Primary Times Staffordshire Feb 18

42,000 COPIES FOR FAMILIES OF 

PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN 

www.primarytimes.co.uk 

Staffordshire & 

Stoke-on-Trent 

© Disney, © Disney/Pixar. 

28th March – 

1st April 2018 

FEBRUARY ISSUE 2018 

5 FEB - 18 MARCH 2018

From term dates 

to libraries! 

Term Dates 

Your Library 

Admissions 

School 

Menus 

School 

Closures 

Adoption 

& Fostering 

...and more! 

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Hello Readers! 

Welcome to 2018 and the latest issue of Primary Times. We hope 

you’ve had a wonderful start to the New Year. 

The temptation at this time of year is to stay indoors, find 

something entertaining on the TV and relax on the sofa under a 

blanket until the weather starts to turn distinctly warmer. Whilst 

this might sound like a good plan (and it does) there’s always 

plenty to see and do once you venture out of the front door. 

Our What’s On Guide has plenty of ideas for fun activities and 

days out whatever the weather, and to keep the children happy 

during the half-term holidays that are fast approaching. If you 

fancy something indoors, you could always head to the theatre. 

You’ll find the best family shows in our Box Office section. 

Now the festive period is over, it is still possible that you want 

to party. If you’ve got a child’s birthday coming up in the near 

future DON’T PANIC! Our Party Guide is full of ideas to help you 

create an amazing memory for all involved. You can also visit our 

Pinterest page for party food inspiration www.pinterest.co.uk/ 

primarytimesuk 

Don’t forget to enter our competition on page 15 offering a great 

prize at Laser Quest Stoke, with even more competitions on our 

website too. You might also want to take a look at the ‘early bird’ 

saving on page 15 and reader offers on pages 7–9. 

Our next issue will be full of the joys of spring but until then, 

here’s to a wonderful start to 2018! 

Primary Times Team 

4 What’s on Where 

7 Time to Party 

9 Party Guide 

10 Pinboard 

14 Box Office 

15 Film Review 

15 Competitions 

CALLING ALL 

FAMILIES 

AND TEACHERS! 

Remember to send in 

your news for our news 

pages – we would love 

to hear from you! 

Don’t forget 

to visit us 

online at 

www.primarytimes.co.uk 

/staffordshire 

Primary Times 

staffordshire 

...the UK’s biggest, free ‘what’s on’ magazine for parents! 

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.co.uk/ 

staffordshire 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. 

Editorial: Sam Shepherd sam@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 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. 

CONTENTS 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire | FEBRUARY 2108 Primary Times 3

WHAT'S ON WHERE 

If you are looking for more inspiration, there 

are many more events on our website 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire 

To 28 Feb 

Lion Trail 

Gladstone Pottery Museum 

ST3 1PQ 

www.stoke.gov.uk 

10:00am-4:00pm Tuesdays 

– Saturdays during February. 

Solve the clues and find the 

ceramic lions which are hiding 

all around the museum. Free 

gift and entry into a prize 

draw for everyone who takes 

part. £1 plus admission. 

To 31 Mar 

Giant Sleepovers 

Conkers Waterside 

www.visitconkers.com/events 

The sleepover package consists of Evening 

Meal, Biscuits and Hot Chocolate before 

bedtime, Big Screen Movies and Breakfast. 

Don’t forget to 

say you saw it in 

Primary Times! 

2 Feb 

Wildlings Launch 

The Wolseley Centre ST17 0WT 

www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk 

10:30am-12:00noon . A taster session for 

the new Wildlings programme. Grown-ups 

will have a chance to get to know the area 

and staff that will be delivering activities. 

Give your child a chance to experience fire, 

get mucky and play independently in our 

outdoor classroom. Sessions on the first 

and third Fridays of each month. Parents/ 

carers must attend with child, but we’ll be 

encouraging parents to take a step back and 

observe their kids ‘in the wild’. Adult Free, 

Child £5, £2 for additional siblings. A healthy 

snack and a drink will be included for all 

children and adults will also be provided 

with a hot drink. Booking essential 

T: 01889 880106 

2 Feb – 3 Feb 

Little Saplings Sensory Play 

National Memorial Arboretum DE13 7AR 

www.thenma.org.uk 

10.30am. 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 

We check 

listings carefully but 

event details and prices 

may be subject to change. 

Please always check 

with the venue. 


Dr D’s Science Club 

Erasmus Darwin House WS13 7AD 

www.erasmusdarwin.org 

10:00am-12:00noon. Science club 

created for children aged 7-11! Meet 

a genuine scientist and experiment 

with fun activities. Collect stamps on 

your personalised passport each week 

to become a fully-fledged Dr Darwin 

Scientist and win a prize. Child £4 with a 

discount for siblings. Booking Advisable 

T: 01543 306260 www.erasmusdarwin. 

org Beacon Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, 

WS13 7AD 

Glass Crafts 

Red House Glass Cone DY8 4AZ 

www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do/museums 

11.30-1.30pm- Glass Crafts Keyring. 2pm or 3pm 

- Glass Fusion Plus Unicorns. Working in our glass 

fusing studio, make lovely glass treasures. 

4 Feb and every Sunday 

Turn up and Play 

LongtonPark ST3 4AZ www.stoke.gov.uk 

2pm-3pm . This family fun multi-activity session 

will include activities such as rounders, cricket 

and a number of other family games. 

10 Feb - 25 Feb 

Drayton’s Half Term Fun 

Drayton Manor Park 

www.draytonmanor.co.uk 

10:30am-4:30pm. Join us for lots of fun with 

Thomas and friends. Thomas Land rides and 

attractions and selected family favourite rides 

around the park. Live shows with the Fat Controller 

and friends in Thomas Land. See a variety of 

animals in our 15-acre zoo. T: 0844 4721950 

Pirate and Princess Week 

Alton Towers Hotel ST10 4DB 

www.altontowers.com 

Ahoy me hearties! Join us now for a Swashbuckling 

Pirate and Princess Week! Our hotels have been 

taken over by swashbuckling Pirates and we have 

some wonderful Pirate activities and entertainment 

on offer for the whole family to enjoy! 

10 Feb - 31 Mar 

Welcome to the 16th Scent-ury 

Little Moreton Hall CW12 4SD 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

11:00am-5:00pm. How did the Tudors believe air 

and scent affected them? How did they think their 

body interacted with the environment around 

them? Find out more and discover how air and 

scent can keep you well in the 21st century too. 

Families can join in the fun with the ‘You Smell!’ 

trail and lots of hands on smelly activities. 


Paws For Remembrance 

National Memorial Arboretum DE13 7AR 

www.thenma.org.uk 

9:00am. Spend the day with the love of your 

life. Explore the Arboretum’s dog walking 

route, whilst supporting the Arboretum. 

Our expert guides will be en route to tell you 

about some of the many memorials you can 

see whilst completing our, new for 2017, 

Paws for Remembrance route. £5 per dog. 

Booking essential. T: 01283 245100 

Kite Flying day 

Calke Abbey DE73 7LE 


11:am-1600 . The Midland Kite Fliers will thrill 

you with their skills. Bring your own kite, buy 

one here, or make one in our workshop. 


