Whalsay Secondary Blog

Wider Achievement: Enterprise

January 10, 2025 by gw23carrlaurieanne@glow

Over the last term our enterprise group planned to make and sell little trinkets and decorations.

We needle felted with Ann Marie Anderson, making lots of little trinkets, like gonks, Christmas tree ornaments. Most of us loved them so much we took them home. We also made decorations, like balls of wool with knitting needles which we sold at the Whalsay Wool Week “Makin and Yakin” for £3 each. We even got a commission for some more. We made £80 towards materials for further enterprise opportunities for next year. Some people made fairies with pipe cleaners and fabric; little hats with carboard tubes and wool and Christmas cards

Pupils enjoyed the needle felting, making and selling the yarn balls!

The needle felting was considered the best, enjoyed the most and pupils hoped to do it again!

This gallery contains 10 photos

January 10, 2025
by Miss Holzheimer
Comments Off on Crochet in Wider Achievement

Crochet in Wider Achievement

In the last 2 terms in Wider Achievement, we learnt how to crochet. Some of us already knew some basics, others had to start completely from scratch. At the beginning, we all made the same kind of bunny. They all turned out different. Some bunnies were small, others were really big. It depends on your personal style of crocheting and also what wool and hook you use. Some of use decided to leave away arms, tails, or bunny feet, others stayed closer to the original pattern.

Once everybody had finished their bunny, we looked on a pattern website called ravelry and we found things that we wanted to crochet. We made snakes, jelly fish, pigs, mushroom, granny square blankets, birds, beans, frogs and lots of other things. Some of us even managed to make things without a pattern.

After a few weeks, most of us were good enough that we could help others in the group when they had problems. Some even taught their relatives and friends at home how to crochet.

Here are a few statements from some of us:

Annie: “I’ve practised remembering different kinds of crochet stitches.”

Lola: “It’s better than just sitting on devices.”

Morgan: “I have made lots of cool things.”

Bella: “The crochet toys we made are really good to throw at your brothers and sisters. They also make really good gifts – I made 6 gifts for people.”

Geordie: “It get’s easier the more you practise it.”

Neve, Brooke and Flora: “We got to be creative.”

 

Crochet skills can help with counting, maths, art, hand and eye coordination and lots of other things. Quite a few of us want to finish our crochet projects at home.

 

 

January 6, 2025
by Mr Healy
Comments Off on National Sumdog success

National Sumdog success

Delighted to share the outcome of our recent participation in Sumdog challenges; a national initiative where pupils answer questions to consolidate and further develop their knowledge in Mathematics.

Of the 2,944 nationwide that took part,

Our S1 class finished 63rd

Our P6/7 cohort finished 119th and our

S2 cohort finished 122nd.

This is a huge success for our school and testament to the hard work and dedication of our pupils to their learning in Mathematics. I’d like to extend thanks to teachers, parents and support staff who provided encouragement and support along the way.

Well done, Whalsay School!

Mr.Healy

December 19, 2024
by Miss Holzheimer
Comments Off on Secondary Christmas Party

Secondary Christmas Party

On Monday night, the Secondary pupils celebrated their annual Christmas Party. The party, organised by S4, was a great success. This year’s theme was “Hollywood” and the pupils looked glamourous indeed. Here are some photos of the classes in their outfits.

Christmas Home Economics

December 17, 2024 by Miss Irvine

Pupils have been busy in the past few weeks in the Home Economics classroom.

S1 pupils have been learning about Christmas food traditions around the world and made up a question each for a class quiz. They have also learned some sewing stitches and used the running stitch and blanket stitch to make a Christmas decoration. Last week they made shortbread and had fun using different shapes to make biscuits, I’ve never seen duck shaped shortbread before!

S2 pupils have had a couple of weeks making biscuits, they made and decorated gingerbread house biscuits with a sweetie glass window and last week they made shortbread.

S3 and S4 have baked mini Christmas cakes baked in a small bean tin and the following lesson they decorated them with marzipan and icing. S4 baked and decorated a Gingerbread house using royal icing.

 

This gallery contains 29 photos

December 6, 2024
by Miss Holzheimer
Comments Off on Winners of the Reading Challenge

Winners of the Reading Challenge

It’s taken me a while to add numbers up, but that’s no surprise when you see how much has been read by pupils and staff during our 2-week reading challenge! S1 are the overall winners and have already received their prize – German Christmas biscuits and some chocolate. You can see the final scores and the delighted winners in the photos below.

Congratulations also to the other classes and the staff that have taken part. I really enjoyed the competitive spirit and the book recommendations. It’s brilliant that we have so many keen readers in our school.

Next week, I will hand out merits to individual pupils who have read the most in each year group and have helped boost their class’s overall score, so check your children’s homework diaries to see if they got one!

 

 

 

December 6, 2024
by Mrs Constable
Comments Off on S4 Christmas Party – Only 10 days to go!!!

S4 Christmas Party – Only 10 days to go!!!

The official countdown is on for Secondary A-listers walk the red carpet to enter the Hollywood Christmas Party!!

S4 have been working hard under the guidance of Miss Wilson to make preparations for their Hollywood Christmas Party on Monday 16th December! Miss Carr has helped with the decorations and Mrs Constable with the dancing.

  • All the party games & prizes have been sorted.
  • The food for catering the event is in place.
  • Decorations are done which align with the Hollywood theme.
  • The event is advertised, tickets are sorted and signage to help direct all guests.

