Author: Mrs Baillie

Mr Val Plant visited Leswalt Primary to take on the role as judge for all the work which had taken place in the month of January as part of the focus on Scots Poetry.  Every class was provided with a poem for stimulus for artwork, poetry recitations and handwriting.  Mr Plant had a very difficult task as judge,  as the standard was very high.  He picked the following pupils as award winning;

Poetry recitations;

P1        1.  Aidan Adams        2. Malcolm Mc Gregor          3.  Murray Williams

P2        1.  Chloe Kennedy      2.  Luke Mc Hallum               3.  Gregor Reid

P3        1.  Phoebe Gaw          2. Erin Jamieson and Auryn   Kirkpatrick         3.Finlay Scott

P4        1.  Jenna Calderwood2. Charlotte Gaw                  3.  Euan Mc Creadie  and Iona Rickard

P5        1.  Kayleigh Williams            2. Megan Mc Intyre             3. Ethan Smith

P6        1.  Emily Cochran      2.  Jack Rickard and Arden Mc Intyre

P7        1.  Lauren Anderson 2. Kathryn Topping               3.  Finlay Cowan.

 

Artwork Winners;

P1 Murray Williams

P2 Chloe Kennedy

P3 Auryn Kirkpatrick

P4 Charlotte Gaw and Kirstie Mac Donald

P5 Kayleigh Williams

P6 Jack Rickard

P7 Kathryn Topping

 

Handwriting winners;

P1 Aidan Adams

P2 Robin Mc Lean

P3 Phoebe Gaw

P4 Jenna Calderwood

P5 Kayleigh Williams

P6 Jack Rickard

P7 Kathryn Topping

All this hard work was celebrated at a prize giving assembly in school.  Parents were invited along and were also entertained by some singing.  Primary 5-7 sang “Flower of Scotland” to open the proceedings, then followed this up later with “Caledonia”.  The afternoon concluded with P1-4 giving it their all by singing “Let it go” from the film “Frozen” – all in Scots.  This proved to be very entertaining, with the young pupils displaying real attitude and enthusiasm to ensure all the guests left school that day with a smile on their face.

 

As they are learning all about their body, P1-4 decided to test out their lung capacity by seeing how much air they could get into a balloon (in one big puff!).  Have a look at the photos – who was full of hot air?!

As part of their Social studies learning, Primary 5-7 had a go at following instructions to try and make their own gas masks in class.  Pupils were soon making suggestions as to how they would like to customise their masks!

Primary 7 went to The North West Castle hotel today to have a go at the sport of curling.  They children all enjoyed am orning on the ice, before having some lunch then returning back to the school.  The children were accompanied by Mrs Caron Cowan, who reported they all were very well behaved and mannerly!  Well done to all.

Primary 1-4 and Mrs Mc Knight are all working on the project of “My body” this term.  This week the class have been learning all about the different organs inside of them, what they do and where they are.

As part of the project this week Mrs Mc Knight  gave the parents a homework challenge!  Mums and dads had to try and correctly cut and stick on organs, in the correct place. 

In class this afternoon the Primary 1 children drew round Breagh.  They then coloured her in and tried to make her look as much like the real Breagh as they could!

Once Breagh, the paper body was complete,  she was pinned up in the classroom.  The children reviewed where all the organs are in the body.  Mrs Mc Knight then challenged them to pin the organs on the body – blindfolded! As you will see from the photographs, some were more successful than others!

Mrs Wither and Primary 5-7 enjoyed an afternoon of World War 2 cookery.  The pupils were learning about rations, and how food was limited.  As part of this learning they went on to bake a chocolate sponge – with no eggs, as well as making a carrot curry!

 

The children worked together in the classroom and enjoyed tasting the finished dishes.  Pupils even took home a copy of the recipe to ask their parents to make more at home.  And, having tasted both the cake and curry I was very impressed with the improvisation and use of limited resources – both were very tasty!

Primary 1-4 had a visit from dental Health officer, Janine Maxwell this week.  The children were able to tell her how our tooth brushing is going in school, as well as Janine reminding them about the correct way to brush their teeth.  She was also able to answer any questions. Breagh had even

brought in her letter which the tooth fairy left her the previous night,  to show everyone

Primary 5-7 are embarking on a series of science lessons, linked by video conferencing resources to Heather Reid MBE, at the Glasgow Science centre.  Heather Reid (the former weather girl) teachers the children about Forces and Energy in science, and leads them through a series of experiments.  Have a look at the photographs to see how the technology link up with Glasgow is enhancing learning and teaching in Leswalt.

Every year the Rotary Club of Stranraer extend an invitation to Primary 7 pupils from all Primary schools to their annual lunch.  This year the guest speaker was Richard Arkless MP.  Leswalt Primary was represented very well by Kathryn Topping and Kerr Calderwood, who were very mannerly and chatted away to the Rotarians.

Leswalt Primary footballers  are delighted that they now have a new football strip, sponsored by Mr Anthony Reid of Reid’s accident repair centre.  For some competitions the team play with friends from their partnership school of Portpatrick.  Leswalt have red sweatshirts, and Portpatrick have blue.  This new strip combines both school colours, so they can play together as one united team – but still have their own school identity with the school badge and own sponsor evident.

Mr Reid came into school to get his photograph taken with some of the footballers from Leswalt.  Also in the photo is young Gregor Reid, in Primary 2.  And, as Mr Reid has 3 sons who will all attend Leswalt Primary school the Reid boys will be wearing the school strip with extra pride – hopefully for years to come.