Pre-School and Junior 

Open Morning 

Lichfield Cathedral School WS15 4PT 

www.lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

9.30am-11am Come and meet our senior 

staff, teachers and pupils and see our 

fantastic facilities. Tours will be led by Year 

4 pupils, so that you get their perspective of 

the school. If you can’t make this date, private 

visits to the School can be made throughout 

the School year. Contact the Admissions 

on 01543 306168, or email admissions@ 

lichfieldcathedralschool.com 


Bhangra Tots 

Bentilee Library ST2 0EU 


11:00am . A fun and interactive form of exercise 

combining story-telling with dance, creative 

movement and sounds. 

Wildlings Launch 



10:30am-12:00noon . Give your kiddos a 

chance to experience fire, get mucky and play 

independently in our outdoor classroom. 

16 Feb - 18 Feb 

Ice Breaker 2018 

Beaudesert Activity Centre WS15 4JJ 

www.beaudesert.org 

Now in its 3rd year our massive winter 

activity weekend is packed with activities 

including the Climbing Zone, the Target 

Sports Zone, Inflatable Zone, and the 

Bushcraft Zone. The action doesn’t stop 

in the evening with the Twilight Zone 

including cinema, campfire and disco. 


Build A Bird Box 

Kedleston Hall DE22 5JH 


10am-12noon. Build your own bird box to create 

homes for wild birds in your garden. You can also 

make a bird feeder to keep our feathered friends 

well fed this winter. £5 per bird box. Normal 

admission charges apply. T: 01332 842191 

Sticky Saturday FREE ENTRY 



1:30pm-3:30pm. Come along and join in the 

craft fun 

Open Event 

Stafford College ST16 2OR 

www.staffordcoll.ac.uk 

10am – 12noon. Get all of the information 

you need to help find the right course for you! 

Make sure you make the time to take a tour and 

our experienced staff are on hand throughout 

the event to provide advice and guidance on 

all of our courses. We also have a full range of 

interactive demonstrations available for you to 

take part in. E: enquiries@staffordcoll.ac.uk or 

T: 01785 223800 

17 Feb - 18 Feb 

Re-Opening Weekend 

Trentham Monkey Forest ST12 9HR 

www.monkey-forest.com 

10:00am-4:00pm . Catch your first glimpse of 

the monkeys in 2018 and get your face painted. 

See how the babies have grown over the winter 

and learn all about the 140 Barbary macaques 

that live at Trentham. Trentham Monkey Forest 

admission applies. T: 01782 659845 


Play With Clay 

Middleport Pottery ST6 3PE 

www.middleportpottery.org 

10:00am-4:00pm. Self-led ‘Play-with Clay’. £2 

per person. T: 01782 499766 


New Life on the Farm & 

Help the Farmer 

National Forest Adventure Farm DE13 9SJ 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk 

Meet our new baby animals including lambs, 

piglets and chicks. Help bottle feed our baby 

lambs and maybe see one being born in our 

Lambing Live tent. Help Farmer Fogg in his 

indoor barn with a range of fun activities. 

Make a scarecrow, plant seeds, mend the 

fences, rebuild the tractor, test drive the 

remote control tractors and put eggs back 

together in the egg scramble game. 

T: 01283 533933 

Half-term on the Farm and 

Lamb Feeding 

Lower Drayton Farm ST19 5RE 

www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk 

10am – 4pm (last admission). 

There’s nothing cuter than newborn lambs, so 

why not head to Lower Drayton Farm this half 

term to be celebrate the arrival of the first lambs 

of the year. In addition to meeting and helping 

to feed the new arrivals, you’ll be able to enjoy 

in all the farm’s usual activities – including the 

fun yet educational farm trailer ride, nature trail, 

woodland walk, adventure playground, pony 

rides, lamb-themed craft activities, a ‘woolly’ 

quiz and more. 

Trentham Fern Train Trips 

Trentham Gardens Stoke-on-Trent ST4 8JG 

www.trentham.co.uk 

12-3:00pm Sit astride the miniature train at 

Trentham Gardens and steam along the lakeside 

and back. 

Half-Term at Conkers 

Conkers DE12 6GA 

www.visitconkers.com/events 

Adventures at Conkers over half term will 

keep the family engaged for hours. Daily 

craft activities from 11:00am to 4:00pm, 

Ranger activities to take part in at 10.30am, 

12.00noon, 1.30pm & 3.00pm every day 

and live indoor shows (during the second 

week of half term). 

4 

Primary Times FEBRUARY 2018 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire


change 

it up 

Develop or change your career 

University-level courses in Computing, Sport, 

Education, Business, Health & Social Care, Art & 

Design, Engineering and more. If you don’t have 

the qualifications for a university-level course 

then an Access to Higher Education course 

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We also offer FREE maths & English courses! 

Enquire today at: 

Newcastle-under-Lyme College 

01782 254254 | info@nulc.ac.uk 

www.nulc.ac.uk 

Stafford College 

01785 223800 | enquiries@staffordcoll.ac.uk 

www.staffordcoll.ac.uk 



18 Feb - 24 Feb 

Dragon Hunt 

Tamworth Castle B79 7NA 

www.tamworthcastle.co.uk 

11:30am-4:00pm. Visitors are invited to 

come and help us search for our dragons 

and pick up some dragon facts along the 

way. Learn how to decorate the dragons 

den, identify the dragon eggs and brush up 

on your dragon hunting skills! In addition, 

children will have the opportunity to have 

a go at a dragon related craft. 

18 Feb- 25 Feb 

Snowdrop Week Middleton Hall 

We are open for February half-term, so come 

and see the snowdrops in the glade. The hall, 

gardens and nature trail will be open. Our tour 

guides have been working hard this winter 

refreshing their tours, and would like a chance 

to practice. 


Half-term workshop – Story with Rory. 

Lichfield Garrick WS13 6HR 

www.lichfieldgarrick.com 

For 8 – 10 year olds. Learn how to tell 

incredible stories and create your own 

unique quest in this interactive and 

energetic workshop. £5. Tel: 01543 412121 

to book. 

Kite Day 

Beacon Park WS13 6QZ 

www.lichfieldhistoricparks.co.uk 

10:00 - 3:30pm. Make and decorate your own 

kite and then challenge others to a mini-kite 

flying competition! Most suitable for age 5+. 

All children must be accompanied 

Pony Activity Session 

Cannock Chase Trekking Centre ST19 5RP 

www.cannockchasehorsetrekking.com 

Includes meet the ponies, grooming, points of 

the pony, helping to ‘tack up’ riding lesson, 

games and even more pony fun. Cost £45. 

