West side of Nottingham

Home Rangers home ed drama group at Nonsuch Theatre, city centre, Fridays

Date: Friday mornings, all year round, except for two weeks off at Christmas and one at Easter.

Time: 10am to 12 noon.

Venue: Nonsuch Studios, 32a Clarendon Street, Nottingham, NG1 5JD.

Area: City Centre, not far from the Nottingham Trent University tram stop.

Age range: No formal age limits. The current group varies from 4 to 14.

Price: £8 per session, or £70 for 10 weeks.

Booking: No need to book – you can just turn up and pay on the day.

Enquiries: email olivia at wearenonsuch dot com, or go via the contact page.

Home Rangers page at Nonsuch Theatre

The group! And yes, everyone gave permission for their picture to be used.

Discovering & making theatre

Exploring creativity through discovering and making theatre is the perfect way for young people to begin to developing skills that will see them excel in later life. Not only will they gain confidence in expressing themselves but they’ll also become leaders, creators and imaginative team players.

This weekly class from Nottingham’s international theatre company will see participants gain knowledge and understanding of different theatrical forms from throughout theatre history. They’ll practically develop performance skills, experience the many opportunities the arts can provide, explore plays, create their own work inspired by the world around them and, most of all, have fun!

Map showing the Nonsuch studios:

Bigger map showing the Nonsuch studios

Landmarks: The venue is round the corner from Nottingham Women’s Centre, and opposite the Friends’ Meeting House.

Nearest tram stop: “Nottingham Trent University“. All trams passing through the city centre will stop here – you don’t need to be on a particular line. Tram information.

Nearest bus stop: The venue is less than half a mile from the Old Market Square, and a similar distance from the Victoria Centre, putting it close to a large number of city centre bus stops.

If you’re getting the 28, 30, 31, 35 or 36, don’t go all the way in to the city, but get off at “Clarendon Street” bus stop on Talbot Street. Likewise, if you’re getting the 34, 77, 78 or 79, get off at “Wollaton Street“.

City Centre bus map (PDF). The studio space is just off the top left hand corner of this map.

Parking options:

Onstreet parking on Clarendon Street: Zone 1, £1 per 30 mins.
Talbot Street or College Street: 50p per 30 mins.
As the tram stop is close, it’s worth considering one of the Park and Ride car parks.

Dance/drama/music/arts, Beeston, Tuesday afternoons

Date: Tuesday afternoons from September 2017.

Time: 1.30pm to 2.30pm, with possibility of dividing the older ones into a separate group at 2.30pm if/when the group gets big.

Venue: Manor Arts at The Manor House, 2 Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 1FX.

Area: Near the main Beeston tram & bus stop interchange.

Organiser: Catherine Chivers, catherinechivers at gmail dot com.

Age range: 5 to 12 approx (6 to 10 at time of writing) for this group, which is specifically for home edders. Catherine also runs other drama groups for young people, to which a few home ed children aged around 10 to 12 are already going.

Price: £5 per session.

Booking: Pay as you go. Probably best to email first if you’re new, so Catherine knows to expect you.

Manor Arts web page.

Manor Arts Facebook page.

Dance, Drama, Art, Music, Literacy – script writing, performance poetry etc.

I am a very experienced Primary teacher with specialist expertise in Dance and Drama. I have worked a lot with children and adults with learning disabilities, ASD and confidence issues. I am very calm and caring teacher and always endeavour to bring out the best in people.

If parents would like this session to run in conjunction with a support group for them I am happy for Manor Arts to provide the venue for this and you would be welcome to make use of tea/coffee making facilities and meet together whilst your children enjoy their time together being creative! I can very easily incorporate Science/History themes into creative sessions too! If there is enough interest I can run a group for older children 2.30-3.30.

I have an enhanced DBS and Public Liability Insurance.

Do get in touch if you would be interested in this exciting new venture.

Access info:

Wheelchair accessible and large toilet. There is gravel on the drive but I have a lot of people with pushchairs using the venue and they are fine. I can arrange parking at Falcon House Nursing Home next door for wheelchair users. Children with autism or learning disabilities most welcome.

Map showing Manor Arts:

Bigger view of map showing Manor Arts

Nearest tram stop: “Beeston centre” tram stop is only about 100-200 yards away round the corner. This is on the Toton branch of the tram line. Tram information.

Nearest bus stop: “Beeston Interchange“, on the 36 route, Orange Line. Trent Barton buses which stop there are the Indigo and 20. Sometimes cheaper, but not valid on most pre-paid bus cards, is the YourBus Y36, usually a dark red colour, which follows the same route as the NCT orange 36.

