CAST is delighted to introduce the theme for this year’s Argyll Collection Primary Writing Competition and announce continued support from Scottish Book Trust.
2013 competition prizes:
1st prize: 5 books, 2nd prize: 3 books, 3rd prize: 3 books
£250 worth of books for the winning pupil’s primary school.
Click HERE to go to SALi for more info.
‘Code Ninjas’ Learn Way of the Python at Dunoon Grammar School
Computer Programming Summer School a Massive Hit
A dedicated, skilled team of young learners from Dunoon Grammar School recently sacrificed a full week of their precious summer holiday to attend the inaugural ‘Code Ninjas’ Summer School held in the school’s Faculty of Business & Computing. Continue reading ‘Code Ninjas’ Learn Way of the Python at Dunoon Grammar School
St Josephs Summer Disco
What a great night was had by all at St. Joseph’s Primary School on Friday when the whole school came together to help P7 celebrate their primary school years. The Leavers’ Disco was a marvellous success as the P7 children were waited upon by their teachers and the parent council at the special VIP table. However, as is the way at St. Joseph’s, the whole school family was involved with mums and dads together with children from all stages of the school being in attendance to give P7 a wonderful, St Joseph’s send off. Continue reading St Josephs Summer Disco
Easdale Makeover
Staff, children, parents and community members gave up the first week of the holidays to decorate the gym hall in Easdale Primary. The hall is half gloss so the preparation took 2 days before any paint could touch the walls. A full undercoat followed by a full decoration has left a perfect Gym hall for the children and staff in the school. Mr Glen-Lee was in his element filling the bins making sure only quality resources returned to the shelves.
Mud day celebrations – revisited
Pupils once again decided not to let the rain get them down on the last day of term. International Mud Day is officially the 29th June, but nobody felt like coming to school on Saturday to take part – what’s a day between friends? The fun started with a muddy burn walk, then a ‘hit the moving target’ session on the rope swing. The water pistols were an attempt to keep things clean but, like most plans, it didn’t quite work that way! Mrs Finnie certainly wasn’t any cleaner by the time she’d had her turn. Continue reading Mud day celebrations – revisited
Rothesay Post Card Event
Thank you to everyone who sent postcards for the World Record Postcard Event. These are being passed to Guiness for approval.
The Post Cards will be part of an art instillation at the Cabbie’s Rest in the last weekend of July.
We will still accept post cards for the installation over the next month so if you or your pupils have are away over the next few weeks please feel free to carry on writing! Continue reading Rothesay Post Card Event
Barcaldine & Ardchattan win an Oscar!
Over the last few months Sam Harrison of Open Ground has been working with several schools on making outdoor films. The project involved children exploring their own habitat and then when back in the classroom decide how to make and produce their own film. Sam Harrison joined each school for two days when one day was spent exploring their own landscapes and then acting out their ideas. When Sam Harrison came back for his second visit, schools then had an idea of where their film was going and all Sam had to do was film it. Continue reading Barcaldine & Ardchattan win an Oscar!
P1-3 Gaelic Katie Morag Day on the Isle of Tiree
Primary 1-3 Gaelic had a lovely Katie Morag afternoon to round off their Katie Morag theme last Thursday at Tiree Primary. Parents and family were invited (especially Grannies!) to watch and listen to the children display their work and we also had a very unexpected guest who just had time to squeeze in reading one our favourite Katie Morag stories! The children showed off their Katie Morag puppets and read some of their imaginary Katie Morag stories before leading their parents on a tour of their work. We hope Granny Mainland made her way to the Isle of Struay for her holidays!
St. Joseph’s Concert
Another super performance by the children of St. Joseph’s took place on the evenings of Wednesday and Thursday 12 and 13 June respectively. P4 and P5 performed Peter Pan to a sell out audience on both nights with P6 & P7 presenting some gritty performances as the cast embraced the musical ‘Oliver’.
The audience were in awe of all the children as the show opened with a performance from the full scale school orchestra. The ensemble played in perfect tune culminating in a fantastic performance of the theme from James Bond. Continue reading St. Joseph’s Concert
Dunoon Grammar School Head Teacher Mr Shaw retires
Mr Shaw, Head Teacher of Dunoon Grammar School is retiring this summer after 33 years of service to Argyll & Bute Council. Mr Shaw started working for Argyll and Bute Council in Rothesay Academy where he spent 28 years. He was appointed Head Teacher of Dunoon Grammar School in 2008 where he has spent the last 5 years. Head Girl Iona Cairns and Head Boy Andrew Black commented, “In the last 5 years we have got to know Mr Shaw very well and worked closely with him. His warmth and presence will be missed throughout the whole school. We wish him a very long and happy retirement.”