Booking essential T: 01785 711 177 

Palace of Curiosities 

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery ST1 

3DW 

www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

ROLL UP! ROLL UP! - for a Victorian sideshow 

with a difference. Meet the Marcus Island 

Mermaid along with other objects that 

will amaze and astound you. Enjoy all the 

atmosphere, wonderment and macabre family 

fun of a Victorian travelling fairground curiosity 

sideshow. There will also be Victorian cookery 

demonstrations throughout the day. 11am, free 

19th Feb - 20th Feb 

Jedi Fight Academy and sci-fi 

characters ‘meet & greet’ 

Freeport Talke ST7 1XD 

www.freeport-talke.com 

Learn to be a Jedi with stunt double, 

Andrew Lawden, at our Lightsaber training 

classes. Meet & greet your favourite sci–fi 

characters, and don’t forget your camera 

for a photo opportunity. Plus enjoy free 

craft sessions and face painting on these 

days too. Booking required for Jedi School. 

See website for more details and to preregister 

for your place at the Jedi school. 

19 Feb – 23 Feb 

Behind the Scenes Factory Tours 

Emma Bridgewater Factory ST1 3EJ 

www.emmabridgewaterfactory.co.uk 

10:00am, 11:30am or 1:30pm. Enjoy our 

expanded, Factory Tour where you can see 

behind the scenes and find out how we make 

our handmade, hand decorated pottery in our 

Victorian factory. Suitable for children aged 5 

years and above. Booking essential T: 01782 

201328 

Holiday Fun 

Burntwood Leisure Centre WS7 3XH 

www.lichfielddc.gov.uk 

A range of half-term holiday activities for children. 

Half-term ice-skating 

Cinebowl I-Skate ST14 8AZ 

www.cinebowl.co.uk 

10am – 4pm. This February Half Term at 

Planet Ice Uttoxeter there will be plenty of 

activities to keep you busy on the ice. All 

half term we have great value skating on 

ice skating passes, disco sessions and huge 

savings on family packages which you can 

now book online. We also have our very 

popular Intense Learn To Skate Camps back 

where you can learn the basics of ice skating 

in just 5 days with Skate Excellence. 

Tel: 01889 566644. 

Mini Museum 

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery 

ST1 3DW 

www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

Reflecting all the collections held by the museum, 

this family friendly exhibition will be asking 

visitors what their favourite objects are and how 

they would like to see them displayed. 

Half Term Fun 

Trentham Monkey Forest ST12 9HR 

www.monkey-forest.com 

10:00am-4:00pm. See how the babies have 

grown over the winter and learn all about the 

140 Barbary macaques that live at Trentham. 

Trentham Monkey Forest admission applies. 

T: 01782 659845 

Medieval Mayhem 

Bolsover Castle S44 6PR 

www.english-heritage.org.uk 

11:00am-3:00pm. Step back in time and have 

medieval fun this half term! Meet Sir Cuss for your 

squire training and get active in games to test 

your skill and courage. Normal admission charges 

apply. T: 0370 333 1183 

Love Bird Crafts 



11am-3pm . Show how much you love birds by 

getting creative at half term with craft activities 

celebrating our feathered friends. 

Candlemass 

Little Moreton Hall CW12 4SD 


11:00am-5:00pm . Come and help us to bring the 

hall back to life as we light the fires and candles 

and play games throughout the last few days of 

winter. Free event, normal admission charges 

apply. T: 07562 845756 

Half Term Drop In Crafts 

Sudbury Hall and National Museum Of 

Childhood DE6 5HT 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sudbury-hall 

12-4pm. We’ll be running craft sessions 

inspired by the objects in Betty’s collection. 

So get those creative hands at the ready! 

Wassailing and Campfire Cooking 

Moseley Old Hall WV10 7HY 


10,30-3pm. Its time to wake up our new orchard, 

so join in wassail each day at 2pm and practice 

your campfire cooking toasting marshmallows 

over the campfire. £1 per bag of marshmallows, 

normal admission charges apply. T: 01902 

782808 

Wolves Soccer Coaching School 

Cheslyn Hay Leisure WS6 7JQ 

www.sstaffs.gov.uk 

9am-4pm. Improve your soccer skills with 

coaching from the Wolves 

Court Savers 

Friary Grange Leisure WS13 7SQ 

www.activelichfield.co.uk 

9am-5pm. Book a court for £3 for children 

during the half-term. 

Multi-Sports 

Chase Terrace School WS7 2BD 

www.premier-education.com 

8am-5pm. Inspire to Engage is Premier Sport’s 

brand new holiday course initiative. Your 

children will keep busy and active with a huge 

variety of activities and sports for them to enjoy 

during the school holiday. The fun environment 

on our holiday courses means they mix with 

loads of children of their own age, get active and 

most importantly have fun. 


Pottery Painting 

Gladstone Pottery Museum ST3 1PQ 


10:00am-4:00pm. Paint a piece of pottery to 

take home as a unique souvenir of your visit 

to Gladstone. Choose from mini bottle ovens, 

animals, flowers and special Alice in Wonderland 

themed items. From £1, normal admission 

charges apply. 

T: 01782 237 777 

Glass Fusion Bugs 



Come along and join in the craft fun 

Uv Sport 

Friary Grange Leisure WS13 7SQ 

www.activelichfield.co.uk 

1.30pm-3pm. A range of sports with a 

difference-it all happens in the dark 

Seasonal Tiles 

Emma Bridgewater Factory ST1 3EJ 

www.emmabridgewaterfactory.co.uk 

11am-12.30pm. Make a clay tile inspired by your 

favourite season in our drop in clay activity. 

Craft Activity - Cup and Ball Toy 


3DW www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

10.30am-12.30pm . The traditional cup and 

ball game was popular with Victorian children. 

Make your own version of the game to take 

home and play. 

Registered charity number 1153487 (England and Wales) SC046840 (Scotland). Company limited by guarantee number 08570737. 





11am-3pm Self-led ‘Play-with Clay’. £2 per 

person. T: 01782 499766 


Little Skippers 

Dudley Canal and Tunnel 

Trust DY1 4SB 

www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk 

10:00am-4:00pm. Join us at Little Skippers 

for a 45 minute boat trip followed by things 

to make and do. Discover how locks work 

with our miniature canal, get messy making 

some watery paint pictures and create a 

paper fish complete with scales for our 

fish pond! 


Wildplay 

Hem Heath Nature Reserve ST4 4RB 


10am-12.30pm . Are you aged between 8-13 

years? Then come with us on a woodland 

adventure and #GetWild. We’ll explore the 

woods, build dens and light a campfire. 

Half-term workshop – 

mini musical theatre 



For 4 - 6 year olds. Learn how to dance and 

sing and experience the magical theatrical 

atmosphere. A perfect introduction to 

performance and expressing creativity. £5. 

Tel: 01543 412121 to book. 

Mini Beasts 


www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do/ 

museums 

Come along and join in the mini beats themed 

craft fun 

Wildlife Families 

Hem Heath Nature Reserve ST4 4RB 


1.30pm-3,30pm. Explore the natural world 

together at one of our nature-themed 

activities for all the family at parks and 

nature reserves across Stoke-on-Trent 

and Newcastle. 

Drop in Make and Take 

Rosliston Forestry Centre DE12 8JX 

www.roslistonforestrycentre.co.uk 

10am-12pm 

Drop in during the morning and have a go 

at varied crafting activities. All ages are 

welcome and there is no need to book. 

