IN THIS ISSUE ool h c S to k c a B ays D n e Op ws e N l ho o c S d an and s b u Cl es s s a l C 's On t a h W
Asthma • Eczema Coughs • Colds?
Salt Therapy can help!
Some of the benefits that your child can experience after 100% natural salt Recommended from 6 months therapy treatments are: • Breathe easier. • Alleviate sneezing, coughing and shortness of breath. • Improved ability to cope with triggers that provoke respiratory illnesses.
0131 297 5555 33-35 Marionville Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5UD
www.edinburghsaltrooms.co.uk
Issue 116 September / October 2019
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Witches, potions and Bald Agnes The Palace of Holyroodhouse 14 – 27 October 11:00 – 16:00
COME BACK FOR FREE! Don’t forget to ask a Warden to stamp your ticket to convert it into a 1-Year Pass. You can enjoy free re-admission for a year. A great way to fill the school holidays at no extra cost!
Get set for Halloween and join us for some spooky activities inspired by 17th century fears of witchcraft and the legend of Agnes Sampson who lost her life at the Palace. Family short talks, a beginner’s guide to herbology and multisensory storytelling by Anna Lehr.
www.rct.uk/whatson
2 Families Edinburgh
Call us on 0131 622 0405
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Welco me
to the l Back to Scho o issue of Families Ed inburg h!
3–4
Local News and Views
5
Help Handling Big Changes by Gibson Kerr
6
A Packed Lunch to Smile About by Dr Leanne Branton, Southside Dental Care
7
The Apple of my Eye by Clare Downes
8 – 13 School News and Open Days
news&views
Mindfully Connected
Being a parent and dealing with the competing challenges of family life can be both rewarding and demanding at times. The Mindful and Compassionate Parenting Course uses a combination of mindfulness and parenting concepts to help parents enhance the relationship they have with their child, leading to more positive interactions and enjoyable moments for the whole family. Many parents can benefit from Mindful and Compassionate Parenting, whatever their situation and regardless of their experience of Mindfulness. The interactive sessions developed by Mindfully Connected can help parents to respond in a calmer, more effective way during stressful situations. Parents can build on their skills, gain support, feeling reassured that they are not alone during the unpredictable ups and downs of parenting. For more information visit www.mindfullyconnected.co.uk
Under The Wing Under The Wing is an art project dedicated to unlocking the nurturing and healing power of art, helping women and children who are survivors of domestic abuse. They have free and subsidised art classes open to any women who have been affected by domestic abuse. Each class will last 90 minutes and has space for 8 women. These classes focus on bringing a sense of fun and creativity back into their lives, as so often women trying to work their way through or past domestic abuse lose sight of the basics in life – having fun. The aim is to restore that by providing a safe space for nurturing and healing, alongside imagination and enjoyment. Paid workshops are held weekly for the general public with a “pay it forward” model to fund classes for women and children in Edinburgh who have been affected by domestic abuse. All the proceeds of paid classes go towards making the free workshops a reality. underthewing.org.uk
14 – 19 Clubs & Classes
We got a new family member during the summer.
20– 23 Out and About
We welcomed in our eufy Robo vac - it’s a super-thin, wifi connected robot vacuum cleaner. And it’s amazing! Actually, I’m going to admit that we also call it “he” or “him” so let’s just get that out of the way now… He sits in its little charging station and you can either programme it via an app or operate with a remote control to vacuum clean your home. I am more than a bit fond of it! As well as sucking up all the dust in the main areas (on both carpet and wooden flooring) he goes under all the bits our old hoover couldn’t get to - like underneath sofas and beds. I have followed him around far, far too much, poised, like a toddler’s parent, to grab him if he goes too close to the top of the stairs but unlike a small child he has an inbuilt sensor to stop him toppling down. It is safe to say we are loving having the floors cleaned as if by magic. I honestly thought we’d have to go over bits with our old plug-in hoover but it has sat untouched (except by dust) for over a month.
T
0131 622 0405
E
editor@familiesedinburgh.com @FamiliesEdinburghMagazine @Familiesedinbur
The eufy Robo Vac is available from amazon.co.uk (you’ll be able to read how much everyone loves their little robot)
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Families Edinburgh 3
news&views Back to School - Boost your child’s immune system!
Here at Families Edinburgh we took part in #PlasticFreeJuly I like a challenge. But, wow, this was REALLY a challenge. I’ve been carrying my bamboo coffee cup around with me for a while, I do my recycling and I don’t eat meat. I thought I was being one of the good guys on the planet. Then I watched War on Plastic with Hugh and Anna (if you didn’t see it I thoroughly recommend watching it on iplayer) For while I’ve been faithfully recycling it turns out that not everything that goes in our green bins actually gets recycled. Not buying things wrapped in plastic in the first place, unsurprisingly, turns out to be a way better solution. After finding that shopping in the big brand supermarket is pretty much impossible for this challenge, nearly everything I’d normally buy is in plastic - the biggest shocker being fruit and veg, I had to change my shopping ways for this challenge. So I’m not going to preach. We all lead busy lives and the supermarket is a convenient one stop shop. However I would urge you to take a big long look at the contents of your trolley - once you take stock of how much single use plastic is in there it’s hard to un-see. Rather than focus on the doom and gloom here are a few of my favourite things about trying to become plastic free: 1. The “scoop-a-market” (credit for this term to my lovely friend Ange who should be in charge of naming everything) is much more fun than the normal supermarket. Taking jars and tupperware and filling them up at places like Real Foods, Weigh to go, The Refillery and The Eco Larder is a much more joyful experience than pushing a trolley through the supermarket aisles. 2. Bread from independent bakers is far more delicious than the stuff that comes in plastic bags. 3. A basket of loose fruit and vegetables is a very pretty sight to behold. 4. Even though some things cost more loose my shopping bill is way less because I’m not being tempted by offers on things I didn’t actually want. 5. Using Soap and Shampoo bars means not having a zillion plastic bottles along the side of the bath - yay! 6. Both my recycling bin and landfill bin are much emptier. I am creating less waste. 7. I am supporting local businesses. And now (Can you hear the collective sigh of my family?) for the #SecondHandSeptember challenge…
Help your little ones by improving their immune system naturally before the winter bugs kick in! If you or your child have a constant cough/cold or suffer from asthma, eczema or allergies then why not give Edinburgh’s only Salt Room a try this year? It’s simple, effective and best of all drug free! Salt kills bacteria, it’s anti-inflammatory and helps break up mucus. It also removes airborne particles and toxins to improve the ability to cope with allergic reactions. Kids can have fun without even realising they are having any treatment! Whilst playing, they inhale dry, salt-enriched air deep into their lungs, clearing the airways and making breathing easier after just a few sessions. It can have a lasting effect on their health, boosting their immune system to prevent the frequent recurrence of their symptoms. Salt Therapy is definitely becoming a preferred method to treat many conditions so come along and take advantage of our Salt Therapy packages. Edinburgh Salt Rooms, Meadowbank, is open Tue-Sat. Please call 0131 297 5555 or email info@edinburghsaltrooms.co.uk for any enquiries or bookings (Previously known as The Salt Cave)
Minnie Mee Hampers
Want to do a plastic free shop online?
Minnie Mee Hampers is a small family run business inspired by the birth of our beautiful daughter, Marcy, to bring beautiful gifts and hampers to Mums, Dads and babies. All items in our beautiful hampers are hand selected, stylish, practical and elegant. We have picked products that we love and regularly use. Each high quality item is a well made baby essential and/or accessory that you can trust. With our assortment of carefully selected baby gifts we can sprinkle a little stardust and help you give the perfect present to the mum-to-be in your life, whether something small and cute or a hamper filled with amazing products. • Beatrix potter • Sophie la Girafe • Nibbling dummy clips • Sass and Belle • The puppet company www.minnie-mee-hampers.co.uk E - hello@minnie-mee-hampers.co.uk Tel - 07825789352
Did you know that as well as being a great place to shop, Real Foods operate realplasticfree.com With very few exceptions that are clearly marked, all the products shown have been specially selected for their plastic-free packaging and they guarantee plastic-free packaging for delivery.
Make Water Bottles Part of the Back to School Regime Health and nutrition expert Amanda Hamilton is supporting a drive by Scottish Water to remind both parents and children of the benefits of taking a reusable water bottle to use at school. “By highlighting the benefits of a reusable water bottle and filling up from the tap, we are helping to instill in children the small daily habits that can make a big difference.” To encourage people to stay hydrated on the go, a network of Top up Taps is being installed throughout the country. The first ten have been switched on – including Scotland’s first outside the Scottish Parliament - with plans to introduce more over the coming months.
Shine Bar Luxury shampoo bar developed by a hairdresser to deliver professional haircare results with the convenience of an easy to use bar. We’ve tried a few and this is in joint top place (with Lush)! The bar formulation means no wasted product, no bulky plastic bottles and no mess, while the handy reusable storage tin makes it perfect for travel or to take to the gym. Formulated using naturally derived ingredients, the bar also lasts up to four times longer than a standard bottle of liquid shampoo. 9.50 (75G) www.shineshampoobars.co.uk and selected independent stockists
Gifts for newborn babies, ha mpers, and new mu ms. www.minnie-mee-hampers.co.uk 4 Families Edinburgh
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Handling big changes - 7 tips to make separation easier for children If you and your partner decide to separate, no matter how amicably, it’s bound to be an upsetting time, especially if you have children. At Gibson Kerr we have years of experience in helping separating families, and while some degree of upset is inevitable, here are ways you can make it easier for your children.
