotives,

comes out to be put through its paces over

some of the most challenging gradients in

preservation.

Sat 14 – Sun 22 Sep

London Design Festival

Various Locations

www.londondesignfestival.com

An annual event, held to celebrate and

promote London as the design capital

of the world and as the gateway to the

international creative community.

Sun 15 Sep

Peppa Pig

Hunter Boots, Regent Street, W1B 4EN

www.regentstreetonline.com

Come and celebrate the joy of jumping in

muddy puddles and Hunter’s limitededition

Peppa Pig collection with a very

special meet-and-greet.

Memoryscape History Walk

Victoria Park, E3 5TB

www.towerhamlets.gov.uk

10.30am-12.30pm. Join the community park

rangers on a recorded audio trail around

the park. Spaces are limited. To book call

020 7364 4909.

Queen’s Park Day

NW6 6SG

www.qpark.org.uk

QPD is part traditional village fete – cake

and jam competitions, donkey rides, thrilling

arena events – combined with twenty-firstcentury

music-making, the candy-floss

thrill of the fun fair and the delights of a

street-food festival.

Wrestling and Nesting Bees

Keats House, Hampstead, NW3 2RR

www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/keatshouse-4777597709

2-4pm. ‘Would be to find where violet beds

were nestling, And where the bee with

cowslip bells was wrestling.’ Be inspired by

Keats’s poetry to make a bee hibernation

house. Free.

Street Party

Lady Somerset Road, Kentish Town,

NW5 1TY

www.lovecamden.org

12.30-9.30pm. This year will be the 20th

annual Lady Somerset Road Street Party - a

welcoming, vibrant event bringing together

the whole community to enjoy a day of

wonderful activities, including a delicious

shared home-made lunch, children’s

activities and a ceilidh.

Battle of Britain Day

RAF Museum, Colindale, NW9 5LL

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london

1-6pm. Commemorate the Battle of Britain

with a day of living history as re-enactors

bring the past to life. Other activities will

include a Merlin engine display, the mighty

powerhouse of both the Spitfire and the

Hurricane. Dress up as a Spitfire pilot in

the RAF uniform photo booth. Listen to

talks about this aerial campaign and view a

Battle of Britain Memorial Flypast (weather

permitting). Free.

Sun 15 Sep – Sun 8 Dec

Popcorn - Children’s Drama & Film

Making

Chickenshed, Southgate, N14 4PE

www.chickenshed.org.uk

(Sun only excl 27 Oct). 10.30am-12.30pm.

Throughout the Autumn Term, the children

will work towards both a theatre show and

a cinema screening. The theatre show will

focus on Roald Dahl stories and characters

and the film making work will be inspired by

popular movies and musicals. There is lots

of team building, plenty of drama games

and the chance to make friends. Ages 5-11.

Thurs 19 Sep

Children’s Drawing and Painting

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

4.30pm. These classes provide children

aged 5-11 with an introduction to the

basics of drawing and painting. Each

week children will build on their skills

learnt in previous weeks, developing their

confidence and ability, with the help of our

supportive and friendly teachers.

West Euston Partnership Cloud 9

Festival

Old Diorama Arts Centre, Regent’s

Place, NW1 3FE

www.lovecamden.org

12noon-6pm. The festival is free and

open to all local residents of any age and

background and will promote community

cohesion, celebrate local spaces, healthy

lifestyles and local services.

Fri 20 Sep

Little Owl Book Club

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

(Also 27 Sep) 10am and 11.05am. This

award-winning class for kids age 2-4 takes

place in the light and airy conservatory on

Friday mornings. Devised with a reading

specialist the class gives a fun start to

phonics and letters. Each session includes

two exciting stories, a ‘letter of the week’

taught with active games, then a fun art

project to keep little hands busy.

Sat 21 Sep

Mini Maestro Family Concert

St Martin in the Fields, WC2N 4JJ

www.LMAorchestra.com/mini-maestro

(Also 19 Oct) 4.30pm. A magical musical

event for ages 4-12 bringing the music

alive by storytelling, miming and exploring

meanings. There’s lots of hands-on fun,

sitting in the orchestra, conducting,

clapping and singing along. And now you

can become a Mini Maestro Musician and

‘Play with LMA’! Children can meet and

chat with our musicians at the end of each

concert.

Open House London

Myddelton House Gardens, Enfield,

EN2 9HG

www.visitleevalley.org.uk

10am-4pm. Explore one of the wonderful

buildings within the Lee Valley Regional

Park on this Open House Day. Free. There is

no need to book for this event, just simply

turn up.

Family Activity Day

Tower Bridge Exhibition, SE1 2UP

www.towerbridge.org.uk

10am-4pm. Go along and enjoy some fun

family activities inside Tower Bridge. All

activities are included in the price of your

admission ticket.

Wildfood Walk

Victoria Park, E3 5TB

www.towerhamlets.gov.uk

1.30-3.30pm. Join Ken Greenway (Friends of

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park) on a walk

where you will learn about, and forage for,

seasonal wild food. See, taste, smell, collect

and eat. Spaces are limited.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 (U)

Regent Street Cinema, W1B 2UW

www.regentstreetcinema.com

11.30am. The angry birds are back! And this

time they need to join forces with those

scheming pigs to save their islands from

an eagle on a mission. Film part of the Kids

Kino Club.

Open House London

Two Temple Place, WC2R 3BD

twotempleplace.org

10am-5pm. Explore the beautiful interiors

of William Waldorf Astor’s Estate Office.

There will be plenty of volunteers on hand

to reveal the history of the building. No

booking required.

Kirikou and the Sorceress (U)

Barbican Cinema 2, EC2Y 8DS

www.barbican.org.uk

11am. This masterful animation is based on

a West African folk tale and features music

from legendary Youssou N’Dour. Part of

Barbican’s Family Film Club sessions. Ages

4+. Charges apply.

Sat 21 – Sun 22 Sep

Open House London

Benjamin Franklin House, WC2N 5NF

www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org

10.30am-4pm. Join in the capital’s largest

annual festival of architecture and design.

Half-hourly guided tours will take place

throughout the day.

Farm Fest

Lee Valley Park Farms, Waltham Abbey,

EN9 2EF

www.visitleevalley.org.uk

10am-5pm. With all the usual animal

suspects about for you to meet and greet,

you can also enjoy live music, face painting,

inflatables, a children’s entertainer and much

more at this truly family fun day for all.

Open House London

Keats House, Hampstead, NW3 2RR

www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/keatshouse-4777597709

11am-5pm. Don’t miss your chance to see

Keats House for free as part of Open House

London 2019. Find out the stories of this

very special place and the people who

lived there.

Open House London

Fenton House and Gardens, Hampstead

Grove, NW3 6SP

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fenton-houseand-garden

11am-5pm. Fenton is delighted to be

participating in this annual, London-wide

weekend event when buildings of all kinds

open their doors for free.

8

BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon

40 years of Helen O’Grady

This year sees the anniversary of

40 years of Helen O’Grady drama

Academy classes worldwide!

It’s so easy, especially in the holidays

to allow your child to be consumed

by devices and computer games.

A child who is looking at a screen

isn’t a child using communication

skills. It’s a shame that in this day

and age children can’t always go

out and play as youngsters did

years ago. But it’s important for

your child to experience the same

kind of interaction in other areas of

their lives. Helen O’Grady drama

Academy is renowned for its use of

improvisation within the curriculum.

The exercises are carefully

designed to incorporate social

interaction and self-expression

whilst at the same time we use vocal

techniques to enable your child

to develop clarity in their speech.

The classes in North London are

for ages 4-18 years and with Joint

Principals Andrew Mayer and Nicola

Gossip as the owners since 2004 the

Academy has developed a fantastic

reputation. We are the originals.

