Sustainable Solutions, Roads of the Future Challenge Finale

Sustainable Solutions, Roads of the Future Challenge Finale

“Think Innovatively, Think Sustainability” Overview of Roads of the Future Competition Transport Scotland’s Academy9 challenges pupils to design their own sustainable road in the line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their designs are judged by sustainability experts currently working on the A9 Dualling programme. The challenge is teacher- led and supported by a sustainability mentor assigned to each school. Resources are provided, including a step-by-step lesson plan

Read More

Switch on your ‘Risk Radar’ for Summer!

Switch on your ‘Risk Radar’ for Summer!

Statistically, children are most likely to trespass on construction sites and get injured (or worse) over the summer holidays and with live construction sites on many doorsteps and holidays looming, we’ve been out spreading the word about the dangers of construction sites. Academy9 delivered three Risk Radar sessions for P5-6 pupils at Newtonmore Primary School, Breadalbane Academy and Pitlochry Primary School in June. The event is designed to highlight awareness

Read More

Volunteers’ Week – Celebrating Academy9 Volunteers

Volunteers’ Week – Celebrating Academy9 Volunteers

This Volunteers’ Week (3-9 June 2024) we want to celebrate our amazing volunteers. As part of Academy9, we have the privilege of seeing first-hand the positive impact our volunteers have on pupils of all ages. Academy9 events simply wouldn’t be possible without their commitment.   There are a lot of benefits to volunteering. You can learn new skills and gain valuable work experience. It’s an opportunity to make new connections

Read More

Need support in exploring careers at Primary School level?

Need support in exploring careers at Primary School level?

Academy9 took the Roadshow Event to Alvie, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Aviemore, Strathdearn and Daviot Primary Schools last month. As part of the Roadshow, pupils are taken on a journey of exploration and discovery while they research local animals and ground conditions that must be considered before designing and developing a large-scale infrastructure project. Evidence shows that children start to form ideas about their future as they start primary school[1]. The paper ‘Career-Related

Read More

Academy9 Roadshow; Bringing Careers to Life.

Academy9 Roadshow; Bringing Careers to Life.

Last week we brought the careers of a geologist, ecologist and engineer to life when visiting 60 P6 pupils from Pitlochry Primary and Breadalbane Academy, to deliver Academy9’s Roadshow event.  By learning from those directly involved in these roles on a live infrastructure project on their doorstep, pupils get a first-hand experience of some of the tasks these people undertake on their day to day jobs.  Ecology During our Ecologists

Read More

Highland Schools Come Together to Tackle Academy9’s Biggest Design and Build Challenge

The Academy9 team recently hosted another one of our flagship Apprenticeship Academy events, which saw nearly 40 S2 pupils from both Grantown Grammar and Kingussie High schools come together from three days of STEM learning and team building, which culminated in a mega, bridge building challenge. Hosted at Grantown Grammar School this year, here’s what we got up to: Day One Day one consisted of a quiz on the local

Read More

Academy9’s Early Birds, inspiring the next David Attenborough?  

Academy9’s Early Birds, inspiring the next David Attenborough?  

As part of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place at the end of January each year, the Academy9 team headed to primary schools in Newtonmore, Kingussie, Pitlochry and Aberfeldy to work with P3s on the topic of the great wildlife on their doorsteps.  In the Early Birds session, pupils learned about the range of birds in the Highlands through three interactive tasks. Ecologists, Joanna & Amy introduced the

Read More

Looking to integrate sustainability into your curriculum? Check out our live competition!

Looking to integrate sustainability into your curriculum? Check out our live competition!

Transport Scotland’s Academy9 initiative would like to invite your school to take part in Sustainable Solutions: Roads of the Future Challenge 2024. The challenge will be for pupils to design their own sustainable road using as many of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as possible.   Who is it for? P6, P7, S1, S2 and S3 pupils, either in class or in after-school clubs  When?  8th January to 22nd

Read More

Why not make your New Year’s resolution to STEM volunteer this year?

Why not make your New Year’s resolution to STEM volunteer this year?

Maybe you are thinking about STEM volunteering but are not sure what it might be like? Let’s face it not everyone enjoyed school. You may feel you are not sure what you could teach young people? The thought of returning to a classroom as facilitator, instead of a pupil, might feel like a big step. At Academy9 we are successfully helping STEM volunteers take that step. At our recent Town

Read More

Keep Your Class Safer this Winter with our Academy9 Winter Roads Resources

Keep Your Class Safer this Winter with our Academy9 Winter Roads Resources

In the UK our weather never fails to be changeable and our current cold snap is no exception. To link the current weather in with your lesson planning, we wanted to share our new Winter Roads resources. Developed in line with Second and Third level Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) outcomes, we have created a series of short lessons within the context of winter road conditions. With clear learning intentions, success

Read More