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,
23rd May – Evening.
Lower Heath CE Primary School, Prees :
Thursday , June 14th-Evening
Whixall CE Primary School: Monday, 18th
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 25th 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!
and that is where I will leave it for now!
