Clyde, Games Legacy, Holly Cram, Legacy 2014

Game On for Scotland’s Island Authorities

February 24, 2014 User deactivated 1 Comment

Education programme tour of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles

Glasgow 2014 mascot Clyde will spend this week (23-28 Feb) touring Scotland’s island local authorities, visiting schools and spreading excitement about the upcoming Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The visits to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles have been organised by Game On Scotland, the education programme of the Games, and will also involve appearances by the programme’s ambassador, Scotland hockey star Holly Cram.

Both Clyde and Holly will be surprising pupils who’ve been using the Games to inspire their learning, visiting 24 schools across the three local authorities. In addition, they’ll be meeting with Youth Legacy Ambassadors and local community and sports groups. The visits coincide with the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council’s Legacy Week, which provides a spotlight on Legacy 2014 opportunities and benefits across Scotland.

On Friday, Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages, will present a Game On Scotland plaque to Tong Primary School on the Isle of Lewis, in recognition of their Games-related work. Throughout the week other schools across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles will be recognised in a similar way.

Paul Zealey, Head of Engagement and Legacy at Glasgow 2014, said:

“More than a quarter of a million children and young people are already benefitting from participating in Game On Scotland, the official Glasgow 2014 education programme.

“By the end of this Legacy Week, our mascot Clyde will have taken opportunities to learn from the Games to schools in every local authority area in Scotland.”

Alison Drever Senior Education Officer, Education Scotland said:

“We are delighted to see the high level of creativity and enthusiasm of children and young people engaged with Game On Scotland, both across the islands and in schools across the country. It is inspiring to see the innovative approaches from learners and practitioners alike to provide inspirational learning opportunities around the Games.”

event, Holly Cram

Game On Scotland Event: 26 March, Dundee

February 11, 2014 K. Mayer 2 Comments

Last in the series!

With just over 20 weeks to go before the biggest multi-sport and cultural event ever to come to Scotland, we invite practitioners to find out more on how the Commonwealth Games may provide a unique opportunities to create stimulating learning across the curriculum and beyond.

What will be delivered?
The event will showcase inspirational initiatives from schools across the spectrum and highlight a vast amount of resources and opportunities available to teachers ensuring that, together, we are able to deliver a lasting legacy for learning.

Addresses will be delivered by a wide range of inspirational speakers covering topics from international programmes to physical and Games related education.

A variety of engaging workshops delivered by practitioners and organisations will provide practical, hands-on exemplification on the impact of using the Games as a context for learning. Workshop sessions will include:

case studies from primary and secondary schools
inspirational address by people directly engaged with the Games and its legacy
international education and partnerships
funding opportunities around food education in the context of the Games
cluster and local authority initiatives

View the Game On Scotland Event DRAFT programme – 26 March, Dundee.

Who should attend?

Teachers, lead staff and those with a whole school responsibility for Games Legacy, including cluster initiatives and wider curriculum remits related to the Games (e.g. active schools coordinator, health and wellbeing).

This is the third event of our CPD series, following events in Glasgow and Inverness. The previous two events were considered useful by over 98% of delegates attending.

How to register:

We invite you to join us for an inspirational day of sharing and collaborative thinking around a variety of exciting opportunities by registering for the event online or directly with Diane Carson: Diane.Carson@educationscotland.gov.uk

Active, Award, Game On Challenge, Game On Scotland Plaque, Holly Cram

First Edinburgh Schools to receive Game On Plaque

February 8, 2014 K. Mayer Leave a comment

Wester Hailes Education Centre and Pilrig Park Special School joined the list of ‘firsts’ to be awarded the Game On Scotland Plaque. Amidst an exciting programme for young people to engage in the Commonwealth Games, Wester Hailes Education Centre became the first secondary school in Edinburgh to receive the award by the Game On Scotland ambassador, Holly Cram, on a day of activities from street dance to gymnastics. Holly also provided a coaching session for the school’s girls hockey team. The day was also supported by former Gold medallist Steve Frew who set learners a number of gymnastic challenges stretching from the pommel horse to ring exercises.

Pilrig Park Special School put on an exciting award ceremony for Holly and Education Scotland celebrating their plaque award. The head boy and girl, the Legacy ambassadors and Baton bearer as well as head teacher Ellen Muir outlined the impressive record of Games related activities of the school from their own Commonwealth Song and dance performance to learning about the 70 nations and territories.

Well done to both schools.

Game On!

Award, Game On Challenge, Game On Scotland Plaque

Two more Secondary schools to receive the Game On Plaque

February 5, 2014 K. Mayer Leave a comment

Lourdes Secondary School and Shawlands Academy have both joined the award winning secondary schools now to hold the Game On Scotland Plaque for using the Games as an inspiring context for learning.

