Primary Times Staffordshire Easter 2019

42,000 COPIES FOR FAMILIES 

OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN 

www.primarytimes.co.uk 

Staffordshire & 

Stoke on Trent 

NOVEMBER EASTER ISSUE NO 2019109 

APRIL 26 1ST NOV TO - 

MAY 12TH

Contents 

Dear Readers, 

EASTER 2019 

WELCOME 

4 News 

Spring has arrived! Here at Primary Times we love this time of year; the days 

are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, the flowers are starting 

to bloom, and the first baby animals are starting to be born. (Also, the kids 

can start playing outside more again which can be very helpful for busy 

parents!) 

9 WOW: Family events 

15 Spring has Sprung 

18 Box Office 

In our What’s On Where pages you’ll find loads of amazing activities and 

events to keep the kids busy over the Easter break. Many of these are based 

outside to make the most of the warmer weather, including a whole range 

of Easter egg trails to add some festive fun to the holiday! Not to worry if 

your little one prefers the indoors, however, as there are a wide range of 

activities based inside to choose from as well. There’s also a huge array of 

family-friendly theatre shows to browse in our Box Office pages, we’ve got 

everything from The Sound of Music to Warhorse. 

From everyone here at Primary Times, we hope you have a wonderful 

Easter break. We’ll see you again for the May half-term! 

Sales: Kerry Howard: 

kerry.howard@ 

primarytimes.co.uk 

Tel: 01733 385307 

Production: Kathy Wright 

kathy.wright@primarytimes.co.uk 

With very best wishes, 

Design: Holly Aston 

The Primary Times Team 

Primary Times is independently published and distributed free through national primary schools in SchoolName . 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 SchoolName for their assistance in 

distributing the magazine and for their contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the advertisers who 

have supported this publication and therefore made it possible. Please support their endeavours when and where you 

can. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced by our studio remains with Primary 

Times or with the relevant contributor. Primary Times is currently publishing over 2 million copies per issue under 

franchise licences throughout Britain. 

Primary Times in Staffordshire is 

published by: Schools Publishing Limited 

Unit 1, Accent Park, Bakewell Road, 

Peterborough, PE2 6XS 

Telephone: 01733 385300 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/Staffordshire 

The UK’s biggest free ‘what’s on’ 

magazine for parents! Primary 

Times in Staffordshire distributes 

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 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire | EASTER 2019 3

NEWS 

Primary Times Staffordshire 

NEWS 

Do you have news to celebrate? 

Dates to share? 

We’d love to hear from you! 

Easter Family Fun at 

Gulliver’s Theme Parks! 

This year Gulliver’s are hosting 

their Easter Eggstravaganza 

complete with super springtime 

activities and entertainment. Once 

again children and adults can 

enjoy a huge selection of rides 

and attractions. Don’t forget to 

use the special offer voucher in 

this edition (terms and conditions 

are on the voucher). Gulliver’s will 

be celebrating Easter on selected 

dates throughout April. Short 

breaks are also available across 

their three resorts - you can 

choose from Warrington, Matlock 

Bath and Milton Keynes. Give 

your family the ultimate Easter 

adventure this holiday! 

For more information, 

go to their website: 

www.gulliversfun.co.uk 

Easter Family Fun at The National 

Brewery Centre, Burton upon Trent 

On Sunday 21st April and Monday 

22nd April, come and see the spotlight 

show. This year the show will be Pip 

Ahoy! who along with friends will 

be partaking in some extraordinary 

adventures. This news will excite fans 

of the show, which launched in the UK 

on Milkshake! in 2014, to huge acclaim 

and which features the voice of the 

wonderful Sir David Jason. Pip Ahoy! 

can now been viewed on Freeview 

channel ITVBE’s new morning slot, 

Little Be. 

There will be three 25 minute Pip 

Ahoy! Shows each day – preceded by 

a 20 minute Magic Show starring Dave 

Oakley. Entrance to one of each of the 

shows is included in the price. 

Tickets £6 Adult or Child and includes 

FREE MUSEUM ENTRY! 

Plus! Mini Farm, Dray Rides*, Face 

Painting* Bouncy Castle, Kids Crafts, 

Easter Trail, BBQ* and an Ice 

Cream Parlour*. Show times will be 

11am, 1pm and 3pm. 

A delicious family carvery will be 

bookable both days. 

A GREAT FAMILY EVENT! 

Open 10am to 5pm both days 

(*Extra charges apply to some activities) 

Easter Eggstravaganza at the 

National Forest Adventure Farm 

Help Primary Times make fire 

alarms a legal requirement in 

homes with children 

To celebrate 30 years of the publication, 

Primary Times has a birthday wish; for the 

government to create a new law to make 

it a legal requirement to have a working 

smoke alarm on every floor of every house 

where a child sleeps. 

According to government data, a third of all 

fires have no smoke detection present or 

working, which suggests a huge number of 

the 18 million family homes in the UK could 

be unprotected and leaving children at 

unnecessary risk. 

Robert Nisbet, Chief Executive of Primary 

Times, said “having once woken to a serious 

house fire myself, this is a subject close 

to my heart. Primary Times wants to help 

raise the awareness of house fires and if 

we can change the law then it will send an 

important message about fire awareness. 

We urge everyone to sign our petition 

because we know it will help to save lives”. 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/petition 

Between the 13th and 28th 

April, hop on board the Easter 

Eggspress tractor ride to Bunny 

Woods. Follow the Woodland 

Animal Walk to find the Easter 

Bunny who’s giving everyone free 

chocolate. Help bottle feed our 

lambs and meet our new arrivals 

in the Lambing Live tent. Plant a 

bean to take home to grow and 

follow the clues in our Animal 

Egg Treasure Hunt. Also meet 

and feed animals and explore 

our huge indoor and outdoor 

play areas. 

For more information, 

call: 01283 533 933, email: 

info@adventurefarm.co.uk 

or visit their website: 

www.adventurefarm.co.uk 

4 

EASTER 2019 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire




Plans to introduce a statutory 

reception baseline assessment 

In response to the 2017 primary 

assessment consultation, the 

government announced plans to 

introduce a statutory reception 

baseline assessment (RBA) in 

autumn 2020. 

This will be used as the baseline 

for measuring the progress primary 

schools make with their pupils. 

Schools will carry out the 

assessment within the first 6 weeks 

of children starting school. It will 

be an activity-based assessment 

of pupils’ ability in languages, 

communication, literacy and 

mathematics. 

The assessment will be age 

appropriate, last approximately 20 

minutes and teachers will record 

the results on a laptop, computer or 

tablet. It will not be used to label or 

track individual pupils. No numerical 

score will be shared, and the data 

will only be used at the end of year 

6 to form the school-level progress 

measure. However, teachers will 

receive a series of short, narrative 

statements that tell them how their 

pupils performed in the assessment 

at that time. These can be used to 

inform teaching within the first term. 

The new assessment will enable 

the D of E to create school-level 

progress measures for primary 

schools which show the progress 

pupils make from reception until 

the end of Key Stage 2. Unlike the 

current progress measure, this will 

give schools credit for the important 

work they do with their pupils 

between reception and year 2. 

These measures will be published 

for all-through primaries in the 

summer of 2027 for the first time. 

This will be when those pupils who 

entered reception in autumn 2020 

reach the end of KS2. 

Lichfield Cathedral School 

In an uncertain global political 

climate, the leaders of the future 

will inherit a challenging legacy. 

