Busines Name

The Heworth Cluster is made up of the following schools:

· Heworth Grange Comprehensive School
· Bill Quay Primary School
· Lingey House Primary School
· Roman Road Primary School
· The Drive Community Primary School
· White Mere Community Primary School
· Wardley Primary School

An allocation of funding to the Heworth Cluster Group was used to develop the varied menu of activities element of the core offer. Each school in the cluster looked at what extra-curricular activities were already available and consulted with parents/carers and children to cater for local demand.

At Wardley:
Children were asked what extra-curricular activities they would like offered. As a result a martial arts club and guitar club was developed using expertise from around the local authority. These clubs were paid for with part of the funding, allowing children the opportunity to try out the activities before deciding to continue with the club with a nominal payment.

As part of the development of the curriculum with regards to the arts, classes across the school were provided with opportunities to visit museums and venues which supported the children’s creative and artistic development.

At The Drive:
The money was used to help subsidise a residential experience for children in year 6. This was a fantastic opportunity for all the children but especially for those who without the subsidy would otherwise have been unable to attend.


At Bill Quay Primary:
The school council completed a survey in school about the type of clubs pupils wanted to take part in. As a result, karate and basketball clubs were offered as part of our ‘Early risers’ activities, and a cookery club ran after school. Funding from the cluster was used to support the costs of these clubs.

At Roman Road Primary:
Funding was used to enrich and extend the after school provision to improve confidence and promote enjoyment. This was achieved through visits to The Sage, dance and skipping festivals and visitors, chef to cook healthy meals and cricket coaching. Some of these activities were well supported by parents who reported their positive comments and feelings to us.

At White Mere Community Primary:
Following an audit of extra curricular activities the pupils through the School Council have requested more activities linked to creativity and the arts which is currently being developed.

Breakfast and after school care is provided by our WASP club and a toddler group meets every Friday morning in the school hall. All of these activities can be viewed on our website as well as on the information screen in our reception areas beside the main entrance

Check back here for a full list of activities taking place in the Heworth Cluster soon.

The Extended Services Co-ordinator for the Heworth Cluster is Alice Carr. Alice is responsible for co-ordinating activities and services throughout each school in the Heworth Cluster to ensure that each element of the Extended Services Core Offer is being met within the Cluster. Alice can be contacted for any queries regarding Extended Services in the Heworth Cluster. Sharon's contact details are:

Alice Carr
Wardley Primary School
Kier Hardie Avenue
Wardley
Gateshead
NE10 8TX
(0191) 469 3012
alicecarr@gateshead.gov.uk

Extended Services in Heworth Grange Cluster are supported by Carolyn Dobbing, Home School Liaison Officer and Stacey McMullen, Transition Teacher, who can be contacted below:-

Carolyn Dobbing
Home School Liaison Officer
The Drive Primary School
The Drive
Felling
Gateshead
(0191) 4210390

Stacey McMullen
Transition Teacher
Heworth Grange Comprehensive School
High Lanes
Heworth
Gateshead
(0191) 4212244

Heworth Grange Cluster offers a wide variety of different clubs and activities including yoga, basketball, performing arts, craft, cricket, choir, dance class, bands, football and gardening, with the schools themselves opening their doors for community use such as Slimming World, Dance and Drama Clubs and ICT classes.

Roman Road's Weather Club is an exciting and innovative club, which links pupils to Northumbrian Water. The club collates information and data retrieved from panels on the school roof. This information is then passed on to Northumbrian Water to be further researched and presented as a weekend weather forecast to the school in assembly on Fridays.

15 schools in Gateshead from the Heworth and St Thomas More Clusters have gone Hoop Hop crazy whilst taking part in the Hoop Hop Pilot, where children hoola hoop to hip hop music as a dynamic and innovative physical activity.

Training for teachers, wider school staff, Gateshead's Sports and Leisure coaches and The Play Development Service has been provided and every school involved in the programme has received 36 hoops as well as instructional DVDs and CD.

The innovative programme has been commissioned by Public Health North East and further funding by Gateshead Council through the Extended Services Team and PCT has enabled the programme to reach even more schools and communities.

Hoop Hop, a KidTribe programme, allows children, young people and adults to engage in physical activity in a fun, alternative and accessible way. ContinYou, one of the UK’s leading learning organisations has joined forces with KidTribe to bring this exciting activity to school children in the UK.

Designed to allow for individual, group and mass participation and regularly delivered in the US to groups of 1,500 at a time, Hoop Hop has been successfully delivered to over a million children, young people and adults throughout the US and the UK. Its founder, Kellee McQuinn, is nicknamed “the Pied Piper with a Boom Box” by the LA Times and has been featured on PBS, Discovery Kids, TLC, ABC News, E! and Exercise TV in the US as well as on the BBC and STV in the UK.

