On May 21st we had a virtual online visit from a UNICEF education advisor, Jenny Price and another teacher from the Borders. They had a busy morning, meeting lots of children, staff and parents online and talking about our Rights journey. She spent lots of time looking at our evidence and discussing with the rights steering group how Port Ellen Primary were rights aware. She said children were able to talk about their rights and were able to expand on their knowledge and understanding, talking about how they were safe in school and how they learned to be healthy.

We are proud to announce that we have been successful in achieving our Silver Award and are now Rights Aware. The award is granted by UNICEF UK to schools that show good progress towards embedding children’s rights in the school’s policy, practice and ethos. Our children and staff feel rightly proud.

Thanks to all who have supported this journey so far – we are now going to take the next steps towards being a Gold Rights Respecting School.

 

On May the 9th we had Generation Science visit the school for a Chemistry Workshop called Fizz Buzz Bang.  We had to mix liquids and powder and we also had to mix liquids and tablets. If the color was red it was and acid and if it was green it was a neutrals. Then we had to tell the people if it was an acid or a natural. At the end they showed us a experiment what was elephant toothpaste and they had to put a board around it and it was so cool and then they showed us a normal party popper and then there was a big party popper.  We had a great time, thanks Generation Science!

ELC have been looking for signs of spring.  They visited the Cherry blossom trees and they met a baby lamb.

🌸 Cherry Blossom Tree day today and what a day for it ☀️ the children had great fun explored the secret garden. We had snack under the blossoms, swung in the hammock and did some beautiful blossom tree art. Amazing Spring day 🌸

We had a lovely wee visitor in our garden today, Willows mummy and daddy brought a little lamb 🐑 in to see us, she was very cute and a big hit with all the boys and girls 🐑☺️ ⭐️I am learning about sheep and how to care for them 👣👣we would love to have a trip to a farm to see lots more animals

27/02/24 Tuesday

It was a dreary Tuesday morning, and the air was full of adrenaline and anticipation as cars turned up one by one at the vast pier in Port Ellen. The sound of trundling suitcases and animated children speaking enthusiastically; soon after the trailers were loaded to the brim with luggage the ferry set off on its course, sailing smoothly towards Kennercraig.

After the trouble-fr

 

ee boat trip and the long bus ride we arrived at the majestic Stirling Castle to meet our tour guide. The regal Queen Ellie May Chandler (a P6 from Port Ellen Primary School) lead us around assisted by our guide. The magnificent ancient structures towered around us in the courtyard, the immense sandstone structures looking down at us like skyscrapers.

Soon after Stirling castle and a swift trip back to the hostel we went to Hollywood Bowling. We split into teams of six and claimed our lanes; many students knocked all the pins down, many even got strikes! Adversaries met in bowling battles and many new friendships and rivalries.

28/02/24 Wednesday

On Wednesday we set off on the long journey to Edinburgh. The schools were ecstatic and excited to get to the activities; the first thing we did was a snappy trip around the National Museum of Scotland. We walked through history, exploring the ancient timelines, identifying prehistoric noises, smells, and objects, and even seeing how much we weighed compared to various dinosaurs! But sadly, our journey came to an end, and we moved on to the next educational attraction.

We took a rapid bus ride to our next stop, the fascinating Dynamic Earth! The schools were eager as we adventured through time learning how the world was formed, first we got a brief explanation of how mountains were formed with shifting plates and so on. Then we hopped into a time machine to witness the big bang and the beginning of our universe and the making of our then young galaxy. Then we went and witnessed earth being formed and felt the vibration of our planet as vague landscapes were formed. After that we saw glaciers and snowstorms shaping the fantastic views we have today.

After that we went around Edinburgh Zoo to see adorable Red Pandas, Meercats on patrol and sun bears basking on their playpark. Then we went to Tony Macaroni in the lower floor of the cinema and then travelled upstairs to settle into the cinema to watch the marvellous movie, Wonka.

