Fair Isle Primary School, Shetland

P2 have enjoyed using the laptops to type up their news for the Fair Isle Times. They love using the clicker programme which reads back their sentences and also helps with spelling. P2 are also working hard on money this week, by practising counting up coins to make amounts up to 20p.

The children enjoyed creating a road and shops in the playground using chalk. They have worked together as a team with everyone involved in the game during break times.

On Wednesday the children spent time in the school garden with Pat. They pulled up some tatties and onions. We have so many onions that we decided to deliver some to Triona and Stewart and enjoyed the walk down and back, as the sun had come out!

The children love their Art sessions with Fiona! Last week they did a fantastic job creating light and dark comparison scapes. Following on from that, in class we learned about day and night and why daylight changes between winter and summer. We had fun using a globe and a torch to explore this concept, with each child picking a different part of the world to ‘live’ then we rotated the globe. Next, we moved the globe to the other side and discussed the difference. We also learned about nocturnal and diurnal animals.

This week in art, the children had so much fun ice-painting. They mixed colours on blocks of ice and using salt to increase the rate of melting in places. They enjoyed swirling and mixing their chosen colours.

The weather has been beautiful this week and the children have enjoyed playing outdoors in the sunshine. This afternoon, they played with the new basketballs and also tested their STEM boat designs in the small paddling pool – one could even stay afloat with two basketballs (and Mousy).  Our pupils have had a lovely time playing with Maggie who is visiting Fair Isle with her family this week.

Wednesday 8^th May

Last week we went on a school trip for a few days, which was very exciting, especially as the Foula kids were staying at the hostel with us.

When everyone arrived at the hostel, we dropped our bags off and then went to Clickimin because they were cleaning the rooms for us. Before the Foula children arrived, all of us went to the sensory rooms before lunch. The rooms had lots of touch panels, lights and comfy chairs! When we came in, they showed us all the different buttons for changing the light colours of the different panels and bubble tube. There was an infinity tunnel; a screen that if you touched it, had patterns or lights and music! My favourite was the bubble tube, which you could hear if you put your ear to it.

Afterwards, we went for lunch near the café shortly followed by a swimming lesson with Foula too! Later in the afternoon, the oldest child at Foula (called Elma) and I were going on a tour of the Anderson High school. Before then everyone went to the playground for a play; that play park is my favourite one because there is a zip line and loads of swings! Before we knew it, Elma and I had to head to go to the Anderson with Alison the Foula teacher and Hamnavoe P7s too.  The tour was really interesting and the shade of orange changes for every floor and there are lots of signs so it’s very hard to get lost. Afterwards, we walked back to the hostel (in what was now the pouring rain) for a delicious dinner of sausage and mash.

In the evening Elma, Sam and I went for free swim! We played sharks in the rapids until closing time. Everyone else went for a rainy walk around Clickimin loch for some fresh air.

Freyja (11)

Thursday 9^th May

After breakfast, we all went to Montfield Dentist. The dental nurse checked our teeth and coated them with fluoride varnish. We also learned how to brush our teeth properly.  We had to brush pretend teeth to make sure all the bits were away. The only way you could see the bits was with an ultraviolet torch so we had to keep checking.  We also saw how much sugar was in different snacks.  We had to put teaspoons of sugar in a bowl to see!

After that we went for another swimming lesson at Clickimin with the Foula kids.  We had to swim with a woggle or a float and we got to go down the flumes.  Ander went down the flumes for the first time!

Hollie, Harris and I had to rush to Tingwall for our flight but P1 and P7 had to stay to see the school nurse.  We waited at Tingwall for 3 hours because there was fog over Fair Isle!  It was very boring and I watched the same weather forecast 4 times! The others got to go to Harry’s but luckily Ander and Heidi bought toys for me and Harris. The fog went away just in time for us all to get home.

By Luca (9)

When we were on the school trip, I took my Deep End Test at the Clickimin. Firstly, you had to jump in to the pool and then you had to do front crawl for a length. After that, you had to do back crawl for most of a length. Finally you had to float in the shape of a star on your back and then on your front and tread water.  Then Sally told me I had passed. This means I can go in the very deep end now.