Take time to talk
Keep your routines
Agree on the big stuff
No matter how difficult the conversation is, it’s important to explain what’s going to happen and why. No need to go into details, but be as honest and clear as possible. If you have more than one child, speak to them together and, if possible, make sure you and your partner are both present.
With so much changing, keeping children in a routine is important to make them feel secure. Whatever your arrangements with your partner, agree on mealtimes, bedtimes, bath times etc. so your children feel a sense of normality.
While it’s unlikely you will agree on all elements of parenting, the big decisions regarding your children’s future should be taken together. Things like education and when and how to discipline should be discussed so you are on the same page and your children aren’t given mixed messages.
Your children will have questions. Take the time to answer them honestly and keep the conversation positive - yes, things are going to change, but you’re still a family and you still love them.
Don’t point score
As time goes by, children will have more questions, so it’s a good idea to arrange a regular time to talk - so you can listen to their worries and answer questions.
Don’t ignore feelings Children will notice their parents are upset, angry or sad. While it’s easy to pretend everything is okay, it’s important you acknowledge your feelings, and let your children know it is not their fault. Be aware of the emotions your children will experience and address them. Simple conversations like “I can see you’re sad mummy isn’t here, but don’t worry, you will see her tomorrow” can help to reassure them.
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It’s an easy trap separating to fall into: trying to best one another to compete for children’s affection. Whether by spoiling them with treats, or even bad-mouthing each other, this can have a negative impact on children, who become confused and may feel they are expected to take sides.
Speak to their school or nursery Take time to explain the situation to other people in your children’s life. Teachers or nursery workers may notice a change in their behaviour and it’s best if they are aware of what is happening at home so they are prepared to deal with it.
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Make time for fun While there will be some dark times, it’s important you keep having fun. If you and your partner can arrange to do this as a family it will reassure your children that everything has not changed and they are still part of a loving family. At Gibson Kerr, our family law solicitors have been helping and advising families for over 100 years. If you have any questions about divorce or separation please get in touch and we’ll be happy to talk to you. Fiona.rasmusen@gibsonkerr.co.uk
0131 226 9161
www.gibsonkerr.co.uk
Families Edinburgh 5
A Packed Lunch to Smile About by Dr Leanne Branton, Southside Dental Care
Being a dentist doesn’t mean that creating yummy but healthy packed lunches daily isn’t any less challenging! Clearly one of my key concerns is ensuring that what my son is eating throughout the day is tooth friendly, but when sugars are hidden in so many foods this can be a mine field for any parent to negotiate. In simple terms - when the bacteria in our child’s mouth are fed with sugar, they produce an acid and this can damage the tooth’s protective layer, which we call enamel, if this happens frequently then cavities can form.
Current guidelines advise that we should try and limit our children’s daily sugar intake to 25 grams (6 tablespoons or the equivalent to no more than two cans of coke) But shockingly a fairly average packed lunch box can have as much as 60 grams of sugar or the equivalent of 6 cans of coke! But reducing the sugar content of a packed lunch doesn’t need to be complicated or costly.
Here are my top tips to reduce the sugar content in your child’s lunch: Read the labels
Frequency
Read the ingredients of any packaged foods in your child’s lunch box. Anything that ends with the letters OSE is a sugar and could potentially damage teeth.
Small amounts of sugar taken regularly throughout the day is far more damaging than one big treat as it gives our teeth no time to recover from the “acid attack”.
A product is low in sugar if it contains less than 5g of sugar per 100g.
Be careful with snacks, keeping them sugar free, but reassure your little munchkin that they can have a small treat eaten with lunch or dinner when it will do least damage to their teeth.
Juice Some drinks marketed at children can be incredibly high in sugar and cause massive damage especially if sipped throughout the day. Stick to water flavoured with natural fruits if desired or sugar free cordial only.
Fruit Fruit in its original form contains natural sugars but these are different to those found in donuts and biscuits and so fruit is a great healthy snack option. Avoid fruit smoothies as they are extremely high in sugar
Swap the snacks Swap sweet treats such as cakes, chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits for fruit loaf, popcorn (not toffee!), rice cakes, sugar free jelly, crumpet or scotch pancake.
Cheese Cheese doesn’t clean your teeth but eating it after food can protect your teeth from the acid produced so feel free to add a cheese string or baby bell into the mix.
If you want more advice why not use the Childsmile resources. Childsmile is a national programme designed to improve the oral health of children in Scotland and involves health visitors, nurseries, schools and of course many dental practices. Their website www.child-smile.org.uk has lots of practical tips to help keep your child’s teeth healthy. And finally make sure any potential problems are identified early with regular dental check-ups for your little ones with your dentist. Southside Dental Care situated on Mayfield Road in Edinburgh is undergoing exciting building works to expand their current 3 surgery NHS practice into a 6 surgery state of the art dental practice. With the expansion comes the launch of Southside Orthodontic Clinic an NHS & Private referral clinic under the care of Dr Josh Rowley.
Dried fruit The natural sugars in dried fruit are more concentrated and dried fruits are more likely to stick to teeth so make sure to encourage these be eaten as part of lunch rather than for break time.
Yoghurts Many children yoghurts are high in sugar so look for sugar free options. Even better is to flavour natural or Greek yoghurt with fresh fruit.
6 Families Edinburgh
44g of sugar = 11 sugar cubes
13.5g of sugar = 3 sugar cubes
Call us on 0131 622 0405
Southside Dental Care has always been a family friendly practice encouraging Oral Health Education to start as young as possible and really focusing on preventative care from the earliest of ages.
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The Apple of my Eye by Clare Downes
This year my baby starts P1 with big brother into P3 how did that happen?! The apprehensions around our little darlings starting or returning to school can be monumental for both child and parents. So, let’s chat about eyes and allay some of your fears and get you motivated to book that all-important children’s eye Learning to read – examination. 65% of the population are visual learners, so if you are not seeing to the best of your how much is eye related? potential then how you can be reaching your maximum learning potential. Accurate vision has also been proven to improve concentration (based on these two facts, I’m pretty sure most of us adults would benefit from an up to date eye test too). Pre-school screening is a basic check-up to ensure your child can see distant objects normally, however it does not substitute the need for a full eye examination by an Optometrist. A full eye examination should be a fun experience for your child and performed regularly, a bit like visiting the dentist, from the age of 3 or 4, or earlier if you have any concerns (see the handy check list below). As children grow their vision changes rapidly therefore it is important that we keep a check on these changes regularly to ensure that they get the best from their vision while they are at school and continuing to learn. Don’t forget that good vision is essential for development in all extracurricular activities too.
Things to look out for
Learning to read is a monumental task and what we see directly affects our ability to learn. If you have any concerns about your child’s reading ability, I would highly recommend a visual stress assessment at an Optometrist with specialised children’s clinics. A visual stress assessment will assess the eye muscles specific to reading. If needed a course of muscle strengthening exercises will improve your child’s reading. We will also asses if a specific coloured overlay or spectacle lens may aid your child’s ability to process the information and therefore aid their reading ability. At Downes Opticians we specialise and thrive on aiding our young patients to achieve their optimal potential, we would be delighted to help you with any visual concerns. We provide specialist children’s clinics for; visual stress, coloured lens assessment, children’s contact lenses and myopia management (slowing the progression of your child’s short-sightedness). For further information please look to our website or get in touch.
• Do they regularly screw up their eyes?
We look forward to welcoming you soon.
• Do they stand too close to the TV? • Do they hold their books/ toys very close to their eyes? • Have you noticed a squint i.e. does an eye drift outwards, or inwards especially when tired?
Downes Opticians
• Do they blink excessively?
2 North Junction Street, Leith 0131 553 5358
• Do they tend to close one eye when focussing on something or concentrating?
www.downesopticians.com 5 Market Place, North Berwick 01620 893 007
At Brightbrain-Scotland we provide the Bal-A-Vis-X Programme for everyone age 3 upwards. Weekly one on one and group classes available. Rhythmic exercises using sandbags, racquetballs and balance boards, to help you learn more - physically, socially and academically, in a safe friendly, fun environment For parents and teachers the next training event takes place on 20, 21 and 22 September 2019, in Scotland More 2019 and 2020 dates can be viewed online.
