Sunday 17 March 2013

Interactive Theatre

On Wednesday we had a visit from a Theatre company who presented to us a production involving 2 actors, who played different characters.  The message they portrayed was that no matter where you are, you can never be BORED!!!

They showed that if you use your imagination and your favourite books you can always think of an adventure.







France - Day 4

Everyone was raring to go for the Markey Challenge today.  Each group was given a list of items to purchase, at the best price possible, with a budget of 20 Euros.  The aim of the challenge was to buy all your items and be left with the most change and a delicious picnic lunch.  There was a great choice of market stalls and the children were fantastic with their french, ordering a variety of cheese, fruit and pastries. 





 
 
With a delicious lunch and over 4 Euros change, the winners were.............
 
MRS KINSEY'S GROUP - Well done to Piper, Ben, Thomas and Imogen.
 
 
 
After a morning shopping we relaxed with a drink and a crepe.  A very friendly man accommodated us with tables and chairs to sit outside in the sunshine.
 
 
 
Back on the bus we travelled to the Eco Farm but stopped on the way to eat our delicious picnic.  Unfortunately the weather wasn't kind to us for the first time this week, so we had to eat our picnic indoors.
 

 
 
With too much food to eat, we packed up what was left and went on to the farm.  Upon arrival we were welcomed by the lady owner who required us to speak only in French.  She explained that we were going to first make our own bread so after washing our hands we got down to it.  There were some very interesting shapes and designs for our bread!
 
 








While our bread was baking in the open fire oven, we went to visit the goats with their new born babies.  Some of them were only 2 days old, so cute.






We headed back to the Chateau to get ready for our meal out at a local restaurant, pack the last of our belongings ready for leaving early the next day.

We had a fantastic time in France, memories that will stay with us forever.




Saturday 9 March 2013

P.S.

To see all of the week's blog, please click on the menu list to the right of the current page.  Thanks.

France 2013

Due to technical difficulties we were not able to blog as much as we would have liked.  Please watch this space as our activities with follow shortly.

Friday 8 March 2013

Scotland Day 5

Well today was our last day and we bid Scotland a fond farewell after an early breakfast and a dip in the pool. The pool attendant was not very amused by us being there, but the rest of the people there were more than happy to share their pool with us.

Following our dip, splash and swim we returned to our room to do a last bit of packing and tidying. Despite this we still managed to lose a few electrical items and we would have left a jumper, shoes, a toothbrush, a wash bag, a hair brush and an electric tooth brush if it hadn't been for the final teacher sweep through the rooms.

Waiting at Dumfries Station for our first train.
Mr Goodier-Page got us to the station in good time and did a stirling job of shuffling suitcases on both the trains. (Virgin don't seem to want people with suitcases to travel on their trains!)

All travellers had a really good week and were looking rather tired when they were met at the station.

Thursday 7 March 2013

Scotland Day 4

See you Jimmy!!!!

Well today has been another full day. The day started with a song tunefully sung by all for Miss Tomas' birthday. We left after breakfast for Edinburgh. Quite a long journey but we got there in the end seeing lots of sheep, hills and fog on the way.

Mrs Carter (our Scottish host) gave us a commentary on the way into Edinburgh which included the sights of The Zoo, Murrayfield (Wales v Scotland tommorow), St Mary's Cathedral and Princes Street and other attractions.

We started off at Oceanside where we didn't see the Royal Yacht Britannia but spent lots of money in their gift shop. Then we went to Greggs (other pastry stores are available!) for a snack. The staff there thought that we were the best behaved children they had ever seen and presented us with lots of free cupcakes. Thank you Greggs.

This was followed by a short coach journey which entailed a member of the group having slight mishap with a bottle of coca-cola, the cola won!

From here we went off to the Scottish Parliament and queued for ages going through airport style security, both Mrs llewelyn-Leach and Miss Thomas had to be searched. But all they found was a piece of chewing gum and a candle from Miss Thomas' Birthday cake! 

Following this we took a stroll down The Royal Mile up towards Edinburgh Castle. Along the way we found the Edinburgh museum where the children each found out their own facts on Edinburgh. (And it was free - bonus.)

After a stroll, frog-march or yomp up to the castle we finally found some lunch at the very posh Golden Arches Restaurante.

Many gift shops were visited throughout the day where lots of interesting items were acquired.

We are now all packed and ready for a quick dip in the pool in the morning before catching our train at 1023.

See you all tomorrow/Monday.






France - Day 3

A later start this morning with a more leisurely breakfast..  We walked into the village of Criel Sur Mer and chose a postcard to send home.  On the way back we called at the local patisserie where we had to choose a cake each out of an amazing choice; too many to decide!!  With our cakes and pastries boxed up we visited the local cider farm and learnt about the process of making apple juice, cider and brandy.  They had a very friendly cat who was keen to join our group! 













A lovely brisk walk to the coast to have our lunch on the pebbly beach.  After sandwiches, crisps, fruit and a juice we ate our delicious cakes from the village patisserie.   Angus and Riannon, our brilliant Kingswood staff, then showed the children how to skim stones on the calm sea.














The weather has been so kind to us all week with lots of sunshine and hardly any rain!  We  then went to the local adventure playground to try and run off our cakes!.. 





You can take the children out of school, but you can't take the school out of the children!

 They still had to do literacy, but only for a short while, as they wrote their postcards home.




Back outside we played a traditional french game of Petanque followed by practising our circus skills of Diablo, juggling and plate spinning. 







It was then all back to the Chateau to get ready for our French night.  There was such an array of stripy tops and berets of many different colours.  Mrs Nicholls spent a lot of time drawing a moustache on the children with an eyeliner pencil, however Alex got into a sticky situation with a Pritt stick to apply his! 

Down in the restaurant for evening meal, the chef brought out traditional frogs legs and snails for us to try.  A  'bush tucker trial'!!  Matthew was the first to volunteer to eat a snail, cheered on by his classmates.  So brave!  After a real meal of spaghetti bolognese, the lights went out and Kingswood had arranged a Birthday cake for Daniel.  After a chorus of 'Happy Birthday', Daniel blew out his candles and made a wish.

It was off to strut our stuff at the disco.