"Anchored in Excellence"
After a verification assessment today, we are delighted to announce we have been awarded our shiny, new Digital Schools Accreditation. Portpatrick, Kirkcolm and Leswalt are the first schools in Dumfries and Galloway to achieve this recognition for our ongoing commitment to a digital technologies approach for our school.
We can now share our certificate and new award badge.
UNCRC Rights of the Child – 28 Access to Education, 29 – Aims of Education
Our Partnership Primary 6 pupils attended Operation Safety at Stair Park on Tuesday as part of an education and awareness service operated by our emergency services.
The children participated in workshops on a range of key themes to help educate them on dangers they may face and how best to manage risk to keep themselves as safe, healthy and trouble free as possible.
The workshops attended were:
Our pupils developed a deeper awareness of the potential risks and discussed strategies to help them cope sensibly with risky situations.
Thank you to our emergency services for a very informative day and worthwhile day.
UNCRC Rights of the Child:
6 – Life, survival and development
16 – Protection of Privacy
17 – Access to Information
33 – Protection from harmful drugs
Sustainable Development Goals:
3 Good Health and Wellbeing
Pupils from Portpatrick and St. Joseph’s primaries joined together to enjoy a day of outdoor learning at Logan Botanical Gardens. The children headed off in the sunshine for two workshops.
Primary 4 – 7 pupils explored different ways of experiencing our local habitat to find out some of the ways that environmental factors shape the biodiversity and the landscapes we live in. They practiced creative mapping techniques using scale. They learned how to represent and connect to their surroundings by recognising the four cardinal directions using compass bearings between features in a landscape. This helped them develop the meta-skills of sense-making and curiosity.
After the workshops there was time for the children to enjoy a picnic lunch in the beautiful gardens. It was a fantastic day thanks to the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh.
Janet from Creative Stranraer came to visit our school on Monday this week to tell the children about the exciting Cycling Festival which is happening in Stranraer soon. She was looking to gather ideas from the children as to what type of activities they would like to see at the event. As expected, the children were full of fantastic ideas including…
Janet was delighted with the children’s suggestions. She plans on seeing if any can be used for the event. She hopes to see the children and families at the Cycling Festival soon – keep a look out for dates!
Portpatrick and St. Joseph’s football teams enjoyed a practice session in the sun today. Our two coaches, John & John were on hand to offer tips, advice and guidance to our eager team players. Wishing our teams good luck at the Academy tomorrow.
UNCRC Rights of the Child – Article 15: Joining groups, Article 24 – Health
SHANARRI – Healthly, Active, Included
Well done to our great wee team of football players for playing their first matches at the inter-school 7-a-side matches on Friday. There was great team spirit from everyone. Thank you to Mr Morrison as our team coach. There will be a replay again in a fortnight’s time.
UNCRC Rights of the Child – Article 15: Setting up and Joining Groups, Article 24: Health
SHANARRI – Active, Included
Primary 5-7 were invited to attend the Ryan Centre this afternoon for a musical experience. This was presented by the Stranraer Music for All team.
We were able to listen and enjoy a range of of instruments from guitar to harps.
This afternoon we went to the Music for All workshop at the Ryan Centre. When we got off the bus, we went into the theatre and sat down. There were two people playing instruments: Ron playing the guitar and Rachael playing the clarsach (a small harp).
They started with a few tunes then Rachael told us about her clarsach – she told us that it was made of Canadian wood and that the strings were made from cows guts. Then Ron and Rachael played some traditional Scottish songs while we played air harps along with them!
They finished off with some questions from the audience then a final song. We had a great afternoon!
UNCRC Article 31 – Right to take part in cultural and creative activities.
We are pleased to receive this letter from Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland.
She is delighted with our work in celebrating our Scots Language.
Have a read for yourself.
Well done everyone!
UNCRC Rights of the Child: Article 7 – Nationality
Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education
SHANARRI – Included
Our environmentally conscious pupils rolled up their sleeves to look after our coastal habitats today. We were marking the occasion of World Water Day and we were participating in The Litter League Spring Clean 2024 – Keep Scotland Beautiful Campaign too. Our pupils happily marched down to the village beach, just catching the sunshine between showers. The responsible children gave the area a good spring clean to help contribute positively to our communities. We were joined by Brenda from ONUS (Our Oceans Need Us) too.
There was lots of plastic to be found and the children had much discussion on being responsible with our litter and waste as we know it can harm marine and land wildlife, as well as being unsightly.
We worked in partnership with our local Community Safety Officers who arranged for the loan of litter picking equipment and organised the collection of the rubbish we found.
The activity fits in well with our Eco Schools Target for Litter and Waste.
UNCRC Rights of the Child: Article 24 Health, Water, Food & the Environment
Sustainable Development Goal: 13 – Life on Land, 14: Life below Water
SHANARRI – Responsible
What a day of fun and activities we had today! The whole school community came together to raise money for a very worthwhile local cause – Our Local Blood Bikes.
We started off events with a very well attended coffee morning. We were able to offer a cornucopia of delicious home baking donated by our village community. Our parents kindly gave their time to man the kettle and dish out sweet treats to everyone who came along. Whilst this was happening, Jenny who leads Envy Street Dance, gave the children a dance workshop. The children later performed their routine to entertain our audience.
Next on the agenda was Beat the Goalie with Mr Morrison. Lewis managed to get three goals in and was crowned the winner! Cameron was the winner of the sock challenge, pairing the most in a one minute dash. There was name the teddy, who is now crowned ‘Cookie’ and has gone to his new home with Barbara. There were lots of raffle prizes kindly donated by our community for our fundraising draw.
There was much excitement and hilarity as the children eagerly lined up to ‘soak the teacher’ in a sponge throwing challenge. Miss Shelley and Mrs Copeland were both great sports and had their waterproof mascara in place.
In the afternoon, the children were delighted to have Dave Hook, chairman and Garry Lansin, trustee, arrive on their brand new blood bikes named Heather and Natalie which were purchased through charitable donations in memory of loved ones.
The boys and girls asked lots of interesting questions to find out more about the voluntary service the Blood Bike team offer to help save lives in our rural community. They were thrilled to get to sit on the bikes.
Our house captains, Lewis and Atticus, and Ella proudly presented a cheque for an impressive £450.
To finish off the day, the children lined up to give lots of cheers to wave the gents off.
Our very grateful thanks to EVERYONE who made today possible.
UNCRC Rights of the Child – Article 26: Social & Economic Help
Sustainable Development Goal – 3: Good health & Wellbeing, 10: Reduced Inequalities
SHANARRI – Responsible
Photo dump…