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Families Edinburgh 7
SCHOOL NEWS AND OPEN DAYS A Unique Curriculum for the 21st Century The Steiner curriculum develops analytical, logical and reasoning skills as well as encouraging the development of imagination, creativity and flexible thinking skills. Our young people are free-thinking, adaptable, enquiring and confident, with a global and environmental awareness, who understand how to make connections, to interpret information and to innovate. Our higher exam results are consistently above the national average, with a 100% pass rate in 2017. Former pupils are leading the field in areas such as architecture, mathematics, textiles and design and environmental science. What Makes Our Education Unique? • From Kindergarten to the final year (Class 12) subject matter is linked to a child’s developmental stage and our 12-year curriculum means that secondary education flows naturally from previous learning. • ‘Main Lessons’ are studied daily by all students, throughout the whole school journey. They are taught in topics, lasting around four weeks and include subjects such as Climatology, Social Awareness, Philosophy, History of Art and Surveying to name a few. This programme ensures that, irrespective of their exam choices, all pupils receive a broad education which encompasses science, art, crafts and the humanities, and enables our pupils to develop a broader understanding of the world in which we live. • Children learn by doing. In Kindergarten they climb trees, paint, build and cook. As they progress to formal education, learning by doing continues to form an important part of Main Lessons. • Music, art, crafts and drama play an integral part in the curriculum, nurturing creativity, imagination, confidence and technical skills from an early age. Our art GCSE and Advanced Higher exam results are among the best in the country year on year. • French and German are taught from the age of six years, and we benefit from a vibrant visiting student programme and international school community. Admissions accepted all year. Book an Open Tour for October, November or December from our website. www.edinburghsteinerschool.org.uk/
8 Families Edinburgh
Small School; Big Personality Morrison’s Academy is a small and vibrant independent day school with a big personality. Located in the heart of Scotland, we provide quality education from nursery to sixth year secondary. Generations of Morrisonians have benefited from our rich choice of academic, artistic and sporting experiences. Our families love the fact that we are small enough to know their children by name, yet large enough to offer a breadth of choice and opportunities to suit all. Big Opportunities At every stage in a pupil’s career, we seek out opportunities to challenge them, stretch them and help them grow. This could be through a nursery class visit to a local farm, a Lego™ challenge with our dedicated primary STEM teacher or by spending a week with a French exchange family and honing their language skills. Big Horizons We nurture and support our pupils aspirations; whether that be to run a marathon to raise funds for a new playground for our partner school in Malawi, to be a world champion cross country mountain biker or to be part of the pipe band or choir performing at the opening ceremony of the biggest international event in women’s golf in 2019; The Solheim Cup. We encourage our pupils to strive for the highest and broaden their horizons to all of life’s possibilities. Big Futures We are proud of all of our pupils and their academic results. Last year we had a 94% Advanced Higher pass rate, a 93% Higher pass rate, and a 94% National 5 pass rate. Couple this with our ‘Learning for Life’ programme which focuses on all of the ‘nonacademic’ skills young people need to get on in the world; we think we have found a formula for success. Maybe this is why some of our pupils have gone on to become Olympic athletes, award winning artists, renowned adventurers and authors, politicians and professionals.
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SCHOOL NEWS AND OPEN DAYS Her Future at St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh
A Family Education with ESMS ESMS are a unique family of independent schools for boys and girls, aged 3-18. At ESMS, our children are taught together from Nursery to Primary 7, then at Senior School they receive the benefits of single-sex senior education before joining together again for a co-educational 6th Form. The best start in life We are passionate about giving our children the very best opportunities, and for us that starts on day one. From age three, we welcome children into the ESMS family, where they immediately begin to benefit from all the resources our three schools have to offer. Based at our Ravelston site in the west end of Edinburgh, our Nursery children learn in a happy, stimulating and welcoming environment. We are rated ‘Excellent’ in every category assessed by the Care Inspectorate.
At St George’s we believe in making our girls stand out from the crowd. It’s the quality of individual attention, small class sizes and our flexibility that make a difference. Girls come first by design and have the freedom to be themselves. Our 'YES SHE CAN' approach, embodied in the abundance of strong female role-models and the range of opportunity helps inspire every girl to find the path that is right for her. Taught in an environment free from gender stereotypes, girls are encouraged to develop their inner voice and a self- assurance that their opinions matter. A sector-leading curriculum from 3 – 18, combined with our uniquely rounded approach to education, helps girls go forward to explore wide-ranging careers with a deep understanding of the global workplace. Founded by the pioneers of women’s education in Scotland, and celebrating its 130 year, St George’s is the only all-through girls’ school in Edinburgh. The school is small enough (750 pupils) to know your daughter really well, yet large enough in the examination years to offer an impressively wide range of subjects and courses.
Experienced and highly qualified staff take time to really get to know each child ensuring their well-being and happiness is always at the heart of what we do. Specialists enhance learning through regular PE, Music, Forest Kindergarten, ICT and Library sessions. Children who join the ESMS family of schools at Nursery level do not need to be assessed.
We have girls as young as three and as old as eighteen. Boys are welcome in our nursery up to the start of their preschool year.
Happy community From Nursery to Senior School we help our children to learn our Nine Values including kindness and respect and this creates a happy school community where each child feels valued.
The academic rigour and flexibility that this blend of the two systems gives ensure breadth while developing the valuable study skills and work ethic these courses require.
Come along to our Open Day on Saturday 21 September, 10am-1pm, and find out more.
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Our academic curriculum is a unique mix of GCSEs at 16 followed by Highers and Advanced Highers in the Sixth Form.
Join us at our Open Mornings to discover more about how we can help shape your daughter’s future on Saturday 28 September and Wednesday 2 October. Visit our website www.stge.org.uk or get in touch with our Admissions department, T 0131 311 8008 E admissions@stge.org.uk
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Families Edinburgh 9
SCHOOL NEWS AND OPEN DAYS George Watson’s College provides a world-class education for children and young people from Preschool to S6. We encourage our pupils to develop a love of real learning through an inspiring curriculum and an extensive and inclusive enrichment programme. We challenge and support our pupils to discover their own limitless potential. We nurture the knowledge, skills and confidence they will need to become engaged and successful citizens and make their own unique contribution to the world. We are proud of our heritage and passionate about our plans for the future.
Heriot’s pupils continue to do extremely well in their examinations – due to the outstanding professionalism and skill of our talented staff and the natural flair, hard work and dedication of our pupils.
Our Preschool, Junior and Senior pupils all play, explore and learn on a single campus which houses our state of the art sports facilities, music school, art department, technology building and drama studios. We’ve invested in our Junior School, with a £7m development to create five new classrooms, a brand new library and music suite. Our new Junior School playground and Preschool classrooms will ensure that every day is an adventure for our pupils. Our school provides pupils with opportunities to grow and learn about the world around them, offering outdoor experiences and educational visits to national and international destinations. Watson’s has an open presentation policy for SQA Examinations and in 2018 our pupils celebrated some of our school’s best ever exam results, with a 100% pass rate in 25 out of all 30 subjects they sat. If you think Watson’s could be the place for your child, we’d be delighted to welcome you to our Open Morning on 5 October 2019. For more information to register please visit www.gwc.org.uk/open
10 Families Edinburgh
Heriot’s has a reputation for excellence both in terms of academic success and extra-curricular provision. Our pupils are great individuals, brimming with confidence and pride in their school.
However, exam grades are only a small part of the picture. At all stages throughout the School, Heriot’s cultivates an ethos of care reinforced by outstanding guidance and our commitment to charitable fundraising and voluntary service. Our pupils also benefit from an extraordinary number of extra curricular activities, ranging from the 31 sports on offer to a huge variety of musical, dramatic and other possibilities; the emphasis is on taking part – in everything we do we want to encourage our young people to participate, to try hard and to be happy. This has resulted in Heriot’s achieving the Gold Rights-Respecting School accreditation, awarded by UNICEF. For us, the highlight of our Open Morning, which is on Saturday 28 September, will once again be the turnout of pupils, Junior and Senior, volunteering to give up their Saturday to show prospective pupils and their parents their School. We hope you will join us for a happy and enjoyable morning and discover the warm community that is George Heriot’s School. You are also most welcome to visit the School on ‘normal’ days – visits are easily arranged by contacting our Admissions Department on 0131 221 6709. Choosing a school for your child is a very important decision. Our most important publicity comes from our current and former pupils and parents so do please feel free to speak to them! We look forward to meeting you and helping you discover what is behind the stones.
Call us on 0131 622 0405
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SCHOOL NEWS AND OPEN DAYS School Reenvisioned Edinburgh Montessori Arts School offers a strong and realistic alternative to traditional education. Ideally situated in beautiful city green belt, our small school provides a personalised developmental approach for 1 – 15 year olds. Our educators and creative arts specialists recognise the distinctly different needs of the child at each stage of development. Science, discovery and hands-on exploration ignite the imagination and complement real life skills developed through everyday contributions to the life of the school community. Resident visual, musical and performance artists work alongside pupils and Montessori guides, opening expressive languages of exploration to all pupils. Respect for, and encouragement of, social and emotional development unlocks our children’s abilities allowing them to learn with confidence and ease. Our unique approach to primary education recognises children’s desire to explore society and the world, to understand right and wrong and to investigate life’s big questions. With high expectations for enquiry and critical thinking, an expansive course of study supports their burgeoning independence and potential.
TEENS HUB 2019 sees the launch of our high school hub: a Montessori prepared environment for teens, by teens. Without year groups, subject departments or timetables and with no assessments or teacher set homework, pupils study subjects linked-with and mapped-to personal interest areas. Guides meet with students daily and weekly to review their work and set a programme of learning. Students study in mixed age groups, learning from each other. The school common room is their learning hub where meetings, planning, Socratic discussion and project envisioning take place. This is the launchpad for initiation of research, travel, investigation and learning-through-doing, all of which take our young people outside the school campus for real life experience. Emphasis is on collaboration, peaceful conduct, creative expression and scientific discovery. Neurodiversity is celebrated. Part time attendance, flexi school and full-time enrolment are all possible. In celebration of this momentous step for Montessori in Scotland (EMAS is the only primary and now secondary program in the country) the school has made a number of scholarships available. Interested teens and their families are encouraged to contact the school office for more information.
