Category Archives: Local Community

Class Learning, Local Community, Partnership Working

P5 visit ‘Jas P Wilson’ STEM in action!

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A huge thank you to staff at ‘Jas P Wilson’ in Dalbeattie for organising fantastic workshops for our Primary 5 pupils. We had been learning about hydraulic systems in class and were delighted when ‘Jas P Wilson’ invited us to see hydraulics in action and to learn more about how they use this system in their business. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed participating in all four workshops:

  1. Clear communication was essential in the first challenge. Using a two way radio, pupils had to give clear instructions from the viewing gallery to the operator of the crane who was in the showroom area below. This loading exercise showed the potential of hydraulics. The winning team had the fastest time and the clearest communication with the operator.
  2. The SIMLOG Simulator challenge was next. Each competitor was timed as they used the joystick controls to pick up the log onscreen and transport it safely. Mrs Dyson and Mrs Hall were amazed at the skills shown.
  3. The next challenge was to manufacture and test a wooden grabber using a hydraulic system. Pupils worked as a team to identify components, build and test the model. This was a great way to apply our skills as we had already built our own Burger Box Buddies and Pop Up Puppets in class using hydraulics.
  4. Our final challenge was the remote-control excavator challenge. After a practice run, each competitor had a timed run through the course. Maisy was the champion at this, having completed the course in 21 seconds, with Jasmine in second place with 22 seconds.

Thank you to all staff at ‘Jas P Wilson’ for welcoming us into their business and especially to Drew, Sean, Cameron, Bradley and Hamish who ran all our workshops and made our time there so memorable!

  

confident individuals, creativity, effective contributors, Local Community, Partnership Working, performing, successful learners

Christmas in Church End of Term Service

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Today, we celebrated the start of the Christmas holidays with another wonderful service in Dalbeattie and Kirkgunzeon Parish Church. The Primary 7s re-told the original First Christmas story, in a ‘Pop Up Nativity,’ with some help from the audience with actions and words and the Primary 3s dressed up as the original Nativity characters of Mary, Joseph, Angels, Wise Men and Shepherds. The whole congregation thoroughly enjoyed their audience participation, interspersed with some wonderful traditional carol singing.

 

Class Learning, Local Community, Partnership Working

Primary 1 /2 School in the Past Day

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Today, we had our dressing up day as a fun ending to our topic work on Our School in the Past and Present. the children came to school dressed as Victorian school children. We had a formal writing lesson with our tables and chairs arranged in seats. We then made a Victorian style Christmas card followed by a session learning about old fashioned playground games. Then, in the afternoon, our learning was all brought together in our small group dram sketches where the children played the parts of teachers and pupils. Mrs Howie filmed these and will share with the class later this week. All of these activities follow on from previous learning such as: visits from Mr Henderson and Mr Murray from the Museum to talk about school in the past; Mrs Murray to talk about life in the present school; a tour of the High School and a walk to the old Primary School on Southwick Road.

citizenship, effective contributors, fundraising, Local Community

RotaKids at Christmas Light Switch On

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The RotaKids were busy at the Dalbeattie Christmas Light Switch on. They were taking guesses fort the number of sweets in the jar and which square Santa was hiding in. Despite a slightly damp night, the children managed to make £57. This will be presented to the Dalbeattie Chamber of Trade’s Christmas Lights Appeal. This fundraising is part of the Rotakids local community work. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Cathro for helping to organise this event. Thank you to Grace, Mirren, Emily, Firth, Rianna and Halle who all came along to help on the night. The jar was won by Struan Caldow and the four chocolate Santas were won by other children in the school.

 

Class Learning, Local Community, Partnership Working, successful learners

Primary 1 /2 Our School in the Past and Present

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Over the last week, we have been learning more about our old school. We have been for a walk to see the granite buildings (1876 onwards) and other link buildings from the 1960s and 1970s. We have also had two former pupils, Tommy Henderson and Ronnie Murray into school for the children to interview them about what it was like to be at school around 70 years ago. Thank you!

 

After School Activities, Local Community, Partnership Working, successful learners

History Club

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At our Ancient History After School Club on Tuesday 5th November, we welcomed along Andrew Nicholson, Archaeologist from Dumfries and Galloway Council. He explained, to the group, about the type of work he did and his role in advising when new planning applications come in, in case they affect any site history. He then showed the members of the club how to access three main websites which he uses every day in his work. We learned about how to search old maps, scheduled monuments and recorded historical artefacts and finds from particular places. It was really interesting.  This meeting was the first after our visit to Tongland Abbey. Next week’s meeting will be with Erica Johnson who will talk to us about the Moyle Hill Fort.

citizenship, effective contributors, Local Community, Partnership Working, Whole School

Harvest Assembly and House Captains

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Today we held our harvest Assembly, albeit made shorter by an unplanned fire evacuation! We were delighted to welcome Reverend Fiona Wilson to our service. The children had brought in lots of donations for the foodbank, for which the local church will be taking away items for us. Mrs Duncan showed us some pictures from our very own harvest in school: ‘soup at snack time’ photos showed our soup made by the eco group ad Mrs Howie with Mrs Houston in the Hospitality Department, made from our own home grown vegetables. Out eco committee and school council also received their badges. Three primary 7 children were awarded with their Head Teacher’s Award certificates (they will not be here on Friday due to Operation Safety) and our Houses Captains were also announced.

After School Activities, confident individuals, Local Community, Partnership Working, successful learners

Ancient History Club

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On Saturday 28th September, the history club visited Tongland Abbey Excavation site. We learned lots of interesting things about the founding of the abbey by Alan, Lord of Galloway and his links to the Magna Carta signing in 1215. We now understand much more about how archaeological investigations take place. We are very grateful to Dr David Devereux and Mr Donald Henry for giving us tours of both the excavation site and the two later built parish churches. More detail about what we learned will be included in our published findings at the end of the year!

Class Learning, Local Community

PC Blacklock Visitis P1/2

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P1/2 enjoyed a visit from PC Blacklock where they learned about the role of the police, their vehicles, how to contact them and their uniform. They had the opportunity to ask lots of questions to help with their topic work in class. Their favourite part was getting to dress up in items of uniform; perhaps we have some future Police Officers in our class.