Hello All

As you probably remember Shropshire Children’s University was launched last year at St Peter’s C of E Primary School in Wem  with great ceremony and a visit from Ger Graus the CEO of the CU Trust nationally.

Since then we have spread our net across the county: Our most northern school is Whixall CE Primary School and our most Southern is Cleobury Mortimer Primary School. So a pretty good spread (112 miles round trip for those of you interested!)

As luck would have it the week leading up to our birthday (26^th May ) is a busy one. We will be holding our second graduation ceremony at Saint Peter’s in Wem on Wednesday 23^rd May with circa 60 graduands. We have our first gold graduate at this ceremony.

On Friday we are at Cleobury Mortimer Primary School where we will be taking part in the Summer Fair. Whack it Smack it and Enginuity will be offering validated learning activity and Shropshire Wildlife Trust will also be there.

We will also be announcing rather special birthday wishes we have received during the course of the week and maybe unveiling some new logos and icons, which I think you’ll like.

These will be used in conjunction with the national logos.

In June we have graduations at Whixall Primary School and Lower Heath as well as our first Gold Graduation Ceremony which will be hosted by the University of Birmingham on 27^th June. Those children who have attained a Gold Award from the three graduating schools will travel to the Edgbaston campus for a VIP visit with tours, activities and a special graduation ceremony in one of the university’s iconic buildings.

 We have had some press coverage over the last week with a short article in the Shropshire Star on Tuesday 15^th May and a not so short interview (time bar 1.11.14 is the start) with yours truly on the Jim Hawkins show on RadioShropshire Thursday 17th May.

New Providers and Schools

We now have seven schools signed up and active with several in the wings. We look forward to welcoming Harlescott Junior School on board very shortly.

As a result of the radio broadcast we are now talking to several potential providers who got in touch after the show. We have also invited representatives from providers and destinations that parents and children have told us they think we should be validating to graduation ceremonies.

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We are also in the process of validating Bearstone and Napley Farm on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border as a learning destination and provider. As a working farm this will only be open to organised group visits.  

We have validated more provision within Shropshire Libraries including organised visits, craft activities and author visits and workshops. We have also increased the number of credits available for completing the Summer Reading Challenge. It is now worth 6 credits.

Also a reminder to everyone that Snailbeach Lead Mine and Wem Cricket Club were validated last month and offer CU credit for some activities.

As always we are talking to a number of schools and providers whom we hope to welcome aboard shortly. We are also interested in what our current providers are up to and what events they have organised that we can publicise to other CU members and our passport holders.

Also, just a quick thank you to all our members and partners for making our first year such a special and successful one and of course a big thank you to all those children who get involved in the activities-after all they are what it is all about

That’s all for now

Pete

Where to Start?

What a roller coaster ride over the last few weeks.

Where to begin!

We could start with the news that Pat Pimlot of Park Hill Farm winning the Countryside Alliance National award for enterprise last month.  A subsequent trip to the House of Lords and a stint on Alan Titchmarsh show where pat talked about the importance of engaging with children and using the farm as a learning resource. The celebrations culminated in an open day at the farm where we were treated to fabulous farm reared food, Bucks Fizz (for the grownups not driving-which counted me out on two counts) and a visit to the piglets, lambs and chickens.

We could also have started with Shropshire Children’s University membership of The European Children’s Universities Network . The ECUN.net is a network of Children’s Universities right across Europe. Most are run by Universities and Shropshire is the first UK CU to be invited to join and the only CU not aligned to one particular University. We are hoping that this will help develop work on funded cross country projects (including summer schools, exchanges, etc.) that we can offer to are partner schools.

Maybe we should start with Graduation ceremonies taking place at the following schools:

Saint Peter’s CE Primary School, Wem: Wednesday, 23^rd May – Evening.

Lower Heath CE Primary School, Prees : Thursday , June 14^th-Evening

Whixall CE Primary School: Monday, 18^th June-Evening

Award winning author Pauline Fisk (Shropshire CU Chancellor) will be presiding over the ceremonies. Parents, school staff, local businesses and members of the community will be coming together to celebrate the children’s achievements. We are looking at compiling video footage and montages for the BBC Big Screen in Birmingham.

