BBC features our 10 Pieces Music Project!

P1000428Primary 3 & 4 and Primary 7 at Port Ellen recently carried out a joint IDL inspired by the BBC 10 pieces project. The project aimed to inspire a generation of children to get creative with classical music. After an inspiring CPD session with the CAST team, the classes got together to plan their learning, which involved using dance, gymnastics, art, writing, music and animation to express themselves creatively in response to classical music pieces. Continue reading BBC features our 10 Pieces Music Project!

Big Painting Challenge live session from the BBC

p02gsh7qAs part of the new BIG PAINTING CHALLENGE the BBC have created content specially for schools and all the information you need to get involved will appear on their web site  HERE. At 11am on the 25th of February 2015, they will be streaming a Live event from Birmingham Library designed to get your class drawing, and you can join in and watch on the website. CBBC’s Ricky Martin (Art Ninja) and Michelle Ackerley will be joined by Nick Sharratt, (illustrator of the Tracy Beaker books) to take you through a fun packed drawing adventure. Download the information to help you get prepared for the session HERE, and come back to the site on the 25th of February at 11am to watch the Live Lesson.

Bowmore Primary Salutes Mrs MacDougall.

Bowmore PS Florence RetiralThe whole school, along with parents and friends turned up on Wednesday 11th February at Bowmore Primary to say a huge thank you to their retiring head teacher, Mrs MacDougall. She has been head teacher there for 16 years and we all wanted to say thank you and good luck! From Pre 5 to P7, we all had a special message, card, poem and song to share with Mrs MacDougall. Also, our choir sang beautifully, our Highland Dancers were very light on their feet (thanks to Breagh and Rowan for organising the repertoire) and our ensemble played with passion. It was quite an emotional morning. Mr McNulty, our minister, finished off with a special prayer. We then all enjoyed tea and cake (baked by Mrs Swarbrick, our secretary) and a fantastic buffet, prepared by our wonderful kitchen gals! We all wish Mrs MacDougall a long and happy retirement!

Wear It Beat It Fundraising Day at Strath of Appin

Strath of Appin Wear it Beat it Fundraiser 1Pupils and staff at Strath of Appin Primary School supported British Heart Foundation’s Wear It Beat It day, on Friday 6th February, by wearing red to school. Fundraising activities organised by Clan Leaders and Deputies, included the preparation of red fruit salads, skipping, red nail painting and a red-themed quiz.

The school also organised and ran a Beetle Drive, which saw a great turnout of children, family and friends. Continue reading Wear It Beat It Fundraising Day at Strath of Appin

Beetle Mania at Castlehill Primary

Castlehill PS Beetle Mania 1On Wednesday the 4th February Castlehill’s P7s held a Beetle Drive in the gym hall. All the classes came for a half hour to play games of Beetle. On Tuesday the P7s went round the classes and showed them how to play Beetle. Every pupil paid 50p and the total amount raised was £82.22 and will go towards the P7 trips to Ardentinny and Edinburgh.

Continue reading Beetle Mania at Castlehill Primary

Bake Sale @ Dunooon Primary School

DPS CAKE BAKE FundraiserPrimary 6 Girls Erin & Olivia of Dunoon Primary School were delighted to raise the sum of £200 today at a bake sale they organised themselves! The girls raffled a cake for 50p a ticket and sold homebaking provided by their class at morning break. They put such a lot of hard work and effort into raising this amazing amount of money for The British Heart Foundation.
Such terrific initiative! Well Done!

Rhu P4 Kelvingrove Art Gallery Trip

Rhu PS Ancient Egypt 1Rhu P4 recently visited Kelvingrove Art Gallery to find out more about Ancient Egypt as part of this term’s topic. We found out about the afterlife and what the Ancient Egyptians did to their dead kings, gruesome!!! We took part in drama activities and held some Ancient Egyptian artefacts. Later on we had a look around other parts of the gallery and found some interesting animals (can you guess whose feet these are?).

Continue reading Rhu P4 Kelvingrove Art Gallery Trip

A Safari round Africa -in Taynuilt!

Taynuilt Africa night 109A cold night in January became quite a bit warmer when Taynuilt Primary School invited family and friends to go on Safari around Africa!

This was the culmination of two weeks’ work learning about the countries, culture and problems of the African continent. Each class chose an aspect of Africa that they would like to learn about and, every morning they worked in groups and with their class teacher to research answers to their questions.
Continue reading A Safari round Africa -in Taynuilt!

