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Dear Pupils and Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to the third issue of the VAT Primaries Academic Enrichment Newsletter.
Every term, King Alfred’s Academic Enrichment Programme (KAAEP) publishes a newsletter jam-
packed with opportunities. There are ideas for places to go, competitions, and one-off events to
attend, as well as links for independent research that pupils can pursue online. The purpose of the
newsletter is to develop an ever-stronger partnership with our parents in promoting the academic
development and curiosity of all our students.
This year, as of October, we started publishing a shorter newsletter especially for the VAT
Primaries, to encourage our younger pupils to pursue their own thirst for knowledge and new
experiences. We hope that you enjoy reading it and that you can take part in some of the activities
on offer. Most of the opportunities on offer are best-suited to Key Stage 2 pupils, but younger
children could still benefit from many of them given parental support.
If you come across any events in the future that you think should be shared with other families,
please do not hesitate to contact me and let me know! I look forward to working with you on this.
Pam Stokell King Alfred’s Academic Enrichment Programme [email protected]
HALF-TERM FUN AND LEARNING IN OXFORDSHIRE’S MUSEUMS
You can rely on museums to put some extra effort over the school holidays to bring you some different activities. Please do read on in the main section of the newsletter to find some of them, but this is but a small selection from just a few of the museums in our area. You can also check out Oxford’s amazing Story Museum at www.storymuseum.org.uk or the Museum of Oxford at
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/museumofoxford
or the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum at www.sofo.org.uk to name but a few.
If you are going away over the half-term break, perhaps you can explore a museum, botanic garden
or art gallery in another town or city?
At the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford
Drop-in during open hours. Family Trails
Help yourself to family friendly trails in the Entrance Gallery. Ages 5+.
Every Saturday, 12.30pm and 1.15pm. Every Thursday, 2.30pm and 3.15pm. Museum Highlights Tour. Join the museum team of exceptional volunteer guides to find out more about the stories behind the objects and history of our very special building.
Chinese Dragon Fire-Clocks Thursday 15th February 12:00 - 16:00
Make a working Chinese dragon fire-clock to celebrate Chinese New Year. Try it out at home! Drop-in, ages 7+, materials donation £3. Women in Science Saturday 10th March 14:00 - 16:00 Find out more about women scientists from the past, from Caroline Herschel - who discovered several comets - to Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, who deciphered the structure of insulin. Drop-in, all ages.
Bugs and BioArt Saturday 17th March 12:00 - 16:00 A medically inspired celebration of bacteria and BioArt; talks, hands-on activities and more. Discover the story of penicillin and the miracle of antibiotics. Meet artists and scientists at the cutting edge of medical research. For British Science Week, 2018.
At the Natural History Museum in Oxford
Family Friendly Sundays Try a trail, borrow a backpack, make something exciting to take home or have a rummage in the museum’s special sorting boxes. Free, drop in Every Sunday, 2pm – 4pm Museum Trails
These are a bit like a treasure hunt, giving you a trail to follow through the Museum, challenging you to find different exhibits. There are trails available at the Museum itself, but you may prefer to download and print one before you visit. These trails can all be printed in black and white, on A4 paper and are two pages long. Pencils are available at the Museum, if you forget to bring your own!
Track down the Museum’s dinosaurs and tick off each one as you find it. Dinosaur Detective Trail Why is a peacock so pretty? Why does a toad need a brightly coloured belly? Find out in our camouflage and colouration trail. Best for children 6+. Creature Colours Trail Explore the Museum’s beautiful and bizarre birds; from the famous dodo to the adventurous swift. Simply tick off once you’ve tracked them down. Breathtaking Birds Trail
A fun counting trail around the Museum with a dice to make when you get home. Best for younger children. Museum Dice Trail
At the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford
Object Handling Every Saturday
Every Saturday 11.00 - 13.00: Free family-friendly object handling in the Pitt Rivers. Discover more
about wonderful and fascinating objects from the museum’s collection.
Museum Family Backpacks
Available from the info point 10.00 - 16.00 every Saturday. Borrow a backpack full of activities and
become a family of museum explorers.
People and Planet: World Stories Monday 12 February - Wednesday 14 February, 13.00 - 16.00 Animate your own story inspired by tales from around the world at this free drop-in event. Aimed at children aged 6+ but all ages welcome.
People and Planet: World Stories Thursday 15 February & Friday 16 February, 13.00 - 16.00 Handle objects from around the world and be inspired to write, draw and share your own stories at this drop-in session. Aimed at children aged 6+ but all ages welcome.
Taste, Think, Make: How Do People Celebrate Spring? Tuesday 3 April & Wednesday 4 April, 13.00 - 16.00 Try new foods and make decorations. Children of all ages welcome.