We hope to arrange a small VIP visit to the University of Birmingham over the summer for our gold graduates.

I think that is where we will start: celebrating the dedication and success of the most important part of Shropshire CU-the children. After all that is what it is all about.

Stop press -New Provider

SnailbeachLeadmine situated at the foot of the Stiperstones is an often overlooked site.

The site is open throughout the summer on Sundays and Bank Holidays or by arrangement for group and school visits.

The following activities are vailidated: 

Complete the ground level workings Trail- 1 credit

Visit underground workings (Day Level) -1 Credit

Whilst you can visit the site anytime (and weather permitting it is an ideal site for a picnic!), CU Credits are only available when the visitor centre is open.

See website for information on opening and special Heritage Days. 

Lower Heath Assembly

This morning I had the great privilege of delivering an assembly at Lower Heath Primary school.

I would like to thank the pupils, staff and parents for making me so welcome (and laughing at my awful jokes. The pupils now have their passports and are on the hunt for validated learning destinations. Pupils, staff and parents furnished me with a ‘hit list’ of those activities they think I should be validating…so the phone will be getting pretty hot next week.

Cleobury Mortimer Primary School Summer Fair

Bavita Williams Head at Cleobury Mortimer has kindly invited us to the Summer Fair on Friday, May 25^th in the early evening. We have some providers making the journey but there is room for some more. Any validated providers wanting to exhibit or provide activities...please let us know asap.

Over the last few weeks we have been engaged in meetings with a lot of schools, potential destinations and providers across the county. Hopefully, we will be announcing more destinations and providers over the next few weeks.

As well as bring more providers on board we may also have some very special activities on the horizon. I am sworn to secrecy, but if plans come to fruition there maybe something rather special on offer to participating schools.

and that is where I will leave it for now!

Park Hill Farm-Clebration Event and Tour 15th April

Park Hill Farm will be holding a special celebration event on Sunday 15^th April.

To celebrate winning the national Countryside Alliance award for Enterprise last month a special tasting day will be held starting at 10.30am.

Of special interest to members of Children University will be the 12.00am tour of  the baby piglets and opportunity to feed the lambs. The tour will demonstrate the importance of sustainable farming, food and the environment. The tour and feeding will carry one CU credit  

http://www.parkhillfarm.blogspot.com/  or Pat Pimlott’s FaceBook page

Celebration and Tasting Day

When - Sunday 15th April 2012

Where – Park Hill Farm, Hales. TF9 2QA

Time – 10.30 am – 1pm Charges – Free of Charge entry and tastings

Stop Press-New Activities for the Easter Holidays

Easter Activities  

 Wem Town Hall

Twisted Toons Animation Workshops (The Stu Brown Sextet)

Ages 8 -11 Tuesday 3 April 10.30 – 3.30pm

Ages 12 + Wednesday 4 April 10.30 – 3.30pm

Take part in a fun workshop to create animations inspired by the ‘cartoon jazz’ music that will be played during the performance by the Stu Brown Sextet.  (All participants will be eligible for discounted tickets to the performance of The Stu Brown Sextet on Friday 20^th April)

Cost:  £12

 3 Cu Credits

Cookery Half Day Workshops

Ages 5-7 Tuesday 10 April 10.30am- 1pm

Ages 8-12 Wednesday 11 April 10.30am -1pm

Enjoy learning how to make and decorate a giant gingerbread man and Easter biscuits.

Cost:  £7.50

 2 Cu Credits

Feather Perfect Falconry

Are now working closely with Hawkstone Park and will be using their park and follies for many of our future bird of prey actitivities. They also have training facilities there, so if anyone wants a falconry experience over Easter that's where they will be. Their  website  will have full details of dates and  times very soon.
 

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Easter Activities

Enginuity  

          

The National Design & Technology Centre has so much to do plus you can have a go at the water related  trail.   For an extra credit you can take the ‘ Float a Boat’  challenge to design, make and sail a boat on our large indoor pool.

Coalport China Museum

Workshops offer either:

Clay modeling , ‘Make a Cress Head’,  a small pot made to look like a head which once fired and glazed can be used to grow your own cress.

