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ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL
JULY 2009
Some Brief Items of News
for Parents, Pupils and Staff
STAFF CHANGES competition and secured
We will soon be saying goodbye to commendable positions on the
9 staff who are leaving the school. debating tab for the day. Further
Mr Donald Principal Teacher of Art, success was had by Gordon West
Mrs Kennedy Principal Teacher of and Clare Armstrong who won the
Home Economics, Mrs Mackie ‘Auld Hoose’ Competition run by
teacher of Art, Mrs Munro pupil Robert Gordon’s College.
Support Assistant and Mrs Glennie
Support for Learning teacher are all The final competition of this
retiring. Mrs Melville Maths, Miss session was the Inter-house
Buchan English, Miss Sturgeon PE competition, won by Alex Duncan
and Mrs Watson Modern of Keith and Dun House.
Languages are all moving to new
posts. We wish all staff who are Well done to all participants and we
moving on to new opportunities our look forward to the new session
very best wishes and hopes of and our new S1 recruits.
success in their lives ahead.
DRAMA
Over the next 3 sessions, like all The buzzing and enthusiastic S1
schools in Aberdeen, we will be Drama Club have worked hard this
reorganising the middle term. The group met every
management structure with the Thursday lunch-time to learn a
appointment of 8 Faculty Heads. variety of drama skills. These skills
were put to the test at the start of
JUNIOR DEBATING June as participants performed a
2008/09 has been another play to all the P7s of the connecting
successful year for Junior primary schools. The play was
Debating. We have record numbers completely devised by the S1
of participants attending our Drama club which was about the
Wednesday lunchtime sessions. ‘Fears’ and ‘Realities’ of coming up
Huge thanks go to the S5 pupils to the Grammar. It featured fears
who have taken responsibility for like losing all their friends and
running the club during this becoming a loner, bullies, strict
session. The topics, as ever, teachers and getting lost in the
ranged from light hearted debates school. Then it showed what the
on superheroes to more serious Grammar is really like and
and highly contentious issues of explained to the P7s the variety of
national security. support systems the school has in
place to help a pupil whether it’s
Alex Duncan 3KD2 and Mugdha from bullies or just needing a point
Nagrath 3M2 excelled in the in the right direction. The play was
second round of the ESU and in also connected with the English
the regional final making them the department to help promote
first AGS team in the national final literacy. After the performance the
which was held in May. P7s were then taking to the English
department to write an Agony Aunt
Gordon West, Clare Armstrong, column, which was very well
Mugdha Nagrath and Alex Duncan received. A huge success overall,
won through to Finals Day at well done S1 drama club.
Cambridge University for the
International Young Debaters
Competition. They performed
fantastically well during the
ROWING
Aberdeen Grammar School rowers between 3 and 5km. These events
had yet another successful year are held during the winter period.
during the 2008 – 2009 session. Grammar rowers helped to win
During the summer holidays of nine events over these months.
2008 Catriona Bain was selected to
row as part of the Great Britain The competitions included the
Junior 16 team in the GB vs. Scottish Schools Head, Aberdeen
France Match in Valenciennes, Fours and Small Boats Head,
France. Along with Niall Rundle Glasgow Rowing Club Head and
she participated in the National Aberdeen Eights and Junior Fours
Rowing Championships of Great Head.
Britain. Niall was unlucky not to
make it further in the competition Approaching the main season
with his men’s Junior 15 quad, as Aberdeen Schools Rowing
they were faced with strong Association (ASRA) went to Gent,
competition from across the Belgium for a training camp. Both
country. Catriona was able to Nialls and Catriona participated in
achieve gold at her age group in the 10 day trip. This included early
women’s Junior 16 coxed fours and morning runs at 7:15am before
silver in women’s Junior 18 coxless breakfast and two to three water
fours. She was also selected to row sessions each day! The week
for Scotland in the women’s junior ended with a regatta, where the
team against the other home rowers competed against British,
nations where she achieved first Belgian, French and German
place in the Junior coxless fours. crews. Both Niall Rundle and
Catriona won gold medals on the
After the summer, sprint regattas first day of the regatta in their
are held over a 500m course. All respective coxless fours and added
Grammar rowers; Rachael silver medals on the second day.
