Author: Ms Whorlow

The DG Schools STEM Showcase for 2023 is now live.

We are proud to say that the North Rhins Partnership has been highlighted for our excellent learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Click here or scan the QR code below to access a Thinklink to view our good work.  All you need to then do is click on the red hotspots for our school locations to access the content. You can also explore what has been happening in schools across the region in all things STEM.

# Rights of the Child 29 – Aims of Education

There was an excellent turn out from our cluster primary schools at this year’s annual Primary 7 Rotary Quiz.

Teams of four from each school competed to be this year’s champions.  There were a number of categories such as:

• Geography
• Technology
• Entertainment
• Nature

The questions were very entertaining and wide ranging.  A good few of them challenged the grown-ups in the audience too.

The winners were as follows:

1. Rephad
2. Sandhead
3. Kirkcolm

Our partnership pupils enjoyed the social mingle. There was a great team spirit and a lively atmosphere . Well done to all the keen beans who took part.  Thank you to the Rotary Club for organising the event and funding the refreshments and prizes.  Thank you also to Rephad for hosting the event.  A good time was had by all.

# Effective Contributors

UNCRC Rights of the Child

Our digital leaders from across our partnership held an online meeting via Teams today.  We came together to create a Christmas trivia quiz for pupils to enjoy.  This provided a theme for us to learn how to use Microsoft Forms.

Our Digital Leaders used our Higher Order Thinking Skills to work collaboratively on a shared ‘form’ online.  The children had to remember and understand how to access and design questions using the software. They also used their applying and creativity skills to select and insert appropriate images and themes to present the quiz in an appealing way for the user.  In addition, they had to analyse and evaluate the functionality of the quiz.  For example, they had to set up the software to automatically mark the quiz to give the user feedback and a game score for their results.

Thank you to Alexander, Hamish, Danny, Havana, Cameron and Conor for working hard on this.

# Successful Learners

Why not click or scan here to play the quiz for yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leswalt Digital Leaders, Alexander and Hamish, have gone a step further and completed their own quiz independently.

Digital Leaders  Leswalt Christmas Quiz Report

This week, we (digital leaders Alexander and Hamish) had a meeting with Ms Whorlow and our partnership digital leaders. In the meeting, we learned to make quizzes and, with the fab teaching of Ms Whorlow, we got the hang of it in seconds! So with our new skill, we were challenged with making a Christmas quiz. In just 15 minutes we had made the quiz. But there was one extra thing to do … CHALLENGE THE TEACHERS! With some difficulty, the teachers were all emailed with the quiz and they loved it! Why don’t you try the quiz too? Just scan the QR code or click the link below!

Enjoy!

-Hamish McGregor and Alexander Clark

Why not have a go for yourself – click here!

 

 

We are delighted to announce that the North Rhins Partnership primary schools in the Rhins has achieved a Silver Rights Respecting School Award by UNICEF UK. Leswalt, Kirkcolm and Portpatrick primaries have worked collaboratively to meet the standards for this UNICEF prestigious accreditation.

UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. The Rights Respecting Schools Award is granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults, children and young people to respect the rights of others in school. Silver is given to schools that make excellent progress towards embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its ethos and curriculum.

Mrs Baillie, said, “Having achieved our Bronze award in 2021, we are all very proud to have now to celebrate achieving our Silver award.  Our school community has worked very hard to embed children’s rights in everything we do.  We can see the positive impact of the Award on pupils and the school as a whole. Thank you to our responsible pupils, staff and families for working together to make this achievement possible.”

The Award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies and practice. A Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.

The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools initiative is aimed at schools across the UK. Schools have reported a positive impact on pupil behaviour, relationships and well-being by enhancing pupils’ self-esteem, leading to less truancy and bullying, better learning and improved academic standards.

Have a read of our assessment report:Kirkcolm-Leswalt-Portpatrick_RRS Report

We can now proudly display our Rights Respecting Schools Silver Logo!

Digital Leaders from Kirkcolm, Leswalt and Portpatrick came together for a training session today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The children covered a lot of areas as part of today’s agenda:

• Roles and Responsibilities
• Correctly handling, storing and charging devices
• Login – personal information, successfully accessing sites
• Bookmarking favourites and displaying our favourites bar
• Adding tiles to personal Glow launch pads e.g. Teams, Email, One Drive etc.
• Creating and sending emails with attachments to the correct recipient
• Discussing possible breaktime clubs e.g. Scratch Coding

Our inventive team decided that they would like to collaborate with each other across the partnership to plan events such as Safety Internet Day.  We have now set up an email group just for our digital leaders so they can communicate with each other.

The session was very productive and our team are ready to support their classmates in any way they can.

Here is a useful guide for parents to support your child online.