Those leaders sit in our classrooms 

today all across the country. So what 

are we doing to ensure they are 

equipped to charter these choppy 

waters? As educators we have to 

recognise our responsibility in this 

regard. Our young people need the 

strength and resilience to follow their 

own convictions, doing what is right 

because they know it to be so. 

All Lichfield Cathedral School pupils 

follow the school’s unique Ethical 

Leadership Programme right through 

to Sixth Form, but in the early years it’s 

known as ‘Being a Good Person’. The 

duties and responsibilities embedded 

in the School experience are designed 

to provide ongoing opportunities for 

development of these skills. Even 

the youngest of pupils are given 

increasing levels of responsibility as 

book monitors, playground buddies, 

librarians and tour guides. It is a 

privilege to work with such pupils 

and play a part in securing a brighter 

future – the School’s teachers look 

forward to seeing just how high 

today’s youngsters can soar. 

6 


7


8 



31 March 

Walk in Georges Hayes 

Nature Reserve 

Georges Hayes Nature Reserve 

ww2.rspb.org.uk 

10am What better way to spend Mother’s 

Day than a guided walk in Georges’s Hayes 

Nature Reserve 

1 April – 18 April 

Spring Trail 

Kedleston Hall 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

Discover the signs of spring on a self led 

trail for families. Using a map find mini 

challenges and questions to answer as you 

explore the parkland at Kedleston Hall. 

Collect a sticker at the end of your outdoor 

adventure. The route includes several steps, 

slopes and surfaced paths and crosses 

parkland with farm animals. The route is 1.7 

miles in length and will take most families 

up to 2 hours to complete. 


Easter Egg Hunt 

Beaudesert Outdoor Activity Centre 

www.beaudesert.org 

2-4pm Includes Easter Trail and a 

chocolate Easter Egg on completion—lasts 

approximately one hour. £5 per person. 

Adults free. Please contact us to make your 

booking or visit the online shop. 


Easter Trail 

Beacon Park 

www.visitlichfield.co.uk 

Follow a self-guided puzzle trail around 

Beacon Park. Aimed at ages 3+ with adult 

help. There are three levels of clues so 

adults can join in this year too! Includes a 

small prize. 


Animal Trail 

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery 

www.stokemuseums.org.uk 

Help Ozzy Owl find 12 animals that remind 

you of the popular Beatrix Potter characters. 

£1 per trail and includes a free pencil. 

1 April - Ongoing 

Play with Clay Every Day! 

Middleport Pottery 

www.middleportpottery.org 

10am-4pm Suitable for all ages. £3 per 

person- adults welcome to play too. Aprons 

and tools provided. 

1 April - Ongoing 

Code Club 

WOW! 

what’s on where 

Stafford Library 

www.staffordshire.gov.uk 

The Library hosts a regular Code Club 

on Thursday evenings from 4:30pm. 

Code Club teaches children aged 9-11 all 

about computer programming and helps 

them create their own games. Booking 

is essential to attend Code Club see the 

website for more details. 



Gladstone Pottery Museum 


Get cracking, solve the clues and hunt 

down the Easter tiles hiding around the 

museum. Free gift and entry into a prize 

draw for everyone who takes part. £1 

plus admission. Tuesdays to Saturdays 

during April. 


Breakfast or Tea with 

the Easter Bunny 

Wyvale Garden Centre Shenstone 

www.wyvalegardencentre.co.uk 

Hop along and meet the Easter Bunny. 

Tuck into a delicious meal, enjoy and Easter 

trail and chocolate treat and decorate your 

own Easter chocolate. 


Spring Horse Trials 

Weston Park 

www.weston-park.com 

The International Spring Horse Trials is 

run over two days for the National Junior 

Championships, National under 21 



Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum 

www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk 

Join an Easter word hunt around 

Johnson’s House, plus free activities 

throughout the holiday. 


Three Weeks of Adventures 

Conkers Waterside 

www.visitconkers.com 

Ranger activities will be on every day and 

include, orienteering, bush craft, pond 

dipping and constructuion derby. New 

shows over the holidays. See website for 

more details. 

7 April 

Country Food and Drink Fair 

Calke Abbey 


Celebrate local food that’s grown, raised, 

baked or caught within a 30-mile radius 

of Calke. 

8 April 

Wildfamilies Discover 

Macclesfield Forest 

www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk 

10am-3pm Visit some fabulous drop in 

activities at Macclesfield Forest. No need 

to book just come along and join in with 

some outdoor fun! Activities may include: 

bug hunting, natural crafts, family team 

challenges... and much more! 

8 April 

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 

Little Moreton Hall 


Search the garden for ingredients for a 

Tudor remedy and enjoy a chocolate treat 

as a reward. 

8 April - 12 April 

Easter Holiday Club 

Crewe Lyceum Theatre 

www.crewelyceum.co.uk 

Lyceum Theatre’s resident performing 

company brings you a jam-packed week 

of creative activity! Join us for the chance 

to work with members of Crewe’s premier 

hip hop Theatre Company and create your 

own performance by the end of the week. 

Get involved in a wide range of activities 

inspired by urban culture. No previous 

experience is necessary, all levels and 

abilities welcome. Open to Beats ages 7 - 

10 and Breakers ages 11 - 15. 

9 April 

Spring Wreath Making Workshop 

Moseley Old Hall 


11am-3pm Brighten up your front door by 

making your own spring wreath, just in time 

for Easter! 

10 April 

Messy Museum 



A messy midweek session for pre‐school 

children. These monthly sensory sessions 

will take place, when possible, outside 

in our Secret Garden so please dress 

for the weather. Each session is based 

on a different theme. Booking essential. 

Call 01782 232323. One adult per 

participating child. 

13 April 

Easter Holiday Activity Day 

Litchfield Cathedral 

www.litchfield-cathedral.org 

10.30am-3pm Children and families are 

invited to take part in our free Easter 

activities at Lichfield Cathedral. There 

will be a variety of simple crafts including 

making Easter cards, bishops’ mitres, prayer 

bead bracelets and more! 

13 April 

Animal Masks Crafts 



11am-3pm Make a mask of your favourite 

animal from the Beatrix Potter classic 

stories. Drop in session. £1.50 

13 April 

Beatrix Potter and Friends 



Join Miss Potter as she remembers her 

friends from Hill Top Farm and embarks 

on a brand-new adventure with them. A 

dapper foxy gentleman thinks nothing of 

helping himself to a brand new ‘kerchief 

from his Hedgehog neighbour’s washing 

line. When his stealing gets too much, she 

calls for help from the most famous Rabbit 

of all. Together they trick him and show him 

the error of his ways. Free, performance 

times 11.30am, 1.30 and 3pm. 


Face Painting 

Trentham Monkey Forest 

www.monkey-forest.com 

Free face painting every weekend in the 

Easter holidays. Extra charges apply. See 

website for more details. 

Easter Holiday Activities 

National Memorial Arboretum 

www.thenma.org.uk 

Families are invited to go on a Woodland 

Adventure at the Arboretum this Easter. 

As well as helping Stick Man find his way 

back to his family tree on the new Stick Man 

Trail, visitors can also discover some of the 

amazing creatures who call the Arboretum 

home using a Nature Detective Backpack, 

try wildflower sowing and make muddy 

‘feast’ in the Muddy Makers Galley Kitchens. 

Eggcellent Easter Trail 

Trentham Monkey Forest 

www.monkey-forest.com 

10am-5pm Follow the Easter Trail to find 

the hidden word. Get entered into a draw to 

win a cuddly macaque toy. Visit website for 

more information. 