Hadjitofi, Niall Rundle, Cartriona
Bain, Niall Ford and Jacob Vyse; The National School Regatta
performed to their highest brought with it success for the four
standards to produce an excellent Grammar rowers that took part;
set of results. A total of 11 medals Niall Ford managed to cox his crew
were won over two regattas held in to the semi finals and Niall Rundle
Durham and Aberdeen. also reached this level in his men’s
Head of the River Races are held Junior 16 coxed fours. Rachael and
over a longer distance than her crew were unfortunate to miss
standard races and are usually out on a medal by coming 4th in
women’s Junior 16 coxed fours.
Catriona won a silver medal in dressage arena, not hampered by
women’s Junior 18 coxed fours and the rain, finishing 7th in a large
narrowly missed out on gold by class of 50. The rain cleared up
0.25 seconds. and Jillianne put in an excellent
dressage test, finishing 10th in the
ASRA’s last competition to date at senior class. Alice and Pheonix
the time of writing was the Scottish Rising produced a steady dressage
Championships were all Grammar test, followed by a clear fast round
rowers competed. Over the two day in the show jumping. Many thanks
event Aberdeen Grammar pupil’s to Equimins horse supplements for
helped to win seven events for the the generous donation of team kit.
club.
GYMNASTIC SQUAD
The school gymnastic squad was
established in September 2008 and
currently sees around 50 pupils
taking part over two weekly training
sessions. After an intensive eight
week training programme four
teams were entered into the
Scottish Schools North East
Scotland heats, the teams made
their debut performance, returning
with 2nd, 3rd,4th and 5th place.
Rebecca Fennell, Danielle Garner
and Georgia Smith qualified to
represent AGS and North East
Scotland at the Scottish Schools
Championships held in April, all
girls putting in fantastic Girls Rugby
performances. AGS gymnastic Mention must go to the AGS’s first
championships were ran in girls’ rugby team who have been
December 2008, Raewen Dow and training every Thursday. The
Eilidh Fraser won gold medals in numbers have been increasing and
the pairs competition, with Hannah they are aiming to play competitive
Mitchell, Chloe Kemp and Rachael matches against established
Gilmour took home gold medals in squads at Westhill, Aboyne and
the individual categories. The Huntly. Many thanks have to go to
squad ended their year putting on a Miss Carolyn Sturgeon and the
well polished routine at the school senior boys for all the hard work
talent show. they put in towards coaching the
girls squad; their skill levels have
EQUESTRIAN TEAM greatly increased as has their
On 28th April 2009 Jennifer Reid, tackling prowess!
Alice Leyshon and Jillianne Rennie
made the trip down to Gleneagles ANOTHER COOL SCIENCE DAY
Equestrian Centre with their horses Fortunately it was dry as 210
to make their debut performance in primary pupils, our new S1 intake,
the Scottish Schools Equestrian gathered in excited groups waiting
Championships. Jennifer and Pippy to experience the 7th annual ‘Cool
Long Stocking produced an Science Day’.
outstanding performance in the Based loosely on the theme of
energy, pupils took part in a variety
of investigative and challenging World Challenge to Costa Rica
activities including Windmills, This session, 36 pupil challengers
extracting their own DNA, Siege have been striving to raise the
Engines, Energy Debate, Build a colossal sum of £3600 each in
Buggy, Decommissioning, Maths order to embark on the trip in the
Challenge and Chemical Cells. S3 summer of 2010. Along with
Biology pupils and mentors individual fundraising, group
accompanied the primary groups fundraising within and out with the
as they went. school has been hugely successful.
For these pupils this is a fun way to This session the groups organised
taste life at Aberdeen Grammar three main events, the first being
School as part of their transition the school super sell out success
experience. For many it will be “Grammars got Talent”. Over the
continuation of their progression, three days it was held, it was
already begun, sometimes as early apparent that the hall was full and
as P3, with visits the Biology labs “sold out”. But each day was busier
to ‘Boil Blood’ and other science than the last and on the day of the
experiments. Many of the final, an amazing six hundred
experiences allow staff to develop people filed in to the cramped hall
the principles of the Curriculum for to watch “Bagonaf” clinch the title.
Excellence embodying the use of At the end of the three days, £1500
open-ended, active, investigative was raised.
and cross curricular approaches.
The next event organised by the
Nationally, we were hearing that challengers was the glamorous
this country is not producing fashion show, held at the Marcliffe
scientists in sufficient numbers. Hotel. Over 350 people attended
Activities like this should excite the event to make another stellar
pupils to see that science can be a sell out success. With some of the
career option. Mentors from BP, most popular and exclusive high
research engineers from RGU, street stores and boutiques show
lecturers from the university and casing their designs, the event was
science ambassadors from many not to be missed. This was
different areas of the oil industry reflected in the massive sum of
helped to make this real. £3400 that was raised.
