Introduction
Another busy term is coming to a close. There has been a real buzz round the school with lots of smiles and laughter
in evidence.
One of our highlights was the visit of a touring theatre company who staged an excellent production of ‘Alice in
Wonderland’ for the whole school. It was so popular and professional that we have booked the company for the same
time next year when they will stage ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’. We have also booked them in November for the
whole school when they will perform ‘Pinocchio’. This will be instead of going to the pantomime as it is much
cheaper but the children still experience live theatre of the highest quality.
The P5-7 children attended another drama production entitled ‘The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk’. This helped the
children to become more aware of peer pressure and bullying.
All really found the show enjoyable and informative.
Staff from the NHS worked with all primary 7 pupils looking at various emergency procedures which they can follow
if somebody was to become critically ill. This is a project which is offered to every primary 7 pupil in Highland
Council. The children found the experience most informative and responded extremely well.
The P7 children organised a very successful fundraising sale to help pay for their trip to Craggan. £188.62 was raised.
Many thanks to all who contributed.
Staff Training
During the three days’ In-service in February all members of staff attended training sessions on maths with staff from
the other local primary schools.
Sports
Football
The P6/7team took part in the SFA’s soccer 7s tournament in Tain. They played well and behaved extremely well.
Many thanks to Donald Beaton for looking after the team.
The P5/6 team took part in a separate tournament staged at Millburn Academy. They, too, were a credit to the school
by playing and behaving so well. Thanks to Claire Gleed and Anne Spence who accompanied the team.
Cross Country
A large number of children took part in two inter school competitions held at Alness Academy. In the Ross-shire
event there were over 180 runners in each race. In the girls’ race Catriona Scott came 2nd and Mya Rush was 14th. In
the boys’ race, Struan Oliver-Jones was 8th . Well done to both teams for their tremendous effort and impeccable
behaviour!
At the North of Scotland Championships the girls’ and boys’ teams both performed well with Catriona finishing 9 th in
her race and Struan 10th in his race. Congratulations to all the runners (the Headteacher was most grateful that he did
not even have to walk round the course!!!!).
Many thanks go to Gail Wood and John Davies for their help in training the team.
A huge thanks to all the parents who helped to transport the children to each of these sporting events. We are most
grateful.
Quizzes
Rotary Club Quiz
Domhnall Lachlann Beaton, Niamh Beaton, Keir Morrison and Gary Rooney represented the school at the annual
general knowledge quiz. In the Easter Ross heat the team won and qualified for the next round against other heat
winners in Northern Highland. In that competition Domhnall Lachlann Beaton, Gary Rooney, Gavin Ross and Hunter
Ross came second (only 1 point behind the winners!) and qualified for the Scottish final in June. Congratulation to all
the children who are such a credit to our school.
Many thanks to Donald Beaton and Tara Morrison for working with the teams.
Inter House Quiz
Mrs Gordon, our P6 teacher, organised a very successful and enjoyable inter house quiz for the children from P4 – P7.
The final was held in the hall where Duthac, represented by Ben Loy, Eilidh Mackenzie, Becky Matheson and Gary
Rooney, came first equal with Morangie, represented by Robert Campbell, Angus Chapman, Keir Morrison and
Robert Sutherland. Scotsburn, represented by Dylan Macphee, Alana Nicol, Hunter Ross and Kyle Ubych came
second.
Young Engineers & Scientists
P7 representatives, Abby Donnellan, Gary Rooney, Hunter Ross and Orla Young attended the Young Engineers &
Science Clubs’ event at Eden Court. They did their school proud and were awarded a special commendation for their
work on the oil industry.
Eco School Group
Spring is in the air and we are thinking about our garden and courtyard again. The eco committee are keen to restart
work outside. Any parent (or grandparent!) volunteers to help would be warmly welcomed. We have some excellent
compost ready (school produced!) to use in pots and tubs.
We are continuing to encourage all pupils to take home yogurt pots and plastic tubs etc. after packed lunch so they
can be recycled. We collect empty plastic bottles after break times and recycle them.
Junior Strings
The school was so proud of all our young musicians who performed a number of challenging pieces for the whole
school.
World Book Day
To celebrate World Book Day the children were issued with a £1 book token which many of them used at the Book
Fair which was organised by Scholastic Books during Parents’ Contact Afternoon and Evening.
Easter Assembly
The Easter Assembly was led by the Rev. Alasdair Macaulay who gave a very appropriate talk to the children to help
them think about the Easter Story.
Pupil Council
This term the Pupil Council met and one of the main items on the agenda was extra-curricular activities. The pupils
suggested a wide ranging list of activities and already the Parent Council is helping the school to try to organise as
many of these as possible. Again offers of help would be greatly appreciated.
