Whalsay School

Back in May the S4 Biologists set one tattie while studying plant propagation.    We put it in a bucket and set it outside to grow.  We have checked on it through the year and observed the plant going through all the stages, including flowering.

On the 9 October, on the eve of “Tattie Picking Week” we harvested our tatties.

“How many tatties do you get fuy a tattie” was the question and there was a prize for the nearest correct answer.

This year’s winner was Alice Irvine who guessed exactly right – 15 tatties.   Well done Alice.  She gets to take the tatties home and cook them with a little rosemary from the polytunnel.

A great opportunity for pupils and parents to work alongside each other; developing artistic talents!

Poster for Afternoon Tea Drawn Together

A quick tour of many of our Wider Achievement groups on Friday showcased our school values in action:

Belonging – Shetland has a proud tradition in showcasing the skills of knitting and crochet. Great conversations were had with the pupils who showed me their different designs and patterns. We talked about the influence of our parents and grandparents in learning the skills and the importance of keeping community traditions alive. We have also had a group connected with the Whalsay Heritage Centre; celebrating local dialect and intergenerational connections in the community.

Creativity – A quick visit to the art room showed our pupils’ creative skills being nurtured and developed in a fun and engaging way. Pupils talked me through the process of how they had created model sailing boats using different materials and explained to me about the importance of sailing in the community of Whalsay.

Health – Many of our Wider Achievement offerings have a sporting/ health and fitness focus. A visit to the pitch saw a great game of tag rugby on the go with Secondary pupils adapting certain rules in the game to include Primary pupils. We also had Secondary pupils supporting Ms. Cheyne in choreographing different forms of dance and playing fun games related to dance movements.

Enjoyment – Fun and enjoyment was everywhere to be seen including dance with P1/2, puzzles and games with P3/4, darts, computing and others. How lovely to see our pupils engaged and enjoying their various different activities.

Responsibility –  Many of our Secondary pupils have embraced taking on the responsibility of leading and organising activities. One such example was our S4 group who are planning their Christmas party. A theme, music, games, dances, posters and other logistics were being discussed with help and support from Ms.Wilson.

A pleasure to visit all groups. Thank you to all the staff who put on a wide range of activities for the pupils each term.

_Mootie’s Hoos poster

Check out the link above which outlines an opportunity for pupils and families to go along and see a mixed media exhibition that will be running in the Shetland museum from the 17th August – 12th October.

This afternoon saw the first of our planned Family learning afternoons where pupils and their parents got to learn and do fun activities alongside each other. There was pancake making, arts and crafts and archery all on the go.

So wonderful to see so many parents taking this opportunity to start the weekend off on such a positive note 🙂 Our thanks to Roselyn Fraser and team from Community Involvement and Development for putting on such a fun time for everyone to enjoy!

… and that’s a wrap for the 2024/25 Academic Year!

To all pupils, parents, staff and members of the local community,

A very sincere ‘Thank You’ for all your efforts and engagements with school this year. It has been an action packed year of adventure and learning for our pupils across the ELC, Primary and Secondary.

The school year drew to a close with our Achievement Assembly which celebrated pupil successes across different areas of the curriculum and through different initiatives that have been running over the course of the Academic Year. Reviewing and reflecting upon the pupils achievements filled us all with a great sense of pride and appreciation for the close knit, hard working school community that we have in Whalsay.

We also had our 60th anniversary of the school celebrations this week and it was a real pleasure to welcome so many parents, grandparents, former pupils and members of the community to look back on old school memories. Tales of the dining hall, sporting events, quizzes, lessons and many more were exchanged in what was a very special event in bringing our community together. My sincere thanks to all who attended and a special word of thanks to all of those who helped collate photos, organise the layout of the old school plans (which were a particularly intriguing talking point), present pupils current work and organised teas/coffees. A team effort and lots of great discussion made for a very fine afternoon.

Finally, I’d like to wish all our pupils, families and extended families a safe and happy summer break. We look forward to welcoming you back in August after a well earned rest.

Best wishes on behalf of the staff team,

Niall Healy