Join us in the North London

Academy today. For more

information, please call: 0208 360

4020/07777 672284, or email:

nlondon@helenogrady.co.uk

Primary Times North London

Stagecoach Performing Arts - Disney

visit and Abbey Road recording

At Stagecoach Performing Arts,

their ethos is not to just teach

children from 4-18yrs how to sing,

dance and act, but also how to

perform better in life. Stagecoach

Southgate students have just

returned from a dream trip

performing at Disneyland Paris. The

students warmed up the crowd

prior to the great parade ‘Dance The

Dream’ performance that they will

remember all their lives. Stagecoach

Principal Kate Diaz said: “The

experience was overwhelming

and truly magical. They have

learned so much in performance

skills, gained confidence and had

such a fabulous time.”

Stagecoach Highgate students

have been rehearsing for a charity

single “Under African Skies” to raise

funds for “Save the Elephants”. The

student’s voices will be recorded at

the iconic Abbey Studios and will

feature West End stars. Principal

Odette Garvey, said: “The students

are so excited and inspired that

their voices will be mixed in a studio

where artists such as The Beatles

and David Bowie have recorded

as well as the most recent Dumbo

film”.

To book a trial call: 07956436028

or visit www.stagecoach.co.uk/

highgate for the Highgate

branch or call: 0208 868 9993 or

visit: www.stagecoach.co.uk/

southgate for the Southgate

branch

PERFORMING ARTS

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 9

Primary Times North London

WHAT’S ON WHERE

Bee and Honey Show

Capel Manor Gardens, Enfield, EN1 4RQ

www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk

Go along for honey sales, candle rolling and

the opportunity to see an observation hive

with the bees. Local Beekeepers will be

available to talk to you about their craft and

explain the intricate life that they live.

Open House London

2 Willow Road, Hampstead, NW3 1TH

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fenton-houseand-garden

11am-5pm. Designed and lived in by

architect Erno Goldfinger and his family

for over 40 years, 2 Willow Road gives a

fascinating insight into Modernist living.

Explore this inspiring home for free as part

of Open House Weekend.

Sun 22 Sep

Shaun the Sheep Movie and

Workshop

British Film Institute W1T 1LN

www.bfi.org.uk

Workshop 10.45am, Film 12.15pm. Come

along for some baaarmy fun with arts and

crafts to animate your own adventures then

see Shaun, Timmy and all your favourites in

this action-packed animated adventure.

Green Screen Geeks

The British Museum, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

11am-4pm. Discover how to use green

screen technology on tablets, and see

yourselves as part of Museum objects.

Ages 5+. Free, drop-in.

Reimagine. Your City. Car Free.

London-wide

www.london.gov.uk/events

10.30am-5pm. A brand new free event to

celebrate World Car Free Day, allowing

Londoners of all ages and backgrounds

to enjoy London’s streets. The celebration

will take place on 20km of traffic-free roads

around Tower Bridge, London Bridge and

the City of London. Free entertainment and

fun activities will be provided.

Family Takeover: Make and Create

The British Library, NW1 2DB

www.bl.uk

12noon-4pm. The British Library is holding

an exciting session of multisensory activities

including a selection of children’s books

and a range of materials to create and

invent. Explore the library through puzzles,

drawings and games with the Building

Family Trail.

Primarily, Primary Colours

Burgh House & Hampstead Museum,

Hampstead, NW3 1LT

burghhouse.museumssites.com

11am-4pm. Based on one of the museum’s

latest acquisitions, Untitled by Lancelot

Ribeiro, go along with your kids and learn

together the basic properties of colour.

Suitable for all ages.

Open House London

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

11am-5pm with guided tours at 11.30am

and 2.30pm. The ideal time to explore

Lauderdale’s history and discover the

House’s secrets. There will be plenty of

activities throughout the day including

free children’s crafts and dressing up,

self-guided discovery trails and free guided

tours of the house (booking essential).

Islington’s Big Play Street

St John Street, nr EC1V 4PW

www.islingtonlife.london

11am-4pm. Join the Car Free Day

celebrations with Islington’s Big Play

Street. A section of St John Street between

Clerkenwell Road and Charterhouse Street

will be shut to through traffic and is open

for the whole borough to enjoy vehicle free.

There’ll be mini tennis, kids cycle training,

art workshops, face painting, pottery,

the Little Angel Theatre plus lots of local

information for families.

Celebrate 130 years of Clissold

Park

Clissold Park, Stoke Newington, N16 9HJ

www.clissoldpark.com

12noon-5pm. There will be a wonderful

programme of entertainment and activities

in the park which will include: The Hackney

Play Bus with fun activities for children,

a coconut shy, lots of stalls, a chance to

meet the firefighters of Stoke Newington

fire station.

Thurs 26 Sep

Lee Valley Bug Club

Waltham Abbey Gardens, EN9 1XQ

www.visitleevalley.org.uk

1-2.30pm. Explore the natural world with

Forest School inspired outdoor activities for

pre-schoolers and their carers.

Children’s Drawing and Painting

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

4.30pm. These classes provide children

aged 5-11 with an introduction to the

basics of drawing and painting. Each

week children will build on their skills

learnt in previous weeks, developing their

confidence and ability, with the help of our

supportive and friendly teachers.

Sat 28 Sep

LIAF Shorts Programme

Barbican Cinema 2, EC2Y 8DS

www.barbican.org.uk

11am. This superlative selection of short

films from the London International

Animation Festival is a lovely opportunity to

introduce a young audience to the wonders

of animation and the big screen experience.

Ages 4+. Charges apply.

Guy’s Urban Challenge

Guys Hospital, SE1 9RT

www.guc19.org

An adult and junior urban triathlon. Run, spin

and climb. A day of fitness and fundraising

for all the family.

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (PG)

Regent Street Cinema, W1B 2UW

www.regentstreetcinema.com

11.30am. Dora, a teenage explorer, leads her

friends on an adventure to save her parents

and solve the mystery behind a lost city of

gold. Film part of the Kids Kino Club.

Sat 28 – Sun 29 Sep

‘All Change!’

London Transport Museum’s Depot,

Acton Town, W3 9BQ

www.ltmuseum.co.uk

11am-5pm, kids go free. Enjoy the chance

to explore a transport treasure trove in

this rarely opened depot. Enjoy a lively

programme of talks, workshops, guided

tours, demonstrations and family activities.

Tabletop Gaming Live

Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, N22 7AY

www.alexandrapalace.com

From 10am. This is your chance to discover

the latest board games, card games,

roleplaying games, miniatures, wargames,

and much more.

Sun 29 Sep

Regatta London

Central London

Email: info@regatta.london

For one day, kayaking, canoeing, rowing

and paddle boarding will take over the River

Thames. The event will fundraise for great

causes, connect sport with the environment

and inspire thousands of people from

across the country to take up paddle sports.

Japan Matsuri

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN

www.japanmatsuri.com

10am-8pm. A free annual festival with

Japanese food, music, dance and activities

for all the family. The theme this year is

‘future generations’.

Ancient Greece: Mythical Stories

The British Museum, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

8-10.30am. A relaxed early opening for

families with children aged 5-15 with

autism who would benefit from visiting the

Museum in a quieter setting. Free, booking

essential. Siblings and children with other

types of SEND welcome.

Create and Make Sundays

The Design Museum, W8 6AG

www.designmuseum.org

11am-4pm. Join the Design Museum for an

afternoon of playful paper craft activities

and take home your own paper craft

inventions. Free, drop-in. Ages 5-11.

Building Bridges

The Royal Institution, W1S 4BS

www.rigb.org

10.30am-12.30pm, 1.30-3.30pm. Explore the

engineering behind bridges in this family

Masterclass, aimed at ages 7–12 with their

families. Charges apply.

Family Sundays

Royal Opera House, WC2E 9DD

www.roh.org.uk

11am-3.30pm. Discover more about

opera, ballet and the Royal Opera House

in fun-packed Sundays, ideal for all the

family, with a range of exciting and creative

activities. Ages 3-10. Charges apply.

Colour in Nature

The Design Museum, W8 6AG

www.designmuseum.org

1-4pm. Take part in an afternoon of

experimenting and testing to discover the

wonderful colour dyes that can be found in

nature. Charges apply. Ages 8-11.

Freaky Dancing

artsdepot, North Finchley,

N12 0GA

www.artsdepot.co.uk

2pm. Following their sell-out Launch Party,

Big Beat Playground is proud to present

their next event Freaky Dancing. There

will be DJs, percussionists, stage dancers,

bubbles, balloons, confetti, snow finale, a

special surprise and lots more.

