Category: Secondary Department

Welcome to the Secondary Department

The secondary department has 8 classes and pupils follow the principles of Curriculum for Excellence: a broad general education in S1-S3 and the Senior Phase in S4- S6.   The curriculum is varied, relevant, challenging, enjoyable and adapted to meet our pupil’s individual needs.  Pupils also visit a range of specialists, have access to relevant therapeutic inputs and participate in wider community events.

Pyjama Day in Room 15

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With icy weather meaning we couldn’t go out for our last bus outing of the term, Class 15 decided to bring a special treat to class instead.  On Tuesday we had a pyjama day, watching a Christmas movie in our pjs!

Ksenia helped to warm milk for our snack (we added a cinnamon stick for a Christmas treat) and we made healthy popcorn in class (as well as carrot stick “chips”!) – the popcorn made our classroom smell just like the cinema.  We used our  coin recognition skills to “buy” a ticket for our film too.  We then relaxed with every blanket and pillow we could find to watch “Santa Claus: The Movie”.

Everyone enjoyed our end of term treat, and in the afternoon continued with the Christmas theme as we made our Christmas cards and used AAC to communicate who we wanted our card to be for.

Uniform Exchange: Save money and help the environment!

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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.

Reindeer Decorations in Room 14

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Room 14 have been getting into the festive spirit and been making some beautiful Christmas decorations. We have been making little reindeer faces using pieces of wood we have been drying out. The pupils did some planning before the decorating to choose how to personalise their reindeer. Everyone decided to go for a red nose! We also decorated some cute mini Christmas trees to take home!

Room 18 Perform in the Living Advent Calendar

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Room 18 were invited to join in Aberdeen Library’s Living Advent Calendar. We had a great time performing some of our favourite pieces from Drama and Trash Band. We ate our lunch in the committee room and then performed in the main library. Some members of the public joined in with our Trash Band piece.

We had a great time!

A Christmas Outing for Room 17

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Room 17 thoroughly enjoyed a special outing yesterday, bowling and then to Pizza Hut for lunch. Everyone enjoyed the bowling and as you can see in our photos, we became more independent during the course of the game. We all really enjoyed our pizza lunch, one of us trying pizza for the very first time! I suspect it might not be the last!

Merry Christmas from Room 13

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On Friday Room 13 went looking for a Christmas tree. We went round a few outlets on the school bus to find the one that was best for the school.

We found the tree that was just right at ALDI Cornhill Shopping Centre. We would like to thank the management and the staff of the shop for their generosity and assistance while sourcing the Christmas tree.

We wish them all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Here we see Room 13 preparing the tree for decoration. They made a great job of it!

And the final result!

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

From everyone in Room 13.

Enterprise Rewards for Room 16

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In October we collected items and organised a tombola. We walked around school with the tombola on a trolley and sold tickets to the staff, escorts and bus drivers we met.  In November we used the money we raised to pay for a trip to Codona’s bowling alley.  Hard work does pay off!

Noodles, Reindeer and Remembrance in Outdoor Education

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Room 19 have been looking at preparing food for our Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award.  We tested 2 different brands of noodles, and enjoyed eating them both.  Even those who were not sure, once they tried them, discovered that they were nice to eat.

We assembled and used a Trangia stove to boil water, and add then added to the dried noodles.  Part of our assessment will be making a hot meal, from scratch, using a stove.

We have also cooked sausages outside which were very popular.

This week we even made hot chocolate, heating up chocolate milk on a stove.

We all agree – food tastes better when cooked outside!

 

Outdoor learning has looked at using natural materials like grass, beech nuts and twigs to make textured animals.  We have made spikey hedgehogs from twigs. We also made soft fluffy reindeer for their fur, and small twigs to make their antlers.  Some of our reindeer also had a shiny red nose like Rudolph.

 

We also made poppies to celebrate Armistice Day out of heart shaped pieces of red paper.  We were using scissors, paint, different colours to recreate poppies in the wild.