Councillor Catherine Donovan, Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People in Gateshead said “We welcome the Hoop Hop initiative in Gateshead. I have every confidence it can help address obesity and can make a significant contribution in encouraging children, young people and families to adopt healthier lifestyles, a vital element of Gateshead Council’s and the Gateshead Strategic Partnership’s Vision 2030”.

The Hoop Hop pilot is planned to take place over a three month period in early 2010 and will provide each school/setting and the local authority with the resources, training and support to develop and deliver a sustainable, innovative physical activity programme to engage children, young people and families.

Children and their teachers from the Heworth and St Thomas More Clusters attended two massive Hoophopalooza Extravaganza Events that took place at St Thomas More Catholic School and Gateshead Stadium's new Indoor Running Track. The events were led by Kellee McQuin and children learned how to hoola hoop to their favourite music, with loads of fun moves to go away and practice with their teachers and other students from their own schools. Check out the Photos.

Heworth Grange Cluster has certainly taken advantage of Hoop Hop fever, integrating Hoop Hop into the PE curriculum and organising staff and pupil lunchtime and after school clubs.

Bronia Lacey and Carole Jones of Roman Road Primary School participated in the Teacher’s Training Session and have since delivered an energetic demonstration to school staff on how to integrate Hoop Hop into PE lessons. Years 1, 2, 4 and 5 are now thoroughly enjoying Hoop Hop both in class and a new Hoop Hop Club.

“Look Miss! I can really do it! I am really Hoola Hooping!” (Cameron, Y1)

“I can do the Munchkin!” (Shannon, Y3)

“This is really Cool!” (Lucas, Y5)

Bill Quay Primary School are delivering Hoop Hop in a number of ways. Ally Wearmouth, who took part in the Hoop Hop training, is delivering a Hoop Hop Breakfast Club on a Wednesday morning. This was offered primarily to Key Stage 2 children, however we are hoping to develop this opportunity to include Key Stage 1 children later in the year. Mrs Wearmouth encourages the children to dress in ‘crazy’ clothing and is very enthusiastic during the sessions. Secondly, Key Stage 2 children are also given the opportunity to ‘Hoop Hop’ during morning and lunch time breaks and this is offered on a rota basis by year group. Children who are not usually interested in sports opportunities offered during free time have become engaged with the task and as a result improved their skills. Also, the children in Key Stage 1 are offered ‘Hoop Hop’ as one of their Golden Time activities on a Friday afternoon, which has been a popular addition to our schedule! The staff involved in the training have shown other staff the basic skills and most are now confident in implementing ‘Hoop Hop’ in the times available. Lastly, Bill Quay have invited parents and children to the Sport Relief event to involve parents in the implementation of Hoop Hop and create links for future events.

“It is fun because we dress up and it is great exercise” Ellie (Y6)

“It is really fun and a great way to keep active. I like it when we start hoola hooping!” Seyi (Y6)

“I like the music on when we are doing the tricks. The rap music is cool.” Alice (Y6)

At Wardley Primary School, pupils in Year 3 and 4 are currently Hoola Hooping as part of their Fitness Sessions in PE. Plans are underway to roll this out across the whole of Key Stage 2, with each year group doing 30 minutes each of Hoop Hop a week. All Class Teachers are taking part in training sessions run by Claire Shields. Key Stage One pupils will also be Hoop Hopping as part of their warm-ups for PE lessons.

Lingey House Primary School deliver Hoop Hop to two Y5/6 classes during their P.E. lessons and to Y3/4's in an after school fitnessclub.

All of the children (including boys) love it, as do the staff, who regularly spend 10-15 minutes hooping during lunchtimes! Lingey House all have the hoop hop bug!

Patricia Gray, Hoop Hop Leader at Lingey House says:

"I have been challenged to a hoop off by a Y6 pupil! I have run an after school fitness club for 5 years and I have never experienced so much enthusiasm for an activity. Even the least physically active and reluctant children can't wait to get the hoops out. We use the warm up CD to start each session and the children also thoroughly enjoy this. I can honestly say that Hoop Hop is a great success at Lingey House".

Hoop Hop isn’t just causing a stir in the primary schools, at Heworth Grange Comprehensive, a Hoop Hop After School Club for Year 7s has been set up. Hoop Hopping is becoming increasingly popular, with pupils enjoying the fact that they get to listen to music that they love at the same time as exercising. Members of staff are regularly attending Tuesday Lunchtime Hoop Hop classes, run by Stacey McMullen who states that this club is all about “getting the staff together in a non-work environment, having fun and chatting to people who don’t often have the time or opportunity to talk within the course of a normal working day… the possibility of losing a dress size in a couple of months helps too.”

Heworth Grange Staff members have said the following about Hoop Hop Club.