The Mayor’s Charity Fun Run 2019

Forty Hall Estate, Enfield, EN2 9HA

www.fortyhallestate.co.uk

10.15am 5K run, 10.45am 3K run, 11am 10K

run. The Mayor of Enfield’s Charity Fun run

returns featuring the traditional 10K and

3K run for our young people. New to 2019

will be a new 5K run taking you through

Enfield’s most important historic landscape,

past the remains of the former Elsyng

Palace, along the original route of the 18th

century New River and through the grounds

of Forty Hall.

BSL Family Workshop:

Earth and Life

House of Illustration, N1C 4BH

www.houseofillustration.org.uk

11am-1pm. Create and socialise with other

families in this hands-on workshop tailored

for children aged 5-10 and their parents and

carers. Learn new illustration techniques

using both British Sign Language and

spoken English with Christopher Sacre.

Kenwood Stories

Kenwood House, Hampstead, NW3 7JR

www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenwood

12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm. The art collections and

stories of Kenwood come alive through

narrative and live interpretation as told by

Kenwood volunteers. Charges apply.

Wed 2 Oct

Creative Fun for 2-5s

House of Illustration, King’s Cross, N1C

4BH

www.houseofillustration.org.uk

10.30am-12noon. A fun introduction to

the gallery and a making session tailored

specifically to welcome 2-5 year-olds,

parents and carers. Charges apply.

Thurs 3 Oct

National Poetry Day

Nationwide

www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk

Join in the fun in this UK-wide celebration

of poetry. This year marks National Poetry

Day’s 25th anniversary and the theme will

be Truth. The day generates thousands of

amazing events across the UK in a variety

of venues.

Children’s Drawing and Painting

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

4.30pm. These classes provide children

aged 5-11 with an introduction to the

basics of drawing and painting. Each

week children will build on their skills

learnt in previous weeks, developing their

confidence and ability, with the help of our

supportive and friendly teachers.

Fri 4 Oct

Little Owl Book Club

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

(Also 18 Oct) 10am and 11.05am. This awardwinning

class for kids age 2-4 takes place

in the light and airy conservatory on Friday

mornings. Devised with a reading specialist

the class gives a fun start to phonics and

letters. Each session includes two exciting

stories, a ‘letter of the week’ taught with

active games, then a fun art project to keep

little hands busy.

Fri 4 – Sun 6 Oct

The Cake and Bake Show

ExCeL London, E16 1XL

www.excel.london

The show is brimming with all things

baking, decorating and sugar craft. Gain

insight from celebrity experts, stock your

shelves with the latest baking equipment,

and be wowed by the spectacular Cake

Competition and exquisite display tables.

Sat 5 Oct

Mary and the Witch’s Flower (U) +

Show and Tell

Barbican Cinema 2, EC2Y 8DS

www.barbican.org.uk

11am. When Mary follows her neighbour

Peter’s cats she finds a flower that grants

her magical powers. Flying a broomstick is

fun, but what can she do when Peter is in

trouble? Part of Barbican’s Family Film Club

sessions. Charges apply.

Samsung Great Court Games

The British Museum, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

11am-4pm. Go along with your family to play

digital games, solve challenges and explore

trails that will lead you to unexpected

places in the Museum. A passport, national

ID or driver’s licence is required as a deposit

for the loan of the tablet. Ages 5+. Free,

drop-in.

10

BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon

All the world’s a stage!

Step onto the award-winning stage

at the Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film

School this September and sign up

for a free taster day. With places

remaining for children aged 4 - 16,

the school is a leading independent

drama school in London looking

to nurture young talent, build

confidence and foster life-long

friendships. All workshops are taught

by leading industry professionals

who offer invaluable insight to the

students in an inclusive, inspirational

and exciting environment.

Thanks to the Fiorentini Theatrical

Agency, many of the students have

secured leading roles in films, TV

and on the West End stage. The

picture shows Fiorentini student,

Mia, who has landed the leading

role of Annie in the West End UK

tour. Despite their great successes,

these performers don’t forget to pop

into the school to say hello to all the

current students and enjoy offering

advice and tips!

The school is based in Hackney,

Camden, Docklands and Greenwich.

For more information and to sign

up for the next Taster Day please

visit www.annafiorentini.com

Adults can also enjoy performing

arts with evening classes led by

the same award winning Fiorentini

team at Stage & the City (www.

stageandthecity.com). All profits

go to the Fiorentini Foundation

providing bursaries for less

privileged children wishing to

access the programmes.

Primary Times North London

Finchley Children’s Music Group

provides different choir options for

children and adults. The beginner

choir is for children aged five upwards.

Children are introduced to singing

through fun activities designed to

stimulate their listening, pitch and

rhythm awareness. This group is an

unauditioned group

and new singers are

welcome on selected

dates throughout the

year. The intermediate

choir is for children aged

seven plus and aims to

develop their vocal and

musical skills. Sessions

A confident start with

Jigsaw Performing Arts

A new school year is here - time to try

something new with your weekend?

The popular dance, singing and drama

weekend classes for 3-18-year-olds

are designed to develop children’s

confidence, self-expression, focus

and social skills, while having fun and

making lots of new friends.

Parents share in the excitement and

their children’s progress with regular

presentations, shows and reports

from the team of highly experienced

teachers.

include singing games to build

confidence as well as learning the

valuable skills for singing in a choir.

Rehearsals take place on Sunday

afternoons in term time.

For more information, go to their

website: www.fcmg.org.uk

a two-week trial, search for your

nearest school on the website

jigsaw-arts.co.uk or call us on 020

8447 4530

PERFORMING ARTS

For more information or to book

The Nutcracker

Over 100 dancers and musicians

bring the classic festive story

of Nutcracker to life with exquisite

dancing, beautiful sets and

Tchaikovsky’s popular score played

live. On a sparkling Christmas Eve in a

frost-dusted Edwardian London, Clara

receives an enchanted Nutcracker

as a present. Together, they discover

a magical world where she battles

with the Mouse King and meets

a handsome stranger. As the air

grows colder, Clara and her valiant

Nutcracker take a hot air balloon

ride across London to the glistening

Land of Snow where a puppet theatre

comes to life with dancers from

around the world.

From the sound of the orchestra

tuning up, to the final bows and

cheers, a trip to English National

Ballet’s Nutcracker at the London

Coliseum is an unforgettable

Christmas treat.

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 11

Primary Times North London

WHAT’S ON WHERE

Fun Palace

artsdepot, North Finchley, N12 0GA

www.artsdepot.co.uk

11am-4pm. Inspired by the vision of Joan

Littlewood and architect Cedric Price who

conceived the Fun Palace as a ‘laboratory

of fun’, Fun Palaces take place all over the

country, creating welcoming spaces for

people to have fun and learn together.

Pop-Up Playground

Gillet Square, Hackney, N16 8JN

www.gillettsquare.org.uk

3-6pm. Durable and intriguingly shaped

equipment transforms the square into

an adventure wonderland for children to

discover, create and enjoy. Free.

Playmobil The Movie (U)

Regent Street Cinema, W1B 2UW

www.regentstreetcinema.com

11.30am. Animated feature film inspired

by the popular Playmobil brand toys. The

screening is part of the Kids Kino Club.

Sat 5 – Sun 6 Oct

Fun Palaces

Nationwide

www.funpalaces.co.uk

A weekend campaign promoting

community at the heart of culture and

culture at the heart of community. From tiny

dancers to mad scientists, there is fun for

everyone.

Apple Weekend

Fenton House and Gardens,

Hampstead Grove, NW3 6SP

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

fenton-house-and-garden

11am-5pm. Acclaimed and much-loved

Apple Weekend is back again! Join in the

annual celebration of all things apple in

Fenton’s beguiling walled gardens and 300

year-old orchard. Charges apply.

Sun 6 Oct

NFL London Games – Chicago

Bears v Oakland Raiders

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,

N17 0BX

www.nfl.com/uk

Some of the biggest names in NFL will take

part in these historic fixtures.