Digital-Learning-Parental-Leaflet-2022_23 (2)

# Responsible Citizens

Starting off our new school year, we are pleased to announce we have been awarded our RSPB Wild Challenge Silver Award.  This is as a result of all the hard work of our pupils in promoting biodiversity in our school grounds.

Our children had to complete six challenges both to help nature and experience nature, all of which promotes Learning for Sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals and good health and wellbeing.

Leswalt Primary for Silver

Feedback from the RSPB is as follows: Congratulations on achieving your Silver Wild Challenge award! We were really impressed with your Biodiversity Action plan and all the hard work you have been doing! Thank you for your amazing efforts. Every action you take makes a real difference. We hope you thoroughly enjoyed learning through nature on your journey to your award.

Well done everyone!

# Effective Contributors & Responsible Citizens

Our Primary 7 pupils had a blast at a Stranraer Watersports Association activity day at Loch Ryan today.

First order of the day was being kitted out with wet suits (which was a fun experience trying to squeeze into tight lycra).

 

 

 

 

 

The first challenges were a couple of team problem solving puzzles. Gripping a rope, the children had to get everyone inside the rope without crossing their arms. Next, they had to sort themselves from tallest to smallest whilst keeping one foot on a rope line. Through giggles,  discussion and teamwork,  both challenges were solved.

 

Everyone then waded out into the water to get acclimatised. Super resilient, all the children were soon dunked, with just a  few screams to be heard on that initial dip!

Once suitably used to the water temperature, the pupils came back out, split into two groups and had a quick land-based instruction with the equipment before having a go at paddle boarded and kayaking. Our ‘gung-ho’ water heroes were quickly performing like water sports pro’s. The paddleboards were ditched and everyone balanced on the kayaks in a cooperation challenge.

Paddleboards

 

Kayaking

A Bit Soggy

Soon, the rumbles from famished tums could be heard from some distance away. So, lunch was called and everyone tucked in with gusto.  Luke even managed to squeeze in a quick power nap, soaking up the glorious sunshine.

Lunch

 

The wind picked up a little in the afternoon  so we left the kayaks on the beach and created a giant paddleboard raft by linking the individual ones together. Everyone piled on-board as a balancing challenge.

There was enough time for a splash about to see how which team would be the first to get all their members on one paddleboard. The laws of physics caused a topple or two before one team was declared victorious with no less than 7 pupils making it out of the water balanced on one raft!

Rafts

 

There was even a wee treat at the end of the day courtesy of Mr White, who bough everyone a choc ice lolly to enjoy.  There was even enough for the adults to indulge. Thank you Mr White!

Our adventurous P7s were invigorated and highly motivated throughout the whole session. We couldn’t fault the enthusiasm and professionalism of our instructors Zack and Max, and also the volunteer helpers.  Our thanks go to the  watersports team for allowing us to experience such a thrilling and enjoyable day!

# Confident Individuals

As part of Primary 1 to 4’s topic in Social Studies this term, the children have been learning about life in castles long ago.

Today, Mrs McKnight’s class combined what they have been learning about castle features with a STEM challenge (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

After gathering up a wide range of recycled junk modelling material (thank you families!), each child planned their own unique castle design.

Design Challenge:

The boys and girls then came together in small groups to work collaboratively to amalgamate the best features of their designs into one improved design.  Once this has been agreed, they brought their plans to life by constructing their models.

Design Examples

Construction Phase

Everyone worked very hard and their was lots of focus and attention to detail during the construction phase.

 

The finished models incorporated features such as battlements, moats, bailies, arrow loops and even working drawbridges to name but a few!

 

This activity has supported the development of the skills for learning, life and work as an integral part of education, e.g.:

• Communication & Negotiation
• Problem Solving
• Creating & Evaluating

There was lots of thinking and discussion on how to best combine and join materials to create the model features.  The children were able to reflect on their work and identify areas of success and targets for improvement.

We are sure you will agree that any self-respecting knight would be happy to take up residence in these fabulous castles!

# Successful Learners

P1-4 were thrilled to welcome back Kathryn Purchase from History Alive to present a workshop all about Knights and Castles. We all love Kathryn’s visits and today’s was no exception. We loved hearing tales of castle building through the ages, and what life would be like living in one. It would have been very cold, dark and smelly we decided!

Colin was also knighted and shall now be forever known as ‘Sir Colin of Leswalt’, and Ewan and Holly were gifted great areas of land for being favourite nobles of the King.

Next week in class, we shall be building our own castles as part of a technology project. Today’s session has armed us all with some great ideas and we shall be making sure to include all of these key castle features in our models.

Thank you once again Kathryn and we look forward to seeing you again next year for an Ancient Egyptians workshop, and a WW2 input with the P5-7 class.

# Successful Learners