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Pottery

Jacqueline has been very busy with Pottery and we have just had a session painting some of the pieces she has made in the last few weeks. The children have also been very busy making Christmas decorations. I am looking forward to seeing those, when they are ready!

pottery1

This is her Star clock that she made and her piggy bank. Dinosaur painting is next session.

pottery2

The man who teaches the pottery is an amazing teacher. He really understands the meaning of the word education – from the latin educare – i.e. “to draw out”, rather than “to put in.” He has shown the children quite a few clay techniques and then a;;owed their own imaginations and creativity to take over.

He truly understands that Art is NOT prescriptive and there is not a right or wrong way to do something. How refreshing!

Another FUN day!

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Girl Guides

Jacqueline has had a brilliant term at Guides. So far the girls have made some really stunning outfits out of bin-bags and other rubbish on the “Junk Fashion Night”, they have had some craft nights, done several badge nights and next week is the “Ready, Steady, Cook!” night.

Jacqueline is now part of the senior patrol of older girls and they have organised this event. The ingredients seem to consist of lots of chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Having carefully checked for any allergies  that anyone might have the girls,  in the senior patrol have got a great evening lined up.

This is part of her Baden Powell Challenge badge, which is one of the highest badges in Girl Guiding.

There was a huge turnout of Guides, Brownies, Cubs and Scouts on Remembrance Sunday and Jacqueline was assistant flag bearer.

There is now great excitement as the Unity camp is being discussed.  This is a huge, international camp that takes place every four years.

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Teamwork at Blackwell Court

The Monthly trip to Blackwell Court has come around again. This time it was an event called the “High Tower”. Each child climbs to the top of the platform, which is probably about half a metre by half a metre in size  and then helps the others up, so that eventually all four of the children are standing together n this small platform.

These are terrific exercises for team building, trust, confidence and co-operation.

Blackwell

Blackwell

Blackwell High Tower

Blackwell 4 on the High Tower

Total Trust at Blackwell Tower

Blackwell Tower

Blackwell

This was followed by lunch.

A really great day was had by all.

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Magnetism and Electricity at Erasmus Darwin House

We had another trip to Erasmus Darwin House in Lichfield. This time the topic was Electricity and Magnetism. Erasmus Darwin must have been a really fascinating man. He was certainly incredibly talented and seems to be somewhat overshadowed by the fame and popularity or notoriety of his famous grandson, Charles Darwin.

Erasmus Darwin House

magnetism

making a bug

magnetic bug

They made a spider which was operated by magnets on its legs and under the table and then using magnets, caused the spider to move across the table.

Apparently Erasmus Darwin first did that over 250 years ago to keep his children amused!

It is a really excellent place, as the staff are very knowledgeable about their subject matter and all the children got involved in the activities.

This was followed by a tour of Lichfield Cathedral and a picnic in the park.

This all ties in with Jacqueline’s Science badge that she is doing through Guides and some terrific Sciences resources she found on the Science Trust website.

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Moving on

We have had a busy few weeks. Stephanie has just completed her IGCSE Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology exams and we have the next Speech and Drama Exams this week.

She is busy planning her A-Level college courses and looking forward to University after that. We are starting work on the next courses for the Summer exams.

Stephanie is going to be part of the forthcoming Tattoo Music and Dance Festival in Birmingham.

Jacqueline has also been very busy. She has made some beautiful things in her Pottery classes, including a clock, a piggy bank and a very complex dragon. We are making Christmas decorations next time.

Jacqueline has had one of her poems published in 21st anniversary anthology. The book should be available to buy after Christmas. We have been working on Jacqueline’s Baden Powell Badge for Guides, which has a huge range of interesting activities.

We have also come to the conclusion that we are not participating in any more consultations, reviews, questionnaires or any other silly nonsense that comes out of the invasive government- unless, of course, I get paid at MPs rates for the time I spend on it!

As the Queen’s Speech proved yesterday, it was decided months ago by Ed Balls, the DCSF  et al, that children are not safe at home with their parents between the hours of 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, during school term time, that home educated children are subject to abuse, neglect, domestic servitude and forced marriage. all of which means that there is a “need” for monitoring, checking, annual licencing and intrusive interference.

Well, we won’t be participating in any of that. We will not be signing up to any licensing/registration/monitoring – in whatever format that takes, we will not be allowing social workers/headteachers/psychologists/local authority bods/ education welfare officers or others into our home and none of the above will be permitted to interview our children without us being present.

Parents are responsible for their children’s education, not government or local authorities. Having said that, it will be very interesting to see the ramifications of the government “guaranteeing” that every child is “legally entitled to a good education” and parents will be able to take their local councils to court if they are failing on that guarantee.

Government in this country is still by consent and no-one HAS to/ MUST/ is OBLIGED to/ is COMPELLED to do anything. You are not obliged to let these people into your home and you do not have to tolerate harassment from them.

Clearly no amount of peacefully stating your viewpoint is going to make any difference. No-one is listening. It really comes down to each family making their own decisions as to how much interaction they are going to have with Local Authorities and other associated interfering, box-ticking busy-bodies.

The most important thing for us is our children and their education.

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Another trip to Blackwell

The girls had another trip to Blackwell Court a couple of weeks ago. This time they did the High Trapeeze. This is a great confidence builder, if ever I saw one!

Blackwell

Jacqueline at Blackwell

Jacqueline and Stephanie at Blackwell

Stephanie getting ready

Off we go

wheee

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