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issue seven February 2015 BUSINESSENTERPRISEBULLETIN

Dragon’s Breath takes kids to the top

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elcome to the seventh issue of the Business Enterprise Bulletin, which highlights recent enterprising events and successes across the authority including: the Sir Tom Hunter and Interaction challenges; Grange Academy’s maths success; the launch of a new Scots language app; exciting creativity and science events as well as impressive academic achievements across our schools.

The Business Enterprise and Skills Centres (BESC) initiative, which aligns with the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s Skills Framework, continues its strong focus on helping young people to develop the skills and experiences which will equip them for future transitions to employment and training, both locally and nationally.

Contents

Attainment continues to improve in East Ayrshire A career in the stars A whole new world awaits Grange pupil Commonwealth Youth Summit Kilmarnock Academy recognised with British Council International School Award Grange Academy is going for gold Creativity recognised at launch event East Ayrshire pupils reap rewards of hard work Dragon’s Breath takes kids to the top Grange Academy maths success Grange attends Olympic Get Set Awards Kids enjoy a day with the opera Loudoun pupils keeping up traditions with Galston CARS Mr Sunny slays dragons in Sir Tom’s Challenge East Ayrshire - National Music Council Award winners Primary 6 pupils on fast-track to become star musicians New Ayrshire College used for Enterprise Education Initiative Scots language app launches Stewarton Academy HMIe report success Stellar year ahead for special science project Teachers get stuck in, cut out and roll those wagons for engineering Vibrant youth conference Wool bombing in Dalmellington Around the schools…

Auchinleck Academy James Hamilton Academy Loudoun Academy Park School St. Joseph’s Academy Stewarton Academy

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Attainment continues to improve in East Ayrshire This latest edition of the Business Enterprise bulletin highlights enterprising events and successes in schools across East Ayrshire.

Key achievements include the SQA results for 2014 which demonstrated a continuing trend for strong performance in East Ayrshire academies.

Many aspects of performance in Literacy and Numeracy in both primary and secondary schools were above the national average and the Council’s consistent approach for assessment in these fields has been recognised by Education Scotland as an example of best practice.

Vocational skills are also proving to be a vital route back into education and formal attainment for young people.

Training programmes like Chef Skills, delivered in partnership with Braehead Foods, and social media qualifications delivered in partnership with local companies, gave a number of young people access to skills programmes which directly linked their school experiences with vocational opportunities at college and access to work.

The Council’s Business Enterprise initiative in schools continues to grow from strength to strength and is having a very positive impact on pupils and young people. Business Enterprise programmes are offered in all secondary schools, and primary schools are becoming more involved in enterprise activities which support excellent curricular continuity across transition at P7.

There is a culture of change and ambition in East Ayrshire, ably supported by local business partners, Ayrshire College and the voluntary sector, and there has been a significant increase in the range and quality of opportunities available for children and young people to learn, to thrive and to succeed in life, learning and work.

The number of young people securing Positive Destinations reached record levels of 93.1% and partnerships between schools, Opportunities for All, the transitional support team, and Skills Development Scotland, has been recognised at a national level.

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A career in the stars Pupils at Cumnock Academy enjoyed a science fair with a difference when a cast of experts and industry leaders attended the school to inspire and motivate the young people.

The day started with a motivational speech by Dr Peter Hughes OBE, who was the former Chief Executive of Scottish Engineering. He provided the young people with an inspirational snapshot of his career and the importance of physics in everyday life.

It was then over to ‘Animal Man’ who brought a boa constrictor, an iguana, tarantulas, Nugget the chicken and Peking the duck into the school to show the pupils. He provided a fascinating insight into the habitat and hunting behaviour of snakes and spiders, and the young people were able to view and handle the animals.

The event, which involved all S2 pupils, was also tailored to include senior pupils who enjoyed an insight to the world of prosthetics provided by two consultants, Michael O’Neil and Fraser Walker, from the Southern General hospital. They spoke about the history of prosthetics and the technological advances which are helping to transform the lives of thousands of people each year. The young people were amazed to hear that magnets are now fitted into eye sockets to allow false eyes to be held securely and safely in place.

Pupils from throughout the school then attended a careers fair which was attended by large industries including EDF, E-on, EGGER, Spirit Aeronautics, Thales Group, UTC Aerospace and MGF. The young people were enthusiastic participants and the industries were very impressed by their involvement and questions.

They are keen to return again in the near future to work with the school, helping to encourage the young people to pursue a career in their industries.

In the afternoon the young people then had some hands on science experience in the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory’s mobile

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planetarium under the expert guidance of astronomer and science educator David Warrington.

And that was not all; the Science Centre’s body works exhibition provided an exciting adventure into the science of our bodies with a fit lab where pupils participated in science experiments to find out how strong, fit and healthy they were.

The action packed day finished with a motivational speech from Skylab’s Dr Geoff Coxon. Skylab is a charitable organisation which encourages young people to realise and understand their potential in future STEM based careers especially in the aviation sector. He spoke about the physics behind flight and jet engine technology.

Councillor Eòghann MacColl, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “What an incredible day the young people had at the science and careers fair.

Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are industries of the future and throughout East Ayrshire our teaching staff are working with pupils to help them understand the importance of science and the role they could play in the development of new technology. Events like this help to make STEM subjects accessible and desirable to young people.”

Head teacher Angus McVake said: “This event was a real success.

Our young people have literally been raving about the science fair, talking about the animals they saw, the planetarium, the science centre exhibition and of course the motivational speakers. Both Dr Hughes and Dr Coxon enthused our S2 pupils about science around us and the important role that science plays in all forms of technology - around the home, travelling on a plane or even enjoying a concert at the Hydro in Glasgow. Technology, science and engineering is in everything we do and it is essential that our young people realise the importance of science and their place in its future development.”

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A whole new world awaits Grange pupil Sixth year Grange Academy pupil, Andrew Aitken, will be starting a whole new adventure this year after being accepted to study Chinese at Oxford University.

Andrew attended a four day interview at the end of last year at Pembroke College, Oxford University. He was interviewed by academics and researchers including a specialist in ancient Chinese religion.

After the gruelling interview process was the long wait for the all important acceptance letter, which finally arrived just a week before his seventeenth birthday.

