Participate! in the Year of Young People #YOYP2018

Participate! P4-7 Assembly 26.1.18 from Sciennes Primary School

On Friday 26th January we celebrated the many ways pupils are already participating and making their voices heard.

P6 pupils Eve and Hannah told everyone about their recent visit to the 'Burns Unbroke' Exhibition at Summerhall, including an ‘Oor Rabbie’ performance by Andy Cannon. This was a follow up to two wonderful art workshops with the artist Ciara Veronica Dunne where the class explored the poem Tam O’Shanter, chose favourite scenes from the poem and used Indian ink to create final masterpieces now on display at Summerhall. Huge congratulations to James H, Hugo and Oscar whose recreation of Alloway Kirk was chosen as the winning design for a Burns Unbroke tote bag. A wonderful opportunity to pARTicipate in one of the first Year of Young People events.

P7 Grange Captains Flora, Iain, Maisie and David explained their plans for a House Quiz and P6 pupil Dylan encouraged everyone to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Watch at the weekend. P7 pupil Camille explained her idea for creating Bug Hotels with the ECO Group. We are grateful for advice and encouragement from Anne O'Connell and Sarah Tolley organiser of the Meadows Community garden and head of community group "Greening our Street." P4 Fern and P7 Alejandro showed their new ECO Suggestion Boxes and siblings P5 Sam and P6 Eliza encouraged us to participate in forthcoming Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club events.

P7 pupils Isaac and Nils explained their Marathon in a Month idea to raise awareness of Asthma UK which will be supported by PE Specialist Mrs Walker at P7.

Pupil Council members were at Blackwell's Bookshop with Ms French today and will report back on their suggestions for purchases. P7 pupil Niamh shared examples of books which provide strong female role models and will also contribute her ideas for future book purchases at school.

Sports Captains congratulated the P7 Basketball Team on their recent win in the first round of the Hope Trust Basketball Cup and presented certificates. Thank you to PE Specialist Mrs Walker for organising and running the event and to Mrs Tariq for accompanying the team.

Everyone was encouraged to continue to 'Participate! 'and 'Have a Goal' this session, sharing and celebrating achievements with us.

Article 12

You have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

Article 15

You have the right to be with friends and join or set up clubs— unless this breaks the rights of others.

Article 29

You have the right to education which develops your personality, respect for others’ rights and the environment.

Article 31

You have the right to play and relax by doing things like sport, music and drama.

Have A Goal House Assemblies 15.1.18 #YOYP2018

Sciennes Have A Goal House Assembly 15.1.18 from Sciennes Primary School

On Monday 15th January we welcomed back pupils by holding our first House Assemblies of the new year for Grange (Ms Anstruther), Lauder (Ms Gallagher), Sienna (Ms Pearmain) and Tantallon (Mrs Noble). House and Sports Captains explained 'The Year of Young People', reflected on goals already achieved, shared their own goals for the coming year and asked pupils to think about their own goals.

Grange House - Maisie, James
Grange Sports - Iain, Flora
Lauder House - Fraser, Molly
Lauder Sports - Eilidh, Sam S
Sienna House - Sophia, Sam B
Sienna Sports - Louis, Emma
Tantallon House - Alice, Caspar
Tantallon Sports - Saad, Arwen

 

As part of the Scottish Government’s programme of themed years, 2018 is the Year of Young People (YoYP 2018).

YoYP 2018 activities and events are focusing on six themes that young people identified as most important for them as young Scots:

• Participation – looking at how young people can influence public services and decisions which affect their lives
• Education – creating a stronger role for young people in shaping their learning
• Health and Wellbeing –supporting young people to lead healthier, active lives and have opportunities to learn about and improve their mental health and resilience
• Equality and Discrimination – broadcasting the value of young Scots, challenging negative perceptions of young people, and supporting young people to take leading roles in challenging discrimination in all its forms.
• Enterprise and Regeneration – celebrating young people’s role in innovation, entrepreneurship and the Scottish economy as well as making Scotland a greener and more pleasant place to live
• Culture –celebrating young people’s talent and contribution to Scottish culture and arts.

Great to see almost all of our pupils in school uniform, and we appreciate parental support in continuing to encourage this. Warm, hooded jackets with hats, gloves and scarves at the ready, please, for the colder weather.

Article 2

You have the right to protection against discrimination.

Article 12

You have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

Article 13

You have the right to find out things and say what you think, through making art, speaking and writing unless it breaks the rights of others.

Article 15

You have the right to be with friends and join or set up clubs— unless this breaks the rights of others.

Article 24

You have the right to the best health possible and to medical care and information.

Article 29

You have the right to education which develops your personality, respect for others’ rights and the environment.

Article 31

You have the right to play and relax by doing things like sport, music and drama.

