249 June 2015 - Gryffe Advertizer

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Bridge of Weir Primary School
Pupils and staff alike took great delight in thanking a very special member of
our school family at a recent assembly. Anne Matthews does a huge amount
for the school over and above her classroom
assistant duties. She runs our gardening club
and gives an enormous amount of her own
time to ensure our school grounds, gardens
and planters always look their best. On
receiving her special plaque, in recognition
of the fantastic contribution she makes to the
life of the school, Anne was heard to say, “It’s
a bit like a BAFTA for gardening!”
Mrs Kent has “cooked up” some special
activities for P4 pupils this term (the kind
where they think they’re having lots of fun,
when actually it’s been a non-stop combo of
maths, science, health & wellbeing, literacy
and…well, you get the picture), with a
different group of pupils preparing snacks for their classmates each week.
Children shopped for ingredients before donning aprons to prepare such
tasty offerings as pinwheel hummus and lettuce wraps, cream cheese
and cucumber sandwiches, and fruit kebabs to share with their friends.
Not only have these sessions been very popular, but also they shown the
children just how easy it is to prepare simple and nutritious food. Several
children have remarked that it’s just like Masterchef! We are very grateful to
Ms Burry and Mrs Peters, who
have helped each Wednesday,
and to the many parents who
have chaperoned the Tuesday
shopping trips.
Following the success of the
Parent Council-funded trip to
the Royal Concert Hall for P4-7,
it is now our younger pupils’
turn. P3 saw an outstanding
production of “Danny Champion
of the World” at the Beacon Arts
Centre in Greenock. At the time
of writing P1 is heading off to
the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre in Glasgow to take part in a hands-on
workshop, while P2 is eagerly anticipating a visit to the Paisley Arts Centre
to see “The Edibles”, a highly acclaimed play by the Grinagog Theatre
Company. We hope to see you all at our Mayfair, on Saturday, 30th May,
10am-12noon.
Howwood Primary School
Residential Trip
P7 had a fantastic time
when they went on their
recent residential school
trip to the Scottish
Outdoor Education
Centre Dounans,
Aberfoyle.
The residential
programme supports
schools by providing
an intensive experience
over 5 days. Through a combination of high and low ropes, tasks and
challenges, and trust and confidence games, children are encouraged to
become more independent and raise their awareness of other people. This
experience gives them the confidence to take change in their stride and
carry their new skills into the classroom.
are enhanced by life
real experiences. Pupils
come away with a sense
that Scotland’s natural
environment is enjoyable,
accessible and relevant to
them.
SOEC’s environmental programmes
enable children to experience the joys of
the natural world through environmental
challenges and structured play. At
SOEC they aim to foster an awareness
of, and empathy with, nature. Through
immersion in the outdoors, pupils gain
an increased understanding of natural
cycles, ecosystems and biodiversity.
These elements of eco-literacy,
already introduced in the classroom,
Both children and staff were
treated to an action packed
programme of activities
including off-site activities
such as hill climbing and on-site activities such as rope challenges, Tree
climbing, Pole Climbing, Archery, Raft Building, Exploration, Orienteering,
Problem Solving games & Living Outdoor Skills.
A truly memorable experience was had by all and one which the children
will remember for years to come.
Kilbarchan
Community
Nursery
On 15th May, we held our Annual Eco
schools day of action, Fruity Friday. The
children all wore yellow and took part in
a range of activities to promote healthy
living. They enjoyed a mini sports day
with an obstacle course, basketball and
races, then were all presented with a medal to take home. This event is organised in
conjunction with World Cancer research Fund to help raise funds for the charity.
On 10th May families from the Nursery took part in a treasure trail round Kilbarchan
where the clues lead to a password which
unlocked the treasure chest full of gold and
silver coins. Congratulations to the winning
family, the Armstrongs who received vouchers
for Pandemonium Soft Play in Erskine.
All the pre-school children who are starting
school at Kilbarchan Primary in August have
now been partnered with a buddy from P6.
The buddies have visited the nursery and also
shared a playtime session with the nursery
children to give them a helping hand in the
playground.