Portpatrick Primary

This week, pupils from Primary 1 to 7 at Portpatrick Primary enjoyed a special soundbath experience! The session gave everyone the chance to relax, unwind, and explore the calming power of sound.

The children listened to peaceful tones created by singing bowls, chimes, and gentle percussion instruments. They also had the opportunity to play some of the instruments themselves, experimenting with rhythm and vibration to make their own soothing sounds.

It was wonderful to see everyone so engaged — some pupils stretched out quietly to relax, while others loved discovering how different instruments could create unique tones. The soundbath was a lovely way to bring mindfulness and creativity together, leaving us all feeling calm and refreshed.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and helped make it such a peaceful and memorable experience!

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Links to Learning

UNCRC Rights Articles

• Article 29: Education should help children develop their talents and abilities to the full.
• Article 31: Every child has the right to relax, play, and take part in cultural and artistic activities.

Metaskills Developed

• Curiosity: Exploring different sounds and discovering how they make us feel.
• Creativity: Using instruments to create original and calming soundscapes.
• Self-management: Learning how to relax, focus, and take care of our wellbeing.

UN Global Goals

• Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing – supporting mindfulness and emotional wellbeing.
• Goal 4: Quality Education – learning in creative and inclusive ways.

On Thursday 6th November, our P5–7 pupils set off on an exciting adventure to the Glasgow Science Centre for a full day of hands-on learning and fun! They were joined by their Partnership friends from St. Joseph’s RC. Primary.🚌✨

When we arrived, we were amazed by the Science Mall – three floors of fascinating exhibits and experiments waiting to be explored. Pupils investigated everything from forces and motion to sound, light, and space, all while discovering how science connects with our everyday world. 💡

Some highlights from our day included:

• BodyWorks, where we learned how the human body works, tested our reaction times, and explored our incredible senses.
• Powering the Future, where we discovered how energy is created and how we can build a more sustainable world.
• A Question of Perception, where optical illusions and light experiments tested our brains and eyes!
• Outer Space (Space Zone), where we journeyed through the Solar System and imagined life as astronauts.

We also had time to explore the outdoor exhibits and enjoy lunch together.

To end the day, we relaxed in the IMAX Theatre to watch an awe-inspiring Space film, learning about rockets, astronauts, and the future of space travel. 🌌🪐 The enormous screen made us feel as though we were soaring through the stars!

Everyone had an amazing day, full of curiosity, laughter, and learning. It was a brilliant experience that brought our classroom science to life and inspired many of us to think like scientists of the future! 🔭💫

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the trip possible — it was a fabulous day of teamwork, discovery, and fun! 💛

🌍 UNCRC Link

Article 29: Education should help children develop their talents and abilities to the full.

🌱 Sustainable Development Goal

SDG 4: Quality Education – providing opportunities for all learners to grow through meaningful experiences.

💚 SHANARRI Indicator

Achieving: Pupils deepened their understanding of scientific ideas through interactive exploration.

💡 Meta-skill

Collaborating: We worked together to explore, question, and share discoveries.

🌟 The Four Capacities

Successful Learners: Investigating, experimenting, and asking thoughtful questions throughout our visit

Today, our school community came together to mark Remembrance Day with respect and reflection. We were joined in school by Reverend Breakey and guest Major Orr-Ewing, who helped lead a thoughtful and meaningful service. Community members joined us for the service.

Our senior pupils read poignant poems which encouraged everyone to think about the courage and sacrifice of those who have served, and those who continue to serve today. The whole school observed a two-minute silence, holding the moment with great maturity and understanding.

Although the rain prevented us from gathering outdoors as planned, our pupils adapted calmly and respectfully to holding the service inside. Later in the day, a remembrance wreath, carefully created by our pupils, was laid at the village war memorial on behalf of our school.

We are very proud of how responsibly and thoughtfully our pupils took part in this important occasion.

Links to Learning and Wellbeing:

• UNCRC Article 15: Pupils exercised their right to come together in a respectful group to mark an important event.
• SHANARRI (Responsible): Pupils demonstrated responsibility through their behaviour, participation, and reflection.
• Four Capacities (Responsible Citizens): Pupils showed understanding of history, values and remembrance, contributing to our community with respect.
• Metaskills (Adaptability): Pupils adjusted calmly and sensibly when our plans changed due to the weather, showing confidence and flexibility.

