Primary Times Staffordshire Back to School 2017

42,000 COPIES FOR FAMILIES OF 

PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN 

Staffordshire & 

Stoke-on-Trent 

BACK TO SCHOOL 2017 

6 SEPT – 8 OCT 2017

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We know you’re busy – doing the school run whilst balancing two book bags, 

a school jumper and a cardboard box castle in one hand and at the same time 

thinking about what’s for dinner and how you’re going to juggle the childcare 

next week. Staffordshire. County Council want to make your life that little bit 

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Dear Reader 

Welcome back to the new school year, and a particularly 

warm welcome to everyone who is reading Primary Times 

for the first time. We hope you all had a wonderful summer 

break and were able to recharge your batteries ready for 

the adventures that await us in the coming months. 

The Primary Times team are delighted to bring you the back to 

school issue, packed with lots of fun ideas and exciting things 

to do with your children – see our What’s On Where guide and 

Box Office pages for more information. 

Our competitions are on page 13, win family tickets to see 

Treasure Island, a craft course at Eco Centre, and the chance to 

win a £250 Toys R Us voucher. Plus on page 15 you will find details 

of our annual Primary Times creative competition to design our 

Christmas card! Good luck to all who enter. 

Don’t forget that if you have an event coming up in your 

school or if you have news to celebrate, write to us at 

marion@schoolspublishing.co.uk and we will try to include 

it in our October issue. 

Marion, Carolyn, 

Niki and Catherine 

It is a great honour but it’s also a great responsibility. It feels slightly 

unreal too, partly because my career began almost 20 years ago, 

exactly the time Quentin Blake was the first Children’s Laureate. 

Quentin was a huge influence my becoming an illustrator. I 

loved his illustrations really before I knew who he was as a person. 

There was the Grimble and the illustrations from Betsy Byers 18th 

Emergency, my favourite book as a child. And I remember watching 

him Contents 

television back in the days when the BBC had a programme 

called Jackanory. It was so wonderful to see live drawing as the story 

was told, and in fact Quentin Blake was the first illustrator I realised 

was an actual real person. It was so different in those days. You didn’t 

have the same chance to meet authors and illustrators as you do now. 

6 

What do you plan to do as Laureate? 

I’m interested in championing children’s creativity and I want to 

encourage children to spend a little of their time looking, listening 

and making things because they’re driven to create. I’ll be starting a 

blog soon called ‘Staring Into Space’ where I’m going to hopefully help 

inspire that. 

I also want to champion reading and drawing for pleasure and to 

elevate children’s book illustration to the level of other art forms. I 

think illustration is seen as something less than fine art, and writing 

for children as slightly less than writing for adults. I think we can 

be a little bit patronising about it. That’s a shame, because we know 

that literature is life-changing for children and the first art we really 

get up close to is in books. That’s where we begin with reading and 

storytelling. We do children a disservice if we can’t see and celebrate 

its power. 

I also want to talk about diversity, as inclusivity is really important to 

me. There 10aren’t enough books written by and about people of all 

kinds of backgrounds and culture. It’s important because if as a child 

you don’t see yourself on the front cover of a book then how do you 

feel part of society? 

Which books, authors and illustrators are your 

main inspirations? 

I have so many. When I was a child I loved The Secret Garden by 

Frances Hodgson Burnett. I remember reading it when I was about 

14 

inside this issue 

could be yourself like Pippi Longs 

No. I was terrible at being myself. I was very self 

worried about what people were thinking - am I 

thing, am I saying the right thing? All of my charac 

now are at least moving in the direction of being 

How important do you think it is f 

to daydream and stare out of the 

I think it’s vital. You can’t come up with anything 

amount of boredom, because boredom is the be 

invention. Solving problems and letting your mind 

the edges of something. It’s how you get to an in 

become creative. When I get really stuck in my o 

out and look around at things. I go to the cinema 

4 What’s On Where 

put on the radio, I tune into people’s conversatio 

amazing things. And when I hear or see somethin 

write it down. You end up with notebooks full of 

6 Did You Know? 

What are you working on now? 

10 Classics For Kids 

12 Box Office 

13 Competitions 

I’m writing a chapter book for younger readers, 

nine-year-olds. It’s very, very illustrated because I 

so much when I was writing my Ruby Redfort se 

drawings. My new Charlie and Lola book A Dog W 

coming out in the Autumn. It was inspired by loo 

in the park near our home with my daughter and 

kind of dog we would like to have. 

14 Interview With 

Lauren Child 

Do you have any advice for childr 

starting to write? 

My advice would be to write what you enjoy. You 

about something that interests you. It might be s 

that you see out of the window or something th 

or about your family. You’ve got to enjoy what yo 

won’t be able to carry on. You’ve got to let thing 

and watch how people talk and interact. Dig dee 

15 Design Our 

Christmas Card 

CONTENTS 

memory and try and tap into how things feel. 

Lauren Child’s latest 

book in the Charlie 

and Lola series, ‘A 

Dog With Nice Ears’, 

is published CALLING ALL by 

Orchard 

FAMILIES 

Books 

AND 

on 28 

TEACHERS! 

September and will 

Remember to send in your news 

for be our news available pages – we from would 

high love to street hear from bookstores 

you! 

Don’t and forget online to visit at us online a 

at www.primarytimes.net recommended priced / of £12.99. 

staffordshire 

THE PRIMARY TIMES TEAM 

Editor: 

Marion McAdam 

marion@schoolspublishing.co.uk 

Sales: 

Carolyn Wright 

ptstaffs@schoolspublishing.co.uk 

Tel: 01491 411848 

Production: 

Niki Ince-Green 

productionpt@schoolspublishing.co.uk 

Design: 

Catherine Crook 

Primary Times in Staffordshire, 

Schools Publishing Limited 

Unit 1A, Thamesview Industrial Estate 

Newtown Road 

Henley on Thames RG9 1HG 

TEL: 01491 411848 FAX: 01491 411416 

www.primarytimes.net/staffordshire 

...the UK’s biggest, 

free ‘what’s on’ 

magazine for parents! 

Primary Times in Staffordshire 

distributes more than 42,000 

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. 

Primary Times is independently published and distributed free through national primary schools in Staffordshire. 

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 

Staffordshire 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 two million copies per issue under franchise licences throughout Britain. 

www.primarytimes.net/staffordshire | BACK TO SCHOOL 2017 Primary Times 3

WHAT’S ON WHERE 

We check listings carefully but details and prices may be subject to change. Please always check with the venue. 

Ongoing – 30 Sept 

Play & Display - Paper and 

Card Toys Exhibition 

Museum Of Cannock Chase WS12 1TD 

www.museumofcannockchase.org 

11:00am-5:00pm Relive childhood memories with 

this charming exhibition of paper and card toys. 

Examples on display include paper dolls, model 

theatres, puppets, panoramas and cut-out books. 

They date from the 1880s to the 1960s and reveal 

how they have been endlessly updated to meet 

changing fashion. T: 01543 877666 

5 Sept – 14 Oct 

Up Close and Personal 

Exhibition FREE ENTRY 

Ancient High House ST16 2JA 

www.staffordbc.gov.uk 

10:00am-4:00pm A joint exhibition featuring 

animals in two very different art styles. Julia’s 

artwork focuses on animal portraits with the 

attention being on the eyes of a subject and 

capturing personality. Egle is an illustrator 

and creates her images using pencil, pen, inks, 

watercolour and also includes the use of digital 

pencils and brushes. T: 01785 619131 

6 Sept 

Wildlings Wednesday 

FREE EVENT 

Bean Covert DE14 3HU 

www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk 

10:30am-12:00noon Give your children a chance to 

experience fire, get mucky and play independently 

in the outdoor classroom. Parents/carers must 

attend with child, but we’ll be encouraging parents 

to take a step back and observe their kids ‘in the 

wild’. Activities mostly appropriate for children 

aged under 5. Also 13th/20th September. 

