P6@Benmore 9th -13th February

Information about departure to Benmore, clothing checklist and forms were issued with Homework on Tuesday 20th January.

Click to access the P6@Benmore blog at this address:

http://sciennesbenmore2015.blogspot.co.uk

EE2b Medical forms have been issued to those pupils who have indicated on the EE2 that they will require medication. EE2b forms should be placed beside labelled medication in a clear, sealed plastic bag and handed to the Class Teacher on Monday 9th February when registering in the Hall. Additional EE2b forms can be collected from the School Office.

P4-7 Eco Green Flag Assembly 30th January

 

To celebrate the success of receiving our third Green Flag from Eco Schools Scotland we held a special Eco Assembly on Friday 30th January. Representing last year's Eco Reps (who worked with Mr Kearton), Jessica from P7C ably took us through our Eco journey since joining Eco Schools in 2008 (when Jessica was in Primary One).

Sahaj from P7B, representing this year's Eco Reps, was confident and comprehensive in explaining our current Eco initiatives and how we have already begun, capably led by P3 Class Teacher Miss Gallagher, to aim for our fourth Green Flag by 2016. Thank you also to Theo from P7A who supported Jessica and Sahaj in preparing their presentation.

Well done all! A fantastic achievement!

http://sciennespseco.blogspot.co.uk

http://sciennespseco.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/p7-eco-rap-tributes-to-isaac.html

P6 Steven Lui Cup Awarded to Yash

Congratulations to the nine outstanding finalists in the annual P6 Robert Burns poetry recital. All gave sterling performances in front of the entire - hugely supportive - P6 year group on Friday 30th January.

The finalists selected from each class were:
P6A Aidan, Flora and Fergus
P6B Toby Ward, Yash and Charlotte
P6C Miles, Stephen and Esther

There was a huge variety in style, including Toby singing "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose" and Charlotte using sign language to accompany her performance. Miles tackled an extremely challenging poem and all finalists were word perfect and confident. It was very difficult to select the overall winner, but eventually Ms Anstruther, Ms Gallagher and Mrs Tariq agreed that Yash's performance was particularly expressive, well paced and dramatic.

Yash will have his name inscribed on the Steven Lui Memorial Cup, so kindly donated by Steven's family, and helping us all to keep Steven in our thoughts.

Congratulations Yash and well done on another excellent rendition at the P4-7 Assembly.

Third Eco Schools Green Flag for Sciennes!

Wonderful news today that Sciennes received our third Eco Schools Green Flag!

Alastair Davidson and Briony McLaughin from Eco Schools (part of the Keep Scotland Beautiful charity) met with pupil Eco Reps on Tuesday 25th January to assess the Eco work of the school over the last two years. The children were absolutely superb and made an obvious impression, showing their knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, all the various Eco projects in and around school. Alastair gave us some very helpful feedback and advice for taking developments forward, including establishing air quality monitoring in Sciennes Road, and also had a very positive and encouraging manner with the children.

A very special thank you to Mr Kearton for all his enthusiasm and drive with Eco - our reps from last year were particularly animated in relaying all their achievements with him. Miss Kirsty Gallagher, P3 Class Teacher, is doing an amazing job of leading the new and old reps this year and brings so much experience of Eco from Prestonfield (where she also secured a Green Flag for the school). The award is also in recognition of all the hard work of Miss Alison Mackintosh as well as Mr Kearton over the last two years and of the whole team efforts in supporting Eco throughout the school - Ms Christie, Mrs Noble, Ms Anstruther, Mr Scott and Mr Reid, with the entire staff, carrying on the great work done by Ms Emma Kidd in securing our first Green Flag and Ms Claire Phillips and Ms Mel Ross in securing our Second. Grateful thanks to Parent Council members Corrine and Phoebe who have provided such sterling support to the school over many years with the Wildlife Garden, planting and harvesting vegetables for P3 soup making, as well as helping pupils create our fantastic Eco Display board. It was wonderful to have Corrine attend the inspection visit. Alastair commented favourably on the great work in Food Focus Fortnight by Miss Shona Pearmain and thought Ms Anstruther's Sensory Room is an exciting, innovative resource. Mr McKenna's Science provision in P3-P7 was also credited during the inspection. Alastair was enthusiastic about plans to focus on 'School Grounds' and 'Transport' Eco topics over the next two years, recognising the tremendous existing achievements in Cycling and the ambitious plans for the Playground already in place. Great team effort - pupils, staff and parents.