“This is great! It doesn’t even feel like exercising”

“I’ve never laughed so much – I’m not sure if it’s the laughing or the Hoola Hooping that has caused my stomach muscles to ache so much”

Heworth Grange Cluster are set to stage their very own Hoop Hop Extravaganza Event for 250 Primary and Secondary School pupils, on Friday July 2nd, 1.45 – 2.45pm at Heworth Grange, New Sports Hall.

Wardley Primary is now home to a Wednesday evening dance class. The class, which focuses on fitness, fun and disco styles is run by Snapdragon Dance Company. Classes begin at 3.30pm. The company also deliver Dance, Drama and Music Sessions on a Saturday morning from Wardley School and Little Movers classes in various locations (including Wardley Children's Centre), which are specialised classes for 0-3 year olds. For further information contact Snapdragon on 0191 4385105 or email snapdragondance@blueyonder.co.uk

Heworth Grange Cluster will be using some ES funding to sign up to the Gateshead Toy Library, launched at Chowdene Children’s Centre in June. The Toy Library, not only offers an extensive lending facility for families and schools stocking books, a massive variety of indoor toys and larger outdoor toys as well, but it also boasts a wonderful drop-in area for children and parents/ carers to use and play in.

Did you ever fancy singing in a Community Choir. Well, now is your chance. Parents, carers and grandparents and community members are invited to express their interest in participating in a Community Choir run by the Performing Arts Department at Heworth Grange Comprehensive. This would be a great opportunity to meet other people, to learn some singing techniques, and produce something amazing. If this is something you’d be interested in please contact Alice on 07833480110 or alicecarr@gateshead.gov.uk.

Running alongside this are plans to develop a Children’s Community Choir, involving children across all the primary schools. This will be delivered by Extended Services and Heworth Grange School. Information for pupils will be sent out via the schools.

On 9th March, Image Music Productions are coming to Whitemere Primary School to perform their rendition of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book for all Reception pupils in the Heworth Grange Cluster. Children will also be taught a number of songs and some will be invited to join the stage for the performance!

Parents/ Carers and children from right across the Heworth Grange Cluster are looking forward to a trip to see Charlie and Lola Bestest Play Ever at Northern Stage in the Easter Holidays at a subsidised cost, giving young children and their families a more affordable opportunity to experience the theatre together.

60 Pupils from Heworth Grange Comprehensive and their families will be invited to participate in a trip to The Theatre Royal in June to see Whistle Down the Wind. More information on this opportunity to follow.

From February 22nd, Nick Fairley and his company Cooking4Life will be visiting all secondary schools within the Heworth Grange Cluster and delivering an Introduction to Healthy Eating cookery course for pupils from Year 3 – 5. In each school, one year group has been selected to participate with a view to potentially rolling the project out to involve every single school pupils in the Cluster.

Plans are underway for a series of Easter Holiday events for both Primary and Secondary pupils from the Heworth Grange Cluster and their families/carers, to participate in different activities at Heworth Grange School. Plans so far include Multi-Sports training, Cookery, Drumming and a Nature Walk. Watch this Space for further developments!

Just before Christmas, Gifted and Talented Year 6’s from Heworth Grange Primary Schools, and from Year 7 at Heworth Grange, participated in a series of 5 weekly After School classes dedicated to learning new techniques in writing and reciting poetry and rap. The club was led by English Teachers from Heworth Grange School and was a great success. From March 1st, Gifted and Talented Mathematicians will be involved in an After School Maths Workshop for 5 weeks, focusing on new mathematical concepts and problem solving.

Bill Quay and Roman Road Primary Schools have taken part in the Bike-It project. Bike It is a national Sustrans led project, which aims to increase cycling in schools. There are many benefits of the project including increased physical activity of the children, reduction in local traffic congestion and a decrease in pollution and carbon emissions.

The Bike-It project focuses on running a number of events and activities including:

 Bike rides
 Bike ride breakfasts
 Bike maintenance classes
 Dr. Bike sessions
 Cycle coaching and cycle safety
 Classroom activities including geography, environment, health and growth and history
 PE activities
 Assemblies
 Dressing bike up
 Virtual bike race around the world
 Bike trails and displays with 3 x world champion
 National art competitions

The impact of Bike-It in Gateshead for 2008/2009 shows:

 11.9% of children cycle to school everyday compared to the national average of 1%
 A further 24.2% of children in the area cycle to school at least once per week

For more information contact Gateshead Bike-It Officer:

Alan Barlow
(0191) 261 6160
Alan.barlow@sustrans.org.uk

To read more on the Bike-It project click on the link below:

Download file Bike-It

The Heworth Cluster wants to know what YOU THINK, whether it be what services or activities you would like to see taking place in the cluster, comments on the Hookergate Cluster Web page or any comments in general about the Heworth Cluster PLEASE TELL US!!!!!!!!

All you have to do to feedback what you want is to go to the homepage and post your comments by leaving your leave your age, school that you attend and area that you live in and of course WHAT YOU THINK!!!!