The Inside-Out Piano

with Sarah Nicolls

Kings Place, N1 9AG

Call: 020 7520 1490

10.30am and 12noon. Part of London Piano

Festival. Come and experience the piano

like never before, strummed like a guitar,

singing like a whale and even swinging in

mid-air! This is a grand piano whose strings

run straight upwards from the keyboard,

shaped so that the audience see into the

instrument. Ages 5+.

Holborn Fun Palace

25 Red Lion Square, WC1R 4RL

www.funpalaces.co.uk

10.30am-4pm. Holborn Fun Palace is a

place for the community to come together,

share skills and make new friends.

Everyone is invited to go along and share

their talents, and find some hidden ones.

Family Barn Dance

Cecil Sharp House,

Primrose Hill, NW1 7AY

www.cecilsharphouse.org

3-5pm. Take along all of the family and

take part in lively dances from Britain

and beyond in a supportive and fun

environment. Live music inspires the

dancing and expert callers guide the moves

with simple instructions.

Tues 8 Oct

Little Swifts

RAF Museum, Colindale, NW9 5LL

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london

(Also 31 Oct) 10.30am. These fun and lively

Little Swifts sessions, for children aged

2-5 years, are linked to the RAF London’s

amazing collection. Tuesdays include a funpacked

hour of drama, dance and music

- a magical session that gets all children

participating and Thursdays include stories,

songs and messy play

Little Museum Explorers

Museum of Enfield, Dugdale Centre,

EN2 6DS

www.dugdalecentre.co.uk

10.30-11.30am. In connection with the

museum’s current WWII exhibition, this

storytelling session will be themed on

letters and will include stories, songs and

paper crafts. Ages 3-4. Charges apply.

Thurs 10 Oct

Children’s Drawing and Painting

Lauderdale House, Highgate, N6 5HG

www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

(Also 14 and 17 Oct) 4.30pm. These

classes provide children aged 5-11 with

an introduction to the basics of drawing

and painting. Each week children will build

on their skills learnt in previous weeks,

developing their confidence and ability,

with the help of our supportive and friendly

teachers.

Thurs 10 – Sun 13 Oct

New Scientist Live

ExCeL London, E16 1XL

www.excel.london

Jam-packed with thought-provoking talks,

ground-breaking discoveries, interactive

experiences, workshops and performances

that will inspire all ages.

Sat 12 Oct

Unearth Anglo-Saxons

The British Museum, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

11am-4pm. Use tablets to create your

own news report about the discovery and

archaeological excavation of the Sutton

Hoo burial. A passport, national ID or driver’s

licence is required as a deposit for the

tablet loan. Ages 7+. Free, drop-in.

The Wizard of Oz (U)

Barbican Cinema 2, EC2Y 8DS

www.barbican.org.uk

11am. Enjoy this stunning classic film in all

its colourful glory in the cinema. Ages 6+.

Charges apply.

The Ovarian Cancer Walk

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford,

E20 2ST

www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

Head down to the Timber Lodge Café and

take part in a great running event for charity.

This event is for all ages and abilities with

accessible routes for wheelchair users.

GOSH Race for The Kids

Hyde Park, W2 2UH

www.gosh.org

Race for the Kids is a 5K family fun run and

the biggest mass participation event for

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s

Charity.

Funny Faces

Sir John Soane’s Museum, WC2A 3BP

www.soane.org

11am-3pm. Get inspired by the Museums

miniatures in this portrait workshop with a

tiny twist. This event is designed for adults

and children to enjoy together, so all ages

are welcome. Free, drop-in.

Giddy Goat

Wigmore Hall, W1U 2BP

www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

This musical family story follows the trials

and tribulations of Giddy, a young mountain

goat who is scared of heights. Arrive early

for free arts activities in the Bechstein

Room. Ages 3-7.

Drag Queen Storytime

Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, E1

0ND

www.halfmoon.org.uk

11am, 2pm. All aboard The Nightbus for

unforgettable stories frolics and glitter.

Presenting a storytime like no other, The

Nightbus is fully fuelled and ready to

take us all on an adventure. Storytime for

children and adults alike.

Sat 12 Oct – Sun 3 Nov

Where’s Wally? The

Big Museum Hunt

Museum of the Order of St John,

Clerkenwell, EC1M 4DA

www.museumstjohn.org.uk

The museum is part of the national Where’s

Wally? The Big Museum Hunt, organised

by Kids in Museums and Walker Books,

to celebrate the release of the new

Where’s Wally? book, Double Trouble at

the Museum. Can you find Wally in the

collections?

Sun 13 Oct

NFL London Games – Carolina

Panthers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, N17 0BX

www.nfl.com/uk

Some of the biggest names in NFL will take

part in these historic fixtures. It will be a big

moment for the Panthers who will make

their first ever appearance in the UK to take

on the Buccaneers in the first purpose-built

NFL venue outside the US.

Birds and Bypasses

Rye House Gatehouse, Hoddesdon,

EN11 0EQ

www.visitleevalley.org.uk

1.30-4.30pm. This month’s walk will take you

to Rye Meads and Stanstead Innings. Wear

suitable clothing and take along some

binoculars, a snack and some water.

Make a Manga Comic

The British Museum, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

11am-4pm. Discover the secret design

language and storytelling techniques of

manga and make a story using your own

photos. A passport, national ID or driver’s

licence is required as a deposit for the

tablet loan. Ages 5+. Free, drop-in.

Not Relics

Parasol Unit, Islington, N1 7RW

www.parasol-unit.org

2-4pm. Join Flora Duley’s mini-sculpture

studio for a fun-filled, hands-on workshop.

Families can discover, build and experiment

with a range of materials and take part

in activities that investigate the themes

running through the works of Rayyane

Tabet. Ages 5+.

Tues 15 – Sun 20 Oct

Zippos Circus

Finsbury Park, N4 2DH

www.zippos.co.uk

The new, larger, bigger, better and brilliant

Zippos Circus comes to Finsbury Park.

Charges apply.

Thurs 17 Oct – Sat 2 Nov

Lord Vampyre’s Halloween Brick

or Treat

LEGOLAND ® , Windsor, SL4 4AY

www.legoland.co.uk

LEGOLAND’s newest resident monster, the

fang-tastic Lord Vampyre, is throwing the

ultimate Halloween party. Tickets from £39.

Under-threes go free.

Fri 18 Oct

Supernova Run London

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford,

E20 2ST

www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

8pm. Take in the beautiful sights of the

Park on this enchanting journey of light and

sound. Get the family together, dig out your

fluorescent clothes, head torches and glow

sticks, then you’re all set to light up the Park

in the Supernova 5K.

Sat 19 Oct

My Neighbour Totoro (U)

Barbican Cinema 2, EC2Y 8DS and

Regent Street Cinema, W1B 2UW

www.barbican.org.uk

www.regentstreetcinema.com

11am. A wonderfully gentle fantasy from

masterful animator Hayao Miyazaki. This is

a perfect introduction to world cinema for

little ones and a joy for parents alike. Ages

4+. Charges apply.

Family Activity Day

Tower Bridge Exhibition, SE1 2UP

www.towerbridge.org.uk

10am-4pm. Go along and enjoy some fun

family activities inside Tower Bridge. All

activities are included in the price of your

admission ticket.

Sat 19 Oct – Sun 3 Nov

Pumpkin Festival

Willows Activity Farm,

St Albans, AL4 0PF

www.willowsactivityfarm.com

Pick your free pumpkin from the Willows

Pumpkin Patch and enjoy a magical day

of fun. Spellbinding daily programme is

packed with arts and crafts, the Pumpkin

Olympics and magic shows with some

spectacular spooky pumpkin tricks.

Sun 20 Oct

Make a Mosaic Mask

The British Museum, WC1B 3DG

www.britishmuseum.org

11am-4pm. Discover the tradition of Aztec

masks, then use tablets to create a striking

design, using colours to display your

family’s personality. Print your finished

mask to take home and wear. Ages 5+. Free,

drop-in.

