Monthly Archives: September 2018

community, event

Dates for your Diary

Next Thursday 27th September, we have a parents workshop on growth mindsets at 9.30am and then again at 1.45pm. Please let  the school know if you want a place.

On Friday 28th throughout the morning we are hosting a MacMillan Coffee Morning. This has been organised by the pupils. It would be great if you could come along.

In the afternoon of the 28th at 2.15pm Primary 7 parents are invited along to a P7 Assembly on Dolphin House and John Muir.

Please note entrance to all events will be through the infant playground door.

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South Ayrshire ASN Parents Forum

In South Ayrshire we want to establish a group of parents and practitioners who would like to be involved in how we can get it right together for our children and young people with additional support needs.

The group may assist us to look at a number of areas including:

  • Ways in which we can provide support
  • The circulation of information to all
  • Gathering the views of children and parents/carers
  • Identifying support that really matters for the children and families
  • Assist with topics and ideas for our ASN Parents Forum

If you would like to be involved in this please mail gary.hoey@south-ayrshire.gov.uk. 

We are planning an ASN Parents Forum for the evening of Wednesday 10th October at Ayr Academy.  It is our intention to have some valuable and useful information available to parents and carers on the night.  We will update the Council’s website with the details as soon as they are available.  https://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/learning-support.aspx

achievement, community, health and wellbeing

Primary 7 and Southcraig Sherborne Project

Primary 7 are very excited to be learning with pupils from Southcraig School to experience inclusive Sherborne Developmental Movement Therapy. Sherborne is based on natural movement play activities inspired by the philosophy and Theory of Human Movement by Rudolf Laban. It offers all participants the inclusive opportunity to develop body and spatial awareness skills. As the children work through the Sherborne Movements each week they will learn to build positive relationships through demonstrating sensitivity as a responsible partner, an awareness of communicating and working together and a shared enjoyment of the movement and play.

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Depute First Minister’s Challenge Day 5

Stepped Pyramid

This stepped pyramid has been built by young children and their teacher using some of the building blocks in the classroom. (The blocks are all cubes of the same size.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) How many blocks would be needed to build it?
(b) Now imagine that the children want to build a similar structure with twice as many layers. How many blocks would be needed?

outdoor learning, STEM, sustainability

P6 trip to Culzean

On Friday 7th September, the P6 visited Culzean Castle to study biodiversity as part of their Science topic. This is what they had to say about the trip:

“We went pond dipping and we caught newts in the pond. We went deep into the forest to look at the diversity of plants and animals. We had two rangers, Ian and Kate, who taught us about biodiversity.” Jayden and Scott

“When we arrived at Culzean we went on a walk with our ranger, Kate. we were identifying leaves. I found a lime and a beech leaf. Then we looked at invasive plants: rhododendron and bamboo. Bamboo has a great story! We have no pandas  in Scotland but years ago the people that lived in Culzean wanted to look fancy because wealthy people grew bamboo. To get rid of an invasive plant you have to remove all the roots. When we went pond dipping we found newts, leeches and waterboatmen. We even found two rare newts!” Charlotte

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Depute First Minister’s Challenge Day 3

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Asif is shopping for a new outfit for a special occasion. He needs a shirt, a pair of trousers and a pair of shoes. Once he has picked out the items he likes and checked the prices he realises that:

  • if he doesn’t buy the shirt, he can get the other items for £115
  • if he doesn’t buy the trousers, he can get the other items for £100
  • if he doesn’t buy the shoes, he can get the other items for £75.

But, of course, he needs the shirt, the trousers and the shoes. So what will he have to pay for all of them?

outdoor learning, Social Studies

P4 trip to Vikingar

Last week Primary 4 visited Largs to enrich their learning about the Vikings. This is what they had to say about it:

“It was very cool because we went in a longhouse and we saw a longship. The longhouse was also a bedroom and a kitchen. We got to try the helmets on and they were very heavy. We also went a walk to the Viking village. There were lots of Vikings there and the first tent we went they showed us where the Vikings would have slept. We also got runes painted on our hands we had lots of fun.” 

 

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The Depute First Minister’s First Puzzle

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It’s Maths Week Scotland 2018 and I’m delighted to launch the first of seven daily puzzles that I’ll be sharing this week. Here’s the first challenge.

Good luck!

Stepping Up

Three friends visit a museum and walk up a flight of stairs. Ross goes up one step at a time starting with his left foot on the first step. Elena goes up two steps at a time starting with her left foot on the second step and Tom starts with his left foot on the third step and goes up three steps at a time.

Investigate these questions and explain your answers:

(a) Which is the first step that all three will tread on?
(b) Which is the first step that all three will tread on with their right foot?
(c) Which is the first step that all three will tread on with their left foot?

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Maths Week Scotland

This week in school we will be taking part in the Sumdog Competition for Maths Week Scotland. All the pupils have a username and password and can access this site from home.

Each day the Deputy First Minister will be posing a puzzle which we will put on line – leave a comment on the post if you have solved it.

achievement, global citizens, RRS

Rights Respecting Schools’ Award

I am very pleased to announce that the school was successful in achieving our Gold Award from UNICEF. Everyone worked very hard and the assessors were impressed with the work that is happening around rights at the school. They identified particular strengths of the school as:

  • Strong commitment to children’s rights from the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and a clear understanding of how rights underpin and support other aspects of school life.
  •  SLT constantly strive to find new and innovative ways to embed RRS and include the Convention in all strategic planning.
  • Prominent visibility of rights in vibrant displays throughout the school.
  • Learning connections made across the curriculum, with a solid link to Learning for Sustainability.
  • Children bringing rights to life, demonstrating good knowledge and understanding and making them a part of everyday interaction.
  • Pupils are empowered to take an active role in their school and wider community.