Raasay Primary School

We had a visit from Diane Connolly Phillip, Project Officer from Highland Council’s Climate Change and Energy Department – who presented our school with a Talking Tub educational resource box in Energy and Construction. The box was supplied by Union Technical who are the contractors who have been carrying out energy efficiency measures to homes on Raasay. The children were delighted with the early years construction box which included: wooden construction vehicle toy set, lego education tech machine set, housebuilding bricks, hard hats, books and a range of puzzles and games. It didn’t take long for the children to have these out of the box and they have been well played with already! Pictured are the children on receiving their Talking Tub from the team.

Pupils at Raasay Primary and Nursery enjoyed their annual school lunch ‘Summer Picnic’. Thanks to Ann, our school cook, for a wonderful spread with football themed lunch boxes. Unfortunately, the weather meant that it was an indoor picnic but the weather didn’t spoil our enjoyment!

Pupils at Raasay Primary School undertook a ‘Week of Work’ whereby they had the opportunity to learn about and experience different jobs and what skills would be required in each. Thanks to Raasay Distillery, Norman Gillies (Torr), Iona Gillies (Fitness session), Raasay Stores, Walled Garden, Hector Nicolson (Dry Stone Walling), Raasay Ferry Crew, John Gillies (Finlaggan), Raasay Fire Service, Raasay House and Sound of Raasay craft shop – the boys had amazing experiences from learning how to make a bed to hotel standard to driving a digger, crewing a ferry, learning how to make whisky and everything in between!

The pupils have written reports below which show the impact these experiences had on them.

Raasay Distillery – “On Monday we went to the Distillery and made whisky. Firstly, we looked at all the rooms and some of them were a bit dirty, so we cleaned them up. I stripped the bed first and put some new pillow cases, duvet dover and sheet on. We went on a tour of all the whisky making equipment and learnt what they did. Some of the machines were over three hundred degrees Celsius. Afterwards we put five kilograms of yeast into water that was at exactly thirty-six degrees Celsius and then we mixed it up with a large electric stirrer. We went up to the warehouse and signed a barrel with our names on it. After that, we were able to fill it with two hundred litres of whisky, but we had to be careful not to put too much in it. We practise measuring at school so this helped us to weigh all the yeast. When I am older I would like to work at the Distillery. I would like to say a big thank you to all the people who helped make this visit amazing.”

The Building Site – “On Monday 9th June the entire school of Raasay Primary went to a building site to see how everything worked. At the building site we were taught about all the trades, there were: architects, glazers, tilers, engineers, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, roofers, surveyors and vehicle drivers. We were shown all the blueprints and drawings and where the wires and pipes would be placed because we needed to know how the huts were built to understand the technique. After that, we went outside to drive an excavator. The excavator was equipped with a rotatable bucket which could turn three hundred and sixty degrees which allowed you to dig sideways. I loved moving gravel and digging holes. I leant the skills needed to drive a digger such as: being focussed, teamwork and being observant. I can see myself driving large excavators in mines and building sites in the future. At the end we said thank you for such an exciting experience, and then we went back to school. Thank you to Norman and the builders for giving us such a fun day!”

MV Hallaig – “On Thursday 12th June we visited the Hallaig where we learnt all about the machinery. On the ferry we learnt about how all the engines work. We saw all the tools used to fix the engines as well as a touchscreen to control the engines. We also met both of the engineers, along with the Skipper. Furthermore, we saw how to get the cars off and on as well as seeing the lifeboat and liferafts. They even showed us what controls the anchor and what holds it up. We learnt about the hydraulics for the ramps. It was very interesting to see the hydraulics in action. To work on a Calmac ferry you have to be focussed, organised, have good teamwork and be calm and friendly. Excitingly, we went to the wheelhouse where we learnt how to use the radar and binoculars. We learnt how to spot other boats in the area. When I am older I would like to work on a Calmac ferry until I am fifty-five years old. Thank you for letting us do this. The best crew and best ferry ever!”

As part of our ongoing Eco work, pupils were delighted to have a visit from ‘Team Otter’ Broadford on Wednesday 4th June.

The Otter team gave a presentation on plastics in our oceans and the harm that they are causing to wildlife and our sea environment. The team then joined us for a beach clean in front of the play park. As you can see, they collected a lot of rubbish and waste so it is good to know that this can be disposed of safely and will help to make our environment cleaner. A big thank you to Ben and the team – the boys thoroughly enjoyed your visit and help with the clean up.

On Wednesday 4th and Friday 6th June, pupils in Raasay Primary School took part in the local Mod competition. The boys took part in chanter and poetry recitation and all came back with gold and silver medals – a fantastic achievement. This meant that, for the tenth year, Raasay Primary School won the ‘Oban Rose Bowl’ for the English Medium school with the most points. The adjudicator was very impressed with the boys’ Gaelic and commented: ‘Lovely, clear Gaelic’ ‘Very good pronunciation and with feeling’ ‘A confident and well-prepared performance’

Well done boys!