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Families Edinburgh 11
SCHOOL NEWS AND OPEN DAYS Why Fettes? Fettes College has over 5,000 Old Fettesians who remain in touch with us for one very compelling reason: being educated at Fettes was one of the most important and beneficial aspects of their lives. Fettes is where their confidence was built, horizons broadened, talents nurtured and life-long friendships made. Where they achieved exam success, broke sporting records, were inspired by teachers and learnt the skills which would equip them for later life. Fettes is where they were enthused, praised and encouraged to work hard and achieve the very best they could, while being surrounded by like-minded friends and caring staff. Quality All-Round Education Fettes is renowned around the world for the quality of education we provide and we strongly believe that with our expert tuition and encouragement, every student can maximise their academic potential. Nurturing Talents The skills and talents of each of our pupils are recognised and rewarded whether that be in the classroom, on the sports field, in the concert hall, on the stage or in the gallery. We are incredibly proud of the level and variety of their achievement– a true reflection of an all-round education. Benefits of Boarding Boarding houses are a vital part of boarding life, a caring community of students living together. A wealth of house activities cements the strong bond between housemates, younger pupils learn from older pupils and older pupils take responsibility to care for others. Boarding at Fettes also equips students with a great level of self-reliance and motivation. To this day, a Fettes education is an incredible start to life.
12 Families Edinburgh
Fettes College Open Day 2019 will be held on Sunday 13th October from 1.30pm. To arrange a visit or request a prospectus, please simply contact our Registrar, Mrs Harriet Marshall on 0131 311 6744 or admissions@fettes.com and she or a member of our Admissions team will be happy to help.
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SCHOOL NEWS AND OPEN DAYS See behind the scenes at Scotland’s first boarding school Prospective boarding and day pupils are being invited to find out more about Loretto School at their upcoming open days.
Loretto School, which was founded in 1827, has built a reputation for excellence among the country's top co-educational boarding and day schools. This autumn, it is opening the doors of its leafy 85-acre campus in Musselburgh, on East Lothian’s beautiful coast, to give parents and prospective pupils the chance to find out what makes it so special. The School's ethos has always emphasised the balanced development of the mind, body and spirit of its 600 pupils. With a staff to pupil ratio of 1:7, every pupil is known individually and offered outstanding opportunities to develop their talent, thanks to the School’s extensive Sport and Creative Arts facilities. Loretto Junior School has around 200 girls and boys attending and is mainly a day school, with some boarders who join at the age of 11. Its enclosed, green campus offers plenty of secure space to promote children’s exploration and discovery. “We have built a community where every individual matters and our school offers the space and opportunity for everyone to find their own route to success, whether that's in academic achievement, sport, art, music, drama or other activities," says Andrew Dickenson, Head of the Junior School. "We aim to be as flexible as possible – the school day is intended to fit in with parents’ busy schedules – and we run school minibus routes to and from North Berwick, Gullane, Haddington, Gifford, Earlston, Galashiels, Dunbar, Edinburgh and Roslin." Loretto Senior School welcomes around 400 girls and boys, some 70 per cent of whom choose to board. It follows the English curriculum of A-levels and GCSEs and, like its sister school, focuses on the individual; pupils are encouraged to study independently and think for themselves. The School is also home to the Loretto Golf Academy, which was established in 2002 and attracts young golfers from around the world keen to develop their sporting talent in tandem with an all-round education. It boasts innovative practice facilities – including a state-of-the-art indoor centre – and programmes for both beginners and advanced golfers. The Academy works closely with Scottish Golf and the courses at Craigielaw and Archerfield, based in East Lothian. "Our open days are the perfect opportunity for children and their parents to see behind the scenes and discover just how much we have to offer by meeting the teachers, house staff and current pupils," says Dr Graham Hawley, Loretto’s Headmaster. "Prospective day pupils will be matched with one of our pupils who has similar interests and given a bespoke tour of the campus to show them life at Loretto through our pupils’ eyes.” Prospective families will be able to see for themselves on Saturday, 28 September, for those aged 12 and over, and on Saturday, 5 October, for those aged three to 12. To book a place at their open days, or arrange an individual visit at a time that suits your family, please contact the School’s Admission Team at admissions@loretto.com or on 0131 653 4455. The Junior School Open Day will also be an opportunity to discover Loretto PreSchool, which offers a structured, teacher-led provision for children aged three to five from the start of Academic Year 2019/20.
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CLUBS&CLASSES
TRYING A NEW CLUB OR CLASS By Claire Winter Whatever the age of your child, trying a new activity or sport encourages them to be more adventurous and learn new skills. For parents of under 5s, classes and clubs can enrich a child’s day, giving them the chance to experience many different environments and activities. Vitally, these activities also provide social stimulation for parents too. Meanwhile, the lives of older children have been changed by modern technology, and we need to strongly encourage them to be more active and step away from their smartphone, Xbox, or PlayStation. Thankfully, there are a huge range of organised afterschool or weekend clubs and classes for children to attend.
Picture Courtesy Gymboree
HERE ARE FAMILIES’ HELPFUL TIPS FOR ENCOURAGING YOUR CHILD TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. TARGET THEIR INTERESTS
TAP INTO THE DEMAND FACTOR AND CO-ORDINATE WITH OTHERS
A good starting point is to look at your child's current interests. Their school may offer a wide range of classes and clubs from IT to sport. Additionally, local sports centres, libraries and art centres are often teeming with opportunities to join classes and clubs. So don't be afraid to look outside the school environment for things to do.
Many children simply want to fit in, so if this is important to your child, look for new or popular activities. Our local directory can help you find potential classes and clubs that you may not know about.
For active kids, why not consider something more challenging, such as climbing, caving, or martial arts? Those interested in animals may find opportunities at your local zoo, petting farm or riding centre. While for the creatively inclined, investigate an art class, reading or book club or a school newspaper or blog. While it’s a little more difficult to assess the interests of pre-schoolers or toddlers, most enjoy sing and rhyme classes or activities that involve physical activity, like pre-school gymnastics or football.
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S STOPPING THEM Many children can be apprehensive about new experiences, but if your child is consistently shying away from trying new activities, sit down with them and try to find out why. It could be a fear of not making friends, being bullied, low self-confidence about their abilities, or being in an unfamiliar environment. Once you know the cause of their anxiety, you can help address it. If your toddler or pre-schooler is reluctant to join in a class, participate in the activity alongside them. It takes pre-schoolers time to get used to a new environment. Once they get used to the situation they will join in with gusto. I still have fond memories of my shy, twin girls dancing and singing at their first music class!
Try talking to other parents and see what activities their children are involved in. You could even coordinate for your children to participate in the activity together. Simply knowing that their friends are interested in a new club or class may mean your child will be keener to get involved. Emma, mum of an 8 year old says: “It took three years at school together before I discovered that one of my daughter’s friends attended a weekly roller-disco at our local sports centre and the opportunity to do something with her friend was enough to persuade my daughter to join in.” You could also introduce a reluctant child to an activity their sibling does, or for younger children nervous about being alone, you can attend the first session with them. For pre-school and toddler classes, co-ordinating with other parents in your network can feel more important than whether you feel your child will particularly enjoy an activity. Structured activities can keep your little one occupied for a while and give you a welcome chance to make friends with other parents who have children at the same age and stage.
HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS Focus on the positive things your child will gain by taking part in a particular sport or activity. These could be a new social circle, certificates, medals or stickers, job or education opportunities in the future, greater confidence, getting fitter, or simply being with friends. After-school and weekend clubs and classes are a great way for your child to stay active and learn new things. Remember, it doesn't matter what activity your child pursues, as long as they enjoy it.
Read on and remember to say you found them in Families Edinburgh! Follow us on Facebook for news of free trials and new classes.
Educational Singing Sessions for preschoolers at Skylark Cafe. 40 Hamilton Place, Stockbridge songcircle.gill@gmail.com 07973 493933
Unique • Fun • Educational 14 Families Edinburgh
Call us on 0131 622 0405
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CLUBS&CLASSES ENJOY SCOTTISH DANCING WITH CEILIDHKIDS! Traditionally at a Scottish Ceilidh, well-loved dances are shared between the generations. At CeilidhKids classes and events, simple (often simplified) Scottish dances are explained and demonstrated, before everyone gets to have a go. Some dances will be old and traditional, others have been specially adapted for wee people to enjoy with Mum, Dad, childminder or grandparents. For nine years now CeilidhKids has been getting families dancing in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Maybe you’ve met us at a preschool class, at nursery, at school, or at a festival or party. Join us as we clap, march, skip, jump and twirl to the music? Bring comfy shoes and something to drink – we’ll see you there! 0131 667 8898 ceilidhkids@ceilidhkids.com www.ceilidhkids.com.
