Today our school was delighted to welcome two very special visitors from the Portpatrick Lifeboat crew. Johnathon and Jayne took time out of their busy schedules to visit the children and spread some festive cheer 🎄.
During their visit, they very kindly gifted every child a Christmas selection box, which was met with lots of smiles and excitement across the school. The crew also took the opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, helping to make the day feel extra special as we head towards the holiday season.
This visit was a lovely example of the strong community connections we are so proud of. The Portpatrick Lifeboat crew play an incredibly important role in keeping our local community safe.
We would like to say a huge thank you to Johnathon, Jayne, and everyone at Portpatrick Lifeboat for their generosity and kindness. Visits like this remind us how fortunate we are to be part of such a caring and supportive community.
We wish the Portpatrick Lifeboat crew a very Merry Christmas and a safe New Year from everyone at our school. 🎅🎁
We were delighted to welcome Reverend Breakey and Mrs Ross into school to share the meaning and significance of Christingles with our children. Through thoughtful discussion, they helped the children explore the powerful messages of hope, love, joy and peace, and how Christ’s light is shared with the world.
The children thoroughly enjoyed creating their own Christingles as part of our Christmas celebrations. With plenty of colourful ribbon and sweet treats, each Christingle was carefully made and beautifully unique. The experience was made even more special when we lit the candle, symbolising Christ’s Light and looking ahead to its meaning on Christmas Day.
As part of this special experience, the children also enjoyed a wax melt scented with frankincense and myrrh, helping to engage our senses and deepen our understanding of traditional Christmas symbols.
We took a moment to light our candles and join in in giving thanks and love to someone special before joining in a prayer.
It was a calm, reflective and joyful time that helped the children connect creativity with faith, learning and celebration.
Curriculum Links
UNCRC: Children experienced their right to learn about and express cultural and religious beliefs (Article 14).
Four Capacities: Developing successful learners and responsible citizens through reflection and understanding.
RME: Exploring Christian beliefs and the meaning of religious symbols.
Metaskills: Building sense-making and creativity through hands-on learning and discussion.
Yesterday, the boys and girls of Portpatrick Primary School delighted audiences with their wonderful Christmas show, The Christmas Gift That Money Can’t Buy. Written and directed by Mr Morrison and Mrs Copeland, the performance beautifully captured the true spirit and meaning of Christmas.
The stage sparkled thanks to our brilliant prop master, Kim, who was always on hand in the wings to prompt and support the cast. Our lovely student, Miss Millar, also provided invaluable support, caring for and encouraging our younger performers throughout the show.
Both the afternoon and evening shows were packed with family members, friends and members of our wider community, all coming together to support the children and enjoy a thoroughly entertaining production. The show offered a fantastic mix of joyful singing, laughter and thought-provoking moments that reminded us all of the true meaning of Christmas. A special mention goes to Freya, whose solo was a highlight of the performance and Harry who clearly narrated the Christmas tale. Our wonderful cast and their roles are shown in the list image below.
We are incredibly grateful for the support behind the scenes and on stage. Reverend Ogston seamlessly managed the lighting and sound, while Reverend Breakey and Barbara brought extra magic to the show as both elves and angels. Our regal wise men were wonderfully portrayed by Mr Ross, Mr Cerexe, Mr Gordon and former pupil Lewis McCulloch. Mrs Henry was a huge hit with the audience as the Grinch, proving that Christmas cheer sometimes comes with a wicked grin.
Following the performance, families stayed to enjoy a raffle generously supported by donations from friends and families of our school. Our Parent Council worked hard to organise the raffle, with a special mention to Nikki for her support in putting together the fabulous main prize hamper. After a very quick count, we are delighted to share that approximately £600 was raised for our school. This achievement is entirely thanks to the kindness and generosity of our amazing community.
