World Refugee Day 20th June

Monday 20th June is World Refugee Day. Will you sign the petition to stand #withrefugees?

http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/petition

The #WithRefugees petition will be delivered to UN headquarters in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting on September 19. The petition asks governments to:

• Ensure every refugee child gets an education.
• Ensure every refugee family has somewhere safe to live.
• Ensure every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.

Article 22 The right to have help if you are a refugee.

P6 Global Goals and Gender Equality Workshops

Half of our P6 year group took part in Free the Children workshops on Wednesday 15th June and the other half took part in workshops designed by Class Teachers Ms Fiona Sellar, Ms Jenny Gaffney and Mrs Jane Maguire to encourage pupils to think about the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular Goal 5 Gender Equality. The three P6 classes were split into Sienna and Lauder with Free the Children and Grange and Tanatallon Houses with Class Teachers.

Firstly, pupils in mixed teams from each class considered the Global Goals, decided which three were most important to them and explained why.

In the afternoon session, they were then asked to list as many jobs as they could, categorise them into male and female occupations on Post-Its and display these. Their ideas were discussed with the whole group and pupils naturally began to recognise and realise many stereotypes in their initial attitudes.

Ms Sellar explained how Global Goal 5, Gender Equality, is a fundamental goal in achieving the other goals and showed the pupils this thought-provoking video, "Like A Girl":

Article 2 The right to protection against discrimination.

 

WE Free the Children at Sciennes

We were delighted to welcome Jacob Gruber from Free the Children to Sciennes on Wednesday 15th June to embrace the pupil leadership opportunities their programme provides for taking action.

Jacob provided an inspirational Assembly for P4-P6 pupils, telling the story of Craig Kielburger, co-founder of Free the Children who, as a 12-year old boy in Toronto, was inspired to take action after hearing the moving story of the fate of Iqbal Masih. Iqbal was sold into child labour as an infant but escaped and became a campaigner for children's rights only to be killed as a 12 year old himself. It was hearing about this travesty that prompted Craig to become a social activist and found a charity which encourages children to make a difference. Jacob asked our pupils to think about how they could change the world.

Jacob then led workshops throughout the day with half the P6 year group (Sienna and Lauder Houses), encouraging pupils to think about the issues most important to them and which steps they could take to be change makers.

An uplifting day, giving our children a voice in making a difference.

Jacob will return in October to repeat the workshops with the remaining children. Ms Sellar and Ms Gaffney organised a day of workshops for Grange and Tantallon Houses, looking first at the Global Goals for Sustainable Development and then a particular focus on Gender Equality.

Primary Six pupils were fantastic ambassadors for our school, so capable of high level thinking, discussion, debate and planning. Thank you to Free the Children for giving us this wonderful opportunity and we look forward to continuing to work with them next session.

How will you be the change?

Remembering Iqbal Masih

Craig Kielburger, Co-Founder of Free the Children

Jacob leads hugely engaging workshops, getting the children to feel confident in expressing their opinions

Listening respectfully to one another was a key message

Which side are you on in the debate?

Voicing opinions in debate

One minute to state your group's case

Everyone included and engaged and motivated

Article 12 The right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

Free the Children

Free The Children is an international charity and educational partner that believes in a world where all young people are free to achieve their fullest potential as change-makers. Over the last 20 years, Free The Children has grown into an international movement supporting youth empowerment through educational service-learning initiatives in North America and the United Kingdom, and a holistic and sustainable international development model. It is supported by the Queen's Trust, the UN, Virgin Atlantic and has many international supporters -  Malala, Desmond Tutu, Prince Harry, Oprah will give a flavour. Their model is 'children helping children' and they promote pupil leadership and taking action, here and abroad. The scheme began in Canada, initiated  by one of the CEOs when he was 12, and is a social enterprise endeavour. 

For more information about Free the Children, visit their website.

The 'Free the Children' programme will fit extremely well with our well established Junior Awards Scheme Scotland (JASS) programme in P6 and P7 where pupils are asked to take their own action to achieve a 'Me and My World' element. JASS is a children's version of The Duke of Edinburgh Award, and the idea for it actually came from Sciennes! It is now adopted throughout Edinburgh and beyond so has been retitled Junior Award Scheme for Schools.