WHIZZKIDS
GYMINI
Whizzkids offers fun and educational computer classes for children of all ages during school termtime and the holidays. From touchtyping to coding and desktop publishing to word processing, the classes incorporate useful skills that will benefit children with their school work and beyond. Using Windows computers with Microsoft Office, children can learn to use, or develop their skills with Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Excel and Access. Children can also learn to code using Scratch and the Python programming language on the Raspberry Pi (a small credit card sized computer), creating basic games, animations and electronic projects. Adult lessons are also available. For further details on the classes, or to enquire about availability, please e-mail gillian@whizzkids.uk.com, check out the website at www.whizzkids.uk.com or call 0131 447 5893
Edinburgh-based GYMINI provides FOUNDATION GYMNASTICS based on a Movement and Learning programme tailored for pre-school and primary children. We are a sports based programme, not a soft play centre, however we do use soft equipment to teach basic gymnastic skills making it more fun to learn. GYMINI coaches are qualified British Gymnastic coaches who are involved in a variety of other sports as well as gymnastics. Our involvement in preschool gym comes not only from our own sporting backgrounds but the fact that we are parents and involved with children and can recognise our programme as an introduction to SPORT. www.gymini.co.uk
MONKEY MUSIC AWARD WINNING PRESCHOOL MUSIC CLASSES IN NORTH AND SOUTH EDINBURGH Running for over 15 years locally, Edinburgh’s leading preschool music class is so excited to be opening for another actionpacked term, offering age specific, educational classes to babies from 3 months to 4 years old. Our 4 stage curricula has been specifically designed to ensure maximum enjoyment for all the family, with live music, colourful props and activities, musical games, fun and percussion. It is why our classes have recently been voted the Best Music and Drama class in Edinburgh. To book your free trial go to www.monkeymusic.co.uk and type in your postcode to find your nearest class and find out more about what we offer. We have mornings, afternoons, Saturday classes and offer sibling discounts and free catch up classes. "I have taken both my daughters to Monkey Music for several years, and it's by far the best music class we've found for young children” - Facebook Review June 2019
NEXT ISSUE November/December 2019 • Christmas • Santa • Pantos Book now - 0131 622 0405 editor@familiesedinburgh.co.uk
Drama Classes Ages 3-18
Edinburgh - Saturdays Queensferry - Fridays
FREE TRIAL CLASS For info call us: 07720 861796 www.mixuptheatre.com
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Families Edinburgh 15
CLUBS&CLASSES DN ACADEMIES Step into the spotlight! DN Academies offers fresh, fun and engaging musical theatre classes and workshops in central Edinburgh and Musselburgh. If you’d love to step up on stage and sing, dance or act your heart out, their academies are for you! As a new offering from the city’s well-known DN Dance school, you can expect DN Academies classes to be professional, safe and specifically-designed for boys and girls from the age of 4-16 years. Young performers will be in safe hands - the school’s knowledgeable, welcoming and enthusiastic teachers will inspire every student to get the most from their classes, build confidence and have plenty of fun. Classes enrolling now - more details online at dnacademies.co.uk or email hello@dnacademies.co.uk to book your taster class.
SONG CIRCLE
Children’s Music Classes from birth to teens • New baby and toddler classes • Creative music classes (Preschool to P2) • Individual and group instrumental classes (P3 to teens) • New musicianship classes (P3+) • ABRSM Music Medal Syllabus
SALLY-ANN JOHNS
Enrol at www.portobellomusicschool or tel: 0131 623 2513
Everyone deserves to learn art, in a warm and supportive atmosphere. All classes are taught by me, Sally-Ann Johns, in my working studio. My passion is encouraging young artists in a supportive and friendly environment. I have been working in the arts for 15 years, I limit my classes to 9 people, which allows for a more personal and individual level of learning. Monday 4 till 5.30pm 6 - 10 years Tuesday 4 till 5.30pm 6 - 10 years Wednesdays 4 till 5.30pm 10 – 14 years Friday 2 till 3.30pm 6 – 10 years Friday 4 till 5.30pm 10 – 14 years October animation course Oct 14th to 18th 9.30am till 2pm For more info or to book, visit my website sallyannjohns.com or call 07956 059483
Singing with babies and toddlers is known to stimulate development and Song Circle in Skylark Cafe, Stockbridge provides a warm welcome, fresh brewed coffee and pots of tea with plenty of chocolate biscuits in the break. You and your wee one will learn a whole lot of songs, poems and action songs and enjoy the benefits of releasing feel good endorphins and meeting new friends. The groups are small and the room bright and cheery and Scottish folk singer and songwriter Gill Bowman has structured her classes to include some dancing and percussion. There’s also a very fair and flexible booking and payment system with options to suit everyone. These classes are very popular so pre-booking is essential. Text 07973 493933 or email songcircle.gill@gmail.com
DANCE FOR ALL Dance For All is now taking bookings for their Autumn 2019 term dance classes including NEW Senior Acro, a highintensity acrobatic dance class. “My daughter has been attending for 7 years and has never once grumbled about it. It has helped her self-confidence enormously.” ~ Sophie, mum to 11yr old pupil. Established in 1985, Dance For All nurtures pupils aged 2½ - 18yrs to enjoy and excel in the finest dance genres, including RAD Ballet, ISTD Tap & Modern, SDS Flamenco, Acro, Modern, Jazz and Contemporary. Principal, Tracy Hawkes, leads an inspirational faculty of staff in delivering professional dance training and over 70 weekly child, teen & adult classes (beginners - advanced). “It’s never boring and always fun, making life-long friends.” ~ Aimee, 15-year-old pupil. Browse testimonials, timetables, photos & more on www.danceforall.co.uk or call 0131 226 5533.
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CLUBS&CLASSES GYMBOREE
DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DRAMA! With our unique curriculum, the Academy aims to develop confidence, self-esteem and communication skills. Our classes encourage students to have something to say, and ensuring they can put their case over effectively can only lead to increased self esteem. In the competitive world we live in, it is vital children have the confidence to present themselves well and become valuable members of the community. Students can attend our classes from starting school and continue until leaving school, they will gain a sound foundation for life, whatever path they choose as a young adult. Our well thought out, structured drama programme allows each student to be involved in something positive and successful. The varied curriculum, which includes speech, movement, script work, improvisations and theatre productions, is constantly revised and updated. Classes are great fun and non-competitive. Please do get in touch for further information or to book a FREE TASTER SESSION. 0131 667 0939 or 07701 333476 midscot@helenogrady.co.uk www.helenogrady.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/HelenOGradyMidScotland
Gymboree Play & Music Edinburgh offer fantastic Play & Learn, Sensory Baby Play and Pre-School classes for children aged from 0 to 5 years. Open every day at their brilliant location in Slateford, and offering a full timetable of baby and toddler classes, Gymboree Play and Music have wonderful teachers, plenty of free parking and a snack room equipped with tables and highchairs so you can even stay for lunch! There is something for every child and with so many varied options you and your little one can hopefully make them part of your busy schedule. As the global leaders of developmentally appropriate physical and cognitive fun, they will help to grow your little one’s body and mind!
RED THREAD STUDIO Red Thread Studio Edinburgh provides sewing classes, dressmaking courses and Learn to Sew classes in Edinburgh from our beautiful studio in Newington. Come along and see why over 1500 people have learnt to sew with Red Thread! There are a huge variety of courses, from our half day Saturday courses where you can learn the very basics whilst making an item from scratch, to our longer dressmaking courses. We also run special children's sewing courses (for children over 8) during summer and Easter holidays, as well as Saturday children's sewing classes. Children over 16 are welcome to come on any of our courses, but if you have a younger child who is interested please get in touch. Our sewing courses are fun, relaxing and creative with expert tutors and lots of fun! www.redthreadstudio.co.uk
BABY SENSORY The Baby Sensory award winning classes, run by Helen Laidlaw of Baby Sensory Edinburgh East, take place on Mondays at Toots Play Café in Liberton and on Tuesdays at Loanhead Parish Church. Specifically designed from birth, the programme is packed with an incredible variety of sounds, smells, sights, textures, music, dance, signing and massage - and you'll never experience the same class twice. Everything we do at Baby Sensory is backed by scientific research, carefully designed with your baby's development in mind, and we're passionate about sharing our knowledge. The first year of your baby's life is the most important, soon after birth the brain starts creating two million new connections every second! So come, have some fun and let's make the most of this very special time. www.babysensory.com/edinburgh-east
RUGBYTOTS Now that the kids are back to school, you might be on the lookout for something fun to do with younger kids? Rugbytots is a non-contact, fun and engaging play programme for children aged 2 to 7. Completely focussed on fun, our programme teaches the basic skills of colour recognition, counting, passing, kicking, throwing, catching and sharing with others. We offer a free taster class so that your little ones can try us first before you commit. Our coaches are professionally trained, good humoured and have lots of experience in working with children. Book now at www.rugbytots.co.uk or email sandra@rugbytots.co.uk to book a taster session.
EDINBURGH YOUNG MUSICIANS
Jack and Jill’s Music Fun for Tots offer weekly music classes for children aged 0-5 and their accompanying adult (and siblings!). Led by a qualified teacher and experienced musician, classes explore the world of music through singing and movement, with props such as puppets and scarves to enhance the experience. Each week the children hear live music on ‘cello, guitar or piano, and have opportunities to play and explore percussion instruments. Classes take place on Friday mornings, in Marchmont, at St Catherine's Argyle Church on Grange Road. For more more information and to book your place, contact Mary on info@jackandjill-music.co.uk
21 years of wonderful music-making! A quick(?) count shows that 2,429 pupils have attended classes ranging from pre-school musical play via beginners’ instrumental, choral & musicianship classes to senior orchestra, choir and chamber groups. All teaching is done in groups, aiming to nurture and develop each pupil’s innate musicianship and enable them to fulfil their musical potential, with the understanding that the better you do something, the more satisfaction and pleasure you will gain from it. EYM believes in developing various aspects of musicianship before exposing children to the discipline of learning an instrument or joining a choir, and to that end offers musical play & musical workshop classes to those in their final pre-school year as well as P1, P2 &sometimes P3. www.e-y-m.org.uk . 0131-226-3392.
