Sciennes is a Dyslexia Friendly school. On Friday 3rd November we featured Dyslexia Awareness in both P1-3 and P4-7 Assemblies, following Dyslexia Scotland's theme of 'Positive About Dyslexia'.
A slideshow showing famous scientists, inventors, business people, musicians, writers, artists and actors, who are said to have dyslexia, was shown as pupils were entering and leaving the Hall.
Ms Kennedy and Miss Thistlethwaite have been working with groups of dyslexic pupils who will deliver year group presentations to P4-P7 next week, in Dyslexia Awareness Week. A group of P7 pupils gave an excellent presentation at the P1-3 Assembly and P7 pupil Catherine is leading the distribution of blue ribbons next week. Video clips were shown to help explain dyslexia and develop positive attitudes towards having dyslexia and also towards dyslexic pupils who have to work hard to overcome associated challenges.
Interested pupils were invited to speak to families about attending the launch of a new Dyslexia Scotland website 'Unwrapped' for dyslexic children to be held at Central Library on George IV Bridge Thursday 9th November 5.30pm-8pm.
On Friday 7th October we issued the First Minister's Reading Challenge Passports to P4, P5 and P6 and reminded pupils what is involved in the Reading Challenge. P7 pupils have already received their passports and have begun using them.
One of the entries in the Reading Challenge Passport asks pupils to name their local library and librarian and we again encouraged all our pupils to join their local library. There are many free resources to pupils and families through the Library Service via the Overdrive app - eBooks, audiobooks, free Mathetics maths resources and games, language resources. Not signed up yet? A great challenge to complete in the Ocober holiday!
Ms French's Reading Challenge continues to be a great success with many more of her pupils achieving Gold awards for reading 15 books!
We congratulated many pupils on recent achievements and enjoyed a wonderful, confident performance on guitar from Kevin, Riley, Hannah and Eloise.
Our P3 whole school led Harvest Appeal for Foodbank launches next week and the P3 teams are busy organising. A collection will be made on Friday 28th October and ties in with international charity WE Free the Children's 'Scare Hunger' campaign. Free the Children will visit school in December and we are looking forward to welcoming them back again to help us with pupil led social action.
P7 will be at Lagganlia Outdoor Education Centre next week and we watched a video to help us think about how team work, belief and encouragement can help us achieve!
Class Teachers in P4-7 will inform pupils if and how their classes will celebrate Halloween this year.
On Friday 9th September at the P4-7 Assembly we celebrated Roald Dahl's life, work and world of pure imagination, ahead of the forthcoming celebrations to mark the centenary of his birth on 13th September.
Roald Dahl faced many challenges in his life. He would not have recognised the phrase 'growth mindset' but our children do, thanks to the great work of our Infant Depute Headteacher, Ms Carolyn Anstruther, and Class Teachers. Dahl's resilience to change, his hard work and perseverance are reflected in his life story and also in his success. "I can't do it YET!" and seeing the positives in making mistakes are attitudes we are trying to cultivate in our learners. We listened to "Up Grow the Roses" from the Dahl screenplay for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" with its positive messages about learning from failures and to try, try again. We also asked the children which Dahl books they have 'not read YET'.
We are keen to encourage all Sciennes' pupils to join their local library as we continue to promote a love of Reading in our school and at home. P4-7 teachers have signed up their classes for The First Minister's Reading Challenge later this term and Ms Wendy French has been running her own 'Go For Gold' Reading Challenge in P5C since August. Eliza and Jaimee told everyone at Assembly what was involved. Pupils who read five books gain a Bronze Award, ten books brings a Silver Award and already many P5C pupils have been awarded with a Gold Medal and certificate for reading fifteen books!
We wished Happy Eid to all families celebrating and reminded everyone that MONDAY 19th SEPTEMBER is a holiday.
Pupil Council elections take place on Monday 12th September, with the results being announced on Thursday 15th September (International Day of Democracy).
"Up Grow The Roses" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Every bursted bubble has a glory!
Each abysmal failure makes a point!
Every glowing path that goes astray,
Shows you how to find a better way.
So every time you stumble never grumble.
Next time you'll bumble even less!
