english
department news
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The
following items have been extracted from the parents newsletters written
June 2008 Writing A
large number of S1 pupils attended an inspirational talk by the writer,
Katherine MacPhail. She contacted the school later to compliment the
pupils on their enthusiastic response. Every pupil in S1 subsequently
had the opportunity to enter the Barrington-Stokes “blurb”
competition, to have the plot outline of one Dundee pupil turned into a
novel by Katherine Yearbook
This will be published in the summer term. If any parents are interested in advertising in next year’s, please contact Mr. Dick. Please look out for the fundraising events planned for next session.
December 2007 Debating Olivia
Walesby – for the third year in a row – Anna Hine (both S6) Sean
Duncan and Andrew Simpson (S5) have reached the Scottish Final of Debating
Matters, to be held in Edinburgh in March, while Cara Fraser and Eilidh
Keith (S3) have reached the second round of the Courier competition in
which Ben MacLeod and Jen Glass (S3) also participated. Writer Mick
Parkin worked with the Advanced Higher class on their Creative Writing
Folios. Yearbook This will be published in the summer term. If any parents are interested in advertising in this, please contact the Editors. Please look out for the fundraising events planned for later in the session. June 2007 An
essay written by Tess Forbes-McMurchie has been selected for the first
publication by the SQA of the best creative writing submitted by higher
candidates. The launch of the book is towards the end of July. Poems
written by a number of S2 pupils have been selected for the “Young
Writers” poetry book. Thanks
almost entirely to Malcolm Hutchison; the Yearbook will be published at
the end of June. Over 80 pupils in S2 participated in writing workshops with Cathy Cassidy, a well known writer for young people.
March 2007 Olivia Walesby, Sarah Mason, Sam Astell and Yang Chen reached the Scottish final of Debating Matters held in Edinburgh recently, while Gillian Carter and Rachel Anderton reached the second round of the “Courier” debating competition. Various writing competitions have been entered, including the Pushkin prizes and Young Writers of the Year competitions.
December 2006 Debating This
session has had an excellent start with Gillian Carter and Rachel Anderton
reaching the second round of the “Courier” Debating competition.
Also Olivia Walesby (Best speaker) & Sarah Mason (S5) and Yang
Chen & Sam Astell (S6) have reached the Scottish Final (which Harris
won last year) of the Debating Matters Competition.
October 2006 Miriam Chappell, C4 entered the Scottish Screen “First Writes” screenwriting competition which is supported by the BBC and Learning and Teaching Scotland. Later, 30 shortlisted candidates received a tour of River City set earlier in the year and the top prize was a week-long summer school. Miriam landed a place
in the summer school, designed to provide budding scriptwriters with the
opportunity to hone their writing skills.
River city writers Marc Pye and James MacIntyre hosted a day-long
workshop during which Miriam wrote scenes starring River City
characters, only to be delighted when three of the stars turned up to
perform her scenes. Mr
MacIntyre said “At a time when the younger generation gets a hard
time, it is good to demonstrate that there are youngsters out there who
are hard-working and talented”.
June 2006 The Debating Team won the Scottish Final of the Institute of Ideas & Pfizer Debating Matters Competition. As a result the team have secured themselves a place in the National Final in London and will be one of eight teams from across the UK competing for the title of “Winners 2005/2006”. Congratulations to all concerned.
March 2006 A number of S1 pupils won the chance to meet Jacqueline Wilson (children’s laureate) at the Steps Theatre. The author gave a very entertaining talk about how she became a writer (she gave her name to the teenage magazine “Jackie”) and then she autographed the pupils’ books. Debating Craig Fairnington, Peter Simpson, Duncan Gauld and Olivia Walesby have reached the UK final of Debating Matters, to be held in London at the end of the summer term. In addition to this exciting trip, the school will benefit from £1000 worth of books.
December 2005 Debating Craig Fairnington, Duncan Gauld, Peter Simpson (S6) and Olivia Walesby (S4) have reached the Scottish Final of Debating matters, to be held in Edinburgh in March, while Olivia and Ewen Chalmers (S5) participated in the Donald Dewar Competition. Yearbook This will be published in the summer term. If any parents are interested in advertising, please contact the Editors. Please look out for the fundraising events planned for later in the session.
March 2005 Debating Gillian Carter and Rachel Page reached the second round of the Courier Debating Competition. Ewan Chalmers and Olivia Walesby reached the Regional Final of the Law Society Debating competition. Creative Writing Georgi Georgiev has had his poem “Home” published in the Kenart Poetry Relief competition.
December 2004 Debating Olivia Walesby (S3) and Kendra Wallace (S4) have reached Round 2 of the prestigious Donald Dewar Trophy, while Gillian Carter and Rachel Page of S1 have battled through to the second round of the Courier Debating Competition.
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