Parking: Tesco is about 250 yards away and allows 3 hours’ free parking. Off street parking nearby, but not right outside the venue. Contact Catherine if you need somewhere nearer; see access info above, “I can arrange parking at Falcon House Nursing Home next door for wheelchair users.”

“Smile” drama/music show in libraries, Nottingham/Notts, October

“A delightful musical adventure for children aged 3 – 5 and their families”

Date: Various dates from 9 to 20 October 2017.

Day & date in Oct	Which library
Monday 9	Beeston (sold out)
Tuesday 10	Nottingham Central
Wednesday 11	Dales, Sneinton
Thursday 12	Bulwell
Friday 13	Worksop
Monday 16	Mansfield Central
Tuesday 17	Hyson Green
Wednesday 18	Wollaton
Thursday 19	Sutton-in-Ashfield
Friday 20	Arnold

Time: 10.30 to approx 11.10 (running time 40 minutes).

Age range: Aimed at ages 3 to 5.

Price: £2 per child; accompanying adults free.

Bookings: List of dates, libraries and how to book for each one.

Details: Not specifically a home ed thing – open to anyone.

“Augustus the tiger was sad. He had lost his smile.”

Based on the book Augustus and His Smile written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner and published by Little Tiger Press, www.littletiger.co.uk

Find the book in the library system

Access, parking, maps etc: Most library listing pages have some access & travel info. List of Nottingham City libraries, inc Central, Bulwell, Dales (Sneinton), Hyson Green & Wollaton. List of Nottingham County libraries, inc Arnold, Beeston, Mansfield, Worksop and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Dance/drama/music/arts, Beeston, Tuesday afternoons

Date: Tuesday afternoons, beginning 6 June 2017.

Time: 1.30pm to 2.30pm.

Venue: Manor Arts at The Manor House, 2 Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 1FX.

Area: Near the main Beeston tram & bus stop interchange.

Age range: “Primary age (or Primary ability level if SEN)”.

Price: £5 per session.

Booking: Pay as you go, initially; “ideally a regular commitment so projects can develop week by week”.

Organiser: Catherine Chivers, catherinechivers at gmail dot com.

Manor Arts web page.

Manor Arts Facebook page.

Daytime Creative Arts Group- new class specifically for home schoolers involving dance, drama, music, games, choreography, creating sketches and plays, films around topics to start on Tuesday 6th June. To develop confidence, social skills and friendships.

Catherine explains:

I am a very experienced Primary teacher and dance/drama specialist. I have set up and run Manor Arts for a year now. I have a beautiful purpose built dance studio and games room in the grounds of The Manor House in Beeston. I run pre-school and after school dance and drama sessions (no exams – it’s all about nurturing creativity and developing confidence.) I also teach adults Fitsteps (Latin and Ballroom based dance fitness class) and run a Mums and Kids version on Friday evenings plus adults Tap. I have a lot of SEN experience and interest and also teach an adults with learning disabilities class. I am hoping there will be enough interest in my setting up a Creative Arts Daytime Group for home schoolers after half term. If parents wish they would be most welcome to use the venue as a support group with other like minded people whilst the children get creative!

Access info:

Wheelchair accessible and large toilet. There is gravel on the drive but I have a lot of people with pushchairs using the venue and they are fine. I can arrange parking at Falcon House Nursing Home next door for wheelchair users. Children with autism or learning disabilities most welcome.

Map showing Manor Arts:

Bigger view of map showing Manor Arts

Nearest tram stop: “Beeston centre” tram stop is only about 100-200 yards away round the corner. This is on the Toton branch of the tram line. Tram information.

Forest School at Broxtowe Country Park, Wednesday mornings, free

Update July 2017: This group has finished for the time being, as the ranger has moved to a different park. You can check the Facebook page to see if it’s re-starting in another location.

Date: Wednesday mornings in term time.

Time: 10am to 12 noon.

~~Venue: Meet by the gate of Phoenix Park Adventure Playground, 52a, Westleigh Road, Nottingham, NG8 6JY.~~

Venue update: “the meeting location has now changed. It is now at the new park entrance, by the BMX track. Postcode: NG8 6GT“. I.e. the entrance at the end of Alwyn Road, where it meets Woodfield Road & Lindfield Road.

Area: Edge of Broxtowe Country Park, Broxtowe.

Age range: “Any age, but need to be able to concentrate and follow guidance, as we may have fire, tools etc.”

