Albyn School Review Magazine 24-25

A MESSAGE FROM THE MAGAZINE & VIDEO CLUB

HELLO

Dear Friend of Albyn,

This magazine offers a glimpse into the many moments – joyful, thoughtful and proud – that have defined our year together. Having taken up the role of Head of School in January, it has been a privilege to step into a leadership position within a community I have long admired and been proud to serve. Albyn is a school where learning extends far beyond the classroom – where curiosity is nurtured, talents are celebrated, and kindness and ambition go hand in hand.

This year’s magazine is a snapshot of that spirit in action. It captures some of the many moments – big and small – that have shaped the year: academic achievements, creative expression, sporting successes, charitable endeavours, and the countless ways in which our pupils and staff make Albyn such a special place to belong.

Our values of being self-aware, ambitious, and outward-looking are woven through every page, and I hope you’ll enjoy seeing how they are lived out across the school.

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Thank you for being part of the Albyn story. Whether you are reading cover to cover or dipping in and out, I hope something here makes you smile and reminds you of what makes our school community so special.

David Starbuck HEAD OF SCHOOL

This year saw the Albyn Magazine and Video club grow in members, cementing the club’s status in school life. Pupils from a range of year groups along with staff collaborated with the Marketing team to record and recount Albyn events, creating term videos and this year’s yearbook.

Varying from competitions to subject-based activities, the Albyn Magazine and Video Club has worked hard to highlight the memorable moments of this academic year. They have played a major role in capturing images of important events such as Founder’s Day and Feel Good Fridays, as well as getting statements from teachers and heads of faculties on trips and themed weeks. We are very proud of the dedication, teamwork and creativity that the team has shown throughout the year.

We are thrilled to share Albyn’s 2024-2025 Yearbook - a look back at a brilliant and eventful year.

Sophie B and Anna S (CAPTAINS OF THE MAGAZINE AND VIDEO CLUB)

SCHOOL CAPTAINS

Phoebe & Philip

The ability to focus on work in a free period - instead of being convinced to go for a drive to the nearest Starbucks - was possibly the most impressive skill I have gained this year. Although I of course recommend you spend your free time productively, the down time in the den is certainly a time that many of my best Albyn memories have been made.

As all senior prefects do, I delivered an assembly this year, and it ended up being one of my biggest challenges yet. I struggled to decide on an idea, writing the speech itself felt impossible, and right up until I entered the hall I was genuinely convinced I couldn’t do it. I was terrified of embarrassing myself in front of my friends, peers and teachers. However, although a bit shaky and probably too quiet, I completed my assembly without running off the stageand I’m glad I did. This year has really pushed me (shoved me) to do uncomfortable things but I couldn’t be more grateful, after all growth happens outside your comfort zone.

Although cliche, I cannot stress enough how important it is to open yourself up to meeting new people and doing new things. It’s easy to fall into the habit of closing yourself off to only a few people and missing out on so much. Some of the most unexpected friendships and opportunities come from taking risks and trying new things.

PHILIP O:

I can vividly remember an 11-year-old me beginning my Upper School journey back in S1, and I can barely believe that it has flown by so quickly. Teachers who remember me from then would know me to be mischievous and cheeky, something that has never really left me to be honest. So much has happened over the last 6 years, from a global pandemic which put our learning online for 2 different terms (not much learning was done), to wars all over the world, which our Modern Studies teachers made sure to give a full rundown of. Even the Queen died during this period, something S1 me would have said was impossible.

has been great seeing some of the younger members of the squad really develop and grow as the season developed. I will miss pulling on the famous black and red strip, with some of my fondest footballing memories being attached to it (SISFA quarterfinal win in 2023 comes to mind).

All in all, I am happy that, despite the years rolling so fast, I was able to make the most of my time in school, making friends and memories which I will keep with me forever. I encourage anybody reading this who is still in school to make the most of being in school and to enjoy it as much as possible, even through the boring double periods and the detentions for messing about with your mates.

This year, many of the staple events took place with new ideas also being brought forward, such as the inaugural Pie The Teacher event, which went down extremely well with pupils wanting to take out their frustrations on their least favourite teachers. In all seriousness, the event was great in raising money for the schools charity of choice for this year, CLAN.

It’s hard to believe how fast all six years of my Albyn Upper School experience have flown by, and this final year was certainly no exception.

One highlight of my Albyn years has been Albyn netball.

I have played at Albyn since primary 3 and co-captained the Senior A team this past year. Netball allowed me to meet and bond with so many girls that I wouldn’t have otherwise, and leading this group of girls through wins and losses has been incredibly rewarding and eye opening.

A big part of my school experience all the way through to this year, has been playing football. This season, our senior team had possibly the worst season Albyn has ever seen, which wasn’t really the legacy I intended to leave. Despite this, the team this year was one of the most tight-knit groups I’ve been a part of, and it

A message from both of us:

This year we created the IOU award, a project which focused on ensuring Albyn students are embodying three core values - Inclusivity, Openness and Understanding. This award allowed us to show recognition to particular members of the Albyn community who go out of their way to demonstrate these values. After interviewing 5 candidates who were nominated by their peers we selected one outstanding candidate and she was awarded the first Albyn IOU award.

Our captaincy is ending by beginning plans for a leadership conference which many schools in the area will be invited to. This session will focus on school leadership specific problems and how they can be addressed and solved, and allows us to use reflections on the real life issues we encountered during our year to help other future leaders.

PHOEBE R:

Clan Report

The pastoral support and sense of community fostered by our clan system has been at the forefront of all that we have done this year. Our Head of Clan (HOC) team remained the same as last session: Mr Currie in Douglas; Mrs Pratt in Forbes; Ms Noble in Gordon, and; Mrs Hague in Stuart. Supporting the HOC’s, the Form Teachers have done a magnificent job in looking after pupils and being that vital first point of contact for parents. Equally, the clans have been ably organised and cajoled throughout the year by the Clan Leaders and Deputies so we would like to say thank you to:

Food Fair

In November, Clan Forbes organised the annual International Food Fair to accompany our ‘Feeling Cultural’ Feel Good Friday. The FP Hall was filled with a huge range of stalls laden with dishes from the many nationalities represented here at Albyn. The pupils did their countries proud, explaining their cuisine to their ‘customers’ while dressed in their national costumes.

Also in November, the S1s had the opportunity to socialise with the whole of their year-group at the Friday-night Pizza & Movie event. The movie “Home Alone” proved a very popular choice and the mountain of pizzas delivered was quickly demolished.

Throughout the year there has been a wide variety of clan events on offer. As well as being a bit of light relief from the pressures of homework, revision and tests, these events give us an outlet for some friendly rivalry too as we compete for clan points and, ultimately, the Clan Trophy which is awarded at the Closing ceremony. Last year’s winners, Clan Gordon, will be a tough team to beat.

Dancercise

Our first major clan event, Dancercise, in the autumn term was done in conjunction with the first Feel Good Friday, ‘Feeling Active’. The whole of the Upper School was out in force to watch the competition with high numbers of participants for each clan’s routine - not least, the inflatable dinosaur in Stuart. Well done to Douglas who proved their worth, winning with some great choreography, including their ‘signature lift’ to finish. As well as having a lot of fun, we also raised money for this year’s school charity, CLAN, with our non-uniform day across the school.