As usual everyone enjoyed the day As the temperatures began to rise
as illustrated by the following as Scotland progressed into
comments made by pupils. “Summer”, the Costa Rica team
arranged tropical themed discos for
‘It made me realise something |I did primary sevens, and for S1/S2s. As
not care about was so important’ we go to press, the grand sum of
the discos is yet to be tallied but
‘I got to use my imagination’ they are estimated to have made
around £400.
‘I would like to know more about
what the million steps in your DNA The whole of the world challenge
mean’ team would like to thank each and
every person who has attended
‘It was a team challenge, we won any of these events for their
and it was fun’ support and commitment. Look out
for more of the hopefully “sell out
successes” that we are planning for Depute House Captains for session
the future. 2008-09:
EDUCATION MAINTENANCE Byron House
ALLOWANCE (EMA) House Captains: Alex Shepherd,
An EMA is a payment of up to £30 Carla Visocchi
per week to eligible school students Deputes: Sofiane Kennouche
who stay on in school, college or in Zoe McAndrew
home-education after their official Keith & Dun House
school leaving date. House Captains: Stephen Harkin,
Beth Paterson
Pupils born between 01/03/1990 Deputes: Richard Duffy,
and 30/09/1993 should apply now Sarah Masters
to receive EMA from August 2009. Melvin House
Application Forms and guidance House Captains: Jamie Findlayson,
are available NOW from the school Sally Casson
office, at The Point in Broad Street Deputes: Claire Repper,
or can be printed from the Darren Hannam
Aberdeen City Council website
www.aberdeencity.gov.uk.
Parents/guardians of pupils in
receipt of EMA in S5 are reminded
that they must re-apply to
continue receiving EMA in S6.
ACCORD CARDS
Parents are reminded that it is
possible to load your child’s Accord
Card by cheque. Please make
cheques payable to Aberdeen City
Council. Your child’s name and
class should be written on the back
of the cheque. Pupils should
present the cheque at the accord
desk during interval or lunch break.
SENIOR PUPIL APPOINTMENTS
The following pupils have been
appointed Head Boy/Girl and
Depute Head Boy/Girl for session
2009-10:
Head Boy: Douglas Russell
Head Girl: Stephanie Longmuir
Depute Head Boys:
Sam Knudson, Harry Jones
Depute Head Girls:
Kirsty Cassie, Beth Fiddes
The following pupils have been
appointed as House Captains and
AWARD OF COLOURS
Well done to the following pupils who have been awarded Colours in June:
SPORTING
Activity Level New Class Pupil
Football Full 6B1 Andrew Burr
Girl’s Hockey Full 6M2 Siobhan Cowie
Half 6B2 Kirsty Cassie
Half 6M1 Claire Repper
Half 6KD1 Eilidh Crawford
Junior 4B3 Charlotte Lawton
Junior 4KD4 Ellen Masters
Girl’s Ice Hockey Half 6M2 Siobhan Cowie
Rowing Full 6KD1 Rachael Hadjitofi
Full 6B1 Catriona Bain
Rugby Full 6M2 Jamie Finlayson
Full 6B2 Douglas Russell
Full 6B3 Sam Knudson
Junior 4M4 Matthew Henderson
Junior 4M2 Finn Muller
Junior 4M1 Kalle Leopoldt
Skiing Junior 4M1 Kate Angus
Swimming Full 6M1 Greg Morrison
Junior 4M2 Charlie Watson
Junior 5M1 Lauren Kane
Tennis Junior 4KD1 Bruce Strachan
ARTS AND CULTURE
Activity Level New Class Pupil
Debating Half 5B2 David McCreath
Half 6M2 Beth Fiddes
Drama Junior 5B1 Monica Burns
Music Half 5B1 Iain Ross
Half 5B2 David McCreath
Junior 4M2 Mark James
Junior 4M3 Helen Innes
Junior 4KD3 Clare Armstrong
Junior 4M1 Geraldine Cooper
OTHER EXTRA CURRICULAR ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations and well done to the following pupils
The school golf team Nick McAndrew, Andrew Burr, Will Rennie, Lewis
Kinnear, Ashley Anderson and Cameron Johnstone who won the Aberdeen
Schools Golf League for 2009.