Peg Doll Keats

Keats House, Hampstead, NW3 2RR

www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/keatshouse-4777597709

2-4pm. Create peg doll characters of the

people who lived in the House. Free, dropin

event.

Mon 21 Oct

Jaqueline Wilson

Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, N22 7AY

www.alexandrapalace.com

1pm. Don’t miss your chance to hear live

from one of the UK’s bestselling and most

beloved children’s authors as you celebrate

her new book in the Tracy Beaker series

Tues 22 – Sun 27 Oct

Zippos Circus

Lower Fairground Site, Hampstead

Heath, NW3 1NT

www.zippos.co.uk

The new, larger, bigger, better and brilliant

Zippos Circus comes to Hampstead Heath.

Charges apply.

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Primary Times North London

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

KIDS GET CREATIVE!

EVERY YEAR, WE AT PRIMARY TIMES SEND OUT THOUSANDS

OF CHRISTMAS CARDS AND WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO

CREATE THE PICTURE FOR THIS YEAR’S CARD.

It can be any picture you like that you think means

“Christmas”, a snowman, Rudolf with his red nose, a robin on

a snow-covered branch or maybe a nativity scene.

All you have to do is draw and colour or paint your picture on

an A4 piece of card or paper and send your entry

along with your name, age, address, telephone number

and school name to:

CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION

PRIMARY TIMES SCHOOLS

PUBLISHING LIMITED

1 ACCENT PARK

BAKEWELL ROAD

PETERBOROUGH

CAMBRIDGESHIRE PE2 6XS

CLOSING DATE FOR

ENTRIES IS 29TH

OCTOBER 2019.

The winner’s design will be used

for the 2019 Primary Times Head

Office Christmas card and the

winner will also receive 50 copies

of the card with envelopes.

An exciting new chapter

for Lyonsdown School

It’s an exciting time at Lyonsdown

School in New Barnet. Earlier this

year the School announced its move

to fully embrace all girls’ education,

and over the Summer holidays there

have been a range of impressive

developments to its facilities.

For over 110 years, Lyonsdown has

been preparing pupils aged 3 to

11 to thrive at some of London’s

top independent and maintained

schools. This new and exciting

chapter in the School’s history sees

Lyonsdown move to becoming

an all girls’ school by 2022 – with

this September’s Nursery class,

for girls aged 3+, being their first all

girls intake. By fully embracing all

girls’ education Lyonsdown is now

focusing entirely on girls’ specific

development needs: encouraging

their confidence, facilitating better

academic results and developing

their interests and talents in STEAM

subjects.

This Summer, Lyonsdown has also

embarked on an ambitious plan of

developments to further enhance

its facilities, with work taken place

during the holidays to minimise

disruption to School life. The Dining

Room has been extended and

improved, creating a multi-purpose

area for Music and Drama, Science

facilities have been enhanced, as

well as a new Library created and

classrooms fully refurbished.

Whilst all of these changes take

place, one thing remains resolutely

the same at Lyonsdown: its broad

and balanced education. To find

out more about how Lyonsdown

encourages pupils to thrive

academically, whilst also providing

excellent pastoral care that nurtures

and develops their emotional

wellbeing

To arrange a tour, visit their

website: www.lyonsdownschool.

co.uk

Vita et Pax Preparatory School

At Vita et Pax Preparatory School they

are committed to ensuring pupils

receive a well-rounded education

within and beyond the curriculum.

They build strong relationships with

the parents to make their transition

into nursery as smooth as possible.

In the nursery, the children follow the

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS),

which sets the standard for your

child’s learning, development and

care up to five years old. Each child

is allocated a key worker who will

observe and plan activities to meet

their learning goals and develop

new ones.

Pupils are mostly taught through

structured games and play and

their learning is developed around

their interests.

Vita et Pax try to provide as much

information as possible in their

prospectus, but the best way to really

appreciate what they have to offer is

to visit them and meet their team.

Vita et Pax would be delighted to

arrange a visit of the nursery.

Please call 020 8449 8336 or email:

info@vitaetpax.co.uk and a member

of the team will book this for you.

They look forward to welcoming you

to Vita et Pax.

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Primary Times North London

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

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Opening September 2020:

North Bridge House Nursery

and Pre-prep West Hampstead

The global schools group Cognita is delighted

to announce that North Bridge House will be

expanding to include a sixth school in West

Hampstead in September 2020. Stuart Rolland,

Cognita’s CEO for Europe, explains how North

Bridge House Nursery and Pre-Prep West

Hampstead will be Cognita’s 75th school:

“As North Bridge House celebrates its 80th

anniversary this coming academic year we look

forward to expanding the highly successful

group in London. The curriculum and ethos

at North Bridge House continues to thrive in

London, to include now a new provision for

families in West Hampstead.”

North Bridge House Nursery and Pre-Prep West

Hampstead will be opening in September 2020,

becoming the sixth North Bridge House school.

Building on North Bridge House’s commitment

to provide successful independent, coeducational,

and mixed ability schools, the

school will mirror the well-established provision

in existence across Hampstead, Islington and

Regent’s Park.

Head teacher Christine McLelland will oversee

all three lower schools and aims for them to

share the same balance of happiness and

success, with excellent academic results, led by

qualified teachers who are subject specialists

and experts in EYFS and KS1 in every year group.

“We follow a holistic approach to children’s

development, which means that the progress

made in one area will positively impact on other

areas,” says Mrs McLelland. “We focus on the

individual child, developing the characteristics

of effective learning and creative arts. Building

on children’s interests and passions will be at

the heart of the curriculum, as will fostering a

genuine love of learning, leading to excellent

academic outcomes. By the time children reach

Reception, they are often writing independently

and last summer 46 per cent of pupils were

performing in the top 4 per cent of the country

for literacy and 38 per cent of pupils were

performing in the top 4 per cent of the country

for numeracy. 42 per cent of Year 2 pupils were

in the top 4 per cent of the country for literacy

and 50 per cent in the top 4 per cent of the

country for numeracy.”

Academic progress is enhanced at North

Bridge House (NBH) by Philosophy for Children

(P4C), a powerful approach to teaching and

learning that boosts children’s reasoning, social

skills, and overall attainment. Just one year

after adding the subject to the curriculum,

NBH Pre-Prep gained a Bronze Award for its

outstanding commitment to P4C. As well as

facilitating pupils’ ability to recognise and talk

about big ideas, philosophy enables them to

better articulate themselves; The Education

Endowment Foundation stated that a year of

philosophy results in two-month’s additional

progress in reading and mathematics.

Reading and writing are further developed

through speaking and listening activities,

which are part and parcel of the musically rich

curriculum. “Music is essential to the children’s

personal development as it encourages

confidence and growth of character,” says Mrs

McLelland. As well as their timetabled music

lessons, NBH Nursery pupils enjoy music and

movement classes with The Finchley Ballet

School, drama workshops with the Unicorn

Theatre and optional, extra-curricular LAMDA

(London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art)

lessons.

A child’s development is very much a personal

journey: children develop at different rates

and learn in different ways, “particularly in the

Early Years of education, when curiosity can

often and more naturally be sparked outside

the classroom,” explains Mrs McLelland. As

such, outdoor learning, school trips and extracurricular

activities are fundamental to child

development and academic progress at NBH

Primary Times North London

Nursery and Pre-Prep. Themes such as Wild

Science Week see pupils making the most

of the schools’ impressive playgrounds, or

nearby Hampstead Heath and Regent’s Park.

Trips to the local fire station, country farms

and the Science Museum all help to develop

knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour that

can be utilised in and outside the classroom.

“School pets also add enormous value to our

community,” says Mrs McLelland. “At NBH Pre-

Prep we have three bantam hens, each named

and very much loved by the children. They have

been fantastic for the social and emotional

development of the children… and perfect for

a cuddle too! We very much look forward to

rearing and naming some new pets at NBH West

Hampstead. NBH West Hampstead will also join

the annual tradition of being transformed into a

petting zoo for the day, welcoming a family run

farm from Cambridgeshire and an impressive

menagerie of educational helpers. From alpacas

and ponies to bearded dragons and hedgehogs,

the children get to touch and hold the animals

whilst learning all about the science behind their

growth and development.”

