Friday 22 September 2017

What World Do You Want to See By 2030?



On Friday 22nd September we celebrated Global Goals Week with a look at what action is already taking place at Sciennes Primary to support the Sustainable Development Global Goals (SDGs). We invited the  children to design their own Global Goals glasses to reflect the world they want to see by 2030 and asked them to think about which actions they could take this year to be Global #Goalkeepers. We asked pupils to take their Global Goals glasses home and ask their families if they are aware of the Sustainable Development Goals. Which of the Global Goals does your family support and why?

Global Goals Glasses





Our three P3 classes are taking action on SDG1, SDG2 and SDG3 by leading a whole school Harvest Appeal in support of the charity 'Send A Cow to Africa' and a speaker will address both Assemblies next week.


The Kid's Guide to Send a Cow from Send a Cow on Vimeo.



This week, in Scottish Climate Week, P7 have been taking action on SDG13 (Climate Action) by presenting 17 000 consultation responses to the Scottish Government's forthcoming Climate Bill with Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and Friends of the Earth. Eco Schools Scotland invited Faye, Sorley and Lucy to participate as a direct result of P7A's work on air pollution last year with Mr Hutchison, Mr McKenna, Ms Christie and SEPA. The pupils cycled to Parliament from school to hand over the responses to Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment.

Faye, Sorley and Lucy told everyone about their visit to Parliament with Stop Climate Chaos Scotland


Newly elected P6 Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs) Lyall, Essie and Anna shared details about their invitation to a training session at City Chambers, designed to support them in their lead role this year. Lyall explained that there had been workshops and one was on air quality, as a direct result of P7A's involvement with SEPA last year. Essie updated everyone on the Hands Up Scotland Travel Survey they organised and that baseline information has been added to our Living Streets Travel Tracker. Anna shared that the JRSOs will work with classes to help them use the Travel Tracker again this year to track active travel.


Supporting the world's plan for sustainable development using the Global Goals will help us all stand up for rights and P7C pupils this week articulately explained their understanding of the UNCRC to the Minister for Young People, Mark MacDonald, at a special celebratory event arranged by Together Scotland. Many thanks to Juliet Harris and Liz Millerfield for organising a very special 'picnic' lunch for the children, in recognition of all their hard work with artists Joanna, Yonnie and Lyver in creating fabulous UNCRC artwork on panels destined for the Scottish Parliament.

P7C pupils meet Mark MacDonald MSP at Together Scotland offices in Rosebery House

There was recognition for Ms MacKintosh in successfully leading engagement with Maths Week Scotland and for Ms Christie in leading a uniquely innovative and adventurous programme of cycling for P6.

P4A showed their wonderful 'Resilience Role Model' posters and Anjalie in P4 was also congratulated on her terrific Mindset poster.





We reminded pupils that to stay safe they should come back into the School Office if the person coming to collect them up is delayed.

We look forward to hearing pupils' ideas for being part of the Global Goals plan, making a difference at Sciennes, in the local community and beyond.

Saturday 16 September 2017

Global Goals House Assemblies 15.9.17



On Friday 15th September 2017 we held our first House Assemblies of the new session for P2-P7 and welcomed P2 pupils to their first ever House Assembly for Grange, Lauder, Sienna and Tantallon.

In November 2015 Sciennes achieved a Bronze Award and in May 2016, Sciennes achieved a Silver (Level One) "Rights Respecting School" award. We are working towards Gold accreditation (Level Two), achievable within three years of Silver. Our journey so far has been recorded on our Rights Respecting Sciennes Timeline. We asked pupils what it means to be a UNCRC Rights Respecting School and reminded them this includes being a Global Citizen, respecting other people's rights.

We first introduced our pupils to the United Nations' Global Goals for Sustainable Development when they were launched in September 2015. By 2030 these aim to:

End extreme poverty
Fight inequality & injustice
Fix climate change






On September 25th 2015, 193 world leaders committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.) Two years on, we watched a rap to help us understand all the goals better.




2018 is the Year of Young People and we asked the children to think about and share their ideas for being #Goalkeepers, like Malala, Barack Obama and Bill and Melinda Gates. What world do they want to see by 2030?




'The World's Largest Lesson Part Three' has a food theme this year and we will be exploring this and other relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout the year. P3 will again be leading a whole school Harvest Appeal. Last year they successfully led donations to a local Foodbank charity and this year they are supporting the Send a Cow to Africa charity.



15th September is the International Day for Democracy. Congratulations to our newly elected Pupil Council members who will be the voice of their classmates throughout the year and will also be our Rights Respecting Schools Ambassadors. The results of the ECO Rep elections were also announced for each House.

Article 12

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

Article 29

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

Friday 8 September 2017

Challenge Yourself! Challenge Your Mindset!



On Friday 8th September we explored 'Challenge Your Mindset'  which is one of ten strategies in City of Edinburgh's Health and Wellbeing programme for "Building Resilience." The programme complements Sciennes' existing HWB work, successfully led by DHT Ms Carolyn Anstruther and staff and parent School Improvement groups over many years.

Pupils were encouraged to maintain a Growth Mindset and were reminded that their abilities need not be fixed. Believing that achievement is possible is important, but lots of effort and determination and being open to make and learn from mistakes are also keys to success. We watched videos from Class Dojo and Sport Scotland to encourage us to keep challenging ourselves and keep persevering in our efforts.





Miss McGrouther's P6B class has created a display with inspiring quotes on self belief entitled "Believe in Your #Selfie." Ivy and Alba researched leadership quotes for homework, working hard to impress their teacher with their extra efforts, and shared these at Assembly.




The first Maths Week Scotland takes place next week and Ms Mackintosh is leading many maths events and activities in school.  Some classes are also taking part in a national Sumdog competition, in school, at home or both.

Today, 8th September, is International Literacy Day and pupils have been invited to take part in the First Minister's Reading Challenge again this year. Reading passports have been ordered and reading challenges will take place throughout the year. One of the first is to join a local library, which then gives access to dozens of free resources such as Mathletics and ebooks.

This week P7C pupils assisted at Assembly in a quiz and in celebrating pupil achievements.

Article 24

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

Sunday 3 September 2017

Resilience Role Models


On Friday 1st September 2017, Mr Howie led the P4-7 Assembly, continuing our 'Building Resilience' Health and Wellbeing focus by exploring Resilience Role Models and different types of role model. Mr Howie particularly focused on Teddy Roosevelt, engagingly telling the story of his fascinating, inspiring life and how he strove to overcome adversity and take on personal challenges. Mr Howie also highlighted links with some of the ten 'Be Resilient' toolkit strategies (from a City of Edinburgh HWB programme) that we will be exploring further this year.





Pupils from P7A helped launch our annual P6 and P7 Junior Awards Scheme for Schools (JASS) and we celebrated recent pupil achievements.

Article 24

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