Teachers’ Page:

Welcome to the Teachers Page of the Isle of Wight Weekend School. Here you will find information about the weekend which we hope that you will find useful. If there is anything else that you would find useful please let Ian know. craigellachie@btinternet.com

The weekend takes place at The Shanklin Hotel, Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

Classes are held in the Ballroom at the hotel and at Gatton and Lake Primary School which is a short 15 minute walk (about a mile) from the hotel. As our teacher for the weekend you will be transported to and from the school by your musician for the classes.

The two venues are very different and therefore may have an impact on class prep. The classes are split between two venues. These are nearly a mile apart so rather than move all the class members at coffee break we have found it easier to swap the teacher/musician team. 

•  the hotel has a large function room with a small dance floor. This floor is not quite big enough to accommodate all the class members so some need to be on the carpeted area. There are also pillars which are at the top and mid-way down he edges of the wooden floor.
• the school has a lovely, very large hall area which gives lots of space and scope for more technical stuff. The surface is a typical ‘modern, gymnasium type floor. We will provide trays of water for participants to ‘dabble’ their feet in should they need to.

Check-in at the hotel is from 3 pm on Friday. Following the wine reception please join the organisers at the Head (big!) table for supper. You may sit where you wish after Friday night!!

Pictures of Ballroom:

Pictures of Gatton and Lake Primary School hall.

Weekend Itinerary:

Class Itinerary:

Attendee List:

This will be available from January 1st 2025

Class Lists:

These will be available from February 1st 2025

Evening Dance Programmes:

Available from July 2024

Dances previously taught:

Contacts:

Catherine Packwood-Bluet: E-mail: catherinepb@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 07810628328

Aileen Napper: E-mail: aileen9520@gmail.com Home: 01983 614993 Mobile:

Judith Muir: E-mail judith.robertson3@btinternet.com Mobile: 07778836404

Ian Muir: E-mail: craigellachie@btinternet.com Mobile: 07917499573

Isle of Wight Weekend Schoo:l E-mail: iowsdwe@hotmail.com

Travel:

There are two companies (Wightlink and Red Funnel) and three mainland ports for travel to the Island. If you are travelling by car then any port is easy.

If you are arriving by rail then Portsmouth Harbour or Southampton Central stations offer easy links to the Island. At Portsmouth Harbour it is a short walk to the ferry (Wightlink FastCat). If arriving at Southampton Central a short Bus ride (QuayConnect) takes you to the ferry (which is part of the rail ticket if you book all the way through).

Lymington (Yarmouth) (at the west end of the Island), Southampton (to East Cowes car/foot and West Cowes foot), and Portsmouth (to Fishbourne car/foot, and Ryde Pier foot). Whichever way you come to the Island by car the travel time to the hotel from the Mainland port is about the same.

Travelling from Lymington with Wightlink is a quiet and picturesque crossing. It is the shortest of all of the ferry crossings at 40 minutes. Travel from Yarmouth to Shanklin by car is a further 40 minutes and can take you along the military road which has stunning scenery.

Travelling via Southampton with Red Funnel there are two options – the crossing time is 1 hour for the car ferry to East Cowes, or 25 minutes for the foot passenger Red Jet service to West Cowes. The journey up Southampton water is interesting and there is much to see especially if the cruise liners are in. Travel from East Cowes to Shanklin by car takes 35 minutes.

Travelling from Portsmouth with Wightlink the crossing time is 45 minutes to Fishbourne with the car ferry and 22 minutes from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier head for foot passengers. Island Line trains meet the boats at the Pier head and run to Shanklin every hour – journey time 20 minutes.

If you are arriving via Portsmouth Harbour/Ryde Pier head or West Cowes via the Red Funnel Red Jet we will pick you up from Ryde Pier or West Cowes depending on which service you use.

If you are bringing a car across to the Island then Catherine, through Isle of Wight Tours, can arrange the ferry for you and as an Island organisation we get very good rates. Click on the photos below for more information from the ferry companies.

Timetables – Create your own Pocket Timetable

Airports:

If you are considering flying there are no airports on the Island but there are airports at Southampton and Bournemouth. Southampton Airport has a train link to Southampton Central and then a short Bus ride (QuayConnect) to the ferry (which is part of the rail ticket if you book all the way through).