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JACK AND JILL
Families Edinburgh 17
CLUBS&CLASSES PORTOBELLO MUSIC SCHOOL @ CRE:8, EDINBURGH COLLEGE Portobello Music School is excited to announce its new venue for 2019/20. After 13 years based at Towerbank Primary School, which is now part of the city-wide school refurbishment programme, Portobello Music School will be based at CRE:8, the state-of-the-art music education facility at Edinburgh College’s Milton Road Campus. The new venue offers wonderful facilities which include: fully-equipped practice and teaching rooms, piano and guitar studios, recording studios, an auditorium and cafe. Also accessible on the campus is The Club, Edinburgh College’s premium leisure facility with pool, spa, gym and a series of fitness classes where parents will be able to spend some leisure time while their children are at music lessons. For further details about Portobello Music School @ CRE:8, please visit their website at www.portobellomusicschool.com or tel: 0131 623 2513
MONKEY DRAMA Monkey Drama classes allow children to Learn, Imagine and Explore through drama, role play, music, props and characterisation. Each week is a different theme. A fantastic way for children to build their confidence, social skills and have fun! We have had so much fun in our summer camps this year and are ready for the new term! As well as our classes, having our very own Monkey Drama venue means we can offer even more parties, offering full use of the premises and a full on Monkey Drama experience from beginning to end with no stress and lots of fun…packages start at £150. Get in touch to book your 2 week trial (£13). We promise once you come once your wee one will be hooked on the adventure and fun! To find out more get in touch with alana@monkeydrama.co.uk, call 07736298013 or visit www.monkeydrama.co.uk
BRIGHTBRAIN-SCOTLAND Brightbrain-Scotland offer 1:1 and group Bal-A-Vis-X sessions for children and adults, age 3 upwards. Our sessions may benefit those who struggle physically, academically and socially. Using rhythmic exercises with sandbags and racquetballs we aim to improve each persons physical abilities such as balance, rhythm, eye tracking, auditory precision, speech and simultaneously behaviour, focus and attention. Trauma informed care is at the heart of our work. Sessions are available after school hours or during the school day. For more information please contact Jane Oliver on 07512311317 jane@ brightbrain-scotland.co.uk www.brightbrain-scotland.co.uk
MIX UP THEATRE Mix Up Theatre is a drama class that provides a ‘mix-up’ of all things theatre for Ages 3-18 throughout Scotland. Our classes are aimed at evolving and nurturing the imagination and developing the skills of the students as performers and storytellers. Through creative drama and techniques, we create brand new pieces of devised theatre with the students. We have regular one-off workshops from professional companies and practitioners and we also love a group trip to the theatre! We offer a FREE TRtime students. Our classes run in Edinburgh on Saturday mornings on the Pleasance and South Queensferry on Friday afternoons. For more information please visit our website www.mixuptheatre.com, call: 07720861796 or e-mail: info@mixuptheatre.com
EDINBURGH DANCE ACADEMY EDA, recently voted highest ranked dance school in the UK and Ireland offers classes and exams in RAD Ballet, the faculty being led by RAD Ballet examiner Julie Mitchell. We also offer classes in Commercial, Pre School Dance (for those little movers!), Jazz, Modern, Tap, Acro, Turns and Limbering, Progressing Ballet Technique, Contemporary (led by i-D Company examiner Jenni Inglis), Competition and much more! (Including performing each year at the King's Panto, look out for us in Goldilocks and the Three Bears this year!). The start of 2019 has been a busy one with EDA pupil Ellie Fregusson being crowned the first winner of BBC 1’s The Greatest Dancer! We pride ourselves on our high standards and constantly apply ourselves to be the best but the most important thing is that all of our pupils are cared for, nurtured and have FUN!!
WATERFRONT DANCE ACADEMY Dancing fun for everyone at Waterfront Dance studio. Tiny dancers from the age of 2 take their first dancing steps with a participating adult at Tutu tots, pre-school children progress to Twinkles, then it's Little Stars and beyond with Training in Ballet, Jazz , contemporary and Acrodance for all ages. Friendly, progressive classes held in our North Edinburgh Studio with plenty of free off street parking. "the teaching is superb, the ethos of the dance school perfect", "My daughter loves the teachers and always comes out smiling", "I've watched both my girls turn into beautiful, elegant dancers" Revised timetable for August, book Now ! 07772504958 waterfrontdance.co.uk
AUTUMN TERM AT DANCE BASE CHILDREN'S HALLOWEEN CLAY WORKSHOPS AT DOODLES Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th October Running from 10.30am -12.30pm each day, costing £20 per class. Come along and make get creative, class includes juice and a mid morning snack. Call us today to book your child - 0131 229 1399
Dance Base has some of the most beautiful dance studios you’ll find anywhere, right in the centre of Edinburgh. Their Autumn Term begins from Saturday 7 September and that means you and your family can enjoy dance classes for everyone – of every age and every ability. There’s Dance ‘n’ Play for 18 months – 3 years, and Creative Dance for pre-schoolers. Then, once your young dancers are a bit more confident, they can branch out into Mini Dance Academy, Street & Hip Hop, Contemporary, or Aerial Dance! As for parents (and anyone over 14), you can access their full array of amazing dance classes – everything from Ballet to Burlesque, from Argentine Tango to Street Dance, or from Tap to Afro Cuban. Check out your options at dancebase.co.uk
Linlithgow Corstorphine Edinburgh South Musselburgh Bonnyrigg Livingston Broxburn Leith City Centre Tel: 0131 667 0939 web www.helenogrady.co.uk email midscot@helenogrady.co.uk Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HelenOGradyMidScotland 18 Families Edinburgh
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CLUBS&CLASSES STEP IT UP DANCE Step It Up Dance, one of Edinburgh's leading children's activity providers, is committed to continuously innovating and delivering the best possible service to Edinburgh families. P1-7 children will love their reinvented Urban Dance Allstars classes which launch Autumn 2019! The experienced, highly qualified SIUD team has been working behind the scenes for years (yes really!) to develop a completely unique way of teaching urban dance to kids. They have created a one-of-akind curriculum, based on the Curriculum for Excellence, that your child will absolutely love to learn. Each week covers new moves, unique activities and dance-based fun, and grown ups, you can stay up to date with your child's learning at every step via their new learning logs & progress reports. Expect your child to leave every class super happy, maybe a little tired (in the best kind of way!) and having made real progress that they will be excited and proud to share with you. Find out more and sign your child up to join the fun here: stepitupdance.co.uk/activities/urban-dance-allstars
STAGECOACH Helping Children believe they can do anything. Singing, dancing and acting classes for ages 4 - 18 Whether it's your child's first day at school or whether it's their last, there are always those little transition moments filled with various measures of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. All children, from the youngest to the oldest, can benefit from support in confidence, collaboration and communication, and our trained and experienced staff at Stagecoach Performing Arts Edinburgh give that support. Our students become more self-assured, expressive, sociable and imaginative and they learn how to tackle situations with resilience, creativity and courage. We call it Creative Courage for Life. Ask about our two week trial. visit www.stagecoach.co.uk/edinburgh to book your place now
KIDSCENE AFTER SCHOOL AND HOLIDAY CLUB Kidscene provides after school and holiday care to children aged 4-16, with and without disabilities. We especially welcome children with a vision impairment and we reserve a number of spaces for partially sighted and blind children. Our premises are within the Royal Blind School campus in Morningside, Edinburgh. Our facilities are furnished to a high standard and include a messy room, a playroom and a kitchen, all with full disabled access. Our playroom includes a chill out zone, imagination area, construction area, computer and console games, board games and puzzles, and a sensory area. We also have access to the Royal Blind School’s facilities including a hydrotherapy pool, sensory garden, soft play area and outdoor multi-use games area. Please visit www.royalblind.org/child-care for fees and more information.
WEE REPLICATORS Wee Replicators is a company whose mission is to build confidence and self-esteem using art and technology together. They are running the following afterschool/evening classes this term: • 3D Printing: Pokemon on Tuesdays 5-6pm • Boy’s Maker Club on Wednesdays 6-7.30pm • 3D Printing Club on Thursdays 4-5pm • Girls Maker Club on Thursdays 6-7.30pm. There will also be a number of YouTubing classes on Friday afternoons for those who have completed one of our YouTubing oneday or weekend courses. Classes are suitable for ages 5-15. Location: Wee Replicators Workshop (based in the Whale Arts Centre), EH14 2SA. To book visit: www.weereplicators.com/bookonline or email hello@weereplicators.com
THE DRAMA STUDIO If you are looking for an activity for young people that is highly stimulating, captures the imagination, boosts self-confidence, helps making new friends and is great fun........ then Creative Drama may well be it! The Drama Studio new term begins in August. We offer After School and Saturday morning classes in both independent venues and school-based clubs. We guarantee you high quality Creative Drama with performance opportunities in most venues and exciting Teenage Theatre and Film Projects, a Casting Agency and very popular Children's Drama Parties. Visit our website www.thedramastudio.com or call 0131-453-3284 and we will be delighted to talk to you.