29/02/24 Thursday

Today we travelled to Stirling play park, a happy enjoyable experience, but then we took a brisk trip into the heart of Stirling, to Stirling prison where everyone was scared out of their skin by the incredible actor who impersonated the ancient historical figures who were instrumental in the history of Stirling prison. Later that day we travelled to Bannockburn the place a key battle was fought in the wars of independence we acted out the battle in the way the historical figures would have and learnt about the hard ship the knights had to go through.  Finally we visited the majestic Kelpies at night, a fitting end to a fabulous trip that will provide many happy memories.

Evie

At an early hour on Tuesday the 27th of February, we arrived at the Port Ellen pier ready for a long day of travelling…

After what felt like years travelling on the bus, we arrived at our first stop Stirling castle! The castle walls were reaching to the sky and were as old as time First, we went into the magical garden of the castle then we went up to the cannons (the majestic views stretched for miles)

Soon after we arrived at the comfort of the youth hostel, ate our dinner, but the excitement was not over yet we were going bowling! Some people were scoring strikes and spares but the others, let’s just say that they did not do so great.

The next day we took a trip to Edinburgh the first stop was the museum the best part of the museum was when we got to see all the animals some of them were extinct! After a long trek we arrived at dynamic earth. After we had gone back in time we went to the zoo where we saw mystical meerkats and amazing penguins. Then we went to Toni Macaroni where we had spectacular pizza and magnificent chicken. Then there was more excitement because we were going to watch Wonka!

On Thursday, the first thing we did was go to the Kings’ park where we had heaps of fun. Soon after we went to the prison of Stirling where we walked through the history of all the evil inmates that had stayed there. After that we went back to the warmth of the hostel to eat our lunch and soon, we were going to the battle of Bannockburn! After that we went to the hostel then we went to the Kelpies!

I loved the trip to Stirling and would definitely go again my favourite thing was going to the cinema.

Hugh

P12 and P67  topic is myths and legends. They have been learning  all the myths and legends all around the world. Its fascinating for the P12  to learn all the mythical creatures. The animations were very fun to do with the mythical creatures that we made it was very fun for all the children to learn their myths legends.

What was the mythical creatures called one of them are called penfin and the other is called dogor  the animations were like there was a bad guy and a good guy  who save the day. and they live happily ever after.

We made clubs and put it on our pitch time table and thought of clubs what we could do, and we also put our names under the club we wanted to do and p67 run the clubs also anyone is allowed to come. There is about 6 or 7 people in each club to run it.

 

READING

Reading club is on a Monday afternoon and it is in p67 class, you can either read a book, make one, read to a partner or the people who run the club can read to the whole club .you can get 30 points if you behave and be kind.

ECO CLUB

Eco club is on a Tuesday afternoon it is in p67 class and you can play with Knex, Lego or even Kapla. If you make a tall building and it is the tallest we will give you 30 points also if you have the coolest on you get 30 points. With the Knex is you make a car we will give you 30 points.

 

RRSA CLUB

You learn about rights and also respect other peoples right as well you can play a board game and that is the right call to play and relax it is on a Thursday afternoon at lunch bread in p67 class you learn about rights and that is the right to education.

We had a google meet with Argyll and Bute Council about Learning for children- Our Children Their Future. There was other P7 and their teachers in the google meet with us. I said I think they should be more help with Children’s Mental Health in schools. I told them this in the google meet. I thought this meeting was cool and gave hope in children’s future in Scotland.  We got to express our right to have an opinion.

CYPCS (Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland) is asking children to share our opinion. Living on a island means we do not have access to much stuff. We wrote them down like access to Supermarkets, Cinemas, etc. And we met Nicola. Nicola is the National Young People’s Commissioner. She informs anything we say to the parliament. This time she is doing the listening and we are doing the talking. Then we voted which of the following from what worries you the most to what worries you the least.  We discussed rights and we filled in a survey- our right to have our opinion heard was exercised.

