Our blog

It is great to see everyone back to school and looking great after the holidays. As you will see we are now an official building site, we have supervision in the playground at lunch time and break times but please note there is no playing on the field prior to this time. So don't come to school too early as you will only be in the court yard.

The nursery worked hard to open but a HUGE, "thank you" to the staff for their efforts.

The Halloween party went down a storm the children had a great time this afternoon and Mrs Curly did a really Freakish Lunch which the children loved. So have a lovely weekend and don't get too spooked!

I would like to wish you all a very happy October holiday. For most of you this is a VERY long holiday. This is to allow for staff training on the Curriculum for Excellence. The school does not re-open until Thursday29th October.

Thank you very much to all the mum's, dad's and grannies who attended the Harvest Thanksgiving service at the church today. The children say really well and said their poems with confidence.

We have had a busy day today getting ready for the renovations in the nursery, the staff have now cleared the nursery and the workmen move in next week. The porta cabin is empty and will be taken away at the beginning of the week, the school office is also empty ( I never knew it was SO big!!) So the school will look a little different when we come back.

The Fairy Queen arrived to school today and the the Pr 1/2/3 class were delighted to have her at their party.
As part of the RME lessons Pr 5/6/7 spoke to Mr Varwell in the church and walked down to the Catholic Church in the afternoon to see Father Stuart. We had a very interesting day and the children learnt about many of the similarities and differences in the two faiths.
Pr 3/4/5 have been really getting involved in their active maths lessons which is all about making maths fun and engaging through participating in maths games. This can also help children turn take and to work in groups.

Finally please can parents whose children travel by bus continue to remind their children that they MUST wear seat belts at all times on the bus.

Have a super holiday and we shall look forward with much excitement to next term, beginning with the Halloween party on the 30th October... Halloween is coming!

Kindest Regards

W S Scollay

Well it’s hard to believe that next week will be the last week before the holidays.
Due to a few technical difficulties I was unable to send the blog last week and hope that we will be up and running again soon.

The School Newsletter and the Quality and Standards Report should be winging thier way to you in the post as we speak. I hope you find both really useful. Should you wish to discuss any aspect of these two documents please get in touch.

Pr 3/4/5 have really got into the spirit of Hogwarts and are now in new house teams, taking their names from the Harry Potter book. They have also been making potions in their science class and learning to write in disappearing ink! (That will make marking easy!) The children have also really been enjoying their new active maths sessions on a Friday where maths is taught through active games.

Pr 1/2/3 have been continuing to work on their woodland topic and spent some time working through a website which demonstrated just how much they knew about the forest. We have real experts in this class.

Pr 5/6/7 headed up to Abraichan on Monday. They had a great time looking for the Kelpie’s Pearls. They found the Kelpie pool and followed clues around the forest looking for the Kelpie. The one of the children declared it was, “the best day of his life!” what more can I say really!

Mrs Pargetar had the nursery parents hard at work in the garden this week, they did a tremendous job filling the vegetable patch with new top soil, cutting down long grass and getting the garden in ship shape condition. A HUGE thank you to you!

The nursery children joined us for the assembly this week, which was great, they sang a lovely wee song and their mums and dads joined us to which was great.

The Harvest Thanksgiving service is in the church on Friday at 1.30pm. All are warmly invited to join us.

We shall walk round to the church on Thursday morning to have a practise of the songs.

Pr 5/6/7 will be going to walk around to the chapel as part of their RME topic on Thursday to meet with Father Stuart.

On Friday parents are have been welcomed to Pr 1/2/3 class to join them for a Fairy Party. It sounds just great fun, so come and join us. I think that there will be fairy cakes on sale!

Pr 1/2/3 have been on an adventure this week. They walked over to the Convent woods on Monday and found, Fairy's Wings! The children were so excited and have them now up in the classroom. I am wondering if the Fairies have been looking for them! Maybe one day when we come to school they will be gone! We were delighted to have Kate Findlay's Dad with us on the trip and he showed the children many things about the woods and the children have come back to school full of interesting facts about trees and woodlands. Thanks also to Mrs Mansbridge and Mrs Kennard for giving of their time to accompany the children.

As I am writing this I can hear lovely singing from the Pr 3/4/5 the, "Music Man" - John Thomson came to school yesterday. He encourages the children to sing through games and activities. The children love when he comes in and I have to say the children sound tremendous. They must still be practising today, simply super!

Pr 5/6/7 had two visitors into their class this week, Father Stuart and Mr Varwell came to speak to the children about Christianity, how they became a Priest and a Minister and the children asked both men lots of very difficult questions about their faith. The children have learnt many things. We shall be visiting the chapel after the October Holidays.