Easter Fun on the Farm 

Lower Drayton Farm 

www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk 

Meet the Easter bunny, join a fun Easter 

egg quiz trail, take part in egg and spoon 

races and create springtime crafts down on 

the farm this holiday. The farm trailer ride 

will focus on the new life that’s springing 

up all around the farm at this time of year 

and there will be lambs to feed, whilst 

the nature trail and woodland walks will 

showcase springtime in all its glory. 


Tamworth Castle 

www.tamworthcastle.co.uk 

10.30am-3pm Family fun for Easter with our 

‘egg-stra’ special egg hunt. Ruby the Castle 

Dragon has disguised her eggs so that the 

dastardly dragon hunter will be unable 

to detect them. As an extra precaution 

Hafgrim, Ruby’s brother, has hidden the 

eggs and now cannot find them! Come 

along and join in this fun hunt but don’t 

forget to record the egg locations on the 

quiz sheet – as you will hand in the sheet to 

receive a small prize! All in all a fun event 

and egg-citing way to explore the Castle 

April Eggciting Easter Celebrations 

Black Country Living Museum 

www.bclm.co.uk 

Come along and find a cracking programme 

of Easter fun ready and waiting. Find out 

about the weird and wonderful practices 

of the past, from egg dancing to hot cross 

buns. Take part in some traditional street 

games, and have a go at some egg-cellent 

crafty activities including egg painting 

and traditional card writing. Enjoy playing 

traditional Easter street games, such as 

egg dancing and egg tapping. Or perhaps 

you’d prefer to take a trip down into the 

Museum’s famous mine and experience the 

realities of being a coal miner in the midnineteenth 

century? 

Easter Bunny Hunt 

Tittesworth Water 

www.visittittesworth.co.uk 

Collect a trail leaflet from the Visitor 

Centre and follow the clues that lead to 

the missing Easter Bunny. £2 each, prize 

for every entry 

WHAT’S ON WHERE 



Easter has arrived and the Garrick is 

inviting you to come and enjoy a day 

out for families! 

With lots of free activities, family 

shows, costumes to try on and some 

play sessions throughout the week 

with music, laughter and more. Plus 

you can come and decorate your 

own easter egg or book in for the 

puppeteering workshop. It’s going to 

be Egg-stremely Egg-citing! 

Tuesday 16 - Saturday 20 April, 

10am - 2pm (Play sessions are £3 

per activity, see our website for 

workshop details) 

With shows for children of all ages, 

come and see an 

enchanting live 

production of Elmer 

the Patchwork 

Elephant. Based on 

the classic children’s 

book, the show is 

a celebration of 

individuality and the 

power of laughter. 

April goes out with a 

BANG when Ministry 

of Science Live 

explodes onto the 

Garrick stage! This 

is not your ordinary 

science show! 

Then, this May, 

experience the 

dangers and delights of Dinosaur 

World Live in a roarsome interactive 

show for all the family. Meet a host 

of impressive creatures in this 

entertaining and mind-expanding 

Jurassic adventure - book now 

before tickets become extinct! 

For tickets and more information 

visit the website at www. 

lichfieldgarrick.com or call Box 

Office on 01543 412121 

Organising 

an event? 

Contact us 

today via our website 

and get listed! 

primarytimes.co.uk/ 

Staffordshire 

10 



14 April 

Palm Sunday 



Palm Sunday Procession and Liturgy of 

the Palms (meet at Speakers’ Corner). 

The congregation gathers at Speaker’s 

Corner by Minster Pool to begin the great 

ceremonies and drama of Holy Week. We 

remember Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. 

Palm crosses are distributed and blessed, 

the Gospel is read and we follow a real 

live donkey to the Cathedral; the Cathedral 

banner and Cross will follow as we sing 

hymns. 11:00 Choral Eucharist of Palm 

Sunday with Children’s Church followed by 

Refreshments. The procession arrives at the 

Cathedral just before 11:00. We enter the 

Cathedral to hear the Gospel of the Passion 

and celebrate the Eucharist. 

Artisan Market 

World of Wedgewood 

www.worldofwedgewood.com 

10am-4pm Over 50 stalls inside and out. 

Live music from local artists. Free entry 

into the museum. Free children’s Pottery 

Spotter Museum Trail with a prize for every 

completed activity sheet. 

15 April 

Get Wild 

The Wolseley Centre 


Leave your parents behind and #GetWild 

with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Must be 

aged between 8 and 16. 

Get Wild 

Whitfield Valley Nature Reserve 






Easter Egg Painting 



11am-3pm We will have all the things you 

need to paint your best wooden Easter 

egg to take home. You can even have a 

go at designing it beforehand on paper. 

When you have finished, enter yourself 

in the Moseley Easter Egg Decorating 

Competition to have a chance of winning 

a prize. 


The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party 

Churnet Valley Railway 

www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk 

Tumble down the rabbit hole and discover 

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at Churnet 

Valley Railway this Easter. Specially 

decorated trains will be running through 

the scenic Staffordshire countryside. Once 

on board you can enjoy a range of themed 

treats as you discover a tea party that will 

delight all the family. 

16 April 

Get Wild 

Westport Lake Visitor Centre 





Get Wild 

The Roaches 





Get Wild 

Hem Heath Woods 





Easter Craft - Under the Sea 



Make your own underwater scene clay tile 

inspired by patterns from the Tile Gallery 

in our drop-in craft workshop. Suitable for 

all ages, 11am – 12.30pm and 1.15 – 3pm, £1 

plus admission. 

The Big Tree Climbe 

Shugborough Estate 


Got a head for heights? Come tree climbing 

to tick off number 1 of the 50 Things To Do 

Before You’re 11 ¾ and get a whole new 

perspective on nature. Booking details: Call 

0800 0556760. 


Clay Animals Crafts 



Make a clay animal inspired by your 

favourite Beatrix Potter character. Drop in 

session, £1.50 

17 April 

Easter Egg Decorating Workshop 

and Competition 

Litchfield Garrick 


2-3.30pm The Easter Crafts Extraordinaires 

Dan Ingleby and Jonny McClean will be 

hosting a family Easter Egg decorating 

competition with a twist! With a little bit of 

their help, you will enter into a workshop 

and challenge you to build the most 

interesting Egg-based scenes imaginable. 

Recommended for families with children 

from ages 6-12 looking for something a 

little different to do together over the 

Easter holidays. 

Wildfamilies Explore 

The Wolseley Centre 


Want to get the children outdoors this 

holiday? Why not come along and try a new 

adventure with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. 

These two hour long activities give you and 

your children the chance to explore the 

great outdoors, with our Wildchild Team 

at hand to help you along the way. This 

sessions theme is Survival in the Wild! 

Easter Animal Story Telling 



Join our storyteller and listen to Easter 

Animal tales, 11am – 1pm and 1.30 – 3pm, 

included with admission 

Family Film Club. Fantastic Beasts. 

The Crimes of Grindelwald 

Mitchell Arts Centre 

www.michellartscentre.co.uk 

11.30am-4pm In an effort to thwart 

Grindelwald’s plans of raising pure-blood 

wizards to rule over all non-magical beings, 

Albus Dumbledore enlists his former 

student Newt Scamander, who agrees to 

help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. 

Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are 

tested, even among the truest friends and 

family, in an increasingly divided wizarding 

world. Tickets: £3 per child, adults go FREE. 

One free adult ticket per paying child. Offer 

only available for children under 16. 

