Month: January 2012

The pupils at Leswalt pride themselves by arriving at school on bicycles and scooters.  Last year they were the Scottish champions for pedal power in “The Big Pedal”, a National competition to encourage pupils to cycle more.

However, they were all shocked and saddened at recent events.  Ola, a Primary 1 pupil had been coming to school on her scooter which she was given by Santa.  One night she forgot to take it home, and left it round the back of the building.  Unfortunately there were intruders in the school grounds at night that not only wrecked the little pink scooter; they threw it into the nearby burn. 

The scooter was beyond repair.  Ola was upset.  All the pupils in the school were upset.  The school put a poster up in the Leswalt Stores to explain what had happened and ask for any witnesses.                          

 The police were informed and PC Kevin Wyllie came out to the school to speak to the children.  He has since ensured there have been regular patrols of the school grounds at night.

The children decided they would like to show Ola that the community of Leswalt is really kind.  They decided to each bring in money so that they could buy Ola a brand new scooter.  The generous response was amazing; children brought in their pocket money, all the staff contributed, people handed in money to the village shop, people with no connections to the school contributed after hearing the story – even PC Wyllie the policeman gave some money into the scooter fund!

At a special assembly in front of the whole school, staff and parents Ola was presented with a brand new Disney Princess scooter.  Ola was delighted, and let out a scream of joy!  The rest of the pupils were happy. 

This sad tale of needless vandalism had a happy ending.  The children of Leswalt have shown their caring considerate nature as “Responsible citizens”. 

Mrs Baillie had one final surprise for everyone.  Such was the generosity of the collection, there was money left after buying the scooter.  So Mrs. Baillie decided that as the pupils had all supported this they too should be treated.  Mrs Baillie handed over A Nintendo Wii game to the school, bought with the change.  However, it was pointed out that there is nothing in school to use it on.  At that point Mrs Baillie called upon members of the school fundraising group to present the children of Leswalt Primary school with a brand new Nintendo Wii, which can now be used for games based learning, wet weather playtimes and after school clubs.  A huge cheer went up and suffice to say the boys and girls were ecstatic, everyone went home with smiles on their faces!

 

  During the month of January Pupils at Leswalt Primary have had a focus on the life and work of Robert Burns.  As part of that work all pupils participated in the annual recitations of Scots poetry.  This was also accompanied by artwork and handwriting competitions.  All of these were judged on Tuesday 24^th January by Mr Alec Ross.  Mr Ross had a very difficult job in deciding who the eventual winner in each category was.

On the afternoon of Friday 27^th January parents and grandparents were invited into school to a special Burns Showcase assembly.  At this assembly all winners showed off their talents and received a certificate for their efforts.

On Wednesday 25 January 2012, Leswalt Primary held its third annual Burns Supper.

The whole school sat down alongside invited guests, including staff and parents.  Tommy Cowan, P7, was a very able and organised chairperson who ensured the proceedings ran smoothly.

 Kathryn Topping, P3, said the ‘Selkirk Grace’ before Mr Andy Ross piped in the haggis.  Kayleigh Williams, P1, proudly carried the haggis into the company.  The haggis was presented to Andrew Archibald, P7, who confidently addressed it with great gusto.  Mr Douglas McClure educated the company about the early life of Robert Burns, in saying ‘The Immortal Memory’.

 Recitations were also delivered from pupils in primary 1 to primary 7.   Classes also entertained by singing Scots songs.  The senior class sang “Skyscaper Wean” and the younger pupils sang “Three Craws”.

 Kieran Dodds, P5, proposed an amusing toast to the lassies before Emma Drennan in P5 gave him an appropriate reply.

 Catherine Archibald and Maxwell Garrett provided an articulate and amusing toast to Leswalt School

 The Burns Supper concluded with Callum Boyce and Eilidh Hill giving an appreciative vote of thanks. 

 The company sang ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at the end of a highly successful and entertaining Burns Supper at Leswalt Primary.

Primary 5,6 and 7 recently travelled to neighbouring Kirkcolm Primary to take part in an engineering project “Building bridges”.  This project came about as with the on-going work with the construction of new water pipelines near both schools.

The children worked together all morning to constuct a huge suspension bridge in the hall at Kirkcolm.  The children not only built a physical bridge, but also built a bridge of friendship and learning together.

The children of Leswalt Primary were recently host to some unusual visitors – in the form of animals from the tropical rainforests.  The whole school is currently learning all about “Rainforests” and had a visit from “Zoolab” to enhance their learning.

 

 Zoolab came along with animals such as a giant hissing cockroach, a corn snake, tarantula spider and snail.  The pupils learned how animals such as these were adapted for life in the hot and damp conditions of the rainforest.  The children also learned which animals lived in the different layers of the rainforest – with the cockroach living in the forest floor, the tree frog climbing in the canopy and the snake enjoying basking in the sun up high in the emergent layer.    

 

All the animals were passed around for the pupils to examine closer and handle.  The Primary one pupils particularly enjoyed having a giant cockroach climb up them “it tickles”.  The sight of a huge snake crawling across the classroom floor was something the children will always remember.