Well done, everyone!

http://sciennespseco.blogspot.co.uk
http://sciennesactivetravel.blogspot.co.uk
http://sciennesplayground.blogspot.co.uk

Eco at Sciennes

CLICK HERE FOR ECO PLANNING 2013-2016 which shows ECO progress to date and is being added to throughout the year.

Miss Kirsty Gallagher, P3 Class Teacher, is our new Eco Leader and she has made sure our Eco Team of old and new reps has had a very productive start to the year 2014/2015.

The group has decided to maintain their work on ENERGY, WASTE and LITTER as well as tackling two new topics in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016:
* SCHOOL GROUNDS
* TRANSPORT

WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND WHERE NEXT? 

See our Eco at Sciennes website: 

http://sciennespseco.blogspot.co.uk 

Active Travel at Sciennes:
http://sciennesactivetravel.blogspot.co.uk

School Grounds at Sciennes:

http://sciennesplayground.blogspot.co.uk

P6@Benmore 9th-13th February

Information about departure, clothing checklist and forms will be issued with Homework on Tuesday 20th January.


Click here to access the P6@Benmore blog:

http://sciennesbenmore2015.blogspot.co.uk

Or visit CLASSES >P6 >BENMORE

P4-7 Music Assembly

Thank you to S6 students Caitlin and Monica from James Gillespie's High School for their excellent presentation about their forthcoming trip to South Africa and for explaining how we can help by donating gym shoes, sports gear and dresses.

The focus for the P4-7 Assembly on Friday 16th January was Music at Sciennes and how the BBC Ten Pieces project provides opportunities to get creative with classical music, as well as opportunities to perform.

Our School Orchestra will perform at the Queen's Hall on March 30th as part of City of Edinburgh's "Ten Minutes for Ten Pieces", alongside P6 pupils who wish to perform the Ten Pieces dance they have been learning with Dance Division's Cat Perry.

On Tuesday May 5th our pupils will have a chance to showcase their musical talents at the Sciennes Parent Council Music Showcase, also with a Ten Pieces theme, at the Queen's Hall.

Inspired by Anna Meredith's Ten Pieces Connect It Dance, P7B created and performed their own versions of the Haka, using Scots words, as part of their Scotland Week project.

Tomlin from Creative Scotland's Bainbridge Youth Orchestra, based in Leith, came along to the Assembly to perform a song on acoustic guitar and tell P6 and P7 about an exciting free ten week music making workshop beginning on Friday 23rd January. Places are now very limited so contact Chris as soon as possible with your name, age, instrument and rough level of ability if you wish to be considered for a place:

Chris Elsheikhi
contact@bainbridgemusic.co.uk

www.bainbridgemusic.co.uk

0131 553 0200

Bainbridge Youth Music Project


How Music Sets Off Fireworks in Your Brain

JGHS S6 South Africa Student Appeal for Gym Shoes, Sports Gear and Dresses

South Africa Shoes

The South Africa project at James Gillespie’s High School was established in 2003, when the school became linked with Zwelibanzi High School, Durban. In 2011 a second link was made to Dloko High School. Every year JGHS raises money and donations in support of students in the schools. This year we are specifically focusing on collecting school shoes, as many of the children have to walk to school in their bare feet. We are looking for black shoes that are sizes 7-13 (children) and 1-7 (adult). If you have old school shoes that you or your younger siblings have grown out of then please donate them. We are also collecting: sportswear, dresses and pencil cases. The donation boxes are in Sciennes office.

