Nov 25, 2012 | Art & Music Outdoors, Community Involvement
Yarn bombing is a growing world-wide trend with guerilla knitters everywhere taking up the challenge of giving local spaces and places funky feel makeover. Whilst I had seen various photos and videos (Google image the term for a dazzling array) about this new art...
Nov 3, 2012 | Art & Music Outdoors, Community Involvement, Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Early Years Outdoors
One of the most impressive low level features at Glamis Adventure Playground is the monster. This mighty mosaic houses the sand pit and water feature and is an incredibly attractive work of art in its own right. By the looks of things, the monster was created through...
Oct 26, 2012 | Art & Music Outdoors, Community Involvement, Nature Play & Learning
Twenty-five years ago this month, storms ripped through the south of England causing massive disruption, damage and the deaths of a number of people. The town of Sevenoaks was left with one oak still standing. The BBC weather service was heavily criticised for not...
Oct 12, 2012 | Community Involvement, Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces
The day I visited the Kate Greenway Nursery was also the day I visited Glamis Adventure Playground which also goes by the name of The Shadwell Community Project. I’m still digesting the experience. It was the playground equivalent of being given a Michelin...
Jun 26, 2012 | Community Involvement, Gardening
Photo copyright GABATThere are many ways of building communities. Often it’s small groups of committed people who have an idea, a vision, a dream that they quietly set about putting into practice. Through doing this, social capital is created and the wider...
Apr 4, 2012 | Art & Music Outdoors, Community Involvement
This is one of those rare indoor posts. A couple of months ago I was visiting Inverallochy School and found that the hive of activity has continued inside as well as out. One of their projects has been the dining room and it has to be one of the most beautiful...
Aug 4, 2011 | Community Involvement, Early Years Outdoors
In July I was invited to a very special event. The Cowgate Under 5’s Centre received an Investing in Children Award earlier this year. In the words of Lynn McNair, Centre Manager, this is how the event happened… “Today we spoke to the children about...
Aug 12, 2010 | Art & Music Outdoors, Community Involvement, Personal & Holidays, Social Subjects Outdoors
Many years ago I taught in a tiny school which had just 9 pupils. One of the challenges of working in a small school is that standard ideas and activities nearly always require adapting. For example, when we did a pantomime, I had to write one called “Snow White...
Jul 1, 2010 | Community Involvement, Personal & Holidays, Social Subjects Outdoors
In the summer of 2012, I was a participant in a unique adventure. Below is a description, kindly provided by Ruaridh Ormiston of Newtonmore Riding Stables, of what I am going to be doing along with approximately 25 other people who are passionate about learning in,...
Mar 11, 2010 | Art & Music Outdoors, Community Involvement, Whole School
In 2008 I had the privilege of undertaking a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship. This enabled me to spend six weeks in North America, Sweden and the Czech Republic. It was a once-in-a-life time opportunity. An old university friend who lives in Seattle advised me...