Christmas & Clan Singing

Christmas at Albyn is always a huge event and this year was no exception. We ran Feel Good Friday, ‘Feeling Festive’, where students and staff arrived in Christmas jumpers and accessories. Our annual charity event to support the Instant Neighbour Giving Tree provided hundreds of gifts for children in the Aberdeen and Shire area. Hundreds of selection boxes were donated to VSA, Instant Neighbour and Abernecessities. Such generous donations are always welcomed by the charities.

Clan Singing took place in the FP Hall to round off our Feeling Festive day. Each clan sang a verse of the same traditional hymn followed by a modern song of their choice. All of the clans excelled this year with their outfits, harmonies and even a snow machine but it was Stuart who were victorious. A new addition to the festivities this year was the Christmas tree decorating competition, the only rule being that each tree had to be themed according to each clan’s colour. Forbes put on a sparkling display in yellow to gain the winning prize.

Leader Jess M Deputy: Catherine G

Leader Carys S Deputy Jacob C Leader Sylvie W Deputy Hugo D

Leader Layla D Deputy Sara S

Douglas Forbes Gordon Stuart

The motion for the popular Clan Debate was “This House believes that reality TV does more harm than good”. Despite stiff competition, Fiona F and Isaiah T from Douglas were the winning team with Jess S judged to be Best Individual Speaker. The contestants in this year’s Clan Public Speaking competition spoke on the topic “This is what success looks like”. Erin C of Stuart was the Junior Winner and Meera T of Gordon was the Senior Winner. The judges were impressed by the very high standard of oratory on display across all of the entrants.

Clans fundraise for CLAN

This year Albyn is the first ever educational partner with CLAN Cancer Support, as part of their upcoming Bookbench Trail. Therefore, it was agreed with the Clan leaders and Deputies that all funds raised through Clan events would go to CLAN, rather than our traditional method of each Clan choosing their own charity. Clan Douglas for example raised £700 in their teacher themed charity event.

Each Douglas Form Class decided on what they would do, then were given the responsibility to deliver it on the day. The lunchtime ‘fair’ was a joyous event with a fun-fact quiz about teachers, a guess the teachers from a ‘mash-up’ photo stall but most of all due to ‘pie the teacher’. Pupils were queuing up to throw paper plates covered in squirty cream at one of the 12 teachers that ‘volunteered’, all whilst the onlookers enjoyed the snacks from the bake and popcorn stalls. As always, the leadership and generosity of the pupils made this the success it was.

From March to June, a lot of time and effort is put into the transition from P7 to S1. This includes a Google Classroom for all our upcoming S1’s where bios and videos are posted, Head of Clan visits to the Albyn P7s and local primary schools where pupils are coming from, a timetable taster during the Upper School induction days, and a social fun day. The move to secondary school is a major event in a young person’s (and their family’s) life and we know that the careful planning and delivery of our transition programme has helped make this as easy and reassuring as possible for our next cohort of Upper School pupils.

Clan Quiz

The end of the summer term will bring the Clan Quiz, loved by staff and pupils alike. Started in 2013, it is always a fantastic event to round off a term of hard work. Over the last few years, Stuart and Gordon have jostled for top spot, with Stuart being the winners last year.

Sport

The annual Clan Hockey Tournament took place at Aberdeen Sports Village with teams made up of clan members from all year groups. Stuart were the overall champions, winning all of their pool matches before triumphing in the final. As comprehensive a win as it gets.

Douglas did a fantastic job winning the Swimming Gala, which featured some great individual and relay performances, novelty costumes and school records being broken. Clans Gordon and Stuart will host a mini netball and football tournament in June over several lunch times with S1/2 and S3/4/5 mixed teams vying for clan points. Our last event of the year will be Sports Day, held in June. It is always a much anticipated event, with all year groups’ places and positions contributing to the overall points and final standings.

As well as the bigger clan events, pupils are awarded Clan points throughout the year for a variety of individual and team achievements: Duke of Edinburgh participation; the awarding of music, drama and sports grades and awards; Maths Challenges; S1 Author Projects, and; our in-house Buddy awards - all of these contribute to final Clan totals. It really is a team effort across the Upper School. To those moving on and leaving our Clans, we wish you all the very best in your future and hope the Clan has added something to your time at Albyn. To those joining we look forward to welcoming you.

Feel Good Fridays

- our school wide well-being initiative

We have loved our Feel Good Fridays again this year - school-wide celebrations of wellbeing, where everyone feels valued, supported and connected.

The initiative is designed to infuse a sense of community, wellbeing and joy into our school environment, providing pupils and staff alike the chance to reflect, connect and re-energize. With the pressures of course work, exams, social responsibilities and future planning it can be easy to become overwhelmed and allow stress to build up throughout the week.

Feel Good Fridays aim to counterbalance that by making wellbeing a priority, bringing everyone together for activities that promote both mental and physical wellbeing.

Feeling Cultural

On Feeling Cultural day pupils and staff are all encouraged to wear traditional cultural attire or colours of their national flag(s).

In the Nursery and Lower School, pupils enjoy class based activities to explore and appreciate our rich diversity. In the Upper School we hosted an international food fair with traditional dishes prepared by our school community, representing over 30 nationalities. The hard work and generosity of our pupils and families is very much appreciated and all proceeds raised went to CLAN.

Feeling Charitable

The purpose of Feeling Charitable is a day dedicated to giving back, fostering kindness and building a sense of community. We host an annual food bank collection for our chosen charity.

The aim of Feel Good Friday’s is to offer a range of different activities, ensuring that there is something for everyone from Nursery through to the Upper School to enjoy and benefit from.

Feel Good Friday is not just for pupils; teachers, support staff, parents and guardians are all encouraged to participate. By setting time aside to recognise our wellbeing we are doing more than just adding fun to the end of the week, we’re building resilience, fostering connection and reinforcing positive habits that extend beyond the school.

Prioritising mental health is more important than ever and initiatives like Feel Good Friday remind us that wellbeing is not just a goal, it’s a way of life.

Feeling Active

We also celebrated Feeling Active, an event that encourages teamwork, physical activity and collaboration across the year groups. Pupils and staff were encouraged to wear activewear on the day and reflect on their physical well-being. The day encompasses the highly popular Clan Dancericse which is an annual competition where each of the School’s Clans performs a dance routine, choreographed by pupils, to the rest of the school and Nursery. In the Nursery and Lower School, pupils got involved in yoga, fitness circuits and dancing activities in the playground, before school and during break and lunchtimes.

Feeling Festive

This Feel Good Friday is one of our favourites. It brings joy, connection and a generous dose of festive spirit to our community. All pupils and staff are encouraged to wear festive jumpers and take part in Clan singing. There are impromptu music concerts in the morning, with festive singing and playing from staff and students. We also support the Instant Neighbour Gifting tree appeal and have a selection box collection. In previous years we have collected over 300 selection boxes which have been donated to a range of local charities.

2024 — 2025

AWARDS & ACCREDITATIONS

By honouring accomplishments we encourage pupils to strive for their personal best and inspire others to do the same. Here we celebrate the hard work, dedication and talents of our pupils.