Burns Supper at Strone Primary School

Strone PS Burns Supper 2On Friday 30th January Strone Primary School Parent Council organised their annual Burns Supper held in the Kilmun Younger Hall. The event was well attended by families and members of the local community, who were treated to a great evening of entertainment by the P5-7 class and a delicious meal cooked by Mrs Rodger, our school cook.

Continue reading Burns Supper at Strone Primary School

Bowmore Primary is ‘Tapsalteerie’!

Bowmore Tam o ShanterOn Tuesday 3rd February at Bowmore Primary, an appreciative audience enjoyed a child-friendly performance of our famous bard’s ‘Tam O’ Shanter’. Robert Burns’ famous poem was given the BPS treatment, creatively led by ‘Tapsalsteerie Theatre’- a unique husband and wife team from Stirling. David and Jackie Smith spent from 9.20 to 2.15 (breaks excluded of course!) with our P6s and P7s from the English and Gaelic classes.

Continue reading Bowmore Primary is ‘Tapsalteerie’!

Roman Week

Lismore PS Roman Week 1Sumus Romani!
26th – 30th January 2015 was Roman Week at Lismore Primary School. This term’s main focus is Myths and Legends and the children decided to take a closer look at one of the civilisations from which many of the ancient myths come. As part of the topic the children will be performing the Roman legend of Androcles and the Lion at the North Lorn Drama festival and this gave the children another reason to research these fascinating people. Continue reading Roman Week

NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND, FANTASTIC FREE CPD, CARDROSS

cast mapCAST has teamed up with the National Galleries Scotland and is proud to offer you the chance to attend a one off CPD session which will cover:
•    Practical session – plaster casting
•    How to look at and discuss works of art with children
•    The National Galleries of Scotland online collection – a great resource
•    Tesco Bank Art Competition for Schools
3.45pm till 5.15pm, Cardross Primary, Wednesday 25th February 2015, Tea & Coffee provided, To book a place please email fiona.blakey@ea.argyll-bute.sch.uk

Kodu Kup 2015

koduWe are very pleased to announce this year’s Kodu Kup UK 2015 competition is now open. Many of you will be familiar with format of what has become the world’s biggest Kodu competition. There are a few changes and a new theme.
If your school plans to enter this competition then please let me know by emailing Web.Master@ea.argyll-bute.sch.uk or leave a comment below.

more info…

Continue reading Kodu Kup 2015

World War 2 Day for Dalintober PS P7’s

Dalintober PS WW1 MemorialP7 pupils of Dalintober PS rounded off their interdisciplinary learning task on World War 2 by dressing in clothes of the time and being pupils in the very strict Miss McCallum’s (Mrs Elise Glendinning) class, using slate boards and participating in a traditional street party. A group of pupils also discussed their learning experiences with Head Teacher, Miss Caroline Armour, and were able to talk articulately about their knowledge and understanding of their chosen theme. A great success!

Holocaust Memorial Day at Tobermory High School

Tobemrory Holocaust Memorial Day 2Holocaust Memorial Day took place on Tuesday 27 January. This world-wide event remembers not only the victims of the Holocaust but commemorates those killed in the genocides in Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur.

S3 worked in RME to plan a memorial in Tobermory High School. The gym was transformed by displays, lights, music and candles to become a temporary Holocaust Memorial. Display boards gave information on the genocides and Holocaust. Continue reading Holocaust Memorial Day at Tobermory High School

‘A Night at the Oscars’…continued!

JLB PS Oscar WW1 ScriptDear Diary,
Day One
I’m looking forward to our Oscars award ceremony. I’m excited about making a film and I can’t wait to write a script and make props and backdrops because I love the thought of making a film as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m not really worried about anything. I think the thing that will challenge me most is writing WW1 style as I struggle to write about things that have already happened.
Continue reading ‘A Night at the Oscars’…continued!

BIG RHYTHM SESSIONS Funded music CPD

boomThere are still spaces available on these afternoon CPD sessions. Come and learn how to facilitate effective drumming sessions. Drumming rates as the most satisfactory and inclusive musical experience children can experience in school. Participants will receive boomwhacker packs (tuned percussion tubes) for their school.

Continue reading BIG RHYTHM SESSIONS Funded music CPD

Rosneath Primary School – Burns Supper

Rosneath Primary School, P7/6 held a superb Burns Supper on the evening of Monday 27 January 2015.

After a supper of Soup followed by Haggis, neeps and tatties, then some of Mrs Johnson’s famous Shortbread, the pupils gave us an excellent evening of entertainment in true Burns fashion, from their ‘toasts’ (how witty the toast to the Lassies and also Rhys’s reply from the Lassies), to poetry, singing and dancing for all. Continue reading Rosneath Primary School – Burns Supper