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Tag: learning for living

Our children are incredible

19 July 2018

After the excitement of our Graduation Day, it was at not quite school as usual yesterday as the children went to Muswell Hill Everyman cinema to see Incredibles 2.

And it wasn’t just a fun end-of-term outing but very much part of our Learning for Living Active Curriculum.

The children planned the trip themselves: they googled where our nearest cinema is, planned the date using the school’s calendar of events, looked up the trailers of the films before choosing this film and picked an appropriate time to go, using an Amazon Echo and computers.

They walked from school to the cinema, with one of the boys leading the group and letting everyone know when it was safe to cross the roads.

At the cinema the children ordered their own snacks and drinks (popcorn and chocolate milkshakes) from the bar and then sat independently on the cinema seats, with low-key supervision by their teachers.

They all thoroughly enjoyed the film – especially one of our pupils who has visual difficulties but was thrilled to be able to see the film on the big screen clearly – and everyone loved the baby Jack-Jack with all his cool powers. For some of the children, it was the first time they had ever been to a cinema.

And how did the children review the outing?

Comments included: “It was so funny – my favourite part was everything” and “This was the greatest day of my life.”

We’re grateful to everyone who came along to help and to the Everyman for their hospitality. That’s all, folks!

 

 

 

 

Fantastic not plastic

4 July 2018

Boy with poster saying Start Recycling

Children learning about recycling with recycling bags

This term the children at Woodstar School have been learning about recycling and doing their bit in the national campaign to reduce plastic rubbish.

Finn Emmerson, Head of Woodstar School, explains why: “Recycling is an important issue in the world and, as we’ve all been made aware recently with the problem with single-use plastic items, we wanted to do our bit.”

After watching a video together about plastic pollution in the oceans the children said they wanted to help save the animals and do something to help the community. They’re already recycling things like lunchtime waste but they learned from the video that they could also reduce the amount of plastic they use themselves.

So the class decided to make ‘bags for life’ for their shopping trips, which they decorated with eco-friendly messages.

They also learnt that recycling means turning rubbish into something new, so they made bird feeders for the school garden out of old juice cartons.  And went, suitably covered up, to our local park to do a spot of litter removal.

Finn says: “This type of Learning for Living project supports each of our pupils’ all-round development – their learning and thinking skills, communication, fine motor movements, being active and involved in the community – and, most importantly, developing as confident members of society while having lots of fun.”

 

Giggling and Giving at CPotential

29 May 2018

John Martin, Janis Winehouse-Collins, Rosie Jones, Jo Honigmann, Richard Collins

John Martin, Janis Winehouse-Collins, Rosie Jones, Jo Honigmann, Richard Collins

Giggles galore:  (l-r) John Martin, CPotential Chairman, Janis Winehouse-Collins, Rosie Jones, Jo Honigmann, Richard Collins. Photo: Helen Rayner

 

Over 50 guests came to our CPotential Centre on Thursday 24 May to enjoy pitting their wits, having a laugh and raising vital funds at our Giggle and Give Quiz Night.

Top comedian Rosie Jones (shortlisted for the Rising Star award in this year’s Diversity in Media awards) provided the giggle part of the evening with an hilarious comedy set.

Richard Collins, a trustee of our friends the Amy Winehouse Foundation, kept the laughs coming and did sterling work as our quizmaster for the night. In a quiz worthy of Mastermind, Kingsley Napley LLP’s team won the evening’s honours.

In addition to the quiz, guests enjoyed a sparkling canapé reception and a delicious dinner by renowned caterers The Gatherers.

It was the first time we’ve hosted the event here at our centre in Muswell Hill. Guests enjoyed the warm, intimate atmosphere and being able to see the children’s work and photos of our Learning for Living programme in action.

Jo Honigmann, CPotential CEO, says: “A huge thank you to everyone who came, giggled and gave. Holding the event at our Centre really added to our guests’ understanding of our life-changing support for disabled children and their families and why our work is so important.”

Huge thanks to Rosie and Richard for giving their time so generously and to Helen Rayner for taking the fantastic photos to capture the evening.

 

  • All proceeds from the event are going towards our Learning for Living Appeal to provide more learning opportunities for the disabled children who come to our sessions and Woodstar School.

 

 

“As-Salaam-Alaikum” from the Woodstar children

16 May 2018

Girl and representative from the mosque

Girl and representative from the mosque

 

Our Woodstar School pupils had a great time on their trip to the Finchley Masjid yesterday (15 May), on the day before the start of Ramadan.

Our host, Jahed from the Discover Islam School Project educational charity, told us about Islam and how Muslim people pray, and showed us the mosque’s copy of the Q’uran.

The children enjoyed looking at some passages in Arabic and they all had a go at saying ‘As-Salaam-Alaikum’, the Arabic greeting.

We organised the trip as part of our Learning for Living curriculum to teach the children about different cultures. Over this year, as well as learning about Islam, the children have celebrated festivals such as Christmas, Easter, Chanukah and Purim.

The visit was also an opportunity to use their interaction skills, both on the bus there and back and at the mosque, asking questions, taking turns and listening quietly to Jahed.

One of the children said she had had “a very interesting time and that she had never been to a galaxy like that before” and another said she would like to have her birthday party at the mosque.

Many thanks to Jahed and we wish ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ to everyone at Discover Islam and the Masjid.

 

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