Sciennes P7 Lagganlia 2012

Happy Holidays Everyone!

There will be some sleepy heads this evening, perhaps even this afternoon, following a jam packed week of daytime and evening activities. It has been a genuine pleasure to escort this outstanding year group and we all truly enjoyed their company. P7s were universally recognised and applauded for their listening skills, team work, sporting ability and for their kindness to one another. They have made lasting bonds this sunny week - with each other - and with the staff.

The Sciennes staff - each one of them highly experienced in outdoor education - also gave it their all and sustained the 24/5 duty by working very closely as a team. The P7 teachers are a strong, talented and impressive unit and their pupils reflect that. Mr Forrest Howie is an accomplished camp leader and established a real community spirit with the boys in the Main Building. Miss Jenny Gaffney has had such a positive influence on the entire year group having worked with them over the last four years. Particular thanks to Ms Wendy French for major input to this blog, determinedly keeping families updated while we were away (despite little time, very slow connection speeds and no mobile reception) as well as Miss Gaffney and seasoned top camper Ms Angela Christie, Business Manager. (We will publish more photographs here after the holiday.) We were delighted to be accompanied by Learning Assistants Mrs Shahida Mehmood (also a P7 parent) and Miss Rachel Ingles (a former Outdoor Education Instructor herself). We were also fortunate to have Mr Barry Hewitt join us in his new role as Outdoor Learning Development Officer for City of Edinburgh Council. Mr Jonathan Wallace Active Sports Co-ordinator for JGHS Cluster really enjoyed getting to know all the children better, which will benefit all those who continue to work with him next year at James Gillespie's High School.

All the staff were high profile with all nine groups day and night. Grateful thanks to the entire team and also to the extended team back at Sciennes, particularly Mrs Noble, Ms Anstruther and Mrs Crolla who had a very busy week at school, as well as Mrs Atkinson and Mrs Ellis who help with the advance organisation.

We are indebted to Graeme and all the staff at Lagganlia who go out of their way to make our stay with them as comfortable as it can possibly be, always going the extra mile to accommodate our needs, and for the great skill, expertise and dedication of the instructors. Certificates with hand written comments from each instructor were presented yesterday and will be carefully stored at school for pupils' JASS folders. All pupils who took part this week will also receive the 'Adventure' certificate; one quarter of the way towards full Silver award accreditation.

Thank you to Mrs Watson and Mrs Tariq who have ensured that the five pupils who remained also had an enjoyable and interesting week.

Thank you most sincerely to all the families who support us, not least of all financially, in providing what we believe to be an invaluable educational opportunity for our children.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday and we look forward to building on the success of this week throughout the final year at Sciennes. Well done, Primary Seven! Have a good rest - you really deserve it. Ms Gallagher

Archery Winners

Isla won a Lagganlia badge for most points and Ruka won her group's knockout competition.

Ice Lollies!

Photos Around Camp

Mr Howie's Vox Pops

Top Campers Too!

Thank you to Ms Christie for amazing organisational skill and omnipresence! It was great to have Mr Hewitt and Mr Wallace with us to lend their skills and grateful thanks to Mrs Mehmood and Miss Ingles for all their care and support of the children too. With amazing, first rate P7 staff, our team effort made for a memorable - and fun - camp. Thank you one and all!

Meadows!

West End

Forth Road Bridge

Kinross

Both buses travelling together so far -Bus One in front is grey with 7c + 7a girls. Bus two is white with 7b + 7a boys.

Perth

Free from hold up and on our way again. Unfortunate because children and staff were super organised but best to arrive safely, Latest estimate is between 1.30pm and 1.45pm.

We usually ask the children to take any piece of luggage into the playground and dismiss from there but since it is wet we will dismiss from bus and ask children to queue to collect their OWN luggage.. We would therefore appreciate your support in helping children not to throng and for all adults to make sure all children remain on the pavement when collecting bags. Thank you

Drum Fun with Steve Sharpe

Steve ran two drumming workshops for us on Wednesday night and his sessions are always a highlight. Groups 1-4 drummed while Groups 5-9 played Running Pictionary then swapped over. Great fun had by all!

Steve Sharpe Drum Fun Lagganlia 2012 from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.

Bus 2

Dunkeld - Caravan overturned causing delay

Held up outside Dunkeld but traffic beginning to move now. We'll post further updates as we make our way to you. We'll give an estimated arrival time when we reach Perth.

Buses

Bus One P7C and P7A girls
Bus Two P7B and P7A boys + Millie Eve Eilidh Cline

Pitlochry

House of Bruar

Road wet but making good safe progress

Esther and Rosie on the bus home

Group 5 cycling

Oh My!

Just seen super kind post from Ms French! Blogger Extraordinaire! All the staff have been top notch campers, working 24/7 with the children to make sure they have the best experience possible and also managing to post to the blog in spare seconds - literally. The children have been a delight and all credit to Ms French, Miss Gaffney and Mr Howie and to their families .
See you soon everyone. It's been dry all week but washing machines still at the ready!
Ms Gallagher

Homeward Bound

All set to board 9.15am but drivers slightly delayed on journey up from Edinburgh. Underway now and aiming to be back 12.30pm. Most spectacular year group - super organised this morning and all well
Ms Gallagher

A great big thank you to Ms Gallagher

All of the Primary 7 staff want to say a huge thank you to Ms Gallagher who has worked tirelessly to organise and manage our Lagganlia experience. She has done so many tasks in the run up to the trip and during the residential itself that have allowed the children and ourselves to have and enjoy this amazing experience. Ms Gallagher had all the paperwork, time tabling and medicine organised making it easy to keep track of what we needed to know and has worked from early morning to very late every evening overseeing the whole trip. She does all of this in a good humoured, unassuming way and always holds the needs and happiness of the children paramount.

We are very lucky to have such a great Depute and friend and know you will join us in thanking her for her hard work and excellent care and professionalism.

Ms French, Ms Gaffney and Mr Howie