DOUGLAS DANCE ACADEMY Dance and performing arts classes in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh. Classes offered in ballet, tap, jazz, acro and musical theatre for girls and boys age 3 - adult. Douglas Dance Academy is dedicated to producing healthy dancers, students can attend purely as a hobby or if they wish to pursue a more serious route we pride ourselves on developing strong “all round” performers ready to apply for the industries top colleges. 07718 044369 or email douglasdance252@gmail.com for more information. Find us on Facebook
BASED IN CORSTORPHINE
CLASSES IN BALLET, TAP, JAZZ, ACRO, MUSICAL THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE GROUP AGES 3 - ADULT PHONE: 07718044369 douglasdance252@gmail.com familiesonline.co.uk
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Families Edinburgh 19
Out&About
While every care has been taken to compile the OUT AND ABOUT section please remember that this magazine is printed weeks ahead of some of the events. PLEASE call and check events with the venue to avoid any disappointment before setting out. If you have any events you would like listed free in this section please email them to editor@familiesedinburgh.co.uk 14 September Dino’s 20th Birthday Party 10am – 3pm. Free with admission to Dynamic Earth. Dino’s Dynamos, our very own children’s science club, turns 20 years old this year! To celebrate we will be hosting a funfilled birthday party for all of our visitors packed with activities and crafts to get all of the family involved! So come and join us in wishing happy birthday to Dino, our favourite little dinosaur.
SEPTEMBER 1 September Back to Hogwarts Day £6 per person, with some magical snacks! 10 am - 1pm To mark “Back to Hogwarts Day’ we have a special magical wizardry workshop at Lauriston Castle. Spend a magical day with us. Make some magic potions, craft some special owls and go on secret quests through the Castle. School uniform is essential please! Booking essential edinburghmuseums.org.uk 1 September Art Explorers: Weird Plants Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway. £3 Enjoy an afternoon of creative fun inspired by the Garden’s Weird Plants exhibition. Create your very own weird plant monster collage or sculpture using natural and recycled materials. With Greengage Arts. 1pm-4pm (drop-in)
6 - 8 September Stick Man Kings Theatre, Edinburgh. Times vary. www.capitaltheatres.com Touching, funny and utterly original, Freckle Productions’ delightful adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s STICK MAN is back! What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree? This award-winning production, from the team behind Zog, features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves. All ages welcome! ##### 'Wonderfully exuberant and imaginative!’ Time Out Critics’ Choice 7 September Wee Treasures 10.30am & 11.30am. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Multisensory storytelling in the gallery, inspired by a different painting each month.
2 September BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby/Bump) 10.15am, 11am & 11:30am. Venue changes, see website www.nationalgalleries.org Monthly informal gallery chats for grown-ups with their wee-est ones.
8 September Postcard Portraits 2-4pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Pick up your postcard pack, find your portraits and create your own personal masterpieces! © Mihaela Bodlovic.
3 September Open Studio: Make an Impression 10:30am-12:30pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Messy, open, art-making mornings in the Studio. Bring a change of clothes!
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13 September Stick By Me The Studio, Edinburgh. capitaltheatres.com A “joyful and funny show” (The Guardian) about friendship and play, and the importance of treasuring little things. This “charming, delightful, inventive show” (The Wee Review) is created by Andy Manley and Ian Cameron, co-creators of international hit show White.
14 September Fabric Fragments These are free drop-in sessions so no need to book just come along. 10.30am - 12.30pm or 1.30pm 3.30pm. City Arts Centre Take inspiration from different elements of Victoria Crowe’s stunning paintings and make an individual piece of textile art using varied materials and see your creation come alive.
15 September Harvest Festival Demonstration Garden, RBGE. Free. 1pm - 4.30pm (drop-in) The Garden’s annual Harvest Festival is a celebration of the vegetable growing year. Join in fun activities, enjoy tasters and listen to music. The Edible Gardening Project at the Botanics is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 15 September The Famous Five Return to the Water of Leith Start times from 1pm Family Adventure Trail. admin@waterofleith.org.uk Join grown up Julian, Dick, Anne and Georgina – and their dog Timmy on a treasure hunt of activities along the Water of Leith as we have vintage fun 1940’s style. We will make camps and guddle in the river – there may even be lashings of ginger beer! Adventurous family event suitable for all. £5 per participant or £15 per family group (up to 4 people) children 2 and under Free - Booking Essential – call / email and you will be allocated a start time to suit. – 1.00, 1.30, 2.00, 2.30 or 3.00pm 15 September A Lauriston Collage £6 per person. 10.30am - 12.30pm. Booking essential edinburghmuseums.org.uk Join us to make a beautiful collage inspired by the natural environment of the Castle. You will get the chance to put your work in a beautiful frame at the end of the day. With Erik Petrie.
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Out&About 21 September Walk, Talk, Make 11am-12.30pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Modern One Outdoor explorations in the grassy grounds of Modern One and Two. Dress for the weather!
15 September Superheroes Day Book early to avoid disappointment via Facebook: @conifoxadventurepark or to find out more call 07968 746355 or visit: www.conifox.co.uk. Our 6 crime fighting Superheroes are back with their dance moves, party games and marvellous martial arts.
17 September Tiny Tales: Animal Stories 10am & 11.30am (40mins) | £5 per child | 1 – 3 years. A maximum of 2 accompanying adults for free. Any additional adults pay £5 please. www.scottishstorytellingcentre.com Cheeky chickens, hungry hedgehogs, a tortoise who should know better and a bear being a bear in the woods! A feast of stories to delight the little ones. Be ready to clap your hands together, dance and sing with Lea Taylor and her incredible tiny tales. Tiny Tales is the perfect introduction to storytelling and the Centre for your wee ones. Plenty of space for buggies and roaming around!
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28 September World Beats 14:00 – 16:00. For more information or to book www.stcecilias.ed.ac.uk At this family friendly session we will learn about some of the world instruments we hold in the collection and be joined by the Baharat Collective who will introduce us to their instruments from the Balkans and the Middle East before giving a short concert. 28 September Family Art Tours Venue changes, see website 11- 11:40am Designed to boost confidence in looking and chatting about art; these short, interactive, creative tours are the perfect introduction to art for your whole family. This tour will also be BSL interpreted.
22 September Regal Knights £6 per person. 10.30 - 12.30pm or 1.30pm - 3.30pm. Booking essential edinburghmuseums.org.uk Lauriston Castle is always on the lookout for brave knights to protect us from marauding dragons. Make you own coat of arms, sword and shield to battle and defend yourself. With Mike Durnan. 25 September Stick By Me (See 13 September) The Brunton www.thebrunton.co.uk 27 September Macmillan Coffee Morning Doodles, 27 - 29 Marchmont Crescent Have a coffee and some cake while you paint and help us to support Macmillan Cancer. We will have a bake sale on the day and 25% of all pottery sales that day will go to Macmillan.
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29 September Autism-Friendly Early Openings 9-10am. Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Booking essential: 0131 624 6428 or education@nationalgalleries.org All families affected by Autism are invited to explore the Portrait Gallery before the doors open to the public and take part in creative, sensory activities.
OCTOBER 1 October Open Studio: Make an Impression 10:30am-12:30pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Messy, open, art-making mornings in the Studio. Bring a change of clothes! 5 October Wee Treasures 10.30am & 11.30am. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Multisensory storytelling in the gallery, inspired by a different painting each month.
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Out&About 5 October Trees, Treasures and Birds 10.30am - 12.30pm or 1.30pm 3.30pm. City Arts Centre Join artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb and create your own beautiful collage full of little birds, spiky trees and golden treasures. These are free drop-in sessions so no need to book just come along. With artist Tessa AsquithLamb.
NEXT ISSUE November/December 2019 • Christmas • Santa • Pantos Book now - 0131 622 0405 editor@familiesedinburgh.co.uk
5 October Wee Treasures 10.30am & 11.30am. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Multisensory storytelling in the gallery, inspired by a different painting each month.
5 - 31 October Spooky Happenings at Almond Valley Heritage Centre As the nights get darker, mysterious creatures emerge from the dark corners of the old farm. Grab your trail sheet and look out for the clues on your spooky quest. Find your way through a world of magic and shadows with mysteries to solve, games to play, and some scary surprises around every corner. Get creative in the craft area where you can make spooky masks and manufacture monsters. All of these activities can be enjoyed daily from the 5th of October until Halloween from 10:00 to 17:00, included with admission! 6 October Autumn’s Bounty £6 per person 10.30am - 12.30pm or 1.30 - 3.30pm. Booking essential edinburghmuseums.org.uk Be inspired by the glorious autumnal colours, patterns and textures in Lauriston’s magical grounds. Collect objects from nature and create your own badge, brooch, and pendants. With Mike Durnan. 7 October BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby/Bump) 10.15am, 11am & 11:30am. Venue changes, see website www.nationalgalleries.org Monthly informal gallery chats for grown-ups with their wee-est ones. 12 - 14 October Aliens of the Deep Workshops at 10am, 12pm & 2pm. Workshops are free with admission to Dynamic Earth – spaces limited, sign up on arrival. Take part in a wild workshop thanks to the Marine Conservation Society. Find out more about deep-sea animals, and the adaptions that help them survive in the depths, then get creative and design your own ‘alien of the deep’.
