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)

Portpatrick Primary were delighted to collaborate with Portpatrick Hotel, who kindly hosted our recent school fundraiser coffee morning. The event was a fantastic success, bringing together our school community for a morning full of chat, warmth and delicious treats!

There was a vast selection of homemade cakes and bakes on offer, lovingly donated by the hotel, families and friends of the school. Visitors also enjoyed browsing our stall, including a very popular raffle and “Name the Teddy” competition.

The children showed their enterprising spirit by creating willow eco-friendly bird feeders with the help of Reverend Brakey and Mrs Ross. They also gained valuable experiences for learning, life, and work, taking on roles as greeters, hosts, salespeople, and table clearers throughout the morning.

Thanks to the generosity and support of our wonderful community, we’re thrilled to share that we raised an amazing £500! 🎉

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who donated baking, raffle prizes, time, and money, and a special shout-out to Jodie, Winnie, and the super staff at Portpatrick Hotel for their kindness and hospitality.

We are so proud of our pupils and grateful to everyone who helped make this event such a success! 💙

UNCRC Article: 12 – Right to join in and be included

MetaSkill: Collaboration

SDG: 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

CfE Capacity: Effective Contributor

SHANARRI: Included

This week our classroom was buzzing with excitement as we explored how rockets work. We began by learning about the science of thrust – the force that pushes rockets up into the sky. The children discovered that rockets need fuel, and that when gases are released quickly, they create the power to make a rocket move.

To bring this to life, everyone had the chance to design and launch their very own rocket. Using plastic tubes, bicarbonate of soda, and vinegar, the children worked carefully to measure, mix, and prepare their rocket fuel. With great anticipation, we counted down, stepped back, and watched as the rockets went WHOOSH! into the air. There were lots of cheers and even more curiosity about why some rockets went higher than others.

This hands-on experiment was a brilliant way to blend science, creativity, and teamwork. The children not only developed their understanding of forces but also their confidence in trying new ideas, testing, and problem solving.

We can’t wait to see what our young scientists will explore next!

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Links to Learning

• UNCRC Article 28 – Every child has the right to an education.
• UNCRC Article 29 – Education should develop every child’s talents and abilities.
• SDG 4: Quality Education – Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities.
• Metaskills: Curiosity (asking questions, exploring how things work), Collaboration (working together safely), Problem Solving (testing, adapting and improving designs), Creativity (designing their own rockets).

💙 Our policies are about more than words — they’re about caring for each other every day.

We follow national, regional and school policies, and last year our own school Respect for All policy was created in consultation with Parent Council. This has recently been updated in line with national and regional guidelines.

This term we shared a child-friendly version with our pupils, and discussed it together to gain their agreement on it. They fed back that want links with our school values.

How Our Policy Links to Key Frameworks

• UNCRC – Article 12: Pupils’ voices are heard and valued in decisions that affect them.
• SHANARRI: Children feel Safe, Respected, and Included.
• Sustainable Development Goals: Learning promotes fairness, equality, and global responsibility.
• Metaskills: Pupils develop creativity, collaboration, resilience, and problem-solving.
• This Is Our Faith: Pupils grow in faith, moral understanding, and values.

Have a look at what was agreed:

Here is our adult version:

National Policy

Today our class went on a trip to Tongland Power Station, near Kirkcudbright. It was amazing to see how electricity is made using water from the River Dee.

When we arrived, the staff welcomed us and explained that Tongland is a hydro-electric power station. That means it uses the energy of moving water to turn turbines, which then make electricity. We were surprised at how powerful the rushing water sounded!

We learned that Tongland has been producing clean energy for almost 100 years. Instead of burning coal or gas, it uses a renewable source – water – which helps to protect the planet.

Walking around the station, we saw big machines, control panels, and even the river flowing into the dam. The engineers told us about their jobs and how important it is to keep everything running safely.

The trip made us think about how much we rely on electricity every day – for lights, computers, cooking, and even charging our phones. It also made us realise we need to use energy wisely.

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What we learned connects to:

MetaSkills

• Curiosity: We asked lots of questions about how electricity is made.
• Creativity: We imagined new ways to save and use energy.
• Collaboration: We worked together in groups to take notes and share ideas.

UNCRC Rights

• Article 12: We had the right to share our views and ask questions.
• Article 24: We have the right to a safe and healthy environment, which renewable energy supports.
• Article 29: Education should help us learn how to care for our world.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: Tongland produces renewable electricity.
• SDG 13 – Climate Action: Hydro power helps reduce climate change.
• SDG 15 – Life on Land: Using clean energy helps protect animals, plants, and nature.

As part of our ongoing drive to raise attainment in literacy, we are committed to building a culture of reading for pleasure among our pupils. Recently, thanks to an opportunity provided by the Scottish Book Trust, our pupils from St Joseph’s and Portpatrick enjoyed an inspiring morning at Stranraer Academy with celebrated children’s author Martin Stewart.