Young Archaeologists’ 

and Curators’ Club 



Take part and enjoy exploring the past 

and dig deeper into your heritage. Take 

part in a range of themed activities, 

including undertaking research, taking 

part in traditional crafts, object handling, 

living history interpretation and collections 

display. Aged 8+ 


Easter Animation Workshop 

The Brewhouse Arts Centre 

www.brewhouse.co.uk 

10am-3.30pm Join us over Easter to learn 

and have some fun with animation! For 

those attending both days there will be 

an opportunity to achieve the Explore Arts 

Award. £15 per day or £12 each day for 

2 siblings. 

18 April 

Family Crafternoon Tea Party 

Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum 

www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk 

2-4pm Join a tea party with a difference! 

Find out about famous tea parties in 

history and fiction and enjoy an afternoon 

of magic, cake and craft activities in a 

tea-lover’s house. 

Easter Cupcake Decorating 



Decorate your own Easter cupcake to 

eat immediately or take home with you 

with help from our expert baker and 

decorator. 11am – 3pm, included with 

museum admission. 

Easter Egg Decorating 

Family Workshop 



A morning of family fun with traditional 

Easter crafts including decorating eggs. For 

family members of all ages and generations 

to learn together. 

19 April 

Puppeteering Workshop 

Litchfield Garrick 


2-4pm Develop your puppeteering skills 

in this workshop designed to introduce 

you to some of the basic principles of 

puppeteering. With exercises looking at 

individual skills, as well as how to build 

and operate large, multi-person puppets, 

this workshop will ignite the imagination, 

and give you ideas on how to continue to 

develop your puppetry skills beyond this 

introduction. For ages 10+. 



Kedleston Hall 


11am-3pm A fun self led outdoor family 

trail at Kedleston Hall this Easter weekend, 

with a Cadbury chocolate treat at the end 

the trail. Explore outdoors and discover the 

signs of spring. 


Biddulph Grange Garden 


Join us for the annual Cadbury Easter Egg 

Hunt at Biddulph Grange Garden 




10am-4pm Come along and join us for our 

Cadbury Easter hunt! Look out for clues 

around our garden and woods that will lead 

you to win your delicious prize. 

Easter Bunny Breakfast 

Dobbies Garden World 

www.dobbies.com 

Have a fantastic Easter at your local 

Dobbies by joining us for our popular Easter 

Bunny Breakfast. Enjoy a delicious cooked 

breakfast, before the little ones have fun 

participating in our egg-citing fun Easter 

craft activities. Kids will meet the Easter 

Bunny and receive a Lindt chocolate 

bunny treat to take home and enjoy. Also, 

make sure your little ones have their best 

bunny ears or mad hatter’s hat on to be in 

with a chance of winning the fancy-dress 

competition. This event is suited to families 

with children aged 12 years and under. To 

relax and fully enjoy the experience families 

will be seated and served at their own table. 

Easter Bunny Breakfast costs £8.99 per 

child and adult prices start from £6.99. 

20 April 

Easter Holiday Activity Day 



2-4pm Children and families are invited 

to take part in our free Easter activities 

at Lichfield Cathedral. There will be a 

variety of simple crafts including making 

Easter cards, bishops’ mitres, prayer bead 

bracelets and more! 

Tower Tours 



11am. 1pm and 3pm. Climb 90 spiral steps 

to the height of the Nave ceiling, then a 

further 70 steps to the central spire, where 

you can enjoy the magnificent views over 

Lichfield and the surrounding countryside. 

Advance tickets are available - adult £8.00, 

child £6.00. 

St George’s Day 

Tamworth Castle 

www.tamworthcastle.co.uk 

10.30am-3pm To celebrate the patron 

saint of England, the Castle is holding a 

truly Medieval experience. The day of fun 

includes living history at the Castle, where 

visitors can have a go at doing the laundry, 

learn about Medieval weaponry and 

armour, or have a go at some traditional 

games with the Castle’s own Lady Freville. 

In the Castle Grounds try out archery, 

enjoy the spectacular Medieval joust, walk 

around the Medieval encampment, chat 

to the street entertainers and try out the 

children’s activities! 


Apevale Valley Country Park 

www.apedale.co.uk 

11.30am-4pm Easter Egg Hunt. Steam trains 

11:30-4pm. Standard fares apply. Can you 

spot the Easter Eggs down the railway? 

Prizes for kids who get them all! Please 

note that this event is run by the Railway. 

Nature Detectives 



Nature loving children can discover more 

about just some of the amazing creatures 

who call the Arboretum home at these 

monthly interactive sessions. 


Easter Celebrations 

Erasmus Darwin House 

www.erasmusdarwin.org 

11am-5pm Family fun and Easter Trails. Free 

entry, but a small charge for some activities. 

Free entry, but a small charge for some 

activities. T: 01543306260 

April Easter Celebrations 

Erasmus Darwin House 

www.erasmusdarwin.org 

11am-5pm Family fun and Easter Trails. Free 

entry, but a small charge for some activities. 

21 April 




12 



Dawn Chorus Walk 



Look and listen out for a variety of birds 

during their dawn chorus with a National 

Trust guide, before enjoying a well-earned 

butty and hot drink in Park Farm cafe. All 

children to be supervised by a adult. 


Easter Egg Trail 

Watling Street, Wall, Nr Lichfield 


11am-4pm Follow an Easter Egg Trail at the 

site of the Scheduled Roman Monument 

in Wall Village, Watling Street Wall. 

Refreshments and other activities will be 

available in the Village Hall, to book or for 

further details contact 01543 418464 or 

enquries@wallromansitefriendsofletocetum. 

co.uk 

Easter Family Fun 

The National Brewery Centre 

www.nationalbrewerycentre.co.uk 

This year’s spotlight show will be Pip Ahoy! 

who along with friends will be partaking 

in some extraordinary adventures. This 

news will excite fans of the show , which 

launched in the UK on Milkshake! in 2014, 

to huge acclaim and which features the 

voice of the wonderful Sir David Jason. Pip 

Ahoy! can now been viewed on Freeview 

channel ITVBE’s new morning slot, Little 

Be. There will be three 25 minute Pip Ahoy! 

Shows each day – preceded by a 20 minute 

Magic Show starring Dave Oakley. Entrance 

to one of each of the shows is included in 

the price. Tickets £6 Adult or Child. FREE 

MUSEUM ENTRY! Plus! Mini Farm, Dray 

Rides*, Face Painting *Bouncy Castle, Kids 

Crafts, Easter Trail, BBQ*, Ice Cream Parlour* 

Steaming Days 

Claymills Victorial Pumping Station 

www.claymills.org.uk 

Come along to one of our Steaming Days 

and see the trains. 

Easter Motor Show 

Weston Park 


Offering a spectacular day of motoring 

heritage ideal for enthusiasts, families 

and day trippers, this event will feature 

an exciting display of vintage, classic and 

modern classic vehicles. Add to this classic 

motorcycles, trade and autojumble stalls, 

children’s entertainment, modern car 

dealership stands, craft tents, quality food, 

drink, ice cream and responsible bars – 

what’s not to like? 

22 April 

Tower Tours 









child £6.00. 


Easter Events 

Ford Green Hall 

www.fordgreenhall.org.uk 

Many Easter events at Ford Green Hall 

include children’s trail and craft activities. 

23 April 

Easter Craft - Decorate 

a Faberge Egg 



Decorate you own jewelled Easter egg to 

take home in our drop-in craft workshop. 

11am – 3pm, included with admission 


Spring Hats Crafts 



Make a Spring hat inspired by our Secret 

Garden. Drop in session. £1.50 

24 April 

Family Film Club. 