Hope everyone has their glad rags prepared for an evening of music, dancing & games to celebrate the festive season!

Tickets now on sale from the Secondary Office – £3.50 each!

Buy now to avoid disappointment!!

 

 

 

November 28, 2024
by Mrs Constable
Comments Off on S3 Physics outdoor practical

S3 Physics outdoor practical

S3 Physics took their learning outdoors today to perform an investigation in measuring the speed of sound.

Pupils measured a set distance using a trundle wheel up the old sports day racetrack!

Working together in pairs they took turns in clapping two pieces of wood together and timing how long it took to hear the sound.

They then used their measurements to calculate the speed of sound using the formula v=d/t.

Today’s weather brought a great opportunity to take our learning outdoors! One learner made a great observation when watching a car travel over a cattle grid and how the sound heard doesn’t match up with the sight of the car’s movements over the cattle grid.

 

November 27, 2024
by Mr Healy
Comments Off on Sporting activities – Active Life

Sporting activities – Active Life

Lots of great physical activity happening at Whalsay School today with football club at lunch time and badminton after school club. Big thanks to Eoin from Active Schools for facilitating both of these sessions.

Mixed netball will also be taking place on Monday lunch times for our Secondary pupils.

November 22, 2024
by Miss Holzheimer
Comments Off on Book Week Scotland – Book recommendations by some of the teachers

Book Week Scotland – Book recommendations by some of the teachers

Mrs Hamilton:

My book recommendation would be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  The book is narrated by death and tells us the story of Liesel a girl growing up in Nazi Germany during World War 2.  Liesel is sent to live with a foster family after the death of her brother to avoid persecution.  Liesel’s foster father teaches her to read and she develops a passion for books; Liesel begins stealing books to pursue her passion.  The story explores the relationship between Liesel and her foster parents, the relationship between her and her best friend Rudi and Max – a Jewish man that they are hiding in their basement.  This books leads you to explore the power of words, friendship, love and loyalty.  I challenge you not to need a tissue when reading this story!!

 

Mr Healy:

I’m currently reading ‘Habits that make a champion’ by Allistair McCaw. I’m reading this book for enjoyment but also for personal development. The book is divided into 50 easy to read 5 minute chapters. I normally try to read two chapters a day in the evening time. The book is written by a sports coach who has worked with many of the world’s best tennis players, footballers, golfers etc. It gives an insight into how they plan and prepare for big moments and big events. It also gives strategies on how to deal with setbacks and moments where things don’t go your way. Really interesting read and the third book of Allistair’s that I have read.

 

Miss Holzheimer:

I’m currently reading In the Company Of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith. It’s the 6th book in his No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series. When I bought the first book in October, the lady in the Shetland Times Bookshop said it’s her favourite and I would love it and so far she’s right! I’m totally hooked and I’ve even ditched knitting on the ferry because I want to keep reading to find out what happens next; the characters are really likeable and I feel like I know them really well now. As the name suggests, the books are about 2 ladies doing detective work in Botswana and there have been quite a few twists in the story that I have not seen coming. Some pupils have been wondering why I’ve been smiling while I was reading my book during library period and that’s because they’re also super funny. There are 25 books in the series and I really look forward to reading the rest of them!

 

Ms Wilson:

The Wonderland Series

I read A LOT for enjoyment and would be lost if I didn’t have a good book on the go. I am currently reading the fifth (and final) book in the Wonderland series by Irina Shapiro. I came across the series when the first book (The Passage) popped up on my Amazon recommendations. The books are ‘time slip’ novels and the story of Neve and Hugo shifts between the 17th and 21st centuries.  A perfect mix of history and drama!

The Passage (book 1):

In the first book the main character, Neve Ashley, visits historic Everly Manor. Touring the elegant Tudor mansion, she’s intrigued by the local legend of Lord Hugo Everly, who vanished without a trace over three hundred years ago. Neve thinks nothing more of the story until, exploring the ancient church crypt, she discovers a mysterious passageway. Stone steps climb up to a heavy wooden door. Hesitantly, she pushes it open…Suddenly, Neve is in 1685 and directly in the path of Hugo’s galloping horse……

I was instantly gripped by the storyline and characters and have read the first four books in the space of a couple of weeks. I would need to turn off my light earlier at night but then I think “just one more chapter”.

Comes the Dawn (book 5):

This book started in the 17th century; Hugo had been imprisoned for treason and Neve accused of witchcraft! Although I only started the book the other day I find it hard to put down as the characters’ fight for survival will alter not only their own future but THE future too! I am currently half way through the book and Neve and Hugo have escaped to the 21st century. What will the result be? I can’t wait to find out what happens but I don’t want this series to end either L

 

Mrs Carr:

I am reading The Lion above the Door by Onjali Q Raúf. It is about two friends who are looking forward to a class trip to the RAF Museum and Rochester Cathedral as they have been studying WWII. Although the friends know that they are the only ones in the class that don’t have a personal connection to anyone who fought in WWII, they are excited about seeing the planes and buying sweets! A surprise discovery that a war hero has the same name as Leo Kai Lim sets him off on an exciting adventure to discover his own heritage. A wonderful learning experience no doubt and a chance to share in the richness of other cultures and their significance to history that is all often told from a western white male perspective. I chose to get this children’s’ book to read as it was mentioned on a course I attended looking at how to decolonise the curriculum and antiracist education.

Report a Glow concern
Cookie policy  Privacy policy