For up from the ashes, up from the ashes, grow the roses of success!
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses of success!
Oh yes!
Grow the roses!
Those rosy roses!
From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success!
(spoken)Yes I know but he wants it to float. It will!
For every big mistake you make be grateful!
Here, here!
That mistake you'll never make again!
No sir!
Every shiny dream that fades and dies,
Generates the steam for two more tries!
(Oh) There's magic in the wake of a fiasco!
Correct!
It gives you that chance to second guess!
Oh yes!
Then up from the ashes, up from the ashes grow the roses of success!
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses of success!
Grow the roses!
Those rosy roses!
From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success!
Disaster didn't stymie Louis Pasteur!
No sir!
Edison took years to see the light!
Right!
Alexander Graham knew failure well; he took a lot of knocks to ring that
bell!
So when it gets distressing it's a blessing!
Onward and upward you must press!
Yes, Yes!
Till up from the ashes, up from the ashes grow the roses of success.
Grow the ro
Grow the ro
Grow the roses!
Grow the ro
Grow the ro
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses of success!
Grow the ro
Grow the ro
Grow the roses!
Those rosy ro
Those rosy ro
Those rosy roses!
From the ashes of disaster, grow the roses of success!
1 in 5 Raising Awareness of Child Poverty in Edinburgh – The Make A Difference Award
Schools were invited to submit ideas on what they would do with £250 to help Make a Difference. Five members of Sciennes' Pupil Council have been invited to the Scottish Parliament to submit our best ideas to City of Edinburgh's '1 in 5' Make a Difference Award Ceremony on Wednesday 16th March. Ms Anstruther will accompany.
To Sciennes parents and pupils, a huge thank you for all your pencil case donations. We were overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity. We have just returned from South Africa and it was fantastic to be able to give your gifts to the children fron Charles Memorial primary school where they were greatly appreciated. The children were so excited as you can see from the attached photos.
1 in 5 Raising Awareness of Child Poverty in Edinburgh – The Make A Difference Award
What would you do with £250 to help Make a Difference?
Sciennes' Pupil Council have planned a school wide launch of City of Edinburgh's 'Make a Difference Award'. Pupils are taking the lead in encouraging fellow pupils, classes, staff and parents to
submit ideas of how they would use the award money to help make a
difference to children and families living on or below the poverty line
in our school community.
Your ideas might involve:
Raising awareness of the realities of living in poverty in the UK.
Contribute towards reducing school costs e.g. uniform, trips, books and resources for those most in need.
Support income/benefits advice and management for families.
Any other ideas you might have to Make a Difference?
Schools will submit their top three ideas for judging by an independent panel. the winners from each school will then be invited to present their idea at the 1 in 5 Launch and Roll Out event on the 22nd March before receiving the £250 award money to take forward their idea in their school.
Who can enter? Individual or groups of staff, parent councils, individual pupils or classes/tutor groups.
Submission dates for ideas? FRIDAY 12th FEBRUARY 2016
How do I/ we enter? Contact your school to receive a Make a Difference Award submission form.Pupil ideas will be collected in class.
1 in 5 Raising Awareness of Child Poverty in Edinburgh – The Make A Difference Award
What would you do with £250 to help Make a Difference?
Sciennes' Pupil Council met on Friday 29th January to plan a school wide launch of City of Edinburgh's 'Make a Difference Award'. Pupils will take the lead in encouraging fellow pupils, classes, staff and parents to
submit ideas of how they would use the award money to help make a
difference to children and families living on or below the poverty line
in our school community.
Your ideas might involve:
Raising awareness of the realities of living in poverty in the UK.
Contribute towards reducing school costs e.g. uniform, trips, books and resources for those most in need.
Support income/benefits advice and management for families.
Any other ideas you might have to Make a Difference?
Schools will submit their top three ideas for judging by an independent panel. the winners from each school will then be invited to present their idea at the 1 in 5 Launch and Roll Out event on the 22nd March before receiving the £250 award money to take forward their idea in their school.
Who can enter? Individual or groups of staff, parent councils, individual pupils or classes/tutor groups.