Mary Poppins Returns. 


www.michellartscentre.co.uk 

11.30am Now an adult with three children, 

bank teller Michael Banks learns that his 

house will be repossessed in five days 

unless he can pay back a loan. His only 

hope is to find a missing certificate that 

shows proof of valuable shares that his 

father left him years earlier. Just as all 

seems lost, Michael and his sister receive 

the surprise of a lifetime when Mary 

Poppins - the beloved nanny from their 

childhood - arrives to save the day and take 

the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled 

adventure. Tickets: £3 per child, adults go 

FREE. One free adult ticket per paying child. 

Offer only available for children under 16. 

26 April 

Easter Craft: 

Decorate a Faberge Egg 



Decorate you own jewelled Easter egg to 

take home in our drop-in craft workshop. 

11am – 3pm, included with admission 

27 April 

If you go down to the woods today 



11am-3pm Join in with our monthly 

weekend of outdoor fun to tick off more 

things on your list of 50 things to do before 

11 ¾. 

Tower Tours 









child £6.00. 

Messy Church 



2-4pm Come along to the Cathedral for 

an action-packed afternoon of children 

and adults being at church together – 

worshipping, learning and having fun. We 

sing, pray, learn about Bible stories and 

get messy exploring their meaning through 

crafts and activities. No need to book, 

just come and join in. Please note that all 

children must be accompanied by an adult 

responsible for them. 

28 April 

Dawn Chorus Walk 



Look and listen out for a variety of birds 

during their dawn chorus with a National 

Trust guide, before enjoying a well-earned 

butty and hot drink in Park Farm cafe. All 

children to be supervised by a adult. 

3 May 

Little Saplings Sensory Play 



Little Saplings Sensory Play and storytelling 

sessions are suitable for babies, toddlers 

and preschool children. During the May 

session Little Saplings will be discovering 

more about life cycles, growth and will 

be creating their very own Tree of 

Hands artwork. 

4 May – 6 May 

Diesel Gala 

Churnet Valley Railway 

www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk 

After a 7 year hiatus this May Day Bank 

Holiday our heritage collection of diesels 

take to the rails, and enchant both young 

and old with the sight, sounds and smells 

of British Railways. The events timetable 

offers a mixture of services along our 

combined 10 miles of railway with our main 

service set venturing out onto the Cauldon 

Lowe branch, which offers some of the 

steepest gradients on a heritage railway 

anywhere in the world, whilst a smaller 

shuttle set provides a frequent service 

along the picturesque Churnet Valley Line. 

With the opportunity to travel around 60 

miles behind vintage locomotives each 

day, there’s a journey for everyone at our 

Diesel Gala! 

Princess and Pirate Weekend 

All Gulliver’s Parks 


Princess and Pirate weekend is back 

at Gulliver’s! Get ready for two days of 

enchanting activities and swashbuckling 

rides. www.gulliversfun.co.uk/events/ 

princess-and-pirate-weekend 

5 May 

Bluebells and Blossoms Walk 

Weston Park 


Head Gardener Martin Gee will lead a three 

and half mile guided walk through carpets 

of bluebells, avenues and azaleas and 

Capability Brown’s pleasure grounds. 

Vintage Fair 



With activities for the whole family there 

will be lots to do at the Arboretum’s Vintage 

Fair Weekend. 

11 May – 12 May 

Stafold Giant Miniature Weekend 

Statfold Barn Railway 

www.statfoldbarnrailway.co.uk 

A steam filled rally event for all ages to 

enjoy. Over 100 miniature engines from 

across the UK will be in steam, operating 

alongside the narrow gauge steam trains of 

the SBR and of course the stunning Statfold 

Tramway with ex-Burton & Ashby Tramcar 

No14. Statfold is home to a stunning 

collection of preserved steam locomotives 

rescued from around the world and the 

whole family can experience the golden 

age of steam at this event thanks to its ever 

growing list of attractions 

18 May 




Nature loving children can discover more 

about just some of the amazing creatures 

who call the Arboretum home at these 

monthly interactive sessions. 

19 May 

May Craft Fair 

Ford Green Hall 

www.fordgreenhall.org.uk 

Lots of stalls to find a special gift or treat 

yourself. See website for more details. 

25 May – 2 June 

Half Term Holidays 



There will lots of fun activities taking place 

at the Arboretum throughout May half term. 

7 June 




Little Saplings Sensory Play and storytelling 

sessions are suitable for babies, toddlers 

and preschool children. In June, Little 

Saplings will be learning about farms, 

food produce, as well as animals they may 

encounter during a visit to a farm. 

29 June – 30 June 

Armed Forces Day 



Show your support for our Country’s Armed 

Forces at the Arboretum’s Armed Forces 

Weekend. With free activities and displays 

for the whole family including climbing 

walls, an obstacle course, zip lines and 

archery throughout the weekend. 

April 

Easter at Gulliver’s 

All Gulliver’s Parks 


Enjoy magical entertainment, activities and 

lots of family rides. Book tickets in advance 

to save more on your visit. 

www.gulliversfun.co.uk/events/easterfamily-fun 

Ongoing 

Trentham Fairy Tale 

Trentham Gardens 

www.trentham.co.uk 

Keep your eyes peeled as you walk around 

our beautiful mile-long lake, and through 

the woodland and garden, where the Fairies 

at Trentham live.We have a new Fairy 

“Dancing with Dandelions” who’s flown in 

to the Rivers of Grass to visit her Trentham 

fairy friends. She’s only here for a short 

while, so make sure you don’t miss her, 

and watch her hovver gently in the breeze! 

ake the Trentham Fairy Trail to find all 16 to 

enter the prize draw to win a sticker. 

Ongoing 

The Stick Man Outdoor Trail 



Young visitors will love this year’s outdoor 

adventure trail. Pick up a FREE trail map 

from the Arboretum Welcome Desk and 

join Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man on his 

journey back to the family tree, while 

exploring the Arboretum grounds 

and woods. 




Spring Family Events at 


There is plenty to do for all the 

family this Spring at the National 

Memorial Arboretum. 

Easter Holiday Activities 

13 – 28 April: Families are invited to 

go on a Woodland Adventure at the 

Arboretum this Easter. As well as 

helping Stick Man find his way back 

to his family tree on the new Stick 

Man Trail, visitors can also discover 

some of the amazing creatures 

who call the Arboretum home using 

a Nature Detective Backpack, try 

wildflower sowing and make muddy 

‘feast’ in the Muddy Makers Galley 

Kitchens. 


20 April: Nature loving children can 

discover more about just some of 

the amazing creatures who call the 

Arboretum home at these monthly 

interactive sessions. 


3 May: Little Saplings Sensory 

Play and storytelling sessions are 

suitable for babies, toddlers and 

preschool children. During the 

May session Little Saplings will be 

discovering more about life cycles, 

growth and will be creating their 

very own Tree of Hands artwork. 

Vintage Fair 

5 May: With activities for the whole 

family there will be lots to do at the 

Arboretum’s Vintage Fair Weekend. 

14 


Primary Times North London 

Spring has sprung 

Spotting the different signs of spring 

with your children using the five senses 

PRIMARY TIMES EXCLUSIVE 

Spring is a time when the flowers begin to blossom, the days get longer, and the birds start to sing. This is the perfect time to get 

outside with your family and spot the blooming signs of the new season, whilst exploring the five senses simultaneously. 

Sight 

As spring comes around, flowers 

bloom, leaves bud, birds build nests, 

and our gardens come to life. One 

of the most obvious signs of spring’s 

arrival is the appearance of flowers. 

Another sign to look out for is the 

appearance of earthworms, who only 

come above ground once the weather 

warms up and the soil begins to soften 

ready for new root growth. 