01. P5 THOMSON AWARDS FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Fraser M, Miranda S, Carel N, Kimberly C, Rowan B, Valeria L

02. P5 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Saanvi S, Emily C, Xander K, Lottie P-R, Emilie A, Cerys M, Rowan B, Emma S

03. P6 THOMSON AWARDS FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Jessica D, Riaan D, Charlie F, Aurelien D, Jerome J, Harper L

04. P6 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Magnus F, Emilia G, Kim-Claire M, Jack F, Alice F, Scarlett M, Olivia J, Felix L

05. P7 THOMSON AWARDS FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Dobrochna D, Abas I, Emon R, Daniel F, Clara B, Emily C

UPPER SCHOOL

01. S1 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Victoria A, Anastasiia B, Leonardo F-E, Imogen H, Marion-May M, Sadie M, Jonathon M, Niamh O, Zuzia S, An T, Isaiah T, Noah V

02. S1 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Shraddha A, Victoria A, Leonardo F-E, Imogen H, Marion-May M, Emilia M, Rowan O-W, Noah V

03. S2 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Ini A, Sophie B, Anna Coste, Conor D, Eilidh E, Tyler F Leo G, Krishan G, Beatrix L, Zoe S, Noelia S, Sanjay S, Melodie U

06. P7 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Jamie M, Coco C, Mila W, Aaron F, Damisi O, Sophie S, Angus G, Eilidh D

07. ZENA COOPER CUP FOR ART

Raegan B

08. LOWER SCHOOL MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Sai P

09. MACLEAN CUP FOR MUSIC

Aurelien D

10. PRESLY PRIZE FOR PERSEVERANCE IN MUSIC

Scarlett M

11. LOWER 7 MATHEMATICAL CHALLENGE CUP

Emon R

12. GRAHAM CUP FOR POETRY IN LOWER 5

Kimberly C

04. S2 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Ini A, Sophie B, Anna C, Reni D, Beatrix L, Zoe S, Sanjay S, Teresa T

05. S3 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Erin A, Semi A, Yasmine B, Lily C, Erin C, Emma-Grace D, Charlotte F, Euan M, Aaminah O, Joel O, Leya O-W, Kirsty S B, Markus S, Michas S

06. S3 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Sadie B, Milo B, Capucine B, Kitty D, Masha K, Amelia R M, Michas S

13. GRAHAM CUP FOR POETRY IN LOWER 6

Annabelle L

14. GRAHAM CUP FOR POETRY IN LOWER 6

Felix L

15. GRAHAM CUP FOR POETRY IN LOWER 7

Emily C

16. JOHNSTONE CITIZENSHIP AWARD (FOR P7)

Raegan B

17. THORP CUP FOR ENDEAVOUR (FOR P7)

Frederick H

18. CHARLIE TODD AWARD

Daniel F

19. PROXIME ACCESSIT

Emil S

20. LOWER SCHOOL DUX

Raegan B

07. S4 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Ben A, Anton A, Libby G, Aakash K, Scarlett M, Supreme N, Aveline S, Serena S, Bennet T, Jonathan T

08. S4 SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Sabi B, Esther C, Jennifer-Kate E, Ethan F, Harriet J, Felix K, Bennet T, Lilia W

09. BURNSIDE CUP FOR DEBATING

Zoe S

Rosanna S

10. CCF RECRUIT OF THE YEAR SALVER

Conor D

11. CCF FORTITUDINE VINCIMUS TROPHY CADET OF THE YEAR

This award is given to the cadet who demonstrated leadership and significant commitment throughout the year.

Fortitudine Vincimus (By Endurance We Conquer), was explorer Ernest Shackleton’s family motto. The cup was donated by Mr Peter Macklin, whose grandfather was with Shackleton on the Endurance and Quest expeditions.

Yasmine Br

12. UPPER SCHOOL MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Angus D

13. THE MARSHALL CUP FOR CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC

Harriet J

14. SIXTH FORM PUBLIC SPEAKING CUP

Meera T

15. ENDEAVOUR CUP FOR ACADEMIC RECORD IN S4

Jonathan T

16. HIGHER ART & DESIGN QUAICH

Kate P

17. HIGHER ECONOMICS CUP

Ore A

18. HIGHER ACCOUNTS CUP

Erica B

19. TORRANCE TROPHY FOR HIGHER HUMAN BIOLOGY

Aleksandr K

20. CRAIG GROUP CUP FOR HIGHER BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Jessica D

21. TANNOCK CUP FOR ENTERPRISE LIVINGSTON

Kirsty B

22. CUP FOR HIGHER MODERN STUDIES

Kirsty B

23. HIGHER COMPUTING CUP

Cameron L

24. EARNSHAW CUP FOR HIGHER ENGINEERING

Cameron L

25. THE SHAND CUP FOR HIGHER FRENCH

Laura F

26. GERMAN CONSULATE PRIZE FOR GERMAN

Laura F

27. HAY CUP FOR HIGHER GEOGRAPHY

Talya S

28. THE HARDING CUP FOR HIGHER GERMAN

Nazar L

29. HOWAT CUP FOR MUSIC AND PE

Daniel O

30. NORAH GLENNIE SALVER FOR HIGHER MATHS

Hop N

31. EILIDH WHYTE CUP FOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

Georgia C

32. HIGHER DRAMA CUP

Georgia C

33. HIGHER PE CUP

Bella K

34. THE DEBATING CUP

Fiona F

Sara S

35. HIGHER PHILOSOPHY SALVER

Fiona F

36. HIGHER SPANISH SALVER

Sofia P

37. 1921 ALBYN DRAMATICAL SOCIETY CUP

Aveline S

38. MOSH SHORT STORY COMPETITION PRIZE

Aveline S

39. HIGHER ENGLISH SALVER

Anna S

40. MACFARLANE CUP FOR HIGHER HISTORY

Anna S

41. LUMSDEN POETRY COMPETITION PRIZE

Anna S

42. HIGHER SOCIOLOGY PRIZE

Anna S

43. THE ROBSON CUP FOR ACADEMIC RECORD IN S5

Anna S

44. ADVANCED HIGHER BIOLOGY PRIZE

Hephzibah B

45. ADVANCED HIGHER BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PRIZE

Carys S

46. ADVANCED HIGHER ECONOMICS PRIZE

Sylvie W

47. ADVANCED HIGHER MODERN STUDIES PRIZE

Sylvie W

48. ADVANCED HIGHER ENGLISH PRIZE

Shashwati V

49. HIGHER CHEMISTRY SALVER

Aiden N

50. HIGHER PHYSICS SALVER

Aiden N

51. GORDON EDWARDS PRIZE FOR ADVANCED HIGHER MATHS

Aiden N

52. BUCHAN PRIZE FOR ADVANCED HIGHER FRENCH

Elizabeth B

53. CONLON CUP FOR SPORTS EXCELLENCE

Anna C

54. ADVANCED HIGHER PE PRIZE

Anna C

55. THE DEBATING CUP

56. THE MUIR ROSE BOWL AND PRIZE FOR PRACTICAL SCIENCES

Sara S

57. F24 PUPIL OF THE SEASON

Esther S

58. KATHERINE TAYLOR TROPHY FOR ORCHESTRAL PLAYING

Esther S

59. ADVANCED HIGHER ENGINEERING PRIZE

Esther S

60. FORMER PUPILS’ AWARD

Esther S

61. ADVANCED HIGHER CHEMISTRY PRIZE

Esther S

62. INVERY CUP FOR COMMUNITY WORK

The Invery Cup was presented by the former owners of Invery House in Banchory, a historic home with connections to James Skene and Walter Scott.