Touch, Feel, Wonder: How Do People Celebrate Spring? Thursday 5 April & Friday 6 April, 13.00 - 16.00 Explore Spring festivities around the world, hold objects from the handling collections and follow a trail around the cases!
At the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford
Hands-On Coins Every Saturday
Every Saturday 11.30am-3.30pm
Handle historical coins from different times and places, with
the help of our volunteer team, 11.30am-3.30pm every
Saturday. Free, no booking necessary.
And look on the family section of the website for downloadable trails! Find them at
https://www.ashmolean.org/family-trails for a flavour of what you can get up to. You can take the
Egyptian Survival Guide, discover the Watlington Viking Hoard, or go an Ancient Egyptian animal
adventure, among many others.
Special for Half-Term:
Chinese New Year Party! Wed 14 & Thu 15 Feb, 1-4pm Education Studio. Take part in a Chinese New Year party with stories and craft activities to celebrate the Year of the Dog. Just drop in. All family events are free, with a suggested donation of £1 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Have you visited the River and Rowing Museum at Henley?
Lots of fun to be had while learning about local and world rivers, their science,
geography and wildlife. For a taste of what is available, see the following link:
http://www.rrm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/RRM_10-Free-Family-
Activities_A5_AW.pdf
You will find more information on the Museum’s website at
http://www.rrm.co.uk/
At our very own Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage
Wantage Lego Club. Free monthly meet-ups in the Museum Café, Saturdays
9.30am – 10.30am. Space is limited so booking in advance is essential. To book
please go to www.eventbrite.com & search for Wantage Lego Club.
Dates coming up are 10th March, 7th April, and 12th May.
Do keep an eye on the website at http://wantage-museum.com/today/families/ for up and coming
events. Drop-in Drawing session at the Vale and Downland Museum
On the first Saturday of every month, Wantage Museum invites all to come and spend an hour of reflection, quiet conversation and mindful sketching/drawing using the museum’s extensive collection of artefacts as a springboard to inspiration. Draw at the tables with some not-often seen items from the archives or take a clipboard to roam the museum for inspiration! All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Free guidance and materials provided or bring your own and join a growing group of enthusiasts of all abilities. Dates coming up: Saturday 3rd March, 2018 10:30 – 11:30am Saturday 7th April, 2018 10:30 – 11:30am
Online Fun and Learning
From Oxford’s Natural History Museum: If you have an interest in all things natural (animals, plants, the soil under your feet!) don’t forget to visit the Learning Zone. There is a whole range of online educational resources designed for Key Stage 2 upwards. In the Learning Zone you will find information about the Museum’s collections on a wide range of topics. There are also games, trails, and art and craft resources, for example:
Peacock Headdress Peacock Headdress sheet Peacock Headdress instructions A little bit trickier, best for children 6+
From the Pitt Rivers Museum: The Pitt Rivers Museum has been running workshops for families for more than twenty-five years, and there are many tried-and-tested projects based on their artefacts to be found online. Here is one of them:
Mancala
game (pdf)
How to make sheets (pdf)
Special Section for Years 5 and 6 - Insatiably Curious
King Alfred’s Sixth-form are proud to announce:
Night at the Museum Victorian Extravaganza
Wantage Vale and Downland Museum
Saturday 24th February 19:00 – 21:00
Sunday 25th February 18:30 – 20:30
This evening entertainment has been planned,
organised and resourced by
students of King Alfred’s Sixth-form. They chose the theme, they
chose the activities and performances, and they are currently
researching, preparing props, scripting talks and presentations,
rehearsing and generally working towards ensuring that the night is a
success and will appeal to all.
Come and visit our apothecary for a
diagnosis and mix up your own wellness
potion using Victorian ingredients!
Did you know that Victorian ladies
practised a secret sign language using fans to communicate across
ballrooms? Come and find out how!
And you may have heard of Mary Anning, but did you know that Wantage had its very own
fossil-collector by the name of Edward Davy? Come and meet him and explore the museum’s
fossil collection, guided by Edward Davy himself.
With live music from The Wayfarers, flash mob performances, guided
hands-on explorations of archived materials throughout the evening,
Victorian crafts, and talks.
Lots to see and do. Come and explore the museum as you have never
seen it before, totally taken over by King Alfred’s students.
Event is free, but admission is by pre-booked ticket only
There will be no tickets on sale at the door
Each evening will operate two entry times, with the second entry time being an hour after
the initial opening (i.e. 20:00 and 19:30 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively).
It is recommended that the earlier entry time be for Years 5 to 8, and the second entry
time be for Years 9 to 13. We regret that no younger siblings are allowed.
