Kilmartin P.S. has been part of the Argyll & Bute Early Level Class pilot for just over a year now and the experience challenge has been one of the best that the school has ever undertaken. To help share the wonderful learning that takes place in the Early Level Class everyday, we have made a blog to help parents and any other interested people understand what the children experience and gain from this method of teaching. Our Early Level Class is made u of three year old children to P.1, with P.2 and P.3 also joining in at Level !. We would be delighted if you left some comments or asked questions!
https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/ab/KilmartinPrimary-EarlyLevelClass/
Monthly Archives: October 2012
Help for Higher Students at Oban High
Oban High School’s Maths and English Departments recently held a joint information evening entitled, ‘How to Help Your Child Pass Higher Maths and English.’ The focus of the evening was to give parents helpful strategies and advice to enable them to support their children through the challenges of these very demanding courses. Information on course outlines, deadlines and content was also discussed and parents were issued with helpful booklets and shown useful websites. In addition, current S6 students spoke about the importance of good study skills and being organised from the beginning of the year.
SS4E October e-news bulletin
Welcome to the October 2012 e-news bulletin from Software Services for Education (SS4E). If you have any comments or suggestions on this bulletin or indeed any special requests for special software offers, please email them to SS4E mailto:kim.conway3@btinternet.com Continue reading SS4E October e-news bulletin
Making story CDs was today’s mission at Lochnell
Reading for RNIB Day is 19th October but as that falls during the holidays we decided to have our RNIB day today. Children from nursery to Primary 7 in Lochnell and visitors from Achaleven Primary were involved in creating a huge range of story recordings which will be made into CDs and form a story bank for sighted children and those with visual impairments. Stories for Early Years children will also have brailed books made to match the CDs and be kept in a story bag with items from the story for children to handle so they can understand more about each story. Continue reading Making story CDs was today’s mission at Lochnell
Golden Lunch Table Winners!
Kilcreggan Primary Golden Lunch Table Winners were treated to a “special” lunch yesterday. Jack, Leah, Kizzi and Rory were awarded the prize for their excellent manners at lunch times. Congratulations!
In other news….. Primary 7 pupils returned last week after their residential visit to Ardmay Outdoor Centre where they took part in all sorts of outdoor activities and worked towards their Dynamic Youth Award. We thought you might like to see some of the activities. Continue reading Golden Lunch Table Winners!
Social Enterprise Assembly at Strachur Primary
P6/7 presented their assembly to the rest of the school, parents and carers and our special guest, Mrs Sue Challis, from The Raven Trust. The class were very pleased to present Mrs Challis with a cheque for £89.65 which will help support a school in Malawi, through The Raven Trust Charity. The class raise this money through their social enterprise activities – producing and selling our school newspaper and selling second-hand school uniforms. 10% of the profit from the newspaper and all the proceeds from the second-hand uniform sales go to charity.
The theme of our assembly was greed and the children acted out a play based on the television programme, Deal or No Deal. Continue reading Social Enterprise Assembly at Strachur Primary
RME on Iona
In the first of this year’s RME days 54 S1/2 pupils and 7 staff from Tobermory High School spent the day on Iona learning about the history of Iona and the life and work of the Iona Community. The day was the RME part of inter-disciplinary work on Life in 6th Century Scotland. The group looked at why Columba chose to settle on Iona and why thousands of tourists and pilgrims flock there every year. In St Oran’s Chapel they learned about the life of the early monks before exploring the cemetery where Scottish Kings and politicians are buried. Continue reading RME on Iona
Pupils Learn About the World of Work
On, Wednesday, 26 September 2012, half of Dunoon Grammar School’s S4 pupils attended Industrial Awareness Day, held at the local hostel – with the other half going on, Tuesday, 2 October 2012. The day is held in order to raise awareness of what goes on in business and to educate pupils of the day to day occurrences in some businesses. It is also to show S4 pupils what the business world is like and allows them to work with people from outwith the school. The day is always a success because of the fact pupils are put into groups and therefore working together and meeting new people. The tasks that they have to complete are all business related, this making them use other skills that are not normally used in a classroom environment. Continue reading Pupils Learn About the World of Work
Parents go back to School
On, Thursday, 4 October 2012, Dunoon Grammar School held an information evening for parents of S1 pupils. The evening was opened by a talk from Mr Shaw (Head Teacher) and Mr McLean (S1 Year Head). The parents of some S1 pupils were able to visit the many different departments in the school, where each department had a display of the work they had already done with the new S1. The evening was not a usual parents evening – where the parent and teacher sit down to discuss the pupil’s progress and behaviour – but instead to allow the parents to see, as a whole, what S1 have been doing in their classes. There were a number of senior students and prefects who helped out on the evening to guide the parents around the school. The evening was very informative and showed how well the new S1 have settled in to Dunoon Grammar School. Continue reading Parents go back to School
‘Borrow a Book, Borrow a Bag’
Children at Clyde Cottage Nursery, Dunoon have recently enjoyed their new ‘Borrow a Book’, ‘Borrow a bag’ initiative. The library started off with a small number of books but has grown since, with children bringing their own books in, which widens the choice and allows other children to borrow. The library, which has no stamping in and out process, allows children who don’t always have access to many books, to choose one, put it in one of the borrowed bags, take it home for a few days, enjoy reading it with their parents then bring it back and choose another one. However, if a book has been particularly enjoyed by any of the children, they are allowed to keep it!
