Happy Spring Holiday
Wishing all our school community a Happy Spring Holiday. Please find a link to our end of term newsletter.
Wishing all our school community a Happy Spring Holiday. Please find a link to our end of term newsletter.
Don’t forget to discover current job vacancies and opportunities for young people across the North East through the following websites –
Website | What you’ll find |
Apprenticeships.scot | The latest apprenticeship opportunities, which are searchable by location. |
DYW North East Jobs Portal | Entry-level positions, including apprenticeships, from local employers. |
Young Person’s Guarantee Opportunity Finder | A one-stop shop for jobs, apprenticeships, courses and volunteering opportunities. Searchable by location. |
To find out about what the week long RYLA experience is all about, watch the video on the link below. If you are interested in applying, please read ALL the information on this page and then, if it is for you, click the link at the bottom of the page to apply. The camp is for 16 and 17 years olds (at the time of the camp) living in the Rotary District 1010 of Scotland (Stirling, Fife and North – see map here), and is paid for by local Rotary clubs.
Watersports Trip Newtonmore
Final payment is now due for the watersports trip in May. Please share with home and see Miss Steel or Mrs Williams if you have any questions. Thank you.
Activities Week – Aberdeen Football Camp
URGENT. S1 – S3
For all those who have signed up for the Day in Aberdeen and the Football Camp during activities week. There is a meeting in GAMES HALL FRIDAY 24th March, at 13.30. Please do not arrive before 13.30.
On Thursday 16th March we hosted a health and wellbeing family learning event with a focus on supporting our S3-6 young people as they prepare for their SQA exams. Our S3 and S4 MH peer educators shared some information about their role in school and how support can be accessed and then led the groups around four workshops with a focus on :
Resilient thinking skills and strength spotting
Healthy food choices and brain boosting snacks
The importance of sleep and anxiety management
Nutrition and exercise to help your wellbeing
We welcomed the following providers and they delivered their information in a varied and informative manner.
A Shearer – Full Colour Coaching
D Tuckwood and F Burnett – Public Health Team / NHS
T Stoddard – Trainee School Nurse / NHS
Lyndsay Van Der Starre – ElevateUfitness
We will share information from the workshops with you digitally, please look out for an email with the link to the resources.
Alford Academy hosted an employer-led Land-Based Careers morning for S1 pupils arranged and facilitated by Countryside Learning Scotland. The aims of the event were to introduce pupils to the diversity of rural careers, at all levels by hearing from those who work in rural industries. S1 pupils were split into four groups and they rotated around the different employers for 8 minute interactive inputs.
A Nature Reserve Officer from Nature Scot who works at Forvie Nature Reserve talked about the geography of the reserve and the different elements of his role which he split into three broad categories; 1. Maintaining the fabric of the reserve. 2. A Field Biologist / scientist recording and identifying the wildlife and 3. Protecting the nesting birds from predators through electric fences. He allowed the pupils to handle and ask questions about the vital equipment he uses day to day to carry out his job.
Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups are a collection of sporting estates from across the six regions of Scotland. Grampian Moorland Group brought along a gamekeeper who talked about all the different activities he is involved in day to day and how he had been inspired to follow a Land-Based career. Grampian Moorland Group discussed the variety of careers available within the rural estates. This included conservation of rare heather moorland and the wildlife which lives there.Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) went through some of the 61 courses they currently offer from Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, Animal Nursing, Equine Studies to many more. SRUC offer Modern Apprenticeships where the courses are between 12-24 months and are assessed through on-the-job activities rather than sitting exams. The pupils were able to see and hear about real life equipment that is used in Equine Studies course.
James Jones & Sons Ltd explained the process of growing and harvesting trees. They discussed what careers were available from tree planting, building Fencing, building forest roads, architects, engineers, truck drivers and the apprenticeship opportunities. They talked to pupils about the environmental importance their forests play in capturing carbon.
The S1 pupils thoroughly enjoyed the event and got a lot from being able to handle equipment and engage with people who currently work in Land – Based jobs. Alford Academy would like to thank Countryside Learning Scotland, Nature Scot, Grampian Moorland Group, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and James Jones & Sons Ltd for being part of this really invaluable opportunity for S1s to learn more about the rural careers landscape.
On Monday 20th March, the Eco-group ran a Fairtrade Fashion Show and Fair. The event was promoting Fairtrade products, especially clothing and the issue with fast fashion and cotton production in developing countries. The clothes and other Fairtrade goods were provided by Fairtrade Formartine Fairtrade Formartine (formartinefairtrade.co.uk). A group of pupils and staff volunteered to model a sample of the clothes in a catwalk show (music and lighting arranged by Mr Trueman) and the audience were also treated to a performance from Alford Academy Pipe Band. After the show, the audience had the opportunity to browse and purchase Fairtrade goods.
On the theme of sustainability, the show also helped to promote a new scheme run by Mrs Munro and Mrs Taylor. Donations of formal wear have been given to the school and these can be borrowed by any school pupils for any occasion within or outside school. The scheme helps with issues with the cost of living, allowing children to dress up for formal events and by re-using second hand clothes, we are doing our bit to reduce the amount of clothing that goes to landfill sites. The pupils and staff also modelled a sample of this clothing, and the audience had the opportunity to see which clothes were on offer.
Last week our S1 basketball team won their first match as an ‘S1 only’ team. They beat Bridge of Don Academy 19:6 points. The team worked brilliantly and were led by their captain Lance and the top point scorer and ‘player of the match’ for sheer determination was Dakota.
The S2 team also played brilliantly, but unfortunately lost their game, against a very strong defensive team, by only 4 baskets.
S1-3 Lunchtime Drop In
All S1-3 pupils are invited to attend a lunchtime drop in session run by our Mental Health Peer Educators. This is an opportunity for you to socialise and take part in a range of fun activities and is a group for young people delivered by young people. The sessions will take place every Wednesday lunchtime in D068 from 1.15 – 1.45pm and you are welcome to bring your lunch.
We look forward to seeing you there!