Andrew, who is very interested in languages having studied eight in total, became fascinated with the Chinese language and culture after a school visit to China back in 2013. He applied to study at Oxford as the course covers all aspects of Chinese language and culture including politics, society and history and is taught by some of the greatest academics in the world.

Andrew, who will study and live within the college, said: “I am excited to be accepted to attend Pembroke College but I am still in shock. I am the first pupil from Grange in 30 years to be accepted to Oxford so I am very aware that this is a big deal.

“My parents are so proud of my achievements to date. I am the first person in my family to attend university, so it is a bit of a shock for them too.

“I have always been interested in languages but my interest is starting to move towards politics and I am really looking forward to studying politics as part of my course.”

Grange Academy has had a Confucius hub within the school since 2009, providing young people with direct links to China, and encouraging learning and cultural exchange.

Councillor Eòghann MacColl, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning visited Grange Academy with Graham Short, Executive Director of Educational and Social Services to congratulate Andrew on his achievement.

He said: “A whole new world will open up to Andrew at Oxford. Apart from the exceptional learning experience, there are incredible opportunities for young people within sport, culture and politics, with clubs available for all

Commonwealth Youth Summit Seven young people from across East Ayrshire enjoyed the opportunity of a lifetime when they attended a special Commonwealth Youth Summit in Dumfries.

interests. I was delighted to hear that Andrew is interested in politics and I am sure that he will have every opportunity to learn about politics first hand from former Pembroke students.

“The Confucius hub at Grange has provided our young people with fantastic opportunities.

Grange is one of only a handful of schools in Scotland where Chinese is taught as a language and the hub has enabled strong links to be made with China through school visits and cultural exchanges. I am incredibly proud of Andrew and the whole school. His success is a reflection of the ambitions of Head teacher Robert Johnston and the whole teaching staff.”

Robert Johnston said: “We are incredibly proud of Andrew. He’s a great role model for other young people as he has shown what can be achieved through hard work, determination and a healthy dose of self-belief. We wish Andrew every success for the future.”

The summit, which was for young people who had participated in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award or who volunteered in their local community, was hosted by Dumfries and Galloway Council in partnership with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The three night camping event, held within Dumfries town centre, was attended by 250 young people from across Scotland and the whole Commonwealth including Mauritius, Australia, Ghana and Sri Lanka.

There were exciting outdoor events on offer aas well as the chance to listen to inspirational keynote speakers including: • Nelson Mandela’s former bodyguard, Chris Lubbe, who spoke of growing up in South Africa and his key role within the anti-apartheid movement • Olympian Rebecca Adlington • David Smith, gold medal paralympian • Simon Weston, who received terrible burns during the Falkland’s war • The Saturday evening was rounded off with surprise guests Base Hunter and the Loveable Rogues, and the whole weekend finished on a high note with a gala dinner and ceilidh.

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Kilmarnock Academy recognised with British Council International School Award The prestigious British Council International School Award has been awarded to Kilmarnock Academy for its work to bring the world into the classroom.

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The award is presented to schools which do outstanding work in international education and Kilmarnock Academy was recognised for its international work, including involvement in a two year Comenius Programme involving ten European countries; the operation Wallacea science expedition to Indonesia; annual visits to the Battlefields of France and Belgium and an annual European Day of Languages celebration event.

The British Council assessor said: “The work you have done so far and plan to do in the future to embed internationalism into your curriculum clearly demonstrates your passion and commitment to introducing and maintaining excellent practice right across the curriculum.”

Grange Academy is going for gold After completing challenging expeditions and spending hundreds of hours helping organisations across Kilmarnock, twenty pupils from Grange Academy successfully completed their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

As well as making a significant difference to the local communities in which they live, the group completed a particularly challenging practice expedition from Glen Sannox to Kildonan on

the Isle of Arran during the very hot weather last June. Their qualifying expedition then took them from Muirkirk to Elvanfoot in conditions that required a good set of waterproofs!

The group, which has attracted five more pupils, is now working towards its Gold Award and has ambitious plans for its final expedition. Many are planning to go on a walking expedition in the Highlands; however twelve of the pupils will be boarding the Spirit of June yacht on a sailing expedition, led by Willie White, the

Council’s Outdoor Education and Sustainability Officer. The eight day adventure will include their training, practice and qualifying.

In addition to the 25 young people undertaking their Gold Award, Grange Academy has over 100 pupils who have signed up to volunteer in their communities for the next six months. Collectively they will complete thousands of hours of volunteering which will positively impact their local community.

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Creativity recognised at launch event

A network of 70 teachers, carers, parents, councillors, Council colleagues and artists, all of whom embrace and champion the arts within education, attended the Council’s Creative Learning Network formal re-launch event held in St Joseph’s Academy.

For the fourth year running, Education Scotland and Creative Scotland have provided funding for the Creative Minds Team to enable the network to continue and the team has developed a year-long diary of training and learning events based around the creative arts.

These will be delivered in partnership with a number of established artists, musicians, dancers and cultural producers to support and encourage the integration of the creative arts across all learning platforms within schools.

The night kicked off with a film montage, produced by Prancing Jack Productions, called “Unlocking Creativity” which

showcased the tremendous work the team has achieved over the last four years.

Attendees participated in a Creative Challenge Energiser, led by Leona Stewart and Ian McNicol, which focussed on practical ideas for teachers to take directly back to their classroom which created a real buzz of dialogue and activity.

Talented S6 pupil Blair Boyle, an Auchinleck Academy Art and Design student, shared a personal and insightful presentation on his passion for art, stimulating much discussion.

This was followed by an inspirational key note talk from David Ross, Design Director with Keppie Design, an architectural firm based in Glasgow, who sparked discussions about the importance of learning creative skills within education.

More information is available on the Creative Minds Learning Network at: www.facebook. com/CreativeMindsLearningNetwork

East Ayrshire pupils reap rewards of hard work East Ayrshire pupils bucked the national trend with their Higher and Advanced Higher results – with the best ever levels of achievement in these qualifications at a time when the rest of the country saw a slight drop in performance.

Graham Short, East Ayrshire Council’s Executive Director of Educational and Social Services said: “I’m really pleased with the 2013/14 results, particularly in the Higher Grades and wish to congratulate the young people on their hard work and express my thanks to the staff who have supported them.”

