We are celebrating the end of term by sharing our latest newsletter, which captures some of what’s been going on in the school over the last month. Enjoy!
What’s on at Gairloch High School?
We have a wide range of activities and sport running throughout the week. Here’s the details of what’s on this term – from meditation to drumming; from rowing to latin dance!
And this is just what goes on in school! The leisure centre, swimming pool and many other community groups run and have pupils involved! See the Opportunities section of the website for more details.
September 2019 Newsletter
Please find the latest edition of the School Newsletter here.
Previous editons can be accessed on the school website.
Prize Giving 2019
Individual Trophies & Prizes 2019
Dux of School Amy Gudgeon
Elizabeth Matthew Memorial Trophy Scarlet Pickering
Lauder Memorial Trophy Arlene Morrison
Harry Valentine Memorial Trophy for Citizenship Kai Pickering
Neil Wilkie Memorial Trophy for Service to the School Arlene Morrison
Junior School Trophy for Service & Achievement Katie Rae
John MacGillivray Gaelic Trophy Amy Gudgeon
Albert Roux Languages Cup Emma MacDonald
June Davis Miller Award for Art Amy Gudgeon
Sir John Horlick Bursary Award Amy Tattersall
MacKenzie Targe for Creative Writing Amy Tattersall
Sheona MacDonald Memorial Quaich Elizabeth Mclachlan
Doctor Hunter Cup for Piping Jaxon Cairney
Lauder prize for Music Amy Gudgeon
MacLean Trophy for Library Endeavour Asha Wright
Science Achievement Trophy Amy Nieto
Social Subjects Achievement Trophy Lexanne Stewart
Technology Achievement Trophy Kai Pickering
Maths Achievement Trophy Catherine MacRae
Drama Service Trophy Kienàn Hewitson
Cross-country medals (junior) Isabel MacDonald
Anndra Cumming
(senior) Nadia Fenton
Eòin Cumming
Junior Boys Athletics Champion Daniel Tippett
Junior Girls Athletics Champion Laura Nieto
Intermediate Boys Athletics Champion Ezekiel Balanquit
Intermediate Girls Athletics Champion Ashley Quinn
Senior Boys Athletics Champion (& Martin Blackley Memorial Cup) Ryan Watson
Senior Girls Athletics Champion Nadia Fenton
Spòrs Gàidhlig
Spòrs Gàidhlig
ann an Àrd-sgoil Gheàrrloch / in Gairloch High School
17mh – 19mh An t-Ògmhìos / June
Thàinig Spòrs Gàidhlig thugainn airson trì latha agus abair gun do chùm iad luchd-ionnsachaidh agus fileantaich na sgoile trang! ’S e amas a’ phròiseact seo gum biodh spòrs aig an òigridh anns an sgìre aca fhèin agus tron Ghàidhlig.
Spòrs Gàidhlig came to the school for three days and both learners and fluent speakers were kept very busy for three days! The aim of this project was that the pupils would enjoy outdoor learning in their own area and through Gaelic.
Bha mòran chur-seachadan ann a leithid coiseachd-monaidh, comas-coille, claiseachd, bòrd-seasamh, meanbh-chuairt, sreap agus am mapa as motha de dh’Alba.
Activities included hill-walking, bush-craft, gorge-walking, paddle-boarding, a walking and camping adventure, climbing and mapland (the largest jigsaw map of Scotland).
Seo mar a chòrd an gnothach ris na sgoilearan fhèin:
The pupils themselves report on the event:
Iona: Rinn mi bòrd-seasamh feasgar Diluain. Bha mi ag ionnsachadh tòrr diofar rudan mar innleachdan airson am bàta a thionndadh. Fraser: The gorge walking was very good – it was my favourite activity.
Sarah: Dimàirt rinn mi an comas-coille. A’ chiad rud a rinn sinn ‘s e a’ dèanamh ‘dens’. Rinn sin an ‘den’ againn a-mach à còinneach, geugan agus rùsgan.
Ally Wiseman: I enjoyed Bòrd-seasamh and Comas-coille and even though the paddle boarding was tough, I still found it really fun. In bush craft it was challenging to build dens to fit a person inside with just the resources around you.
Katie Downie: Bu toil leam an bòrd-seasamh oir ‘s e an rud as fhasa a bha ann dhomh oir bha mi air a dhèanamh mar tha.
Alastair Ritchie: The Spòrs Gàidhlig team are very friendly and knowledgeable and were always ready to answer any questions. I used some Gàidhlig through the event by saying tapadh leibh; ‘S e Alastair an t-ainm a th’ orm and chan eil fios agam when I didn’t know what they were saying.
Daniel: Diciadain rinn sinn uile am mapa as motha de Alba. Rinn a h-uile duine uabhasach math airson faighinn an mapa deiseil oir bha tòrr phìosan ann.
