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Famous Gladiators at
Chiltern Open Air Museum
On Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend 29th - 30th May from 10 am to 5 pm,
Roman Gladiators will be invading Chiltern Open Air Museum.
Watch fearsome gladiators in action as a team of criminals, barbarians
and other prisoners of war, disgraced soldiers and thrill seekers fight
for the entertainment of the crowds and the Emperor. Who will live,
and who will die: you decide! Meet the costumed re-enactors and learn
about life in the 1st century AD with gladiatorial displays taking place
at 12 and 3pm.
The gladiators will be brought to life by Britannia, one of the
largest (and oldest) re-enactment groups in the U.K., they will be
demonstrating the excitement and brutality of life in the late Roman
period. Britannia have worked on over 150 TV and film projects,
including Ridley Scott’s Gladiator and all five series of CBBC’s Horrible
Histories.
Siân Hammerton-Fraser, Visitor Experience Manager at Chiltern Open Air
Museum, says
“Having worked on Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, Britannia’s gladiatorial
combat, weapons and battle tactics are fantastic and definitely get
our crowds roaring! This will be a brilliant, unforgettable way to teach
the whole family about Roman
history.”
The Roman Gladiators event is
a thrilling action packed and
educational day for the entire
family. Be warned there may be
(fake) blood! Find out more
www.coam.org.uk
Changing times
In recent years there has been much debate over the
best way to teach maths to children. In primary school,
when a child is first developing an understanding
of mathematics, a structured emphasis on learning
the foundational skills is key. Without a thorough
understanding of basic principles such as times tables,
a child will be unable to grasp the more complex
mathematical problems they will face as they continue
their education.
Dr Stephen Curran, founder of AE Tuition and AE
Publications says “The new maths curriculum, which
was introduced in 2014, went some way to addressing
this with a more structured approach to teaching.
However, there is still work to be done if we want to
improve our children’s ability to meet the mathematical
challenges they will face in secondary school and
beyond.”
The government has announced that all 11-year-olds
will be tested on their times tables, as part of the
Department for Education’s ‘war on innumeracy and
illiteracy’. In order to pass the test children will need to
know their times tables up to the 12 times table by the
age of eleven years old.
The test will see the first use of on-screen technology
in nationwide testing as children will complete it on a
computer. There is something quite heartening in seeing
the most modern of methods used to assess a skill that is
once again being given the credence it deserves.
www.aepublications.co.uk
Step lays foundations for future learning
Some of you may remember sitting in a classroom and as the teacher
talked found yourself losing concentration. You scanned the room only
to see your classmates seemingly engrossed in the lesson. Panic set in.
You tried to re-engage with what was being said just as an instruction
was given. You whispered to your friend, “What do I need to do?” and
promptly got told off.
This experience is indicative of someone with processing and working
memory issues. Over time, this can become isolating and stressful, not
to mention affect academic results, confidence and self-esteem. It can
also lead to behavioural problems.
This is where STEP comes in. STEP aims to help children who are
struggling to concentrate or can’t stop fidgeting, to unlock their
academic potential through personalised physical exercises that focus
on balance, eye tracking and coordination. Delivered in an integrated
way, the exercises are designed to enhance the performance of the
cerebellum, the area of the brain responsible for automating tasks, thus
laying the foundation for future learning.
STEP is passionate about helping children who are underachieving and
is actively engaged in discussions with the education sectors in the UK
and US about the role STEP could play in supporting these individuals.
Additionally, STEP has just concluded a 12 month UK Pilot Study to
empirically evidence the impacts it can have. These results can be found
on www.steptoday.com
Rumble in the
jungle - free half
term fun at Eden!
Parents on the prowl for free
half term activities can call
off the search because Eden
Shopping Centre at High Wycombe has
a week of jungle-inspired fun on offer to
delight children and adults alike!
Eden’s littlest shoppers can look forward
to a packed week of entertainment during
the school holidays with a special series of
activities just for them!
Join Eden’s free craft workshops daily at
Kid’s Corner, where your children can camouflage themselves ready
for a jungle adventure with free animal mask making sessions from
11am to 4pm. Intrepid ‘animal explorers’ can then trek their way
around the centre following a jungle trail to win prizes.
Each day will focus on a different animal, including giraffes, tigers,
monkeys, parrots and elephants, with children encouraged to
decorate them with an array of glitter, feathers and colouring pens.
As well as learning how to make animal masks, make sure you keep
an eagle eye out for ‘Safari Steve’ who will also regale children with
tales of his adventures with animals!
There are also prizes up for grabs – shoppers can share their event
photos on social media, tagging Eden and using #KidsCornerEden.
Check www.edenshopping.co.uk for details – and good luck!
Half term activities run from Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June
from 11am – 4pm daily.
Facebook: /edenshoppingcentre Twitter: @eden_shopping
Instagram: @edenshoppingcentre
Website: www.edenshopping.co.uk
www.primarytimes.net/buckinghamshire | MAY HALF TERM Issue Primary Times 21