T: 01889 880100 

7 Sept 

Community Events Local Day 

Out Chell FREE EVENT 

Monks Neil Park Deakin Road, ST6 6HT 

www.stoke.gov.uk 

12:00noon-3:00pm Fun activities including 

kayaking, climbing, large inflatables, Zorb balls, 

games, face painting and crafts. T: 01433 631757 

7 – 8 Sept 

Heritage Open Day - Lord 

Mayor’s Parlour FREE ENTRY 

Lord Mayor’s Parlour ST4 1HH 


See behind the scenes. Take part in a treasure hunt 

and have your photo taken in the Lord Mayor’s chair 

and hat. Booking essential T: 01782 232625 

7 – 10 Sept 

Heritage Open Day 

World Of Wedgewood ST12 9ER 

www.heritageopendays.org.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm See artisan craftsmen at work. 

Try your hand at the potter’s wheel and create 

your own work of art to take home. 

T: 01782 282986 

8 Sept 

Glittering Museum Treasures 

by Torchlight - FREE ENTRY 

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery ST1 

3DW www.stoke.gov.uk 

6:00pm or 7:15pm After hours tour of significant 

treasure pieces including items from the 

Staffordshire Hoard. Booking essential 

T: 01782 232323 

Wildlings Friday 

The Wolseley Centre Stafford ST17 0WT 


10:30am-12:00noon Give your children a 

chance to experience fire, get mucky and play 

independently in the outdoor classroom. Parents/ 

carers must attend with child, but we’ll be 

encouraging parents to take a step back and 

observe their kids ‘in the wild’. Activities mostly 

appropriate for children aged under 5. Child £5 

and £2 for additional siblings. Also 15th/22nd 

September. T: 01889 880106 

9 Sept 

Heritage Open Day - BBC 

Radio Stoke FREE ENTRY 

BBC Radio Stoke ST1 1JJ 

bbc.co.uk/radiostoke 

10:00am-2:00pm See what happens around 

the scenes with a tour around the studios. 

Booking essential T: 01782 208080 

Heritage Open Day - Visit 

Historic Canal boat Keppel 

FREE ENTRY 

Etruria Industrial Museum ST4 7AF 

www.etruriamuseum.org.uk 

11:00am-3:30pm Have a go at traditional canal 

crafts, see how the people who worked on the 

canal boats lived. T: 07900 267711 


Gladstone Pottery Museum ST3 1PQ 

www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm Try your hand at throwing a 

pot, making a bone china flower or painting a 

piece of pottery. Free entry, small charges for 

some activities. T: 01782 237777 


The Locksmith’s House 

WV13 2DA www.bclm.co.uk 

Heritage Open Day - 

Fountains Of Family Fun 

FREE ENTRY 

Hanley Park Hammersley Fountain ST1 4DX 


10:00am-12:00noon Make a splash the Victorian 

way! Craft your own fountain using principles of 

gravity, pressure, and plenty of water! Dress for 

mess. T: 07787 005946 

Heritage Open Day - 

Behind The Scenes 

Hanley Town Hall ST1 1XP www.stoke.gov.uk 

10:00am-4:00pm View the old courtroom and look 

in the cells in the basement. Booking essential. T: 

01782 232042 

Festival Of Imagination - 

Storywalk FREE ENTRY 

Stafford Castle ST16 1DJ 


11:30am-1:00pm Join Sarah Rundle, famed for her 

humorous and irreverent tales, for a family ‘story 

walk’ around the grounds and Keep. Part of the 

first Stafford Storytelling Festival programme. 

Supported by Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. 

T: 01785 619619 

The Wherever People 

FREE EVENT 

Tamworth Library B79 7DN 

www.staffordshire.gov.uk 

11:00am or 2:00pm Two sisters, as close and as 

quarrelsome as all sisters are, travel the world 

in their magical miniature Romany wagon, 

on a quest to collect and share all the stories 

in existence. Become immersed in traditional 

Syrian, Scottish, Ghanaian, Australian and Native 

American folktales and migration stories; of 

shipwrecks and mermaids, knights and monsters, 

terrible captures and amazing escapes, stinky 

wizards and daft young boys, happy love and lost 

love, adventures and dangers, and beating the 

meanies. A fabulous, fun, interactive storytelling 

show and play session for younger children. 

Suitable for ages under 12. T: 01827 475645 


The Locksmith’s House 

WV13 2DA www.bclm.co.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm Step back into the past with 

the Hodson family of lock makers who left the 

house exactly as it would have been in the late 

19th century. See demonstrations in the gas lit 

rooms, hear the clatter of belt driven machinery in 

the workshop and find out more about the trade 

that made Willenhall famous. See an impressive 

collection of handmade locks that have exhibited 

everywhere from the Far East to the Grand 

Exhibition. Booking essential T: 0121 557 9643 

UK Kids Fun Triathlon 

Trentham Gardens ST4 8JG uktriathlon.co.uk 

12:00noon-3:00pm Distances to suit all abilities. 

Suitable for ages 7-16. Entry £24. Registration 

essential. T: 01270 842800 

Library Mouse FREE EVENT 

Tunstall Library ST6 6DB www.stoke.gov.uk 

11:00am-12:00noon Sam is a library mouse. Follow 

his adventure in this story session and have fun 

with mouse-themed crafts. Suitable for ages 5-11. 

T: 01782 238471 

9 – 10 Sept 

Heritage Open Day FREE ENTRY 


www.etruriamuseum.org.uk 

10:30am-4:30pm Vintage Stationary Engine Rally 

(9th) Classic Cars and Commercial Vehicles (10th). 

Bone and Flint Mill in steam 12:30pm-4:30pm. Get 

creative with clay and art in the canal warehouse. 

Guided tours of the mill from 12:00noon. Adults £6, 

under 16’s free. T: 07900 267711 


Middleport Pottery ST6 3PE 


10:00am-4:00pm Enjoy free access to the Victorian 

offices, bottle oven, mould store and see the 

original steam engine in operation. Drop in play 

with clay activities. £2 each. Guided tours available 

£5 per person. Booking essential T: 01782 499766 

Spudfest 

National Forest Adventure Farm DE13 9SJ 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk 

10:00am-6:00pm Take the Spud Shuttle 

tractor and trailer ride to the potato plot and 

dig up your own potatoes for FREE! Normal 

admission charges apply. T: 01283 533933 

10 Sept 


Ford Green Hall ST6 1NG 


11:00am-3:30pm This timber framed farmhouse 

offers visitors a fascinating insight into life in the 

17th century. Learn about everyday life from a 

costumed member of staff. Children’s craft activity 

and trail. T: 01782 537696 

Lichfield 10K and Family 

Fun Run King Edward VI Leisure Centre 

WS14 9DE www.lichfield10k.co.uk 

10:30am Organised by Lichfield Running Club 

promoting a more active lifestyle and raising 

funds for many local causes. For the 10k race, 

entrants must be 15 years of age or over on 

race day. No age limits in the fun run but 

children under 9 must be accompanied by an 

adult. 10k race – unaffiliated £17, affiliated 

£15, Family Fun Run £3.50. To register 

T: 01543 433015 

Heritage Open Day - Hands on 

Arms and Armour FREE ENTRY 

Stafford Castle ST16 1DJ 


11:00am-4:00pm Try on armour and costumes 

from the medieval period. With guided tours of 

Stafford Castle’s Keep. T: 01785 257698 

A Fairytale Afternoon Tea 

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery ST1 3DW 


12:00noon Enjoy a delicious homemade Afternoon 

Tea in the company of fairy-tale princesses 

including Snow White and Cinderella. Visitors can 

meet and greet the princesses, ask questions and 

even serve them a cup of tea. Children are invited 

to come along in their favourite glamorous dress to 

4 

Primary Times BACK TO SCHOOL 2017 | www.primarytimes.net/staffordshire

Academic & Musical Excellence for 3 to 18 year olds 

Pre-School & Juniors 

Welcome Wednesdays 

9.00am to 11.00am 

See the Junior School on 

a normal day and meet our 

wonderful teachers and pupils 

20 September 

11 October 

8 November 

22 November 

17 January 

14 February 

14 March 

Admissions: 01543 306168 

lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

Green Gables, Longdon WS15 4PT | The Palace, The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LH 

Toddler Rhyme Time 

Tuesdays 9.30am to 10.30am 

Free weekly music group for 1-4 year olds 

Call now to book your place 

Learn how to sing choral music in Lichfield Cathedral 

Vocal training • Lunch provided • Sing in Eucharist service 

01543 306168 

to book your 

free place 

Free Singing Workshop 

Saturday 20 January, 9.30am to 3.00pm 

Open to Boys aged 6 to 11 and Girls aged 9 to 13 

Lichfield Cathedral School 

The Palace, The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LH 

lichfieldcathedralschool.com

Did you 

know? 