A popular choice among North London parents

who want the option, as a result of the academic

success seen at every stage, of the country’s

leading destination schools, North Bridge House

also reassures parents by providing a stressfree

all-through education from 2-18 which

does not compromise on academic excellence.

The results speak for themselves and pupils

continue to excel at both GCSE and A Level.

“Happiness is the key to successful learning –

particularly in the formative years of education –

and we are committed to providing children with

an enjoyable learning experience”, concludes

Mrs McLelland.

For more information, call: 020 7428 1520 or email:

admissionsenquiries@northbridgehouse.com

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 17

Primary Times North London

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

Why choose Poolside Manor?

Swim Lessons… They provide firstclass

lessons for children and adults

of any age and ability, all day every

day. The pine log purpose-built

teaching pool is heated to 32ºC

and creates the ideal atmosphere

conducive to the teaching of

swimming.

Multi- Activity Day Camps… Poolside

Manor has a rich history of providing

top quality multi-activity day camps

for children aged 3 upwards during

every school holiday. They have just

added early starts from 7.30 and

late finishing till 6.00 to help working

parents. When they say multiactivity,

they really mean it! Children

are served up a range of multi

sports (including football with an

F.A. qualified coach), arts and crafts,

dance, drama, games and visiting

entertainers.

Pool Parties… The parties are a

memorable experience for all. Often

leading to many return visits. They

are suitable for children celebrating

their 5th birthday upwards. Parties

take place on Saturday and Sunday

afternoons, each lasting 2 hours.

Early booking is recommended to

avoid disappointment.

Finally, the line up is completed

with parent and toddler lessons,

Pilates, aquafit, adult swim lessons,

membership swimming, lifeguard

and first aid training courses.

Poolside Manor look forward to

welcoming you.

For more information, please visit

their website: www.poolsidemanor.

com

Financial Support at Bancroft’s School

Have you ever thought about an

independent education for your

child, but have been frightened

off by the fees? At Bancroft’s in

Woodford Green they can help

with school fees for bright children

whose family circumstances mean

that a Bancroft’s education would

otherwise be beyond their reach.

Every year, children benefit from

Bancroft’s Means Tested Awards

which provide significant financial

help to less well-off families. Such

awards are given to children joining

in Year 3 and Year 7 based on their

performance in the entrance tests,

interview and their family’s need.

Bancroft’s also offer academic and

music scholarships at 11+ and 16+ to

talented children regardless of their

family’s income.

Bancroft’s School, established

in 1737, is a fully co-educational,

independent day school for

children from age 7 to 18. The

school has a fantastic history of

academic success in GCSE and A

Level and pupils of all ages enjoy

varied sporting and co-curricular

programmes.

Do join them for their autumn Open

Days. You will have the chance to

view all the fantastic facilities and

to talk about the financial support

which they may be able to offer

your child. Visit www.bancrofts.org

for more information

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Primary Times North London

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 19

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

Primary Times North London

Harrow School

welcomes Primary Pupils

Harrow School, an independent

boarding school for boys aged 13

to 18 in northwest London, runs

over 150 projects and partnerships

with local schools and community

groups. Pupils support primary-aged

children through work in specific skills,

subjects and special projects. More

than 250 children from local primary

schools visited to Harrow last year

for chemistry, music, historical tours,

sport and other activities.

Learn more about life at Harrow by

attending one of the School’s open

mornings: harrowschool.org.uk/

Book-an-Open-Morning. Generous

fee assistance is available through

the School’s bursaries programme.

Call: 020 8872 8007 or email:

admissions@harrowschool.org.uk

Hua Hsia Chinese School

Hua Hsia Chinese School offers a wide

range of Mandarin Chinese language

courses for children of all levels. The

school teaches Chinese as a second

or foreign language to non-native

and native speakers, and specialise

in iGCSE and Cambridge Pre U

qualifications. They also host Abacus

classes for beginners up to advance

learners. From September 2019, they

will introduce Power Maths courses,

targeted towards KS1 and KS2

students. Book a place for the Open

Day, 1:00pm – 3:00pm on the 8th of

September, held at the Hampstead

Branch, Holy Trinity Primary School,

NW3 5SQ.

Contact the school on 02082010698

or secretary@huahsia-chinese.org.uk

They offer trial classes at our

Hampstead, Southgate and Kent

branches. Please quote PRIMARY1

for £10 off your first trial.

Mini Maestro Family Concerts

This popular series of classical music

events enters its thirteenth season this

September, with monthly concerts

up until March. Each concert is a

smorgasbord of musical fun as they

encourage the children to sit close

to the orchestra, explore stories in

the music, sing and clap along - and

even conduct! Budding performers

are invited to become Mini Maestro

Musicians and play alongside

the orchestra. There is also deep

educational value in these concerts.

Countless studies have shown that

exposure to classical music at an

early age, not to mention playing a

musical instrument, is good for brain

development. Indeed, at any age

music is beneficial in all kinds of ways,

from reducing stress to improving

general mental health.

Go along to St Martin-in-the-Fields

and join in a journey of discovery,

imagination and inspiration on

Saturdays 21 September and 19

October at 4.30pm. Concerts are

monthly through to March 2020.

A new Head of School for Hendon Prep

Independent co-educational, 11+ day

school, Hendon Prep, is delighted to

announce the appointment of a new

Head of School, Tushi Gorasia.

Mrs Gorasia is a Cambridge

University graduate with a degree in

English and Education. In addition,

she holds a Master’s degree in

English from Kings College, London.

Mrs Gorasia has been a qualified

teacher for over 25 years. She has

a continuing passion for extending

the love of learning in all fields and

has taught at independent, state

and international schools, across

the Key Stages, from Year 1 to

Year 8, accruing a vast wealth of

experience.

Hendon Prep School is familiar to,

and held in great regard by, Mrs

Gorasia. In 2012, she was appointed

as Head of English at Hendon

Prep and was quickly promoted

to the role of Director of Studies,

becoming a valued member of the

school’s Senior Leadership Team.

Mrs Gorasia’s expertise in English

led to a national role within Cognita,

as Lead English teacher for Prep

schools. In 2014, Mrs Gorasia was

promoted to the position of Deputy

Head at Cognita’s Salcombe Prep

School and she subsequently

achieved the role of Associate Head.

“I am absolutely delighted to be

returning to Hendon Prep School,”

says Mrs Gorasia. “I look forward

to all the exciting projects we have

planned and building upon the

wealth of established academic

history. I am eager to further

strengthen Hendon’s reputation

for creating a caring, nurturing

learning environment which ensures

confident and happy life-long

learners.”

For more information,

call: 020 8203 7727

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Primary Times North London

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 21

Primary Times North London

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

St Andrew the Apostle School

St Andrew the Apostle

School is an inclusive

secondary school drawing

on best practice from the

independent and state

sectors to meet the individual

needs of the full range of

students.

Our expertly-delivered, broad

and balanced, traditional but

contemporary curriculum

aims to develop our students

intellectually, socially, culturally,

spiritually and morally. With a focus

on English, maths and science, we

also offer classical subjects such

as Latin and Greek and an exciting

choice of extra-curricular activities.

The school is underpinned by our

Christian values and, as the UK’s

first state-funded Greek Orthodox

secondary school, we are proud

to be making our contribution to

the high academic standards and

values-based education with which

Church schools are associated

nationally. We welcome students of

all faiths and none.

St Andrew the Apostle aims to:

- Deliver a broad curriculum,

academic excellence and

exceptional progress across the

ability range

- Foster a spirit of kindness,

tolerance and responsibility which

allows each student to grow as an

individual and a community member

- Encourage more students to

progress to university to study

maths, sciences and the classical

subjects

For more information, go to their

website: www.standrewtheapostle.

org.uk

inTuition Clubs

inTuition Clubs provide interactive

tuition in Maths and English for

small groups of primary aged

children. The affordable and modern

tuition sessions are delivered

by qualified and experienced

tutors, who are passionate about

education. Based on the UK national

curriculum, the tuition sessions

combine both leading edge

technology and physical learning

tools within an inspiring environment

to ensure your child receives the

maximum value from their tuition

experience.