T: 01283 563483 

6 


It would appear that 

the price, both financial 

and human, of creating 

a very special day for 

the birthday child is on 

the rise. Ask your fellow 

parents and you’ll most 

likely find that they’re 

spending somewhere 

between £200 and 

£800 on their child’s 

birthday party. 

TIME TO PARTY 

These days it’s easy to get 

locked into a world of compare 

and contrast. Pinterest Party 

Paranoia is only a step away when 

searching for the latest trends in 

party themes. Posts of flamboyant 

parties on Facebook, Twitter and 

Instagram can create a sense of 

one-up-manship and jealousy, as 

well as pressure to keep up with 

current standards. Remember, 

you’re putting on the party for your 

child to enjoy with their friends and 

family, not for social media or the 

parents of the guests! 

You might consider holding the 

party at home, if you have the 

space and can handle the thought 

of hosting. There are of course 

plenty of excellent venues out there 

who can host your party for you, 

and party entertainers who can 

help create a great party. 

Socially, deciding who to invite 

can be a minefield. Invite the entire 

class and not only will it cost more 

but it’s possible you’ll end up with 

children at the party that your child 

doesn’t even get on with. Don’t 

invite the entire class and your 

child might not be invited to some 

parties as a result. Being left out 

when the rest of the class is invited 

can be hard to explain. A good rule 

of thumb is to take the age of the 

birthday girl or boy, add one, and 

then invite that many. 

Think back to your childhood 

parties and what was the one 

thing you remember? It’s not 

the fancy plates, crepe paper 

hanging from the ceiling or a 

massive banner with a name on it. 

The chances are you remember 

spending most of the afternoon 

messing about with balloons and 

playing party games. If you do 

need some inspiration though, 

Pinterest has some really good 

ideas of cheap but effective DIY 

projects for party themes and 

decorations, and Youtube is full of 

tutorials for fun party activities. 

Providing food can be tricky 

particularly if your guests have 

specific requirements and you 

want to stay away from anything 

too sugary. A buffet is a good 

option, and you can mix the old 

favourites like sausage rolls with 

more healthy choices. There’s 

always a danger that you waste 

your time and bread cutting 

sandwiches into beautiful princess 

shapes only to find that not one 

child touched them because 

they only wanted to lick the icing 

off cakes and eat crisps. That’s 

children for you! 

Party bags are a contentious 

issue and the subject of much 

discussion, comparison and 

debate but there really is no need 

to go overboard. These days 

there are many shops and online 

sites where you’ll be able to pick 

up suitable, inexpensive little gifts 

such as pencils, hero gliders, 

bouncy balls and wooden puzzles. 

However you fill them, a really nice 

idea is to buy some sturdy paper 

bags with handles and decorate 

them with your child for that 

personal touch. 

Whatever you decide, a 

measure of a good birthday 

party is one which gives your 

child special memories to 

cherish! 


The ultimate 

kids party bus that 

comes directly 

to your door 

2 hour party 

from 180* 

facebook.com/ 

chaseplaybus 

WWW.chaseplaybus.co.uk 

enquiries@chaseplaybus.co.uk 

8 


P 

The ultimate 

kids birthday 

party bus that 

comes directly to 

your door! 

Chase Playbus is a double 

decker children’s party/playbus 

operating in Rugeley and the 

surrounding areas. Fitted with 

the highest standard of soft play 

equipment including: super log 

slide, ball pool, rollers, spinning 

pole, biff & bash snakes, piano 

mat with sounds, secret tunnels, 

split level climbing frame, cargo 

net, infinity mirrors, and soft play 

animals, sound system, CCTV 

and much more for the ultimate 

children’s party experience! 

Also available for weddings, 

christenings, shows, fetes, 

corporate events or just as an 

excuse to have a party! 

For information and to book 

call 07429 314351 or email 

enquiries@chaseplaybus.co.uk. 

www.chaseplaybus.co.uk. 

Laser Quest 

Stoke-On-Trent 

Put on your pack 

and step into the 

future. Battling for 

supremacy with 

your fellow humans 

in an experience that lasts up 

to 20 mins taking you through 

a journey of sounds, lights and 

smoke in this real life video 

game! Here at Laser Quest we 

offer some fantastic birthday 

packages such as our exclusive 

premium package which 

includes 2 exclusive games, 

unlimited squash, party bags, 

food from McDonalds, Ice lollies 

a party area and a gift for the 

birthday kid for up to 15 people 

for just £200. 

Other party packages available 

online at: www.lqstoke.co.uk 

or call us on 01782 914 110 

A 

guide! 

National Forest Adventure Farm 

Parties at the 

Adventure Farm 

Stay and play all day with a party 

at the National Forest Adventure 

Farm. Our parties include entry 

to the whole farm including the 

animal areas, outdoor play areas 

and indoor soft play. A hot and 

cold birthday buffet is served in a 

themed party room and there’s a 

tractor and trailer ride just for the 

party group. 

Prices from £10.00 per child. 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk/ 

birthday-parties or Tel: 01283 

533933 

The Coolest Party 

Around! 

Make it a day to remember at 

Cinebowl I-Skate Uttoxeter 

with a cool ice-skating party. 

All birthday parties include one 

hour of ice-skating, skate hire, 

party host, party invitations, 

on-ice induction, penguin 

skate aids, skating certificate 

and choice of food and drink. 

Standard and premium party 

packages available with 

optional extras to make the 

party even more special. 

Visit www.cinebowl-iskate. 

co.uk or call 01889 723030 and 

ask to speak to our Birthday 

Party coordinator. 

R T Y 

Adventure 

Birthday Parties 

Beaudesert Outdoor Activity 

Centre offers adventure birthday 

parties, bring you friends for 

a morning or afternoon of 

outdoor adventure, choose from 

Archery, Climbing, High Ropes, 

Challenge Course, Axe throwing, 

Fencing, Zip line and more. Add 

one of our party food options 

and order our invites and party 

bags to complete the day. Set 

in 120 acres of Cannock Wood, 

Beaudesert Outdoor Activity 

Centre is a magical setting for your 

child’s special day. A 2 hour party 

starts from £12 per person (not 

including food). 

www.beaudesert.org 

email:info@beaudesert.org.uk 

Tel: 01543 682278. 

Beaudesert Outdoor 

Activity Centre 

For fun parties 

head to the farm! 

Perfect for youngsters who love 

animals and the great outdoors, 

Lower Drayton Farm children’s 

parties are what memories are 

made of! Parties can take place 

any day – if the farm is open, you 

will be allocated an exclusive part 

of the indoor area to give you the 

space you need to entertain your 

guests. The site is also available for 

exclusive use any week day during 

school term time. 

With themes that include muddy 

puddle parties, little farmers’ 

parties, animal experience parties, 

Teddytastic parties and more 

packages start from as little as £8 

per child. 

www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk, 

email 

team@lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk 

or Tel: 01785 330 757 

Lower Drayton Farm 

PARTY GUIDE 


Pinboard 

DATES FOR THE DIARY 

Here’s a selection of some ‘themed’ events coming up which 

children can get involved in, and have fun learning or raising 

money for charity… 

6 Feb Safer Internet Day www.saferinternet.org 

1 March World Book Day www.worldbookday.com 

9-18 March British Science Week www.britishscienceweek.org 

17-23 March Sports Relief www.sportrelief.com 

Some other dates for the diary…. 

