Category Archives: Early Years

Every trunk feels like a baked potato – Patchwork Nursery Do Poetry

Early Years, Events, Interdisciplinary, Literacy, Outdoor Learning

Walking With Poets is a residency opportunity for four poets. The project involves setting up poetry residencies at the four Gardens of the Royal Botanic Garden one of which is at Benmore, Argyll.

The Argyll poet, Sue Butler spent a morning with children from Patchwork Nursery, Dunoon. The children split up into two groups and spent some time walking around the garden and talking about what they could see, hear, smell and feel… Continue reading Every trunk feels like a baked potato – Patchwork Nursery Do Poetry →

The Argyll & Bute Assessment Forum

Early Years, Messages, Offers & Info, Policies and Guidance, Primary schools, Secondary schools

The Argyll & Bute Assessment Forum has been set up this term to help drive forward the assessment agenda in Argyll & Bute. It has a cross-sectoral membership and schools throughout Argyll & Bute are represented. The aim of the forum is to draw together assessment guidance to assist all schools and to seek out and share good practice. To help the forum achieve this, a very short survey has been designed to give all teachers the opportunity to share their views and good practice on assessment.
Many teachers have already responded but the forum would like to hear from as many teachers as possible. Please click HERE to take part in the survey. It will only take you a few minutes.

Spring Watch at Small Isles

Early Years, Events, Interdisciplinary, Outdoor Learning, Primary schools, Projects, Science

At the end of March Dyllan and Davina’s Grandad came and fitted our new bird box camera. We thought we were too late to get any birds nesting in it this year, so we did a challenge to research what species of bird might like to make their home in it, ready for next Spring. On Monday 20th April there was great excitement because we had a bluetit sitting in our box and seven eggs! Just as the children were coming into school this morning the eggs started to hatch, and as of 3.45pm when the children went home, there were five tiny chicks. Our very own Spring Watch!

News from Dalintober Pre-5 Unit and Primary School

Active Schools, Competitions, Early Years, Events, Health and Wellbeing, Interdisciplinary, Outdoor Learning, Primary schools, School trips, Sport, Training

Dalintober Pre-5 Unit Sports Day

Dalintober Pre Five Unit held their Sports Day in the school gym on Wednesday 29th May. The children all enjoyed the day and here are our Pre School and Ante Pre School Champions.

Continue reading News from Dalintober Pre-5 Unit and Primary School →

Cottage Kindergarten

Awards, Early Years, Events, Interdisciplinary,

The Cottage Kindergarten, Helensburgh has been nominated for an award in the Numeracy Across Learning category of this year’s Scottish Education Awards.

Helen Baynham (Manager) has advised that they are very excited and are taking three staff and two of their pre-school children to the awards ceremony on Monday 10th June at the Hilton in Glasgow.

Port Ellen Pre 5 Unit, Our Lighthouse Topic

Early Years, Events, Geography, Health and Wellbeing, Interdisciplinary, Outdoor Learning, Primary schools, School trips,

Port Ellen Pre 5 unit have thoroughly enjoyed their Lighthouse topic. The topic was based on the well known book The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch by Ronda and David Armitage. The topic was packed with numerous learning opportunities. The children planned and build their own lighthouse, they enjoyed making lunch for each other in their very own Mrs Grinling’s kitchen, we planned and built seagull proof picnic baskets and many more fun activities.

Continue reading Port Ellen Pre 5 Unit, Our Lighthouse Topic →

Pirate Day’ at Dalintober Primary

Early Years, Events, Expressive arts, Interdisciplinary, Literacy, Primary schools,

A special ‘Pirate Themed Day’ for pupils in Pre-5, Primary 1, Primary 1/2 and Primary 2 of Dalintober Primary School was a huge success! This followed an Active-Learning based IDT which saw pupils using literacy, numeracy, social studies and expressive arts skills to explore the world of pirates. Pupils and staff enjoyed dressing up as pirates for the day, talking like pirates and participating in activities like ‘Walking The Plank!’ and ‘Pin The Patch On The Pirate’ – a great celebratory outcome of a fun learning topic!

Continue reading Pirate Day’ at Dalintober Primary →

Come and Play Week at the Stramash Outdoor Nursery

Early Years, Eco Schools, Events, Forest Schools, Geography, Interdisciplinary, Literacy, Outdoor Learning,

It’s been a busy week at the Stramash Outdoor Nursery, with over 60 parents and carers joining the children in the great outdoors. Lots of seeds and flowers have been planted, as well as making flower pots out of recycled cans. Parents have been involved in storytelling and some have even been climbing the trees with the children and making mud stew in their outdoor kitchen.