Underglaze painting,  frogs and fairies, all things you can find in the bottom of your garden.

These activities carry an extra charge and will be done on different days so check the website before visiting.

Jackfield Tile Museum  

Tube line decorate a tile with your own or a traced design.

This activity carries an extra charge and is available Tuesday- Friday only

Blists Hill Victorian Town  

                            

The summer season has begun so the fair is in full swing along with all the other exhibits.  For an extra credit you can have a go at the Maths Trail.

Shropshire Wildlife Trust

‘Spring into Easter’ Wildlife trail

Wednesday 4^th April  2:30pm – 4:00pm

Easter is not just about chocolate eggs, it represents a special time for the natural world. Join us for a mini adventure; a fun and interactive quest searching for bugs and learning about the trees, plants and creatures that live in the Shropshire Wildlife Trust garden.

£2.50 per child, adults free of charge.

This activity is suitable for ages 6yrs – 10yrs.

Booking is essential, please call 01743 284280.

2 CU Credits

Busy Bugs

Wednesday 11^th April 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm

Bugs are extremely busy this Easter in the Shropshire Wildlife Trust garden. Come and make a mini garden from recycled materials then fill it with minibeasts, snails, ants, centipedes and jumping grasshoppers.

£3.00 per child

This activity is suitable for ages 4-10 years.

Booking is essential, please call 01743 284280.

2 CU Credits

 Coming very soon:

Wem Cricket Club

Snailbeach Leadmine

Much Wenlock Museum

Ludlow Museum

New Validations, Special Half Term Activities and Provider Fairs

2012 is shaping up to be a very busy year for Shropshire Children’s University.

The last couple of weeks have seen the validation of new partners and activities, some interesting discussions with schools and a providers fair..so we are keeping busy.

Firstly welcome aboard Whack it! Smack it!, Swim with Style, Feather Perfect Falconry and Carole Anne Carr

Whack it Smack it

Run by Mal Brown is an innovative approach to music using instruments made from junk. Mal uses the instruments to engage children in composing and performing music.

Whack it Smack it can be booked for sessions and events and 1 CU credit is available for each 1 hour session.

Swim with Style

Established in 1997 Swim with style offers small friendly child centre aswimming lessons at various venues .

0.5 CU credits available for each 30 minute session attended.

 Feather Perfect Falconry CIC 

This Community Interest Company run by Nicky, Steve and Kev has now been validated.

They offer a range of bespoke falconry activities including school or group visits, hawk walks, 

owl experiences and more formal training. 

Carole Anne Carr

Carole is an author and all round educator with a strong background in child centred activities.

Carole delivers talks activities to groups across the county.

1 CU credit is available for each 1 hour session.

To learn more about Carole’s work visit her at Blists Hill on Sunday 12^th February  from 1pm  and other days across half term. Carole will be signing her latest novel ‘Candle Dark’.

Half Term Activities

Enginuity

Enginuity at Coalbrookdale have some special activities on over the half term

To tie in with Olympic year there are several special sports themed activities:

Beat the Bolt-your opportunity to compete with a Usain Bolt and using the latest technological equipment review your technique

Batak wall-test the speed of your reactions and your peripheral vision

How fast can you kick a football?-Use the equipment the premiership players use to measure your speed

Also a Theatre performance about the technology and science used to overcome  speed and movement challenges in the Olympic arena

There are also a series of activities from Telford Model Aero Club called Flight Show

Here you can build and launch a rocket, take part in speed challenges, watch flying displays and talk to the experts.-additional charges apply for Flight Show activities

Staying with Enginuity we have just validated the:

Fun Physics with Enginuity 

Held at the Shropshire Wildlife Trust site in  Shrewsbury as part of the Darwin Festival.

Workshops from 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm daily

Cost is £3 per person and Advanced booking is essential as places are limited

1 Credit -1 session

Also

Don’t forget that Shropshire Wildlife Trust events throughout the week are also validated

See the programme for details

If you are going into Shrewsbury for the Darwin Festival you might also like to check out the various trails and activities Saint Chads Church has on offer.