Visitors
Evangeline Brown and Coral Allan, students from
The University of Aberdeen
Heather Muir, Kodaly Music Teacher
Jessica, Samantha, Joanna, Bethany, Rebecca, Chloe
and Becky from North Highland College
Rev Donald Mackenzie
- on placement with P3 and P6.
- to work with various classes.
- to work with various classes.
- R&ME with P2 and R&ME through Gaelic with P1 – 3G.
Learn to Save a Life trainer
John Davies, Eden Court Theatre Arts Worker
- to work with all P7 pupils.
- to run the after school drama club.
Jaclyn Dominici, Student teacher from Chicago, USA
- to work with P7.
Topics
Next term the following topics will be studied:
P1 - Miss Robertson – Toys; Living Things; Faith Families; Belonging
P1/2 - Mrs Ross – Farming; Plants; Designing a Seed Packet; Social Health
P2 – The Rain Forest; Introducing Living Things; Vehicles; Home Life; Relationships
P3 - Tain; St Duthus; Mobile Phones; Local Church; Hygiene
P4 - Scotland; Water; Exploring Stories from Other World Religions; Substance Misuse
P5 - Light, Sound and Colour; Inventors and Explorers; The Human Body
P6 - John Muir Award; Europe; Bridges; Electricity
P7 - Biological Systems; Food; World Religions
P1-3 Gaelic - Houses and Homes; Energy; Programmable Toys; Celebrations; The Garden
P4-7 Gaelic - Natural Disasters; Body Systems; Colour and Texture; Places of Worship
Curriculum
There are important initiatives across Highland Council to further raise attainment in maths. Schools across the
council are working hard to ensure that our children are given every opportunity to develop their mathematical
thinking. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of the approaches we will be using in Craighill.
Numeracy is a vital skill that is important in everyday life. It is about being confident when solving
problems, making decisions and analysing situations that involve numbers. Numeracy is key to lifelong
learning, e.g. it enables a young person to understand scientific concepts, interpret figures, understand cause
and effect etc. Like all learning, it begins in the home and continues in nursery with, for example, counting,
songs and rhythms. As children move to primary school they use numeracy in a wide range of everyday
activities at school and in activities outwith school, and at play. We try to ensure that children develop the
necessary skills and the confidence to apply numeracy skills throughout their learning.
In numeracy, children and young people will learn through active learning and purposeful play. They will
develop problem-solving capabilities through:
• calculating mentally
• explaining their thinking
• using relevant contexts and experiences
• using technology in appropriate and effective ways
• collaborating and learning independently.
We will encourage children to discuss their number work and explain how they have achieved their answers
as this helps to consolidate understanding. The children will be asked to look at numbers in different way
e.g when adding 35 and 26 they may decide that 35 is 30+5 and that 26 is 20+6 thus they could calculate
the answer by adding 30 and 20 then 5 and 6 then adding the two answers together. Alternatively they could
add 35 and 25 and then add 1. The children are encouraged to use a range of strategies and then to discuss
the most effective. More and more the children will have sums set in real situations e.g. A girl has 8 apples
in her bag. She uses 6 of them. How many will be left?
There will be a huge emphasis on solving mathematical problems by using and applying various strategies
e.g. Ron must order flags for the school fair. One carton contains 144 flags. There will be 6 stalls that he
has to decorate and each stall requires 48 flags. How many cartons must he order? If he receives £2.50
change from £10 after buying the cartons, how much does each carton cost?
Young people develop essential numeracy skills which will enable them to be successful in their everyday
lives at school and in their life at work. Numeracy can help young people develop the financial awareness
they need for independent living, effective money and time management and the ability to interpret and use
numerical information appropriately in making decisions and judgements. Very often the children will be
asked to raise money for class trips, charity etc. and these events are used to give the children a fuller
understanding of financial calculations.
At school, the teaching of numeracy is organised into a number of areas which include understanding and
calculating numbers, applying numbers when working with money, time and measurement and
understanding information to make decisions. The aim is to support and prepare young people for their life
outwith school.
How can parents/carers help? Children are learning all the time through what they see, hear and do.
Parents are the first teachers in their child’s learning, and have a key role to play in developing skills as
children move through their education. You can do this, for example, by finding opportunities to practise
numeracy skills and by listening and providing feedback. Numeracy skills can be developed outside school
in many ways, including:
• learning a range of skills through participating in clubs and activities
• weighing and timing, for example in cooking and baking, estimating and measuring quantities in DIY
• understanding and working with time; using timetables and calendars; working out costs and rates, e.g.
hiring goods at an hourly rate
• using money and budgeting pocket money
• using the information gathered from reading newspapers, using the internet and watching TV to draw
conclusions and make choices that involve numeracy.
Above all we would hope that these activities are enjoyable so that children really do realise that maths can
be fun!