The Invery Cup is awarded to a pupil with an outstanding record of community service and is awarded by the DofE Team.

Cameron D

63. ADVANCED HIGHER GEOGRAPHY PRIZE

Ana Y

64. ADVANCED HIGHER HISTORY PRIZE

Ana Y

65. ALL ROUND SIXTH FORM CUP

Ana Y

66. MACKLIN CUP FOR SPORT

Callum P

67. JANE MURRAY SALVER FOR HIGHER MUSIC AND MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

Callum P

68. TISCHUK CUP

The Tischuk Cup is awarded to a pupil who has contributed to the life of the school in multiple significant ways, notably making an excellent effort to show respect and kindness towards others.

The Tischuk family had four daughters in the school between 1987 and 2010. They donated the cup in 2010.

Callum P

69. HILDA BROWN AWARD FOR ADVANCED HIGHER GERMAN

Catherine B

70. SCOTTISH SAMURAI AWARD

The Scottish Samurai Award was donated to the school by Mr Ronnie Watt OBE ORS, the founder of the National Karate Institute of Scotland. Ronnie has a long and happy association with Albyn School. It is awarded to a pupil who has demonstrated the qualities of a Samurai, namely: justice, courage, benevolence, politeness, honesty, honour, loyalty and self-control. It is one of the School’s highest awards.

Catherine B

71. ADVANCED HIGHER ART & DESIGN PRIZE

Catherine G

72. ADVANCED HIGHER COMPUTING PRIZE

Catherine G

73. ASHLEY VAN GRONDELLE MEMORIAL PRIZE

This award is one of the highest awards the School gives. Ashley was an Albyn pupil in the 1980s who sadly died of cancer in 1998. Her husband donated this prize to inspire all Albyn pupils to face the challenges of life as Ashley did - with strength, grace, courage and tenacity.

Catherine G

74. SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAIN PRIZE

Alex A

Grace C

75. SCHOOL CAPTAIN PRIZE

Philip O

Phoebe R

76. SPORTS CITIZENSHIP CUP

Phoebe R

77. SHIRREFF’S CUP FOR KEYBOARD PLAYING

Jessica C

78. PROXIME ACCESSIT

Jessica C

79. ADVANCED HIGHER MECHANICS PRIZE

Vasiliy M

80. ADVANCED HIGHER PHYSICS PRIZE

Vasiliy M

81. ADVANCED HIGHER STATISTICS PRIZE

Vasiliy M

82. DUX OF THE SCHOOL

Vasiliy M

Nursery and Lower School

Nursery

Toddlers

It has been a busy year in Toddlers as we have welcomed lots of new friends into our class. We have enjoyed a variety of activities linked to our learning interests and engaged in lots of fun opportunities.

No two days are ever the same, with weekly trips to the school library and music lessons with Miss Addison, the children are given free choice of the activities they would like to engage in. Encouraging child led play, we listen, observe and plan to ensure they get the most out of their play. With multiple areas to explore including crafts, sand and water play, role play and more, the children take an active role in their learning journeys.

We love all things messy. Exploring a variety of different materials and resources, we have been learning all about our 5 senses. Using shaving foam, play dough, spaghetti and slime, we have been able to describe textures as we build our vocabulary.

At the beginning of October we celebrated Grandparents day. The children showed great enjoyment as their grandparents came in to play. We took part decorating biscuits, singing songs and introducing our friends. The children were very proud to show their work and classrooms. Lots of fun was had by all, we look forward to our next stay and play session soon.

You will find the Toddlers outside in all types of weather. From splashing in muddy puddles, to sliding down the snowy slides, the children show lots of enjoyment as they play with their friends, investigating the outdoors. With lots of active play on offer daily, we like to go for walks learning how to stay safe in our local community.

At the beginning of the year we celebrated Robert Burns day and Chinese New Year. The children enjoyed learning songs and dancing to traditional music. Together we experienced new foods, having discussions with our friends as we communicated our likes and dislikes.

“It’s sticky on my fingers like glue.”

“Wow you did, good job.”

Throughout the year the children have engaged in many science experiments as we learn all about problem solving and encourage curiosity. With hands-on learning, the children have encouraged one another with enthusiasm, showing great teamwork.

Our little chef’s are always ready for action, from savoury to sweet treats. There are many benefits as we enhance numeracy and literacy skills, encourage independence and work to promote healthy eating habits.

Preschool

Throughout our year in Preschool, we have been growing, learning and laughing!

For some of our children this has been their first big step into the world. For others it has been their opportunity to shine and guide others.

The children and staff started off nervous but excited for what the year would bring. In August we began settling into our environment, learning everyone’s names and our new routines like music with Miss Addison, PE with Mrs Kelman and visits to the library. Throughout the seasons we have watched the children blossom and grow.

We enjoyed learning about topics like Autumn, exploring our local environment and all the crunchy colourful leaves that were falling around us. Christmas and all the wonderful celebrations that follow. We also learned more about the body and emotions - how to express ourselves! We ended the year by getting our fish, helping

the children to learn more about caring for different animals in their environments.

Throughout the past few months we have watched as our role play corner has turned into a hospital, restaurant, post office and school! The children’s imaginations running free with whatever they could think of each month.

The Preschool team would like to send a thank you to the parents, for your involvement throughout the year. Attending our play and stays, fundraising events and your lovely comments.

As the year draws to a close we get ready for some of our preschoolers to transition to school. It has been a pleasure watching all the children transform into who they are today.

We are also very excited to welcome back our current Preschoolers old and new come August. There are some very exciting end of year events coming up and we cannot wait to celebrate with you all!

A Year of Discovery with Early Excellence

This year, we have embarked on an unforgettable journey with the Early Excellence children, diving into creativity, history, science, and even the kitchen! From saving fairytale creatures to exploring our senses, each topic has been a hands-on adventure that sparked curiosity and inspired learning.

Saving Fairyland

Our year began with an enchanting mission: saving Fairyland! Through a series of imaginative tasks, we helped fairytale creatures overcome their challenges. One highlight was building houses for the Three Little Pigs using straw, sticks, and bricks. Testing the strength of each material taught us about structure and resilience. Inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk, we planted our own beans, watching them grow and learning about the life cycle of plants. These activities helped us blend storytelling with practical problemsolving in a magical way.

The History of Toys

Next, we explored the fascinating world of toys and how they have changed over time.

We learned to distinguish old toys from new ones by examining materials, design, and craftsmanship. The highlight of this topic was a visit from Ruth, whose workshop was filled with treasures from the past and present. We got to handle toys from different eras, gaining a new appreciation for the history and evolution of play.

Our Senses

The science of the senses brought excitement to our classroom as we conducted experiments to explore sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. From identifying mystery scents to creating soundscapes, each activity sharpened our understanding of how our bodies perceive the world.

The grand finale was a visit from the Critter Keeper, who introduced us to a variety of animals we could touch and observe. This unforgettable experience brought science to life in the most interactive way possible.

Cooking with Mrs. Lindsay

Throughout the year, our cooking sessions with Mrs. Lindsay added a delicious twist to our learning. From savory treats to sweet goodies, we honed our skills in the kitchen while exploring measurements, teamwork, and creativity. These sessions not only expanded our taste buds but also built confidence in a practical life skill.

