China calling
INTERNATIONAL
- More than 50 Scottish pupils are participating in a rare opportunity to visit China. The youngsters are taking an intensive Mandarin language course and experiencing a range of cultural activities and travel within China at a summer camp before receiving an SQA-accredited qualification. The trip is organised by the new Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools at the University of Strathclyde’s National Centre for Languages.
Interesting stuff
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
- Families were encouraged to “ditch the stuff” earlier this month and reconnect with nature at an event on the North Kelvin Meadow in Glasgow. Carol Craig, from the city’s Centre for Confidence and Well-being, gave a short talk on materialism, nature and well-being. www.thechildrenswood.com
Going green
ENVIRONMENT
- Pupils from St Mary’s Primary in Edinburgh were among 60 young people recognised as “green ambassadors” by the Prince of Wales earlier this month at the first WWF Green Ambassador Summit at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. The two-day event was attended by pupils and teachers from nine schools and WWF representatives.
Give it welly
CITIZENSHIP
- Farm Africa’s Give Hunger the Boot! appeal is asking pupils, parents and teachers to “get their wellies on” and take part in a mass UK-wide welly walk to one of its projects in eastern Africa. All that’s needed is for schools to plan a sponsored walk in their wellies. Each school adds together the total number of welly-miles walked and sends the final figure to Farm Africa. For details, see bit.lyNh0wR5
Respect is due
CITIZENSHIP
- Priorsford Primary in Peebles has become the first in the Borders to achieve The status of Unicef Rights Respecting School. The award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. Assessors said the school had a very positive ethos and that pupils and teachers treated each other with respect.