2014 was the first year of the new assessment system developed as part of Curriculum for Excellence and while it is not possible to compare performance with previous years because the new system is so different, overall the results were as schools had anticipated.

S5: 1+ Highers at A-C = 5% improvement over last 5 years 3+ Highers at A-C = 3% improvement over last 5 years 5+ Highers at A-C = 3% improvement over last 5 years These are the best results ever for Highers in East Ayrshire

S6: 3+ Highers at A-C = 6% improvement over last 5 years 5+ Highers at A-C = 6% improvement over last 5 years 1+ Advanced Higher same as last year

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Dragon’s Breath takes kids to the top Children at Barshare Primary had a really cracking idea – and it brought them victory in a national food invention competition.

Creative young cooks in Primary 2/3 invented a new ice cream called Dragon’s Breath for the 2014 Wallace and Gromit’s yummy Cracking Ideas competition and were recognised as Scottish regional winners for the 4-7 age group.

The children whipped up a prototype of their delicious dessert, which was a fusion of tangy chillies and fresh strawberries – which Renaldo’s Ice Cream Parlour in Ayr then made

and sold to great acclaim during the Easter holidays. Pupils also worked with the Intellectual Property Office to take out a patent for the name and the marketing designs.

Three pupils and two teachers travelled to Bristol last summer to attend a glittering award ceremony and although the school didn’t take home the grand prize, the children and the teachers had a wonderful experience throughout the competition.

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Grange Academy maths success Grange mathlete Angus Docherty has received a silver medal and a Certificate of Distinction after

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competing in the prestigious Junior Mathematical Olympiad.

Angus, who is in S3, was invited to attend the competition after excelling at the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Junior Challenge, which was held at the end of the last academic session.

His results earned him a place at the Olympiad with 1,200 of the brightest maths students in the UK. The competition is a gruelling two hour exam packed with extremely challenging mathematical problems.

Angus proved his credentials with excellent results, and several of his calculations secured full marks. The top 25% of pupils received a Certificate of Distinction and Angus was one of just 260 who returned with a medal.

Grange attends Olympic Get Set Awards Pupils and staff from Grange Academy attended the glittering Olympic Get Set award ceremony in Glasgow and were recognised by Olympian Luke Patience and wheelchair professional tennis player Gordon Reid for their hard work in promoting the Get Set programme.

Grange Academy Head Teacher Robert Johnston said: “I’m a former maths teacher so I know how tough these puzzles are. Angus obviously has incredible talent for maths but also works really hard- that’s a winning formula.”

Councillor Stephanie Primrose, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “Year on year Grange Academy is building a reputation at a national level for excelling in maths competitions. Under the expert guidance of resident maths geek and inspirational teacher, Chris Smith, the school is succeeding at a very high level. I am absolutely delighted for Angus, who has worked very hard for this success, and I am sure this is just the beginning for him.”

The red carpet event was the perfect opportunity to congratulate the school and its pupils who had been involved with the Get Set programme running extracurricular clubs, teams and sports classes within the school.

The aim of the programme is to give all young people the chance to learn and live the Olympic values. Pupils who were involved in the Community Sports Leadership Award took weekly sports clubs for both primary and secondary pupils, helping to improve their confidence and encourage others to participate in sport.

Charlie Adams, PE Teacher said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to take part in the Get Set programme and I believe the pupils who led the coaching and the pupils involved in the clubs got a huge amount out of them. The awards night was especially enjoyable as the pupils got to mix with Olympians and were recognised for the hard work they have been involved in throughout the past year.”

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Kids enjoy a day with the opera Lucky schoolchildren enjoyed top-class operatic performances from the best in the business – without even having to leave the classroom.

Around 400 pupils from Kilmaurs, Barshare, Drongan, Netherthird and Patna primaries participated in Scottish Opera’s fantastic new 30-minute opera, ‘The Curse of the MacCabbra Opera House’.

A chilling gothic tale with a good dose of comedy, the show featured music from composer Alan Penman and lyrics from writer/director Johnny McKnight.

Pupils played the roles of the singers, workers and critics of the MacCabbra, with Scottish Opera performers taking on the principal roles.

Youngsters learned the words and music and were then visited

by Scottish Opera’s team of arts education specialists and performers, who spent a day preparing pupils in their own school for a performance to classmates, friends and family.

‘The Curse of the MacCabbra Opera House’ works in line with Curriculum for Excellence to enhance lessons already taught in classrooms. As well as expressive arts, the workshops support English, social sciences, enterprise and creativity through active learning.

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Loudoun pupils keeping up traditions with Galston CARS As Galston’s Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) takes shape in the town, 12 pupils from Loudoun Academy have taken the opportunity to learn more about the skills needed to do the detailed restoration work being carried out through the architectural regeneration scheme.

Historic Scotland - which is part funding the grants available to owners of historic buildings in Galston’s conservation area in conjunction with the Council - hosted a traditional construction workshop in Lesmahagow.

The 12 pupils were accompanied by three members of staff from Loudoun’s Technical department and spent the day learning various skills used to restore and repair historic buildings.

The work is carried out using traditional methods and materials which are the best and most durable solution to keep the fabric wind and water tight and fit for use in the 21st century.

First on the agenda was working with lead sheet, used to seal chimneys and roofs. They were shown how to bend and shape the material using special mallets to “raggle” the corners.

The pupils then learned how to splice timber and make a mortice joint using a mallet and chisel.

Health and safety and best practice were emphasised as the group moved on to working with stone. Working in a special area with protection from chips and dust, the pupils had a chance to shape blocks of stone used to replace those worn out by weathering.

Brickwork was next, with each student having a go at making a brick arch using a form.

While one managed to successfully complete the task, the others soon discovered that the job is not nearly as easy as it looks!

The workshop was run by Historic Scotland’s Outreach Team as part of the Galston CARS programme.

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Mr Sunny slays dragons in Sir Tom’s Challenge Budding young entrepreneurs from East Ayrshire academies entered Sir Tom Hunter’s annual Dragons’ Den event in a bid to scoop the top prize of £3,000 – and Monsieur Soleil swept the board!