Useful information for parents 

FREE SINGING WORKSHOP 

On Saturday 20 January, boys aged 6-11 and girls aged 9-13 are invited to 

a free Singing Workshop (9.30am-3.00pm) at Lichfield Cathedral School. 

The children will learn how to sing choral music and experience what it is 

like to be a chorister when they sing during the Eucharist service that day. 

Expert tuition by professional vocal tutors, lunch and all music is provided 

free. This is a unique, relaxed, informal and rewarding day of singing with 

children of a similar age and ability. No experience is necessary, just a 

willingness to give it a go! 

Be a chorister to dramatically reduce independent school fees 

Did you know that boy and girl choristers get large scholarships to help 

towards school fees? On top of this, parents can apply for bursaries and 

other financial support, such as from the Choir Schools Association. This 

way, children who are interested in and enjoy singing can benefit from an 

independent school education, without the associated costs. 

To book your free place on the Singing Workshop, call the Admissions team 

on 01543 306168 or email admissions@lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

for a booking form. 

SPUDFEST AT THE NATIONAL 

FOREST ADVENTURE FARM 

Every weekend in September, plus Sunday 1st October, you can get 

your hands dirty at the Adventure Farm. During Spudfest you can take 

the Spud Shuttle tractor and trailer ride to the Potato Plot. There you’ll 

be given a fork to dig up your own potatoes to take home for FREE!* 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk *1 bag per paying child or child member 

BEAUDESERT ACTIVITY CENTRE 

Beaudesert Activity Centre is run and managed by the Beaudesert Trust, 

which was founded to manage lands gifted for use by scouts, guides and 

other youth organisations. Beaudesert offer a range of exciting and safe day 

visits, overnight camping, residential experiences, holiday activity days and 

children’s parties. They provide fun and adventurous activities to promote 

learning and development of young people, catering for a vast array of 

groups including schools, scouts, guides, youth groups, colleges, Prince’s 

Trust, family & friends and many more….. Coming soon is the September 

Sleepover, perfect for the new term teambuilding, and in October they are 

offering their first Wilderness weekend. Visit www.beaudesert.org 

STUDIO 5 IS A FAMILY-RUN STAGE SCHOOL 

Studio 5 is a family-run stage school offering classes and private tuition 

to pupils from 2 ½ through to adults. Ballet tuition, modern dance and 

tap lessons. They are based in Rugeley, Staffordshire. 

Studio 5 builds upon 32 years experience in dance tuition, and they pride 

ourselves on small class sizes and a friendly atmosphere. 

Their national reputation as a leading stage school is still growing thanks 

to many performances throughout the Midlands and the rest of the UK. 

The pupils of Studio 5 have many opportunities throughout the year to 

demonstrate their talents and perform for a live audience. They stage their 

own annual show featuring all pupils, which is always a special event and a 

great chance for friends and family to see how pupils are progressing. 

IT DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS! 

Derby Grammar School pupils Elliot Butterworth and Arvin 

Suddhi are celebrating after achieving six A* grades and three 

grade 9s each in their GCSE examinations. 

Elliot said “All the nervous energy I’ve built up over the past few 

weeks has suddenly disappeared! Since Christmas I’ve spent most 

weekends revising, gradually building up as we got closer to the 

exam dates.” 

Arvin added: “I am speechless, I put in such a lot of work and extra 

hours studying, especially 

in English Literature, but the 

results are definitely worth it.” 

Acting Head, Lesley Reynolds, 

said: “Our pupils have achieved 

outstanding success in this 

year’s GCSEs. 72% of all passes 

are at A*, A or numerical 

equivalent, and 80% of science 

passes are at A* or A. Elliot and 

Arvin’s results in particular are 

truly inspiring and show what 

can be achieved with hard 

work and unfailing support 

from teachers.” 

HELEN O’GRADY IS A WORLD WIDE 

INTERNATIONAL DRAMA ACADEMY. 

Helen O’Grady pride themselves on their unique drama 

curriculum, which is proven to improve the confidence, self 

esteem and inter personal skill of their students. With 100% 

LAMDA pass rate for their exams, students don’t just learn 

and develop through drama, they have FUN meet new friends 

and are allowed to express themselves freely! 

September 2017 is the new academic year – term 1 begins! 

They are offering FREE trial lessons to all new students from 

5th September 2017 

So call Helen O’Grady now to BOOK YOUR PLACE AND 

BE A PART OF THE ACT! 

01889 802376 email staffs@helenogrady.co.uk 

6 


STUDIO 5 

STAGE SCHOOL 

Tuition from 2 1 /2 yrs of age in: 

Ballet ● Tap ● Modern Jazz 

● Acrobatics 

● Adult Ballet ● Adult Tap 

NEW TOTS CLASSES WEDNESDAYS 

4.30-5PM/SATURDAYS 9.30-10AM 

Our students train towards: 

Theatre productions ● 

Examinations ● Competitions 

For more information call Heather Peskett 

01889 584387 

Brewery Street, Rugeley, Staffs 

www.studio5stageschool 

OPEN 

MORNING 

SEPTEMBER 30, 

9.30AM – 12 NOON 

Visit Derbyshire’s leading 

independent day school for boys 

aged 7 to 18 and girls aged 16 to 18 

Book your place at 

derbygrammar.org 



impress the enchanted guests of honour. Bring a 

camera to capture a fairy-tale moment! 

T: 01782 232323 

12 Sept – 11 Nov 

Puppets from the Douglas 

Hayward Collection 

Ancient High House ST16 2JA 


Douglas Hayward spent a lifetime making and 

collecting puppets and his collection is now in 

the care of the Staffordshire County Museum. 

This fun and interactive exhibition features the 

whole puppet family including marionettes and 

shadow, rod and glove puppets - and of course, 

there would be no show without Mr Punch! 

T: 01785 619131 

13 Sept 

Nature Tots 

The Wolseley Centre ST17 0WT 


10:00am-12:00noon Fun nature themed 

activities for under 5s and their parents/carers. 

Each session has a different natural theme and 

includes crafts, outdoor exploration, story-time 

and free play. Suitable for those aged 18 

months- 5. Cost £4.50. Also 27th September. 

T: 01889 880100 

14 Sept 

Wildlings Wednesday 

FREE EVENT 

Hem Heath World Of Wedgewood, Stoke-on- 

Trent, ST12 9ER www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk 

10:30am-12:00noon Give your children a chance 

to explore, get mucky and play independently in 

this beautiful woodland. Suitable for ages 5 and 

under. Also 28th September. Booking essential 

T: 07854 532400 

15 Sept 

Nature Tots 

Westport Lake Visitor Centre ST6 4RZ 


10:00am-12:00noon or 1:30pm-3:30pm Fun 

nature-themed activities for under 5s and their 

carers. Seasonal, child-led outdoor exploration, 

story time, and free play. Child £4.50. 

