Info for Parents
Information for Parents
What we offer
The Gifted Seminars on Wheels programme has grown and developed out of the Achieving Potential Seminars organized for many years during the school holidays. We have frequently been asked to take this opportunity directly into schools during term time and now we are able to do so. This initiative has been established under the auspices of the Holiday Seminars Charitable Trust, a registered non profit making charity and therefore we are able to keep our charges as low as possible as they represent cost recovery only.
Our tutors have a great deal of experience working with students who diverge from the norm and those who flourish within a differentiated education environment. The seminars offered have been tested and evaluated with a wide range of high ability children over a number of years and are proved to meet varying intellectual needs by stimulating interest and satisfying curiosity.
We do not expect that the children should have any prior knowledge of a particular topic or have attended any previous course before participating in the classes. It is common for some students to become anxious when unexpectedly presented with an elevated level of learning, especially when they are accustomed to handling classroom work with ease. Frequently their initial response will be to assess the situation as `boring’. Therefore it is important that you encourage your child to ask questions if they have failed to understand any particular idea or concept. At times all students will find the programmes quite complex and demanding.
In order to get the most benefit from the learning opportunities offered, students are expected to behave in a manner that does not adversely affect either their own learning or that of any other participant.
Our workshop material is taught to an ability range first and foremost and therefore the students are grouped into a broad age range rather than narrow age bands. The material offered to the secondary group, however, will differ both in structure and in presentation. The sessions for younger students begin with an exploration of the subject matter, encompassing as much basic information as the time frame allows together with role play, discussion and age appropriate activities. The ideas are more fully developed with older students, incorporating more sophisticated information and analysis.
What we expect from the students
All attendees are expected to behave appropriately at all times and to observe the following basic classroom rules.
- Respect other classmates and comply with the expectations of the host school.
- Always listen to the instructions of tutors and adult staff.
- Speak politely to staff and classmates.
- Do not eat or drink inside the classroom.
- Respect school property, equipment, etc.
- Do not leave the classroom without permission.
- Keep the room tidy by using rubbish bins.
- Keep cell phones turned off during class time.
If any student’s behaviour is considered to be unsettling to others or troublesome to the point where it impacts upon the progress and learning of the group, this will of course be firstly addressed with suitable warnings. If the unsatisfactory behaviour continues, however, the student will be removed from the group. Any further infringement will result in the school being informed and parents being contacted.
How to enroll
Once a University on Wheels course has been organized to take place at your child’s school, or a school in your area, you can apply to enroll by approaching the school office, or that of the focus school, directly. The cost will vary a little from venue to venue depending upon how many students are to take part, the structure of workshops requested, and where in the country the school is situated. Although our charges reflect cost recovery only as we are a registered non profit making charity, we are required to be GST registered. The host school will take all enrollments and collect all course fees.
Before you book discuss your decision with your child's class teacher or your school Principal.
Venue specific brochures and leaflets will be distributed via schools, libraries and community organizations giving workshop information, times, dates and costs involved in participating.
Schools contracting the University on Wheels service retain the option to cancel a course due to inadequate enrollments and the precise number deemed to be non viable may differ from venue to venue. They will also manage their own student cancellation policy.