Price: Free, as it’s run by a Park Ranger.

Organiser: alastair dot glenn at nottinghamcity dot gov dot uk.

Facebook page for Forest School at Broxtowe Country Park

Booking: No need to book, just turn up. The Facebook page is visible to anyone, whether or not they’ve got a Facebook account, so you may want to have a look first to see if there’s anything special happening that week, or check for last-minute cancellations.

From Alastair, the Park Ranger:

Term time, Wednesdays 10am-12pm.

Run by Broxtowe Park Ranger Alastair Glenn. I have much more experience running activities for older children (10yrs+) but anybody is welcome and hopefully we can learn and have fun together!

From a home ed parent:

It’s our favourite activity during the week! Very nice to be in a wild park, in a different age group of home ed kids, and do some nature crafts and educational projects, games and free play. Welcome!

From another home ed parent:

We really love it. The kids have really got into it. We don’t make it every week, but they miss it if we don’t.

Alistair is great with my very shy kids. He has encouraged them and engaged with them. When we go, they talk about it for the rest of the day.

Physical access:

Mostly off the path, may be rough/wet ground. No toilets on site (plenty of trees).

Map showing the entrance to the park that’s the (updated) meetup point:

Full page larger map of the same thing.

Nearest bus stops (updated to reflect new meeting point): “Denton Green”, on the 78 route, Turquoise Line, or “Coleby Road Top” which is on either the 78 route or the 35 bus, Orange Line. These are about 300 yards from the park entrance meetup point, near the roundabout at the other end of Alwyn Road.

(Note that some families will already know that roundabout as the home of Nottingham City Gymnastics Club.)

Next nearest: The 77 bus, Turquoise Line, stops at “Flamsteed Road”, about 800 yards west of the meetup point.

Parking: There’s on-street parking on nearby roads.

Roller skating, Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, one Wednesday a month

Date: Usually first Wednesday in the month, though sometimes gets moved along a week. In 2017: 7 June, ~~28 June~~, 26 July, 6 Sept, 4 Oct, 1 Nov, 6 Dec.

Time: 1.30pm to 3pm.

Venue: Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, Wigman Road, Nottingham, NG8 4PB.

Area: Bilborough, about 3 miles west of Nottingham City Centre on the number 28 bus route.

Age range: From around age 2 or 3 – it actually depends on shoe size, not age as such – up to adult. Parents are welcome to skate. “Crew to help the wobbly ones”.

Shoe size: The all-in-one skates go from child shoe size 8. The “toddler skates”, which go over shoes, are suitable for around child shoe size 6 to 8.

Price: £5 including skate hire and safety gear (helmets, knee & elbow pads etc).

Organisers: The event is run by Skate Base Mobile Roller Disco. You’ll want to read the Skate Base Rules, as everyone has to agree to these.

Note: The rules mention the possibility of taking photos for social media. Skate Base confirm that anyone can opt out of these, or the group as a whole could ask for no pictures to be taken, or none during the skating. They say that so far, the photos they take at home ed sessions have only ever been put on the Home Ed Skate Base Facebook group (not visible to the general public).

Booking: Although you can just turn up and pay, it’s helpful if you do say in advance that you’re going. A home ed mum is keeping track of the numbers for the home edders’ session, to make sure that minimum numbers are reached each month for the event to continue. Email libbytheaxe at yahoo dot co dot uk, or make a comment on the Home Ed Skate Base Facebook group.

It’ll save time on the day if you download, print and fill in the Skate Base registration form (PDF) beforehand. This confirms you agree to the rules, and asks about any medical conditions. Skate Base explain “This information goes in to a storage box and would only be used in the case of an insurance claim etc.”

What to expect, from a home ed parent who’s a “regular” at the session:

Music, lights, a full roller disco with games for the children and staff skating with the kids supervising and organising them if needed as well as helping those who need it.

When you get into the hall, depending if you arrive when the session has already started or before, there are chairs to sit plus the equipment tables/registration desk with lovely staff to help.

It’s £5 for the 1½ hour session and the leisure centre has a lovely café next to the sports hall with good coffee and comfy chairs if you want to give your kids a bit more independence or just recharge 🙂

It is run by a fully-insured professional roller-disco company who provide staff to supervise, music to skate to, all equipment from skates to helmets/knee pads/elbow pads/wrist guards. The kids usually have a lot of fun with staff playing games and support even for complete beginners. Parents can skate too and nobody judges if you can’t stay upright 🙂 Staff are experienced with children of all ages, abilities and any special needs.