An educational board game in French/English, Monsieur Soleil (Mr Sunny) was the brainchild of the team from Doon Academy, Dalmellington, which took them to victory on the night.

Sir Tom praised the quality and innovation of the game, which could also expand into other languages - and he urged them to consider Mandarin.

He said: “Doon Academy was the overall winner of the Sir Tom Hunter Challenge 2014. We think their product has global reach – and importantly, it makes learning fun.

“Even better, it is manufactured in East Ayrshire.”

As part of his commitment to mentor local pupils, billionaire entrepreneur Sir Tom challenged youngsters to come up with ideas for products, innovations or businesses of the future.

Nine teams presented their business plans to Sir Tom and his panel of judges – Heather Dunk (Ayrshire College), Marie Macklin (Klin Group), Willie Mackie (past president, Chamber of Commerce) and David Ross (Keppie Design) – in the Dragons’ Den style contest hosted by 2013 winners Loudoun Academy.

12 issue seven The top prize of £3,000 went to Doon Academy’s first-ever enterprise group, Focus - Kirsty McCormick, Ashley Mitchell, Halle Fitzsimmons, Paige McMahon, Fiona Kennedy, Katie Graham and Naomi Allan.

Graham Short, Executive Director of Educational and Social Services, purchased 50 units of Monsieur Soleil for schools – and judge Heather Dunk also bought a game, which she said was ‘superb’.

James Hamilton Academy scooped second prize of £2,000 for H2NO –a ‘socially-responsible’ mobile phone cover, which inflates and protects a phone dropped in water. All profits made will go to WaterAid. The judges praised it as “a really innovative idea which could be used in the marketplace today.”

Auchinleck Academy was awarded third prize of £1,000 for its creative Re-Dezyn app, which allows users to re-design any room in their house.

BUSINESSENTERPRISEBULLETIN The other six schools’ presentations were considered to be so good that Sir Tom awarded them £500 each.

Ideas from the other teams included the hAPPy Helper Pack (Cumnock Academy); Unico event management (Loudoun Academy); Ritual cosmetics (Grange Academy); the ErgoTable (Stewarton Academy); Café Diem (St Joseph’s Academy); and Lapspace convertible laptop case (Kilmarnock Academy).

Sir Tom said: “East Ayrshire Council has taken the lead in the field of enterprise in education. This should be happening all over Ayrshire and indeed all over Scotland.

“The role of education is to equip young people with open minds and challenging minds, to encourage them to collaborate in teams and have fun while learning.

“Everyone here is really a winner. The important thing is the journey pupils go through to learn and understand – not just the inventions they come up with.”

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council, said: “This was a keenly fought competition, where our young entrepreneurs had the opportunity to demonstrate not only their business skills, but also their fantastic creativity.

“Engagement with business is now securely embedded in the school curriculum and our vision is to ensure that every pupil will develop the skills and abilities for a successful career.

“Above all, we want to foster in our young people that vital ‘cando’ attitude and positive mindset. Events like this clearly show what a talented pool of young entrepreneurs we have here.”

The Sir Tom Hunter Challenge formed part of the Council’s business enterprise programme, designed to develop entrepreneurial skills and help make young people ‘business ready’.

All of the school teams were invited to Sir Tom’s E-spark Hatchery in Dundonald for further mentoring where he gave them essential advice: “Never take no for an answer and believe in yourself.”

At the recent East Ayrshire Academies Showcase held at the West Coast Hatchery, Sir Tom highlighted the important role business plays in everyday life, telling the youngsters: “Smalls businesses are the future of our economy and you are the entrepreneurs of the future. By participating in this schools’ business challenge you have demonstrated that you have the talent, the self belief and the right attitude to succeed.

Schools in East Ayrshire are ahead of the game in terms of encouraging and nurturing young entrepreneurs with fantastic business ideas.”

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Fiona Lees, Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council said: “It was inspiring to see how the young people had developed their ideas since the Challenge event.

“Sir Tom Hunter generously offered the services of his team at the Hatchery to help the school companies protect and develop their ideas, which have all the hallmarks of success.

“The future looks bright for enterprise in East Ayrshire – and it’s great to know we are leading the way locally and nationally in this.”

“The role of education is to equip young people with open minds and challenging minds, to encourage them to collaborate in teams and have fun while learning.”

The event at the Hatchery gave pupils a unique opportunity to learn from Sir Tom’s own experiences and to hear from some of the fledgling businesses currently in residence at the Hatchery.

Guest speaker was Josh Littlejohn, founder of the Social Bite café in Edinburgh. Josh impressed the youngsters with his success story; at the age of just 28 he established a sandwich business with four different outlets in Edinburgh and Glasgow, donating all profits to supporting the homeless and other good causes in Scotland, Bangladesh and Malawi.

Three successful Espark ‘chiclets’ shared details of their own entrepreneurial journeys with the youngsters; Alexa Scot, from online wedding deals company I Do Licious, Lloyd Allum from NuWave engineering and Lorraine McRoberts from children’s fashion business Bairnz Boutique.

Then it was the turn of the teams from Auchinleck, James Hamilton and Doon Academies to pitch their ideas to Sir Tom and the assembled guests. E-Spark Chief Executive Jim Duffy provided feedback on all the pupils’ presentations, praising them for their creativity and confidence.

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East Ayrshire – National Music Council Award winners

Councillor Eòghann MacColl, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “Over the past ten years the Council’s music service led by John Wilson has had incredible success. This is the second year running that we have won the Major Trophy and an unprecedented four times in all. The team has also won six diplomas of merit and three It was music to our ears – the Council’s performing rights society awards. music service has once again been “I have had the pleasure of hearing awarded the prestigious Major Trophy many of our young talented by the National Music Council of Great musicians perform and the Britain at a glittering ceremony at the standard of talent is exceptional within East Ayrshire. But talent English National Ballet in London. alone doesn’t lead to success; On announcing East Ayrshire Council as the it takes commitment, hard work winner, the National Music Council stated that: and dedication and this is displayed “The submission from East Ayrshire was a model in spades by our teachers, our pupils of good practice in the provision of interesting and and our parents who make the music imaginative programmes…a most impressive service the success it is. This includes application from a most impressive authority. music lessons within and outwith school “For many years now, East Ayrshire has been hours, holiday programmes for song operating at the top of its game, excelling writers and involvement in the world in areas such as special educational needs renowned Cumnock Tryst event.” provision, partnerships and continuing Founded in 1953, the National Music professional development (CPD) and this Council (NMC) sits at the centre of a is reflected in the incredible provision East network of national music organisations.