16 Feb Chinese New Year 

9 Feb National 

Pizza Day 

9-25 Feb Winter Olympics 

13 Feb Pancake Day 

17 Feb Random Acts of 

Kindness Day 

11 March Mother’s Day 

£6m plan to transform education in 

Stoke-on-Trent 

The plan to transform Primary education includes a series of steps aimed at 

raising standards in the classroom, instilling aspirations in young people and 

closing the gap between pupils from different backgrounds. The ideas are 

linked to Stoke-on-Trent’s status as an ‘opportunity area’, which will trigger 

extra Government investment over the next three years. 

Primary pupils will be offered careers advice and be encouraged to run 

their own mini-businesses with involvement from local businesses and 

organisations. Other priorities include Improving support for children 

in nursery and reception to help build their speech and language; more 

training for teachers to raise standards in English, maths and science; 

providing an additional £2 million worth of enrichment and ‘life skills’ 

activities throughout the school week, at weekends and during the 

holidays. Local groups are expected to bid to run some of these projects. 

Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group 

(NSCG) is the largest further education 

provider in Staffordshire. 

They can offer you a fantastic choice of courses and facilities and their 

specialist teaching staff are experts in their fields. The campuses based 

in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stafford have had significant financial 

investment and are home to over 4,000 full time students, over 500 higher 

education students, over 3,500 part-time or adult learners and over 1500 

apprentices. They are in the top 10% of general further education colleges 

in the country. Across both campuses they consistently exceed national 

benchmarks for vocational courses. 

For further information visit www.nulc.ac.uk or www.staffordcoll.ac.uk 

or contact them at: Newcastle-under-Lyme College E: info@nulc.ac.uk 

T: 01782 254254 or Stafford College E: enquiries@staffordcoll.ac.uk 

T: 01785 223800 

New Life on the Farm 

This February half term holiday, the National Forest Adventure Farm welcomes 

new life to the Farm. You can meet baby animals including piglets, lambs and 

chicks. You can also help bottle feed cade lambs. There are 41 ewes in the 

Lambing Live tent waiting to give birth so you may be lucky enough to see 

a lamb being born. Inside Farmer Fogg needs your help to get his farm back 

in to shape. There’s a number of fun activities including making a scarecrow, 

planting seeds, mending the fences, rebuilding the tractor, test driving the 

remote control tractors and putting the eggs back together! The New Life and 

Help the Farmer activities are running between 17 and 25 February. 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk 

Wicked Young Writer Awards 

Calling all budding writers! 

WICKED, the award-winning West End musical 

that tells the incredible untold story of the witches 

of Oz, together with the National Literacy Trust, 

has announced the eighth year of the prestigious 

WICKED Young Writer Awards. The closing date 

is 12 March so enter as soon as you can! 

Details can be found at 

www.WickedYoungWriterAwards.com. As in previous years, entrants 

can enter one of five different age categories; 5-7yrs, 8-10yrs, 11-14yrs, 

15-17yrs and18-25 yrs. Pieces of original writing can be submitted, either 

individually or as part of a school group, until 12 March. 

The overall winners from each category will win a VIP family experience 

to the West End production of WICKED, including an exclusive backstage 

tour, £50 book/eBook tokens, the 5-7yrs, 8-11yrs and 11-14yrs categories 

will win £100 worth of books for their school library donated by Hachette 

Children’s Books. In addition the 5-7 age category winners will receive 

a creative writing workshop for their class. The three schools with the 

highest number of entries will receive a bespoke writing workshop at 

their respective schools. All finalists’ entries will be printed in the WICKED 

Young Writer Awards anthology. 

The WICKED Young Writer Awards raises money for the National 

Literacy Trust, who campaign to improve public understanding of the vital 

importance of literacy. Exclusive teachers’ resources can be found online 

including tips for inspiring and encouraging writing in the classroom. 

Derby Grammar School student 

wins top national prize 

Derby Grammar School student, Elliot Butterworth, has won a 

prestigious national prize which is open to 5,000 pupils at 440 

schools across the country.Elliot travels to the House of Lords 

in February to receive the Independent Schools Association 

(ISA) Whitbread Memorial Prize 2017 from Lord Lexden, 

President of the ISA. 

The Prize recognises and celebrates outstanding 

involvement in, and service to, the wider aspect of 

school and community life; in conjunction with achieving 

academic excellence in GCSE results. 

Elliot achieved six A* and three 9 grades in his GCSEs in 

the summer of 2017. He also plays in the hockey and rugby 

teams, is a member of the Barbershop Choir and Swing 

Band, and has embarked on his Gold Duke of Edinburgh 

Award. In 2016 he achieved a Gold award in the British 

Physics Olympiad. 

Lesley Reynolds, Acting Head, congratulated Elliot on his 

achievement. She said: “We were overjoyed for Elliot when we 

received the news that he had won. He is friendly, engaging and 

trustworthy and an excellent role model to our younger pupils.” 

10 


Come and meet 

our wonderful 

pupils and 

teachers 

Mar 14 

Apr 25 

May 23 

Jun 27 

Welcome Wednesdays 

Pre-School & Juniors 

9.30am-11.30am 

Green Gables, Longdon Green WS15 4PT 

01543 306168 for more information 

lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

Our 2017 GCSE 

results rank us as 

2nd in the East 

Midlands and 

18th in the UK 

(ISC 2017 league table, 

boys schools) 

OPEN DAY 

SATURDAY 17 MARCH 

10AM – 3PM 

Visit Derbyshire’s leading 

independent day school for boys 

aged 7 to 18 and girls aged 16 to 18 

Book your place at 

www.derbygrammar.org 







10:00am-4:00pm. Self-led ‘Play-with Clay’. 

£2 per person. T: 01782 499766 


Pony Activity Session 

Cannock Chase Trekking Centre ST19 5RP 

Includes meet the ponies, grooming, points 

of the pony, helping to ‘tack up’ riding lesson, 

games and even more pony fun. Cost £45. 

Booking essential T: 01785 711 177 

Half-term workshop – 

singing workshop 



For 5 - 8 year olds. Come along for a special 

singing workshop.. £5. Tel: 01543 412121 

to book. 

Wild Families 



10am -12pm. An event for everbirdy! Get your 

family booked in for our Nestbox building 

workshop. 

Suerhero day 



Come along and join in the superhero themed 

craft fun 

Wildlife Families 

Central Forest Park ST1 6BB 


1.30pm-3,30pm. Explore the natural world 

together at one of our nature-themed activities 

for all the family at parks and nature reserves 

across Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle. 


Build A Bird Box 



10am-12 noon. Build your own bird box to create 

homes for wild birds in your garden. You can also 

make a bird feeder to keep our feathered friends 

well fed this winter. £5 per bird box. Normal 



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 


Chinese New Year 


3DW www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

11am-5pm. Welcome in the Chinese New Year of 

the Dog at the museum with traditional music 

and dance including Dragon and Lion dance 

performances. This event will now be in its 10th 

year and to celebrate we have the rare Unicorn 

Dance also taking place. Other activities include 

Chinese craft workshops, Cantonese Opera, 

firecrackers, acrobatics and much more. 

