Author: Mrs Clarkson

For Book Week Scotland 2024, Muir Clan created some beautifully detailed alternative front covers for the novel we are reading in clan.

They were displayed in class and everyone had the opportunity to vote for three of their favourite designs.

1st Place                                        2nd Place                                     3rd Place

We also created fun fact files based on what we already knew and from these, quiz questions for other groups to answer. We focussed on creating fun and engaging questions like True/False, multiple choice and missing words.

We all enjoyed basing our learning around books and reading and our favourite part was being able to give our buddies their reading bags and reading with them in the arena.

 

Fundraising & Dress Down Friday

In the past, our Primary 7 classes have held a fundraising event to raise funds towards their leavers hoodies.

Our Muir & MacKintosh clans are hosting a fun day for the whole school on Friday 6th September. This event will take place during school hours and all children will be invited in the stages to come along and participate in different activities planned, prepared and resourced by the Primary 7 pupils.

Funds can be donated either via ipay impact or in cash on the day. Our pupils have put a guide price on their posters, however, to ensure equity for all, no child will be turned away for not having money.

This year, activities have been split into different zones that your child can visit. Our Primary 7 pupils will support all the children across the school to participate.

Fun Zone:

Creative Zone:

Glitter Tattoos & Hair extensions:

*Please complete this short form if you wish your child to OPT out of any of the following activities.

         

Both Muir and MacKintosh clans are very excited to host this event and are looking forward to finding out how much their leavers hoodies will be subsidised. Any small or local businesses that wish to donate, should do so through the school office.

Thank you for your continued support for our Calderwood children.

 

 

 

 

The Trip to the Oriam – March 2024

To begin to explore the topic of Global Goals, we arranged a trip for our pupils in Primary 6’s to go to the Oriam at University to hear from some marine experts to learn about how sea life, in particular, whales were impacted by human behaviour.

The groups had two experiences, one being able to go inside the body of a life size blow up whale and the other visiting the Robotarium to hear from, and see in action, a real life whale robot which has been used to capture data about whales within the seas and oceans surrounding Scotland.

During the trip we were able to handle some real life bones, skulls and baleen. We were amazed at the sizes of the bones and tried to imagine the size of some of the larger whales, some as long as the hall we were in.

                

A marine biologist that specialises in understanding the behaviours of orcas was also really interesting. We looked at the sizes and shapes of fins to establish there gender and where they might come from. Their markings were all different and they had lots of different shaped heads and skulls depending on what they ate.

On our way back to the bus, we got to see around the university.

It was an interesting trip but we are now aware of some of the dangers facing the species and want to learn more about how to protect our seas and oceans.

 

 

This term, Schiehallion & Thistle Clans have been leading a project gathering data from pupils, staff and parents about the cost of the school day. They have been researching facts about what poverty looks like in Scotland and the UK.

Further to this, they have been seeking opinions from the pupils in our school about how to spend the participatory budget and are now looking to our Calderwood Communities and families for their feedback. Click here for more information about the participatory budget in Scotland’s schools.

Please take five minutes to complete this anonymous online FORM.

You are welcome to share this form with other members of our community so we get a wide variety of experiences and opinions gathered.

The pupils from Primary 6 clans will be analysing this data as part of their maths curriculum, therefore the reason we have ensured they are anonymous.

We look forward to sharing Schiehallion & Thistle’s findings from this data soon. Our aim is to help support our families and community during the cost of living crisis and use the data to inform how we spend the participatory budget – which you can find more information about through the link above.

Kindest regards,

Mrs Curtin & Mrs Clarkson

 

 

Our Equity mini Champs group are currently setting up our very first nearly new swap shop.

Here you will be able to take items home that are new to you…

TAKE WHAT YOU NEED, AND GIVE WHAT YOU CAN!!!!

We will be looking for GOOD QUALITY, CLEAN items of clothing that you or your children have outgrown or don’t wear anymore, this includes:

• Children’s clothes, shoes and accessories of all sizes including baby items (not including uniform at the moment as the Sustainability Station is currently full)
• Any dress up items of all ages
• Jackets, wellies and other winter items
• Adults clothes, shoes and accessorise of all sizes

Please ensure that all donations arrive, freshly washed and ready to pass on.

We will be taking donation until Wednesday 21st June, please send them in with your child or leave next to the Sustainability Station at Reception. Our Mini Champs Equity Group will collect them and get them ready for the GRAND OPENING at C in the Park on Friday 23rd June.

Thank you for your amazing support so far, our Sustainability Station, Community Cupboard and Calderwood Clothes will not only support families through the Cost of Living Crisis, but also shows that we are doing our bit to reuse and recycle old clothes to ensure less go to landfill.

Equity Champ & Mini Champs

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR NEXT SESSION 2023/2024 FREE SCHOOL MEALS & CLOTHING GRANT.

If you are entitled, completing this application will provide your child with lunch every day, school milk and access to support services, clothing grant & extra support if required in school.

 

Calderwood Chatter is open from 11-12pm every FRIDAY for a cuppa and a friendly chat if you need any advice, support or just a listening ear.

www.westlothian.gov.uk/mealsandclothing