Ayrshire makes on an ongoing basis.

Membership is drawn from all areas of “East Ayrshire’s was one of the strongest the music business and the NMC LEA programmes of work we have ever seen and, Music Awards Scheme is co-ordinated in assessing this application; we awarded a 10 with the assistance of the Convention for the first time in any of our categories.” of Scottish Local Authorities and the Federation of Music Services.

Primary 6 pupils on fast-track to become star musicians Primary 6 pupils from the Auchinleck and Cumnock Learning Community gave their first live musical performance – taking to the stage with their brand new orchestra at Cumnock Academy – despite having only picked up their instruments for the first time two days earlier!

Last September, the talented youngsters stunned their parents and the gathered audience with a “Kick Start Concert” which followed just two days of intensive rehearsals led by the Council’s Instrumental Music Service.

The Kick Start Wind Band programme is an accelerated and immersive approach to learning a musical instrument for complete beginners. Instead of beginning with only a weekly lesson, the Kick Start programme brings young musicians together to work in small groups with their teachers over an entire weekend.

Just two months later and after weekly lessons and rehearsals, the young musicians performed at the Scottish Concert Band Festival in Livingston where they gave a wonderful performance and thoroughly enjoyed their experience.

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New Ayrshire College used for Enterprise Education Initiative An exciting new brief for Interaction has been launched by the Council in partnership with leading architectural practice Keppie Design and Ayrshire College. Now in its second year, Interaction is a successful enterprise education challenge involving eight local secondary schools. The project, which was developed by Keppie Design, helps our young people prepare for life in the

workplace by introducing them to new skills and attitudes.

This year the pupils are being challenged to design an inspirational, flexible and open learning space for the new Ayrshire College campus, which is being built on the site of the former Johnnie Walker bottling plant at Hill Street, Kilmarnock.

Following the initial responses to the brief and feedback from the client, Ayrshire College, the teams explored the design concepts further and created models of their ideas.

After selecting their preferred design, each school then worked with mentors and the project team from Ayrshire College (including representatives from Keppie Design, structural engineer Ramboll, contractor McLaughlin & Harvey and interior designer Space Solutions) to finalise their design for an external judging panel.

This is an exciting and challenging way to help the young people understand the design process and to encourage new ideas in learning.

The challenge is expected to conclude by February 2015.

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Scots language app launches Grange Academy pupils celebrated the Scots language by helping to launch a new Scots Dictionary app, developed by the Scottish Language Dictionaries.

Exploring the ‘mither tongue’ was Principal Teacher Jill Hillhouse, who demonstrated how Scots language is used in the classroom. Jill encouraged pupils to treasure the Scots language by asking everyone attending to jot down their favourite Scots word. Jill’s favourite was ‘scunnered’ and another favourite from the pupils was ‘stooshie’.

It was then over to senior pupil Becky Paterson to explain how the new app works, inviting guests to search for the meaning of their favourite Scots word.

The app provides a meaning for the word, the origin of the word and also an audio clip to help with the pronunciation. When used in conjunction with the Essential Scots Dictionary, the app is an important tool for pupils studying Scots as a modern language.

Former Grange pupil, Scots language poet and blogger, Lorna Wallace, recited two of her own poems - ‘Tae a selfie’ and ‘Dinna run doon oor wee toun’, which was written in response to the BBC’s programme The Scheme.

Lorna, who reads English Literature, Creative Writing and Journalism at the University of Strathclyde, has received a great deal of positive attention for her poetry and has featured on Radio 4 and at the Edinburgh Festival.

Lorna’s poem captured the spirit of Burns and Lapraik, matching shrewd observation of life with social comment – all delivered entertainingly, and bang up to date in the Scots Language.

Fourth year pupil Cameron Hill then recited ‘Tam O’Shanter’, putting on a wonderful show for the gathered audience.

Councillor Stephanie Primrose, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning, attended the launch with Provost Jim Todd, who officially

welcomed Dr Chris Robinson and Dr Margaret McKay from Scottish Language Dictionaries to Kilmarnock. Councillor Primrose said: “I was delighted to attend this extremely upbeat event which was a true celebration of our wonderful Scots language and highlighted the very talented young people from Grange Academy.

“The new app will greatly assist our young people who are studying Scots as a modern language and I would like to congratulate the team from Scottish Language Dictionaries who have delivered this fantastic project.”

The Scottish Government’s policy, Language

Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach, is aimed at ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn a modern language from P1 onwards and a second modern language from P5 onwards. The app, which was made possible by Scottish Government funding, was produced to support pupils who are studying Scots as a modern language. It also aims to support secondary pupils studying for the new SQA Awards in Scots Language.

Minister for Learning and Scotland’s Languages, Dr Alasdair Allan said: “I am always encouraged by new initiatives to support the Scots language and the launch of the Essential Scots Dictionary app builds on what has been a good year for Scots language developments. The app provides an exciting new platform for Scots, bringing the work of Scottish Language Dictionaries to a new audience. The app has the potential to play an important role in supporting learning in classrooms and I look forward to hearing more about its use.”

Stewarton Academy HMIe report success Stewarton Academy has polite, friendly and well-behaved young people, strong leadership and impressive achievements by its young people; and that is just a flavour of the excellent report the school has secured from its recent HMIe inspection.

Awarded four ‘very good’ ratings for improvements in performance; learners’ experience; meeting learning needs and improvement through self evaluation, the school also received a good rating for its curriculum.

Inspectors also highlighted a number of key strengths including: • polite, friendly and well-behaved young people, who enjoy their learning in a supportive and very caring environment • the strong leadership of the new acting headteacher, senior management and the active contribution of staff to the very positive climate for learning • the impressive achievements of young people in a wide range of activities across the school • the school’s approaches to improving its work through very effective analysis of pupil data and the use of self evaluation • a wide range of partnerships which enhance learners’ experiences The school’s senate, which is led by two male and two female senior pupils and involves all senior prefect leaders and pupil council members, was identified as an outstanding example of pupil voice and leadership.

