Nursery at Ashgrove PM – Orchard Brae School

Aberdeen Reads: Join the Summer Reading Challenge

By Clare Russell 26th June 2020 26th June 2020 Early Learning and Childcare, Family Learning, Howes House, Literacy and Communication, News, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department, Senior phase

Aberdeen City Libraries have announced an exciting new reading challenge for the summer. Starting tomorrow (27th June) and running until 29th August, everyone is welcome to register as an individual or family / group. Register for the challenge online: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=aw-pJD2_E02ip4k2nOs16xSlCSTRm75Nn6t-EpSexzdUN0kySlJWRlpJUEdRSEdZUlhLRTczUDZDTSQlQCN0PWcu

There are 9 reading related challenges and you can choose those that appeal. Full details of all the challenges are on the Aberdeen Reads website:

There is something for everyone!

Some ideas of how you might use the challenge are:

Places

Read some of your favourite stories that are set in other countries (real or imaginary). Two of my personal favourites are:

Where The Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak), a lovely picture book for younger readers, and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (C S Lewis) for older readers.

Get Creative

Across the school we’ve seen lovely photos of our children and young people engaging in Life Skills and Arts & Crafts during our period of remote learning. Why not challenge yourself to bake or cook something new? You might find a no-cook recipe that will encourage even greater independence. Try a new craft project and make something useful, or use some of your old junk to create something inspired by a book. Lots of exciting crafty projects can be done using recycled materials and this helps our environment.

Ec0-Friendly

Use recycled materials to create a favourite character or a scene from one of your books. One young man from Room 14 did this previously, creating his favourite scene from Harry Potter.

Cover Versions

Some of our Secondary pupils enjoy the Harry Potter books. These are magical stories to escape into and are very enjoyable to read aloud. Why not compare the film and the book to find out which you like best? Horrid Henry is always a favourite and episodes can be watched on TV. Do you like the TV episode or the story best? Popular with many of our younger pupils is Disney Cars or any other Disney movie. Again, see what you like best – the film or the book. There are also lots of E-comics on the library website, including Disney.

Favourite Place

Try reading in different places and find out what your favourite place to read is. I like to read in the garden, particularly on a fine day.

Let us know how you get on and feel free to share with your teachers the stories that you have enjoyed.

POSTPONED: Friends of Orchard Brae 5k Fun Run

By Clare Russell 22nd April 2020 22nd April 2020 Early Learning and Childcare, Howes House, News, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department, Senior phase

Due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 our planned Fun Run is postponed until further notice. We will maintain contact with the City Events Team at Aberdeen City Council and hope that we can have our event at some time in the future. For now, our priority is to keep our school and wider community safe and well.

Friends of Orchard Brae Fun Run: 28th April 2020

By Clare Russell 28th February 2020 28th February 2020 Early Learning and Childcare, Howes House, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department, Senior phase

Many thanks to the brother of one of our pupils who has asked if he can fundraise individually through sponsorship for the 5k Fun Run for Friends of Orchard Brae. If anyone else wishes to raise money through the Fun Run or any other sponsored activity in future, sponsor forms can be obtained via the Friends of Orchard Brae by contacting school, or a sponsorship page can be set up at: https://wonderful.org/charity/friendsoforchardbrae

Lisa Thomson (Chairperson of the Friends) is the normal point of contact for any fundraising. Clare Russell can also be contacted regarding the Fun Run.

Full information regarding the Fun Run can be found here: https://scottishrunningguide.com/race/fun-run-for-friends-of-orchard-brae

or check out the Friends of Orchard Brae Facebook page.

Please remember, all participants must be over 12 years of age to enter, and must be accompanied by an adult at all times if under 16. Donations are optional – the event is free to run for everyone!

If we have wheelchair users who wish to participate, an adapted course that avoids the rooty / muddy trail section will be available.

Support Orchard Brae via your local Coop!

By Clare Russell 6th February 2020 6th February 2020 Early Learning and Childcare, Howes House, News, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department, Senior phase

If you shop with Co-op, please consider choosing us as your cause to support when you shop. Join here…

https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/41483

Orchard Brae Clothing Exchange

By Clare Russell 17th January 2020 27th January 2020 Early Learning and Childcare, Howes House, News, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department

Thanks to everyone that has sent in items for our Clothing Exchange. Please remember that you’re welcome to pop in and browse any time. It’s a great way to save money and help the planet by passing things on that our children and young people have grown out of.