There are skates for 3-4 year olds as well as older children. A varied range of children currently attend from ages 3 to 14 but the group does go up to 18yrs. Skills from novice to experienced roller or inline skaters.

My son has been going for a while now and loves it, he has gained so much confidence and new friends … It really is a fab resource.

Access: Detailed access info for Harvey Hadden. Short version: it has good wheelchair access inside including toilets, and 16 accessible parking bays right outside reception.

If you have requests for how the Skate Base staff could support a child with special needs, it probably makes sense to email them direct: contact@skatebase.co.uk. Or call: 07414 067667.

Map showing Harvey Hadden:

Bigger version of map showing Harvey Hadden

Nearest bus stop: “Graylands Road“, on the 28 route, Pink Line. The 35 route, Orange Line, also goes pretty near, at “Bracebridge Drive End”.

Parking: There’s a large car park at Harvey Hadden.

Swimming lessons, Kimberley, Monday mornings

These classes are specifically for home ed children.

Date: Monday mornings starting 5 June 2017, all year round except for Bank Holidays and 2 weeks at Christmas.

Time: each class is half an hour, which includes admin time.

Beginners	9.30 – 10.00
Beginners	10.00 – 10.30
Intermediates	10.30 – 11.00

Venue: Kimberley Leisure Centre, Kimberley, Nottingham, NG16 2NJ. It’s next to Kimberley School.

Area: Kimberley is a few miles north-west of Nottingham City, on the Rainbow One bus route.

Age range: 5+.

Price: Direct Debit £18.75 a month, or block payment £57.50 for 10 sessions.

Trial lesson is free.

If you pay by direct debit, then the price also includes free swimming in any of the public sessions. (You also get free swimming in public sessions if you’re under 8 with a leisure card.)

Booking: Pay in advance. Either visit the leisure centre, or ring 0115 917 3366.

Organiser: Lauren Tavener at Liberty Leisure. Email: lauren dot tavener at liberty-leisure dot org dot uk.

Liberty Leisure swimming lessons page

For the beginners, a fully qualified teacher will be in the water to help aid and assist. There will also be a fully qualified teacher on the poolside, instructing the lesson.

Access info:

Accessible building, accessible changing rooms, and a hoist to help wheelchair users into the pool. The lessons are smaller than mainstream lessons, which would be suitable for children with autism or learning disabilities.

Map showing Kimberley Leisure Centre:

(pointer is on the leisure centre building, despite the label which makes it look like part of the school)

Bigger version of map showing Kimberley Leisure Centre

Nearest bus stop: The bus is the Trent Barton Rainbow One along Kimberley Main Street. On foot from Main Street, the shortest route is to walk up Noel Street (almost opposite Sainsbury’s) and take the only left turn off Noel Street. Bus stops “Library” and “Nottingham Road” are on Main Street about equidistant from the turn-off up Noel Street.

Parking: there’s a car park right in front of the leisure centre. Arrive via Newdigate Street. To the right of the school frontage, follow small road to get to the car park and leisure centre. (On some maps, this small road is named as a continuation of Noel Street, but by car, it doesn’t join up with the other end of Noel Street, where it connects with Main Road.)

Swimming lessons, Bramcote, Thursdays & Fridays

Lessons with Liberty Swim School. These sessions were set up specifically for non-school children.

Date: Thursday & Friday mornings throughout the year, except Bank Holidays.

Time: Half hour sessions through the morning.

Venue: Bramcote Leisure Centre (Liberty Leisure), Derby Road, Bramcote, Nottingham, NG9 3GF.

Area: Bramcote, on the A52 near Bramcote Park. West side of Nottingham, about a third of the way over towards Derby. Reachable by Trent Barton bus.

Age range: 4+ for beginners / foundation level. Tends to be 5+ for ASA levels 1-3, 10+ for ASA levels 4-6.

Price: £18.75 per month. Payment is monthly direct debit. It goes all year round because the lessons do too. Besides the lessons, this payment includes free swimming for the child at any other public session.

Booking: Book by contacting Helen Kirk, helen dot kirk at liberty-leisure dot org dot uk or 0115 917 3585.

Helen says “I am looking to put on more lessons to accommodate demand, so they may need to be patient with me.”

Bramcote Leisure Centre

Additional info via one of the home ed parents:

Swimming lessons for home ed kids in the area. Initially suggested by a home ed mum, they took up the idea, and it seems to be going well.