We are delighted to share a photo of our West Rhins Partnership football team, proudly wearing their new team strips, kindly funded by the Portpatrick Community Development Trust.

The children from St. Joseph’s R.C. Primary and Portpatrick Primary were thrilled to receive their smart new kits — especially as the strip design was chosen by the pupils themselves! The design brings together colours from both schools, symbolising teamwork and partnership across our community.

Our team will represent both schools in inter-school matches, and we hope the new strip will spur on motivation and a real sense of pride as they play together and show great sportsmanship.

In the photo, the children are joined by Trustees Ian and Linda, who presented the strips on behalf of the Trust. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity and continued support of our schools and local community.

A huge thank you to the Portpatrick Community Development Trust for helping our young sports stars look and feel like a real team! 🌟

🌱 Learning Links

• UNCRC – Pupils had a say in the design.
• Metaskills – Teamwork and creativity.
• SHANARRI – Being active and included.
• SDGs – Health and partnerships.
• Four Capacities – Responsible citizens and contributor

What a brilliant day we had with our friends from St Joseph’s Primary 1–4! Miss Scott, Mrs Copeland, Miss Stevenson, and Mrs Henry led us in a day full of creativity, teamwork, and fun.

In the morning, we used our technology skills to plan and build a bug hotel using sustainable materials. It was amazing to think about how we could help our environment and local wildlife. 🐞 We also made a beautiful poppy wreath from recycled materials to remember and reflect in a meaningful way. ♻️

After a tasty lunch prepared by Mrs Campbell, we joined Alison for an energetic game of boccia. We all showed great teamwork and sportsmanship — and had lots of fun before heading home.

Our activities linked to important rights in the UNCRC: Article 29 (learning to respect the environment) and Article 31 (the right to rest, play, and take part in activities). We also showed we are Safe, Active, Nurtured, Achieving, and Responsible through our SHANARRI wellbeing indicators.

By using natural and recycled materials, we supported Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 15 – Life on Land. It made us think about how our choices can make a positive difference to the planet. 🌍

It was a wonderful day of learning, creativity, and friendship — well done everyone! 💚

UNCRC Articles:

• Article 29 – Learning to respect the environment
• Article 31 – Right to rest, play, and take part in activities

SHANARRI Indicators: Safe, Active, Nurtured, Achieving, Responsible

Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 15 – Life on Land

This week, our class explored how to make healthier snack choices by learning to read food labels carefully. We focused on understanding the traffic light system that appears on many food packages — those little red, amber, and green circles that tell us about the amount of fat, sugar, and salt in our food.

The children brought in their usual break-time snacks and investigated what was really inside them! Using the labels, they checked for:

• Red – high amounts (less healthy choices)
• Amber – medium amounts (okay sometimes)
• Green – low amounts (healthier choices)

They looked especially closely at salt and sugar content, discussing how too much of these can affect our health. It was brilliant to see the children comparing items, asking thoughtful questions, and deciding whether their snack was a healthy choice or one they might swap next time.

This activity wasn’t just about food — it was about making informed decisions. The children practised critical thinking, self-awareness, and problem solving, which are key metaskills for lifelong learning. They learned that every choice we make can affect our health and wellbeing, helping them to become responsible citizens.

We also linked our learning to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing: understanding how healthy eating supports a healthy life.
• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: thinking carefully about what we buy and eat, and reducing waste.

Our discussions also connected with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC):

• Article 24 – The right to good health, nutritious food, and a clean environment.
  Through this activity, pupils learned that they have the right to access healthy food and the knowledge to make choices that support their wellbeing.

By the end of the lesson, pupils proudly shared which snacks were the healthiest and which could be improved. Most importantly, they left the classroom empowered to read labels, ask questions, and make smarter choices for themselves and their families.

Sorry a few of the videos never uploaded to Blogs so I can send through dojo 🙂 Thanks for watching

This term, we were thrilled to welcome the Lighthouse Musicians into Portpatrick Primary School to work with our Primary 1–4 pupils. The children had a fantastic time learning all about music, rhythm, and dance through fun, hands-on sessions.

During the workshops, the children discovered how to keep a steady beat and learned about different musical notes, including crotchets (one beat) and quavers (half a beat). They also explored lively Scottish jigs and dances, moving, clapping, and playing along to the music with great enthusiasm!