Monday 6^th February -Sundorne School & SportsCollege Provider Fair

Late last year Sundorne School and Sports College came on board Shropshire CU.  With over 100 passport holders we thought we would show them what Shropshire CU providers had to offer.  We had stands from Smack it Whack it, Swim with Style, Saint Chad’s Church, Park Hill Farm, Shropshire Libraries and Ironbridge Gorge Museums. 

After an enthusiastic introduction by Head Teacher Geoff Pettengill the children and their parents took to the stalls for a hectic hour or so.

So many thanks to the pupils and staff of Sundorne School for such a warm welcome.

Cleobury Mortimer Primary School has invited us to their Summer Fair in May.

More details when we can confirm dates.

Invitation to the House of Lords

This is a picture of Park Hill Farm...not the House of Lords

 Park Hill Farm has won the Countryside Alliance Award for Enterprise for the Midlands region and is now in competition for the National Award. I’m sure we all wish Pat Pimlott all the best in this

Pat  has been invited to the House of Lords next month

A Reminder

Don’t forget the Street dance sessions have recommenced at Wem Town Hall

Details on our website

That’s all for now. 

If you have any events or special activities planned or  have news that would be of interest to other members. Please let me know and I will include in the blog or on the news pages of the website.

As always any suggestions of prospective partners is always welcome. Particularly  those smaller groups operating in the areas we are working with schools.

Until next time

Best wishes

Pete

Graduation, Validation and Accreditation-a busy January

Hello Again

Welcome to this the second Shropshire CU Blog.
First off I would like to apologize for all the typos in the first Blog. I didn't realize I couldn't alter anything once published! I will try to minimize these this time around.


January has been a very busy month for Shropshire CU.

On the 11th January we held our first graduation ceremony ever.

The event took place in the evening at Saint Peter's CE Primary School in Wem. Saint Peter's was the first school to sign up to Shropshire Children's University in May 2011 and it now has 11 validated out of school clubs validated. Wem is a bit of a CU hot spot with the Parish Church, Wem Town Hall and Myhstories all validated. (We are also in talks with the scouting groups, theatre groups and sports clubs in and around Wem).

Lily,Erin and Aimee proudly display their awards

51 Children graduated that night with 51 bronze certificates and a further 2 silver certificates presented by Shropshire CU Chancellor Pauline Fisk. The ceremony was well attended by the friends and families of the graduates as well as local councillors including the mayor of Wem. The Shropshire Star ran articles both prior to, and after the event.

More Pictures

Pauline Fisk has reflected on the event in her blog

Hard on the heels of graduation followed a validation visit to Cleobury Mortimer Primary School. The school has a total of  five clubs validated at present with several more validations currently underway. More about Cleobury Mortimer later.

Following on from Cleobury Mortimer we finalised validation of Shropshire Wildlife Trust activities for the Darwin Festival to be held in Shrewsbury in February.

We have also validated Shropshire Libraries activities.

There are validated sites at Albrighton,  Bayston Hill, Bishops Castle, Bridgnorth, Broseley, Church Stretton, Cleobury Mortimer, Craven Arms, Ellesmere, Gobowen, Highley, The Lantern-Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Much Wenlock, Mobile Libraries, Oswestry, Pontesbury, Shawbury, Shifnal, Shrewsbury, Wem and Whitchurch.


Activities validated include:

• becoming a library member
• summer reading challenge, 
• homework clubs, 
• volunteering, 
• work placements 
• becoming a library assistant. 

 Full details are on the Shropshire CU website with appropriate links.

On the19th January I attended Quality in Study Support (QiSS) critical friend training at Staffordshire University. This means that I am now accredited by QiSS to act as a critical friend for schools and other education providers going through the QiSS recognition process. It is hoped that in the near future we will be able to incorporate this service into the overall Shropshire CU offer to schools and providers in some form.

The YHA at Coalbrookdale is now a validated Learning Destination. The YHA can only offer activities for group bookings staying at the YHA. Details of the offer and links are on the providers page of the Shropshire CU website.

Many of you may wonder what on earth is going on in the above picture.

Well quite obviously I'm being a druid at Cleobury Mortimer Primary School. What else!
We were kindly invited by Bavita Williams (Headteacher) and staff to provide an assembly to launch CU at the school on 23rd January, which we duly did and were rewarded by a attentive and enthusiastic welcome from pupils and staff....as well as some very nice cake.

