P2 Term 4 Project ~ Famous People from the Past

As part of their project Famous People from the Past P2 at Scalloway Primary School

were investigating the effect people from the past have had on our society today. One

of these people was Grace Darling, one of the main people who influenced the RNLI as

we know it today. On Tuesday 5th May the children set out on a school trip to visit the

Shetland Museum and the Lerwick Lifeboat Station. They started their day with a

guided tour of the museum looking at what Shetland was like in the past and hearing

the amazing story of Betty Mouat. After a very enjoyable sing song with Trevor

Jamieson in the Vaila Mae, a traditional sixreen , we then made our own boats from all

manner of materials, played with nets in the indoor rock pool and finished the day

‘kirnin’ butter which we spread on our very own bannocks.

A welcome snack for the children, staff, and the very supportive parent helpers who

added greatly to the trip.

Following lunch at the play park we headed down to the Lerwick Lifeboat Station to be

welcomed by John Best, mechanic, and three willing volunteers. With safety on mind

the group was separated into two manageable groups. Each group had a very enjoyable

experience including tour of the station and boat, a chance to experience the

coxswain’s seat and a photo

opportunity in the fast

rescue vessel. The highlight

for the children was when

each group actually got to

‘rescue’ Adrian from the

sea giving the children a

hands-on experience of the

dangers of the sea and the

reality of the work the

RNLI have to do.

We were so delighted with our trip the children wondered if there was something we

could do for the RNLI in return. As part of the schools ‘Financial Week’ we decided to

organise a Welly Boot Throwing Competition as a small fund raiser for the RNLI. Last

Friday the weather was at last favourable for Sports Day. The children enjoyed the

usual races and fun then classes and adults were invited to have a go at the Welly

Throw. With great enthusiasm and sportsmanship adults, teachers and children had a

great time trying to aim the Welly in the right direction, let alone any measure of

distance! Through the support of the parents and staff we were able to raise an

amazing £140 for the Lerwick Lifeboat Station.

A great achievement for a small class enterprise.

P2 Enterprise Welly Boot Throw Competition

Staff member Kevin

Briggs has a go!

Winners of the parent’s Welly Boot Challenge Carrie MacDonald and Kenny Pottinger

The following week we moved onto learning about the diarist Samuel Pepys and the

Great Fire of London, and were thrilled when the Scalloway Fire Brigade visited the

school. Peter Johnson gave us an interesting talk on the appliance and equipment used,

again highlighting fire safety in a very hands-on, real experience. The children got to

sit in the Fire Engine and even have a go at using the hose. Nursery to P4 all enjoyed

this experience and again we must thank Steven Umphray and the Fire Station

volunteers for their time and enthusiasm.

Isla Tindall P2 shows Head teacher Mrs Fox how to use the hose!

Finally we enjoyed learning about local people from the past and visited the Scalloway

Museum and the Castle. Seven year old Charlie Pottinger had based his own research

topic on Earl Patrick Stewart, ‘Black Patie’, so the children were fired up expecting to

see at least some ‘blood and hair’ sticking from between the stones! Billy More and Mrs

Meta Stewart kindly accompanied us on this trip and tried in vain to explain that maybe

Earl Patrick had been misunderstood. The children were intrigued to find out that Earl

Patrick was of royal linage and was a distant relative of our very own Queen Elizabeth

and the new royal baby Princess Charlotte. ‘Mrs Stewart stuck up for the Earl that’s

because she is a Stewart just like Earl Patrick’ wrote Lauren Abernethy.

Thanks goes to all

who helped to add

so much to the

children’s learning.