Over the past few weeks we have had some new pupils in the class. Some of our pond tadpoles have joined us in the classroom where we have been observing them and learning about the life cycle of a frog. It has been fascinating to watch them develop and some have now moved from being completely aquatic, with gills to being amphibious, growing legs and shedding tails. We have created a frog chart and, as each frog is released, he is named and the date of his release is logged. Our first tiny frog released was ‘Gerald’ – we look forward to relesing many more over the next few days.

Pupils at Raasay Primary School were delighted to be invited to the Spring Craft Fair in Raasay Community Hall by local weaver, Lillian MacLeod. Lillian provides an After School Weaving Club at the school which the boys thoroughly enjoy. The boys loved seeing the variety of scarves that Lillian makes and the designs she creates using different yarns. The boys also got to enjoy looking at the huge range of crafts on display by local crafters. They were particularly intersted in the wooden birch ball that had been crafted in a lathe by Kate Smith – it was so smooth and tactile. We wished we could have stayed longer but there was a Mod competition to attend and a 2.30 ferry to catch. However, it didn’t stop us from sharing one of our Mod poems with the crafters and attendees.

Our time was beautifully rounded off by some delicious cakes provided by local bakers and volunteers. Thank you to all the ‘Made in Raasay’ crafters for holding this event and showcasing their amazing work and inspiring us. Also a huge thank you to Lillian for the invite.

After two years of having no Nursery pupils, we are delighted that the Nursery is up and running again this year with 3 pupils enrolled.

Care Inspectorate Visit – At the very start of term 4, Raasay Primary School Nursery had an unannounced Care Inspectorate visit. We are delighted to share this report which reflects the very good provision which is in place for our Nursery pupils.

Raasay Primary School Nursery receives very good report.

Raasay Primary School Nursery recently had an unannounced Care Inspectorate visit. Following the inspection and evaluation process, the setting received a very good inspection report and identified the following Key Messages:

• Staff supported children’s care and learning routines with kindness and compassion which contributed to the development of strong and trusted relationships.
• Children’s choices were supported very well through a balance of planned and spontaneous play experiences and resources
• Play experiences across the nursery supported the development of children’s language, literacy and numeracy
• Children’s opportunities for play and learning were enhanced through strong connections to their own and wider communities
• Children benefited from regular outdoor play experiences which supported them to be active and healthy
• Families were actively involved in contributing to the development of the service
• Effective leadership and quality assurance processes supported the ongoing development of the service
• Very good staff deployment arrangements supported positive outcomes for children

Head Teacher, Wilma Duncan “I am delighted that the high quality provision at our Nursery has been reflected in the recent Care Inspectorate report. It recognises the varied learning opportunities and experiences that we offer our pupils and also the care, play and learning provision in our unique setting where linking with families and communities plays a central role. It was identified in the report that we maximise on our unique, island environment to offer opportunities to extend play and learning experiences. It was pleasing to see that the hard work and dedication of the staff team across the setting, who work collegiately to ensure positive outcomes for all children, was recognised. We look forward to building on these key strengths going forward.”

Pictured are Eilidh Byars, Early Years Support Worker, Wilma Duncan, Head Teacher and Katie Ann MacLeod, Early Years Practitioner with the pupils of Raasay Nursery.

The boys were delighted to have the opportunity to have a ‘Round Raasay’ cruise on the ‘Waverley’ – the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer. The boys had done their own research on the Waverley and had produced some fantastic floor books and information before going on the trip. They were then excited to see for themselves how the boat operated. They were delighted to get a visit to the wheelhouse and the engine room. During the trip the boys were also able to use the mapping and compass skills they have been learning in school to map their route from Kyle to Raasay. The boys displayed exemplary and responsible behaviour throughout and staff noted that three individual members of the publice approached them to say what well behaved and well mannered boys they are.

Some of the boys’ observations were as follows:

“I liked being on a steam boat and I had never been close to the Crowlin islands before. My favourite part was the visit to the wheelhouse where I learnt lots of different things and saw the pipe that the Captain can speak to the engine room through.” EH

“The Waverley is a marvellous and fantastic ship. I enjoyed seeing Brochel Castle and Dun Caan from the sea and I liked going through the gap between Raasay and Rona. The best bit was the visit to the wheelhouse” HD

“The Waverley trip was an exciting adventure for me. I thought that the engines were very well kept – if the engines were dirty this might make it break down or not work efficiently. The best bit was the visit to the engine room and seeing how all the different parts moved. I enjoyed seeing Raasay from the sea, we were very close to the coast.” AH

As you can see – the weather was fantastic – what an amazing experience for all!

On Wednesday 7th May our P5 pupil took part in the annual inter-schools cross country event for schools across the ASG. Well done to all who took part!