T: 01782 826985 

16 Sept 

Paddle Boats 



10:30am-1:30pm The City Adventures project 

gives the people of Stoke-on-Trent access to a 

variety of paddle boats. Various prices from £10 

per person per hour. Book in advance to save 

money. T: 01782 233500 or T: 01782 233222 

Family Forest Fun 

Kedleston Hall DE22 5JH 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

10:30am-12:00noon (ages5-8), 1:00pm-2:30pm 

(ages 9-12) Come along for a mix of craft, games, 

stories and woodland skills. Adult £1, Child 

£3, normal admission charges apply. Booking 

essential T: 01332 842191 

Wildlife Watch 

National Memorial Arboretum DE13 7AR 

www.thenma.org.uk 

10:30am-12:30pm Young explorers will be 

preparing for winter and discovering how 

hedgehogs get ready for the winter. Child 

£1.50. Booking essential T: 01283 245100 

Magic Festival 

Peak Shopping Village DE4 2JE 

www.peakshoppingvillage.com 

11:00am-4:00pm Close-up, street magic 

and children’s workshops. Reality of Magic 

Show 4:00pm featuring the trickery of Adam 

Evans, the brain-popping antics of The Head 

Hackers, the deep mystery of Sylvia Sceptre 

and the headline act (as seen on Britain’s Got 

Talent) Sir Leopold Aleksander, otherwise 

known as The Mighty Moustache!. Adults £6, 

Child £4. Booking essential T: 01629 735326 

Bookworms United 

Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum WS13 

6LG www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk 

10:30am-1:00pm Read, explore and enjoy 

popular titles in this book and activity club for 

7-10 year olds. A great way to develop skills and 

confidence and make new friends in an inspiring 

environment. £4 per session which includes 

books and refreshments. Also 30th September. 

T: 01543 264972 

16 – 17 Sept 

Spudfest National Forest Adventure 

Farm DE13 9SJ www.adventurefarm.co.uk 

10:00am-6:00pm Take the Spud Shuttle tractor 

and trailer ride to the potato plot and dig up your 

own potatoes for FREE! Normal admission charges 

apply. T: 01283 533933 

20 Sept 

Pre-School & Junior Open 

Mornings - Welcome 

Wednesdays 

Lichfield Cathedral School WS15 4PT 

www.Lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

9.00am-11.00am Go along and meet the 

senior staff, teachers and pupils and see the 

school’s fantastic facilities! To arrange an 

open morning visit, use the online form or 

contact the Admissions Team by telephone 

on 01543 306168, by email admissions@ 


23 Sept 

Community Event 

FREE ENTRY 

Hanley Park Cleveland Road, Hanley, 

Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4DX www.stoke.gov.uk 

12:00noon-3:00pm Fun activities including 

kayaking, climbing, large inflatables, Zorb 

balls, games, face painting and crafts. 

T: 07775 958 800 

Samuel Johnson’s 308th 

Birthday FREE EVENT 

Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum 

Breadmarker Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LG 

www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk 

10:30am-4:00pm Celebrate Samuel Johnson’s 

Birthday at his family home. With an exhibition, 

activities and the great Garrick dressing-up chest 

to enjoy plus a slice of birthday cake for all! 

T: 01543 264972 

23 – 24 Sept 

Shakespeare Garden Trail 

and Seed Planting 

Beacon Park WS13 6QZ 

www.lichfieldhistoricparks.co.uk 

11:00am-3:00pm Follow a trail around the 

beautiful park to find plants mentioned in some 

of Shakespeare’s works. Plant some “Shakespeare 

seeds” to take home. Trail £0.20. Seed planting £1 

for 2 pots (includes free trail map) 

T: 01543 308867 

Canal Art Family Learning 

Workshop 

Black Country Living Museum DY1 4SQ. 

www.bclm.co.uk. 

2:00pm-3:30pm Find out about the traditional 

skills of canal art and learn how to paint a rose 

design. Part of the IgnitEd programme of Handson 

Heritage for Families and Young People. Cost 

£3. Booking essential T: 0121 520 8054 

Historic Boaters Gathering 

Black Country Living Museum DY1 4SQ. 

www.bclm.co.uk. 

10:00am-5:00pm ‘Leg it’ to the Black Country and 

take part in one of the most atmospheric inland 

waterway events of the year! Navigate your way 

through colourfully decorated working boats and 

discover life aboard a traditional narrowboat as it 

would have been in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

T: 0121 520 8054 

‘Pumping Station in Steam’ 

Claymills Victorian Pumping Station DE13 0DA 

www.claymills.org.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm Children can participate in 

model making, dress up in Victorian clothing, 

follow the rat trail as well as experiencing 

miniature steam engine rides and learning 

about woodwork and woodturning through 

demonstrations or how metals are made from 

stone! There is something for all the family. 

Adults £6, Child £3. T: 01283 509929 

6th Annual Chilli Festival 

Dorothy Clive Garden TF9 4EU 

www.dorothyclivegarden.co.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm A fun and fiery family 

event; enjoy a chilli market, live music, a chilli 

trail around the garden, chilli cooking demos, 

a chilli eating contest and more! Adults £7.50, 

Child £2.50 (5-17 years old) 

T: 01630 647237 

Spudfest 




and trailer ride to the potato plot and dig up 

your own potatoes for FREE! Normal admission 

charges apply. T: 01283 533933 

Derbyshire Woodland 

Festival 

Elvaston Castle Country Park DE72 3EP 

www.derbyshire.gov.uk 

10:00am-5:00pm Watch expert crafts 

people at work and have a-go yourself. Fire 

lighting, survival skills, chair making, willow 

weaving, the Green Man and so much more. 

Lots of activities for children, delicious food, 

bespoke gifts, plants and an array of stalls. 

T: 01629 533870 

Autumn Steam Gala 

Foxfield Railway Station ST11 9BG 

www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk 

Throughout the day a passenger service will 

connect Caverswall Road with Dilhorne Park 

from where visitors will be able to alight and 

make the short walk to Foxfield Colliery. At 

Foxfield colliery you will be able to view the start 

of the notorious Foxfield Bank where engines 

of all sizes will take their turn on hauling the 

heavy trains up ruling gradient averaging 1:25! 

T: 01782 396210 

24 Sept 

Woodland Skills Day 

Dudmaston Estate Quatt WV15 6QN 


11:00am-5:30pm Talented woodcraftsmen will 

demonstrate their skills in basket weaving and 

wood carving. Speak to our forestry rangers to 

find out how we manage the woodland on our 

estate and watch them work the pole lathe and 

log mill. Free event, normal admission charges 

apply. T: 01746 780866 

Family Fun Raceday 

Uttoxeter Racecourse ST14 8BD 

www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk 

12:15pm See your favourite Mascot’s Race in this 

Mascot Raceday featuring the Autumn Chase 

& Hurdle! Organised by The Children’s Trust 

Charity, the UK’s leading charity for children with 

brain injuries. There’’ll be 7 races and plenty of 

entertainment for the kids in the Centre Course, 

plus all under 18s go FREE! Entertainment from 

the likes of Twistopher, and also Castle fun 

slides, a Children’s play area, face painting, and 

loads more inflatables to keep the little ones 

entertained! T: 01889 562561 

29 Sept 

Senior Open Mornings 

Lichfield Cathedral School WS13 7LH 

www.Lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

9.30am-11.30am Tours are taken by current 

pupils in the senior school and parents can 

meet members of the teaching staff and 

the Head Teacher over coffee. To arrange an 

open morning visit, use the online form or 

contact the Admissions Team by telephone 

on 01543 306168, by email admissions@ 


30 Sept 

Wild Families FREE EVENT 

World Of Wedgewood Stoke-on-Trent, 

ST12 9ER www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk 

11:00am-12:00noon Drop in Nature based 

activities for all the family which may include 

bug hunting, natural crafts ...and much more! 