Alistair MacDonald: For the Bòrd-seasamh (Paddle boarding) we went to Loch Bad na Sgalaig. The water in the loch wasn’t that cold because we were in wetsuits. The thing that was most challenging was staying on my board and not falling in – I was not successful!
Anndra: Chòrd an claiseachd rium ged a bha an t-sìde gu math fliuch is fuar. Chòrd am bòrd-seasamh rium gu mòr ged a thuit mi a-steach seachd tursan, agus a-nis tha mi ag iarraidh fear a cheannach!
Ellie: The Spòrs Gàidhlig team were good at showing us what to do and explaining things.
Alastair Cameron: I did bush craft at Flowerdale. The best things were the banter and getting carried about in a stretcher.
Uilleam MacLeòid: Rinn mi Bòrd-seasamh ann an Loch Bad na Sgalaig. Aig an toiseach bha feum againn a bhith air ar glùinean. Air an rathad air ais dhan tràigh bha sinn a’ seasamh aig taobhan a’ bhùird is bha sinn a tuiteam is a’ leum a steach.
Eloise: I found gorge walking the most fun and I found learning to paddle board difficult. The Spòrs Gàidhlig team were friendly and patient. I would really like to do something like this again.
Iseabail: Madainn Diluain bha sinn a’ dèanamh bòrd seasamh ann an Loch Bad na Sgalaig. Bha e fuar agus fliuch ach bha e sgoinneil. Feasgar Dimàirt bha mi air Meanbh-Chuairt faisg air Mealbhaig. Bha mi a’ cadal ann an teanta le Shonagh agus Eilidh. Bha e glè ghaothach.
Farran: The best part was the gorge walking, especially the rock slides. Walking back from camping was definitely the most challenging!
Calum: Bha a’ mheanbh-chuairt a’ còrdadh rium mòran, bha sinn a’ coiseachd gu an làrach campachaidh. Bha mo chasan fliuch agus beagan fuar ach bha e fìor mhath.
Shonagh: Bha an coiseachd furasta gu leor oir bha mi a’ bruidhinn ri mo charaidean. Bha feum againn a dhol sìos cnoc caran cas agus an uair sin fhuair sinn gu Bothan Iomhair. Lorg sinn àite airson teanta a chur suas. Nuair a bha sinn deiseil chaidh sinn dhan tràigh (Camus Mòr) airson dinnear a ghabhail. Bha co-fharpais againn – cò a b’ urrainn an caisteal as fheàrr a mach à gainmheach a thogail. Bhuannaich a’ bhuidheann agamsa – rinn sin stadium ball-coise Inbhir-Nis. Thill sinn dha na teantaichean agus chaidil sinn.
Roban: The gorge walking was at Eas Bhictoria. The best part of it was jumping in the water in the gorge for pretty much the whole time. The Spòrs Gàidhlig team were very helpful and were good at teaching us.
Fionnlagh: Air madainn Dimàirt, bha mi air Meanbh-Chuairt, faisg air Rubha Rèidh. Bha e doirbh ach fìor math. Ghabh mi trì uairean de chadal. Obh obh!
Laura: The instructors were all very kind, helpful and explained all activities well. Since we’re still Gaelic learners we weren’t able to speak Gaelic the whole time but our instructors tried to use as much as possible with us, also teaching new words.
Helen: Feasgar Diluain bha mi a’ dèanamh claiseachd aig Eas Bhictoria. Bha sinn a’ leum anns an uisge. Bha e fuar. Air feasgar Dimàirt gu madainn Diciadain bha mi a’ deanamh meanbh-chuairt faisg air Mealbhaig agus bha an tràigh brèagha.
Amber: Diluain, chaidh mise agus daoine eile leis an sgioba Spòrs Gàidhlig gu Eas Bhictoria airson claiseachd. Bha sinn a’ coiseachd tro uisge ‘s clachan airson greiseag agus an uair sin bha sinn aig pìos àrd. Rinn cuid abseil sìos agus a-steach dhan uisge. Bha e fliuch ‘s sleamhainn, ach bha e fhathast gu math spòrsail.
William MacNeill: The mìrean-measgaichte (jigsaw puzzle) was great as I love jigsaws and I feel like I helped a lot. It was challenging to do the gorge walk and the abseil was tricky but a load of fun.
Hannah McLachlann: Diluain, chaidh mi dhan Eas Bhictoria airson claiseachd. Bha an t-eagal orm ach bha e sgoinneil. Bha mi a’ bruidhinn beagan Gàidhlig oir chan eil mi fileanta ach bha mo charaidean cuideachail ach bha mi ag ionnsachadh barrachd Gàidhlig.
