What’s different in S3?
Sessions 2012-13 will be the first time that our pupils will have continued with a broad general education into S3. For many parents, they will be wondering whether or not their child will be challenged in their learning, and will it prepare them for qualifications at the end of S4. Read more >>
Questions for Parents & Carers – March 2012
The following letter was issued to all pupils to take home on Friday 9th March 2012.
Letter re Questionnaire for Parents
Parents/Carers are asked to complete the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7P6RTH7
Thank you.
Bikes 4 Africa
We are working to support The Rotary Club (Girvan) to provide bikes for young people and their parents in Africa. This will, for example, enable young people to get to school more easily, and adults to attend medical centres that are often many miles from where they live. Read more >>
Blood Spilled in Girvan Academy – S1 Pupils Involved
One of my roles as Head Teacher is to be in classes to observe the learning that is taking place. No one was more surprised than me to see one of our new S1 classes listening intently while “Sawney Bean” told the story of how he and his family lived in a cave at Lendalfoot and survived by attacking, butchering and eating passers by. Read more >>
More than qualifications.
Of course we value qualifications, and this year’s results are the best we have had in over a decade. But a caring school community has had to be more than a statistical analysis of results. Read more >>
A well earned rest
Both staff and pupils have worked very hard this session, and as a result we have had many successes. Read more >>
A secondary perspective
Age 13-15 is now part of a Broad General Education. In the secondary school, this means in S1 to S3, all learners will experience course planned around 8 curricular areas Read more >>
Curriculum for Excellence in Girvan Academy
The purpose of this blog is to answer some of the questions that are asked about Curriculum for Excellence. Read more >>
Responding to the Parent Survey Questionnaire.
On behalf of the Academy, we have been really pleased overall at the response from parents. A few queries were raised by parents, and below gives my response. Read more >>
Schools – Preparing for the future
The changes we have planned for the Academy should lead to improved quality of learning and teaching and more flexible options in the senior school. Read more >>
Merry Christmas
During this spell of severe cold weather, we have managed to continue with our activities almost uninterrupted. With staff travelling from as far afield as Castle Douglas and Dumfries in one direction, and Glasgow and Paisley in the other, I am really please that they have gone out of their way to make it into work, not just for the teaching day but also for after school activities. Read more >>
Responding to a changing world
Scotland’s education system needs to regularly respond to a world that is constantly changing.
Open Evening
Our Open Evening is on Thursday 7th October between 6.00pm and 8.00pm. Parents are warmly invited to drop in to the school to see some of the activity and experiences we offer young people here in the Academy.
The School Day Structure
In session 2011-2012, all secondary schools in South Ayrshire will change the structure of their school day. Staff and parents will hear about the “33 period” week, however, this is not a helpful way of thinking. Read more >>
“Drugs are a cancer on civilisation”
In a public school today, looking at a programme delivered by the National Police. DARE which stands for Drugs Abuse Resistance Training is for 3-18 year olds, and is delivered for 1hour/week for 3 months from age three.
Yesterdays blog in English
Hello Girvan Academy
Welcome to anybody reading this blog
Today saw the delegation visit College Nueva Granada (CNG). This is a private school in Bogotá which caters for children and young people from Nursery through to Secondary. The school itself is set in beautiful surroundings on the hillside; however security is high, with security guards on the gate and all pupils either collected by car, or taken directly to their home by bus at the end of the school day. It was interesting to note that the Nursery school was situated at the bottom of the hill and the senior school sat at the top, ascending the hill as you progress through the stages of your education. Quite Symbolic!
Thur 10th June – second last full day
Hola Girvan Academia
Bienvenido a cualquiera que lea este blog Read more >>
For God and Fatherland (Wed 9th June)
Wow! What a day!
Coffee at 5:30am, left hotel at 5:45am by bus for a military airbase in Bogota. Today we travelled to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast in north Colombia. We are guests of the National Police and boarded a fixed wing twin propeller ATR42. This plane is part of the Aerial Police fleet.
Along with us onboard are Antinarcotics and National Police personnel. The flight takes two hours to get to Santa Marta, however this includes a stopover at a police aviation training base to refuel. Really bizarre! We all leave the plane, the plane is refuelled and we take off into the air once again. The students describe it as being on a James Bond set, and I have to agree with them.
Tuesday 8th June pm Victims of drug trafficking
This afternoon was spent at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The main purpose of this body is to ensure that international conventions with respect to drugs, organised crime, terrorism and human trafficking are adhered to in countries across the world.
Tuesday 8th of June 2010 AM
Does Colombia produce Cocaine?
Colombia certainly grows the Coca Plants but Coca leaves in themselves are not Cocaine. There is synthesis of cocaine from Coca leaves in Colombia causing environmental damage, however it is in places such as Mexico/Colombian border where the superlabs are.
