Mrs Rankin | BeatlieBlog

Wow – what a term!

It has been an absolute privilege, Duntarvie!

I can’t believe we only have a few days of term together, and we will be turning the last page of one chapter, and starting another.

Two of our senior pupils are soon off to pastures new. We wish them a very fond farewell, and all the best of everything for the future. While we will miss them both dearly, we know we have so many memories to cherish, and we are so very proud of them, for the wonderful young adults they have become, and for all their many, many achievements!

This term, our two S6 pupils completed their Duke of Edinburgh Awards, as well as SQA awards in Preparing for Adult Life, and – alongside two of our S4 pupils – an SQA award in Nature and the Environment. We have been incredibly busy planting, growing and nurturing, completing this qualification, and working in partnership with our other local schools for the ‘Growing Together’ community garden project. We’ve produced some beautiful flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables and we’ve made many new friends along the way. It’s helped that we’ve had so many sunny days, which has meant that we’ve had some lovely outdoor long walks too.

As part of transition into young adult life, our leavers have also been having lots of fun out attending young adults’ social groups in Broxburn, at the Albyn football club, and at Craigsfarm cafe. We’ve also had a ball as usual at Musically Active Dudes, and one of our S4 pupils even had a wee taster session here too. It’s been brilliant forging links with young adults from Pinewood and Ogilivie schools. We’ve supported each other along the way, and Pinewood even invited our leavers along to Prom, which was an honour for everyone involved. We also got to see Pinewood’s summer fayre and senior school pop up shop in action, and watch our new friends do a sterling job! What’s lovely too, is that we realised some of our S6’s, and some leavers from Ogilvie, had actually been at nursery together, so it’s so fitting to be coming together again as we support our young adults to embark together on their new adventures!

Our two S4 pupils have been super busy out in the community, working towards their award for learning in new environments. We’ve been practising communication skills and gaining independence at the library, the local gym, the swimming pool, and the nearby supermarkets. Our S3 pupil has also attained her ASDAN Transition Challenge award, so we have all had a very successful term of attainment indeed!

The end of this term also marks the end of a very special lady’s time at Beatlie school. One of our wonderful APSWs, the lovely Jacqueline, who has touched the lives of so many during her time here, is retiring. Jacqueline, it will simply not be the same without you, but you have taught us all so much, adults and young people alike, that you certainly won’t be forgotten, and we will carry on with the same warmth and love that you have brought to the Beatlie family over the many years you have been here.

A big thank you from team Duntarvie to all our amazing families for making our job ever more rewarding, and for your fabulous young people. As ever, a huge thank you to all our nurses for keeping us safe and well, to all our therapists, to our awesome clown doctors and our much loved dance therapist, Charan. Thank you also to the adults at Eliburn Day Centre and New Directions, who will soon be welcoming our two S6 learners – you have been working so very hard to get to know our absolute stars and we know they are in good hands.

Congratulations to our Grads! Good luck, and keep in touch!

And lastly, a very warm welcome to our three new Duntarvie senior students. We are so excited to learn and make new memories together!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL,

Rachael and team Duntarvie x

Another fun and very busy term in Duntarvie !

There’s been a big emphasis on keeping our bodies moving this term and learning new skills as we do so. Everyone has either been out at swimming to Bathgate Xcite, or in the hydrotherapy pool this term, and some of us have been at both. Being in the water is so beneficial for our bodies and you can see from the photos how happy it makes us!

In the senior phase, we’ve been out in the community lots, working towards our “Sport and Leisure” ASDAN awards with Louise, with some fabulous experiences including polybat, bowling and golf. It’s been brilliant to hear all how our young people have been developing skills and understanding more and more about these games each time.

As part of our “Hobbies and Interests SQA”, we’ve had the chance to enjoy some of our favourite experiences while achieving our awards. One pupil has even been out at the gym! Another has been raising his game on the Xbox, while another has been knitting some gorgeous scrunchies, and one pupil has been acting as school librarian!

Our S6 pupils have also been expressing their bodies regularly out at Musically Active Dudes with Marcia and John, meeting up with some old friends from Beatlie and making some new connections too. Social group has also been a great opportunity to do this, and we’ve had plenty of dancing here too, as well as a visit from Potter Around and Callum from Cool Creatures. Our S6 pupils have also been working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Awards both out in the community and at school too.

In school, Charan from Dance Namaste has been keeping many of our Duntarvie pupils’ bodies both active and relaxed. We’ve shown some super engaged interaction with Charan. One of our pupils has also been using the Innowalk regularly, which has been a brand new experience, and she’s doing so well with it!

Some of us have been attending PE groups with friends from different classes, and those who haven’t yet, soon will. Again, some lovely progression of skills here.

Cafe Duntarvie has kept the staff of Beatlie well fed this term, as part of our school Enterprise project and another SQA award. We’ve been learning about taking orders, preparing food, delivering orders and handling money. We’re very popular with all the adults currently, and it’s been a great chance to work on our communication skills and interacting with the whole school community!

Celebrations across the school have been a big part of this term too – we had a ball during celebrations for world book day, science week and comic relief. It’s so lovely to come together as a school on special days!

Other highlights have included getting the chance to meet and care for the theraponies and build up confidence around them, Paracise, fun with our wonderful Clown Doctors, being involved in the cross schools Growing Together project, choir, and various cross class communication groups to name but a few …

Easter week is also shaping up to be a fun one, with a big egg hunt and cosy movie afternoon on the cards, with our friends from Ochiltree!

We wish all our families a restful, and enjoyable Easter break.

Love Team Duntarvie!x