Summer: Bha a h-uile rud doirbh agus dùbhlanach ach bha an luchd-cuideachaidh cho taiceil. Bha e eagalach nuair bha sinn a’ dèanamh an Sreap agus an Claiseachd oir cha toigh leam àirdean ach bha mi fhathast ga dhèanamh. Ma tha rudeigin mar seo a’ tighinn suas bidh mi ga dhèanamh a-rithist!
Sammy: The best thing in my opinion was the paddle boarding and the most challenging was the bush craft with having to deal with the midgies.
Eòin: Ghabh mise pairt ann an coiseachd nam beann faisg air Beinn Eighe. Cha robh an t-sìde ro mhath ach chòrd e rium glè mhath co-dhiù. Bha sgioba Spòrs Gaidhlig gu math càirdeil, gu math furasta bruidhinn riutha, agus le deagh eòlas air na bha iad a’ dèanamh. Chleachd sinn Gaidhlig fad na tìde tro gach gnìomh.
Ruaraidh: Dimàirt, thòisich sinn a’ coiseachd suas Meall a’ Ghiùbhais. Stad sinn aig àrd-chlàr dìreach ron t-slighe mu dheireadh a’ dol chun a’ mhullaich air sgàth ’s gun robh e gu math fluich is nach robh a h-uile duine a’ smaointinn gum b’ urrainn dhaibh a dhèanamh. Bha an t-slighe sìos gu math cas, is bha tòrr chlachan ann. Bha seo gu math doirbh leis an uisge a’ tighinn sìos, air sgàth ’s gun robh na clachan gu math sleamhainn.
Sports Day 2019
Our annual Sports Day took place on 11th June, with pupils from all years competing for personal bests, house points and sports championships.
Tollaidh house won overall, with Maree in second and Kerry in third.
Individual Sports Champions as follows:
Junior (S1) Boys – Dan Tippett (Maree) with runner up Alistair MacDonald (Kerry)
Junior (S1) Girls – Laura Nieto (Tollaidh) with runner up Alisha Cameron (Tollaidh)
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Intermediate (S2-3) Boys – Zeke Balanquit (Tollaidh) with runner up Corey MacLennan (Maree)
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Intermediate (S2-3) Girls – Ashley Quinn (Tollaidh) with runner up Kirsty MacDonald (Kerry)
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Senior (S4-5) Boys – Ryan Watson (Tollaidh) with runner up Cameron Walton (Kerry)
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Senior (S4-5) Girls – Nadia Fenton (Tollaidh) with runner up Asha Wright (Tollaidh)
Easter Achiements 2019
We were able to celebrate a number of pupil curricular and extra-curricular achievements at our Easter Assembly.
Our maths stars 🌟 took part in the S3/4 UK Maths Challenge, and a number of them were awarded Bronze Certificates. Well done to Eoin, Maisie, Anna and Grant! Bronze & Best in Year certificates went to Oliver Adam. Ruaridh Alexander took home both the Best in Year and Best in School. Finally, a big well done to William MacNeill who – despite being in S1 – took home a Bronze Certificate competing with S3/4s from across the country.
The school has been taking part in the Scottish Rowing Online League for a number of years and our pupils have – yet again – been really successful! From S1-6 pupils took home certificates celebrating their achievements, personal bests and endurance. Well done!
Shonagh and Izzy (S2) competed in the Lochaber Piping Society drumming competition last weekend in Fort William, and took home 2nd and 3rd places respectively in the Novice Drumming 18 & Under category. It was their first competition and great to see them rewarded for the hard work they put in at school drumming lessons with School Music Tutor Deej. We’re looking forward to seeing more of their successes in the future.
Cross Country 2019
Classes have been working on cross country during PE for the last block and we finished off with some in-school competitions. All of S1 and some keen S2 pupils competed in the cross country event this week:
S1&2 Winners Boys – Anndra Cumming (S1) Girls winner – Izzy Macdonald (S2)
A couple of weeks ago S3-6 pupils competed against each other and the results were:
S3-6 Girls winner – Nadia Fenton (S5) Boys winner – Eoin Cumming.
A report will follow in the next newsletter.
Newsletter April 2019
Our latest newsletter for Parents is now available! Have a look to see an update from the headteacher, news of our latest fundraising activities & what’s been going on across the school.
SMART create a Pocket Orchard
Our first trees were added to the Gairloch High edition of the Wester Ross Pocket Orchards project by the S1B SMART class this morning, who did an fantastic job despite the rain, wind and cold! We planted eight trees including pear, apple, plum and cherry. A great legacy for them to leave the school and hopefully for everyone to benefit from in the future!
First crop of fruit should be in 2020, with both the school and community able to benefit. A huge thank you to John from the project for his expertise and providing trees.
More photos on Flickr!