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12 & 13 October Pirate Weekend at the Scottish Seabird Centre wwwseabird.org Shiver me timbers! Pirate Weekend is back at the Scottish Seabird Centre bigger and better than ever. Inspired by the link between Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and the nearby island of Fidra, Pirate Weekend is a swashbuckling fun event celebrating the high seas. There will be activities throughout each day from 11:00 to 16:00 including a pirate trail, sabre skills, stormy seas, pirate penny games, pirate colouring in, as well as an Xmarks the spot competition. Plus there will be prizes for the best dressed pirates! Ooh arrr. 13 October Postcard Portraits 2-4pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Pick up your postcard pack, find your portraits and create your own personal masterpieces! 14 - 18 October Reach for the Skies 12:00 – 16:00. Free with National Museum of Flight admission. www.nms.ac.uk/reachfortheskies October holiday fun for active adventurers; explore the site and take part in a range of fun family activities this half term. 15 - 16 October The Open University at 50! 10am to 4 pm. Free, family-friendly drop-in activities. Celebrating 50 years of the Open University! Meet the team working on the BBC/OU coproduction Blue Planet II, hear about developments in space since 1969, and take part in a fantastic mix of hands-on science activities.
14 - 27 October Witches, potions and Bald Agnes 11:00 – 16:00. The Palace of Holyroodhouse Get set for Halloween an join us for a spooky fortnight of activities during the half term, inspired by the 17th century fears of witchcraft and the legend of Agnes Sampson who lost her life at the Palace. There will be family short talks, a beginners guide to herbology and multisensory storytelling sessions led by Anna Lehr. COME BACK FOR FREE! Get your ticket stamped on your first visit and come back as many times as you like in a year at no extra cost. A great way to fill the school holidays!
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Out&About 16 October Restart A Heart Day Drop in sessions 11am-4pm. Surgeons’ Hall Museums Included in museum entry (£7.50 for adults, £4 for under 16’s, 60+, students, NHS staff and jobseekers). Join Edinburgh University Dental Institute on #WorldRestartAHeart day for these CPR drop-in sessions at Surgeons’ Hall Museums. The aim of these sessions is to show that anyone can save a life so all ages welcome to come along and learn the crucial skill of CPR. 16 October Fantastic Fiddles and Brilliant Bagpipes 14:00 – 16:00 For more information or to book www.stcecilias.ed.ac.uk Join us for this half-term special event as part of Scottish Archaeology Month where we will be exploring traditional Scottish instruments. Learn some fascinating facts about these instruments, listen to some music and make your own bagpipes from a rubber glove.
19-20 October Pumpkin Carving www.conifox.xo.uk Get creative with our pumpkin carving in time for Halloween. 25 October Friday Fright Night 6pm - 9pm. Almond Valley Heritage Centre A little extra horror once the sun goes down with a scary surprise around every corner... Experience ghost trains to nowhere and trailer rides circuiting the graveyard. Good family fun but perhaps not suitable for very young children or adults of a nervous disposition. No advance booking required. 26 October Spooky Sounds 10:00 – 12:00 For more information or to book www.stcecilias.ed.ac.uk Did you know that the strings on instruments used to be made from gut? Come to St Cecilia’s Hall to take part in a special Hallowe’en themed explorer trail and make your own Hallowe’en themed maraca. 26 October Family Art Tours Venue changes, see website 11- 11:40am Designed to boost confidence in looking and chatting about art; these short, interactive, creative tours are the perfect introduction to art for your whole family. This tour will also be BSL interpreted.
17 - 20 October Destination Moon! 10 am to 4 pm Join us for fun interactive demos and activities as we discover how humans first landed on our closest neighbour. Have you got what it takes to join the Apollo astronauts on this epic journey? Family-friendly drop-in activities– free with admission to Dynamic Earth 19 October Walk, Talk, Make 11am-12.30pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Modern One Outdoor explorations in the grassy grounds of Modern One and Two. Dress for the weather! 19-20 October Witch & Wizards School Book early to avoid disappointment via Facebook: @conifoxadventurepark or to find out more call 07968 746355 or visit: www.conifox.co.uk. Join us for a 1 hour experience including making spells with your wand, potions and flying school with a broomstick to decorate and take home.
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26-27 October Witch & Wizards School www.conifox.co.uk Join us for a 1 hour experience including making spells with your wand, potions and flying school with a broomstick to decorate and take home.
26 October Spooky Saturday www.almondvalley.co.uk On the Saturday before Halloween Almond Valley has even more spooky fun going on throughout the day! Take part in traditional games, dooking for apples, spooky craft activities and music for monster dancing. Ideal for families with young children. Open from 10am to 5pm, included with admission. 26 - 27 October Festival of Physics Celebrate the wonder of science, the power of curiosity and the inventions and discoveries that shape our world and our future. Join the Institute of Physics for scintillating science shows, hands-on workshops and inspiring experiences. Pop in between 10am and 4pm daily for an exciting programme of family-friendly activities and demos. 26 or 27 October The Terror Trail £6 per person, with some Halloween treats to munch! 10am - 1pm. edinburghmuseums.org.uk Featuring a large-scale Terror Trail through the grounds of Lauriston castle where you have to find gruesome hidden horrors. You can also head into the castle to find magical wizards and ghoulish story tellers and lots of extra activities. Suitable for children over 6 years old. The event is a drop in event running until 1:00pm. Allow at least an hour to experience everything on offer. Children should be accompanied by a paying adult.
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26 - 27 October Pumpkin Carving www.conifox.co.uk 27 October Halloween Fun Day Tickets on Gate only. www.traquair.co.uk Join us for our family fun day at Traquair perfect for all ages if you want a fright or just some fun and games we have something for everyone: Magic Shows Ghost Stories in the Woods Tarot Reading Spooky Passage Experience Creepy Crawlies – feel and handling workshop Chocolate ghost hunt in the Maze Wizard & Witches Workshop Traditional Halloween Games and Scavenger Hunt Spooky face painting Best Dressed Halloween Character (Adults and Children) Halloween themed lunches and teas in the Garden Cafe. 27 October Autism-Friendly Early Openings 9-10am. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Booking essential: 0131 624 6428 or education@nationalgalleries.org All families affected by Autism are invited to explore the Portrait Gallery before the doors open to the public and take part in creative, sensory activities. 31 October Hallowe’en at the Portrait Gallery 6:15 & 7:15pm. Ages 6+. Free, booking essential. Join us for spooky stories under the stars, inspired by some of the more eerie portraits on the gallery walls.
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Helping children believe they can do anything Singing, dancing and acting classes for 4 - 18 year olds
Whether it's your child's first day at school or whether it's their last, there are always those little transition moments filled with various measures of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. All children, from the youngest to the oldest, can benefit from support in confidence, collaboration and communication, and our trained and experienced staff at Stagecoach Performing Arts Edinburgh give that support. Our students become more self-assured, expressive, sociable and imaginative and they learn how to tackle situations with resilience, creativity and courage. We call it Creative Courage for Life.
CONFIDENCE
COMMUNICATION
COLLABORATION
The team at Stagecoach Edinburgh spend a lot of time finding new ways to engage children and encourage them to be confident in themselves and their ideas. Children may come to us to develop their performance skills, to increase their confidence or to work alongside like minded peers doing something that they love. Confidence comes in all shapes and sizes – but through the performing arts we hope to help children feel confident in adapting to new environments. Our first step is always to explore creative risk taking – helping children to be brave with their actions and voices. This can be simple things like joining in a game, answering yes at registration, developing a new dance move, to standing up on stage in front of an audience. All milestones are celebrated, no matter how small.
At Stagecoach Edinburgh we use voice training in our drama and singing classes to help encourage students to be articulate, audible and, of course, confident. Students use their voices more efficiently when they understand its mechanics, and how it works. We teach voice training through a mixture of games and exercises to encourage vocal dexterity and range. But that's not all. Communication is about using nuance in the voice, and understanding how facial expression and body language can be used to convey meaning and emotion. From our youngest students(aged 4) to our oldest (aged 18), these skills are used not just in the world of performing arts - they are skills for life.
Effective collaboration is dependent on treating others with respect and being willing to engage with alternative ideas and ways of working. Building friendships is an important part of the Stagecoach journey, and through creative learning and risk-taking, we see students grow in confidence and form connections and friendships with their peer groups. It is always a joy to see friendships develop and grow – and to note the increased confidence in the children when this happens. Collaborative working in the performing arts helps promote increased empathy and sets the stage for future interactions and teamwork. At Stagecoach Edinburgh, the students have the opportunity to work together - but also to shine as individuals.
Visit www.stagecoach.co.uk/edinburgh to book your place now Stagecoach Performing Arts is the trading name of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Limited. Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools are operated under franchise and are independently owned by their Principals. Stagecoach and Creative Courage For Life are registered trademarks of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Limited. Families Edinburgh is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Edinburgh are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Edinburgh. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.