As we look back, the children have enjoyed bringing learning to life through an engaging mix of activities and themes. This has been a year of curiosity, collaboration, and discovery that we will always cherish.

> Written by Fionna Ruxton, Emma Gordon and Laura Ritchie

Outdoor Learning: Forest Adventures with Early Excellence

Every Tuesday afternoon, our Early Excellence pupils have been heading into the forest to take their learning beyond the classroom walls. These outdoor sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for children to explore, discover, and make connections between their learning and the wider world around them.

Research shows that time spent learning outdoors supports not just academic achievement, but also emotional wellbeing, social skills, and physical health. In the fresh air and natural surroundings, pupils engage in playful discovery and teamwork, building curiosity, resilience, and problem-solving abilities.

Primary 1

Across the curriculum, pupils have embraced outdoor learning in creative and exciting ways. Primary 1 pupils took their phonics outdoors, using sticks to form letters in the mud and leaves and beech nuts to complete words. In maths, we used large hoops to create Venn diagrams, sorting

natural objects and exploring patterns in nature.

Our young learners also discovered more about the animals that call the forest home. We practised counting using beech nuts and played games inspired by how squirrels hide their winter food.

Pupils worked together to build dreys, learned about hedgehogs, and explored predator-prey relationships. Using sticks and clay, they even created their own hedgehog models.

Science and creativity came together as we learned how rainbows are formed. Clan teams gathered colourful leaves to create their own forest rainbows.

2

In Primary 2, pupils focused on birds - learning to identify common UK species, making pinecone bird feeders and exploring bird migration.

We also looked closely at trees and why they’re so important to our environment. Using identification sheets, pupils matched leaves to tree species. A favourite activity was the ‘Feel a Tree’ game, where children, blindfolded, were guided to a tree to feel its bark and then had to find the same tree again using only their sense of touch.

Creative arts were brought into the forest as well. Pupils sculpted dragon puppets using clay and natural materials and performed their own puppet shows. As temperatures dropped, we explored states of matter, using ice decorations to learn about solids, liquids, and gases and how water freezes and melts.

These Tuesday sessions have truly enriched our learning, providing unforgettable experiences and helping pupils build skills that go far beyond the classroom.

Primary

Primary 3

The Primary 3s had a fantastic time at the Aberdeen Zoological Museum! As part of our IPC unit, Footprints from the Past, we explored the museum and took part in a dinosaur workshop, deepening our understanding of how scientists study dinosaurs and fossils. This experience helped us further develop our knowledge of prehistoric life and how fossils provide clues about the past.

We examined fossils, teeth, and even dinosaur poo! The children were excellent listeners and asked some great questions. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Decomposition

This afternoon the Primary 3’s had an exciting hands experience of decomposition lead by Ms Abby, who is a zoology student at the University of Aberdeen. We learnt about how composting works, what decomposers are and got to make our very own decomposition jar. We are excited to see what our little woodlice will do to the peelings, leaves, soil and bark by the end of the week.

City explorers

Primary 3 had a fantastic time exploring our city, Aberdeen. We first visited the Maritime Museum, where the children really enjoyed learning about Aberdeen’s connection with the sea and oil. Many of them made connections between their parents’ jobs and the reasons their families might have moved to Aberdeen.

We then went to the beachfront and took a windy walk around Footdee (Fittie), a historic fishing village. The children saw traditional bothies and watched large oil boats coming in and out of the busy harbour.

Our final stop was a walk through Marischal College and on to Provost Skene’s House. We were all surprised by how many amazing and inspirational people have a connection with Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire!

What a fun and interesting day exploring our wonderful city!

History Comes to Life: Mr Egypt Visits P4!

It was no ordinary day at school when P4 pupils stepped back in time and journeyed to the land of the pharaohs—without ever leaving the classroom! The unforgettable visit from Mr Egypt turned history into an adventure, packed with ancient artefacts, thrilling stories, and jaw-dropping facts about one of the world’s most fascinating civilizations.

Mr Egypt arrived with a treasure trove of real and replica artefacts, from golden amulets and scarab beetles to miniature sarcophagi and ancient tools. Eyes widened and jaws dropped as pupils got the chance to see, touch, and even try on pieces of ancient Egyptian culture. Some lucky pupils even got to dress as mummies!

But it wasn’t just about objects—Mr Egypt brought history to life through captivating storytelling. With every tale of mighty pyramids, mysterious gods, and

secret tombs, pupils were transported to a world thousands of years old. Did you know the ancient Egyptians used bread mould to treat infections? Or that they believed the heart—not the brain— was the centre of intelligence?

Laughter, gasps, and endless curiosity filled the room. From decoding hieroglyphics to learning the secrets of mummification, this was a history lesson no one will forget.

Mr Egypt didn’t just teach the past—he made it come alive.

One thing is certain: after this incredible visit, P4 students are truly hooked on history!

Primary 5

Ever wondered what makes a great tourist destination? Our “Holiday Show” investigators found out in St Andrews, creating their own guides after an insightful trip.

Curious about the buzz of an airport? We explored tourist travel firsthand! Flying high!

As part of the learning, we were tourists for the day, and a tour guide, Mr Brown showed us the main tourist attractions in St Andrews: the university, the cathedral, the gravestone of Tom Morris, West sands, the harbour, the castles, and the dungeons. As we walked, we took photographs and notes about

each site and looked for hotels and restaurants that tourists may want to stay in. In the afternoon we had a game of putting at the himalayas - just next to the old course. It was a fun fabulous learning day and we now know so much more about holiday planning and St Andrews.

Prepare for some heat in “Active Planet” as we journeyed to the Science Centre to unravel the mysteries of volcanoes and stage our own eruptions.

And who were the stars of our “First Science Fair”? Our very own Primary 5 pupils, who designed, experimented, and presented their incredible scientific discoveries.

Primary 6

The Primary 6s have enjoyed a variety of subjects and topics this year with Engineering and Drama being added to their timetable for the first time.

A close look at the functions and structure of the human body’s main systems was the first topic this year. This was followed by a step back in time to learn more about ‘Victorian Britain’ and in particular the impact the Victorian era had and left on our home city of Aberdeen. This topic involved a walking tour around the west side of Aberdeen looking at remaining Victorian architecture and statues as well as a trip to the Art Gallery to analyse and discover some of the Victorian era pieces the gallery holds.

We then moved on to a topic about the climate and the impact that renewable energy is having on the planet. Our final topic will see us steer through the exciting world of rivers. The River Dee will be our main focus and we will be looking at its importance to our home city once again.

In Maths, the team have been learning a variety of new skills as well as developing skills from previous years. This year has also seen the introduction of Maths Challenge for some of the pupils where they have been able to work with the Upper School maths teachers.

Literacy has been filled with writing imaginative stories, creating reports based on research, as well as hosting some in-class debates about real world issues.

The group have also been continuing to develop their reading skills through the Accelerated Reader scheme and targets such as climbing Mount Everest or reaching the top of The Eiffel Tower through the number of books we have read has provided some extra reading motivation.

The year will be rounded off with a trip to Alltnacriche where the pupils will participate in many outdoor activities as well as learning more about the importance of teamwork. This will lead them into their final year of Lower School.

Primary 7

Our Primary 7s have enjoyed their Transitus year preparing them for the move to the Upper School. They have followed a timetable very similar to an Upper School class - including receiving homework at different times all through the week! They have also developed more independence in moving between classes and making their way to form on their own.