The Junior Award Scheme Schools (JASS) is an accredited learning programme, celebrating wider achievement, for young people (P6-S2). Sciennes and Tollcross Primary Schools have been implementing this scheme since we piloted it in 2009.
The concept emerged from a discussion during a Sciennes P7 visit to Lagganlia between Alice Brown, Gael Logan and Barry Hewitt who came up with the idea to set up a 'Duke of Edinburgh' style award scheme for upper primary pupils. The scheme has since been developed into a city wide programme.

There are three levels (bronze, silver and gold), each requiring a higher degree of commitment. Each level also includes four sections to be completed:

• My interest - a hobby or interest
• Get Active, Stay Active - involvement in a sport or physical activity
• Me and My World - a community or environmental project
• Adventure - a teamwork challenge through involvement in an outdoor activity (e.g Benmore and Lagganlia)

http://jassawardsciennes.blogspot.co.uk/

Sciennes helped develop an online version - eJASS.


Free the Children will also fit in well with our Unicef Rights Respecting Schools programme. We have recently achieved Level One and our next steps are to continue to extend knowledge of UNCRC and to expand global citizenship. The Free the Children programme will assist us with that. We have highlighted the relevance of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development since their launch in September and the programme also supports that well.

Rapping the Global Goals

We are sure this rap song featuring the 17 Sustainable Development Global Goals (SDGs) from Flocabulary will really help children to understand and engage.


#telleveryone

Website - http://www.Flocabulary.com

 

Article 42 All adults and children should know about the UNCRC

New Digital Leadership Opportunities for Pupils for Next Session

We have signed up to get involved in iTeach's innovative Digital Leaders programme for next session and were delighted to receive a - very fetching -  t-shirt, lanyard and badge to help us promote the scheme to pupils early next session. The scheme will open up new opportunities for pupil leadership, as well as advancing pupils' skills and confidence in using technology. We have already received excellent practical support and guidance from the iTeach team, who have worked alongside staff in school on several occasions, modelling innovative use of iPads with pupils, and have also provided tailored twilight training sessions for us last year. We look forward to engaging with them again on this exciting project.

Article 12 The right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

Our Children's Views Voiced at Children's Parliament

On Wednesday 8th June our P4-7 Pupil Council reps and a group of P6 pupils were invited to take part in a Children's Parliament project at Summerhall to explore their views on the minimum age of criminal responsibility, through discussion, games and creative art activities. Thank you to Cathy McCulloch (Co-Director Children's Parliament) and Chelsea Stinson (Children's Voices Programmes Manager) for the invitation and the opportunity for our children to share their ideas and opinions.

In Scotland, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is currently set at 8 years of age and plans are being explored to increase that to 12 years of age. As part of the consultation process, it is commendable that the Scottish Government is actively seeking young people's views. Our twenty pupils were part of that ongoing process. The Children's Parliament project they were invited to attend on Wednesday was one of several commissioned by Tam Baillie, The Children and Young People's Commissioner in Scotland. Tam has very kindly offered to come and speak at our P1-3 and P4-7 Assemblies in September, to explain his role to our pupils.

Article 12 The right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

Remarkable Parent Led International Summer Fair a Huge Success!

Grateful thanks to graphic designer parent Jimmy Chow for superb artwork for the Summer Fair and to Thomas Elliott for his wonderful drawing of Sciennes:

Article 29 The right to education which develops your personality, respect for others’ rights and the environment.

Article 30 The right to enjoy your own culture, practise your own religion and use your own language.

At Sciennes, we recognise that we are incredibly fortunate to enjoy strong partnerships with families and to have such marvellous ongoing parental support. For this year's Summer Fair, our fantastic Parent Council was able to capitalise on the broad range of cultures within our school community and provide exciting, engaging opportunities to promote learning and respect for one other through an International themed event. We are also most fortunate to have been able to draw upon a huge wealth of parental talent, experience and expertise.

Saturday 4th June saw the culmination of concerted efforts to create a remarkable and joyful parent led International Fair : organised and led by parents - supported by staff and pupils - with many workshops and presentations delivered by parents and also supported by the multitude of parents who attended.