Following the performance, families stayed to enjoy a raffle generously supported by donations from friends and families of our school. The Parent Council and Nikki organised a fabulous main prize hamper, and after a very quick count we are delighted to share that just over £600 was raised for our school, with a little more to hopefully still to come in. This achievement is entirely thanks to the kindness and generosity of our amazing community.
Well done to all involved for creating such a memorable and meaningful celebration. 🎶🌟
This experience supported learning and values through:
UNCRC – Children’s right to express themselves and participate in cultural life
Four Capacities for Learning – Confident individuals and effective contributors
Metaskills – Creativity, collaboration and communication
SHANARRI – Children feeling included, confident and supported
RE Curriculum for Excellence – Exploring values, beliefs and the true meaning of Christmas
This week our school was delighted to welcome the Glasgow Science Centre, who delivered an inspiring, hands-on workshop for all classes from Primary 1 to Primary 7. Their team helped pupils explore the fascinating journey oxygen takes around the body, introducing them to the roles of the lungs, larynx, arteries, veins, and other vital body parts.
Throughout the session, pupils developed key MetaSkills, including curiosity, problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity, as they investigated how their bodies work. The presenters made scientific ideas accessible and exciting, encouraging children to ask questions, think deeply, and work together to explore new concepts.
Families were also invited to join the fun, taking part in a wide range of oxygen-themed activities such as:
Oxygen-carrying races
Heartbeat drums
Exploring how heart rate changes during exercise
Investigating DNA and what makes each person unique
These activities supported our learning in the UN Global Goals, particularly Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and Goal 4: Quality Education, by helping children understand how to look after their bodies and by promoting high-quality, inclusive learning experiences.
The visit also reflected our commitment to children’s rights under the UNCRC, including:
Article 28 – the right to education
Article 29 – education aimed at developing children’s talents and understanding of the world
Article 31 – the right to relax, play, and join in a wide range of activities
Four Capacities for learning: Successful Learners
The day was filled with laughter, learning, and hands-on discovery. A huge thank-you to the Glasgow Science Centre for inspiring our young scientists and helping them see just how amazing the human body truly is!
Our local unpaid worker team of dedicated volunteers from the Community Payback Team kindly gave up their time to help sort, clean and refresh the school’s outdoor benches. Their hard work has made a huge difference to our playground and outdoor learning spaces, making them safer, brighter and more welcoming for everyone.
The volunteers worked tirelessly—washing, repairing and arranging the benches—ensuring pupils have comfortable places to sit, chat and enjoy their breaks. Their efforts show the strength of our school community and how much can be achieved when people come together to help.
We are incredibly grateful for their time, energy and generosity. Thank you to our brilliant volunteers for helping make our school an even better place to learn and play! 🌟🛠️🪑
UNCRC – Supports children’s Right to Play (Article 31) by improving safe, enjoyable outdoor spaces.
Four Capacities – Encourages pupils to be Responsible Citizens by valuing community contribution.
SDGs – Connects to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities through caring for shared environments.
SHANARRI – Enhances pupils’ Safe wellbeing indicator by improving the quality and safety of outdoor seating areas.
A huge well done to Freya, Ella, Adam, Harry and Arran for their fantastic performance in the recent badminton competition! Each of them showed determination, teamwork and great sporting spirit throughout the event, representing our school with pride.
Their success links closely to important UNCRC Rights, including Article 29: the right to develop talents and abilities and Article 31: the right to play and take part in sports and cultural activities. By taking part in this competition, the pupils had the opportunity to grow their skills, challenge themselves and celebrate what they can achieve.
The competition also supported several UN Global Goals, especially Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, as the children stayed active and looked after their physical fitness, and Goal 4: Quality Education, where sport contributes to confidence, resilience and personal growth.
Throughout their training and on the day of the event, all five pupils demonstrated key metaskills—including focus, resilience, teamwork, self-management and problem-solving. These skills not only helped them succeed on the court but will support them in learning and in life.