In Maths they have been working with Upper School staff who have been introducing them to concepts they will require next year, and reinforcing some areas they have already covered.

We have welcomed the English department to work with the pupils on their critical reading and comprehension skills. Building on what they have already done, the English department has given the pupils an opportunity to work on a critical essay - something they will do more of next year.

In our Topic time, we have been immersed ourselves into the world of Space, appreciating just how far we have come from the philosophers and thinkers of the time up to now. We await our end of term trip to Harlaw to scale out our Solar System. We went on to learn about WW1 and WW2 looking at significant events in their timeline to help the pupils appreciate the grand scale of the wars, its hardships as well as the effects they had on our city of Aberdeen. Other learning included: the causes of war, the alliance systems, life in the trenches on The Western Front, The Treaty of Versailles, appeasement, Dunkirk, The Battle of Britain, The Home Front and D-Day.

At the end of Primary 7 the pupils will be taking their learning out of the classroom, both in Aberdeen, their local city and further afield on the beaches of Normandy France. The pupils will visit the several sites in Normandy, including the

landing beaches, Pegasus Bridge, the Merville Battery and Pointe du Hoc. While in Arromanches, they will get to learn more about the Mulberry Harbour and see what remains of the concrete caissons.

Our P7s have not only grown and developed their independence whilst in their Transitus year, but their resilience, curiosity, and certainly endeavour as they take their final bow in the Lower School. The leavers’ hoodies and their final prom planned for the end of term have brought excitement to the pupils as they join with their peers in celebration.

Well done Primary 7; we look forward to seeing you grow in the Upper School. We are sure we will see some of you in next year’s Musical, Hockey or CCF and as you immerse yourselves in all that the Upper School has to offer.

> Mrs S and Mr Mack (aka Grampa and Grandma from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!)

The ACE Programme

The ACE (Albyn Curriculum Enrichment) programme offers our pupils a range of activities that are different to our pupil’s core lessons. This year there were 50 different ACE activities which ran across different year groups throughout the year.

The ACE activities offer our pupils the opportunity to develop new skills and gain knowledge. Our school’s core values and key qualities are entwined within our activities. ACE provides our pupils with experiences to become more self-aware, ambitious and outwardlooking, developing curiosity, resilience, endeavour, confidence, empathy, and teamwork within their ACE time each week.

The ACE programme enables our pupils to develop their social skills, often with children from different year groups, helping them to develop their communication skills as well as many other skills.

ACE activities are a special time in the week where our children look forward to meeting with their friends and having fun.

At the end of our third block of ACE the children reflected on their experiences of their ACE activities this year. It is wonderful to read how they feel about their activities and how the activities help them to grow as individuals, helping them to develop new skills and to have a deeper understanding of themselves and the development of their own values.

Enjoy reading a selection of inspiring reflections from some of our pupils and staff, in different year groups reflecting on their experiences of their ACE activities this year.

“My favourite ACE memory is djembe drumming because me and my friends have fun. Drumming helps me to learn drumming and be more confident.”

“My favourite ACE memory is golf. I learnt how to chip. It helped me to be more resilient. I love golf and mini chefs.”

“My favourite ACE is djembe drumming. I had confidence when I was learning how to put my hands on the drum. I loved it.”

“My favourite memory is when I made the bee house in Nature Explorers. I used my endeavour.

“My favourite ACE memory is Book Explorers, I used teamwork.”

“My favourite ACE memory is when I was hitting the golf ball for the first time. I used my endeavour.”

“My favourite ACE memory is baking. I loved the fruit stick. I used teamwork when my friend helped me to chop up the cheese.”

“My favourite ACE is Nature Explorers. It is fun because I love it. It helps me with curiosity.”

“My favourite ACE memory is when we made honeycomb and bees in Nature Explorers. I built my resilience and confidence.”

“My favourite ACE memory is when I painted bags and designed them in Mini Enterprise. It helped me with my resilience because I tried and tried and I never gave up.”

“In the ACE Team Challenge we used teamwork and every week we would get heaps of fun but hard challenges. In the Accelerated Reader Club I got to read to the Primary 1 and 2 children. I think that it boosted my confidence. I loved Musical Theatre because we got to perform to the parents and I know that it also gave me lots more confidence.”

“I enjoyed Young Entrepreneurs because there was lots of teamwork. We had to work together and to make a successful business and sales. I also enjoyed being confident and sharing my ideas to help to contribute to the group that I was in. I was happy when people came to our sale and bought things from us, so we made lots of money. Our group sold lots of items and it was nice to work together and complete our goal.”

“I enjoyed Young Entrepreneurs because it helped me to learn more about being responsible with money. We got to design our own bags for people to buy. I also got to make my own lip scrub.”

“I think that I have improved my teamwork skills in Young Entrepreneurs by creating Paper Pups with one of my friends. I think my favourite memory was at the sale when I heard what message the younger ones wanted. Each one was as heart warming as the last. In Chess it was just as fun because we found a website called Pokemon Chess that combined what we were good at together, making it even more fun.”

“I liked doing the Team Challenge as I developed my teamwork, endeavour and resilience. It helped me to understand the meaning of some of the school values more. I also really enjoyed Young Entrepreneurs as I learnt new skills such as business experience, learning to manage money and calculate the price of things.”

“I enjoyed my Cricket ACE because I like playing cricket. I once hit a shot far enough for me to get 12 runs. I used teamwork to communicate with my teammates.”

“I loved Warhammer. I built my teamwork and curiosity. I learnt new skills along the way.”

The ACE Programme

“I loved Accelerated Reader Club because it was a chilled calm ACE where you were just allowed to chill and read. Accelerated Reader Club has really helped me with reading faster because I used to be really slow but now I find myself reading quicker and more confident. I love books!”

“In my golf ACE the values I used were confidence, resilience, teamwork and empathy. These values helped me to beat my goal and to go even further. When I hit an amazing shot and a rainbow appeared in front of me and it looked like I was hitting into the rainbow at Paul Lawrie Driving Range. Also when I hit my best shot at the Driving Range and I beat my old best of 171 yards with a better shot of 174 yards and I was so happy!”

“In cricket the level of teamwork displayed has been excellent. There is no part of the sport that can be completed by itself and the pupils have really understood this and enjoyed developing this skill. I have shown endeavour to develop my bowling skills as the pupils are getting too good at hitting my bowls a long way!”

“In my golf ACE I endeavoured to stop lifting my left foot up as I was swinging my golf club. I finally fixed it and it improved my golf swing and I was hitting the golf ball better. In my cricket ACE I used my teamwork skills with my partner to try to score runs.”

“I loved Case Cracker ACE because I was solving questions. I felt like I was a real detective, I had to use my curiosity, endeavour and teamwork.”

“Running the Baking ACE was so much fun. Not only have pupils developed their culinary skills and produced delicious banana muffins, pizza and chocolate cake to name but a few, they have also developed valuable leadership skills, and the ability to work as a team. I was particularly inspired by the P7 pupils who supported, modelled and guided the P1 pupils through various baking challenges. They helped each other, showing patience and care.”

“My favourite ACE memory is in my golf ACE when I hit my first shot over 120 yards. When I hit the golf ball I was really proud of myself because I kept on trying and trying and didn’t give up. The values I used were resilience and endeavour. I also used teamwork by listening and taking tips.”

