Kilgraston Junior School show - The Little Mermaid
Under the sea…in the marquee…
Disney’s classic musical, The Little Mermaid, splashed onto our screens for the Junior Years’ end of term production, ensuring everyone had an opportunity to shine on the sea bed.
Government rules don’t allow singing, a fact not deterring Music Director, Jason McAuley, sound-effects supremo, Jamie Pryke, or Drama Director, Carly Smith: “We had to think outside the box,” said McAuley, “In fact, we had to think outside altogether, recording the sound separately in a windy marquee on the school’s front lawns!”
Subsequent sound and visual synching took over 20 hours of editing, the end result a slick, half-hour ‘film’ worthy of Walt himself: “We’re pretty pleased with the results,” said Mr Pryke, “the children were amazing, so patient and enthusiastic. We asked a lot of them and they just gave and gave.”
The story swirls around troubled-teen mermaid Ariel, blessed with a beautiful voice (although, obviously, not utilised indoors!) harbouring a fascination for life on the land. Falling in love with Prince Eric, she’s prepared to sacrifice her impressive vocal-chords for a chance above the surface.
Tense moments ensue as Evil Ursula and her adoring acolytes have their doom-laden personas cleverly enhanced with lightening effects and seasick-inducing visuals: “Ill, insane or water on the brain?” words, sounds and lighting melding together.
But (spoiler alert) all’s well that ends well; a beaming Ariel, reunited with both voice and love-interest, bobs along on calm waters, while less tasteful sea creatures slither under their rocks.
A joyous, fun-filled production, packed with impressive performances, inspiring voices and extraordinary special effects.
The last year may well have blown us all a little off course, but everyone involved with The Little Mermaid certainly found their compass, a safe-passage found right to the very end of term.
Mairi Fraser
Nb. because of licencing restrictions, the production was only available to parents and guardians via a direct link. Apologies if you didn’t have the opportunity to view it.
Kilgraston’s Junior Years featured in national magazine
Healthy, respectful relationships start at an early age with the current Independent School Parent magazine highlighting the teaching of this philosophy’s, hearing from Dana Cooper, Head of Kilgraston’s Junior Years (p30).
Read full article (starting on page 28, scroll down to ISSUU link) here
Treeplanting at Kilgraston Junior School
Kilgraston Junior School has an enviable countryside campus complete with a stream, waterfalls and a forest for our pupils to enjoy. And now it also has an orchard.
It is part of the school’s re-wilding plan and has many benefits. Ms Dana Cooper, Kilgraston’s Junior School Deputy Head, said: “Outdoor education is an intrinsic part of the Kilgraston education and we are extremely fortunate to have a stunning countryside campus. But our pupil voice is important so when we discussed with the pupils what else we could do outdoors, they suggested we could grow our own fruit.”
The orchard was originally to be part of the School’s 90th birthday in 2020 but due to lockdown, celebrations were cancelled. So now, after a year’s delay, the trees have been planted.
Once established, the plum and apple trees will give pupils the chance to snack on fresh fruit and Kilgraston’s catering team will be able to make some treats using the produce. The enterprising pupils are also hoping to make preserves from the fruit to raise funds for charity.
Kilgraston pupil to play for Scotland
A Kilgraston pupil has been called up to play football for Scotland national under 17 team.
Upper Fifth’s Leah will join the Scotland women’s team at their training camp in Edinburgh this week. The fifteen year-old, who is left-sided player, currently plays for Edinburgh-based club, Spartans.
Huge well done to Leah, we are all very proud of you, and we cannot wait to hear more about your success.
You can read more about this news story here.
Image via Steve MacDougall/ DCT Media
Goals Day 2021 at Kilgraston
Each year, Sacred Heart schools around the world focus on one of the five goals of the Sacred Heart. This year, Kilgraston has been focusing on the goal of ‘Intellect’. In addition to assemblies and activities in classes throughout the year, we held a special ‘Goal Day on Friday 11th June 2021.