They follow the ASA stages, and the ability levels are

Foundation: never been in a pool before

Stages 1-3: starting to learn to swim independently, from 1-2m unsupported, to 25m by the end of stage 3

Stages 4-6: swimming widths of the main pool, progressing to swimming lengths of the main pool.

Classes are limited to 6 students.

There is a large seating area by the main pool where parents can wait, or a reception area downstairs.

The viewing area is NOT open to the public during lessons, except during the summer holiday when there is a disabled swim session in the main pool.

Map showing Bramcote Leisure Centre:

Bigger version of map showing Bramcote Leisure Centre

Buses: Heading west (from Nottingham), nearest bus stop is “Bembridge Court“, by the Sherwin Arms, stop ID “ntsadamd”. This is about 500 yards from the leisure centre as the crow flies. Trent Barton 18, 20, 21 and i4 stop here.

(Nottingham City Transport buses don’t run to this area – nearest is the Pink Line 30.)

Cars: Lots of free parking available at the leisure centre.

Coming from Nottingham on the A52 Derby Road, you’ll want to pass the leisure centre on your right, go round the next roundabout and double back onto the A52, as it’s a dual carriageway at that point. Then you can turn off left for the leisure centre.

Heading east (into Nottingham), there’s a slightly nearer bus stop, “Leisure Centre“, stop ID “ntsadama”. The i4 stops there.

Access info:

The leisure centre has good access for wheelchairs: lifts, a hoist into the pool if needed.

The main pool area is large, and can be very echo-y. The smaller teaching pool is less so.

Instructors sometimes change at the last minute, which some children find hard to cope with.

Fun Club, Stapleford, first Tuesday in the month

Fun Club is the main regular meet up of East Midlands Christian Home Educators Group. “Membership is open to all who are willing to respect the aims of the group and its Christian ethos.”

Date: First Tuesday in the month. No formal meeting in August, although a “park meet” is usually planned.

Time: 10am to 2pm, inc lunch break.

Area: Stapleford, west of Nottingham, close to the A52. (Exact venue intentionally not listed here.)

Age range: “An all age family event, with an upper age range of about 13 years in terms of activities planned but all are welcome. (Young people must be accompanied by an adult who remains responsible for them.)”

Price: First visit free, then membership subscription if you decide you want to join. Annual subscription is currently £40 per year per family, paid as two instalments of £20 – or check the membership details page for any updates.

Booking: Send email to express an interest. There may be a waiting list. When there’s space, you’ll be invited to visit.

Email: tuesdayfunclub at gmail dot com.

Web site: East Midlands Christian Home Educators main web site.

A monthly “hall meet” with a variety of activities planned by members through the year to meet the needs of the age range. Sometimes a “main” activity altogether, maybe with an outside provider (eg: mobile planetarium). Other times a variety of different activities, perhaps around a theme, run by members of the group. Usually start with a games session (2 age groups). Bring a picnic for lunch which we eat together. Afternoon tends to be more of a free play/self directed activities time – and a chat/cup of tea time for parents/carers! Christmas and Easter are celebrated. In summer we have a Sports Day at a local park.

More info here about a typical Tuesday meetup.

Travel info:

Easy access from A52 and M1.

On the i4 bus route from Nottingham and Derby.
On My15 bus route from Long Eaton/Ilkeston.

1/2 hour walk from the Toton Lane Tram Stop/park and ride.

Parking is unfortunately tricky: Best to examine google maps and look for possible “on-street” parking in the vicinity. A small amount of long stay parking in the council car parks – pay and display.

Access info:

The building is accessible on the ground floor where most activities take place. There is no lift to the upstairs rooms. The toilet for those with extra needs is a little small.

When everyone attends the group it is very “busy” and can be quite noisy: walking straight in could be quite daunting.

However we are very flexible and have ways of providing quiet spaces and alternative activities for children who need them.

Leadership Academy at Nottingham City Gymnastics Club

Participants at Nottingham City Gymnastics Club who are 11 or older have the option of joining in with the British Gymnastics “MY Leadership Academy”.

Here’s a short video from British Gymnastics, explaining it (about 4 minutes)

The end of the video talks about sending off for info from British Gymnastics, but that’s what a club has to do if setting up the scheme. NCGC already has the scheme running, so the next step for an individual young person is tell the NCGC organisers that you want to do it, and they’ll tell you more.

British Gymnastics summary page about the Leadership Academy

Related info: NCGC runs four gymnastics sessions a week aimed at home ed young people. See earlier posts here (for times) and here (for more description). Or if you’re ready to book onto a series of sessions, just click through to the club’s booking page.