“I developed my confidence in my Chess ACE, when I first managed to make a real chess strategy.”

“My favourite memory was when I got ten out of ten in the Quiz ACE. I used curiosity, endeavour and teamwork. I also developed my confidence.

“I had fun in the Newspaper ACE. I liked making newspapers and making games to go in it. I developed my curiosity and teamwork skills.”

“Learning how to use a djembe drum, turning into a chess pro and learning how to play tennis helped me to develop my confidence. I made stuff in Little Chefs like pizza, chocolate muffins, blueberry cupcakes, jam tarts, cheese scones and fruit tarts. I used my teamwork skills and curiosity in my ACE activities.”

“I am proud of when I scored two tries in one of the games in my rugby ACE. I got more confident. I liked playing rugby because I like running.”

“I liked playing Jingle Bells on the djembe drum, it was good fun and I developed my curiosity and confidence.”

“ love my Intergenerational Sparks ACE, I was so ecstatic when we were playing games with the elderly people in Maryfield West Residential Home, like when we were bowling. I also loved when we sang to them. I developed my confidence, teamwork and empathy. In my Swiftie Era ACE I developed my curiosity. I found my passion for designing.”

“I liked making the elderly happy because we played games with them and they smiled. It made me happy to see them happy. I developed my empathy and teamwork skills doing my Intergenerational Sparks. I was very confident at meeting new people.”

“In the Stitch Club I used teamwork and calmness. When someone had a problem with their thread, because it had a knot, I helped them to untie the knot.”

“I really enjoyed using my curiosity and resilience in Lego Club, letting my imagination grow. My favourite model was my panda.”

“My favourite ACE was Stitch Club, I loved when we had some music on when we were sewing. I developed my curiosity, confidence and endeavour. I also had to be really patient, because I was not the only one to have problems with my sewing. I loved my projects of making the butterfly, bunny and cat.”

“I loved teaching different children from other year groups. It is great to share our passions and hobbies.”

“I loved when I sat with my friends at my Crafty Corner ACE and made different things. I developed my curiosity and confidence and enjoyed chatting to my friends.”

“My favourite part of my Chess ACE was that I learned new rules. I became more confident and I did not give up.”

“My chillaxing in the sun reading one of my favourite books at my Accelerated Reading Club, cooking blueberry muffins and chocolate ones too and beating some of my friends at chess all helped me to become more confident. At RotaKids I used my teamwork skills in the projects that we did.”

“Making my first ever Warhammer figure, I gained confidence, resilience and endeavour.”

“In my Delicious Delights baking club I enjoyed spending time with the younger ones and the experience that I had baking in school. It developed my confidence, my empathy and teamwork.”

“In my Podcast and Case Crackers ACE activities I liked working as a team and learning new things.”

“I really enjoyed Running Ace because it was really fun and good exercise. It was also exciting because a lot of times it was good weather.

I developed my confidence and resilience in my running and also my teamwork skills working together with other people in my ACE.”

“I enjoyed going to the care home and seeing all of the lovely people. I think that I gained curiosity and I enjoyed all the fun activities that we did with them at Intergenerational Sparks.”

“I really enjoyed code crackers because it really helped me build my code breaking skills. One of my favourite experiences in it was definitely when we had a hunt around the whole room to do the hints and clues and it was a super fun day.”

“I really enjoyed Art because I got to try different styles and explore different artists’ work . My favourite experience is when we did work by Stephen brown who does all the highland cows with the multicoloured hair. I developed my curiosity and resilience.”

“Seeing the joy on the children’s faces when they were able to hit the golf ball in the air or getting the ball in the hole for the first time from a long putt or chip is amazing to see. The level of confidence and resilience that is grown in the golf ACE over a short time is incredible to watch. Seeing our young people out on the golf course, playing their way round the holes, appreciating the beauty of nature and enjoying being outdoors developing their confidence in their golf skills, their teamwork and empathy is very exciting to see.”

“I enjoyed Lego Club, the best moment was playing role plays with my friends. I used my resilience, teamwork and endeavour.”

“My first ACE was Kids Kata and I was a bit nervous because I thought that I was going to fall over. But I got over that fear and I also grew more confidence.”

“I liked how I got to play new games in International Games, I played one game from Africa and China. I developed my curiosity.”

“I like my Newspaper ACE because I had never written an article before and I enjoyed it. I have learnt to be outward-looking.”

“In Kids Kata we used teamwork in the circle. I enjoyed all my ACE activities. I learnt new skills in Case Crackers. I developed my teamwork and empathy skills and liked helping people solve cases.”

“My favourite memory from my Board Games ACE was when me and my friends were playing Top Trumps and we were making up jokes and having mini duels if one of us had the same numbers as someone else. The skills I developed are to be a good winner and good loser. I became more confident and enjoyed playing different games.”

“The children in Stitch Club have all made great progress and developed new skills. Some found it harder than others but all showed amazing resilience and did not give up. It was lovely to see the children with some prior experience show empathy, teamwork and confidence to help others.”

“It has been wonderful learning karate, especially the Heian Shodan. I know that off by heart now and my favourite memory is practicing my Kata skills with my friends. I developed my confidence, resilience and teamwork.”

“My favourite moment from my golf ACE was hitting 80 yards with my driver. My second favourite thing was the putting competition and my best friend won. I loved golf, it helped me to develop my confidence and resilience. My third favourite moment is from In My Swifite Era ACE because we made lots of stuff, we made dresses and bracelets and I really love it. I developed my curiosity and teamwork.”

“I liked Little Chefs because we got to bake cakes like rocky road and blueberry muffins. I feel like I have got better at cooking and I grew my confidence in making different foods.”

“My favourite memory about Monday ACE is Break Out Games because I liked working out puzzles using my curiosity, resilience and confidence.”

“I felt confident when I made a bird feeder in Nature Explorers.”

“In Musical Theatre I worked together with all my friends to make a performance for our family members. It was an amazing ace and I loved it. I feel more confident.”

“I really enjoyed having the opportunity to run my Taylor Swift ACE. I was amazed by my group’s creativity, passion and enthusiasm. My hope is that by completing the activities they have all enhanced their curiosity, confidence and teamwork skills.”

“My favourite part of RotaKIds is getting to help other people and getting to bake for the bake sale. I developed my confidence, empathy and teamwork.”

“My favourite thing about my ACE activities this year was when I made a new friend at Kids Kata. I grew my confidence and resilience.”

“My favourite time in ACE was when I got to describe the animal in Marvellous Mindsets. I grew my confidence.”

“I really loved cooking and I used teamwork.”

“I did balloon tennis, it helped me to be more confident.”

“In Book Explorers I was learning to read a book. I was using my imagination. It keep me calm and I felt more confident.”

“When I started golf I wasn’t very good but then I practised and I am now better and more confident. I am curious to know how to hit a big shot.”

English

Lumsden Poetry Writing Prize

Write 3 original poems on any topic S4-6

Baggage

Cue the ringing of the instruments in my orchestra the cacophony of your antagonistic sounds designed to trap me, smother me and take control of me. Louder. Louder! Drown me in your tune and humility. No structure can control the anonymity of your origin. Or the organization of your order.

Cue the twists of your tongue to trap me. Oh! Opposing noise you poison the precision of my perfect mind.

Control. Control and silence your other howls. Rendezvous to your part in this melody. Rest at your bistro. Bistro.