Next week is the BIG PARENT COUNCIL MEETING!! 2.30 in the STAFF ROOM. Mrs Bowcott will run a creche in the nursery but we are time limiting the meeting and it will only run until 3.30! PLEASE please come and join us. We really need you!!

It's Friday again the time is flying.

Last week it was rain and this week the wind! What a start to the autumn! Thankfully no one blew away on Tuesday! Please can I remind parents that children should all bring a jacket and suitable footwear for play times. We really try to get the children out to play, this break is a real brain break and helps so much with concentration, whilst we will not put children out in pouring rain they could be out when the weather is not so nice and should have suitable clothing.

Safety Jackets will be issued later this term so please return any you have about from last year.

A sweatshirt orders are now being taken please return them by Friday 18th September.

We also need to update your contact details - please inform the school of any changes.

Pr 5/6/7 have had an active week, a big thanks to Matthew McIver for arranging a really fun afternoon Golf Tournament. We were also so lucky to have super weather. The winners were Jonothan, Connor and Niamh. Lisa, Morgan, James B, Kenny , Paige and Rosie also received medals. It was great to see the children really having a go!

Pr 3/4/5 have continued to create Hogwarts School and Hagrid is now larger than life on the classroom wall. They have also been rounding numbers in maths.

Pr 1/2/3 have been learning about invertebrates! I am impressed! The children have been looking at countryside and seaside animals.

Pr 1/2/3 were very delighted to see the little fairy I caught in the woods last night at this morning's assembly. The fairy went a quick visit to the class before I let it free. (no cruelty to fairies here!)

The Nursery have been busy today making very tasty Gingerbread men and have been reading the story. No Gingerbread men escaped as far as I know, but if you see any lurking around the village you will know where they came from.

What a few days of rain we have had. The children were delighted to be able to get out and play this lunch time after being couped up on Thursday.

The children have had a busy week again.

Pr 1/2/3 should all be getting used to the Oxford reading tree and learning about the goings on of the characters Biff, Chip and Floppy the dog. They have also spent much time this week learning about the woodland creatures and animals which live in the enchanted wood. They were learning how to sort animals that had a back bone to those who did not.

Pr 3/4/5 have been enjoying the story of Harry Potter and have worked hard to create Harry Potter letters, had to cut out and make some Harry Potter glasses and they have begun work on a super display of Hogwarts School for the classroom wall. I have been told that the choosing hat is coming on a flying visit and will sort the class into new house teams in a similar fashion to what happens at Hogwarts. That should be fun!

Pr 5/6/7 have been following the story of the Kelpie's Pearls learning about the characters and setting in more detail. They have plum jam for sale at £1 for a small jar and £2 for a large jar. The swimming has been going really well and the children are beginning to find their confidence in the water. The children have been singing some Gaelic songs with Mrs Macdonald and learning about the colours in French.

The nursery are trying all kinds of different vegetables, they have been picking beans and peas from the garden but some children have also been bringing in some vegetables from their gardens to eat too. They have also painted some beautiful flower pictures.

Mr Varwell came in to assembly today and explained how a kind word to each other can make all the difference.

Next week on Wednesday the Pr 4/5/6/7 pupils have been invited to take part in a Golf Tournament at the Fort Augustus Golf Club with Matthew McIver the school's active sports co-ordinator. I am sure that will be lots of fun.

So, I hope that the rain stops for next week so the children can enjoy the play ground.

Welcome back everyone! The first two weeks seem to have been flying by so fast already. The children all seem and happy and settled into thier new classes.

If you have any concerns however about your child please contact the school.

The classes have all begun to work hard.

The nursery have been busy in the garden, they have really enjoyed digging up the tatties which they have grown and they have been having a taste of the lovely green peas as well.

Pr 1/2/3 have been delighted to welcome Brambleberry to thier class, he seems to have flown for a fairy visit from the enchanted forest. (I hope that he behaves himself!)

Pr 3/4/5 have been working on thier topic Harry Potter and have been working very hard in their class.

Pr 5/6/7 have begun swimming lessons at the Aquadome on a Wednesday. It is a long trip but as we live so close to the water I think that you would agree with me that the lessons are essestial. They have also had input from the Feis Rois team who are teaching them group work and ceilidh dance this term.

So a busy start to the term, but I am sure that there will be much more fun to be had.

I hope to keep you posted with the events as they happen so keep an eye on the blog spot.

Kindest Regards

W S Scollay