By Harris (9) 

I had fun on the school trip. I went to swimming lessons. I went to the dentist.  I got hot and cold putty in Harry’s toy shop.

By Ander (6) 

I had fun on the school trip. I went to the pool. Me and Edith splashed Gillian. I went to Harry’s toy shop.  I got a toy.

By Heidi (6)

On Thursday, the children and staff did a tremendous job collecting bruck along the roadside from the school down to Utra and back up the west road. Although, to the eye, the litter wasn’t too bad we still managed to collect 4 large bagfuls! A huge thanks goes to Eileen for preparing delicious home-bakes! Everyone enjoyed their pitstop at Houll! As always, the children were delighted to find some sweeties around Stackhoull Stores (thanks). We plan to clean up Muckle Uri Geo this weekend.

It was World Water Day on Friday 22nd March.  We know that water is vital for life and we use it every day for drinking, washing, brushing our teeth, cooking, gardening and for farming.  We know how privileged we are in our country to have an abundance of clean, safe water straight to the taps in our homes.  This is not the case around the world. Unfortunately 2 billion people drink unsafe water and this needs to change as every child should be able to access safe water for their health.  We learned that some children even have to miss school in order to travel long distances on foot to collect water for their family. This impacts on their right to education.

We learned more about groundwater and aquifers.  Groundwater slowly filters underground to join aquifers that provide a source of water.  This can be accessed by building wells.

We appreciate how precious water is for life and survival. We decided to create a poster to display around our school and in our local community to encourage everyone to do their bit to save it.

This week the children of Fair Isle Primary went on a trip to Lerwick for two nights, staying at the Anderson High School Halls.   The plane was delayed on Monday so unfortunately we missed our first swimming lesson but we made it in time for dinner then went to Clickimin Pool for an evening swim.

The following morning, we went back to the pool for an hour’s swimming lesson. After a well-deserved snack then an early lunch, we headed into town to visit Harry’s toy shop to spend our pocket money and have a play at the park.

After that, we visited Lerwick Police Station and met Sergeant Alan and Constable Anya.  We had a tour of the police station.  We learned about the equipment they carry and were able to try on Alan’s vest – it was very heavy! Next we met Bravo the dog who works for the police.  We learned about his job to sniff out illegal substances.  He was very friendly and enjoyed some belly rubs.  One of the most exciting parts of the visit was exploring the prison cells!  There was only a toilet and a mattress on the floor! We could see our friends on the cameras.  We had our custody booking photos taken and some of us had our finger prints done too.  Anya showed us the police van that had a cell in the back.  She switched on the lights and sirens!  Lerwick police station was definitely a highlight of the trip!

Shortly after that, we made our way down to Aa’ Fired Up for a pottery session.  Freyja designed a coaster, Harris a trinket pot thing, Heidi a unicorn, Luca a sign and Ander a racing car.  They will go into the kiln in the next week so we will get them another day.  We enjoyed some fudge and a drink too.

After dinner, we went to Fjara for ice-cream and met Luca and Ander’s dad, Guillermo, who was in Lerwick training to be a retained firefighter for the isle.  After that we went back to Halls to watch a movie then bed.

The following morning, we were up early and packed as we had to be in Aith for 0930 for our climbing wall session. We met Kevin who showed us the equipment and some techniques then it was time to climb up to the top.  Everyone, except Heidi and Gillian, had a turn (we were very proud of Hollie too) or two.

It was a lovely day so we explored Michael’s Wood which is a fabulous place with trees and fun trails to follow!  We loved it so much we stayed there for a picnic lunch and another play before heading to Tingwall Primary School for an afternoon visit.

A very friendly welcome party was there to greet us for a play at lunchbreak then it was time to go to class for a lesson.  Freyja met other Primary 7s who were also transitioning to AHS after the summer which was very exciting for her!  It was brilliant fun to experience a bigger school and to make new friends.  Shortly after, it was time to head to the airstrip and make our way back to Fair Isle. We had an amazing trip!