Thursday, 13 August 2015

WEEK 4 - DAY 4

final full day included superhero science magic show






WEEK 3 - DAY 3

a very happy day today - lots of smiles, lots of laughter, lots of bandages (after 2 more successful first aid sessions), lots of clapping and lots of dancing

Wednesday, 12 August 2015

WEEK 2 - DAY 2

we tried to encourage the children to try something new
every expert in every field originally had to try that 'thing' for the first time

I then got soundly beaten in a Rubiks Cube race

Monday, 10 August 2015

Thursday, 6 August 2015

WEEK 1 - DAY 4 - WARWICK CASTLE

sitting on a sun-soaked grassy bank watching an archery demonstration, jousting and some 'Horrible Histories' - Warwick Castle looks beautiful today








Tuesday, 4 August 2015

WEEK 1 DAY 2 - CONKERS

 4 coaches delivered us to CONKERS OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE

making shelters, lighting fires, finding map locations, riding a zip wire, traversing the high ropes and walking in sludge








4/8/15 - 16:23:42






Monday, 3 August 2015

WEEK 1 DAY 1 - THINK TANK

Most of the students had arrived by 9am and we were able to leave for Spring Road Railway Station with plenty of time to catch the 9:29 to Moor Street.

All floors of THINK TANK were explored.
The outdoor 'SCIENCE GARDEN' was a firm favourite.
The PLANETARIUM taught us all about the phases of the moon, lunar eclipses and coyotes.

Our return journey saw all of us catch the same train (much to the despair of the other travellers !!)













Thursday, 23 July 2015

LANYARDS READY

 

250 lanyards ready (lots of assorted and irrelevant colours)
the students have been split into 26 groups according to their college colour

the groups are therefore (imaginatively) called :

BLUE 1, BLUE 2, BLUE 3, BLUE 4, BLUE 5, BLUE 6, BLUE 7,
GREEN 1, GREEN 2, GREEN 3, GREEN 4, GREEN 5, GREEN 6, GREEN 7,
RED 1, RED 2, RED 3, RED 4, RED 5, RED 6,
YELLOW 1, YELLOW 2, YELLOW 3, YELLOW 4, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6.

NINESTILES SUMMER SCHOOL 2015 - WEEK 2

THE PLAN FOR THE WEEK - 10th to 14th August
Monday to Thursday - 9am to 3pm
Friday - 9am to 1pm

because of the type of activities that we will be doing, trainers would seem a much better choice than shoes or sandals.

crisps and a drink will be provided on every day of week 2 although we would like the children to bring a packed lunch on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

all of the students will take part in the following activities over the first 4 days of week 2

MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIALS (Monday or Tuesday) - find out about study skills and learning styles - this will help the students make the very best of starts to their time at Ninestiles.

DRUM WORKSHOP - learn and develop rhythms and performance skills - this will help the students with their confidence, their listening skills and their understanding of teamwork.

SIGN LANGUAGE - learn and practice numbers, letters, words and phrases - this will help the students to listen and to communicate and to empathise.

FIRST AID - learn to assess situations and to choose the best course of action in an emergency - this will help students to develop responsibility and confidence and may prepare them for a real-life emergency.

READING - Ian Billings is a professional author who will be reading with the students and exploring the characters that are defined by the words in more detail - this will inspire those who don't read very much to read more, it will also raise the aspirations of those who are already readers.

MAGIC (Thursday) - learning Science through magic - Dr Matt Prichard is a scientist and a member of the Magic Circle - he will be demonstrating science facts with magical illusion - this will open the students eyes to the world of science and it will open their minds to the idea of not being able to explain everything that they can see.

GAMES - a variety of team games, competitions, quizzes and trials - this will encourage participation and teamwork

MAPPING - discovering the layout of the school and completing a map of at least the ground floor - this will help the students feel familiar with Ninestiles when they begin in September.

FUTURES - an opportunity to discuss hopes and dreams and to begin making plans for the future.

PROFILE - extend and develop the 'student profile' so that teachers can find out what makes each student tick from the very start of the new school year.

COMEDIAN (Friday) - our 'author-in-residence', Ian Billings, is also a children's stand-up comic and has been described as 'the most imaginative adult I've ever met".

FINAL ASSEMBLY (Friday) we're not sure how this will look at the moment - a chance for awards, photos, performances, stories and an invite to parents.

NINESTILES SUMMER SCHOOL 2015 - WEEK 1

THE PLAN FOR THE WEEK - 3rd to 7th August

on each day - please watch the weather forecast and advise your child to dress accordingly

on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we will be outdoors for most of the time - a bottle of water, a hat and sunscreen would seem sensible if it looks like sunshine - a rainproof coat would be sensible if it looks like rain - because of the type of activities that we will be doing, trainers would seem a much better choice than shoes or sandals.

food and a drink will be provided on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of week 1 although there are food and snack outlets at each of the venues on our trip days, so you may wish to allow your child a bit of spending money.


Monday - train journey to THINK TANK - 9 until 3

PLEASE BRING A PACKED LUNCH

9am - arrive at school
9:29 or 9:51 - all 250 of us travel to Moor Street from Spring Road
10am (ish) - meet at THINK TANK

groups of 30-35 students tour the displays and activities
(including time for lunch, a visit to the gift shop and a session in the planetarium)

2:10 or 2:31 or 2:50 - train to Spring Road from Moor Street
3:00 (or just later for those students on the 2:50 train) - home time



Tuesday - coach journey to CONKERS - 9 until 4

bring a tea-towel or a hand-towel for drying feet after the 'barefoot-walk'

9am - arrive at school
9:15 - leave school
10:15 - arrive at CONKERS
10:30 - activities begin (including orienteering, bushcraft and 'barefoot-walk')
12:00 - lunch break
12:45 - more activities
2:30 - end of activities
2:45 - leave CONKERS
4:00 - home time


Wednesday - bus journey to BIRMINGHAM NATURE CENTRE - 9 until 3

PLEASE BRING A PACKED LUNCH

9am - arrive at school
9:15 - students leave school in small groups
9:20 - students begin catching buses from Acocks Green to Edgbaston
10:00 - first students begin to arrive at Nature Centre
1:30 - first students begin to leave Nature Centre
2:15 - first students begin to arrive at school - look through photos of the first 3 days on big screen
3:00 - home time


Thursday - coach journey to WARWICK CASTLE - 9 until 4

9am - arrive at school
9:15 - leave school
10:00 - arrive at Warwick Castle - students will stay with their group leaders and visit as much of the castle and its grounds as they can - we will meet up as a school for several special events throughout the day - students will be given food vouchers - each group will decide when they wish to eat
2:30 - end of activities
2:45 - leave for school
4:00 - home time


Friday - in school activities - 10 until 3

9am - arrive at school
9:15 - the entire group will be split into two large groups
9:30 - group A - problem solving, group B - archery, climbing, fencing
11:45 - PIZZA
12:15 - group A - archery, climbing, fencing, group B - problem solving
2:30 - final meeting in the hall
3:00 - home time