February 15-26. The vPlus Festival is an online festival from Potential Plus UK, full of workshops, webinars and discussions for young people with enquiring minds, their families and schools.

Archive

by
February 14, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] A variety of unusual animals call Japan their only home. Find out about the Japanese Macaque (Snow Monkey), the Japanese Serow and other animals unique to Japan. Participants will also be introduced to some basic Japanese vocabulary and take part in a fun quiz. Image: Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) juvenile yawning at Jigokudani Monkey Park, Nagano, Japan by Daisuke Tashiro, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Session Presenter [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557797062{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_single_image image="16710" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Hitomi Stuchbury [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="24px"][vc_column_text]I was born in Tokyo and lived there most of my life –my speciality is early education, and I worked at special school for primary children and nurseries in Japan. I moved to the UK and Milton Keynes in 2010...

by
February 10, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Ever wonder how machines learn? How google knows to complete your sentences? How alexa knows your favourite songs? Or how cars drive themselves? In this session we explore the idea of learning machines and artificial intelligence. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Session Presenter [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557797062{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_single_image image="16668" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Dhivya Venkatachalam [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="24px"][vc_column_text] Dhivya Venkatachalam is a technologist who has spent the last two decades working with and designing software systems. Also a technophile, she enjoys the evolution of tech & intelligence machines. She is a STEMNet Ambassador passionate about getting more kids enthused in Science and Tech. [/vc_column_text][edgtf_separator position="center" color="#888888" thickness="1"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481625599062{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"][vc_column][tt_event_hours][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

by
February 9, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] The BBC show Only Connect has grown a strong following of viewers, many of whom at first find the dastardly puzzles posed totally baffling but quickly strangely addictive. In this session, we will look at one of the show’s signature games, the Connecting Wall, trying some out and analysing their success, ultimately trying to create our own – what criteria result in the best kind of these lateral thinking challenges? Materials Required: Pen and print out of 4x4 grid - link to follow/ paper[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Session Presenter [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557797062{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_single_image image="16640" img_size="480 x 410" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Olivia Smith [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="24px"][vc_column_text]After completing a Masters’ in Engineering, Olivia has spent all of her working life in education, much of it as...

by
February 2, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] There is a sport out there for everyone, whether we want to be the best in the world, go on an adventure, make new friends, pursue a career as a coach, referee, or scientist, learn a new skill, or stay fit and healthy. Finding a sport that brings us joy has the power to change our lives, and helps us feel happier, healthier and achieve success – both on the sports field and off it. We all know that sport comes with oodles of benefits, but sometimes it stops being fun. As young people grow older they face pressures from lots of different directions, and can often struggle with a lack of support from their peers, families, communities...

by
February 1, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Join us for our fantastic, fun and fiendish family quiz with Channel 4’s The Answer Trap’s Frank Paul [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Session Presenter [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557797062{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_single_image image="16503" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Frank Paul [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="24px"][vc_column_text]Frank Paul was born in London in 1984 and brought up in Cambridge. Having studied Arabic and Islamic studies at Cambridge University, he went on to become an artist, specializing in surreal and intricate biro drawings, and grew increasingly interested in quizzes.  Since 2015, he has been presenting the pub quiz at The Mill in Cambridge.  He was a member of the Escapologists, the champions of series 13 of the BBC quiz show Only Connect, and appeared as a “trapper” (a resident quiz expert and question-setter) on the Channel...

by
February 1, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Pfffft might not sound very philosophical to you, but this most comedic of bodily functions will provide us with a way of exploring ethical ideas of responsibility, confession and apology, the metaphysics of cause and effect and the philosophy of humour! Tempted to finish within a pun but I’m holding it in… [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Session Presenter [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557797062{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_single_image image="12971" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Jason Buckley [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="24px"][vc_column_text]Jason runs GIFT, an organisation which runs activity programmes for gifted young people. He is also known as The Philosophy Man and runs philosophy based activities in schools and in the community.[/vc_column_text][edgtf_separator position="center" color="#888888" thickness="1"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481625599062{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"][vc_column][tt_event_hours][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

by
January 28, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Do you fancy spending an hour a day challenging your brain to explore and solve all manner of puzzles and conundrums? Word puzzles, number puzzles, lateral thinking, dingbats, cryptic clues. This family sessions will be all about puzzles galore. Session Materials: Paper and pencils or whiteboards and pens (if you have them!)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Session Presenter [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557797062{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_single_image image="12965" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Aileen Hoare [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="24px"][vc_column_text]Aileen Hoare is Chair of Northwest Gifted and Talented and has been a regular at Potential Plus UK events for many years. We have come to expect challenges, problems, points of mathematical interest and personalisation for Aileen. During the last couple of years, Aileen has run Potential Plus UK's popular vPlus courses for children, investigating maths.[/vc_column_text][edgtf_separator...

by
January 28, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Looking back at the past couple of years, there have been some positive things that came out of the worldwide pandemic; reflection on our values, a new found way to cherish time spent with our loved ones, and this creative wave that was started by two bored Dutch art enthusiasts and their Instagram page called “Tussen kunst en quarantaine” (between art and quarantine). This viral DIY challenge spread internationally, where anyone like you or me can recreate from home masterpieces such as Munch’s “Scream” or Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam.” Whether you have or have not participated in it just yet, you will have plenty of time on Saturday 19th between 09:30 and 10:30 to take part in Potential...

by
January 25, 2022

Each day, during the festival, we will be posting a Lego Challenge, Festival-goers will be able to find them on the noticeboard. We look forward to seeing photographs of your creations which will be included on the Lego Gallery. This event runs from 9.00am to 5.00pm....

by
January 22, 2022

[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1481557972295{padding-top: 20px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Discover the excitement of challenging reading and creative writing. In this session for families, Bob will share many ideas on the power of stories and poems to inspire all of us and some specific ideas for excellence in writing. This workshop will cover lots of ways in which reading and writing can become more exciting and develop a deeper level of interest and achievement. The content will include: The importance of the link between reading and writing Building reading and writing communities – talking about books Knowing about famous writers and classic texts – building curiosity and excellence Ideas for writing in response to a range and diversity of texts – taking on new challenges in...

About Us

The vPlus Festival is a fundraising event for Potential Plus UK, a leading UK charity in the field of High Learning Potential (gifted/more able) and Dual or Multiple Exceptionality (gifted/more able + special educational need or disability). If you would like to find out more about how we support children and young people, their families and schools please see our parent website Potential Plus UK

Contact Us

01908 646433

Potential Plus UK
The Open University
Vaughan Harley Building Ground Floor
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

©2022 Potential Plus UK | Charity Number: 313182 | Company Registered: 905037 | All Rights Reserved