We appreciate your help and donations!

James Gillespie’s High School S6 students

Active Schools Clubs on Wisepay

Jonathan Wallace, Active Schools Co-ordinator for James Gillespie's High School Cluster, has published details of Term 2 clubs (at Sciennes and at local venues) which can be booked via Wisepay.

http://sciennesactiveschools.blogspot.co.uk/

Sciennes Parent Council Clubs

Happy New Year to all and look forward to seeing you all back clubbing!
Some important information about the next term:

All clubs (except Highland Dancing  and unless previously confirmed by the club leader) will recommence W/b January 12th 2015 and will run through until Thursday 2nd April.

You can still register your child for any club by visiting the Parent Council website although some are operating a waiting list. You will be advised by the club leader if this is the case.
There are a number of clubs who have increased their sessions and numbers so are happy to accept new registrants for this term although all clubs are happy to take enquiries and discuss options.

Below are the clubs that are specifically accepting new registrants:

* Crafty Sewing (due to popular demand an extra class has been added which will take place Tuesdays 3.25-4.15 in the Discovery Den). This is in addition to the existing Friday class.
* Gymnastics (Friday)
* Chinese Mandarin (Wednesday)
* Bike Club (Friday)
* Highland Dancing (Thursday)
* Spanish (www.spanishamigos.co.uk/payment-edinburgh/sciennes)

Please contact the individual club leaders via email for information and registration.

All the club leaders details are posted on the clubs blog of the Parent Council website:
https://sciennesschool.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/club-details-aug-20141.pdf

*PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO HALF TERM THERE WILL BE NO CLUBS FROM MONDAY 16th of FEBRUARY UNTIL 23rd FEBRUARY*

The club leaders will also inform you of any other dates that impact on individual clubs eg parent consultations etc.

Term ends Thursday April 2nd - recommences Tuesday 21st April.

Any enquires should be made in the first instance to club leaders.

General enquiries should be made to Fiona or Bethan at sciennes@outlook.com

Hope you have great term!
                                                                 Sciennes Parent Council (Clubs)

Monday 12th Jan Sciennes Boroughmuir Thistle Girls' Football Fundraising

 

Five P7 Sciennes girls (Manju, Eliza, Stella, Phoebe and Zoe) and one P6 girl (Rose) who are stalwarts of Sciennes Football Club, are hoping to travel with their other football club, Boroughmuir Thistle, to the Gothia Cup in Sweden, the world's biggest youth football tournament.

The parents of the Sciennes contingent have organised a movie night at the Dominion Cinema in early January to see Bend It Like Beckham, which seemed the most appropriate film we could find, as well as being a good fun night out.

Please come along and help us fill the cinema! 

Given that Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, you might want to consider giving Bend It Like Beckham tickets to family and friends. Or how about organising a girls' (or boys') night out with colleagues or friends? 

Tickets are only £10 (less than the normal Dominion price!) and include a glass of wine and nibbles. Please forward to friends and colleagues. Any support much appreciated!



Details of how to get tickets further down the email. Hope to see you there!
Clarissa (Manju's mum)



=======



As part of Boroughmuir Thistle's Gothia Cup fundraising efforts we are delighted to announce an exclusive screening at the Dominion of 

Bend It Like Beckham


Date: Monday 12 January

Time: Doors open 7:30, film starts 8:00


Tickets on Sale Now!


Tickets are £10, including a glass of wine/soft drink and a snack -  a better deal than the regular Dominion price of £10.95.


Please forward information to friends and colleagues. We have a big cinema to fill and we are aiming for a sold out show. 



How to buy tickets: 
email beckhamdominion@hotmail.com to book your tickets. We accept cash, cheques or BACS payments.