2 Mar - 2 Apr 

Winter Steam Gala 

Churnet Valley Railway ST10 2HA 

www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk 

“Join us for the return of our traditional Winter 

Steam Gala, seeing a selection of locomotives 

operate a services along both the Churnet Valley 

and Cauldon Lowe lines. 2017 sees the CVR 

celebrate it’s own 25th Anniversary. Adult £20, 

Child £14. Booking essential T: 01538 750755 

2 Mar- 3 Apr 

Snowdrop Walks 

Rode Hall and Gardens ST7 3QP 

www.rodehall.co.uk 

11:00am-4:00pm . To mark the start of Spring 

come and see one of the finest Snowdrop Walks 

in the North West. A beautiful end-of-winter 

walk for all the family with a wonderfully diverse 

landscape and over 70 varieties of Snowdrops. 

Closed Mondays. Adults: £5, Child £1, Under 5’s 

FREE. T: 01270 873237 

2 Mar and every Saturday 

Family Tennis Session 

Florence Tennis & Bowling Club ST3 4EB 


12-1pm . All equipment is provided and a tennis 

coach is on hand to give pointers and help with 

technique. 

Family Taekwondo 

St. Joseph’s College ST4 5NT 


10am-11am . We have a fully qualified instructor 

to help you with your technique. All equipment 

is provided. Wear comfortable clothes and don’t 

forget your water. All fitness levels and abilities 

welcome. 

3 Mar - 4 Mar 

Thomas and Friends 



10:30am-4:30pm . Thomas and all his friends 

invite you to join them on our magical weekends, 

to create fun family memories that will last 

a lifetime. You and your little engines can be 

transported to the magical Island of Sodor for a 

fun day out with Thomas. T: 0844 4721950 

6 Mar 

Open Event 

Newcastle-Under-Lyme College ST5 2GB 

www.nulc.ac.uk 

5.30 – 8pm. Get all of the information you 

need to help find the right course for you! 

Make sure you make the time to take a 

tour and our experienced staff are on hand 

throughout the event to provide advice and 

guidance on all of our courses. We also have 

a full range of interactive demonstrations 

available for you to take part in. 

E: info@nulc.ac.uk or T: 01782 254254 

9 Mar 

Wildlings Taster Session 



10:30am-12:00noon. A taster session for the 

new Wildlings programme. Grown-ups will 

have a chance to get to know the area and staff 

that will be delivering activities. Give your child 

a chance to experience fire, get mucky and play 

independently in our outdoor classroom. Sessions 

on the first and third Fridays of each month. 

Parents/carers must attend with child, but we’ll 

be encouraging parents to take a step back and 

observe their kids ‘in the wild’. Adult Free, Child 

£5, £2 for additional siblings. A healthy snack and 

a drink will be included for all children and adults 

will also be provided with a hot drink. Booking 

essential T: 01889 880106 

10 Mar 

Craft Fayre FREE EVENT FOR UNDER 16’s 



10:00am-4:00pm. Searching for that 

unique gift for Mother’s Day? Stalls will be 

selling a wide range of handmade crafts 

including paintings, knitwear and jewellery. 

Craft lovers can also explore the centre’s 

magnificent 26-acre grounds and put 

their feet up with a selection of hot or cold 

drinks. Adults £1.50. Proceeds go towards 

the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s nature 

conservation charity work protecting and 

enhancing wildlife and open spaces in the 

county. T: 01889 880106 

Wildlife Watch 

Alrewas DE13 7AR 


10:00am-12:00noon . See what winter treasures 

can be found 

Family Forest Fun 



10.30-12pm. Come along for a mix of craft, 

games, stories and woodland skills aimed at 

children aged from 5-9 years old. Children should 

be accompanied by adults and dressed for the 

outdoors 

10 Mar - 11 Mar 

Thomas and Friends 



See details 3 March. 

11 Mar 

Mums go Free 

Trentham Gardens Stoke-on-Trent ST4 8JG 

www.trentham.co.uk 

11:00am-3:00pm. Treat mum this Mother’s Day 

with FREE entry to Trentham Gardens for all 

mums accompanied by any full paying guest. 

Mothers Day Crafts 

Sudbury Hall and National Museum Of 

Childhood DE6 5HT 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sudbury-hall 

12:30pm-3:30pm. The Wombles were created 

in the 1960s, the same decade that the 

National Trust started to look after Sudbury 

Hall! Make a Womble desk tidy to keep the 

clutter from your desk. Child £1, normal 


14 Mar 

Pre-School and Junior Open Morning 

Lichfield Cathedral School WS15 4PT 

www.lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

9.30am-11am Come and meet our senior 

staff, teachers and pupils and see our 

fantastic facilities. Tours will be led by Year 

4 pupils, so that you get their perspective of 

the school. If you can’t make this date, private 

visits to the School can be made throughout 

the School year. Contact the Admissions on 

01543 306168, or email 

admissions@lichfieldcathedralschool.com 

17 Mar 

Easter Trail 

Beacon Park WS13 6QZ 

www.lichfieldhistoricparks.co.uk 

9am-4pm. Self-guided puzzle trail around 

Beacon Park. Aimed at 3+ with adult assistance. 

2 levels of clues. Includes small prize. Go to the 

Ranger Station to buy your trail. 

Dr D’s Science Club 

Erasmus Darwin House WS13 7AD 

www.erasmusdarwin.org 

10:00am-12:00noon. Science club created for 

children aged 7-11! Meet a genuine scientist and 

experiment with fun activities. Collect stamps 

on your personalised passport each week to 

become a fully-fledged Dr Darwin Scientist and 

win a prize. Child £4 with a discount for siblings. 

Booking Advisable T: 01543 306260 

www.erasmusdarwin.org Beacon Street, 

Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 7AD 

Messy Church 

Lichfield Cathedral WS13 7LD 

www.lichfield-cathedral.org 

2:00pm-4:00pm . Church for all the family: 

singing, bible story, craft activities, prayer and 

light refreshments. T: 01543 306100 

Sticky Saturday FREE ENTRY 



1:30pm-3:30pm Come along and join in the fun 

Open Day 

Derby Grammar School DE23 4BX 

www.derbygrammar.org 

10am- 3pm Open Morning - find out why 

our School is much more than a place to 

study. It is a place for excitement, friendship, 

curiosity, discovery and achievement. 

T: 01332 523027 

17 Mar - 18 Mar 

If You Go Down To The Woods Today 

Moseley Old Hall WV10 7HY 


11:00am-3:30pm . Join in with our weekend of 

outdoor fun to tick off more things on your list of 

50 things to do before you’re 11 and 3/4s! Child 

£1.50, normal admission charges apply. 

T: 01902 782808 

Newcastle-under-Lyme named as 

one of six Cities of Circus 

Newcastle-under-Lyme will be a hub for circus 

celebrations in 2018 after being named as one of the six 

Cities of Circus by Circus250; the national organisation 

coordinating celebrations of circus’ 250th anniversary. 

