Route to success

French

- Education Scotland has launched a new online resource, Passeport pour la Francophonie, to help primary teachers to provide exciting learning experiences at second level. They are useful for developing reading, writing, listening and talking skills, and suggest ways to explore other curricular areas. bit.lyQBmPDX

King of writers

History

- Stirling Castle is looking for a budding young journalist, aged between five and 12, to report on its Renaissance Revelry event - six days of Renaissance fun for all the family at the castle this October. Entrants to the competition must say which historical figure they would like to interview and what they would ask. Email

hs.stirlingcastle@scotland.gsi.gov.uk, by 3 October.

www.stirling castle.gov.uk

Duplo donation

Play

- A Glasgow charity is appealing to schools and nurseries to donate unwanted Duplo building blocks, so that children who are visiting Barlinnie prison can play with them. Toybox, which is run by volunteers, provides a play area within the visiting room, which children can use while spending time with friends or relatives who are serving a sentence or on remand. For more details, email

toybox1821@hotmail.com

Play on

Chess

- School Chess Ltd has launched a new website for school chess clubs, to facilitate live chess matches in schools and clubs throughout the UK and beyond. Teachers are notified by email when invitations to play are received from other schools. When playing overseas opponents, a full auto- translation service is available. www.school chess.net

Fun mapped out

Orienteering

- The annual Elgin primary schools orienteering festival was held last week at the Cooper Park, with more than 140 pupils from the eight primaries taking part. It is the sixth year that Moray Council’s Active Schools team and Moravian Orienteers have joined forces to organise the event.