The small print: 
All money raised goes towards the BTFC trip to the Gothia Cup, the world's largest youth football tournament. Doors open at 7.30pm and the film will start at 8pm. Tickets must be purchased in advance and presented at the cinema prior to entry. The organisers reserve the right to refuse entry and cannot be responsible for lost or forgotten tickets. The film is rated 12A. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

The Gothia Cup Organising Committee

Parent Council Meeting and School Streets Consultation

THURSDAY 15th JANUARY

PARENT COUNCIL MEETING:

All parents and carers are welcome to attend the next Parent Council Meeting taking place in Room 16 on Thursday 15th Jan, 7-9pm. The Agenda and Minutes of previous Parent Council Meeting are on the Parent Council Website.

SCHOOL STREETS CONSULTATION

Sciennes Primary is one of 6 Edinburgh schools to be accepted for the School Streets pilot project. Commencing in September 2015 the council aim to close the street to traffic outside of the school at school arrival and departure time. Prior to this happening, a public consultation is taking place. Council staff will be in the gym hall on Thursday 15th Jan 3.30pm-7pm to receive feedback about this initiative. Please take a few minutes to take part in the public consultation meeting if you can.

House Assemblies

Celebrating the Success of the Sciennes Parent Triathlon Dream Team

On Friday 9th January House Assemblies were held for Grange, Lauder, Scienna and Tantallon at the end of Scotland Week, marked with a joyful P5-P7 Ceilidh in the Playground, led by Mrs Beth Walker. Thank you to Mrs Walker and Ms Berry, our PE Specialists, for teaching all pupils in P1-P7 a variety of Scottish Country Dances throughout the week. The children will certainly be able to lead the dancing at the forthcoming Parent Council Ceilidhs on Thursdays 22nd and 29th January!

House and Sports Captains shared their New Year Resolutions at our Assemblies and asked the audience to share some of their own. We all acknowledged and celebrated the tremendous achievements of our 16 Dream Team Triathlete Dads who, with the overwhelmingly generous support of family and friends, have raised a remarkable £12,000 for the playground at the New Year's Day Triathlon!

Ms Anstruther has been working hard to help staff and pupils understand how a Growth Mindset can help everyone to succeed. She suggested we watch an inspiring video from Sport Scotland about 'Understanding Talent', which helped us all think about how talent can be developed through challenge and effort.



Ms Anstruther challenges you to use a growth mindset to develop talents in 2015


If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.


We informed P6 and P7 pupils that from Monday they should play in the playground from 12.35pm until the bell rings at 12.50pm before going to the Dining Hall, to help reduce queuing times for school lunches. We also encouraged all pupils to continue to wear school uniform and to be 'All in Line by Ten to Nine', before the morning bell rings.




Ceilidh in the Playground!
Thank you to Mrs Beth Walker for leading the dancing and fun.

 

 

Sciennes Parent Council Ceilidhs

Sciennes Parent Council

 Family Ceilidhs

6.30pm – 8.00pm

Thursdays 22 and 29 January 2015

Ceilidh dancing with the McAlastair Ceilidh Band with June Underwood and her Highland Dancers. A fabulous fun evening for everyone.

Tickets on Wisepay NOW

Adults £4 and Children £3 each.

(Tickets include refreshments and shortbread.)

Pupils Resume Tuesday 6th January

Wishing all our families health and happiness in 2015.

 Staff resume on Monday 5th January and we look forward to welcoming pupils back to school on TUESDAY 6th January.

A huge thank you to the intrepid team of Sciennes' Parents who took part in the Edinburgh New Year's Day Triathlon, raising an incredible amount of more than £11, 000 (with Gift Aid) towards Sciennes' new playground. A truly remarkable achievement!

A gruelling event commencing at 12pm on New Years Day, consisting of a 400m swim in the Commonwealth Pool, 3 times round Arthur's Seat on bike and finishing with a run round at the end, in total 24km of intense physical exertion by mostly first time Triathletes! Thank you to everyone who has donated so generously.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON PROPOSED SCHOOL STREETS SCHEMES

Proposed Experimental Traffic Regulation - Prohibition of Vehicular Traffic (During School Travel Periods)

A public consultation is now live as part of a new pilot School Streets initiative for the Capital, running from 15th December 2014 to 27th February 2015.

