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

January 17, 2014 K. Mayer 1 Comment

Oban HS Plaque — 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

January 13, 2014 K. Mayer 1 Comment

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

January 9, 2014 K. Mayer 2 Comments

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/.

Clyde, Educational resources, Game On Challenge, Glasgow 2014, Glow Meet, Holly Cram, Legacy 2014, Queen's Baton Relay

Game On Scotland: 2013 in review

December 20, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

As we approach the final days before the year of the Games begins, it seems an appropriate time to provide an update on some of the achievements of Game On Scotland since its launch in May of this year. Over 1200 Scottish schools have already engaged with the programme in some way, along with numerous youth groups and organisations, and we’ve also engaged others from across the Commonwealth.

It’s certainly been busy and, of course, we expect it to get even busier in 2014, which is why we’re looking for some help. So before this year ends, let’s take a look back at some of 2013’s Game On Scotland facts and figures.

1st May 2013, Game On Scotland launch

It all started with a bang, as Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, joined Cllr Archie Graham from Glasgow City Council and David Grevemberg, CEO of Glasgow 2014, at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. With a helping hand from Clyde and Hillhead Primary School pupils, the Game On Scotland programme went live, with a particular focus on the Athletes’ Village Art Competition. This flagship competition still has a few places remaining for schools yet to sign up – register with us and your pupils’ artwork will appear in the bedrooms of the 6500 athletes and officials coming to Glasgow next year. Hurry though, the deadline for registration is 17th January (deadline for submission of artwork is 28th February).

Game On Challenge

279 schools and organisations have now told us about their Glasgow 2014 learning plans, by submitting their Game On Challenge. Although the majority come from Scotland, we now have 11 Commonwealth nations and territories represented, including St Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha, one of the smallest territories in the Commonwealth.

We’ve also begun awarding Game On Scotland plaques to schools who are successfully demonstrating just how exciting the Games can be as a context for learning. Congratulations again to Crown Primary School in Inverness and to Comely Park Primary School in Falkirk for their achievements. Your school could be next, simply by telling us how you’ll be learning using the Games in a Game On Challenge entry.

Game On Scotland Ambassador

Just this month we were delighted to announce Scottish hockey star Holly Cram as the first Game On Scotland ambassador. As well as her athletic achievements, Holly is a qualified PE teacher and currently coaches at Dollar Academy. As we begin 2014, Holly will be taking part in Glow Meets, speaking at events and visiting schools to promote the Game On Scotland programme and the Games.

Learning Journeys

There are now 35 learning journeys available in the resources section of the site, covering all curricular areas and appropriate for all stages. These resources are designed to offer ideas to use with your class or group. To date, these resources have been downloaded over 20,000 times by teachers and educators – assuming that each resource is used with 20 learners, that could be 400,000 young people engaging with the Games!

Some of the most popular learning journeys so far have been:

CPD Events and Glow Meets

We’ve successfully delivered two national CPD events for teachers and educators, in Glasgow and Inverness, with at least one more to follow, likely to be in Dundee in February next year. Feedback has been outstanding, with 97% of delegates rating as either excellent or very good in terms of usefulness. Keep a look out for information on the next event, which will be released early in the new year.

We’re also midway through a programme of Glow Meets, with CPD events at the beginning of each month and events for learners at the end. We’ve linked each month to a curricular area and these events bring a particular focus to the Games as a context. Next up in the series is our “Maths/Numeracy and Game On Scotland” CPD session on 7th January.

Game On Scotland network

Although everything on the Game On Scotland site is freely available, we encourage teachers and educators to sign up to the network. As the programme is constantly evolving, with new information, resources and opportunities added on a regular basis, signing up ensures you can keep up! 3,500 have already joined our mailing list and receive the monthly updates we send, highlighting the latest content – join them by registering here.

Anything else?

Well we’ve also been helping Clyde to visit schools around the country, supporting engagement with the Queen’s Baton Relay and promoting all sorts of other education opportunities. It’s been a busy eight months, but there’s a lot more to come in the next eight as we set our sights on the largest multi-sport and cultural event ever to come to Scotland – if you haven’t already joined in the excitement, then sign up to play your part and get ready for Game On Scotland!

Legacy 2014, Uncategorized

We are expanding: Join the Game On Scotland Team!

December 20, 2013 K. Mayer Leave a comment

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.

Holly Cram

Welcome from Holly Cram, Game On Scotland Ambassador

December 17, 2013 K. Mayer 1 Comment

What an introduction to the Game on Scotland programme I had at Comley Park Primary in Falkirk. I am so thrilled to be part of a special team looking to make a lasting legacy in schools across Scotland and beyond. The Commonwealth Games offers the perfect opportunity to teach our youngsters about the world and will provide valuable learning and teaching opportunities. I have an action packed diary of visits, training and work so keep posted to see where and what I am up to in the build up to the games.

(Twitter: @hollycram)

Award, Game On Challenge

Scottish Education Awards 2014 – Category ‘Commonwealth Games’

December 12, 2013 K. Mayer Leave a comment

Nominations for the 2014 Scottish Education Awards are now open and this year any school involved in work around the Commonwealth Games and its legacy will have a unique chance to win! This of course applies particularly to schools who have already posted a Game On Challenge on our website.

Join our athletes in competing for the top award in 2014!

The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, 21 February 2014. For more information and to see the full list of categories, please visit the Scottish Education Awards website.