T: 07854 532400 

8 


Derby Grammar School 

Open Morning DE23 4BX 

www.derbygrammar.co.uk 

9:30am-12:00noon Go along and experience 

Derby Grammar School for yourself. Take a 

tour of the school, meet the Head, teachers, 

pupils, parents and governors. See how 

education is brought to life. Everyone 

welcome. To book a place contact Admissions 

E: admissions@derbygrammar.org or 

T: 01332 510030 

30 Sept – 1 Oct 

War In The Valley 

Kingsley and Froghall Station ST10 2HA 

www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk 

Annual wartime weekend, as the Churnet Valley 

is transported back to the 1940s. Steam hauled 

Passenger Service, 1940s Military Goods Train, 

Saturday Evening “Live” Radio Show. Froghall 

Allied Camp - Singer Paul Harper, North West 

Military Collectors Battle Re-enactment, North 

Staffs Military Vehicle Trust Display. Consall Axis 

Camp - NWMC Axis Camp. Cheddleton Home 

Front - 30s/40s Singer Brandyn Shaw, Notts & 

Derby ‘Women’s Land Army’ Display “Life on the 

Home Front”. Rationing Exhibition, Black-out 

Display and Evacuee Puzzles, Air Raid Siren Reenactment. 

Adults £20 Child (4-14) £14, Under 4’s 

go free. T: 01538 750755 

Spudfest National Forest Adventure 

Farm DE13 9SJ www.adventurefarm.co.uk 


and trailer ride to the potato plot and dig up your 

own potatoes for FREE! Normal admission charges 

apply. T: 01283 533933 

Thomas Pegg Memorial 

Tractor Rally 



9:00am Registration Join with your 

vehicular pride and joy whether it be a 

tractor, car, lorry, van or motorbike. The rally 

commemorates Thomas Pegg, a teenage 

farming enthusiast, who tragically died in 

a car accident in 2010. All proceeds from 

the event will be donated to the Royal 

Agricultural Benevolent Institution and 

Uttoxeter based Youth Emotional Support 

Services. Normal admission charges apply. 

T: 07815 725 392 

1 Oct 

Puppet Play Day Ancient High 

House ST16 2JA www.staffordbc.gov.uk 

String, shadow and glove puppets. Enjoy puppet 

show performances throughout the day. See 

shadow puppet demonstrations and make your 

own character to take home. With children’s craft 

workshops, craft stalls and face painting. Free 

entry, charges for workshops apply. 

T: 01785 619131 

6 Oct 

Little Saplings Sensory Play 

National Memorial Arboretum DE13 7AR 

www.thenma.org.uk 

10:30am-12:30pm Little Saplings Sensory Play 

and Story Telling is designed to help our youngest 

visitors enjoy the Arboretum and heighten their 

development and enjoyment of learning. Sounds, 

colours, textures and other hands-on elements 

will add to the week’s chosen story. Following 

story time, children and accompanying adults 

will be given complete free-reign of our 

expanding and evolving array of sensory toys 

with the objective of encouraging creativity and 

multi-sensory experiences. Child £1.50. Booking 

essential. T: 01283 245100 

Nature Tots 

Westport Lake Visitor Centre ST6 4RZ 


10:00am-12:00noon or 1:30pm-3:30pm Fun 

nature-themed activities for under 5s and their 

carers. Seasonal, child-led outdoor exploration, 

story time, and free play. Child £4.50. 

T: 01782 826985 

6 – 8 Oct 

Wilderness 2017 at 

Beaudesert 

Beaudesert Activity Centre WS15 4JJ 

www.beaudesert.org.uk 

Brand new bushcraft event. Massive range 

of bushcraft demonstrations, training 

courses and workshops. Including the 

cooking zone, wilderness camping zone, 

hammock camping zone, bivouac zone, 

professional talks, paddle sports zone, back 

to basics activities, trade show, evening 

entertainment and much more. £35 per 

person weekend ticket (Friday through 

until Sunday, includes camping, access to 

all talks and demonstrations, and an event 

t-shirt). Weekend meal deal £20. Weekend 

hammock hire £10 per person. £25 per 

person day pass Saturday only until 10pm. 

T: 01543 682278 

E: info@beaudesert.org.uk 

7 Oct 

Family Forest Fun 

Kedleston Hall DE22 5JH 


10:30am-12:00noon (ages5-8), 1:00pm-2:30pm 

(ages 9-12) Come along for a mix of craft, games, 

stories and woodland skills. Adult £1, Child £3, 

normal admission charges apply. Booking 

essential T: 01332 842191 

Art Attack FREE EVENT 

Tamworth Castle Grounds B79 7NA 

www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk 

As part of Tamworth Arts in Unusual Spaces 

enjoy the Big Draw with a day of free 

activities with professional artists and 

illustrators. Activities include chalk 

drawings in St Editha’s Square, land art 

creations in Tamworth Castle Grounds 

and the all new Body Draw in Ankerside 

Shopping Centre, where participants wear 

drawing gloves, hats and shoes to get loose 

with their creativity. T: 01827 709618 

Wildlife Watch - 

Raft Building 

The Wolseley Centre ST17 0WT 


10:00am-12:00noon Using natural materials you 

find have a go at building and racing your own 

raft down the river. Suitable for ages 5-13. Child 

£1. Booking essential. T: 01889 562653 

Film & DVD 

Preview Guide 

A Dog’s Purpose Available on DVD 

This autumn bring home the pawfect family film that follows the story of one special dog 

as he tries to find his purpose. Based on the beloved international 

bestselling book, ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ shares the heart-warming 

and uplifting story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning 

of his own existence through the lives of the humans he 

teaches to laugh and love. The film follows Bailey as he moves 

through several lives, being born anew into different species 

and sometimes even gender. As he journeys, Bailey forms an 

unbreakable bond with a kindred human spirit, Ethan, who he 

must help to make sense of the world, of identity, of life and of 

death. Follow Bailey and his other canine counterparts through 

this feel-good film with a fantastic all-star cast. If you’re a lover 

of animals then ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ is definitely for you. Lap up 

the loveable ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ which is available on Blu-ray 

and DVD now, courtesy of Entertainment One. 

The Jungle Bunch Returns 

Based on the award winning French-American-British TV series, the Jungle 

Bunch are back. Maurice may look like an emperor penguin but he’s a real 

tiger inside. He journeyed from Antarctica to the equator because he believed 

he belonged there. Raised by a tigress, he’s the clumsiest Kung-Fu master ever. 

Maurice has a group of friends who together make The Jungle Bunch. Junior 

is a fi sh who has been aptly named due to being the adopted son of Maurice. 

He is usually found in a bowl under 

Maurice’s arm. They are joined by 

Miguel, an innocent, banana eating 

gorilla, Gilbert, a clever but often 

grumpy tarsier, Batricia the bat, 

Fred the warthog and Al and Bob, 

two toads with distinct personalities. 

Along with his friends, Maurice 

intends to maintain order and justice in the jungle as his mother did before him. 

But Igor, an evil koala, wants to destroy the jungle once and for all with the help 

of his army of silly baboons. The Jungle Bunch is released in UK cinemas on 15 

September. 

Captain Underpants Comes to DVD 

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, based on the worldwide sensation 

and bestselling book series, is coming to DVD. It boasts an A-list cast of comedy 

superstars headed by Kevin Hart and Ed Helms and comes from DreamWorks 

Animation. 

This raucously subversive comedy for 

the entire family tells the story of two 

overly imaginative pranksters named 

George and Harold. George, the writer, 

and Harold, the artist, spend their days 

creating comic books and dreaming 

up pranks. One day they accidentally 

hypnotize their school principal into 

thinking he’s a ridiculously enthusiastic, 

incredibly dim-witted superhero named Captain Underpants whose costume 

consists of underwear and a cape. As if this isn’t bad enough, their newest 

teacher is a disgraced evil scientist bent on exacting his revenge at their school. 

When Captain Underpants stumbles upon this villain, he must band together 

with George and Harold to thwart the scientist’s evil agenda. 

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is due to be released on DVD on 

12 September and is also available for digital download from iTunes and 

Amazon Video. 

London Film Festival 

The BFI London Film Festival is returning from 4-15 October. 