250 years ago, Newcastle-under-Lyme born equestrian, entrepreneur and 

showman, Philip Astley, drew out a ring and filled it with astonishing acts – 

tumblers, horses, acrobats, jugglers, clowns. He created the first circus. Every 

circus, anywhere in the world, began at that moment. To mark this anniversary, 

celebrations of circus will be taking place all across the country. In Newcastleunder-Lyme, 

the New Vic will lead celebrations of this amazing artform with 

Circus Past, Present and Future – a programme of events that will showcase 

the wonder of circus for all ages. More information can be found at 

www.newvictheatre.org.uk. Keep a look out in Box Office for future events. 

12 


LEXICON 

28 March - 21 April 2018 

The Big Top, Ryecroft, Corporation St, 

Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre 

Tickets 

£6.00 (conc.) - £18.00 

Family tickets available, suitable for all ages. 

“take the kids, 

they’ll thank you 

for years” 

British Theatre Guide 

BOOK NOW 

01782 717962 

nofitstate.org/lexicon 

Commissioned by New Vic Theatre, 

part of Circus Past, Present and Future 

Funded by Arts Council England and the Arts Council of Wales 

Co-produced by Cirque Jules Verne, 

Pôle National Cirque et Arts de la Rue, Les Tombées de la Nuit, 

and Archaos, Pôle National des Arts du Cirque Méditerranée

BOX OFFICE 

BoxOffice 

Your family theatre guide... 

Litchfield and District Gotta Dance 

at Lichfield Garrick, 27 Feb. 

Captain Flinn and the Pirate 

Dinosaurs at The Regent 

Theatre, 22 Feb – 23Feb. 

STUDIO 5 

STAGE SCHOOL 

Tuition from 2 1 /2 years 

of age in: 

Ballet ● Tap ● Modern Jazz 

● Acrobatics 

● Adult Ballet ● Adult Tap 

NEW TOTS CLASSES WEDNESDAYS 

4.30-5PM/SATURDAYS 9.15-10AM 

CREWE LYCEUM THEATRE 

CW1 2DA 

www.crewelyceum.co.uk T:01270 

368242 

14 – 15 Feb 

High School Musical 

7.15pm Troy Bolton, the star athlete at a 

small-town high school, falls for nerdy beauty 

Gabriella Montez at a holiday karaoke party. 

When they return to school, Troy and Gabriella 

audition for the upcoming school musical. 

Meanwhile, the jealous Sharpay Evans conspires 

to squelch their chances. Will they be able to 

make it to the auditions and meet their existing 

obligations to the basketball team and the 

academic decathlon? Full of catchy songs and 

exciting dance routines, this is a show you won’t 

want to miss! Tickets: £10, Concessions: £8. 

LICHFIELD GARRICK WS13 6HR 


T:01543 412121 

21 Feb Horrible Histories 

2pm 0r 7pm Find out why the Romans were 

revolting! Could you survive the vicious Vikings? 

Can evil Elizabeth entertain England? Would you 

party with the Puritans? Clap along with crazy 

King Charles! Vomit with the vile Victorians and 

prepare to do battle in the frightful First World 

War! It’s history with the nasty bits left in. 

22 Feb Milkshake Live 

12 or3.30pm Starring Milkshake! favourites; 

Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Noddy, Fireman 

Sam, Shimmer & Shine, Pip from Pip Ahoy!, 

Winnie and Wilbur, Wissper, Milkshake’s very 

own Milkshake! Monkey and two Milkshake! 

presenters, this all singing, all dancing, musical 

masterpiece, will take audiences on a journey 

through the world’s favourite fairy tales. 

£17/£15. 

27 Feb Litchfield and District Gotta 

Dance 

7:00pm Over 300 young people, from across 

the Lichfield district, will be performing with a 

variety of dance styles including ballet, street, 

contemporary and much more. The schools and 

groups will each perform a number of dances 

Please check 

details of show times 

with each venue 

before booking, and 

have a great time! 

and also be joined by 

talented local singers. 

Soloists include Sam 

Hollyman, Ryan 

Wakelam, Chloe Shaw 

and Lana Moore. Tickets 

£15.50. 

19 – 20 Mar Peter Pan 

7:00pm With a cast of over 100 children, Lichfield 

Cathedral School bring you a magical tale of 

Pirates, Indians, Lost Boys and Fairies. Suitable 

for all ages, though especially appealing to the 

young at heart! £18.50. 

MITCHELL ARTS CENTRE 

ST1 4HG 

www.mitchellartscentre.co.uk 

T: 01782 409307 

6 Mar Stoke Schools Gotta Sing 

7.00pm Join the talented youngsters of Stoke of 

Trent in this wonderful concert. Tickets: £12. 

9 – 10 Mar Fame 

7.30pm/2.30pm Angela Beardmore School of 

Dance presents Fame. Tickets: £10. 

NEW VIC THEATRE ST5 0JG 

www.newvictheatre.org.uk 

T: 01782 717962 

14 Feb First Encounters with 

Shakespeare – Julius Caesar 

2:15pm or 7:30pm A company of actors has 

travelled up and down the land performing their 

stories. Now they’re coming to Newcastle-under- 

Lyme to tell a tale of friendship and betrayal. Part 

of our First Encounters with Shakespeare series 

for 7-13 year olds, this engaging adaptation is 

90 minutes long, uses Shakespeare’s original 

language and asks audiences to participate in 

the story. A fantastic first step into Shakespeare 

for children, families and schools. Tickets £14.00. 

Under 16 tickets: £10.00. 

KEELE UNIVERSITY CHAPEL 

17 Feb First Encounters with 

Shakespeare – Julius Caesar 

Details as above 

PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE 

WS11 1DE 

www.wlct.org 

T:01543 578762 


Peter Pan 

7pm/2pm M3 studios presents Peter Pan the 

Musical. Follow the story as the Darling children 

head off to Neverland. £14.50. T: 07715 583721 

15 – 16 Mar 

Cannocks Gotta Dance 2018 

7pm Once again over 15 schools from all over 

Cannock descend on the stage. 400 youngsters 

will participate over 4 evenings to peerfrm 

ballet, street, cheerleading, contemporary, jazz 

and much more, supported by local talented 

yong singers. £13. 

STAFFORD GATEHOUSE 

THEATRE ST16 2LT 

www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk 

T:01785 619080 


Dear Zoo 

11am or2pm This production will delight all 

those who have read the book (both young and 

old) as it unfolds with child-engaging puppets, 

music and lots of audience interaction. For ages 

2 upwards. £14.50 , family ticket £52. School 

party discounts available - contact Box Office. 

28 Feb – 2 Mar 

Stafford Schools Gotta Sing 

7:00pm Over 30 school choirs, from across the 

Stafford and Stone district, will be performing 

on various nights. The choirs will each perform a 

number of songs and also be joined by talented 

local singers. Soloists include Sam Hollyman, 

Ryan Wakelam, Chloe Shaw and Lana Moore. 

Tickets £13.50. 