Dunoon Grammar School Pupils go Eco-friendly
Over the past 6 months, a range of DGS pupils and staff have been gathering old plastic bottles to make their very own greenhouse. The greenhouse was made for two reasons: one simply because the DGS garden needed one; furthermore, it was a beneficial scheme which allowed recycled material, that would have otherwise gone to landfill, to be used in a productive way. Some materials were given in by some pupils, but also Bogleha (a recycling centre) installed bins to collect additional plastic bottles. Mr Crofts and Mr Davie, of DGS’s Technical department along with Mr Crofts’ S4 practical craft skills class took 3 days to construct the frame for the greenhouse. Dunoon Grammar School’s Eco-group and Mr McClement, PT of Science, took two afternoons to assemble the plastic bottles and to add the finishing touches to complete our new greenhouse. Continue reading Dunoon Grammar School Pupils go Eco-friendly
Success at Barcaldine Primary
Barcaldine Primary School successfully applied for a Heart of the Community Grant from Scottish Sea Farms. We are going to use the £1750 to purchase and build a polytunnel within our school grounds.
We are pictured here with Mr Calum MacAlpine from Scottish Sea Farms who came along to visit the school and talk to the children about their plans. We hope to be adventurous and grow as many things as we can – peaches, grapes and even sweetcorn – we are going to give everything a BASH!!!
Luing Fire Pit
There was great excitement on Thursday when the children of Luing Primary used their fire pit for the first time. The pit has been a major project worked on by all of the children, Clare the early level worker, with Jon and Watson two members of the Luing community. The wood for the fire pit area was donated and prepared by the Forestry Commission. The whole school community have been involved in a full risk assessment process before the fire was ignited. Continue reading Luing Fire Pit
Dunoon Castle House Museum
Armed once again with clipboards and pencils, P5 Dunoon Primary School, set off to investigate the Castle House Museum. They were looking for further evidence on how Cowal had changed over the decades.
The museum (in the children’s words) was fantastic, amazing, exciting and spectacular! The enjoyed watching a film, which showed various areas around Cowal, comparing Cowal in the past to the present. Some of the children preferred Cowal in the past! A fabulous time was had by all and the children would recommend a visit to Castle House Museum for young and old. Continue reading Dunoon Castle House Museum
Vikings in Skipness!
Pupils in Skipness have been learning about the Vikings. They have researched where Vikings came from and places in Britain that they raided. They made a Viking longboat and a model of a Viking longhouse. They created Viking helmets, swords and shields and had Viking costumes made for them. During a trip to Kilmartin Museum they wrote in runes on clay tablets. They also went to Vikingar and were in a Viking longhouse and the hall of the Gods. The children created postcards as Vikings away from home raiding and wrote imaginative Viking stories. They put together a presentation about the Vikings for the community in Skipness. Everybody had an enjoyable afternoon! Continue reading Vikings in Skipness!
Tobermory Disco Fever!
Primary pupils from Tobermory organised a school disco, and invited along children from the other local primary schools. Everyone had a great time, and enjoyed the home baking, too. The disco raised £244.80 for school funds.
Garelochhead Pentathlon
Parents for Pupils organised a whole day of Health and wellbeing activities for pupils. The sponsored Pentathlon was enjoyed by every child in the school. All Garelochhead Primary pupils and staff would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to mums Mrs Fiona MacLennan and helper Mrs Heather Smith for making the whole event possible. After all their exertions each class had time to enjoy healthy fruit snacks and a bottle of water. To date the amazing amount of over £170 has been collected in sponsorship. Well done and thank you parents and pupils.
Innellan Gardening Club – 1st Birthday!
Innellan Gardening Club celebrated its First Birthday with a party and a beautifully made cake last Friday afternoon. Family and friends joined staff and pupils to enjoy the cake and wish the Gardening Club many more happy years. To date the children have grown delicious vegetables in pots and raised beds and have enhanced the appearance of the school grounds with beautiful flowers. Last session they planted and nurtured lovely plants, which they used to fill large pots in the village for the enjoyment of the community. A huge thank you to the children and helpers, Mrs Stephenson, Miss Stevenson and Mrs Walkingshaw, of Innellan Gardening Club, for all their hard work! Continue reading Innellan Gardening Club – 1st Birthday!
Pre Five Mini Olympics
Active Schools Co-ordinator Jillian Gibson and Lorna Cameron, Early Years & Family Support Worker for MAKI, worked together to provide a recent Mini, Mini Olympics project for all pre five children in the Mid Argyll area. Thanks to funding from the local Public Health Network, each pre five unit was offered three free swimming lessons for their four year old children. The lessons were delivered by staff at Mid Argyll Community Pool and were kindly supported by many parents who came along to help. Continuing on from swimming, it was also possible to offer each unit two PE sessions delivered by the local primary PE teachers and Catriona Gunn from Mid Argyll Sports Centre. Continue reading Pre Five Mini Olympics
Tiree High School Councillor Visit
The S2 class have been looking this term at how we make decisions in a democracy. We have focused on local democracy and discussed our representatives and what they do for us. We have also looked at the various things that are provided for us by our council and finished off with a role play task where we looked at the difficult decisions councils sometimes have to make, due to lack of funding. The pupils took on the role of parents, staff members & local shopkeepers in ‘Avridge Council’ and prepared speeches, which they delivered to Avridge councils’ ‘Education Committee’ (Mr Campbell & Cllr Fred Hall!). Continue reading Tiree High School Councillor Visit