The teacher leading the initiative at Lourdes, Kerry McSween, says: This is an excellent and fun opportunity for the pupils to be actively involved in their learning. The projects are giving the pupils the opportunity to learn about different countries and cultures in a more inspiring and motivating way, whilst giving them the opportunity to learn and enhance their experience of the Commonwealth Games.

Shawlands Academy has a long history of using the Games to create exciting learning experiences for their pupils. Amongst their accolades are their participation in Glasgow’s bid for the Youth Olympics, submitting the winning design for the official Glasgow 2014 Tartan and being part of the Queen’s Baton presentation at Buckingham Palace last October. Now the school is determined to get the whole school and its community inspired to engage with the Games by implementing an extensive cross –curricular, whole school programme.

Active, Glasgow 2014, Sport

Game On: Sport Your Trainers for Glasgow 2014!

February 5, 2014 K. Mayer 6 Comments

[Please click here to visit the latest Sport Your Trainers post, including details of a great blog competition!]

The countdown is on, with less than six months until the best athletes from 70 nations and territories arrive in Scotland to compete at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

To warm up for Scotland’s biggest-ever festival of sport and culture, you are invited to join in with Glasgow 2014’s annual Commonwealth Day celebration, Sport Your Trainers. The big event will take place on 10 March 2014 and organisers are continuing their tradition of encouraging young people to wear their trainers on the day as a symbolic gesture of support for Glasgow 2014. It doesn’t stop there: in the lead up to summer, the Games provide a platform for learning across the curriculum and beyond.

Sport Your Trainers is a great opportunity to bring the XX Commonwealth Games to life in your school, group or local community. Game On Scotland, the official Glasgow 2014 education programme, contains a wealth of information, resources and opportunities which can be used to design your own inspiring Sport Your Trainers activities. Why not learn about the nations and territories of the Commonwealth or arrange taster sessions in Games’ sports? Sport Your Trainers provides the perfect moment to celebrate Games-related learning and activities as we count down to the Opening Ceremony.

Over half of the people in the Commonwealth are under 25 years of age and we want to make sure that the children and young people of Scotland have every chance to engage with Glasgow 2014. Why not start making plans today?

To register for this Scotland-wide project and to receive a link to a Digital Toolkit filled with Sport Your Trainers resources, please email SportYourTrainers@glasgow2014.com

Please note pupils are encouraged to wear their trainers to school on Sport Your Trainers day, Monday 10 March. However, it is not compulsory. Local Authorities/school senior management should use their discretion as to whether this is appropriate footwear for their schools.

Clyde, Game On Challenge, plaque

Blackwood, Killermont, Mossvale & St James’s all awarded plaques

February 4, 2014 User deactivated 3 Comments

Clyde was continuing his Game On Scotland tour today, his 7th day of this most recent tour visiting schools around Scotland. Once again he was recognising excellent Games-related learning by awarding Game On Scotland plaques to some of the schools on his travels. Today began with a plaque presentation to Blackwood Primary, South Lanarkshire then onto Killermont Primary in East Dunbartonshire and finishing at St James’s and Mossvale Primaries in Renfrewshire. All four schools were the first in their area to receive the Game On Scotland accolade for their use of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a context for learning. Congratulations!

If your school would like to receive a Game On Scotland plaque (as well as a range of other benefits, including mascot visits), then make sure you register a Game On Challenge, telling us about your plans.

Clyde, Game On Challenge, Inspire>Aspire, plaque

Banchory and Broxburn latest schools to receive plaques

February 3, 2014 User deactivated 2 Comments

Into the second week of his Game On Scotland tour and Clyde stopped at Banchory Primary in Clackmannanshire and Broxburn Primary in West Lothian, awarding both schools Game On Scotland plaques in recognition of their great Glasgow 2014 work. Congratulations to both schools, which are the first in their local authority areas to receive a plaque.

Banchory Primary has made excellent use of the materials and opportunities available on the Game On Scotland site, taking part in Glow Meets, using the learning journeys and joining in with projects and competitions. The school has also been getting active with cycling a big part – pupils have been undertaking training and are now part of bike clubs, with funds raised to take a trip to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome later in the session. Speaking of fundraising, pupils also raised £800 through enterprise activities to support community projects in Ghana. That’s just a flavour of a huge range of activity, but the story here is very much about seizing opportunities to enhance learning and working with partners in the community to realise ambitions!

Meanwhile, at Broxburn, there are more great examples. Using the obvious connection to physical education as a starting point, the school has then broadened out their learning across the curriculum. The school gratefully acknowledges the support they’ve received from a Big Lottery grant, which has allowed them to secure training for staff and recruit sport coaches for after-school clubs. Amongst other things, the school has also been involved in learning around the Queen’s Baton Relay, the Inspire-Aspire programme and Champions in Schools.