Smell 

Our sense of smell comes alive 

with the change in seasons. Few 

things depict that spring has fully 

arrived like the fresh smell of 

its flowers, the earthy fragrance 

after a rain shower, and the 

wonderful odour of freshly-cut 

grass. Encourage your children 

to identify the soothing scents of 

lilacs, apple blossoms and daffodils 

on a fresh woodland walk. 

Touch 

For a hands-on experience 

with the children, a spring 

scavenger hunt can be a 

great way to explore the 

change in season. Using 

our spring checklist, the 

whole family can collect or 

tick items off as they find 

them. If you prefer, you can 

also record your findings 

with photos and drawings. 

Taste 

Spring greens, fresh berries, 

sprouting broccoli and spicy 

rocket are all signals of the 

arrival of spring. With the 

change of season comes the 

perfect opportunity for you 

and your children to discover 

new seasonal recipes, pot 

an indoor herb garden on 

a sunny windowsill or visit 

a local farmers market for 

fresh produce. 

Sound 

Bird song, April showers, a 

babbling brook, and bees buzzing 

are all welcomed sounds of 

the return of spring. Set up a 

bird feeder in your garden and 

encourage the children to decipher 

between the different melodies 

of various birds. Frogs and toads 

also tend to make an appearance 

in the spring months, listen out 

for their high-pitched calls in wet 

areas like lakes and ponds. 

How many of these signs of spring can 

you spot on your next woodland walk? 

Bumblebee Bluebell 

Primrose Frogspawn 

Cherry Blossom Snowdrops 

Daffodil 

Bird’s nest 

Butterfly 

Cut grass 

www.primarytimes.co.uk/Nottinghamshire www.primarytimes.co.uk/NorthLondon www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire | EASTER 2019 15


16 


Encourage them to explore 

their love of music with... 

Rak-Su 


Primary Times interviews Rak-Su to discuss 

their rise to fame and pursuing your dreams 

Made up of Ashley Fongho, 

Jamaal Shurland, 

Mustafa Rahimtulla 

and Myles Stephenson, Rak-Su are the 

beloved UK boy band who rose to fame 

when they won the fourteenth series 

of The X Factor in 2017. Primary Times 

has teamed up with them to explore 

how children can be encouraged to 

embrace their love of music. 

Despite their natural talent, the boys 

never envisaged their lives changing as 

much as they have. “We went onto the 

show to give ourselves a shot at being 

musicians full time, we hoped that the 

exposure would get us some more 

fans and in turn get us some more 

live gigs, but never imagined it 

would take us this far!” 

“It’s been an amazing journey and 

we’ve got what we wanted, the chance 

to wake up in the morning and focus on 

music as not only a passion but a job 

as well. We’ve travelled to places we 

never dreamt of, including 

playing shows in front of 20-30 

thousand people daily and all 

with our best mates!” 

Their career, however, has not come 

without setbacks. “Rejections are 

always going to happen”, they explain, 

“but a lot of it is just based on opinion.” 

When asked if they have any tips 

on how to deal with rejection, they 

advised to never let it reshape your 

self-image. 

“Learn from the mistakes and be 

honest with yourself on what you can 

improve on. You believed in yourself for 

a reason, a few rejections or opinions 

should never be powerful enough to 

break that. We had loads of rejections 

and found our stage on X-Factor, we 

never thought a group with this much 

rapping and dancing would win a 

programme like that. It just shows you 

anything is possible!” 

Taking their inspiration as children from 

the likes of Usher and Craig David, 

Rak-Su believe that musical 

aspirations should be encouraged 

from a young age. “Music is a medium 

of emotional release and expression. 

I think it’s vital that everyone has that 

through an art form, regardless of what 

it is. Sometimes music can also say 

things in such a way that you 

can’t vocalise yourself.” 

For the parents of our young, aspiring 

musicians, Rak-Su believe it’s 

important to ensure children believe in 

themselves and understand that hard 

work pays off, no matter what you’re 

aspiring to do. “Be patient and give it 

time but know eventually more and 

more people will appreciate you”. 

When asked what one piece of advice 

they would give to young, aspiring 

musicians, the boys kept it simple. 

“Just do it! That idea you had, pursue 

it, even if it doesn’t come off you’ll 

never know unless you try, you’ve 

got nothing to lose” 


0231513 


BOX OFFICE 

Box 

Office 

Your family theatre guide... 

Birmingham Hippodrome 

B5 4TB 

www.birminghamhippodrome.com 


Dear Zoo Live! 

Rod Campbell’s best-selling lift the 

flap book has delighted generations 

of young readers since it was first 

published in 1982. And has sold more 

than 8 million copies worldwide. 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. Approximately 55 minutes, 

with no interval 

22 May – 25 May 

The Worst Witch 

7pm and 2pm Jill Murphy’s muchloved 

characters come to life on stage. 

Jealous Ethel Hallow is always out to 

spoil Mildred’s fun. Miss Hardbroom 

is opposed to all fun in general. And 

just as Mildred sparks some inevitable 

mayhem certain to upset them both, 

an old enemy returns with a plan for 

revenge that could threaten not just 

the Academy, but the whole world. Age 

guidance - 7+ No under 3’s admitted. 

Tickets from £16. 

Crewe Lyceum 

CW1 2DA 

www.crewelyceum.co.uk 


0231512 

TICKET 

TICKET 

Jesus Christ Superstar 

2.30 and 7.30pm Jesus Christ Superstar 

has become a musical phenomenon 

that permeated musical, cinematic, 

and religious culture and CAMS are 

delighted to be able to bring this 

phenomenon to the Lyceum Theatre. 


Aliens Love Underpants 

This zany, hilarious tale based on 

the best-selling children’s book is 

delightfully brought to life on stage for 

the very first time. With stunning effects, 

madcap action, original music (and lots 

of aliens of course!) this fantastically 

fresh and funny production will delight 

the whole family. 

Lichfield Garrick 

WS13 6HR 

www.lichfieldgarrick.com 

25 April 

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant 

1.30 and 4.30pm Elephants are big, 

have trunks, and are grey, but Elmer is 

a patchwork of brilliant colours! His fun 

loving personality keeps everyone in a 

playful mood, until he gets tired of being 

different and tries to blend in with the 

herd. Based on the classic children’s 

book, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant 

Show is a celebration of individuality and 

the power of laughter. 


The Sound of Music 

A tuneful, heartwarming story that is 

based on the real life story of the Von 

Trapp Family singers, one of the world’s 

best-known concert groups in the era 

immediately preceding World War II. 


ST1 4HG 

www.mitchellartscentre.co.uk 

17 April 

Family Film Club: Fantastic 

Beasts: The Crimes of 

Grindelwald 

11.30am In an effort to thwart 

Grindelwald’s plans of raising pureblood 

wizards to rule over all nonmagical 

beings, Albus Dumbledore 

enlists his former student Newt 

Scamander, who agrees to help, 

unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. 

Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are 

tested, even among the truest friends 

and family, in an increasingly divided 

wizarding world. Tickets: £3 per child, 

adults go FREE 

24 April 

Family Film Club: 

Mary Poppins Returns 

11.30am Now an adult with three 

children, bank teller Michael Banks 

learns that his house will be repossessed 

in five days unless he can pay back a 

loan. His only hope is to find a missing 

certificate that shows proof of valuable 

shares that his father left him years 

earlier. Just as all seems lost, Michael 

and his sister receive the surprise of 

a lifetime when Mary Poppins - the 

beloved nanny from their childhood 

- arrives to save the day and take the 

Banks family on a magical, fun-filled 

adventure. Tickets: £3 per child, adults 

go FREE 

Prince of Wales Theatre 

WS11 1DE 

www.princeofwales.live 

2 April 

Swan Lake 

7.30pm Swan Lake remains one 

of the most enduring, moving and 

irreplaceable ballets due to it’s magical 

plot filled with romance, sorcery and 

betrayal. Ballet Theatre UK peform 

their spectacular new production of this 

timeless classic. 