WHY ARE WE CONSULTING?

Whatever your views about School Streets, as a parent, resident or driver, City of Edinburgh Council wants to hear from you. We are particularly keen to get your views on which streets should be included in the pilot project.

Click to view

A total of 31 schools expressed an interest in taking part in the pilot, which is designed to improve the environment around schools and encourage safer and healthier ways for pupils to travel to and from school.

The Local Transport Strategy 2014-19 contains a commitment to pilot School Streets at up to five schools.

However, given the volume of interest from schools across the city, a list of ten pilot schemes covering 11 schools was drawn up and was agreed by councillors in October.

These locations have been experiencing on going road safety issues caused by too many drivers bringing their vehicles too close to the school gates.

The pilot schemes will prohibit traffic on streets outside or around school entrances at specific times of day.

The benefits of implementing school streets are:

•          Increase in walking and cycling and active lifestyles for pupils and parents/carers
•          Reduction in traffic speed, congestion and pollution around the school gates
•          Responding to demand from parents and residents

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: "There's a huge appetite out there for this initiative and our next task is to finalise the details of how the schemes might work. We're looking for as much feedback as possible from people in each of the 11 school communities, including local residents. Please have your say in our online consultation or pop along to one of the many drop-in sessions we've got planned early in the New Year."

An online consultation went live earlier this week and will run until Friday 27 February 2015.

In addition, a series of drop-in information events will be held in each of the school communities during January and February 2015.

School Streets Drop-in Sessions Diary

January 2015

8th - Clermiston Primary School, 3-6pm
13th - Buckstone Primary School, 3-7pm
14th - Duddingston Primary School, 3-6pm
15th - Sciennes Primary School, 3.30-7pm
20th - Abbeyhill Primary School, 3-6pm
21st - Cramond Primary School, 3-6.30pm
27th - St Peter's RC Primary School, 4-6.30pm
28th - Towerbank Primary School, 3-6pm

February 2015

3rd - Bonaly Primary School, 4.30-7pm
4th - St John's RC Primary School, 3-6pm
25th - Colinton Primary School, 3-6.30pm

Katie Spence, Transport Communications Manager
0131 529 2427
katie.spence@edinburgh.gov.uk

SCHOOL STREETS FAQs:

 

Happy Holidays!

Our traditional Carols on the Stairs takes place on Friday 19th December and term ends at 12pm. Remember to wear something festive and bring a torch!

We look forward to welcoming pupils back to Sciennes on TUESDAY 6th JANUARY 2015 when free P1-3 school lunches begin. (Please remember to book lunches in advance using Wisepay if you have not done so already.)

Wishing all our families a safe and restful holiday.

Carols on the Stairs

Mr Howie - MASTER of Ceremonies

Mrs McVicker

Mrs Ford

Mrs Noble, Mrs McVicker, Mrs Ford

Ms Anstruther

Staff traditional rendition of A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Mrs Aileen Nimmo, Chair of the School Council, joins in the fun

End of Term Christmas Assembly

Mrs Noble led the P4-P7 Christmas Assembly on Wednesday 17th December at St Catherine's of Argyll. Ms Anstruther led the P1-3 Christmas Assembly earlier in the morning. Mrs Campbell led the School Orchestra while Mrs McVicker accompanied on piano and we were treated to some lovely singing from the Vocal Acapella group. Mrs McVicker was thanked for her tremendous contribution to the School Choir and we gave Mrs Johnston our fond farewells. The Woodwind ensemble, led by Mr Ironside, played to welcome pupils, staff and parents to the Assembly and the House Captains confidently provided readings.

Mrs Noble leads the Christmas Assembly

Woodwind Ensemble

Vocal Acapella

School Orchestra

 

Mrs Noble told the story of a WW1 truce to play a game of football at Christmas

Fondest wishes and lots of love to Mrs Johnston as she takes up her new post at JGPS  in January

A message of peace and best wishes for a Happy Christmas holiday to all our families.