Nick MacAndrew retain the Aberdeen Schools’ Golf Championship Trophy at
this year’s Competition at Craibstone. Anthony Harkin and Lewis Allan were
2nd and 3rd respectively in the Handicap Section.
Maryam Al-Mahtot who was one of the national winners in the ‘Learning for
Life’ values competition. She received her prize at the Scottish parliament.
Sophy Scott who won joint first prize in the Aberdeen Writer’s Circle Schools’
Poetry Competition. Peter Morrow and Jacob Vyse were also successful in
the competition and all three will have their poems published in the Writer’s
Circle Schools’ Poetry Anthology.
Morven Duff, Fiona Hamilton, Callum Michie and Bruce Strachan who played
for the North East of Scotland Tennis Team at the Kilraston Inter-district
Championship.
Morven Duff who won the under 12 doubles at the Waverly Tournament in
Edinburgh.
Bruce Strachan who is currently ranked no. 1 in Scotland and ranked no 63 in
Britain for his age group – Boys under 16. This year he has won two Grand
Prix tournaments - Edinburgh Waverley and Tayside and has participated in
training events and tournaments across the UK and abroad.
Bethany Lamont and Rachel Simpson who have qualified for the under 15
Scottish National Basketball Team.
Joe Boyd who won the 2009 Ishoka Young Musician of the Year. Well done
also to Iain Ross who reached the final five in the very high standard of
competition.
Alex Duncan who won a bronze medal for the Intermediate paper of the Maths
Olympiad. This placed him in the top 100 of all candidates who sat this paper
throughout the UK.
All that took part in the sponsored sleep out for the Cyrenians. £751.64 was
raised for the sleep out to which £250 from Tuck Shop profits was added
giving a total donation of £1001.64 to the Cyrenians.
All those from Hype and JustJam who sat the Strathclyde Business School
examinations – they all passed and some with flying colours.
Rachel Hammond who passed her Strathclyde Business School Exam with
distinction and also came within the top 8 in Scotland. Only one other
candidate in the North East made it to that level.
The Concert Band who won ‘gold’ at the National Concert Band Festival in
Cardiff.
Aberdeen Grammar School PTA Newsletter June 2009.
If your child is just starting at the Grammar or you have children further up the
school you are warmly invited to join the PTA or help at our events. All you
need is enthusiasm!
QUIZ NIGHT SUCCESS!
The PTA quiz night and raffle on Friday 12th June raised a total of £748.40.
Thank you to everyone who took part and bought raffle tickets. Thank you
also to the local businesses and the individuals who donated prizes for the
raffle. The money will buy a new wooden table with seats which will be
installed in the school grounds for pupils to use.
GRAND PIANO FOR THE SCHOOL HALL.
The PTA is raising money for a new grand piano for the school. Our target is
£23,000 and we are two thirds of the way there.
SCHOOL DIARIES
The PTA is supporting the purchase of pupil diaries for 2009/10.
NEW MEMBERS OF THE PTA
The PTA has been lucky enough to be joined by some new members this
session. New members or helpers are always welcome so please get in touch
if you would like to come along and join the PTA or help at any events.
NEW IDEAS
If you have a fund raising idea or you would like to hold an event please
contact us.
AGM and PTA NEWS.
You can catch up with all the PTA news, including the AGM which took place
on June 22, 2009, on the Aberdeen Grammar School website.
www.grammar.org.uk
CONTACTING THE PTA
You can contact the PTA by e mail: pta@grammar.org.uk or by letter at
Aberdeen Grammar School, Skene Street, Aberdeen AB10 1HT, or by leaving
a message at the school office 01224 642299.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Summer Holidays Saturday 4 July to Sunday 16 August (inclusive)
August
17 Session begins for staff (pupil holiday)
18 Session begins for pupils
27 Napier University Open Day
September
1 Aberdeen University Open Day
4 S1 & S4 Photographs
8 S1 Freshers’ Disco (provisional)
Strathclyde University Open Day
9 Glasgow University Open Day
10 Queen Margaret University College Open Day
17 Higher Education Convention
24 Sponsored Walk
25 Holiday
26 Edinburgh University Open Day
28 Holiday
Heriot Watt University Open Day
30 S1 Parents Information Evening
Dundee University Open Day
October
3 Stirling University Open Day
6 S6, Prefect and Group photographs
7 Autumn Music Concert
Robert Gordon University Open Day
St. Andrews University Open
9 Term ends 3.35pm
October Holidays Saturday 10 October to Sunday 25 October (inclusive)
26 Term 2 begins for staff and pupils