The ethos is rooted in fuelling

your child’s ambition and learning

aspirations to develop a consistent

‘desire for continuous learning’. This

is done through

a praise-based

approach where

your child will

be challenged,

recognised and

rewarded, as

well as having

great fun in the

state-of the-art

centre.

In addition

to focusing

on academic

achievement,

they embrace a

more rounded

and robust approach to assessing

your child’s needs when you join

them. This assessment enables

them to adjust the session content,

delivery style and child-tutor

communication in a way that is

tailored to your child’s optimum

learning style.

If you feel your child could benefit

from extra support with English

and Maths, the tutors are ready to

help! Call: 020 3092 7280 or email:

hello@intuitionclubs.com

To follow them on social media,

go to: www.facebook.com/

inTuitionClubs or www.instagram.

com/intuitionclubs

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Primary Times North London

Millfield Theatre

Presents:

Mother Goose

As we wave farewell to the summer and the younger generation return to

school, there is a hive of activity at Millfield Theatre as we get ready for

this year’s festive fabulous-ness, the production of Mother Goose.

A moral tale of a family who have a sudden turn of fortune and behave

like wreckless lottery winners, irrespective of the Good Fairy’s sound

financial advice.

A first-class traditional pantomime, Mother Goose will be an egg-ceptional

Panto egg-travaganza of song, dance, brilliantly timed comedy and plenty

of opportunities for audience participation of “he’s behind you”, boos and

hisses.

Writer and director Marc Day has been busy working with Sonoko Obuchi

on the amazing egg-citing brand new scenery designs, created eggclusively

for Millfield Theatre. Marc has tasked the music team to create

a musical score of West End quality, whilst in the Isle of Wight costume

designer to the stars, Antony Wright is creating sp-egg-tacular new

costumes for the production. With all this talent Mother Goose will be an

egg-quisitely joyous egg-sperience.

It won’t be long before the script goes to the cast and rehearsals will

begin. Featuring some of the brightest pantomime talent, the Millfield

Panto offers your whole school the full theatrical experience. Suitable

from age 3 – 103.

Schools tickets are £12 each with one teacher ticket free with every 10

pupils. Reserve your tickets in advance to secure your booking, final

numbers can be decided closer to the time.

There are plenty of school performances, running from 2nd to 18th December,

which are already starting to sell-out. So if you have already booked your

tickets then enjoy the show, you will love it. If you haven’t got your tickets yet

then be quick and book today, contact the Box Office on 020 8807 6680 to be

sure you don’t miss out! For more information visit www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk

Nativity! The Musical

Returning to London for a third

successive year, and starring TV and

radio presenter Rylan Clark-Neal as

‘The Critic’ the smash-hit Nativity!

The Musical is back with more

performances than ever before!

Simon Lipkin reprises his critically

acclaimed role as ‘Mr Poppy’ direct

from starring in ‘Nativity Rocks’.

Feel-good, funny and full of festive

joy, the smash-hit musical was

adapted for the stage by Debbie Isitt,

the creator of the much-loved films.

Featuring all of your favourite sing-along

hits from the movies including

Sparkle and Shine and Nazareth, this

is the must-see show this Christmas!

Cinderella – The Rockin’ Panto

Get ready for an action-packed

pantomime full of laughter, fun and

chart-topping music as artsdepot

presents Cinderella – The Rockin’

Panto.

Running from Sat 30 Nov 2019 to

Sun 5 Jan 2020, this panto is truly

Rockin’! It’s got all the best bits of a

traditional pantomime – a magical

story, goodies to cheer, baddies to

boo, colourful characters and lots of

hilarious mayhem – plus it’s full of

brilliant music. Woven into the story

are dozens of well-known songs, all

performed live by the multi-talented

cast of 10 actor-musicians; from rock

and soul classics to current pop hits,

So book now and join us for some

MAYHEM in Bethlehem! Further star

casting to be announced!

Nativity! The Musical is at the

Eventim Apollo, London from the 11-

29 December. For more information

visit nativitythemusical.com

they’re guaranteed to have everyone

singing along.

Tickets for this fun-filled Christmas

treat are available from £18. Call the

Box Office on 020 8369 5454 or book

online at www.artsdepot.co.uk.

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Primary Times North London

Rising Stars Activities

partner with Barnet Council

It was a great honour for Rising

Stars Activities to feature in Barnet

Council’s latest campaign ‘Together

we are Barnet’ which highlighted

many of the amazing people and

activities that take place in the

borough. With so much negativity

currently in the news, we wanted

to remind people that there are

many positive and

inspiring people and

businesses right on

our doorstep. We are

grateful that Rising

Stars Activities fell into

this category for the

work that we do with

children and families

in Barnet. We continue

to provide children

with memorable

experiences and

educating them

through our football

clubs, school sports

clubs, holiday

camps, birthday

parties and personal

training sessions. We

appreciate the support

that Barnet Council

have and continue

to provide for small

businesses such as

ourselves and certainly use it as

motivation to continue to improve

our services and positively impact

as many children and families as

possible.

For more information, please

visit their website: www.

risingstarsactivities.com

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Learning Opportunities at

Tower Bridge Learning Space

Step inside London’s best-loved

landmark to explore its iconic

structure, spectacular views,

fascinating exhibitions and

atmospheric Victorian Engine

Rooms. From the high-level

walkways 42m above the Thames,

take in stunning panoramic views

and experience London life through

the Glass Floor. Explore the brand

new ‘Two Towers’ exhibition to

discover some of the unsung

heroes of Tower Bridge.

Uncover their stories across

125 years of history and soak in

the atmosphere of the working

Bridge in one of London’s

hidden gems, the magnificently

restored Victorian Engine

Rooms.

New KS1 and SEN workshops

are now available to book.

Teachers and pupils are invited

to learn about the history and

engineering behind the iconic

structure and its environment

through hands-on workshops

and tours. With a learning

programme aligned with the

national curriculum for Key

Stages 1-4, Tower Bridge

offer eight facilitated learning

sessions, including two

designed for SEN students,

Primary Times North London

in the dedicated Tower Bridge

Learning Space.

Sessions are included in the

normal school visit rate. To

book a workshop and for more

information about your school visit,

contact Tower Bridge’s Learning

and Community Engagement

team on 020 7940 8397 or email

learning@towerbridge.org.uk.

Luca Silvestrini’s Protein -

The Little Prince at The Place

This Christmas join the Little Prince

on his adventures through the

universe as he comes face to face

with the baffling world of grownups!

What will you make of a king

who reigns over nothing? Or a

businessman obsessively counting

stars? This magical retelling

of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s

renowned story is brought to life

by Protein’s award-winning mix of

dance, humour and spoken word.

Featuring original music, this tale of

love and friendship invites us to look

at the world through one’s heart and

reconnect with our inner child.

“St-Exupéry’s enigmatic tale [...]

delivered with quirky charm.” 4 Stars,

The Observer

“Charming, imaginative and playful”

4 Stars, The Stage

Age recommendation: The show

has been made with ages 5 – 105 in

mind but has nothing unsuitable for

younger siblings so it’s suitable for

everyone, young and old.

Duration: 60 mins (no interval)

Tue 17 - Tue 24 Dec

Times vary

Adults £14 (concs £12) / Children

£8 / School group tickets

available, Primary Schools Dance

Workshops available

Please visit theplace.org.uk/

littleprince for details

www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 27

0231513

Primary Times North London

BOX OFFICE

Box Office

Your family

theatre guide...

Artsdepot

N12 0GA

www.artsdepot.co.uk

15 Sep

Roald Dahl and the

Wurblegobblers

All around the world Roald Dahl’s words

are disappearing, not only from books

but children’s minds too!

20 – 22 Sep

The Scarecrows' Wedding

Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay are

excellent scarecrows. Their wedding

plans are coming together until Harry

leaves Betty’s side.

22 Sep

How Does This Politics Thing

Work Then?