We will be contacting other schools and potential providers in the South east of the county shortly with a view to building validated provision in the communities.

As always we are in discussions with  providers and schools wishing to join the Shropshire CU Community and more details of these will appear as we validate provision.

A date for provider diaries is the 6th February 2012.
We have been asked to provide a providers fair at Sundorne School and Sports College.
The school is a member of Shropshire CU and has over 200 pupils with passports. The fair will be frequented by staff, pupils, parents and staff from neighbouring schools. This is a great opportunity for newly validated and the holder hands to promote there services to individuals and to schools.

We are in a bit of a quandary having outgrown the original space allocated we have been put in the school hall. It would be good if we could get as many providers as possible to fill up the space.

If you can make it please let me know ASAP.

That's all for now...but watch this space for further development!

Pete

Welcome to the blog-December 2011

Happy New Year!

And welcome to the Shropshire CU blog.
Now I'm sure everyone is far to polite to mention it, but I'm sure you will all notice that this is my first attempt a blogging...so please bear with me as I attempt to master the art

For this the first Blog I thought I'd attempt a review of the last few weeks and flag up a couple of things that may be of interest coming up in the next month.But before that I'll introduce myself..I'm Pete and I'm director of Shropshire CU...more information on the SCU website

Firstly, a very big thank you to everyone who attended the Big Thank You Event  on 5th December at  Enginuity and commiserations to those who couldn't make it.Special thanks must go to the pupils of Saint Peter's Primary School in Wem for such a dynamic and uplifting (and abridged)  performance of High School Musical...We received a lot of positive comments and have forwarded these to the school.

Also special thanks need to go to our Chancellor Pauline Fisk, primarily for agreeing to become our Chancellor but also for such an inspiring and moving address. Pauline reflects on the role of chancellor  in her Blog.

Thanks to go to  Maureen for arranging the venue, Ian Nurser for supplying a schools perspective on Shropshire CU, Lynne Upton for a National CU perspective and to Marion the long suffering company secretary for all her work behind the scenes.

Also of course many thanks to all the delegates and providers who attended. Some photos of the event can be found at the Feather Perfect Falconry website . Nikki and Steve will be fully validated in the near future.

Also congratulations to all the prize draw winners and better luck next time to those of you unlucky enough not to win.Among the prizes where:
A signed copy of Among the Trees An Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust Family Passport, a half day Feather Perfect Hawk Walk, Deafsmart sessions, A free family pass to Attingham Park, a free half day workshop from Ray Langton Music, a stitch work county map of Shropshire and special congratulations go to Imagination Gaming for winning the ceramic Owl (with mortar board) teapot...that can't actually be used as a teapot. I know they where made up with it.

Thanks also to all the teachers and other staff who gave up there time on a cold, dark Monday night in December to attend the event.

December also saw the National Children's University  Annual Conference held in Maccesfield. Details of the event are available at the  the National CU website.  I attended the event with  Pauline Fiske. For my own part I found James Bradeburn and Sir Tim Brighouse especially inspiring.

December also saw the validation of Keele University's Science for Sustainability workshops, some Shropshire Wildlife Trust activities validated...including the Darwin Festival. More details will appear on the website once we have finalized the paperwork.Discussion is ongoing with other providers and schools and these will be announced on the website when and as they come to fruition.

Also special thanks go to Liz Watkins-Young at Rubus Services Ltd for a marathon advice session on working with social media.Special thanks to the South Shropshire Furniture Scheme and Community Council of Shropshire for making this happen. I will apply some of the lessons learnt one day...honest!

It should also be mentioned that the Children's University was awarded the Everyday Impact Award - New Enterprises at the directory of Social Change Awards in December

January will see are first Shropshire CU Graduation at Saint Peter's Primary School with 51 Bronze and 2 Silver awards being presented by Pauline Fisk.

There is a lot going on behind the scenes as Shropshire CU develops.
Another exciting development (and you may disagree) is the all new monthly Blog. Hopefully as we develop and I get more confident writing the thing, it will become a font of wisdom, insight and hilarity concerning all things Shropshire CU.

Until that time...please bear with me!

Pete