Baths, guns and Brum...?

Here are the boys enjoying an afternoon with a really cheap but involving construction kit which Daniel found. He loves his guns, not because he's aggressive or planning a crime-career in a hoddy on the streets, but he just loves making them. He is forever creating them out of paper and card, and spends hours scouring through You Tube watching videos which other people have posted of themselves making them.

However, this was proving slightly more complicated as it involved screws, spanners and screwdrivers, and neither of the boys particularly like those, but they made great progress and got it done in the end.

As a side note, I took Laurence off to the Motor Museum to meet Brum, and to gawp (literally) at the thousands of cars and vehicles on display in the toy section. We then spent a ridiculous amount of time browsing the shelves for something to take home with us.

He eventually plumped for a quad-bike.



It's daft really, considering that we have been here for nearly a year now, it was our first visit to the museum. I guess it doesn't always pay to have things right on your doorstep. I have managed to find time to visit places miles away, but not the one place which is a ten minute walk away :P

Ethan and I have been working hard on science, and forces. The many experiments which we can do to aid this are countless and too many to list here. But needless to say that we have been having fun with density, buoyancy and pressure in particular  (anything which requires the use of drawing pins and mindless pushing and pulling and dangling of objects until they come crashing down is always going to be fun) :)

Also, because of this, we have begun to explore some of the old mathematicians like Louis Pascal, Isaac Newton and Archimedes.
Updates to come. And also a possible reenactment of perhaps the most famous bath ever taken....Eureka!!!!

Loz

A New camera!!

Ethan has always been into photography, so we decided to buy a new camera yesterday - as the one we have is as old as the hills - because at the end of the day, if that can help to add another dimension of interest to his studies in other things, then I am all for it.

It's still not the best in the world, but it's digital which allows for Ethan to experiment with some different techniques, such as this excellent example (above) where the background is blurred ensuring the viewers attention is fully on the foreground.

He took these in the garden, and can't wait to get out and about to find some more interesting subjects.

His aim is to be able to take some stills which he will use to illustrate the boardgame he is currently creating - a cross between Saw (the film) and halo (the game).

His attention to detail is amazing, and we have muntains of paper everywhere covered with instructions. However, he does understand the need to make things easy for the player, and so is in the process of condensing and simplifying the rules, instructions and so on.

Just a quick catch up

We have been so busy with this and that, that I have neglected our blog for a while, but as promised, here are some lovely pictures of our day out in Cheltenham.

Law loved his go on the roundabout, although half way through he did decide he would prefer to go on the blue train instead, and the tears when it finished were pretty inevitable.

Dan found exactly what he had been hoping to find for ages, and Jo enjoyed relaxing in the sunshine, so all in all, it was a great day out!

Parking was extortionate though. :(

When we got home, the weather was still so nice we took the opportunity to take some bread to the ducks in town, and then come home for dinner in the garden, and a play!

Sometimes, it's the simple days which create the best memories. :)

Loz.



A day in Cheltenham!

Today, Ethan is off doing his own thing, so Daniel and I (with the 2 babes also) decided we would combine a pretty boring visit to the podiatrists with a jaunt around Cheltenham town.
It has been quite a while since we have been there so it should make a nice change.

Here's hoping this glorious weather holds out!! Pics and update to come later. :)


Loz

Academy status schools.....fractured education waiting to happen.

Ok, so it's been a while since I last blogged, for which I apologise. I really must make the time to leave at least a snippet of our daily comings and goings here for those who may be interested :P

Alas, things have not been brilliant my end. As far as home education goes, things are superb - no complaints, and everyone happy. However, things are not calm and beautiful in the garden - which is most definitely not an Eden - of mainstream school.
I do not profess to be an expert, but what the hell were the current coalition government thinking when they began handing out academy status's like sweets to each and every school which asked for it?
Never have I encountered such an awful idea in connection to the education and welfare of our children in this country.

Allow me a moment to briefly explain what has been happening in my sons life for a while now.
He has been attending his secondary school since September. He frequently receives weekly academic awards through the post (letters commending him on his performance in specific subjects, including homework, class behaviour etc).
He always hands in his homework on time, and participates thoroughly to the best of his ability.

However, it would appear that in recent weeks, he has come under the radar of his head of year.
I'm not going to go into unnecessary details..I'm simply going to shortlist what has happened;
1. His verbal retaliation towards other children who call him names (one such incident unfolded thus; child called Dan a skiver, Dan called him pukey) - this has resulted in 'supervised' breaks and lunchtimes for Dan only.
2.  On Saturday during a trip to Alton towers, (kids were put into groups of 4 and left to their own devices) Dan and 2 others decided they had had enough of standing outside the toilets for the 4th child in their group, (child in question kept wanting refills of his drink, which led to the inevitable and continuous returns to the toilets, he also didn't want to go on any of the rides) so they left him there - this resulted in an 'isolation' for Dan only yesterday at school. The decision to leave the 4th child there, was not just Dans.
3.  Dan has been excused from wearing school shoes on medical grounds, due to an issue with his feet, (he is currently awaiting a podiatry appointment later this month). - this has led to several reprimands and lengthily questioning as to why he continues to wear trainers, also threats of daily exclusions if he continues to wear them - despite having an official doctors note explaining the situation. 
4.  Lunchtime detentions for not having done him homework - despite not actually being there when homework was given out, and despite having asked for a copy of it from the teacher. (who failed to give him a copy of the homework). 
And all other manner of connected issues in between which I can't be bothered to mention.

Now, we all know that in recent years it has become harder and harder for kids to be allowed to speak their own minds, act naturally, and defend themselves. But this is getting ridiculous!
Dan was even accused of being racist recently, because he called a west Indian child...a Jamaican *confused face*.

Anyway, we decided to have a bit of a phone about to find out what we could do about it, and whether we could get any representation. Well..we can't because they have academy status.  Which basically means they are set apart from the Local Authority. They govern themselves  (well, their group of parent governors do anyway).
They choose what to spend their money on, and whether to financially help certain children.
They have absolutely no one to answer to.
So if I complain, there is nothing stopping them from taking a sharp view of my complaint and making life even harder for Dan because of it.
I am sure there are ways to complain; like using your local MP, or going direct to government or something, and I am sure some nice person will comment here and let me know. But right now, I am fuming about the whole thing.

Needless to say, if things don't improve my mind will be made up for me.

Loz