Continue reading Come and Play Week at the Stramash Outdoor Nursery →

“Magic at Tarbert Academy”

Early Years, Interdisciplinary, Outdoor Learning, Primary schools, Secondary schools, Transition,

Tarbert Academy nursery and P1/2 children have been working together on a “Fairyland” topic. This is being used as transition for the nursery children as they have been spending Wednesday mornings with their new teacher and her class.
They have all been very busy helping the dragon to build Fairyland. The dragon sent some magic beans which the children planted.  The beans grew and grew and the beanstalks are quite tall now.

Continue reading “Magic at Tarbert Academy” →

Dunoon Primary School Super Samba

Early Years, Events, Expressive arts, Interdisciplinary, Primary schools

Dunoon Primary were treated to the super sound of Samba Drumming at assembly on Wednesday morning. The hall was filled with lots of excited children from the Pre Fives up to Primary 7s and they enjoyed a marvellous display. The performance was by a group of enthusiastic musicians who have been attending an after-school Samba club where they have been not only developing their Samba skills but also having a lot of fun!

Continue reading Dunoon Primary School Super Samba →

Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival

Competitions, Early Years, Events, Expressive arts, Interdisciplinary, Primary schools

Kilninver Primary had great fun preparing for and taking part in the Highlands and Islands Music Festival. The Whole School including some of the staff took part in the Instrumental Ensemble, they sang and played Daydream believer .

Pre 5 and P1-3 took part in the Action Song. They dressed up as Little Peter Rabbit and had the audience in stitches with their actions to the chorus……. Powderpuff and curly whiskers. Continue reading Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival →

Southend Moderation and Open Days

Early Years, Events, Interdisciplinary, Primary schools, Transition

Southend School and Pre-5 recently hosted their Open Days as well as being involved in the Authorities Moderation of Inter-Disciplinary Learning. The Pre-5 Open Day was used to bring parents of children under 5 into the building to meet staff and get to know other parents. We are starting a Playgroup in May as a result of asking what the new parents felt was lacking in the community.
Continue reading Southend Moderation and Open Days →

Easter Bonnet Parade

Competitions, Early Years, Events, Expressive arts, Interdisciplinary, Primary schools

There may have been wintry temperatures and snow showers outside on Wednesday March 27th, but inside Dunoon Primary there was most definitely a celebration of Spring and Creativity taking place, as children from the Nursery and P1 – 3 arrived in the hall, wearing a fantastic array of colourful Easter bonnets. The pupils of P4 – 7 and staff showed their appreciation, as the younger children took to the stage to model their amazing creations. A wonderful effort! Well done!
Continue reading Easter Bonnet Parade →

Red Nose Day at Rothesay Primary and Pre-5

Early Years, Events, Expressive arts, Fundraising, Interdisciplinary, Primary schools, Social Enterprise

Comic Relief 2013
Rothesay Primary had a Red Nose Day on Friday the 15th March. All the Primary 7s gathered up to organise a day full of fun for the rest of the pupils. We had a sponge throw; nail bar; designer dreams stall; a raffle; beat the goalie; car wash; float the lemon game and face painting. Everyone had a brilliant day! Along with the money raised in Pre-5, Primary 2 and the red noses sold by our pupil council, we raised a staggering £1028.78! It was such a successful day for all the Rothesay Primary pupils and staff.

Continue reading Red Nose Day at Rothesay Primary and Pre-5 →

Red Nose Day at Bowmore Primary School

Early Years, Events, Fundraising, Interdisciplinary, Primary schools

Bowmore Primary School all rocked up in red on Friday 15th March for Red Nose Day! We all put some money in the collection and raised a fantastic amount of £211.02! In the afternoon everyone from the nursery right up to Primary 7 went through to the hall and showed our fabulous Zumba skills on the Wii for a while. It was amazing and some of the teachers joined in too! It was a fantastic day and we are all so proud of how much we raised!

Early Years Igloo at Tighnabruaich

Early Years, Eco Schools, Health and Wellbeing, Interdisciplinary, Outdoor Learning, Primary schools

“At Tighnabruaich Early Years Class we have been building an igloo by using 2 litre used plastic milk bottles. Parents and the community alike donated their empty bottles for a few months and the result (thanks to George our Janitor mostly)! was a brilliant play house for the Early Years Class to enjoy.
All built with recycled materials!”

Rothesay Pre-5 Eco Campaign

Early Years, Eco Schools, Interdisciplinary, Learning Tech, Outdoor Learning, Primary schools, School trips, Social Enterprise

Rothesay Primary Pre-5 eco group recently visited their local newspaper, The Buteman to ask for help with their latest campaign. With the help of Alex Robertson, they are going to build an eco greenhouse made out of 2 litre clear plastic bottles. Only its not 10 clear bottles they need, but 2000 which is a very long sing indeed! The Buteman very kindly printed the appeal and with a poster campaign as well, the bottles are flooding in. We have counted 800 so far.

Continue reading Rothesay Pre-5 Eco Campaign →