< - Back to the Extra Pages list
ATE - Active Training and Education
Active Training and Education - A.T.E.
imAginATivE holidAys for childrEn
*******
You may wonder why there is information about a children's holiday organisation on our school website. The answer is that our headteacher Mr Brown is a strong supporter of this (and only this) organisation, having been on these holidays as a child, joining them as a group leader, then in later life sending his own child on these holidays. No money has changed hands to secure this endorsement! Simply, many Oldfields Hall Middle School students who have gone on these holidays over the years would agree that A.T.E. provides brilliant educational holidays for children. Please note that obviously this is the view of the headteacher speaking in a personal capacity, and not the official view of the school or of Staffordshire County Council.
The Director of A.T.E., Barry Walmsley, has this to say:
Dear Parent,
ATE is a small, not-for-profit organisation which believes very profoundly in the value of residential ‘summer camps’, where the children come in ones and twos from all over the country to spend a week together in a country setting.
‘Superweeks' take place in the Easter and Summer school holidays, and our supervised travel system will pick up and return children in your area from Hanley.
‘Superweeks’ are staffed by trained volunteers (mostly students) and led by specialist ‘Directors’ most of whom are practising teachers.
Many children come back to us year after year and have found the experience hugely enjoyable and very rewarding. One parent wrote an article in the Sunday Telegraph about the experience of her 8 year old daughter coming to us on her first occasion away from home by herself. You will find a link to this article on the front page of our website. Read what this parent said about her child’s experience of her first Superweek, by clicking here!
I have printed some comments from parents and children who came last year below. I do hope you will find this interesting and I do hope you will consider allowing your child to come along on a Superweek this year.
Best wishes
Barry Walmsley B.Ed.,M.Sc.
Director of A.T.E.
For more information, click here to go to
www.ate.org.uk
We asked some of last year's parents what they were particularly impressed with, here are some of the things they said ....
• Very impressed with 'individual care’ of the children including washing clothes where necessary and bedtime stories, etc.
• The office staff were very friendly and helpful.
• Everything. My son had a fab time and has come back with an 'I can try anything' attitude which he didn't have before.
• Ryan was very happy on his return and said straight away he would do another Superweek if he could, so that was a great recommendation.
• Tim had a fabulous time. He was kept engaged and active and made good friends. He wants to come back and be a monitor one day!
• Relaxed and happy relationships between monitors and children. So nice to see a lad give my daughter a piggyback - none of the 'men mustn't touch children' nonsense.
• Rosie really enjoyed herself and sang all the songs for days on end. She enjoyed interacting with monitors, drama and singing sessions. Enjoyed food which she wasn't expecting. All in all had a great time, looking forward to a repeat visit maybe with sister.
• Very impressed with response and reassurance from Director midweek when Jess was very homesick. Special thanks to Emma her monitor for making Jess feel special and for her lovely report afterwards.
We asked some of last year's children what things they liked best about their Superweek, here are some of the things they said ....
• I enjoyed everything!
• Swimming everyday. Monitors reading bedtime stories.
• Spending time with your group and socialising
• Team building activities and battleships in the dark.
• Jungle Dover patrol. Making new friends, It was awesome.
• I really enjoyed the journeys and the food. George was great!
• Whole group games like JDP. Mind puzzles like 'crossed and uncrossed' and 'who died?'
• Indoor games. Songs. Meeting new people.
• Robot making. Swimming.
• Alice in Wonderland day was excellent.
• Animal cards game (best game in the world). Museum trip.
See what one parent said about her child’s experience of her first Superweek by clicking here!
|