17 April 

Milkshake Live. Milshake 

Monkey’s Musical 

12 and 3.30pm Milkshake Monkey can’t 

wait to put on a spectacular new musical 

for you all. But when stage fright hits 

his favourite Milkshake friends come 

to help, creating a dazzling show. This 

brand new show has plenty of laughter, 

audience interaction and great fun to get 

everyone up on their feet. 

23 April 

Beauty and the Beast 

3 and 7pm Starring Kerry Katona. Beauty 

and the Beast is an enchanting tale that 

has delighted children and adults alike 

for many years and this production is 

set to be an Easter delight for the whole 

family. Prepare yourself for another all 

singing, all dancing, laugh a minute ride 

through the fun and frolics of pantoland. 

Repertory Theatre 

B1 2EP 

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk 


Bing Live! 

Full of fun, laughter and music, your 

favourite characters are brought to life 

as Bing and his friends come to The REP 

in the first ever Bing stage show. Suitable 

for all ages. For full booking and ticket 

information, please use the links for the 

individual shows on the website. 

10 May – 11 May 

First Stages: Muckers 

A funny, magical and mischievous 

adventure. Suitable for ages 5+.For full 

booking and ticket information, please 

use the links for the individual shows on 

the website. 

Resorts World Arena 

B40 1NT 

www.resortsworldarena.co.uk 


The Wonderful World 

of Disney on Ice 

A Magical Medley of Classic and 

Modern Tales, including Disney’s The 

Lion King, Frozen and for the first time 

in the UK Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory! 

Be dazzled by the hilarious Genie, as 

he makes Aladdin’s wishes come true 

with a spectacular parade for Prince 

Ali. Watch as the ice transforms into 

the wintry world of Frozen during Elsa’s 

emotionally powerful performance of 

“Let It Go.” 

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre 

ST16 2LT 

www.staffordgatehouse.theatre.co.uk 


The Tiger Who Came To Tea 

A musical play adapted and directed 

by DAVID WOOD, based on the book 

by JUDITH KERR. Direct from the West 

End, the Olivier Award nominated smash 

hit show, The Tiger Who Came to Tea 

returns on tour, celebrating over 10 years 

on stage! Join the tea-guzzling tiger 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 of teatime 

mayhem... expect to be surprised! 

Running time: approx 55 minutes (no 

interval). Suitable for children aged 3+. 

17 April 

The Wizard of Oz 

2.30 and 6pm It’s time to click your heels 

as Shone Productions take you over 

the rainbow in their fantastic production 

of The Wizard Of Oz. Star Cast to be 

announced. Join Dorothy and her cute 

dog Toto as they enter the wonderful 

Land Of Oz. During their travels down 

the yellow brick road they meet some 

lovely friends including a Scarecrow, Tin 

Man and a Lion. They travel to see the 

great and powerful Wizard Of Oz, this 

won’t be easy as the Wicked Witch is 

determined to stop them by any means 

necessary! With a superb cast, live band, 

brilliant scenery and costumes you can’t 

miss this spectacular, fun family show. 

Also everyone will have the chance to 

meet the cast after the show. 

18 



18 April 

Tom Thumb 

11.30am and 2pm One night tiny Tom 

overhears Mum and Dad talking - there’s 

nothing left to eat so they are going to 

leave him and his six brothers in the 

forest! Outwitting his parents and the 

ogre Tom shows everybody that even 

though he is small he is still mighty as he 

protects his brothers, finds the treasure 

and makes sure they’ll never be hungry 

again. Cbeebies Patrick Lynch, who 

has been performing it for more than a 

decade, brings this classic story to life in 

a playful and fascinating show. Ages 3+ 

12 May 

Horrible Histories Live on Stage 

Barmy Britain 

1 and 4pm We all want to meet people 

from history. The trouble is everyone is 

dead! So it’s time to prepare yourselves 

for Horrible Histories live on stage with 

a brand new West End show that has 

never toured before - featuring all new 

scenes! Would you be shaken or stirred 

by Richard III? Mount a mutiny against 

King Henry VIII! See Mary Tudor knock 

the spots off Mary Queen of Scots! Will 

Queen Elizabeth I endure her terrible 

teeth? Would you be hanged by King 

James I for being a witch? Peep into 

the world of Samuel Pepys and help 

Georgian detectives find the headless 

man! Take a trip into the night with the 

night soil men and discover how to 

survive the first ever train ride! 

The Brewhouse Arts Centre 

DE14 1AA 

www.brewhouse.co.uk 


Advertising 

Opportunity 

Michael Morpurgo, this powerfully 

moving and imaginative drama, filled 

with stirring music and songs, is a 

show of phenomenal inventiveness. 

At its heart are astonishing life-sized 

horses by South Africa’s Handspring 

Puppet Company, who bring breathing, 

galloping, charging horses to thrilling 

life on stage. 


Fame The Musical 

2.30 and 7.30pm Based on the 1980 

phenomenal pop culture film, Fame The 

Musical is the international smash hit 

sensation following the lives of students 

at New York’s High School For The 

Performing Arts. Recommended 12+ 

4 May 

Call Kerry on 

01733 385307 

Puss In Boots 

Bringing this much-loved children’s 

story to life, Puss in Boots is the perfect 

opportunity for your little ones to enjoy 

live ballet, music, and theatre. With sellout 

performances and a string of hugely 

successful CBeebies TV adaptations, 

Northern Ballet’s productions for 

children are not to be missed. This 

child-friendly performance lasts 

approximately 40 minutes. 

Screen and Social Media advice 

Based on available evidence, the 

UK Chief Medical Officers have 

published their first advice on 

screen and social media use in 

children and young people. 

Technology can be a wonderful 

thing but too much time sitting 

down or using mobile devices 

can get in the way of important, 

healthy activities. Here are the 

tips for balancing screen use with 

healthy living: 

• Leave phones outside the 

bedroom at bedtime to ensure 

good quality sleep, 

• Make sure your children know 

they can speak to a responsible 

adult if they feel uncomfortable 

with screen or social media use 

• Advise they put their screens 

away while crossing the road 

• Talk about sharing content 

and how photos and words are 

sometimes manipulated. When 

in doubt about sharing a photo of 

your child don’t upload 

• Everyone should take a break 

after a couple of hours sitting 

using a screen 

• Be aware and abide by their 

school’s policy on screen time 

• Use the special features to keep 

track of time you (and, with their 

permission, your children) spend 

looking at a screen 

• Screen-free meal times are a 

good idea – you can enjoy faceto-face 

conversation and give 

your full attention to children. 

BOX OFFICE 

Jesus Christ Superstar 

2.30 and 7.30pm A Youth Group 

Production, Jesus Christ Superstar is a 

global phenomenon that has wowed 

audiences for over 40 years, Jesus Chris 

Superstar is a timeless work set against 

the backdrop of an extraordinary and 

universally-known series of events but 

seen, unusually, through the eyes of 

Judas Iscariot 

The Potteries Museum 

and Art Gallery 

ST1 3DW 

www.potteriesmuseum.org.uk 

13 April 

Victoria Hall 

ST1 3AD 

www.visitstoke.co.uk 

21 April 

The Little Mix Experience 

If you’re a fan of one of X Factor’s finest 

exports, you’re sure to love The Little Mix 

Experience. Four hugely talented girls 

pay tribute to one of the UK’s finest girl 

bands. With breathtaking dance moves, 

replica costumes and some of the finest 

vocals in the UK; this is a high-energy 

show from beginning to end, packed 

with all of Little Mix’s greatest hits. 