Clyde, Competition, Game On Challenge, Holly Cram, Legacy 2014

Holly Cram announced as Game On Ambassador

December 12, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Hockey player Holly Cram to support education legacy for Commonwealth Games

Scotland International hockey player Holly Cram has been confirmed today as the first ambassador for Game on Scotland – the official education programme for Glasgow 2014. As Game on Scotland ambassador, Holly will be involved in engaging directly with pupils across Scotland, as a positive role model she will talk at and attend various events such as school assemblies, award ceremonies and prize-givings, as well as Games themed learning events.

Speaking at Comely Park Primary School, Falkirk, where pupils enjoyed a hockey taster session led by Holly, Commonwealth Games and Sport Minister Shona Robison said,

“We are working hard to ensure that we grasp the unique opportunity that the Commonwealth Games will present in 2014 to inspire children and young people. One clear legacy of the Games is the chance to encourage young people to be the best they can be and the Game on Scotland programme offers a broad range of resources, information and opportunities to assist in learning.

“I’m delighted that Holly will join the programme as Ambassador, her drive and commitment as an athlete, makes her a great role model to inspire pupils and teachers alike. As well as her outstanding sporting achievements, she can talk knowledgably and credibly about achievement and attainment to inspire our young people.”

Holly Cram is a Scottish International and Glasgow Western Hockey Player. She has amassed over 140 caps for Scotland and previously competed for Team Scotland in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Holly has recently completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Physical Education at Strathclyde University, recently qualified as at teacher and currently coaches at Dollar Academy. Speaking today, she said:

“Representing Team Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games is one of the highlights of my hockey career and to compete again at a home Games in Glasgow is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m already seeing the effect and legacy impact the Games is having on my home city, as well as across the whole of Scotland, and the organisers have done an incredible job so far.

“I’m thrilled to be coming on board also as an Ambassador for Game on Scotland, to help spread learnings around the Games, and the impact they will have on our young people will be invaluable. Youngsters will be able to see first-hand how hard work and a little self-belief can make anyone successful.”

Alison Drever, Senior Education Officer at Education Scotland said,

“We are delighted to welcome Holly to the programme, especially today when we are awarding the second Game on Scotland plaque. The school has whole-heartedly embraced the Games to develop the understanding of what it means to be a global citizen, and is creating unique learning opportunities for their young people.”

Glasgow 2014 mascot Clyde joined in the fun, too, as Comely Park had won a recent competition to receive a visit from the cheeky thistle. The school was also presented with the second Game on Scotland plaque, for its far reaching plans to develop a whole school focus on global citizenship and health and wellbeing through engaging with the Commonwealth Games. Your school can also receive a plaque, by telling us about your exciting Games-related learning plans in the Game On Challenge.

Educational resources, Glasgow 2014, International Education, RME

Human Rights Day 2013

December 10, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Today is international Human Rights Day, celebrated across the globe on 10 December every year. Sixty-five years ago on this date, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaiming its principles as the “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.”

The day has been marked by commemorative events across the globe and by the publication of a range of documents, including Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP), aimed at improving human rights protection in Scotland, and Glasgow 2014’s own plan for how it will approach human rights. Seventy nations and territories, representing one third of the world’s population – half of them under the age of 25 – will take part in the Games and the diversity of circumstances can make for an excellent link to discussion of human rights issues.

During the month of December, Game On Scotland is focusing on the Religious and Moral Education (RME) curricular area and the discussion of human rights can be an important part of this. On the Game On Scotland site, you’ll even find a learning journey designed to help explore human rights in the context of the Games. In addition, the next Glow meet for learners, part of our regular series, will take place on 17th December at 11am, again with an RME theme – sign up to take part here.

Competition, International Education, International partnerships, The Commonwealth Class

UK Schools needed for Commonwealth Class Competition

December 6, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Commonwealth Class are searching for fifteen UK schools to take part in a special element of the programme which will see them placed into teams with nine other schools from across the Commonwealth.

Teams will work on a series of monthly collaborative projects between January and May 2014 with prizes given for the best work each month. The project can be carried out within your school as a single class or organised across subjects or year groups. Schools must be able to commit to spending at least one lesson per week on the project. Monthly project activities will lead up to a celebration of the work at the end of May 2014. This could be an online gallery, a film, a book or a blog that will be judged and an overall winning team will be selected. Each school from the winning team will be invited to send one teacher and one student (aged 10 or above) to visit Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games in July/August 2014!

During the project each team will follow the progress of a Commonwealth athlete as they prepare to compete at Glasgow 2014. Athletes that have signed up include Olympic Triathlon gold medallist Alistair Brownlee, Team Scotland athlete Eilidh Child, the fastest man in the world Usain Bolt and the British Council’s own Susie Rodgers. Depending on the athletes’ schedule, schools will have the chance to communicate with them as they train for The Games.

Organisers are looking for the most committed and enthusiastic schools for this unique and exciting project. To apply for a place in a Commonwealth Class team you should complete the application form and return to the address noted within, by Friday 20 December. Places will be given to the schools that in 200 words best say why they want to take part in Commonwealth Class and how joining the project will benefit their school community.

If you are not selected for a team there’s still plenty of opportunities for your school to take part in Commonwealth Class. The education pack is an excellent resource to introduce your class to the Commonwealth and its values, and you can download a PDF copy by visiting British Council Schools Online. The weekly BBC debates are a great opportunity for your students to converse with their peers in real time. The debates so far have been lively discussions on themes including importance of learning languages and island living. At the next debate on Thursday 12 December they’ll be discussing the effects of sport on self-esteem and confidence. Your class can contribute to the discussion on Thursday by emailing comments to the BBC debate moderators at commonwealthclass@bbc.co.uk.

Commonwealth Class is a project of the BBC, British Council and Commonwealth Secretariat.