Two new starts next term mean Kilchattan Primary School will boast a total of nine pupils when the academic year starts in August.
Headteacher Gill MacKenzie has kindly given the Corncrake her end of term newsletter to bring the successes of the island’s youngsters to a wider audience – thanks Gill.
“On the last day of term, Kilchattan School pupils impressed members of the community with a fun Sports Day and picnic lunch, followed by speeches, a prize-giving ceremony and music by Kilchattan School Band!
The following awards were presented:
Gillian McClure recently visited the school to share her stories that were set on Colonsay and to show us some of her original illustrations. Welcome to our new pupils who have settled in beautifully and who each receive a copy of Gillian McClure’s books – ‘How To Build A Dam’ and ‘Selkie’.
Throughout the year there have been two children who have worked hard towards improving the school grounds: planting and watering strawberries and carrots, collecting seeds, weeding, composting, learning about Scottish wildflowers and the importance of Colonsay orchids.

Oronsay Award for Excellence in Eco work goes to Felix.
Oronsay Award for Excellence in Eco work goes to Rosie.
There are pupils who stand out for their natural talent in certain areas however this year there has been much achievement from pupils who have a determination to succeed in other areas of the curriculum.
Kiloran Bay Creative Arts Award this year goes to a pupil who has worked hard on her self-confidence, who is now the quietly confident back bone to both musical and dramatic performances, has demonstrated leadership skills through helping to organise younger children and through modeling how ‘practice makes perfect’ when it comes to playing music instruments. Congratulations Emma!
Queen’s Bay Technology Award – Our interdisciplinary learning has really taken off this year where pupils have opportunities to apply their core skills to other things, such as building chicken feeders, coracles, and researching information on iPADS. Congratulations Jamie!
Balnahard Reading Award goes to a pupil who has made excellent progress this year. He started with gently reading road signs and labels with confidence, to reading texts aloud to the class and progressing to chapter books – all within a school year. This was due to sheer hard work and determination. Congratulations Seamus!
Machrins Sport Award for wider skills involved in sport: team work, developing skill, developing good sportsmanship particularly when losing can be difficult; competing against own times to achieve a personal best;  learning to ride a bike and then cycling around the whole island in the same week to raise money for the Philippines–this award goes to Rona!
Cable Bay Mathematics Award goes to a boy who has learned his numbers, can count accurately, can remember days of the week, months of the year, can add and is beginning to take away. Well done, Sam!

 
Dun Cholla Award for All Round Excellence is awarded to a young person who has learned to bounce back form situations; has developed extremely positive relationships with classmates; by thinking of others – suggesting that we invite those less fortunate for Christmas dinner; helping another child, who was not from our school group, during the raft building activity at Centre Parcs; adjusting her attitude to learning so that she can achieve even greater things.  She is a fast learner and is determined to succeed. Congratulations Rona!
Someone else in our midst has achieved well this year – our already qualified secondary teacher Ms Dance has worked hard to meet the competencies for primary education as laid out by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.  Following many hours of study, planning and practice I am proud to announce that Ms Dance has now converted her teaching qualification to that of Qualified Primary Teacher status. Congratulations!
I wish to thank the Parent Council for their continued support of the school – particularly Kevin, Keith and Pauline.
I wish also to thank Jim MacLoughlin for volunteering at PE sessions and educating both children and adults in athletics skills.  I was thrilled for Jim when it was announced that he has been chosen to carry the Queen’s baton for the Commonwealth Games.  If you wish to support him, the baton will be traveling through Kilmartin, around 11:45am on Sunday 13th July!
I also wish to thank all staff for their loyalty, commitment and hard work. In our small setting it is not so easy to delegate responsibility and so every member of staff has more work to do than in larger schools within the same time frame. Your hard work has paid off as was demonstrated in this year’s inspection. We have a commitment to continuing to improve the quality of our work so that we achieve the best outcomes for our young people.”