Charlotte Herthelius, as Convener of the Fundraising and Events subgroup of the Parent Council, assisted by Sciennes' Languages Co-ordnator Bethan Owen and Kristel Torokoff, as Chair of the Parent Council, have worked creatively with teams of parents, staff and pupils to achieve a most magnificent day celebrating Sciennes' cultural diversity, as well as providing all the usual fun of the summer fair. Careful planning ensured the entire event ran extremely smoothly on the day.

We are indebted to all our contributors for providing FREE Languages Activities for the children. Special thanks to the University of Edinburgh, including Professor of Developmental Linguistics and Founding Director of Bilingualism Matters, Antonella Sorace, for her inspiring Keynote address and particularly to parent Dr Pau Navarro, Research Fellow at the university, for her support in organising so many activities.

A Silent Auction, Bake Sale, International Food Stall, Plant Stall, Toy Stall, Second Hand Uniform Stall, Football Stall and Ice Cream Stall, with very generous support from Sainsbury's and Papa John's, have helped us raise valuable funds to enhance the children's experiences and learning.

These photographs are an attempt to capture just a glimpse of an extraordinary day, in glorious sunshine:

Thank you very much to CHARLOTTE HERTHELIUS, Chair of the Parent Council PTA and Events and Fundraising Group, and congratulations for leading and organising the superb International Summer Fair.

Sciennes' inspirational Languages Specialist and Co-ordinator, BETHAN OWEN, facilitated Sciennes' International Fair.

Headteacher Mrs Alison Noble, Paloma, Ms Owen and Professor Antonella Sorace agree that bilingualism matters! Grateful thanks to Antonella, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at Edinburgh University and Founding Director of Bilingualism Matters, for providing an exceptional Keynote address.

Sciennes bedecked in flags a glorious sight. Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to the success of the International Summer Fair!

KEYNOTE ADDRESS PROFESSOR ANTONELLA SORACE

Professor Antonella Sorace, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at Edinburgh University and Founding Director of Bilingualism Matters

 http://www.bilingualism-matters.ppls.ed.ac.uk/

Wonderful to welcome back fenomenal Ana Vidal, fourth year Bilingual Primary Education student, who has recently returned to Madrid University after a very successful teaching placement at Sciennes.

MASS TRANSLATION ACTIVITY

Ms Bethan Owen organised the Mass Translation of Joann Sfar's "Le Petit Prince" graphic novel.

Miss Richmond supporting the Mass Translation activity.

Grazie, parent helpers!

Ms Wendy French on hand to help with the Mass Translation.

Liza and her mum taking part in the Mass Translation.

Great to welcome back former pupils Maya and Jessica!

INTERNATIONAL PASSPORTS

Brilliant International Activity Passports!

Ciao Sophia using her International Activity Passport. How many countries did you visit at the Fair?

Thank you very much to Vice Chair of Sciennes Parent Council, Tanya Boughtflower, and the myriad of parent helpers who made the Summer Fair so successful and enjoyable for the whole school community.

 

Thank you to Sciennes Parent Council Treasurer Cathy McCormack for keeping everyone afloat with floats throughout the day!

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE (EAL) ACTIVITIES

Our fabulous EAL Specialist, Helen Law, provided a host of international quizzes, games and arts and crafts.

Fun for all the family

MAPPING OUR CONNECTIONS

Mapping our connections

http://ccescocia.cat/indexE.html

HUMAN TOWERS
Colla Castellara Edinburgh provided an extraordinary demonstration of human towers.

Well done, Alba, who reached the top of the tower!

Thank you to the Centre Catala d'Escocia for providing wonderful cultural activities and demonstrations.

Designing flags and recreating traditional cuisine in Play-Doh were just some of the activities on offer.

Redesigning  a new flag by combining Scottish and Catalan flags

 

Sagrada Familia takes shape in cardboard at the Fallas (junk modelling) activity.

Sagrada Familia left unfinished in a nod to Gaudi.

INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
 Superb musical performances could be heard throughout the school during the Fair.

Fabulous musicians performing traditional Chinese music.

Wonderful to welcome back former pupils Kim and Alexander - such talented musicians! And current pupil, Elizabeth, too! All your practice has reaped considerable rewards.

INTERNATIONAL DANCE CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS

An impressive programme of dance classes and demonstrations ran all day throughout  the building!

