TWO SOUPS FOR COMIC RELIEF

Oldham Principal, Wendy Orrell sent this video of one of the students in her Hebden Bridge studio doing his bit for Comic Relief last week. Wendy says: "Rohan is is absolutely bent on an acting career and does this sort of thing regularly, roping his mum and dad in! It is, apparently, not unusual for their living room to be full of a 'set' of some kind which dad has made. Rohan then enacts his favourite scenes."

What a delight to have someone so creative in class! And congratulations on the fundraising Rohan!

And here is the original.

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF GRADY BEAR

Last year, many branches introduced Grady Bear to their students, sending him off home with someone who had done just that 'little bit extra' in class. We have already reported some of his adventures and, this weekend, he has obviously been making the most of the sunshine!

Here he is relaxing on a narrow boat!

It was obviously all too much, though. When he returned home he needed a bath and, we are told, a bit of a detox!

A nice warm AGA!

What better way to warm up and dry off ?

Check back here to see what else happens to Grady.

NATIONAL TALKING WEEK IN OLDHAM

There was definitely a spotty theme going on in Helen O'Grady classes in Oldham last week! Principal, Wendy Orrell, and her team made a huge effort to raise lots of money during National Talking Week!

There was a lot of baking going on and parents paid - sometimes well over the odds! - for her very delicious cakes.

Everyone was encouraged to wear spots.

And parents were more than happy to join in with the talking.

It was all very exciting!

As well as the cakes and the talking, there was also a competition to guess the number of sweeties in the jar.

Everyone shared in the spirit of Pudsey!

As always, parents in the area were very generous with their cash, as Wendy and her staff were with their time and effort. They hope to raise close to £2,000 towards the final total.

Congratulations to them all!

END OF YEAR SEMINAR - THE OFFICIAL BITS!

Principals and their partners met for the end of year Seminar in Bristol recently and were joined by Emma Sargent from The Extraordinary Coaching Company who presented two talks entitled "Extraordinary thinking for business success" which were received very well by the delegates attending. One Principal said; "Emma really made us think about things we usually take for granted and made us realise we could all achieve much more."

National Director, Nigel Le Page, with Emma Sargent.

During the day Nigel Le Page presented Becky Crawley, Principal in the North Lakes area, with the National Director's Award to recognise the hard work and determination she had put in to building her branch in the last twelve months. He praised her tenacity and reminded her she had tried 23 different marketing initiatives during the term.

Nigel Le Page with Becky Crawley

The Culmination of the summer Seminar is always the prentation of the Franchisee Of The Year Award and in 2011 it went to Oldham Principal, Wendy Orrell. During the time Wendy has been with the network, she has overcome personal difficulties and always done that little bit extra to ensure her business is a success. She has been supported all along by husband Geoff, who has had his own share of health problems. Presenting the award, Nigel said Wendy had maintained excellent communication with her students, their parents, local schools, local businesses and the press and it was the building of these relationships which would ensure she can be optimistic about the future.

The Head Office team with the 2011 Franchisee Of The Year

l to r - Nigel Le Page, National Director, Alison Mazanec, Executive Principal,

Geoff & Wendy Orrell, Oldham Principal and Margaret Darley, Training Manager

PRODUCTION PICTURES FROM OLDHAM

Upper Primary - PIED PIPER

Upper Primary - CIRCUS CAPERS

Youth Theatre - THE TRIUMPH OF TREVOR TRUELOVE

REHEARSALS IN ROCHDALE

Year 3 children work hard for 'Pirate Joe'

Rehearsals for year end productions are happening all around the country and the children in Alice Ingham RC Primary School in Rochdale are well on their way to two great shows! Oldham Principal, Wendy Orrell, teaches a Year 3 and Year 4 class in the school each week. As well as the children acting their hearts out, their teachers and assistants are a big part of the drama process. One teaching assistant was desperate to play the part of Charlie in 'Circus Capers'.

Year 4 children warm up their acts in 'Circus Capers'

Because the children are so far ahead with their rehearsals, they are already singing the songs with gusto. Watch this space to see Year 4 students belting out the final number for 'Circus Capers'