DGS Teachers v Pupils annual golf match
Dunoon Grammar Pupils Victorious!
On Wednesday 26th June, 10 elated pupils from Dunoon Grammar School defeated the teachers by the narrowest of margins in the annual teachers v pupils golf match at Cowal Golf Club. After some shots of outstanding quality and highly competitive games the pupils won by 5.5 points to 4.5. Congratulations to Andrew Black (head boy) for winning both nearest the pin prizes and for giving Mr Wilson (Principal teacher of P.E.) a golfing lesson.
Continue reading DGS Teachers v Pupils annual golf match
Our chicks have fledged
This week we came into school and saw that our bird box was empty, all our 7 chicks had fledged and flew away with their mum and dad. We hope we get more chicks next spring . By Jonathan Bingham P7
Interplanetary Pioneer – Fergus Glen-Lee
Fergus Glen-Lee from Oban High School has been invited to join Fuselab at Edinburgh University to plan life for future civilizations in the event of an evacuation of Earth.
Fergus saw the avert on SAL for the opportunity for young Scots to join the team made up of business and academia from North West European Communities. Fergus had to demonstrate his creative and divergent thinking to get through the selection process and has been chosen to spend a week at Edinburgh University.
Continue reading Interplanetary Pioneer – Fergus Glen-Lee
GROWING OUR OWN AT OHS SUPPORT DEPARTMENT!
In October 2012 we took charge of a supersized poly tunnel which was erected in the grounds of Glencruitten Hostel. This was the first step in our plan to grow and sell produce to parents, staff and the hostel kitchen! In our Tech classes we have made six raised beds for the tunnel and plan to make more for outside. We have planted potatoes, onions, herbs and blackcurrants so far and have also been improving the hostel grounds by planting hedges and trees!
Continue reading GROWING OUR OWN AT OHS SUPPORT DEPARTMENT!
Happy Holidays!
The SAL team would like to wish everybody a restful and fun summer break. We have thoroughly enjoyed all your posts and look forward to reading about your activity in schools during the forthcoming year. Remember we can add in video and audio clips for you if you want to share them and please get in touch if you have any ideas for SAL development for the future.
Cycling Proficiency Success at BPS!!
Cycling Proficiency Success!!
Determined, 10 Primary 7 pupils from Bowmore Primary took on the challenge of Cycling Proficiency. Theory tests were all passed in 2011 with fantastic help from Mrs Baker. On Friday 14th June with both excitement and fear, one by one we went outside with Sergeant Rae who completed our Bike Safety Check. Relieved, all of our bikes passed therefore we began practising for our practical road test.
Continue reading Cycling Proficiency Success at BPS!!
Barcaldine Australian themed day with goodbyes to Mrs Morrison and Mrs MacEachen
Our topic for this term was Australia and it seemed fitting that we finish off the term with an Aussie day!! We were all prepared with our Aussie style hats (corks and all!!), green and yellow colours, several boomerangs as well as a didgeridoo.
Parent Council members kindly offered to make us our lunch – Australian style!! We had a variety of meats cooking on the BBQ with salads and rolls to go along with them. We finished off our lunch with ice-cream cones with an Australian flag instead of a flake!!
Continue reading Barcaldine Australian themed day with goodbyes to Mrs Morrison and Mrs MacEachen
Health Week at St Joseph’s
Health week got off to a wonderful start at St Joseph’s this week with P3 producing a very interesting and exciting assembly on their recent topic “Health and Fitness”. It was all very appropriate as Health Week is featuring greatly in everyone’s thoughts in the school. Miss Trainer, acting PT, has done a sterling job of co-ordinating all the activities for the whole school…and hasn’t left out mums and dads either! As well as a number of exciting activities for the children, Miss Trainer has embraced the talents of a number of qualified parents to put on a few activities with a difference for parents and staff. Continue reading Health Week at St Joseph’s
Super Samba!
There was dancing in the streets of Bonawe on Monday when Argyll’s newest Samba Band made their debut public performance!
After six weeks of hard work and fun with Samba instructor Stephen MacNally, the twelve Primary 5, 6 and 7 pupils of Ardchattan and Barcaldine Primary Schools had become adept players of the suerdo drum, tambourim, agogo bells and shaker.
Continue reading Super Samba!
Port Ellen Pre 5 Units Beautiful Butterflies
The children in Port Ellen Pre 5 unit have been very busy looking after some exciting new pets from our donated butterfly farm. The children transferred all the knowledge and skills that they have gained during our minibeast topic and used this to take care of our butterflies. We were all very excited when our tiny caterpillars arrived through the post. During the week they ate more and more and they grew very big and very fat – just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Continue reading Port Ellen Pre 5 Units Beautiful Butterflies
