On Thursday 12 December, we hosted our Christmas Show, and what a success it was!
A big well done to everyone involved:
Singing, playing, and acting were absolutely brilliant.
A big thank you goes to all the helpers and supporters who made the show possible.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was wonderful to see so many parents and relatives join us in the Nursery department to celebrate the festive season. Mulled wine, mulled apple juice, shortbread, and mince pies were enjoyed in a cheerful and festive atmosphere.
UNCRC Rights
Article #1 – A child is any person under the age of 18.
Article #2 – All children have rights
MYJHS Vision
Inclusive – Supportive – Nurturing
On Tuesday 10 December, our S3 class proudly hosted the annual Senior Citizen Event. Guests enjoyed a delightful afternoon of performances, including fiddlers, clarinet pieces, and festive songs such as Step Out to Christmas by our S1 class, Merry Christmas Everyone by S2 pupils, and a sneak peek of numbers from our upcoming school show. The event concluded with a Christmas feast.
It was a bustling day for our canteen staff, who worked alongside S4 Practical Cookery pupils to prepare and serve meals for 70 guests. Meanwhile, S3 pupils (with help from a few S2s) set tables, served food, organised and ran the raffle, and ensured everything was tidied up afterwards.
A big thank you to everyone who attended, to our hardworking canteen staff, and to Mid Yell Hall for generously providing tables and crockery.
UNCRC Rights
Article #29 – Aims of education – help fully develop their personalities, talents and abilities.
Article #31 – Rest, Play, Culture – to take part in cultural and creative activities
MYJHS Vision
Inclusive – Supportive – Developing
In Social Studies, S1 has been learning about democracy in the UK, focusing on the importance of the right to freely share their thoughts with others as a fundamental aspect of the democratic process and the right to vote.
They have discussed why it is essential for individuals to exercise their rights to freely express ideas and participate in voting, as well as considered what it might be like to live in a society where these freedoms are restricted.
Wheelchair Basketball
On 3 December 2024, we joined the celebration of International Day of People with Disabilities. This global event promotes equality for people with disabilities, celebrates their achievements, and highlights the challenges they face. It also emphasises the role communities play in breaking down barriers to inclusion.
Our DYW Co-ordinator, Emma Spence, arranged for Charis Scott, Ability Shetland’s Sports Development Coordinator, to visit our school with basketball wheelchairs. Charis conducted two wheelchair basketball sessions with our S1 and S2 classes.
Through these sessions, our pupils discovered how enjoyable wheelchair sports can be and learned that everyone can participate in the game. Additionally, they gained insight into the financial challenges that can act as barriers to inclusion, fostering a greater understanding of the importance of accessibility in sports.
On Wednesday 13 November 2024, we held our annual “Batten Down The Hatches” event. During this event. During this event, pupils, staff and parents worked together to prepare the school ground for winter.
House teams were given different responsibilities:
Lumbister House was allocated the Yard Area. Their tasks included harvesting, clearing, tidying up, and adding ground cover.
Reafirth House was allocated the Top Primary and Peerie House Area. Their tasks included tidying and stacking loose resources, clearing the sides of the playground, tidying out the primary sheds, securing around the playhouse, and tidying and securing the mud kitchen.
Breckon House was allocated the Planting Polycrub and Middle Playground. Their tasks included harvesting and clearing beds, tidying tools, stacking tyres, clearing mud from steps and the playground, and pressure-washing under the climbing frame.
Arisdale House was allocated the Secondary Area and Wider School Grounds. Their tasks included clearing leaves, moving the goal post to a secure location, tidying the dean area, securing it, tidying the wooded area, cleaning behind the polycrubs, and conducting a litter sweep.
The event was a great success! All pupils, from Primary 1 to Secondary 4, did an excellent job supporting one another to complete the tasks. Thankfully, everything was sorted just in time for today’s wind!
A big thank-you goes out to our parent helpers!
MYJHS Vision: Inclusive, Supportive and Developing our young learners skills.
As part of our Developing the Young Workforce program our S4 pupils have been experiencing mock interviews this week (11-14 November 2024).
During their Lifeskills lessons, S4 pupils explored a wide range of local employers and job opportunities. After selecting a specific employer and job role, they reviewed and tailored their CVs to align with their chosen position.
| Employer | Position |
| Tesco | Customer Service Assistant |
| DFDS | Auto Mechanic |
| Shetland Farm Dairies | General Assistant |
| Logan Air | Customer Service Assistant |
| NHS | Clinical Healthcare Support Worker |
| Garriock Bros | Civil Engineer |
| Shetland Island Council – Schools | Early Learning & Childcare |
This week, all pupils attended interviews, held either online or face-to-face. Each pupil gained valuable experience, showcasing their ability to engage professionally in an interview setting. They also identified next steps, such as pursuing volunteer opportunities to build experience and strengthen their CVs.
Last week (4–8 November 2024), we delightedly welcomed the return of work experience into our S4 curriculum.
Work experience gives pupils a glimpse into the world of employment, helping them build practical skills, understand workplace dynamics, and gain confidence. Furthermore, it allows them to explore possible career paths, supporting more informed decisions about their future learning and career goals.
Here’s what some of our students had to say about their experiences:
A big thank you goes out to the DYW Coordinators for supporting WorkIt, as well as all the employers — Shetland Island Council Ferries, CASE Shetland Ltd, Shetland Arts, NHS Gilbert Bain, Mid Yell Leisure Centre, Peerie Foxes and Dowry — for providing our pupils with these valuable experiences.
Read about Hannah & Shetland Arts
Read about Lisa & CASE Shetland
Our primary classes have prepared posters to invite our local community to prepare our school grounds for the winter months.
On Monday, 4th November, we held a school assembly to share key messages for this term and celebrate the achievements within our school community.
This year, one of our primary goals is to improve reading across the school. To support this, we’re encouraging both staff and pupils to read more widely and more frequently.
Our librarian introduced our volunteer Reading Ambassadors: from P7 – Leah, Marianne, Connor, Alexander, and Izzy, and from S2 – Evie, Tilly, Daisy, Aaliyah, and Lily. These Reading Ambassadors will work together on various projects to promote a love of reading throughout the year, and they are our go-to students for book recommendations!
Our school secretary, Julia, was congratulated on achieving her Read Diverse Certificate. Julia is a member of staff who can offer great advice on a good book to read.
On 26 September 2024, we celebrated the European Day of Languages with staff and pupils exploring new languages and making connections with people and cultures worldwide. Participants created a quiz using recordings of themselves speaking various languages, including: Polish, German, Spanish, Navajo, Russian, Finnish, Norwegian, Arabic, Croatian, French, Dutch, Italian, Mandarin, Turkish, and Welsh.
A huge congratulations to all the pupils who took part! Special recognition goes to Ava, who finished as the overall winner by identifying the most speakers and languages—bravo, Ava! Your listening skills are outstanding!
Well done also to Adam, who made the closest guess to the number of languages in the world: 7,139, as noted in the “Ethnologue” guide.
Thank you to Ms. Boulay for organising this activity!
Finally, we gave rounds of applause to our pupils who took part in various sporting events over the weekend, including our primary netballers, Shetland Rugby Squad members, and badminton players. Mr Lawson expressed on behalf our school the pride in how well they represent us in these events and highlighted their impressive achievements.