The Festival sees hundreds of new UK and international films 

screened at more than fifteen locations across the capital for the 

UK’s leading, and most prestigious, film event. One of the regular 

highlights of the festival is the Family Strand. The Family Gala is 

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales which is an outstanding, laugha-minute 

animation guaranteed to appeal to adults as much as it 

will children. For more information and a full programme, visit 

www.bfi.org.uk/lff 



An Ancient Mediterranean diet 

– by Julia Wills 

Nowadays the 

Mediterranean diet 

often makes the 

news and it’s widely 

accepted that eating 

all those good fats 

from olives and oily 

fish boost your brain 

big-time. 

But guess what? 

The Mediterranean diet has always been 

good for us – except that I’m not talking 

about feta cheese and salad in the sunshine 

here. I’m talking about the Classics, those 

much older gifts from Greece and Italy that 

have always built better cognitive health and 

are guaranteed to boost children for life. 

Of course, primary school children already 

have a taste of these: the opportunity to 

learn about Ancient Greece and Rome, 

discovering how the Greeks gave us 

democracy, the Olympics, breathtaking 

architecture, drama and the Iliad, whilst the 

Romans thumped their sandals all over the 

globe, sharing brick houses, roads, central 

heating, sanitation, irrigation, writing and 

Christianity. But, to paraphrase Monty 

Python’s question, “What have the Romans 

(and Greeks) ever done for us?” Those 

ancient civilisations are far more than a tick 

list of what they left behind. 

Classics comprise learning Latin and Ancient 

Greek, studying ancient civilisations and 

ancient history. All of these can be accessed 

at primary and secondary school level. 

Better still with the growth of organisations 

such as Classics For All, there is funding 

available and access to teaching skills and 

subject frameworks too. 

But schools are overstretched already, aren’t 

they, so why should yours consider Classics? 

And besides, isn’t it all a bit snooty, the 

hallmark of an elite education? In a word: 

no. You see, Latin is now taught in more 

state schools than private ones. And it, 

together with Classics’ other doctrines, can 

set children up as thinkers and doers for life. 

Latin forms the bedrock of much of the 

English language, and when studied as 

a foreign language it opens the door to a 

masterful command of grammar and an 

enviable fluency of written and spoken 

language. Ancient Greek is intrinsic in 

our language too, and to anyone who 

says otherwise, I would simply say, 

“Hippopotamus*”! Studying ancient 

civilisations and history builds children’s 

critical thinking, their ability to build an 

argument, their lateral and logical thinking. 

But infusing all those good things, like 

beautifully mixed oil and vinegar dressing 

drizzled over salad, is something even tastier: 

the Classics nurture imagination like no other 

discipline. 

“Imagination”, said Lewis Carroll (who, 

incidentally, had a degree in Classics) 

“is the only weapon in the war against 

reality”. Whilst Albert Einstein (who didn’t) 

concluded, “Imagination is more important 

than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. 

Imagination encircles the world.” And, 

let’s face it, in an era where our recent 

reality has sprung some truly appalling 

surprises, imagination has never been more 

important: the imagination to come up with 

new solutions, the imagination to persuade 

people that there are better ways to live and, 

most humanely, the imagination to wonder 

what it’s like to actually be someone else. 

Empathy flourishes when children consider 

what life as an Ancient Greek slave must 

have been like. Or a Roman emperor, 

plotted against by his friends. What did a 

ten-year old Spartan boy think about his lot 

as a soldier? Or an Ancient Briton whose 

town was invaded by the Roman army? 

Being immersed in different ways of lives 

and unfamiliar values develops an empathy 

that last a lifetime. And I, for one, can’t think 

of anything more important for youngsters, 

whether in an educational context or out of it. 

Through their ideas, military conquests 

and societies, the Greeks and Romans 

established the framework of the Western 

world, from the governments that rule it 

today to the coins that are spent each day 

in our shops. But it is through their stories, 

thinking and thinkers that they informed 

our understanding of what it means to be 

human. The first story in Western literature 

is Homer’s Iliad – on the face of it a tale of 

the Trojan War. But it’s the story’s take on 

jealousy, wrath, glory, love, fury and futility 

that draw the modern reader. Anyone who 

experiences it cannot help but take sides 

– the noble Hector versus the vainglorious 

Achilles – conflict, as fresh and relevant as 

the day it was written down, mixed with 

tragedy, bloodshed and immortality. The 

Romans left a legacy of conquests and a 

cast of real-life characters with jaw-dropping 

stories, such as Caligula, who threatened to 

make his horse consul, or Livia, rumoured to 

have poisoned her husband with figs to stop 

him from denying her son’s right to become 

emperor. 

Beyond primary and secondary school, 

a degree in Classics leads to a surprising 

number of career opportunities. Whilst not 

a vocational degree – unless you count 

academia and archaeology – graduates thrive 

in journalism, law, politics, art, theatre, writing, 

computer gaming – and most other things 

besides. Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Martin and 

J K Rowling are all proof of the remarkable 

outcomes of studying Classics. But, for me, 

this ancient Mediterranean diet is far more 

nourishing. With its heady mix of history, 

myth and magic, it captures children’s interest 

early and leads them to become creative, 

empathetic thinkers with an internalised sense 

of justice, equality and responsibility. And, 

for me, that’s what makes it one of the most 

important and life-affirming subjects we can 

offer our youngsters. 

Hippopotamus: from the Greek 

hippos meaning horse and potamos 

meaning river, so literally a ‘river 

horse’. 

Julia Wills brings the Classics to 

life with her books ‘Fleeced!’ and 

‘Rampage!’ 

108 

Primary Times BACK BACK TO TO SCHOOL SCHOOL 2017 2017 | | www.primarytimes.net/staffordshire 

www.primarytimes.net/derbyshire

Spooky Sprint 

Wollaton Hall, Nottingham 

Saturday 28 October 2017 

Prizes 

for best 

costumes 

Join us for a family fun run, 5K or 10K race. 

A fang-tastic evening for you and your 

little monsters! 

parkinsons.org.uk/spookyhall17 

020 7932 1314 

MAGIC 

AMIT 

MAGICIAN & 

HYPNOTIST 

THE MIGHTY 

MOUSTACHE 

AS SEEN ON BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT 

FREE 

JUGGLING, 

BALLOON MAKING & 

CRAFT WORKSHOPS 

FREE 

SAT 16TH 

SEPTEMBER 

11AM-4PM 

SYLVIA 

SCEPTRE 

MAGICAL 

MYSTERY 

Environmental education and woodland based family activities near Ashbourne in 

the Peak District National Park and Cannock Chase, Staffordshire 

Primary School Visits: 

Enchanted Woods, Stone Age, 

Habitats, Pond Dipping, Survival, 

Outreach Visits, Forest Schools 

and much more… 

Plus… Family Fun, Woodland Themed Birthday 

Parties, Little Woodlander Toddler Group, Wild 

Woodlander Holiday Club 

www.tanglewooddays.com 

Call 07989 492768 info@tanglewooddays.com 

TRISTAN 

THE TWISTER 

BALLOON MODELLER 

EXTRAORDINAIRE 

THE MARVELLOUS 

MOUSE CIRCUS 

HIGH WIRE JINKS 

AND MUCH MORE... 

PLUS: GALA SHOW 4PM 

BOOKING: WWW.PEAKSHOPPINGVILLAGE.COM 

FOLLOW US: 

CHATSWORTH RD, ROWSLEY, DE4 2JE 


BOX OFFICE 

OFFICE 

Your family theatre guide... 

PLEASE CHECK DETAILS 

OF SHOW WITH 

EACH VENUE BEFORE 

BOOKING, AND HAVE A 

GREAT TIME! 

