Category: Newsletters

Playmakers

Thirteen senior pupils at Leswalt Primary have successfully completed the Play Maker course led by Laura McClymont, the Active Schools Coordinator. This was a four week course created by Sports Leaders UK with the aim of teaching older children how to deliver a games programme to younger children. As part of the course they had to think about what makes a good leader, plan activities and evaluate their performance. They had the opportunity to carry out their activities as warm ups for PE lessons.

The children all passed their final assessment and achieved the following levels:

Gold – Emma Drennan and Craig Anderson, Silver- Freya Bathgate, Rhona Baillie, Abbie McQuillan, Mackenzie Keith, Tommy Kerslake, James Murray, Kieran Dodds, Gordon Johnstone and Kathryn Topping. Bronze- Finlay Cowan and Erin Topping.

Some of the pupils have already put their skills to good use by setting up lunchtime clubs for the younger members of the school.

Leswalt Shop Maths

The boys and girls at Leswalt Primary are using the village shop to help develop their maths.  This week they were across looking for 3d shapes and doing some estimation and rounding in the calculations.  Staff at school have developed a programme of work, in line with the experiences and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence, entitled “Leswalt Store maths”.  They would like to thanks Mrs Gillian Murdoch, owner of Leswalt Stores for her co-operation and support in developing Numeracy in this manner.

Fabulous finds for p5-7!

On Thursday 14th February, P5-7 from Leswalt Primary had a treat  when they were invited to come and meet Andy Nicholson, who is an archaeologist based in Dumfries. His special area of expertise is swords and swordsmanship. As they found out, Andy is passionate about his subject and enjoys taking part in battle re-enactments in his spare time. (He has even had TV and film parts)

He impressed the cildren with tales the injuries he has sustained as part of his hobby!  The children went to Stranraer Musuem as part of their topic on “The Scottish wars of Independence.”

The first exhibit at the Musuem was the Lockerbie sword. It is 3000 years old and from the middle bronze age. It was ploughed up by a farmer and remained under his son’s bed for 50 years before it was handed over to a museum! It is one of the earliest swords in the region.

Swords from this era looked like daggers. They were wide and sharp and heavy for slashing.

Another find was at Barnhills Farm near Corsewall. This sword was found in three pieces by a spring. It was deliberately broken and given as an offering at this holy site.

 After the talk, some good questions were asked. Tommy Kerslake asked about gridstones and honestones. The children then all had the chance to try lifting all the swords. Kerr Renwick in p7 was the only one who could lift the claymore with one hand!

Careers in our community

At Leswalt Primary pupils are keen to learn more about skills for learning, life and work.  We have started a new initiative “Careers in our community” which sees different employment prospects being in the spotlight as people volunteer to come in and be in the hot seat.  Careers under focus this term include vet, police, Minister, British Telecom, Beauty therapy, engineering, nursing, Citizens advice and the Army.

Scots poetry winners 2013

On Friday 25th January 2013 Mrs Jane Sloan had the very difficult task of judging all the Scots poetry handwriting, artwork and recitations at Leswalt Primary.

The pupils had been working very hard on the challenges throughout the month of January as part of the whole school focus on “Scotland” has an inter-disciplinary topic. 

At a special assembly, parents and friends of the school came along to see and hear all the talented individuals.  Pupils were awarded certificates for their effort.  And, all pupils entertained by singing some Scots songs.  The afternoon concluded with the whole school singing “Caledonia”, accompanied by Kyle Anderson on the guitar.

The winners at Leswalt were –

CLASS POEM RECITATION WINNERS ILLUSTRATION

WINNER

 HANDWRITING

WINNER
P1 Castle Douglas Bull sale 1.  Charlotte Gaw

2.  Iona Rickard

3  Millie Smith

 Iona Rickard Jenna Calderwood
P2 Nessie 1.  Kayleigh Williams

2.  Ethan Smith

3  Megan Mc Intyre

 Megan Mc Intyre Megan Mc Intyre
P3 The Piper 1.  Jack Rickard

2.  Arden Mc Intyre

3  Jamie Drennan

 Jack Rickard Arden Mc Intyre
P4 Wee freenly dug 1. Kathryn  Topping

=1.  MacKenzie

3  Kerr Calderwood

 MacKenzie Keith Lauren Anderson
P5 The tinkler’s cuddie 1.  Aiyanna Wilson

2.  Rhona Baillie

=2.  Freya Bathgate

 Aiyanna Wilson Merryn Walker
P6 Wauken up 1.  Emma Drennan

=1.  Abbie Mc Q

3  Craig Anderson

 Abbie Mc Quillan Abbie Mc Quillan
P7 Address to the haggis 1.  Ben Cowan

2. Cameron Walker

3  Kerr Renwick

 Kerr Renwick Kerr Renwick

Super Burns Supper 2013

On Tuesday 29th January 2013, Leswalt Primary held its fourth annual Burns Supper.

 
The whole school sat down alongside invited guests, including staff and parents.  Cameron Walker, P7, was a very able and organised chairperson who ensured the proceedings ran smoothly.
 
Jack Rickard, P3, said the ‘Selkirk Grace’ before Mr Andy Ross piped in the haggis.  Iona Rickard, P1, proudly carried the haggis into the company.  The haggis was presented to Ben Cowan, 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 “The Bonnie Ship the Diamond”, with every pupil playing an instrument to accompany. The younger pupils sang “You cannae shove your Granny off a bus”.
 
Craig Anderson, P5, proposed an amusing toast to the lassies before Abbie Mc Quillan in P5 gave him an appropriate reply.
 
Tommy Kerslake in Primary 5 provided an articulate and amusing toast to Leswalt School
 
The Burns Supper concluded with Erin Topping 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.

Runners up at National awards in Edinburgh

Leswalt Primary School were recently thrilled to be told they were nominated in the “School of the Year” category in the Bikeability awards organised by Cycle Scotland.
 
This nomination was in respect of the school and community promoting cycling through participation and subsequently winning “The Big Pedal” National competition.  The school was also nominated in relation to the way they embraced the Bikeability cycle training scheme (previously Cycle Proficiency) though parental, community and community warden involvement.
 
Mrs Sheila Baillie, head teacher and Mrs Fiona Topping (parent volunteer who has helped deliver the Bikeability training scheme) both travelled to Edinburgh to the awards ceremony in November.
 
Leswalt Primary was amongst 6 schools across the country that were shortlisted and were delighted to be named runner up “School of the year”.  The winning school was Lainshaw Primary in Stewarton, Ayrshire.
 
The photograph shows Jamie and Emma Drennan who both cycled approximately 5 miles to school every day to help their school win “The Big Pedal”.  This was a considerable distance over hilly terrain and  in all weathers for anyone, but all the more remarkable as Jamie was a Primary 2 pupil at the time. 

Childern in need

The boys and girls at Leswalt Primary decided to “Show their spots” and raise lots for Children in Need.
 
The pupils all came to school in a variety of dotty outfits.  The winners from each class were judged as follows- p1-Charlotte Gaw, P2 Finlay Mc Millan, P3 Jack Rickard, P4 Finlay Cowan, P5 Freya Bathgate, P6 Tommy Kerslake and P7 Ben Cowan.  
 
On the day a huge Pudsey bear was covered in coins, a tuck shop was held at playtime and various competitions were held.  The final amount raised was £110.

 
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