10 Mar Little Bo Peep. 

11.30am Watch your favourite nursery rhymes 

come to life before your eyes in Sea Legs Puppet 

Theatre’s fabulous Tenth Anniversary show. 

Featuring magnificent puppets, fantastic 

scenery and of course lots of music and singing 

in a show especially created for little peeps and 

Our students train towards: 

Theatre productions ● 

Examinations ● Competitions 

For more information call Heather Peskett 

01889 584387 

Brewery Street, Rugeley, Staffs 

www.studio5stageschool 

their families. Recommended ages – families/ 

children age 2 - 7 Running time – 45 minutes 

+ 15 minutes “Meet the Puppets”. £9 or family 

ticket £34. 

THE REGENT THEATRE ST1 1AP 

www.visitstoke.co.uk 

22 Feb – 23Feb Captain Flinn and the 

Pirate Dinosaurs 

22 Feb 1.30pm and 23 Feb 10.30am. Flinn is 

back! Les Petits theatre company return to the 

high seas after their hugely successful shows 

David Walliams’ The First Hippo on the Moon 

and Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs. 

£13.65. 

27 Feb – 3 Mar 

018 Dance Show: Once 

Upon a Dance 

7.15pm Dance companies from all over 

Staffordshire and Cheshire will create breath 

taking routines and choreography to transform 

The Regent Theatre stage into a land of fantasy 

leading audiences on a journey of Fairy Tale and 

wonder. Each dance company will interpret a 

traditional fairy tale in its own unique style be 

it the fight between the Wolf and Red Riding 

Hood, or the journey of Hansel and Gretel into 

the depths of the dark forest. Tickets £11/£8. 

VICTORIA HALL ST1 3AD 

www.visitstoke.co.uk 


The Little Mix Experience 

6pm Four hugely talented girls pay tribute to the 

UK’s finest girl-band with breath-taking dance 

moves, replica costumes and some of the finest 

vocals in the UK. £16.25. 

14 


Film Preview 

Guide 

Disney Pixar’s Coco 

Coco is about a 12-year-old boy with big dreams. Miguel is an aspiring singer and 

self-taught guitarist who dreams of following in the footsteps of his idol, Ernesto de la 

Cruz, the most famous musician in the history of Mexico. However, Miguel’s family 

forbids music. When Miguel unearths 

a secret from his family’s past—a 

connection to Ernesto de la Cruz, he 

rushes to share the news with his 

family, thinking it will clear the way for 

him to be a musician. To his surprise, 

it only makes matters worse. 

As events unfold on Mexico’s ‘Day of 

the Dead’, Miguel is forced to team 

up with a scrappy, streetwise skeleton 

named Héctor and they set out to find Ernesto de la Cruz, who they believe holds the 

key to Miguel’s baffling and decidedly unmusical family history. 

Disney Pixar’s Coco is in cinemas now. 

Photo credit: 2017 Disney.Pixar 

Could you be the next 

Laser Quest Dominator? 

Share a photo of you and a 

group of friends in the 

ultimate battle position. 

All submissions must be 

sent to our Facebook Page 

Laser Quest Stoke using 

@LaserQuestStoke or a 

direct message. 

The winner and up to 3 

friends will receive a full 

day game pass at Laser 

Quest Stoke. 

Terms and Condition will 

apply. The winner’s photos 

may be published on our 

website and social media. 

Closing date 28/02/18 

COMPETITIONS 

Early Man 

Early Man is the new prehistoric comedy adventure from director Nick Park 

and Aardman, the creators of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. Shot in 

Aardman’s own distinctive style, the fi lm will take audiences on an extraordinary 

journey into an exciting new world 

unleashing an unforgettable tribe of 

unique and funny new characters. 

Set at the dawn of time, when 

prehistoric creatures roamed the Earth, 

Early Man tells the story of courageous 

caveman hero Dug, voiced by Eddie 

Redmayne, and his best friend Hognob 

as they unite his tribe against a mighty 

enemy, Lord Nooth and his Bronze 

Age City, to save their home. 

Leading Dug’s tribe of lovable misfi ts is Chief 

Bobnar who is joined by Treebor, Magma, Asbo, Barry, Gravelle, Eemak and 

Grubup. Maisie Williams voices Goona, the gallant rebel who befriends Dug 

and helps the tribe in their battle to beat the Bronze Age. Also joining the stellar 

cast is Rob Brydon, who voices the Message Bird - an ingenious Bronze Age 

communication device. Catch Early Man in cinemas now. 

Tad the Lost Explorer and the 

Secret of King Midas 

After Sara Lavroff discovers one of the three gold rings from King Midas’ 

necklace, proving that this ruler who turned everything he touched into 

gold really did exist, Tadeo, the most awkward 

explorer, travels to Las Vegas to join his friend at 

the exhibition where this incredible archaeological 

discovery will be revealed for the first time ever. 

Tadeo and Sara’s happy reunion turns sour when 

villain, Jack Rackham, and his crew of bandits steal 

the jewel and kidnap the young archaeologist, 

knowing full well that whoever puts the three rings 

from King Midas’ necklace back together again will 

inherit his power and immense wealth. 

Tadeo will have to be clever in order to save Sara 

and destroy Rackham’s wicked plans. His travels 

will take him halfway around the world, through 

Spain, Greece and Turkey, alongside his friends the 

Mummy, Belzoni the parrot, his dog Jeff and the latest cast of characters to join 

the adventure. Tad the Lost Explorer will be in cinemas from 9 February. 

WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN 

To be in with a chance of winning Jungle Bunch goodies including 

Jungle Bunch badges, t-shirts, a safari hat, binoculars and the DVD 

send an email to competitions@primarytimes.biz with ‘Jungle Bunch’ 

as the subject by Friday 2 March. Don’t forget to include your 

name, age, address, school and contact telephone number. 

A WEEKEND FAMILY FESTIVAL 

ADVENTURE 

During the colder months, it’s nice to have something for the 

whole family to look forward to and what better than a festival 

built entirely from a child’s perspective. Geronimo is often 

referred to as “Glastonbury for kids” and is the ultimate family 

experience! The magnificent Arley Hall in Cheshire will host 

the northern camping & glamping extravaganza running from 

25th-28th May. 

This year sees the addition of a spa area and healing area, 

with wood fired cedar hot tubs and a dry Finnish barrel sauna 

with VIP hot showers. It’s a luxury pamper zone with phone 

charging and GHDs for a little “me time” - plug in your phone 

and recharge your soul. Geronimo will be running a crèche and 

kids club to look after your children whilst using the Spa and 

advance booking is hugely recommended. Get ready for the 

adventure! 

Check out www.geronimofest.com for your last chance to get 

early bird tickets which include free funfair rides* 

* please see website for T&Cs 


JOIN US FOR OUR 

10AM - 4PM 

Learn to be a Jedi 

WITH Stunt double, 

Andrew Lawden 

Meet & greet 

your favourite 

sci–fi characters 

PLUS, enjoy free craft activities and 

face painting on the above dates too. 

See website for more details and to 

register for your place at Jedi school. 

Activities subject to change 

freeport-talke.com

Primary Times Staffordshire Feb 18

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