Have you been down to Wollaton Park this term? You’ll be in for a big surprise! That’s because the Wollaton Park Key Stage One Camps are back and 100s of children from Nottingham are getting their first taste of a night away from home under canvas this summer.
Taking place in a secure walled garden in the 500 acre grounds of the recently refurbished 16th Century Wollaton Hall and Deer Park (used in the recent Dark Night Rises Batman film), the camps offer a group of pupils (up to 60 per night) an initial overnight experience with team building, forest schools, den building, using the brilliant play area at the park, creative storytelling and environmental and historical education activities in the Park and Hall Museum, plus toasting marshmallows over an open fire. All this in the space of just 24 hours!
As with all residentials run by the SOLAR Team, young people will try new things and have the opportunity to enjoy and achieve in a variety of tasks and settings. Many of the tasks have been designed with National Curriculum links within their delivery but with a distinct learning outside the classroom twist. SOLAR will provide the activities, tents and sleeping mats, food, transport and activity staffing for the event (although school staff will be required to support young people throughout the residential). All you need to bring is appropriate clothing for outdoor activities, a sleeping bag and pillow and bags of enthusiasm.
Primary Parliament returned last week with delegates from 23 Nottingham schools coming down to the Council House in the Old Market Square to share their ideas on how we as a city can support them and their schools in developing whole and healthy children and adults. The aim was to leave the event with a plan and programme of activities for both school and the wider community that help do this. Of course, as Opportunity Notts, we were very supportive of all of this!
In the morning the delegates rotated through three different workshops exploring some of the different factors that go towards building a whole and healthy child. This included using the amazing brain scanner in the Positive Thinking workshop and making a response to “how are we creative?” in the Creativity and Expression one!
Then it was down to preparation time for the presentations to Cllrs Mellen and Webster in the council chamber. These amazing presentations included role-play, dance, drama, poetry, speeches and even a rap, as well as some amazing art work and posters supporting the incredible ideas for the whole and healthy children and adults activities.
We’re looking forward to hearing how these activity plans take shape in your school!
This weekend is one of celebration and remembrance to honour our Armed Forces past and present – It’s Nottingham’s annual Armed Forces Day. This hugely popular weekend attracts thousands of people every year and is the flagship Armed Forces event for the East Midlands. Come along and join us in an action-packed family event capturing the past, present and future of Britain’s Armed Forces held at Wollaton Park.
There will be a variety of food outlets, live music, military band, veteran stands from the army, navy and air force plus cadets, fire and police service displays. There’s going to be interactive re-enactment camps and displays from all the military services, a funfair and events in the arena. If that wasn’t enough, you can explore also the refurbished 508 Parachute Infantry Regiment exhibit in the courtyard and a fly-over from the RAF.
Come and find out what it’s like to be a member of the armed forces past and present.
The event is free, a £6 parking charge applies.
The public vehicle entrance is the Lime Tree Avenue entrance off the ring road near the QMC, only exhibitors will be allowed access via Wollaton Road.