To book your tickets, please contact [email protected]
Parents, family members, King Alfred’s Staff and Students WELCOME. PLEASE NOTE: Students under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult
Special invitation to VAT primaries’ Years 5 and 6 – Come and see what we do at
King Alfred’s Academy!
In collaboration with the wonderful Staff at the Wantage Vale and Downland Museum
King Alfred’s Academic Enrichment Talks
The 100 000 Genomes Project
With Jen Whitfield and Jude Craft
Tuesday 27th February 18:30 - 20:00
Centre Site Dining Hall
The 100,000 Genomes Project is the largest national sequencing project of its kind in the world. The
aim is to sequence 100,000 genomes from patients with rare diseases, combining this data with
information form their medical records to create a powerful resource that will revolutionise the
medical treatment of many conditions. Drs Jen Whitfield and Jude Craft will give us an overview of
genomics and the extent and progress of the research being undertaken as part of this ground-
breaking project.
Please note that this lecture is aimed at our older students, although younger students are more
than welcome and should still benefit, especially if they have a parent or older sibling that they can
discuss the lecture with afterwards.
ALL WELCOME!
Please email [email protected] to reserve your seats!
Science and Technology The STFC at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory announces its
“Talking Science” Lectures:
Tickets are FREE, but booking is essential through Eventbrite:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talking-science-at-rutherford-appleton-laboratory-2017-18-tickets-36270596330 Bookings are now open for the following lectures:
Fizz, Bang, Zap! Musical thunder to explore the Universe Friday 9 March 2018 at 13:30 and 19:00
Clusters of Galaxies: the shy giants of the cosmos Friday 13th April, 2018 at 13:30 and 19:00
At the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford
Anna Dumitriu: BioArt and Bacteria
Exhibition, 19/10/17 to 18/03/18
This is a most unusual exhibition in that art meets science at the most
intricate level. Explore the microbial world, antibiotics and technology
through art. The internationally renowned artist Anna Dumitriu takes visitors
on an artistic journey through infection, from the Romantic period to
contemporary synthetic biology. Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday, 12-5pm
Open invitation to all avid Year 5 and 6 Scientists!
Please note, you are most welcome to attend, but be
aware that this lecture is aimed at our older students.
Online Fun Maths for Talented Young Mathematicians Dr Simon Singh, author of the No. 1 bestseller Fermat’s Last Theorem and The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets, has created a set of weekly maths challenges: roughly 30 minutes of interesting, fun and challenging material that goes beyond school maths: mystery and history, activities and oddities, puzzles and problems. At present these
are aimed at Years 7 and 8, although younger and older students would also find them interesting. Sign up and each week you will receive a Parallelogram, a weekly set of maths challenges. It’s FREE to sign up and all the materials on offer are FREE.
Find out more at https://parallel.org.uk/
Literature and the Humanities
The Bodleian Library presents:
Designing English – Exhibition ST Lee Gallery, Weston Library
Graphics on the medieval page This exhibition will illustrate the graphic design of handwritten manuscripts and inscriptions for the first thousand years of English, across the Middle Ages. Showcasing the Bodleian Library's rich holdings of medieval manuscripts in English, ranging from Old English picture books or notes scratched into herbals, through fragments of medieval songs scribbled on spare pages, to masterpieces framed with illustrations and gold, or new page designs for practical tasks, such as manuals for handling swans. It will cover the experiences of both the makers and the users of writing: how craftspeople planned and made books, and how readers responded to their designs. To show the likeness to modern craft, Designing English will be shown for the first two months alongside Redesigning the medieval
book:(on display until 11th March, 2018) a display of contemporary book arts inspired by the exhibition, through a workshop and competition.
The Arts – Visual and Performance
From the Museum of Abingdon, based at County Hall Myth, Mystery & Music
13th January - 18th March 2018
Artists Caroline Ritson and Barbara Payne invite you to explore the mystery of the Ridgeway landscape: search for faces of the mythical Green Man and enter the lively world of English folk musicians and dancers. Through a combination of paintings, ceramics and prints these talented artists encapsulate the mythical essence of historic rural life in South Oxfordshire and show how our own fascinations with the unknown are just as real today. Location: Sessions Gallery, First Floor Time: 10am-4pm Tuesday-Sunday Admission: Free
Please be aware that the gallery is only accessible by a set of stairs.
Competition Time!
Crystals Poster Competition The Oxford Department of Physics with the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source invites you to design a poster
about crystals! The competition is open to any students in Years 4 to 7, and the poster should be aimed at
students of your own age. It will run from 26th February to 23rd April 2018. For more information and
ideas, see the website www.physics.ox.ac.uk/crystalscompetition, where you will find loads of cool videos
and articles about crystals while the competition is open. The winners of each category and their teachers
and families will be invited to Oxford and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in June 2018 to tour the
amazing scientific facilities and receive a special prize.