We are incredibly proud of Freya, Ella, Adam, Harry and Arran for their achievements and the positive example they set. Well done, badminton stars! 🌟🏸
Portpatrick Primary pupils recently joined the local Rotary Club to plant crocuses as part of the Crocus Campaign, a global initiative to eradicate polio. Each purple flower represents hope and progress toward a future where all children are free from this preventable disease.
The project also supported key UNCRC Rights, giving pupils the chance to learn about their right to health (Article 24) and their right to be heard (Article 12) as they took an active role in a meaningful global cause. Through teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and responsibility, pupils strengthened important metaskills that will support them in learning and in life.
By taking part, the children also contributed directly to the UN Global Goals, especially Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Their actions show how local community efforts can connect to worldwide change.
As these crocuses bloom, they will brighten the village and stand as a living reminder of Portpatrick Primary’s commitment to making a positive impact—locally and globally—one flower at a time.
UNCRC – Highlights children’s Right to Health (Article 24) through active involvement in a global health campaign.
Four Capacities – Builds pupils’ skills as Responsible Citizens contributing to their community.
SHANARRI – Promotes pupils feeling Included in meaningful community action.
A Wonderful Day of Stories, Songs, and Creativity in Portpatrick!
Pupils from Portpatrick Primary and St Joseph’s Primary enjoyed a fantastic joint learning experience this week as they spent the day together in Portpatrick. After a lovely lunch, the children took part in an engaging and energetic storytelling session with author Alan Windram, creator of the much-loved One Button Benny series.
Alan brought the stories to life through expressive reading, actions, and interactive moments that had every child joining in with excitement. Pupils explored how illustrations are created by looking closely at drawings from the books, inspiring their own creativity and curiosity about how stories are made.
A highlight of the day was working together to create an original song, linked to the themes in Alan’s books. The children sang, moved, and even finished the session with a dance, celebrating their learning in a fun and memorable way.
Linking to SHANARRI
The experience strongly supported the SHANARRI Wellbeing Indicators:
Safe & Healthy: Children were supported in a safe environment while being active through song, actions, and dance.
Achieving: They developed literacy skills through storytelling, listening, and contributing ideas.
Building Meta-Skills
The session also helped pupils develop key meta-skills, including:
Creativity: Designing a song, acting out stories, and exploring illustrations.
Communication: Listening carefully, joining in with actions, sharing ideas, and singing together.
🎅✨ Sponsored Santa Stroll – Join the Festive Fun! ✨🎄
Portpatrick Primary is delighted to invite everyone to our Sponsored Santa Stroll on Thursday, 18th December, from 2.00pm to 3.00pm!
We’ll be taking a cheerful route around the village, and whether you choose to stroll 🚶♂️, saunter 🚶♀️, or sprint 🏃♂️, we’d love to see you there. Don’t forget to dress in your most festive finery – think Santa hats 🎅, tinsel ✨, Christmas jumpers 🎄, and plenty of jingling bells 🔔!
After the stroll, please join us back at the school for some warm and welcoming refreshments ☕🍪.
To help support our school, families and friends are invited to collect sponsorship. Sponsor forms are available from the school office, or you can download one by clicking on the document below 📄⬇️.
A huge thank you for supporting our school and helping us spread some Christmas cheer 🎁❤️. We can’t wait to celebrate the season with you!
We are thrilled to share that our school has been awarded the Silver School Sport Award for 2025! This recognises our commitment to high quality sport and physical activity, supported by sportscotland.
A special thank you to Alison from Active Schools for her fantastic support. With her help and the enthusiasm of our pupils and staff, our after school club, Daily Mile and many other activities from providers such as Wigtownshire Rugby, we continue to help our children stay active, healthy and engaged.
We are extremely proud of this achievement and our ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of all our children.
This achievement links to:
UNCRC: Article 31 the right to play and sport
SHANARRI: Active, Healthy, Included
SDGs: Goal 3 Good Health and Wellbeing
Meta skills: Teamwork, resilience, self management
This isOur Faith: Nurturing every child’s God given potential