BUXTON OPERA HOUSE SK17 6XN 

Box Office: 01298 72190 

www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk 

4 – 5 Oct 

The Tiger Who Came To Tea 

2:00pm The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her 

mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it 

possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to 

see at the door is a big, stripy tiger! Following a 

smash-hit West End season, the tea-guzzling tiger 

is back on the road in this delightful family show; 

packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and 

clumsy chaos! A stunning stage adaptation of the 

classic tale by Judith Kerr... expect to be surprised! 

Tickets £14.50. 

CREWE LYCEUM THEATRE CW1 2DA 

Box Office: 01270 368242 

www.crewelyceum.co.uk 

16 – 17 Sept 

Musical Mayhem 

A fantastic opportunity to support 2 great charities 

whilst being entertained by some of the best local 

talent. Let them take you back to the roaring 20’s and 

the fabulous 40’s, with an injection of cheesy 90’s 

pop and a taste of some modern musicals along the 

way. All proceeds will go to The Cystic Fibrosis Unit at 

Wythenshawe Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospice. Don’t 

Miss it! Tickets £12. Booking essential. 

STAFFORD GATEHOUSE THEATRE 

ST16 2LT 

Box Office: 01785 619080 

www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk 

15 – 16 Sept 

Just So 

Enjoy one last summer trip to the ‘Great grey-green 

greasy Limpopo River,’ where you will meet the most 

curious elephant ever! And discover how the leopard 

got his spots and the zebra her stripes. And how did 

the rhinoceros get his scritchy, itchy skin? Presented 

by Staged Right Youth Theatre based on the ‘Just 

So Stories’ by Rudyard Kipling, this tale of how 

everything began is great family fun. Adult £12, Child 

£10. Booking essential. 

THE BREWHOUSE ARTS CENTRE 

DE14 1EB 

Box Office: 01283 508100 

www.brewhouse.co.uk 

6 – 7 Oct 

Can’t Stop The Feeling 

Laura Pyatt Performing Arts pupils aged 4-18 

perform singing and dancing routines from musicals 

and the charts. Adults £10, Child £8. 

THE REGENT THEATRE PICCADILLY 

ST1 1AP 

Box Office: 0844 871 7649 

www.atgtickets.com 

9 Sept 


11:00am-2:00pm Have a look round, view technical 

demonstrations and have a sneak peak at the 

dressing rooms. Face painting, bouncy castle. Guided 

tours must be pre-booked. 

1 Oct 

Sing A Long A Frozen 

2:00pm A full screening of Disney’s Frozen with lyrics 

on screen to help you sing along during the film. 

Introduced by a live host who will guide you through 

this interactive screening by showing you how to 

use your free prop bag, warm up your singing voices 

and teach you some dance moves with the help of 

the Singalonga Princesses. Dress up as your favourite 

character. Suitable for ages 5+ for optimum 

enjoyment. Child ticket from £12. Booking essential. 

4 – 8 Oct 

Awful Auntie 

When Stella sets off to visit London with her parents, 

Lord and Lady Saxby, she has no idea her life is in 

danger! Waking up three months later, only her Aunt 

Alberta can tell Stella what has happened. But not 

everything Aunt Alberta tells her turns out to be true. 

David Walliams’ amazing tale of frights, fights and 

friendship, features a very large owl, a very small 

ghost and a very awful Auntie! Booking essential. 

TICKETS 

SELLING FAST! 

CARROTPRODUCTIONS PRESENTS... 

Tou r 

Big screen 

Iconic film 

World class musicians 

As featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times 

& The Telegraph “Top things to do at Christmas” 

© Disney 

COVENTRY CATHEDRAL 

9 th December 2017 

ALSO FEATURING The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield 

Animated film of the award-winning book with the voice of JOANNA LUMLEY narrating. 

18th – 29th 

October 2017 

0844 338 8000 * or 

0844 847 2255 * 

*Calls cost a maximum of 7 pence per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. 

Calls from mobiles may be higher and are dependent on your mobile company’s 

charges and tariffs. 

WORCESTER CATHEDRAL 

20 th December 2017 

LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL 

21 st December 2017 

ALSO FEATURING The Nutcracker 

An exclusive animated film bringing TCHAIKOVSKY’S beautiful music to life. 

SEATS AVAILABLE FROM www.carrotproductions.com/tour-dates.html 

carrotproductions.com 

© Snowman Enterprises Limited “The Snowman” by Raymond Briggs is published by Puffin www.thesnowman.com 

12 


WIN! A FAMILY TICKET TO 

SEE TREASURE ISLAND 

AT THE NEW VIC THEATRE, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME 

We have teamed up with the 

award-winning New Vic Theatre, 

Newcastle-under-Lyme, to give away a 

Family Ticket to see Treasure Island. 

1750, Sleepy Cove. Tired of the quiet life, 

Gem dreams of adventure and excitement. 

When a mysterious stranger comes to 

stay at The Admiral Benbow Inn, she 

believes her luck is about to change. And 

so begins an epic journey. A journey filled 

with pirates and possibilities; buried 

treasure and blue horizons; seafarers and 

scallywags. And in the middle of it all, a 

good-hearted cook called Long John Silver 

– but is he friend or foe? As Gem helps 

search for treasure on faraway shores, 

meeting larger than life characters along 

the way, she discovers there’s far more to a 

life of adventure than she ever imagined. 

Answer the following question for your chance to win a 

ticket for a family of four 

Who wrote the original novel, Treasure Island? 

a: Robert Louis Stevenson b: Daniel Defoe 

c: Charles Dickens 

Tickets are for any performance of Treasure Island excluding from Friday 15 to Saturday 30 December. 

The production runs at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, from Saturday 18 November 

2017 to Saturday 27 January 2018. The prize is a Family of Four Ticket – the group must include one 

child and one adult. Tickets are non-transferable and are subject to availability. 

Enter online at 

www.primarytimes.net/staffordshire/competitions 

or on Facebook at 

facebook.com/PTStaffs 

Closing Date: 6/10/2017 

Win a £250 

Toys R Us voucher 

Germolene* is working with The Wild Network 

charity to encourage children to CELEBRATE 

OUTDOOR PLAY EVERYDAY. 

Outdoor play is important for childhood 

development and children should be 

encouraged to spend more time in 

the open air, even if that brings a 

small bump along the way – it’s 

all part of growing up! 

To help your children make the 

most of their free time grab the 

chance to win one of three, £250 

Toys R Us vouchers. To enter, send a 

description of your favourite family outdoor 

memory to: germolenecompetition@thisispegasus.co.uk.** 

PLUS – visit Mumsnet.com/competitions to be in with a chance of 

winning one of two £5,000 grants towards outdoor 

play equipment for your child’s school. 

*Germolene Antiseptic 

Cream contains phenol 

and chlorhexidine 

gluconate. Always 

read the label. 

**Competition open to residents of UK, over 18s only and closes 

6/10/17. Primary Times is not responsible for collating entries or 

choosing winners. T&Cs apply visit www.primarytimes.net/competitions 

COMPETITIONS 

NEW VIC THEATRE SETS SAIL FOR 

TREASURE ISLAND THIS CHRISTMAS 

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure tale will be given the trademark 

New Vic treatment this Christmas, as the theatre stages Treasure Island, 

from Saturday 18 November 2017 – Saturday 27 January 2018. 

Adapted and directed by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins, 

Treasure Island will take audiences on a journey across the high seas, 

filled with larger-than-life characters, swashbuckling sword fights, live 

music, humour, puppetry, and of course, plenty of pirates! 

Brought to the stage by the same creative team behind the New Vic’s 

spectacular adaptations of The Snow Queen, The Borrowersand The 

Hundred and One Dalmatians, the festive season at the theatre looks set to 

be a memorable adventure that the whole family can enjoy. 

Tickets for Treasure Island 

are on sale now, priced from 

£15.00 to £24.00 (concessions 

and family tickets available) 

and can be booked online at 

newvictheatre.org.uk or by 

telephoning Box Office on 

01782 717962. A transaction 

fee of £1.00 per ticket applies 

when booking online. 