Keep active and learn 

new skills at Didi Rugby 

Didi Rugby will help your child get 

physically active, teach them new 

skills and improve their co-ordination, 

speed and balance. The classes will 

also help them learn social skills while 

having lots of fun in a positive, safe 

and friendly environment. 

Our Head coaches have a wealth 

of Rugby and Coaching knowledge 

between them with Mollie being 

crowned National Women’s Player 

of the Year in 2018, and Ros, who has 

an extensive knowledge of disability 

sport, activity provision and pastoral 

care from a business career away 

from the playing field. 

Our classes take place weekly across 

Staffordshire including weekend 

morning classes in Stone and Stafford 

and we’d love for your child to come 

for a free taster session so please get 

in touch. 

Beatrix Potter And Friends 

Join Miss Potter as she remembers her 

friends from Hill Top Farm and embarks 

on a brand-new adventure with them. A 

dapper foxy gentleman thinks nothing of 

helping himself to a brand new kerchief 

from his Hedgehog neighbour’s washing 

line. When his stealing gets too much, 

she calls for help from the most famous 

Rabbit of all. Together they trick him 

and show him the error of his ways. 

Free. Performances at 11.30am. 1.30pm 

and 3pm. 

The Regent Theatre 

ST1 1AP 

www.visitstoke.co.uk 

27 March – 6 April 

Warhorse 

Based on the beloved novel by 


20


Premier Education and British 

Gymnastics partnership brings 

gymnastics to primary schools 

High quality gymnastics from 

British Gymnastics trained 

coaches is being brought to 

primary schools the length and 

breadth of the country thanks to 

a partnership between Premier 

Education and British Gymnastics. 

The sport is going from strength 

to strength with more and more 

young people inspired to try 

their very first roll and leap. To 

meet this ever-growing demand, 

a partnership between Premier 

and British Gymnastics has been 

formed to offer every primary 

school child the opportunity to 

enjoy high quality gymnastics 

coaching in their own school hall. 

Premier has been delivering 

schools, children and parents 

innovative sporting programmes 

and initiatives for 20 years and 

this partnership makes it the 

only nationwide delivery partner 

of British Gymnastics in primary 

schools across the UK. 

Making sure your school 

benefits from this partnership 

couldn’t be easier. There’s a free 

taster session to take advantage 

of. All you need to do is register 

your school’s interest by visiting 

www.premier-education.com/ 

gymnastics. 

Formarke Hall, 

Repton Preparatory School 

Foremarke Hall, Repton Preparatory 

School, is an Independent boarding 

and day school for boys and girls, 

aged 3 to 13. Set in an inspiring and 

spacious setting the school’s vision 

is to blend integrity and other values 

with inspirational learning, ensuring 

all pupils excel with confidence 

and flair. 

Open Morning 

Saturday 11th May 2019 

Guests are most welcome to join our 

next open morning is on Saturday 

11th May. Open Mornings start at 

9am where you are greeted by our 

senior pupils on arrival. There is an 

opportunity to meet the Headmaster 

and his team before being 

accompanied by a pupil on a tailor 

made tour. 

Year 3 and 4 Experience Morning 

11th May 2019 

Children are invited to join us this 

morning to experience the activities 

available to pupils in Year 3 and 4. 

Come along and join in the fun, play 

sport and spend some time with our 

dedicated D and T Teacher. Whilst the 

children are enjoying their activities 

parents and Guardians may join the 

full Open Morning. 

For more information and to register 

your attendance please go to 

foremarke.org.uk, call 01283 707112 

or email registar@foremarke.org.uk 




Taking Action on 

Sunburn 

Primary Times teams up with the Melanoma Fund to raise awareness of the Outdoor 

Kids Sun Safety Code and explore the misconceptions surrounding sun protection. 

Is your child adequately sun 

protected when they attend 

outdoor activities? Although you 

may pack away a bottle of sunscreen 

and a hat, are you sure it’s used? 

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer 

that occurs in melanocytes, the cells 

“The sun in the UK is 

not the same strength 

as abroad, so we do not 

really need sunscreen.” 

As many people will testify, sunburn 

doesn’t just happen on holiday. 

Although sunscreen manufacturers 

typically advertise their products for 

use on a beach or by a pool, we need 

the same protection whilst playing 

sport or gardening if the sun is 

out in the UK. 

22 

“My child never 

burns so I do not use 

sunscreen on him/her.” 

Some skin types are especially 

susceptible to burning, such as those 

with red hair or fair skin. The balance 

between sun protection and sun 

exposure differs between children 

according to their skin type, where 

in the world they are & what the 

weather is like. The key is ‘get 

to know your skin’. 

“I can’t be responsible 

for my child’s sun 

protection when they 

are out of my sight.” 

When it comes to sun protection, 

I recommend an overlapping of 

responsibility. Ensure everyone 

understands the reasons why 

sun protection is important and 

encourage accreditation with the 

Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code, 

offering support for all. 

EASTER 2019 | www.primarytimes.co.uk/staffordshire 

which give our skin its colour. There is 

increasing evidence that excessive sun 

exposure and sunburn in children under 

15 is a major risk factor for skin cancer 

in later life. It is therefore essential 

to protect the skin of both adults and 

children in the UK, particularly during 

periods of sunny weather in Spring 

& Summer. As a result of this, the 

Melanoma Fund created the 

Outdoor Kids Sun Safety 

Code, a powerful initiative 

designed for outdoor 

activity leaders that 

“The sun in the UK 

rarely shines so surely 

we need waterproofs 

more than sunscreen!” 

Although the UK is not a hot country, 

the UV Index in summer is often 

in the range that causes sunburn, 

particularly around the middle of the 

day. Protection such as clothing, hats, 

shade and sunscreen is recommended 

for children with vulnerable skin, at 

a UV Index of 3 or more. 

aims to raise awareness of melanoma 

and other forms of skin cancer. It 

provides a code of practice, template 

policies and downloadable resources to 

activity leaders and parents to ensure 

children escape the dangers of sunburn. 

Although it seems like a simple practice, 

there are many misconceptions 

surrounding sun protection. We have 

put some typical comments around 

the subject to melanoma expert 

Julia Newton-Bishop, Professor of 

Dermatology at the University of 

Leeds, for her opinion: 

The Melanoma Fund, is 

launching a short film on the 

11th April which will highlight 

common pitfalls of sun 

protection. Says Michelle 

Baker, CEO of the charity; 

“We all understand the 

importance of sun protection; 

however, it is easy for it to 

become just another task in a 

busy schedule. Our video will 

provide five simple rules for 

outdoor activity, which can 

be easily practiced”: 

PREPARE Ensure that everyone 

arrives ready for a day in the sun, 

and your child understands the 

importance of avoiding sunburn 

PROTECT Clothing, hats, 

sunglasses and sunscreen (SPF30+) 

SHADE Avoid direct 

sunlight during lunch or 

whilst spectating others 

HYDRATE Ensure water 

is always available 

LEAD BY EXAMPLE Inspire 

children with your own actions 

For further information visit 

www.oksunsafetycode.com

Primary Times Staffordshire Easter 2019

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