Stewart is well known for his debut novel Riverkeep and, more recently, his children’s series featuring Sandy Fin. The pupils were thrilled to hear him read from his latest book, Sandy Fin: Operation Splash Landing. His engaging style captured imaginations and opened up conversations about where story ideas come from.

During the workshop, Martin encouraged the children to see how inspiration for writing can come from anywhere; a day at the shore, an unusual animal, or even just a unique name. This practical insight showed our pupils that creativity is within everyone’s reach.

The session ended with a lively question-and-answer opportunity, where pupils asked thoughtful and curious questions about Martin’s work, his journey as an author, and the process of writing books. It was wonderful to see our learners so engaged and motivated.

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Links to Learning Frameworks

UNCRC: Supports creativity (Article 29) and freedom of expression (Article 13).

SHANARRI: Builds Nurtured and Successful learners.

SDGs: Links to SDG 4 — Quality Education.

Metaskills: Encourages Creativity, Communication, Curiosity, and Resilience.

Four Capacities: Promotes Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Responsible Citizens, and Effective Contributors.

On Tuesday 16th September, pupils from St. Joseph’s R.C. Primary and Portpatrick Primary shared an unforgettable day of learning and excitement.

The morning kicked off with a STEM-themed Wider Achievement Day. Children took part in autumn, and Halloween inspired challenges, including building zip lines, rafts, bridges and shelters for LEGO mini-figures, competing in Blooket quizzes, and joining digital learning sessions exploring patterns, coding, and budgeting. Teamwork, creativity and problem-solving were in full swing!

In the afternoon, excitement soared as the Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance helicopter landed on the school field. Pupils waved banners, met mascot Nevis, signed the official Skyward Challenge banner, spoke with the pilot and paramedics, and explored the lifesaving equipment onboard.

The visit was part of the Skyward Challenge, a nationwide campaign supporting Operation Skyward, with St. Joseph’s securing the honour for our region through a fund raising competition.

How this links to our learning:

• UNCRC (Article 31): Pupils had the right to play, create and have fun while learning.
• Metaskills: Pupils practised problem-solving, creativity, teamwork and adaptability through STEM challenges and working together.
• SHANARRI – Active: Everyone joined in, got involved, and stayed curious throughout the day.
• Sustainable Development Goals – Quality Education: Pupils worked together, solved problems, and learned new STEM skills.
• Curriculum for Excellence – Successful Learners: Children practised teamwork, creativity, and digital skills while exploring real-world challenges.

On Friday 12th September, our new cohort of Digital Leaders from across the West Rhins Partnership gathered at St. Joseph’s, Portpatrick for their first training day of the year.

After a quick hello to all the boys and girls at Portpatrick, Ms. Whorlow warmly welcomed the group and thanked Josh and Arran for hosting our meeting at their school. The excitement and enthusiasm of our new team of Digital Leaders shone through from the very start!

Exploring Roles and Responsibilities

The children discussed what it means to be a Digital Leader – from supporting classmates with digital learning to promoting online safety and leading clubs. They were eager to take on these responsibilities and develop their leadership skills.

Skills Training

To prepare for their roles, the Digital Leaders took part in a range of hands-on activities, including:

• Logging in: mastering Glow accounts and setting up diaries with login details.
• Websites: creating bookmarks and setting favourites, including Sumdog.
• QR Codes: generating, saving, and printing QR codes for classmates to use.
• Emails: practicing professional email use; from attachments to folders and flagging.

Leaders of Learning

The group planned the first series of Digital Skills Clubs to take place back in their schools. These will cover:

• Logging on, emails, and QR codes
• Coding projects using Microbits or Spheros
• Internet safety awareness

A Digi Skills Suggestion Box will also be introduced in each school so pupils can request support or suggest future club ideas.

Looking Ahead

The Digital Leaders will be working together across schools on:

• Running coding sessions in November and December
• Organising activities for Internet Safety Day (10th February 2026)
• Sharing new ideas for Digi-Clubs regularly via email

As a team, the children identified important metaskills they were using: communicating, critical thinking, initiative, leading, and collaborating.

We are very proud of our Digital Leaders – they are already making a positive difference in their schools and are excited to share their skills with others!

There was time to enjoy a break with partnership friends before the group returned to their classes.

Have a read of the minutes of the meeting here:

Links to Our Wider Values

• UNCRC Article: Article 17 – every child has the right to reliable information from a variety of sources, especially those aimed at their wellbeing.
• SHANARRI: Safe – promoting safe use of technology through internet safety.
• Sustainable Development Goal: Goal 4 – Quality Education, ensuring inclusive and equitable opportunities for digital learning.
• Four Capacities for Learning: Confident Individuals – building self-belief through leadership and digital skills.
• God’s Loving Plan: Respecting ourselves and others by using our talents to support our community.