The day began with an outdoor Mass on our beautiful front lawn. Because we were outside, all of the school community was able to take part (and sing!) .
On the theme of ‘Intellect’, one of the fun activities we tried was to learn a new skill. The Upper Sixth leavers designed a line dance and then taught it to every year group – this then culminated in the whole school trying the line dance together outside, and every year group managed to perform it with enthusiasm! As well as learning the set routine, there were some very impressive ‘freestyle’ moves, too!
We also held some inter-house board game challenges, with house points on offer for participation (and victory!). Staff and pupils brought in a range of board games that held a degree of intellectual challenge, and these were played throughout the day.
There was also the opportunity for some extra inter-house rivalry, with inter-house rounders tournaments for the year groups being all day, ending with a special Sixth Form v Staff game.
Thank you to all in our school community for making this such a wonderful day.
Biodiversity bonanza
Kilgraston’s Glass Square is right at the centre of the School, a corridor ’roundabout’ directing pupils and staff in several directions. What better place then to host a vast mural, depicting personal interpretations of images from nature, designed to highlight the inter-dependency of the planet’s lifeforms?
English teacher, Mrs Saunders, had the idea, asking every pupil and staff member to add their bit for the impressive installation, hoping to create something that would make David Attenborough proud, urging: “Let us fill the space by painting paradise with a biodiversity bonanza.”.
Covid restrictions limited numbers which could congregate at one time, however, a strict booking scheme ensured Junior, Senior, Sixth Form and all boarders had their chance with a brush: “It’s very therapeutic,” commented U6s Anna, “it makes you stop and think and really visualise how everything in the natural world is connected.”
The mural will be continually updated and, hopefully, available for visitors to see and enjoy in the not-too-distant future.
Kilgraston Juniors turn forensic scientists
Kilgraston Juniors Upper Second class have been exploring the topic of Crime this term.
This week the class were lucky enough to have Jon Bates from Sci-High visit the pupils in school to staged a crime for the class to solve.
In a busy day of crime-solving the class had to turn forensic scientist ,detective and finally jury to solve the case using their knowledge and understanding and our scientific skills.
There was finger print analysis, swabbing of blood from the crime scene and footprint examination. The class also examined handwriting, used chromatography, examined clothes from the suspects and compared DNA samples.
The Upper Second class had so much fun and even - after a court case in Scotties - managed to successfully solve the crime, presenting the forensic evidence and learning about the judicial system in Scotland.
What a fantastic day.
You can find out more about Kilgraston Junior School here.
Sunday Telegraph reports boarding in Britain increasingly popular
International interest in British boarding schools is on the increase with Britain being seen as ‘open for business’ thanks to the UKs successful vaccine roll-out programme.
Head teacher of Kilgraston School, Dorothy MacGinty, is quoted in today’s Sunday Telelgraph newspaper (6.6.21), discussing the trend.
The full Sunday Telegraph article can be read here
Sixth Form boarding at Kilgraston School
Kilgraston pupil (and teacher!) discuss netball in this month’s Independent Schools Magazine
An innovative scheme, to hear and learn from youthful voices, has been established by Netball Scotland. Kilgraston School pupil India D, chosen as one of only 25 ambassadors, tell this month’s Independent Schools Magazine what the role means for her. Also writing, is PE teacher Emma Patton, who discusses the benefits of netball in the School’s curriculum.
The full article can be read here on P38
Kilgraston’s musical talents at Perth Festival Of The Arts
Strings and singing are just some of the outstanding musical talents of Kilgraston pupils on display at this year’s Schools Lunchtime Concert Series.
It is part of Perth Festival of the Arts and the hugely popular Schools Lunchtime Concert Series usually takes place in Perth’s historic St John’s Kirk. This year however with COVID restrictions organisers moved this event to an online performance.
So you can now enjoy this fabulous concert from wherever you are in the world. We very much look forward to enjoying this event in person again in 2022.
Find out more about music at Kilgraston here and you can also watch this year’s Young Musician Of The Year competition.