Councillor Stephanie Primrose, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “When you visit the school, the pupils are polite and happy to discuss projects they have been working on and you only have to look at their exceptional exam results to know that they are being encouraged to reach their full potential. ” The full report is available on the Education Scotland website at www. educationscotland.gov.uk.

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Stellar year ahead

for special science project 2015 is set to be a stellar year for East Ayrshire’s special schools’ community. Grant awards from the British Science Association and the Institute of Physics will allow the development of an exciting science project between Willowbank School in Kilmarnock and the Kilmarnock Engineering and Science Society (KESS).

The year-long project started last year, when the school teamed up with KESS to introduce more science based activities to pupils with special needs.

Initially the team researched effective ways of introducing science classes into the curriculum and establishing the most appropriate types of scientific activities and equipment which could be used by the pupils.

The team, with the help of STEM ambassadors, the Ayrshire Astronomical Society and volunteers, then ran a very successful general science day at Willowbank School last September.

This was followed by afternoon sessions focusing on biology and materials which were delivered by Suzanne McGeer of St Joseph’s Academy and Dr Karen Alexander of Dumfries House respectively. The sessions clearly demonstrated that science, if delivered appropriately, is very beneficial for the pupils’ development. It also became clear that the pupils responded best to very visual and hands-on science activities.

Two special events will be held in March at Willowbank for pupils, teachers, carers and parents from Willowbank School, Park School and Hillside School in Cumnock.

The first event, to be held on Monday 2 March, will have a central theme of astronomy. The portable planetarium from the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory in Dalmellington will be visiting the school for an out of this world space experience.

This event will also be supported by the Ayrshire Astronomical Society and a final year astrophysics PhD student who is currently working on the Exomol project at University College London, as well as volunteer students from the School of Physics and Astronomy of Glasgow University.

The second event, to be held on Monday 16 March, will see the Glasgow Science Centre Outreach van visiting Willowbank School with its high energy, hands-on bodyworks exhibition. Pupils will be encouraged to explore their endurance, strength and agility in the Fit Lab while STEM ambassadors and volunteers will be on hand to offer other science activities on the day.

At the end of this event, each school will receive a Science Museum activity pack containing relevant resources to help further science activities within their schools.

Councillor Stephanie Primrose, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning said: “This is wonderful news and fantastic recognition of the work carried out

by Professor Danny Gorman, KESS and our teaching staff to date. The science days have been really exciting and the pupils have enthusiastically participated in all the activities, including making electricity from fruit, looking at the sun through special telescopes and viewing wildlife photography with biologists.

“This is going to be a stellar year for the schools involved and I can’t wait to attend the major science events in March.”

Professor Danny Gorman of KESS said: “This project is demonstrating that science can be successfully used to educate, entertain and enthral special young people such as these. It has been a great honour and privilege to work with the pupils and staff of Willowbank School in the course of this project and I thank all the volunteers who have made this possible. I also applaud the generosity of the British Science Association and the Institute of Physics for financially supporting this worthwhile project.”

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Teachers get stuck in, cut out and roll those wagons for engineering

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Vibrant youth conference Young people made their voices heard at the annual Vibrant Community Youth Conference held in the beautiful surroundings of Dumfries House.

The conference, which was part funded by the Cashback for Communities Youth Work Fund, was the highlight of National Youth Work Week and was attended by more than 140 young people from across East Ayrshire.

Louise Cameron, the first elected female Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament was on hand to open the conference. She spoke eloquently about her experiences of youth work and her journey to the position of Chair. Louise also highlighted the importance of the youth voice and encouraged the young people present to become involved with the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Workshops by Nil by Mouth and Respect Me, showed the young people and the staff in attendance innovative ways of tackling anti-sectarian and anti-bullying strategies and both workshops were extremely well received.

East Ayrshire primary teachers rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in at an in service day event run by the Institute of Primary Engineers.

In a scene reminiscent of what they do with their own pupils, 160 Primary 3/4 and 6/7 staff spent a day getting back to basics, making simple projects which they can use to teach the joys and practicalities of engineering.

The group made one toy car from a shoe box and another, incorporating simple electronics, from wood. They worked with qualified engineers who have signed up to help schools as part of the Primary Engineer programme, which was adopted in East Ayrshire last year.

The programme delivers practical STEM (science, maths, engineering and technology) education through activities aimed at encouraging pupils to become aware of and benefit from the opportunities offered by bringing engineering into the heart of schools. http://www.primaryengineer.com

The conference reached a much wider audience than normal through the use of social media. This enabled Twitter interaction throughout the day and involved even more young people through the innovative use of technology.

Partner agencies and voluntary organisations were also in attendance and provided market stalls to promote their services and answer any questions posed by the young people on the day.

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Wool bombing Doon Academy’s Art Department and the Creative Minds Team held a community event with a difference recently - a wool bombing!

in Dalmellington

This follows on from the very successful Knit Along campaign, which was led and championed

by Art Teacher Gillian Robb, where members of the community knitted 15cmx15cm squares which were stitched into blankets for older people in local nursing homes.

The wool bombing, which involved pupils and members of the community, saw a tree at Dalmellington Area Centre being dressed in Christmassy woollens and tinsel, in a similar way the Olympics and Commonwealth Games were celebrated the length and breadth of the country.

Councillor Eòghann MacColl, Spokesperson for Promoting Lifelong Learning, attended the wool bombing and helped to decorate the tree.

He said: “The knitting project at Doon Academy has been fantastic. It has encouraged our young people to explore knitting and textiles and to express themselves through art, and importantly it has involved the whole community.

“Anyone who can remember being young and sitting with their hands out as wool was wound into a ball will know how inclusive knitting can be.

Not only can you create something beautiful and fun, you can provide warmth to those around you.

“The arts enable young people to learn in many different and exciting ways and this project led by the Doon Academy Art Department is a perfect example. Young people creating an artwork in the centre of their community, the people engaging and interacting - it was great to see and I look forward to more developments in the learning and teaching of our young people thanks to the good practice of our schools staff, the Creative Minds Team and partners.”