The Lighthouse Musicians helped everyone see that music isn’t just about sound — it’s about teamwork, listening, creativity, and joy. The sessions encouraged pupils to express themselves, develop coordination, and build confidence while learning new skills.

This wonderful experience links to our MetaSkills focus on creativity, communication, and collaboration, as well as the United Nations Global Goals for Quality Education (Goal 4) and Good Health and Wellbeing (Goal 3). It also connects to our UNCRC Rights, especially Article 29 – the right to develop talents and abilities, and Article 31 – the right to relax, play, and take part in cultural and artistic activities.

A huge thank you to the Lighthouse Musicians for bringing music to life in our school — you certainly struck the right note with us! 🎶✨

This week, we were delighted to welcome the DG9 Foundation into Portpatrick Primary School for a special CPR learning session. The team helped us understand how important it is to know what to do in an emergency — and how anyone, even children, can make a difference and help save a life.

During the workshop, pupils learned about the DRS ABCs, an easy way to remember the steps to take if someone needs help:

• D – Check for Danger
• R – Check for a Response
• S – Shout for help
• A – Open the Airway
• B – Check for Breathing
• C – Start CPR if needed

Everyone enjoyed practising chest compressions on the CPR manikins and talking about how staying calm and acting quickly can really help someone in trouble.

This hands-on learning links closely to our MetaSkills focus on self-management, empathy, and communication, and supports the United Nations Global Goals for Good Health and Wellbeing (Goal 3). It also helps us uphold our UNCRC Rights, particularly Article 6 – the right to life, and Article 24 – the right to good health and education.

A big thank you to the DG9 Foundation for teaching us such an important life skill — and inspiring us all to be confident first aiders! 💪❤️

At Portpatrick Primary, we value pupil voice and believe our learners should have a say in shaping school life. Our new Pupil Voice teams for 2025–2026 have now been chosen, and we’re excited to introduce our fantastic representatives!

Our pupils take on these important leadership roles to help make positive changes in our school and community. Each group will work together across the year to share ideas, lead projects, and represent their classmates.

👩‍🌾 Eco Committee: Kaicie, George, Zak, Ella, Arran and Harry

💬 Pupil Council: Esme, Layo, Josh, Freya, Adam and Stephen

💻 Digital Leaders: Josh, Zak and Arran

🔬 STEM Leaders: Stephen and Harry

📚 Reading Champions: Ella and Adam

In addition to their Pupil Voice roles, some pupils have taken on classroom responsibilities to support their peers and school life:

• Harry: Classroom Assistant
• Stephen: Recycle Coordinator
• Josh: MetaSkills Champion

We are also delighted to announce our House Captains for 2025–2026:

• Portree: Freya (Captain), Arran (Vice Captain)
• Dunskey: Adam (Captain), Harry (Vice Captain)

We’re so proud of all our pupils for stepping up to lead, share ideas, and support others. We look forward to seeing the amazing things they will achieve this year! 🌟

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• UNCRC Article: 12 – Right to be heard
• MetaSkill: Leadership, Collaboration and Communication
• SDG: 4 – Quality Education
• CfE Capacity: Confident Individual
• SHANARRI: Included

Portpatrick Primary enjoyed a special Religious Observance session with Reverend Brakey, Fiona and Mrs Ross, where we celebrated the wonder of creation and our responsibility as stewards of the natural world.

During the session, the children showed their creativity and care for nature by making eco-friendly bird feeders. Using strips of willow and wooden blocks kindly donated by the Men’s Shed, pupils carefully wove and shaped their feeders, then filled them with seed balls ready to hang outdoors.

This hands-on activity supported our Eco Schools target of Biodiversity and helped us work towards achieving our RSPB Wild Challenge Award. It was lovely to see our bird feeders displayed at the recent school fundraiser coffee morning, helping ensure that birds across our community will be well fed this autumn.

We are very proud of the children for showing such care and respect for the environment — and for working together to make a real difference. 🌍💚

UNCRC Article: 29 – Education should develop respect for the environment

MetaSkill: Creativity

SDG: 15 – Life on Land

CfE Capacity: Responsible Citizen

SHANARRI: Responsible

RME CfE: I can reflect upon the awe and wonder of the natural world and explore ways of showing care for creation. (RME 1-01a)