Delightful dancers!

Traditional Chinese dance and costumes.

A well deserved break in the sunshine!

Thank you to all the groups who provided dance classes and demonstrations throughout the day in the Hall and in classrooms. Scottish country dancing, Street dancing, Indian dancing, Chinese dancing and Ballet.

Wonderful Bharathnatyam Indian dance classes

Robika gave a superb demonstration of traditional Nepalese dance.

Thank you very much to the Grange School of Ballet - and Rachel! - for elegant dance classes.

INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING SESSIONS

The children were enthralled by the things they heard at the Worldwide Storytelling in the Library. Huge thanks to Claudio Michelon, Elena Chetlsova, Laura Kinsler, Tim Pask and Janis Mackay for sharing stories from their homelands.  We felt we had been transported to Brazil, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Shetland and North America!

Thank you very much to parent Aileen Nimmo for organising such a broad and engaging programme of international storytelling and to all who supported.

Celebrated author, and Sciennes' Patron of Reading, Janis Mackay led some of the Worldwide Storytelling sessions.

Parent, Tim Pask, regaled pupils with international stories in the school fiction library

Parent, Laura Kinsler, led an international storytelling session in the school non fiction library.

KOREAN COOKERY CLASSES

 Korean cookery classes were a huge hit!

 

Welcome back former pupil Erin, enjoying Korean cuisine.

MINDFULNESS SESSIONS

Pupil Support Assistant, Helen Anderson (pictured here with son Rory), provided an oasis of calm with her popular Kids Relax Mindfulness sessions.

Relax, Kids!

Very popular Mindfulness classes, which support an array of Mental Health and Wellbeing initiaitives introduced at school by Depute Head Carolyn Anstruther.

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ORIGAMI SESSIONS

Thank you to parents who manned the free calligraphy and origami sessions

Tihomir enjoys some Chinese calligraphy

Catie and her mum had fun at the Chinese calligraphy and origami sessions

Layla always has a sunny outlook, rain or shine!

So sad that star pupil Jaime from Murcia returns to Spain next year. Our love and best wishes to you and your family.

SCIENNES FOOTBALL CLUB FUN AND FUNDRAISING

 

PLANT STALL

The Plant Stall raised an amazing £273!

Thank you to Laura, Nikki, Mary and Rachel for setting out the Plant Stall so beautifully and manning it throughout the day.

 

SILENT AUCTION

The Silent Auction was a great success

Surprise star of the silent auction, Miss Stuffy McTat

BAKE SALE

Thank you to everyone who baked for and bought from the Bake Sale

Layla helps her mum man the Bake Sale

TOYS R US

Aidan and Katherine help at the Toy Stall

RECYCLED UNIFORM SALE

Phoebe and Mary man the uniform sale.

FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS

Thank you to Abi and Roma for selling 50 friendship bracelets handmade and donated by friend to the school, Anne Swap (retired Senior ASL ICT Development Officer).

Abi and Roma sold them all and made £50 for school funds!

WELCOME BACK FORMER MEMBER OF STAFF

Lovely to welcome back former member of staff Cath Walker to visit school with her family.

INTERNATIONAL FOOD STALL

What an outstanding success! Such a huge range of delicious cuisine from across the globe. Thank you to our generous sponors Papa John's for providing oodles of pizza and to Sainsbury's for supplying barbecue foods.

P6 pupils did a fantastic job selling International Food tickets

Thank you to all parents who prepared and sold such delicious international cuisine!

THANK YOU PAPA JOHN'S!

Thank you very much Papa John's Pizza for generously donating pizza and for your continued support for the school.

 

THANK YOU SAINSBURY'S

Thank you to Sainsbury's for generously providing barbecue foods for the International Food Stall.

Thank you team of super cook parents!

Thanks for all your help, former pupil Maxwell!

AND THERE WAS ICE CREAM, TOO!

WONDERFULLY SUPPORTIVE PARENTS

What can we say but thank you most sincerely to all who planned, organised, led and supported the Parent Council Summer Fair. A joyful celebration of our diverse community -  for the entire community to enjoy.

Thank you to everyone who donated even more of their time to stay on and count funds raised at the end of the hugely successful Summer Fair.