P6 UNCRC Art Project with Together (The Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights)

UNCRC panels destined for Scottish Parliament in the Autumn

Juliet Harris and Liz Millership visiting to see UNCRC panels created Together 

We hope that families will take the opportunity to come into school before the end of term to see the wonderful UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) panels currently on display in the foyer outside the Gym Hall. They will also be on display in the Scottish Parliament in the Autumn. Below, the children explain the themes and messages in the panels.

Chelsea Stinson, Children's Voices Project Manager from the Children's Parliament (based at Summerhall) approached us with a very exciting opportunity to work with Together - the Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights (see video below).  

 



Over the past few months, Together and the Scottish Universities Insight Institute  hosted four seminars on children's rights in law, practice and policy, sharing national international examples of good practice with a diverse group of delegates:

http://www.togetherscotland.org.uk/resources-and-networks/the-uncrc-in-scotland-seminar-series-2017 

As part of this seminar series, Together has been working to ensure that children and young people play a key role and that key messages from the seminars are accessible to everyone. Together commissioned artists Joanna Boyce, Yonnie and Lyver to work with our P6 pupils to present key messages in a creative and engaging way.

Three young people who had attended the seminars (Joel, Thomas and Suki) interpreted the key messages and themes then P6C pupils from Miss Katy Stewardson's class - Arwen, Thomas, Alma, Luis, Eilidh, Isaac, Eamon and Rachel - worked closely with the artists to visualise the imagery suggested, for example 'rights in the clouds', 'a policy factory', 'a meadow of rights' and 'connected Together in a daisy chain.'

During the project on 7th, 8th and 9th of June, Miss Stewardson's whole class discussed and worked on visualising UNCRC articles, particularly Article 42 Everyone should know about the UNCRC (finding ways to depict 42 of the articles) and Article 31 The right to play and rest.

P6C have included their own images of 42 articles of the UNRC

P6C's ideas will help create a new Playground Charter

Juliet and Liz from Together Alliance visited P6C on Election Day 8th June when Emily illustrated Article 4

PANEL ONE
Isaac - The Policy Factory

"My panel showed all adults trying to let children have the rights but the children aren't actually involved in the process. I enjoyed working with the people and painting the mural." Isaac

The Policy Factory, but where are the children?

The Policy Factory from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.


PANEL TWO
Thomas - Right in Reach?

"My panel shows the children reaching for their rights. They aren't getting their rights because the adults are not letting the children help them make the policies. It is important children are involved in things about them." Thomas

      

How can we help all children to reach their rights?

Right in Reach? from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.


PANEL THREE
Luis - Teardrop

" My panel was the one about not getting heard. And children not getting respect. There was a teardrop in the middle because the child was sad that no one was listening to her." Luis

A tear for the child who says, "No one asked me."

Teardrop from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.

PANEL FOUR
Eilidh - The Children's Rights Clan

"Painting the mural was really fun. The artists were nice and helpful. I learned that I could change rights for other children in Scotland. I got better at painting over the two and a half days and enjoyed myself. I hope the mural changes the MSPs' views on decisions about kids' rights." Eilidh

 

The Clan, all Together for Children's Rights, including Noel, Leo and Suki

The Children's Rights Clan from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.

PANEL FIVE
Alma - Right at the Heart

"This panel is where kids are well heard by all the adults. Instead of doing homework straight after school, this girl went outside, had some fresh air and learned more insects. Her teacher teaches mindfulness to her at school and all the children are well treated and well heard." Alma

Getting It Right, at the Heart

Right at the Heart from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.


PANEL SIX
Eamon - Equations

"I think I got a lot out of painting the mural. I developed my teamwork skills while having fun with my friends. The panel I worked on the most was the Equations board which is about three people talking to each other about how rights should just be there, that every child has them." Eamon

It All Adds Up - every child born equals the same rights

Equations from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.


PANEL SEVEN
Rachel -The Meadow of Children's Rights

I really enjoyed working on the mural because it involved being very creative! I liked the ideas Joel, Thomas and Suki had come up with, so it was fun painting and building on them. The mural shows a powerful message to me and I hope it will do the same for anyone else who sees it!" Rachel

Journey along the panels to reach the Meadow of Children's Rights

The Meadow of Rights from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.


PANEL MOTIF
Arwen - Daisy Chained Together

When I painted this mural I learned that everyone has rights and that my voice should be heard. My panel/talking bit was about passing on the word of rights and that everyone should know about them. The mural was very fun to do and I learned lots about rights." Arwen

All connected Together

The Daisy Chain from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.

Thank you Lyver, Yonnie and Joanna!

Introducing the project to P6C with Class Teacher Miss Katy Stewardson

 

Miss Stewardson's whole class discussed and worked on visualising UNCRC articles:

Juliet Harris and Liz Millership from Together - the Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights - visiting P6C

P6C created their Class Charter with Miss Stewardson at the beginning of the year

Thank you Mrs Aliya Tariq for wonderful assistance with art project

Article 1

Everyone under 18 has these rights.

Article 12

You have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

Article 42

All adults and children should know about this convention.