We are happy to announce that from January the 6th 2020 home educated children can apply for a home education entitlement card. This new card will allow them to borrow more books than the standard - 15 books for three weeks rather than the usual 9.
We know how welcome this will be to families all over Northern Ireland!
A note on privacy:
We have discussed concerns that families have over their personal data and any hint of a register with Libraries NI, and we are confident that this is a useful and positive initiative. No register will be kept and no details shared. However any family who prefers not to take up the offer can of course continue to use the standard library card.
A large group of home educated families got to enjoy the 3rd place game in the Friendship Four tournament yesterday for free.
The fast paced game saw UNH WildCats take third place.
It was a unique opportunity as this tournament allows local sports fans to watch the only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hockey tournament that takes place outside of the United States.
A lot of team members from top American colleges are well on their way to becoming the NHL stars of the future, this was a great opportunity to see their skills.
This match was thoroughly enjoyed by all!
Our bi-monthly art class at the FE McWilliam Gallery was created around the gallery’s current exhibition- Together Now: The Engagement Project.
Two groups led by Deborah Malcomson started with the kids looking around the gallery to gain inspiration with a space theme in mind. After a loosening up excerise the kids started their projects.
The first was marbling.
Using shaving foam, food colouring and templates they created their very own marble planets.
The second project saw the kids creating space alien heads from boxes - using cut outs and string to create some seriously strange looking specimens.
The final was to style an alien using the templates provided.
As always this art class is unique and thoroughly enjoyable for the kids and the adults.
We all look forward to January’s session!
Our monthly science club at w5 got up and running again this term with Potions for Little Wizards.
An absolute hit with all of our kids!
From jumping spiders and magic pumpkin growing to lots of chemical experiments the children really got into the science and magic that enshrines Halloween.
“Today 40 children in two separate groups got to meet Wee Critters.
The children sat attentively and got to learn about an array of little critters from a large snail to lizards to owls.
Every child had the opportunity to pet or hold the creatures and lots of questions were asked.
The children had a great time in this session!”
“On Tuesday,young children and teens met up at Finaghy Community Centre to decorate spooky Halloween kites.
After an initial talk by the teacher about overhead dangers to be aware of when kite flying, and the need to fly in open spaces, the fun began!
Some of the children designed their own, while others traced an initial design and then had a lot of scope to personalise with colour and details.
Either way it was tricky to keep the slippy kite material in place while drawing, but everyone was up for the challenge.
Many of the kites were tested immediately afterwards, and there are many reports of how well the kites take to the wind, as yesterday's weather proved to be a good test.
The final detail of a small Halloween light to clip on made their kites even more special.”