We’ve got clothing in a wider range of sizes now. All sizes of clothing are welcome as our pupils go from age 3-18.

Uniform Exchange: Save money and help the environment!

By Clare Russell 17th December 2019 27th January 2020 Early Learning and Childcare, Howes House, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department, Senior phase

We are pleased to announce that we now have a Uniform Exchange in the front reception area of Orchard Brae. We have a small stock of clothing at present including footwear, trousers, school sweatshirts and polo shirts. We also have some bodysuits in smaller sizes. Free sanitary products will be available at all times.

You are welcome to come in and browse at any time, taking what you need for your child.

Donations of clothing (footwear, outdoor jackets or trousers, school uniform) are welcome and can be sent in with your child – please pop a note into the diary so that we know they are for the Uniform Exchange. Our pupils are aged 3 – 18, so all sizes are welcome including adult sizes.

Let’s help ourselves by saving money and passing on clothes that our children have outgrown, and help the environment too by re-using good clothing.

Christmas Fair: 30th November 2019

By Clare Russell 11th November 2019 12th November 2019 Howes House, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Primary, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department

Room 12 are holding another doll raffle, to be drawn at the Christmas Fair on 30^th November 2019, all proceeds to Orchard Brae.

Included in the prize is a beautiful wicker basket bed, bedding, the doll and several outfits – from a bride’s dress, to clown’s outfit to pyjamas and matching dressing gown and more. Doll donated and bedding and outfits beautifully made by the mum of one of Room 12’s class teachers.

Tickets to win all this are £1! Come and see us at the fair to buy your ticket!

There will also be many dolly clothes at our stall available to buy separately. These are unique, handmade and better than any dolls clothes you’ll see in the shops!

Nursery Care Inspectorate Report

By Amy Dunnett 30th October 2019 30th October 2019 3 - 5 Curriculum, Early Learning and Childcare, News, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM

Following our Nursery’s recent inspection, the Care Inspectorate have published their updated inspection report and grades for the settings at Howes Road and Ashgrove. Well done to everyone for all their hard work!

Ragbag Collection

By Clare Russell 11th March 2019 11th March 2019 Eco Group, Howes House, Nursery at Ashgrove AM, Nursery at Ashgrove PM, Nursery at Howes Road AM, Nursery at Howes Road PM, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 13, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 2, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6/7, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department

The pupils in Room 16 have been working hard on our Ragbag project for 18 months now. We are delighted to confirm that we have raised approximately £900 for the school fund (that’s more than 2 tonnes of clothing that have been saved from landfill!).

Rag bag is a Scottish textile and clothing recycling scheme. Items are graded according to their quality at their premises in Falkirk. Wearable items are sent to developing countries as 2^nd hand clothing, items which may have been torn or damaged recycled and become carpet underlay or industrial cleaning cloths or even mattress lining. Either way they are kept from landfill.

There are 3 collection schemes, 1: send bags home, 2: inside collection bin (at school front office) and 3: external collection bin. We are proud to say that we have all 3 schemes in operation.

We collect clothes, pairs of shoes, belts and bags.

So this Spring, as you clear out your winter wardrobe, feel free to fill a bag of rags for us!

Orchard Brae @ Ashgrove afternoon nursery celebrated Burn’s Day and Chinese New Year

By Heather Liebenberg 19th February 2019 19th February 2019 3 - 5 Curriculum, Early Learning and Childcare, Inter Disciplinary Learning, Nursery at Ashgrove PM

The afternoon children at Orchard Brae @ Ashgrove have been participating in “Burns Day” and “Chinese New Year” celebrations. They had the opportunity to make tartan pictures and thistles as well as Chinese writing. They were able to try the traditional Burns supper of “Haggis, Neeps and Tatties” followed by shortbread which they had decorated. Some of the children were not impressed with this Scottish dish. The Chinese food proved more popular and they particularly enjoyed trying to pick up the noodles and rice with the chopsticks.