All posts by K. Mayer

event, Holly Cram

Game On Scotland Event: 26 March, Dundee

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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?

Graph showing participant rating of previous eventsTeachers, 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

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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!

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Two more Secondary schools to receive the Game On Plaque

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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!

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[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.

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1000 tickets for Game On Scotland

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Game On Scotland is delighted to have been allocated 1000 ‘Legacy Tickets’ by the Scottish Government. The education programme aims to engage learners across Scotland with the Games by creating exciting learning opportunities across the curriculum. These tickets will be instrumental in contextualising learning and provide young people with the once in a life time experience that helps to create a lasting legacy well beyond the Games itself.

If you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to be considered for Legacy tickets’ through Game On Scotland make sure your school is part of the ‘Game On Challenge‘ network and features on the interactive map.

Game On – “Be part of it!”

Glow Meet, Holly Cram

‘Meet’ Holly Cram, the Game On Ambassador: Thur, 30 Jan, 10am

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‘Game On Scotland’ Special:  

Holly Cram – the Game On Scotland Ambassador live on Glow

30 January, 10.00

http://bit.ly/1eDHCnt

 Holly, a Scottish International Hockey player with over 140 caps, has join the Game On Scotland Team as official ambassador to assist schools in making the most of the exciting opportunities the 2014 Commonwealth Games offer young people.

Holly will tell you about her exciting carreer as a international hockey player and share some of her insights into what makes a successful team player.  She will also answer any questions you always wanted to ask a top athlete!

See you all on Thursday!  Game On!

Award, Game On Challenge, Holly Cram

Oban High School – first to receive plaque in Argyll and Bute

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Image courtesy of Oban Times

Oban High School is the first school in Argyll and Bute to receive the Game On Scotland plaque for the challenges it has set itself to provide exciting learning opportunities around the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the legacy it believes this will create for young people, the school and its wider community.  The plaque has been handed to the head teacher, Peter Bain, by the Game On Scotland ambassador, Holly Cram.  Holly says:  Oban High School’s commitment to providing a variety of exciting leaning opportunities around the Games and its dedication to improving learners’ health and wellbeing well beyond the Games is commendable.  We hope many other schools in Argyll and Bute will be encouraged by the school’s challenge posted on Game On Scotland and join the many establishments across the Commonwealth in creating and sharing their own learning experiences.”

 Oban High School has already engaged their learners in Games related activities ranging from a variety of challenges set for tutor groups to senior coaching classes.  This will culminate in a cluster sports day in during the summer term.  Murray Hamilton (PT- Health & Wellbeing) believes that the Games related activities will help to build a positive whole school ethos and healthier approach to life by young people.  Murray says:  We hope that the legacy of 2014 will live on and health and wellbeing will no longer have to be explained, it will be the norm!

Award, Game On Challenge, Holly Cram, plaque, Uncategorized

Pitlochry High School – third school to receive Game On Scotland Plaque

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Game On Scotland ambassador Holly Cram awarded Pitlochry High School with the Game On plaque for the challenges they have set themselves to creating exciting learning experiences in the wake of the Commonwealth Games. 

The school has planned a whole year of challenges around the Games, ranging from inter-house activity days with Dragon’s Den presentations of their own mascot design to exploring the Commonwealth values. An extensive programme of sporting and outdoor initiatives support the agenda with swim- and bikeathons, extra curricular athletics, badminton competitions organised by the Youth Sport ambassadors, climbing, kayaking & mountaineering and even ‘Street Dance’ sessions. The school will conclude the year with two major events, the Primary Cluster and the High School Commonwealth Sports Day.

Congratulations and best wishes from the Game On Scotland team.

Competition

Big Big Sing – Songwriting Competiton

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Write a Commonwealth Games song!

Big Big Sing is a nationwide celebration of singing that will inspire thousands of people to get singing in the lead up to and during Games Time.  As part of this project, Big Big Sing is running an exciting songwriting competition open to Primary and Secondary School pupils in Scotland. 

 Big Big Sing invites pupils to write a song inspired by the Commonwealth Games, pupils can work individually or as a class to write a song between three and five minutes in length.  With the games just around the corner there’s no shortage of inspiration for budding songwriters!

 There’s a fantastic prize on offer which includes having a video of the winning song made and performing the song in front of thousands as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme! One winning entry will be picked from each category (Primary and Secondary School) by an expert judging panel.

 Prize up for grabs:

 –  A special video of entrants performing the song

–   A recording of the song included and promoted on the Big Big Sing website

 –   A performance spot at the BIG Big Big Sing event in Glasgow during July 2014.

 For full guidelines and to find out more about the competition and the project in general please visit http://www.bigbigsing.org/start-singing/song-competition/.

Legacy 2014, Uncategorized

We are expanding: Join the Game On Scotland Team!

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Education Scotland wishes to appoint a Development Officer, Game On Scotland for a period of 12 months. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with a proven track record of successful professional experience in leading and delivering high quality learning across a range of contexts and stages, ideally including global citizenship.

The post holder will: work with the Senior Education Officer, development officers and with other teams from across all directorates within the organisation. The post holder will work in partnership with colleagues from across the education system, Scottish Government and other national organisations and third sector groups to develop, promote and support more effective and innovative approaches to learning using the Commonwealth Games as a context; to promote links across local authorities and other national bodies and organisations; and to contribute to the embedding of Curriculum for Excellence within the broad general education and senior phase.

Candidates should possess a relevant degree in teaching and be registered with the GTCS, and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

The successful candidate will remain on their employer’s salary rate, terms and conditions. They will continue to be paid by their employer and will remain an employee of their organisation during the period of secondment.

Closing date for applications: Friday, 10 January 2014.

For more information and application documents please go to Education Scotland’s vacancies.