On January 25th the school had a Burns Ceildh down in the Ramsay hall. P7 said Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns. They carried the haggis down the stairs round the front of the stage and back up And Jacob cut the haggis.

After lunch we took a mini bus over to the Ramsey hall because there was a village Ceildh and Port Ellen primary school was invited. P7 said Address to a Haggis, P6 said Scots Wa Hae, P5 and P4 said Auld Lang Syne, P3 said Street Talk and P1 and P2 said Wee Willie Winky.

Brody did auld Lang Syne on the tin whistle and Hannah did scots Wa Hae on the tin whistle. We got water and short bread and the adults got pancakes, Irnbru, scones and cakes.

Over all it was a really good day.

Here is the video of P7 saying Address to a Haggis.

 

 

Every term at Port Ellen Primary School, we have a captain’s meeting, this is where all the houses (Orsay, Texa, Nave) split up. We each go into different classrooms in the school.

We talk about things like; clubs, the rights of children. Everyone in our school gets a say at what we do, so we ask them how they feel about it! We (Captains and Vice Captains) ask them what they think we should do at clubs. They all had some great ideas which we put toward all of the clubs happening.

Overall the meetings went really well!

 

Port Ellen Primary school recently took part in the National Maths Inside competition as part of Maths Week Scotland.  Entrants must take a photo and write about the ‘Maths Inside’ the picture they have taken,  identifying and reflecting on the maths in the world around us.

This year we had commended entries from P1- Rosie Hannett  with Boaty Bubbles, P2 Noah Johnston with Rolling In, P6 Archie Logan with Dosing Sheep, P7 Thomas Edwards with Distracting Refracting Reflecting Rainsbows, Rachel Heads with Dancing into Shape, and Hugh Mackinnon with Bend it like Magnus.  Jacob Hart P7 was a runner up at second level with Angel’s Share and Brody Shakespeare P6 was the winner at second level with Taking a Photo of a Photo of a Photo…  Port Ellen Primary School itself was also a awarded best school for the quality of engagement and entries.

Finally we had overall winners in the 2023 competition: in the category ‘Oot An’ Aboot’ Aidan Ambrose P6 won £50 gift voucher for his Archaeology entry and in the category ‘In Motion’ Ellie Chandler P6 won £50 for her Bee Tornadoes Entry.  Well done everyone.

Port Ellen Primary are happy to take part in the Christmas cover competition for the ileach and we also got two very talented winners… drum roll for Aaron Ayres and Soarcha Baker very well done for winning this competition.

Star warts is an amazing panto that is set in outer space. It is about a mother who calls a doctor because her son has spots and the doctor leaves with the baby. Little does she know that the baby would gone on to become the umpire. The umpire is an evil villain who is shrinking galaxies into tennis balls when suddenly one goes missing and he tries to capture the thief by hiring 3 idiot space rangers.  

I thought that this was an amazing panto. The acting was incredible, and the scenes were amazing everything was impeccable. The solos in the songs were outstanding and the dancing was perfect. The makeup was brilliant 

For me, the dance battle was my favourite part it was closely followed by Lukewarm water’s solo who was acted by Thomas Edwards.  

“This panto was amazing I thought it was a 10/10.” says Rachel Frances Heads. “The panto was very enjoyable.” says Freddy John Allan Munro.  

 

By Hugh

 

 

Towards the end of November 2023 Primary’s 1,2,4,5,6 and 7  wrote to Blue Peter about a book we liked and drew a picture from the book . I wrote about Diary of a Wimpy kid. About a month later we got badges from Blue Peter and a letter and we also got special Blue Peter cards. All of the people that got badges or cards had a big picture together.

This years Christmas fair from Port Ellen primary school was great, there were raffles and baking, toys, wreaths and hangings. Everybody was there, outside Santa had come on his slay giving presents to everybody. The p67s made candles and door stoppers , clocks.

Santas`s  grotto was a hit- the lights, the slay it was so amazing! I hope it will be just as amazing next year!