TRAINING SEMINAR - JANUARY 2013

To kick off the new year, Principals and their teachers met in Crawley this weekend for the traditional January Seminar in preparation for the term ahead. More than sixty people attended the day, workshopping curriculum for Term 2 and generally sharing ideas and stories from Term 1.

Principals listen attentively as Mime to Music is explained

Preparing for some very interesting speech work

"Crammed on the bypass .........." Verbal Dynamics

Working together on improvisations .......

....... sometimes with hilarious results!

At the end of the day, Gloucestershire Principal, Rosie Reynolds, passed on Grady Bear to colleague, Gemma Knight, from Northampton. The Bear is visiting Gemma's branch for the term after the team thought the Principal's participation and input during the day warranted some sort of reward. No doubt Grady will many adventures before Easter. You can sign up for a regular newsletter on our website to catch up with all of Grady's antics in our regular newsletter.

L to R - National Director, Nigel Le Page and Principals, Gemma Knight and Rosie Reynolds

END OF TERM AT THE ACADEMY

With the end of term already here, in some areas, the children in our classes have been showing off their new skills in their parent day presentations. The circus play was a popular theme for these shows this term!

Very colourful outfits for parent days!

The children love their classes and parents love the results! Principals received excellent feedback. Our Norwich Principal received the following in an email:

"We would like to thank you so much for all you have done for Max over the past couple of years. I have to tell you about his school Christmas play! Max only had a couple of solo lines but he didn't just say the punchline; he delivered it; he ACTED it. 

Max completely took to you and your methods of teaching and we believe what he has learnt from you has helped in so many ways. I know he will carry many pleasant memories and experiences forward with him, not least the desire to perform. With the confidence he now has, getting up in front of a crowd is something he will never struggle with again. Thanks for everything!"

GRADY BEAR IN GUERNSEY

This Grady Bear, who really lives in Bristol, made a surprise visit to Helen O'Grady Head Office in Guernsey this week. He felt he needed to know a little more about the workings of the company so he could spread the word!

National Director, Nigel Le Page, explained something about his job as Grady inspected emails.

Unfortunately, he was none to keen on the rain in Guernsey so will be back in Bristol by the weekend.

Grady in the rain

AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT

We recently ran the first of many competitions through our UK & Europe Facebook page. The competition has now closed and we'd like to congratulate our winner.

Rachel Conti from Exeter has won £100 worth of Theatre Tokens to be redeemed at a theatre of her choice. Here she is at class yesterday with her daughters Maia and Sasha, who attend drama classes in Exeter.

Exeter Principal, Abbe Martin, with Maia andSasha

 Perhaps Maia and Sacha will join mum to see a pantomime or a play in the Christmas holidays!

There will be more competitions with fabulous prizes, so do visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/helenogradydrama to join in the fun!

SHOW YOUR SPOTS - LET'S RAISE LOTS!

All around the country, our students have been joining in National Talking Week! to raise money for BBC Children In Need.

Spotty children raise money for BBC Children In Need

 New Principal in St. Helens and Warrington, Andrea Williams, emailed HO at the weekend:

"I would just like to tell you about my week. This week children have taken part in National Talking Week! Their subject was: 'If you found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, who would you give it to?'  One child came up with a fantastic idea of creating a Children in Need Wishing Well; I think we should have one in every city!  The whole lesson was really fun. Students made up their own plays about Children In Need and one group performed it to the parents. As you can see in the picture, we made them all spotty with face paint. Parents were thrilled with our performance and very supportive of our fundraising."
Congratulations to Andrea on a great week. So far, she and her students have raised a massive £255 with sponsorship still coming in.

NATIONAL TALKING WEEK 2012!

Once again the Academy is raising funds, through National Talking Week!, for BBC Children In Need. Around the country, children, their parents and friends and their teachers are 'putting their money where their mouth is' and talking up a storm!

In Somerset, children as young as three joined in the fun during their Kindy classes. Their current topic is 'The Jungle' and, with the help of finger puppets, the students talked about Pudsey Bear for two whole minutes!

Kindy students talk with their animals and sea creatures to help raise money.

The panda has a great conversation with the crab!

The fish were all talking in big, fat full sentences!

All of the children took home a special Pudsey Bear certificate so parents could see they had mastered the challenge and now the sponsor money will be collected!

Well done to all those Kindy children!

BBC CHILDREN IN NEED 2012

It's that time of year again! Tomorrow sees the start of  NATIONAL TALKING WEEK! in the UK, leading up to the big BBC Children In Need show next Friday, 16th November.

Over the past five years, Academy Principals, teachers and students around the country have raised approximately £85,000 in various ways. Last year, 'Guess the UFOs in the jar', cake sales and special edition T-shirts helped the money roll in.

How many UFOs?

Yummy spotty cakes for sale

'Designer' T-shirts all the rage!

Parents joined in the fun

It was very challenging!

Someone even baked a Pudsey cake!

There will be lots of this going on - and more - and we hope to add to our grand total by the end of November.

Principals at the 2011 show with Pudsey

Watch out for people in spotty Helen O'Grady T-shirts on the late edition of the show on November 16th. If you want to be involved with the Academy fundraising, please contact your local branch or email info@helenogrady.co.uk