Politics is super important and can be

made really fun. Luckily Tatton Spiller

(Simple Politics) and Tiernan Douieb

(CBBC's The Slammer) will show you just

how to make sense of it all. Ages 6+.

29 Sep

Card Ninja

Using genuine playing cards, comedian

Javier Jarquin dazzles audiences with

displays of decks as weapons. With

extreme precision, timing and speed

you will not believe what you’re seeing.

Ages 6+.

6 Oct

The Pirate Cruncher

Captain Purplebeard and his cut-throat

crew are off to find an island packed

with treasure! But greed leads them into

some monstrously big trouble. Ages 4+.

0231512

TICKET

in which we can reduce plastic in the

ocean.

Dugdale Centre

EN2 6DS

www.dugdalecentre.co.uk

12 – 13 Oct

The Pirate Squad and The Search

For Mermaid's Lagoon

Will Claudine, the ship's cook ever make

her prize winning stew beef, rice and

peas? Will Joe the cabin boy ever be

promoted to Bosun? Ages 2+.

Half Moon Young People’s

E1 0ND

www.halfmoon.org.uk

26 – 28 Sep

Rolling Down the Road

All aboard! Family singer songwriter

David Gibb is proud to be the driver of

the world’s first bus to be powered by

song. Ages 3-11.

19 Oct

Arthur’s Dream Boat

One night, Arthur has an amazing dream

about a beautiful pink and green boat

with a stripy mast. He can’t wait to tell

everyone about it but no one (not even

his dog!) is interested. Ages 2-8.

26 Oct

Same Same…But Different

A feel-good family show mixing Kathak,

hip hop, contemporary and street dance,

with live music and physical storytelling,

to create a playful and colourful world

exploring curiosities and fears.

20 Oct

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

This tale brings the story of a bother of

a boy, a mithered mother and a grand

old brass band of a granddad, all set in

the village of knitters where every new

Christmas jumper tells a tale. Ages 3+.

Kings Place

N1 9AG

www.kingsplace.co.uk

6 Oct

The Inside-Out Piano

Experience the piano like never before:

strummed like a guitar, singing like a

whale and even swinging in mid-air by

pianist and composer Sarah. Ages 5+.

Lilian Baylis Studio

EC1R 4TJ

www.sadlerswells.com

20 Oct

Alice in Wonderland

Let’s All Dance returns with this fabulous

family favourite. Stunning dancing, much

loved characters and super costumes

bring the famous tale to life in this

magical ballet production. Ages 2+.

Little Angel Theatre

N1 2DN

www.littleangeltheatre.com

Until 8 Sep

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

A family go on an expedition of a

lifetime – wading through the cold

river, squelching over the oozy mud,

stumbling into the dark forest, then

peering into a cave… what will they find

there? Ages 3-8.

14 Sep – 10 Nov

The Dong with a Luminous Nose

With a huge and colourful cast of

abstract and figurative puppets, this

absurd take on Lear’s nonsense classic

explores that difficult age between being

a child and becoming an adult. Ages 7+.

mouse, mole and swallow, leading her

to ultimate happiness in the kingdom of

flowers. Ages 2-7.

21 Sep

Best Bossy Bum Bonkers Party

Introduce your children to the magic of

comedy, set up in the guise of a birthday

party, where YOU are the guests. Ages

3-10.

28 Sep

Nessasaurus

A heart-warming tale of Loch

Ness, meteorites and bladderwort,

Nessasaurus will invigorate, inspire and

amuse whilst introducing young and

old to the world of music improvisation.

Ages 5-11.

5 Oct

Young Herbert’s Horrors

Herbert is a little horror. Living on a boat

should be the ideal life for a wannabe

pirate, but the boat’s grounded until

Herbert can learn to tidy his cabin, eat

his greens and be more polite. Ages 4-9.

12 Oct

Eggs on Legs

Meet a family of zany Eggs on Legs,

living in a lost pocket of the globe. One

day the wind blows a huge egg into their

tree and they are excited to play with it.

Ages 3-8.

19 Oct

Mission… Save The World

A fun and energetic play about sibling

rivalry, strengths, weaknesses and

superheroes. Ages 5-8.

Peacock Theatre

WX2A 2HT

www.sadlerswells.com

23 Oct - 9 Nov

Some Like It Hip Hop

ZooNation's smash-hit musical is a

whirlwind of breathtaking hip hop, clever

storytelling, fizzing energy, razor-sharp

choreography.

13 Oct

You’ve Got Dragons

Lots of people get them; bad dreams,

swirly tummy, feeling prickly. And

sometimes they make you feel alone. So,

what can a young child with a bad case

of the dragons do? Ages 3+.

20 Oct

Comedy Club 4 Kids

Expect the best stand-ups and sketch

acts from the international circuit to do

their thing for an audience of children

and their families without the rude bits.

Ages 6+.

Cockpit Theatre

NW8 8EH

www.thecockpit.org.uk

28 Sep

Swish

Featuring puppetry, Makaton and

plenty of audience interaction, Swish

is a playful multisensory exploration of

life underwater and the positive ways

Jacksons Lane

N6 5AA

www.jacksonslane.org.uk

8 Sep

How Does This Politics Thing

Work Then?

If you know how, politics can actually be

fun. Luckily, Tatton Spiller and Tiernan

Douieb know exactly how.

15 Sep

The Giant Balloon Show

Expect incredible balloon sculptures,

high-energy, hilarious performance –

and, of course, the all-important giant

balloon. Ages 5+.

22 Sep

Ensonglopedia of Science

Expect atoms, black holes, cells, DNA

and everything in between. Expect folk,

gospel, hip hop, interpretative dance, jive

and klezmer. Ages 7+.

27 Sep – 17 Nov

The Further Adventures of The

Owl and The Pussy-Cat

When their beautiful golden ring is

stolen, the Owl and the Pussy-cat must

travel far from the safety of the Bongtree

glade as their search for the thief

leads them across the Sea.

Lyric Hammersmith

W6 0QL

www.lyric.co.uk

7 Sep

Hey Diddle Diddle

Stay up late with flying cows, jazzy cats

and runaway crockery as you jump and

jive to the music in a brilliant new take

on the classic nursery rhyme. Ages 3-7.

14 Sep

Thumbelina

Enjoy the tale of a girl no bigger than a

thumb and her encounters with a frog,

Unicorn Theatre

SE1 2HZ

www.unicorntheatre.com

8 Sep

15 Minutes Live

A one-time only event featuring new

short radio plays performed live with an

onstage band. Ages 8-12.

18 Sep – 27 Oct

Anansi The Spider

In celebration of Black History Month,

classic West African and Caribbean tales

about Anansi, the original trickster and

the master spinner of yarns are brought

vividly to life. Ages 3-7.

26 Sep – 27 Oct

Maggot Moon

In a sinister 1950s Britain, the country

is under the rule of the violent

and oppressive Motherland. Dark

government forces are at work. Spies

and surveillance are everywhere.

28

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Primary Times North London

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enter these competitions please go to...

www.primarytimes.co.uk/North_London/competitions or

via Facebook at www.facebook.com/PTLondonNorth

COMPETITIONSWin!To

WIN!

Win Tickets to Mini Maestro Family Concerts

Conductor John Landor and the London Musical Arts Orchestra have been thrilling

young audiences with their Saturday afternoon Mini Maestro Family Concerts at

the famous church of St Martin-in-the-Fields over the last 13 years. These creative,

educational and fun events are full of lots of opportunities to get close-up to the

orchestra, meet the friendly musicians, sing, clap and even conduct! The first three

concerts of their 2019-20 series begin on 21 September with Mozart’s wonderful

symphony No. 40 alongside Handel’s Water Music, on 19 October there’s ‘Autumn’ and

‘Winter’ from Vivaldi’s famous ‘Four Seasons’, and on 16 November you can enjoy the

brilliance of the Baroque with Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’ . All the concerts run from 4.30-

5.30pm and take place at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square.

To win one of four Family Tickets (2 adults and 2 children) to the

October or November concerts, tell us the names of the other

two seasons in Vivaldi’s work

Closing date –29/09/19

Terms and conditions apply

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