Kenneth Reilly, Headteacher of Doon Academy said: “It’s great to see continued success for Doon’s Art Department which keeps pushing forward with creative and innovative ideas that help to forge ever stronger links between the school and the local community. The response to our recent Community Knit-Along initiative was brilliant and our pupils love to see people in their local communities joining in with the things they’re doing at school.”

The Creative Minds Team also supported Doon Academy’s big knit programme by engaging local textile/weaving artist, Janet Renouf-Miller, to work with the art and design students. Janet has been sharing new skills and techniques in knitting and weaving which embrace contemporary ideas and inspiration from the worlds of fashion and art. Funding from the Eden Trust, which is supporting the Creative Minds Team to champion arts in education in East Ayrshire schools, has made this project possible.

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Around the schools…

Auchinleck Academy

Education Scotland Event

Glasgow Science Centre visit

Each table was facilitated by young people from the Princes Trust and discussions centred on the different pathways into employment – university, college and apprenticeships.

The whole day was filmed, with the views of all pupils being recorded. The school found the conversations on the day extremely helpful and pupils enjoyed having an input into developing a strong young Scottish workforce.

S3 pupils visited the Glasgow Science Centre where they enjoyed the hands-on exhibits.

They burned some energy in the giant hamster wheel, performed a virtual autopsy and busted some moves at the DNA disco.

They also checked out their hot spots with a thermal imaging camera and tested their reactions with the wiggly wire.

Pupils were able to access ‘My World of Work’ which hosts a fantastic range of information showcasing what it is really like to work as a scientist, explorer, researcher or engineer.

Tree of Knowledge All pupils in S5 attended a workshop delivered by the Tree of Knowledge, an innovative educational and people development organisation.

The speaker was very entertaining and motivational and encouraged pupils to think about leadership, preparation for their exams and making choices for their future.

Here is what the pupils thought: “It was very good, made me understand that you have to grab any opportunities life throws at you and not to be scared.”

“Made me feel that if I thought positively about something I could do it.”

“Fun and engaging.”

“Made me think about what to do with my life.”

Dumfries House visit Thirty nine pupils enjoyed an educational residential visit to Dumfries House estate.

In October a group of twelve Auchinleck Academy pupils attended Education Scotland’s Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce Conversation Day at Dumfries House.

Masterworks performance with SCO The Masterworks project is run annually by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Connect and focuses on working with senior pupils on different works, often by living composers like James MacMillan.

This year the piece was ‘Arktis Arktis!’ by Swedish composer Karin Rehnqvist, which had been inspired by a polar expedition. The pupils explored different elements of the music and analysed how the composer constructed the music. Musicians from the orchestra then visited the school and led a workshop with the pupils; exploring the concepts further and giving the pupils first-hand experience of the instruments used.

The culmination of the project was the Masterworks Performance, which was presented by Paul Rissmann, a composer, presenter and music educationalist. Pupils were privileged to hear the whole piece from start to finish then enjoyed a question and answer session with the composer.

S4 employability day The first ever S4 employability day took place in October.

Activities throughout the day allowed pupils to complete some of the assessments needed to gain their Employability Award, which is designed to prepare pupils for the world of work. There was also an opportunity for pupils to participate in a mock interview with a local employer.

James Hamilton Academy

The purpose of the visit was to enable S4 Business Management pupils to undertake their National 5 coursework assignment within their chosen area on the estate – cafe, visitor centre, garden, farm or education centre. The pupils were well prepared and asked some challenging business questions.

Pupils took part in some of the daily tasks across the estate or were given specific tasks to work on. They also engaged in team building activities.

It was an exhausting visit, but extremely beneficial to the pupils. Back at school, lots of effort was put into creating their reports for the SQA exam. Through the Business Enterprise Centre, James

Business Enterprise Centre goes from strength to strength

Hamilton Academy has continued to develop vocational pathways to support pupils into employment.

This means that pupils leave school with a portfolio of awards following participation in skills-based courses including construction crafts, automotive skills and leadership skills. These skills link directly to local employment opportunities and exceed what they would have achieved if they had continued in more traditional subjects.

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Careers clinic All pupils had the opportunity to attend a careers clinic last October.

Over two days a range of organisations and businesses set up stall providing pupils with the perfect opportunity to chat to them about career pathways including modern apprenticeships and further education courses.

Matt Stewart of Entrepreneur ME supported the event, providing inspirational workshops on entrepreneurship and linking education to real life work opportunities.

First aid training In S4 all pupils undertake first-aid training, supported by the Red Cross.

This means that every pupil from James Hamilton Academy leaves school with a qualification in Basic First Aid to take into the job market and workforce.

Higher leadership class in the community In an extension to the S4 Business Enterprise Centre course, a new Higher Leadership course was introduced which provides young people with the opportunity to undertake work projects within the community.

The pupils have been working on a design and make project which will see the transformation of an outbuilding into working kennels for local charity Islay Dog Rescue in Cumnock.

SkillForce: The Prince’s Award S3 pupils are getting in on the Business Enterprise Centre act with a new course launched to develop employability skills and prepare pupils for the workplace.

SkillForce uses the skills of ex-Forces personnel to inspire young people to succeed. Instructors deliver activitybased learning, tailored to young people’s needs.

Pupils cover a range of vocational and core skills within the course – literacy, numeracy, ICT, communication and problem solving; as well as personal development skills like working as part of a team, assessing risks and decision making.

SkillForce patron, HRH The Duke of Cambridge said: “SkillForce does remarkable work with young people; instructors use their extensive life experiences and leadership skills to encourage pupils to stay engaged with education and improve their future employability.”

Steffany Paton from S3 said: “I love SkillForce – it’s really good.

We learn lots of new skills including leadership and team skills, how to look after ourselves and others, CPR and how to plan and review projects. All of this helps me in my other classes.”

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Loudoun Academy Duke of Edinburgh Award Four pupils have achieved their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Awards following assessments at two different sites in the Irvine Valley.

Charlotte Winning, Emma Kerr, Catriona Hoy and Christopher Ewing performed superbly to achieve the award.

The group is now working towards its Gold Award, ably assisted by an army of helpers and assessors who have made their success to date possible.

Firereach Project In December ten S3 pupils took part in a challenging project organised by Vibrant Communities with the Fire and Rescue Service.