Submission dates for ideas? FRIDAY 12th FEBRUARY 2016
How do I/ we enter? Contact your school to receive a Make a Difference Award submission form.Pupil ideas will be collected in class.
On Friday 22nd January we welcomed former pupils Jessica, Katie and Anna to speak to
our pupils at Assembly. The girls are now in their Sixth Year at James Gillespie's
High School and are about to embark on a visit to Zwelibanzi High School
in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, as part of a longstanding twinning
between the cluster schools. Pupils and families have been asked to support
JGHS's annual 'Donate a Pencil Case' appeal. Donations will be gratefully
received and can be handed to the School Office until 9th February.
Jessica, Katie and Anna will collect them before they fly off on 11th
February.
On Friday 27th November 2015, Sciennes' Patron of Reading - celebrated author Janis Mackay - presented at both P1-3 and P4-7 Scottish Book Week Assemblies. Thank you to Ms Bethan Owen for leading our school wide Book Week celebrations with Janis so successfully:
P3 WORKSHOPS
P5-7 BOOK LAUNCH- "Wild Song"
JANIS AT ASSEMBLIES
MEET THE AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING
There will be an opportunity to
meet Janis and buy signed copies of her books at a special discounted
price for Sciennes' families between 11am and 12.30pm on Friday 27th November
Sciennes' Pupil Council thanked everyone for supporting City of Edinburgh's 1:5 Child Poverty Awareness project throughout Scottish Book Week by donating preloved, much loved and gift condition books to a child via Foodbank and other organisations.
Please note that the project has been extended at Sciennes and we will still be collecting donated books until Wednesday 2nd December. We hope to see you at the Winter Fair on Saturday 28th November 12pm-3pm. Coming along? Could your child select a favourite, high quality book to bring to gift to a child in need?
Sciennes' Pupil Council is leading a 'Hungry for Books' campaign, launched at House Assemblies on Universal Children's Day 20th November and taking place ONLY throughout Book Week Scotland from Monday 23rd November to Friday 27th November. We have been asking our pupils how they can make simple acts to bring about change and highlighting the Global Goals at our Assemblies.
Sciennes
Primary School is proud to be one of six schools in Edinburgh working with Pattie Santelices (City of Edinburgh Principal Officer Mental Health and Well
Being) and committed to raising
awareness of children in poverty.
The aims of the project are: * To highlight the scale and impact of 1:5 child poverty. * To explore cultural and structural explanations of child poverty. * To consider the costs associated with the school day at Sciennes * To reflect on how we can make education fairer and equitable for all
Last year, P3 pupils successfully organised a whole school Harvest appeal leading our school community to donate food items generously to Foodbank. This year, we are asking everyone to feed minds by donating at least one 'preloved', much loved, quality children's book which will then be redistributed by Foodbank and other organisations.
Sciennes is one of six school hubs for the city - Central Hub - and our Pupil Council members will work with volunteer Librarians to help collect and deliver donated books.
Hungry
for Books 23rd – 27th November ‘Gift a child a pre-loved
book’
Did you know that 1:5 children live in poverty or have at
some time in their lives? This is shocking to us in Sciennes’ Pupil Council.
And we want to help. So we have decided to do a book collection. Please give a child
in poverty a book to pass the time and make them feel like an ordinary child.
And try to think how many hours are really in a day when you don’t have the
money to buy expensive video games and other things.So
please bring a book for the book bank.
Hamish Croft, P7 member
of Sciennes Pupil Council
1:5
children living in poverty leave school unable to read well. These children are
also less likely to have books in the home and read for pleasure. During Book
Week we are seeking donations of high quality children’s books which our Pupil
Council will then redistribute to children in need through Foodbank. I
would also like families in school, who would welcome an opportunity to select
some books, to please contact me directly. I can assure you of my utmost
discretion and confidentiality.
We congratulated our new Pupil Council reps and thanked Mrs Sally Nowell for organising the election on Wednesday. The Pupil Council will take a lead role in developing our "Rights Respecting Schools" project. Next Friday 25th September sees the launch of "The World's Largest Lesson" when we will learn more about the Global Goals for 2030:
End extreme poverty Fight inequality & injustice Fix climate change
