The pupils report on a busy term at Kilmodan Primary.

This term we have been very busy.  We went to the Police Sports and came home with two medals won by Caitlin Kennedy and Robyn Wilson.

P4 and 5 went to a football tournament and they had a great time. On the same day P6 and 7 sat their cycling proficiency. We all passed!

Evelyne Finnie, Jamie MacVicar and Robyn Wilson all went to Orienteering at Glenbranter and came 6th.

We have constructed a poly-tunnel. It is a great success and we are hoping that we will manage to get funding from the Wind Farm Trust to start a market garden. Then we will grow flowers, fruit and vegetables. This will be brilliant for us at the school. We have made lots of other improvements - please come and see them.

Also this term we have been doing football training with Paddy from DYFL. He gave us a bag full of new small footballs for training with.

During March and April we did Samba drumming with lessons from a musician called Steven. Mr Henry went on a course and got a samba drumming kit for the school.

This term we have also been constructing a photo exhibition from the camera club started last term by Mrs Steedman. The exhibition was a success and we sold quite a few photos.

Sports Day this year was a great success. The potted sports were very good. The parents tug-of-war was very funny!

The Sunday School year is drawing to a close and the mums who run it are pleased to report that it is in a healthy state. Denise McKane, who has moved into the manse, is a welcome and useful addition to the teaching rota and her daughter Lucy has joined the littlest class of pupils.

We purchased Scripture Union work books at the end of last year and since their introduction the teaching has been both more structured and more enjoyable. The children are divided into three age groups for activities around a weekly bible passage.

The youngest ones might colour in an illustration of the story while the five to eight years olds tackle word searches and mazes. In their worksheets, the older children discuss meanings and lessons learnt. Particularly popular is the use of paper cut outs from the booklets so that the children can recreate the story as a little play.

We feel that the children are learning a lot, as are some of the mums. We hope that the congregation aren’t too troubled during the service at Colintraive, when we try with varying degrees of success to keep the noise down in the back room.

After our annual picnic and the prize giving, we are now on a break until September.
Kirsty McLuckie

Kilmodan Primary School remains a main focal point for our community. The Head Teacher presents an end of year report. Despite Sportsday being forced inside by the rain, the children’s spirits remained undampened as the pictures on the next pages demonstrate.

The school roll has remained healthy with 23 pupils on the roll and eight in our Pre-5 Unit. This means two classes , one of P1-3 and the other P4-7. Both classes have been busy with visits to and from the school. Visits to the school have included National Park rangers, Traditional Music, a story teller and an astronomer. Pupils have visited an African Drumming workshop a Health Day, Police Sports, Orienteering, Pantomime, Art Gallery and Amazonia, Safe Kids Event.

Fundraising has included the fireworks display, the Christmas Fayre, Book Fair, and our recent concert. Pupils, parents and community have enjoyed our Carol Concert, our Open Afternoons, our Sports Day and our Concert.(photo above)

Our Outdoor classroom plans are well underway, with a playhouse and sheds ordered, along with a sand pit for our Pre-5s. A music area and good quality seating have been commissioned. We shall be working with the National Park staff and, hopefully, Scottish National Heritage staff to create a bog garden, a willow arbour and tunnel, the setting up of a poly tunnel and the building of a lean-to greenhouse made from plastic bottles. We hope to have a stumpery and a butterfly garden with connecting paths.

I would like to thank all of the members of the community who have supported us throughout the last year. We appreciate the support and encouragement you give us and we look forward to seeing you next session at some of our events.

Danuta Steadman

An end of term report
by Emma Thorley
& Diana MacLean

Red Nose Day
The whole school took part and dressed in red and gave £2 each.
We raised £56.00 for Comic Relief.

Art CompetitionÂ
We are entering the Kyles of Bute Horticultural Society art competition. We used as inspiration a 16th century painting of the Roman god of vegetation,Vertumnus. P1-3 are trying out other ideas.

Whist drive Â
We raised £152.16 for school funds. The money will buy something for our new Outdoor Classroom. Thank you to all those who helped.

Health DayÂ
We were invited to Tighnabruaich Primary for a health day. We did things like orienteering and football. We had to have healthy packed lunch and a healthy snack for break. Everybody had fun and made new friends.

New Surfacing  Â
Our school got a new playground this month. We are hoping to get playground markings now.

Outdoor Classroom
We are at long last ready to start work on our outdoor area, funded by the Windfarm Trust. We need help with building tables and seats, digging, landscaping and even making teas. Please let us know if you can help.

On 19th December 2006, there will be a carol concert at Kilmodan School from 7pm onwards.