The Firereach Project saw the pupils spend four full days working on real life rescues where they had to face many challenges.

At the end of the four days they demonstrated their newly learned skills to their parents, representatives from the Council and the school. The fearless ten worked to free casualties from a mock burning building and a car crash. During this they wore full fire protection including clothing, breathing apparatus and helmets.

The pupils enjoyed this experience and were very appreciative of the opportunities the project provided.

Higher Hospitality group Five members of the Higher Hospitality group gave their time to help serve meals at the Inner Wheel bridge lunch.

The school received a lovely letter of thanks from the Inner Wheel Chairperson, and the pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The full group displayed their talents by creating a fantastic meal at the Ayrshire College Gallery restaurant, as part of their Higher course, for Graham Short, Executive Director of Educational and Social Services, Alan Ward, Head of Schools and Head teacher Linda McAulay-Griffiths.

Mathematicians figure it out Mathletes Andrew Templeton, Ruaridh Hopkins, Cameron Wilson and Laura Fulton attended the National Enterprising Mathematics Competition at the Glasgow Science Centre.

The team finished 22nd out of 61 finalist schools, including many from the private sector. This is a superb achievement for all pupils and the maths department.

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Park School Enterprising Park School senior pupils run a successful community cafe, Cafe 56, every Wednesday morning in the Grange Campus Community Wing from 10am to 11.30am.

The senior pupils bake tasty treats for sale while others work in the cafe. Through this enterprise activity pupils achieve skills for life and also earn national qualifications including food safety.

A Fairtrade tuck shop also operates each Wednesday for local businesses on Portland Road and Irvine Road in Kilmarnock. Businesses were leafleted last year asking if they would be interested in buying Fairtrade chocolate on a weekly basis from senior pupils. The pupils are involved in every aspect of the Fairtrade tuckshop including selling, restocking and getting the money ready for banking.

Pupils also run a Fairtrade tuckshop within the Grange campus on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

St. Joseph’s Academy S4 Enterprise class

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Roundsquare Coffee Shop The school’s latest business advocates, Roundsquare Coffee Roasters and Sucasa Coffee Shop in Ayr, got off to a flying start recently when they helped with the pop-up coffee shop that the school is establishing.

Led by S5 pupil Raymond Houston the pupils have put together a detailed a business plan and built up a strong brand in the school, Cafe Diem. They debuted this in December at the Christmas concert and did a roaring trade, serving over 100 beverages in an hour. The school now has its own coffee blend and is in the process of developing the business model further and opening in permanent premises within the school building.

Strictly Deputy Head Girl Tatenda Tapatapa undertook a huge leadership and enterprise project to stage the school’s first ever Strictly Come Dancing production.

This began back in October when she commissioned two professional dancers to teach staff and pupils six dances which led up to a final show in December. The event raised over £500 for Young Minds and for Tatenda there is an SQA award on the way.

Tennants trip

The S4 Enterprise Class has been working closely with Willowbank school over the past few months.

In December the NPA Bakery class went on a trip to Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow to take a tour of the factory.

This has involved St. Joseph’s pupils visiting Willowbank school to work alongside teachers to support pupils in their learning.

Pupils from Willowbank also come to St. Joseph’s to use sports and games facilities, visit classes and work with pupils.

They started off by looking at the different grains used to make each beverage, then got taken to the packaging floor, where they saw each different drink and how they were packaged. Next stop was looking at how the drinks were put into kegs and then sent off to many bars and restaurants.

Last stop on the tour was the laboratory where they got to meet a scientist who is in charge of multiplying the yeast which is used in the fermentation process.

S6 Karkinos Interdisciplinary Project S6 began an ambitious interdisciplinary project in December that has challenged them to work in teams on tasks that are connected to the treatment, prevention and awareness-raising of cancer.

The pupils enjoyed two presentations on cancer research and the experience of those who live with cancer. They were also issued with a range of data and first-hand testimonies of people affected by cancer. The next stage involved pupils being placed into groups arranged on the basis of their areas of interest and expertise in different subjects. This was done to provide them with a sense of the kind of interdisciplinary teams that they might experience in the work place or at college and university. The groups were then challenged to respond to an aspect of cancer care, treatment or diagnosis and then use their skills to formulate a solution. The six areas were: body image; communication; employability; clinical environment; relationships; and healthy living. Each of these areas was accompanied by a range of prompts for discussion, aspects to consider and ideas for development. The responses were impressive, imaginative and enterprising. They ranged from plans for computer games that engage young people in their cancer care to online forums for sharing experiences to an umbrella that judges the user’s exposure to UV radiation and advises them on protection. The pupils are convening again in the spring to finalise their projects, reflect on their experiences and present their ideas to a panel of judges.

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Stewarton Academy East Ayrshire Council Young Persons’ Representative Forum The enthusiastic team of Jennifer Pryce, Amy McDade and Ewan McCall are currently working in partnership with Vibrant Communities and the East Ayrshire Young Persons’ Representative Forum participating in forums and executive meetings about the opportunities available for young people in East Ayrshire.

Sir Tom Hunter Challenge – Follow Up Activity The S5 Ergo Innovations team of Luca Mancini and Lloyd Hamilton attended a follow up session at Dundonald Hatchery where they networked with Sir Tom Hunter, and some of his business associates, to further discuss their Ergo Table – an educational table designed for pupils with additional support needs. The boys are looking to develop and build on their design during this academic session.

Dunlop Art Exhibition Senior pupils are displaying their talents at the Dunlop Art Exhibition which will be opened for a couple of weeks with various pieces of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher work on show.

Stewarton Academy Young Enterprise Group This year’s group has been beavering away developing its entrepreneurial skills by investigating, marketing and selling a variety of products. The group has just completed its ‘technology/gadget’ products and has now developed a new, re-useable shopping bag.

S4 Employability Yipworld in Cumnock has been working with a group of S4 pupils for 12 weeks on a skills development, self-esteem and employability programme. Pupils are now looking to use the skills and knowledge gained during the sessions to make informed decisions regarding their future at the end of S4.

Enterprising Maths Congratulations to the Stewarton Academy S4 team, who won its East Ayrshire Enterprising Maths heat and now move forward to the national finals.

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