A New Vic, Newcastle-under- 

Lyme production 

Treasure Island By Robert 

Louis Stevenson 

Adapted by Theresa Heskins 

Saturday 18 November 2017 

– Saturday 27 January 2018 

A Family Craft Course at 

the Eco Centre 

Derbyshire County Council’s Eco Centre at Middleton-by-Wirksworth 

offers a range of courses and workshops for the whole family. The 

centre is the county hub for sustainability learning in a high quality, 

enjoyable and supportive environment. Here’s your chance to 

sample one of their family learning sessions for FREE! They are giving 

away two family places on the Family Crafts with Natural Materials 

course on Wednesday 25 October (10am-12.30pm), where you will 

be able to use found natural materials to create magical creatures, 

story sticks, potions, etc . 

Find out more about the Eco Centre at their stand at the Derbyshire 

Woodland Festival (see advert on page 7) or visit 

www.derbyshire.gov.uk/ecocentre 

Answer the following question correctly for your chance to win 

What other family ‘making’ course is on offer at the 

Eco Centre in the October half-term? 

A. Puppet making B. Mosaic making C. Model making 

• The family 

place is for up 

to 2 adults and 

2 children. 

Extra Children 

£5 each. 

Maximum 3 

children per 

adult. 

Closing 

Date 

30 September 

2017 

Clue: Take 

a look in the 

Autumn courses 

brochure on the 

website 

Enter online at www.primarytimes.net/derbyshire/competitions 

or https://www.facebook.com/PrimaryTimesDerby 


An Interview with Lauren Child 

Primary Times have been talking to Lauren Child, the new 

Waterstones’ Children’s Laureate. A writer and illustrator, 

she is best known for the Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean 

and Ruby Redfort series. She has received numerous 

awards and was given an MBE in 2010 for her services 

to literature. Her latest book in the Charlie and Lola 

series, ‘A Dog With Nice Ears’, is due to be released on 28 

September. 

nine years old, and as soon as I finished it, I read 

it all over again. Another is Astrid Lindgren’s 

Pippi Longstocking. I loved her because she 

was a child like no other. She was a girl 

and she was funny and there weren’t enough 

books about funny girls in those days. She’s 

very courageous and doesn’t really care 

what people think about her in the best 

possible way. She doesn’t worry about what she’s wearing and doing 

and she is able to 

be herself. 

How does it feel to be the new Waterstones’ 

Children’s Laureate? 

It is a great honour but it’s also a great responsibility. It feels slightly 

unreal too, partly because my career began almost 20 years ago, 

exactly the time Quentin Blake was the first Children’s Laureate. 

Quentin was a huge influence on my becoming an illustrator. I 

loved his illustrations really before I knew who he was as a person. 

There was the Grimble and the illustrations from Betsy Byers 18th 

Emergency, my favourite book as a child. And I remember watching 

him on television back in the days when the BBC had a programme 

called Jackanory. It was so wonderful to see live drawing as the story 

was told, and in fact Quentin Blake was the first illustrator I realised 

was an actual real person. It was so different in those days. You didn’t 

have the same chance to meet authors and illustrators as you do now. 

What do you plan to do as Laureate? 

I’m interested in championing children’s creativity and I want to 

encourage children to spend a little of their time looking, listening 

and making things because they’re driven to create. I’ll be starting a 

blog soon called ‘Staring Into Space’ where I’m going to hopefully help 

inspire that. 

I also want to champion reading and drawing for pleasure and to 

elevate children’s book illustration to the level of other art forms. I 

think illustration is seen as something less than fine art, and writing 

for children as slightly less than writing for adults. I think we can 

be a little bit patronising about it. That’s a shame, because we know 

that literature is life-changing for children and the first art we really 

get up close to is in books. That’s where we begin with reading and 

storytelling. We do children a disservice if we can’t see and celebrate 

its power. 

I also want to talk about diversity, as inclusivity is really important to 

me. There aren’t enough books written by and about people of all 

kinds of backgrounds and culture. It’s important because if as a child 

you don’t see yourself on the front cover of a book then how do you 

feel part of society? 

Which books, authors and illustrators are your 

main inspirations? 

I have so many. When I was a child I loved The Secret Garden by 

Frances Hodgson Burnett. I remember reading it when I was about 

When you were growing up did you feel you 

could be yourself like Pippi Longstocking? 

No. I was terrible at being myself. I was very self conscious and 

worried about what people were thinking - am I wearing the right 

thing, am I saying the right thing? All of my characters in my books 

now are at least moving in the direction of being themselves. 

How important do you think it is for children 

to daydream and stare out of the window? 

I think it’s vital. You can’t come up with anything without a certain 

amount of boredom, because boredom is the beginning of 

invention. Solving problems and letting your mind wander and find 

the edges of something. It’s how you get to an inspired place and 

become creative. When I get really stuck in my own work now, I go 

out and look around at things. I go to the cinema, an art gallery, I 

put on the radio, I tune into people’s conversations. You hear these 

amazing things. And when I hear or see something interesting I 

write it down. You end up with notebooks full of interesting things. 

What are you working on now? 

I’m writing a chapter book for younger readers, for around six to 

nine-year-olds. It’s very, very illustrated because I missed drawing 

so much when I was writing my Ruby Redfort series. So - lots of 

drawings. My new Charlie and Lola book A Dog With Nice Ears is 

coming out in the Autumn. It was inspired by looking at all the dogs 

in the park near our home with my daughter and imagining what 

kind of dog we would like to have. 

Do you have any advice for children that are 

starting to write? 

My advice would be to write what you enjoy. You need to write 

about something that interests you. It might be something funny 

that you see out of the window or something that you’ve imagined 

or about your family. You’ve got to enjoy what you’re writing or you 

won’t be able to carry on. You’ve got to let things develop, listen, 

and watch how people talk and interact. Dig deep into your own 

memory and try and tap into how things feel. 

Lauren Child’s latest 

book in the Charlie 

and Lola series, ‘A 

Dog With Nice Ears’, 

is published by 

Orchard Books on 28 

September and will 

be available from 

high street bookstores 

and online at a 

recommended priced of £12.99.

Learning to write made easier 

and quicker with Write Size! 

Writing is one of the most fundamental learning 

blocks of education, and can often be a challenge 

for young children. 

Could it be possible, giving children a pencil that is 

too long and thin in their hand is one of the main 

reasons for this struggle? 

Write Size have created a unique and niche range 

of writing pencils made to scale for a child’s hand, 

promoting better control and improved writing 

ability. 

Recent classroom studies showed up to 97% of 

children had improved writing when using Write 

Size pencils. With the majority of children writing 

more words per minute. 

When used with Write Size books, parents have the 

ability to teach their children the alphabet and basic 

skills of writing before they even get to school, giving 

children the best start to their education. 

To order or for more information visit – 

www.writesize.co.uk 

Kids get creative! 

DESIGN THE PRIMARY TIMES 

CHRISTMAS CARD! 

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. 

Our picture shows our card from last year which was created 

The picture on the front cover of this card 

was created by Sam Fletcher aged 7 

& May Fletcher aged 6 

Hawthorne Primary & Nursery School, 

Nottinghamshire 

by May and Sam Fletcher from Nottinghamshire. 

Sam & May won the 

“Create the Primary Times Christmas Card” 

Competition for 2016 

Closing date for entries is 29th October 2017. 

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 

Unit 1A Thamesview 

Industrial Estate 

Newtown Road 

Henley on Thames RG9 1HG 

Unit 1A Thamesview Industrial Estate, Newtown Road, Henley on Thames RG9 1HG 

Our card from a previous 

year which was designed by 

Kavina Patel aged 8. 

Seasons Greetings 

Teachers and schools are very welcome to send in entries from an entire class in a single envelope ensuring that the 

school name, child’s name and age are clearly written on the back of each entry. The winner’s design will be used for the 

2017 Primary Times Head Office Christmas card and the winner will also receive 50 copies of the card with envelopes. 


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Primary Times Staffordshire Back to School 2017

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