The North Rhins Partnership schools have been extremely busy marking a trio of annual calendar events which all happened to coincide in the same week this year – Book Week Scotland, Anti-Bullying Week and Children in Need. Kirkcolm, Leswalt and Portpatrick Pupil Councils worked together to plan lots of fun activities to celebrate these.

We kicked off Book Week Scotland with an author visit to each school as part of the Big DoG Schools’ Tour, organised by Wigtown Book Festival. Portpatrick pupils were entertained by the hilarious Renita Boyle, and Leswalt and Kirkcolm pupils had the pleasure of David MacPhail. Pupils also participated in a book swap – each pupil brought a pre-loved book from home for another pupil to enjoy. Pupils then cosied up in their classrooms with a hot chocolate and marshmallows to read their new books. In addition to this, parents and carers were invited in to see P1-3 pupils being gifted with their Bookbug/Read, Write, Count bag. This is part of a Scottish Government initiative to encourage families to incorporate fun literacy and numeracy activities into their everyday lives.

Anti-Bullying Week was the theme for our assemblies this week, linking to our work on children’s rights. Portpatrick pupils also wrote kindness letters as part of the Diana Trust’s Positive Post box. Pupils were empowered to spread positivity by either writing a letter or drawing a picture which will then be sent to another child in the UK.

As part of our Children in Need celebrations, pupils were given the choice to either come to school in their pyjamas (PJs for Pudsey) or dressed as their favourite book character, in return for a small donation to the very worthwhile charity. Face painting and biscuit decorating were on offer throughout the morning and bookmarks that pupils designed were sold. Together, our partnership raised an amazing total of over £350!

Despite a very busy week, Christmas is in sight which means one thing – preparing for school shows and Christmas craft fayres!