Tag Archives: Game On Challenge

Two more Secondary schools to receive the Game On Plaque

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.

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

Mossvale Primary and St James's Primary pupils with ClydeKillermont Primary pupils with ClydeBlackwood Primary pupils with ClydeClyde 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.

Banchory and Broxburn latest schools to receive plaques

Banchory Primary pupils with ClydeInto 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!

Broxburn Primary pupils with ClydeMeanwhile, 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.

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.

Seven more schools awarded plaques

St Joachim's pupils with Clyde and Cllr GrahamSt Fillan's Primary pupils with Clyde and Cllr GrahamBusby Primary pupils with Clyde
Today has been the busiest day of Clyde’s tour so far. Clyde visited five schools and all of them were presented with Game Scotland plaques and our Game On Scotland ambassador, Holly Cram, also presented a plaque to another two schools – seven in one day! Clyde began the day by awarding East Renfrewshire’s first plaque to Busby Primary School, before moving on to visit four Glasgow schools: St Fillan’s Primary, Cardinal Winning Secondary, St Joachim’s Primary and Eastmuir Primary. Cllr Archie Graham of Glasgow City Council joined Clyde to present the plaques to four of the schools and Holly also visited Lourdes Secondary and Shawlands Academy to present their plaques. It’s been an exciting and hectic day!

All seven schools are to be congratulated on the way they have used the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a context for learning, and in such different ways.

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.

1000 tickets for Game On Scotland

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!”

Kirkton of Largo and Glamis awarded plaques

Kirkton of Largo pupils with ClydeOn day three of his Game On Scotland tour, Clyde was out and about visiting schools in Fife and Tayside and two of the schools visited were also awarded Game On Scotland plaques. Kirkton of Largo Primary School is the first Fife school to receive a plaque for their outstanding Games-related work, with Glamis Primary taking the honours for Angus. Congratulations to both!

The Queen’s Baton Relay has been a major focus for Kirkton of Largo, with pupils tracking the progress of the baton around the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth and posting updates on Twitter. These updates led to Vision Africa, a charitable organisation, offering to take the pupils’ baton to Kenya, where it featured in the real Queen’s Baton Relay alongside famous Kenyan athlete Kipchoge Keino. The school has also been engaged in researching the countries of the Commonwealth, has signed up to the Digital Commonwealth project and even featured Clyde in their nativity! You can follow the school’s updates on Twitter at @KirktonPS, including lots of photos of Clyde’s visit.

Glamis Primary pupils have been set 30 Commonwealth Games challenges, linked to sports but extending out across the curriculum. From boxing to lawn bowls, they’ve been working on peer-led projects and even involved families and the local community. In the words of one teacher, their work has spread “Commonwealth Fever” throughout the school. The school will be continuing its work right up to the end of session, with more pupils set to be involved as their activities build to a climax.

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.

North East schools Airyhall and Meiklemill receive plaques

Meiklemill pupils with Clyde
Airyhall pupils with Clyde
On the north east leg of his latest Game On Scotland tour, Glasgow 2014 mascot Clyde was pleased to recognise the efforts of another two primary schools: Airyhall School in Aberdeen City and Meiklemill School in Aberdeenshire. Both schools became the first in their local authorities to have their achievements recognised in this way.

Pupils from nursery through to P7 at Airyhall have been getting active, with taster sessions in rugby, football and even Zumba! They’ve also nominated their own batonbearers for a school network Commonwealth Games and designed doors for each class, reflecting traditions and customs from different nations and territories of the Commonwealth. The school has been counting down to the Games with lots of other exciting activities and has been tracking the progress of the Queen’s Baton Relay, ahead of their own version across their school network.

Meiklemill School has been nothing if not ambitious, engaging in a huge amount of activity related to the Games. Like Airyhall School, there’s simply too much to mention! Highlights include active challenges as part of the school’s Health Week, including 2014 skips, a 2014m collective walk and a simulated bike ride from Ellon to Glasgow. As well as learning about the Commonwealth and work on the Queen’s Baton Relay, they’ve also made great use of Clyde as inspiration in the school, so were no doubt delighted to welcome him in person.

Both schools deserve congratulations for what they’ve achieved and, excitingly, they’ve outlined lots more activity still to come before the end of session.

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.

Two more schools receive plaques: Gargieston Primary and Fisherton Primary

Gargieston Primary meets Clyde
Glasgow 2014 mascot Clyde was out and about today visiting primary schools in Ayrshire and made time to present the latest Game On Scotland plaques to two more schools. Gargieston Primary School in Kilmarnock became the first East Ayrshire school to be recognised, with Fisherton Primary School in Dunure the first South Ayrshire school to get their plaque.

Fisherton Primary pupils receive their plaqueBoth schools have been using the Games as a context for learning across the school and have well-developed plans for even more work in the terms ahead. Congratulations are due to both schools for all their hard work!

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.

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

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!

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

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.