Cue the crumble of your runes at the trial of my speech. Your lines blur, morphing into different shapes the cursive coiling like curses bringing about the Renaissance of confusion to my chanson.

Cue the enigmatic symbols of my hand sprawled on the pages unreadable to my ancestors. Spread the disinformation of my thoughts. Call on the shame from my failure, you amateur.

Cue the repenting of your rotten intonation and reach the rich letters you, conveniently, wring together. Ignorant artist conducting the song of my downfall Stop.

Cue the content sorrow of my spirit conqueror to one but stranger and fool to the rest.

Mourn your incapability of connecting home and Laugh at the odd coincidences you discover along the way. My mind, carrying the baggage of all my different tongues.

Dual Summers

Calm, breezy rides on bikes morph into evening fishing for pikes. The infinite woodland owl call changes to chirping crickets as suns fall. Mosquito clouds shield bleeding skies shift to starry nights with celestial ties. Light tastes of eclairs and tomato soups opposes the richness of olivier and beetroots.

Yet. The reassuring crackles of thunder remain the same, Both reflecting the heavens, ominous and untame. Wild gardens for which young children could explore, Hydrangeas and rhododendrons similarly concealed at its core. On days to deal with the summer heat the lakes and rivers would work a treat!

The concluding feeling remains the same tears for the loss and unforeseen pain. Till next year’s journey from east to west. A summer adventure. A summer rest.

The Mute Muse

It lies gathering dust on a lonesome stand, with crimson colours that rot and fade, Weakened notes doomed and left unplayed abandoned and ignored by an idle hand. Steccato or legato forever banned, melodic tunes are left delayed, A wasted saviour of a dying trade the stroke of the bow with sounds dull and damned

Fragile strings rust and wither experimental rhythms are left unsaid, Broken harmonies that will never deliver the thought of the instrument fills me with dread The return of such music I won’t consider

A Portrait of Desolation

Silence. It consumes me. The deafening roar of nothing eats away at my mind, infiltrating my thoughts, piercing my introspections. How many days have I wasted away? How many hours have passed by, untouched by me? How many suns and moons have dived through seas of clouds and stars, separated from me by that small square window on the other side of the attic? The thoughts scurry through my head like a termite in my brain, uninterrupted. The dark security of my home offers plenty of time for reflection and hardly anything else. Only my mind occupies me, my sole solace, lying as a chaotic scramble of dreams, fears, memories and knowledge, locked away beneath my surface. Beneath the varnish. Beneath his brushstrokes.

The faint, rhythmic pitter-patter of water dripping through the neglected roof echoes around the room; past the solitary wooden pillar holding the beams up, past the cluttered boxes filled with dolls and boardgames now hidden by a thick blanket of dust, past the half-finished paintings of brown florals, past the stained diagrams, maps and poems pinned against the wall. I know every stroke, every word and every label. Beneath them, my father’s desk lies covered in sheets. Pages recounting his life, his travels, his hobbies and his stories. They remain unread by all- apart from the spider. The spider hangs observantly above his desk. Her silver trapeze sways gently as the draft picks up. I admire her for a few moments. Her wise eyes skim over my father’s handwriting. She looks up at me. Facing each other we feel an overwhelming sense of understanding. Of mutual agreement. Both of us live here, ensnared by these walls, each driven by our own endeavors. For her, days are spent threading webs across the room. She creates intricate designs, which catch the golden light that streams in through the cracked panes of glass. Her gossamer latticework grasps the outside world so bravely; so fiercely. The window seems to be no barrier for her. For me, I spend my days thinking; desperately trying to sharpen my mind whilst my circumstances successfully numb it. As I sit tucked against the wall, I live my life in the shadows. I can’t catch the outside world like she can. I can hardly see it. For me, the window cuts through my humanity. It locks me physically in here, too nervous to confront the parts of me that run through fields and climb trees. The parts that splash through rock pools and dig their fingers into the earth. The parts that are free out there.

A harrowing gust of wind shakes the room, echoing through the sky. The rocking-horse swings back and forth as the cracks in the wall let in a strong draft. It creaks softly on the floorboards as its expressionless face jeers out at the room before retreating back into the shadows. Its white coat is cracked and flaky, the paint drifting off its body, lifted by the draft. Like everything in the derelict room, its saddle is obscured by a deep layer of grime. Even its mane, once a cloud

of golden ringlets, is now matted against its neck. How long has it been since that mane has been brushed? Since a child has climbed onto the saddle? Since paint has been lathered across its wooden corpse? My thoughts are disturbed by a large rumble from outside as the room is suddenly illuminated by a blinding light. A thunderstorm. The window panes quiver in their frame, roared upon by the outside world itself. An oil painting of a bouquet of lilies crashes to the ground, pushed off its ledge. The outside world is claiming us for its own.

The wind bellows against the walls as another crack of electricity stabs through the sky. Grasping for some sense of comfort, I peer over at my father’s desk once more. A creased photograph lies propped against the wall, its chipped golden frame resembles my own ornate cage, although much smaller. My father’s kind eyes peer over at me, as if to say “I still remember you. I still cherish you. I still love you.” He is posed in the garden, holding a brush in his right hand and a palette in his left. The easel is positioned away from the viewer, as the photographer’s gaze instead falls upon my father. On his smile. I still remember those days in the garden. The memory of the sweet scent of lilac wafts through the air, clouding my mind with a bittersweet breeze of nostalgia. He hasn’t forgotten me. He can’t forget me. I’m sure of it. Further observing his desk, I gaze into a small mirror that is perched against a pile of books. I see my eyes, my face. I see the violet gown I’m dressed in. I see the grandfather clock behind me. Its cold metal hands hang in place, crystalised by my father’s brush. It does not tick. It cannot tick.

A loud crash reverberates through the attic as the window howls open, letting the elements flood in. The shelves’ contents plummet to the ground. My father’s photograph is pushed, face first onto the floor. I can no longer see his eyes. Quickly following suit, the mirror slips too, shattering upon impact. My father’s pages flail through the air, as softly as petals from a rose bush, offering a sense of tranquility to the chaos. The dust is cleared from the toys. The remaining flakes of paint flutter to the ground in a flurry of white from the rocking horse’s corpse. The spider’s webs are blown away. Paralysed with awe, I watch the rain spit into the room, blurring the ink of the pages and maps. My cheeks feel pink and raw against the cold, harsh wind. This is it. This is the outside world. It smells of pine and damp grass, clearing out the musty stench that once suffocated this prison. I breathe in deeply, filling myself with the crisp air, choking back tears as I redirect my eyes towards the window. And for a long time I just sit there, gazing up into the tempestuous abyss of clouds, feeling the wind ripple against my gown.

Mathematics

The Maths department continues to encourage pupils to look beyond the curriculum, offering lots of opportunities to extend learning.

Maths Extra

Last year, an additional lunchtime drop-in session was offered to P7-S2 pupils for additional support with Maths. This year, we have opened this up to S3 as well, and every Tuesday Lunchtime, Maths Extra is run by Mrs Johnston and Ms Thomas.

Maths Wi Nae Borders

Following the success of our S3 team in the Mathématiques Sans Frontières last year, this year we had a couple of younger groups take part in the Scottish competition, Maths Wi Nae Borders. This involved answering problem solving questions, where one of the questions was written in Scots. Our Primary 7 team got a special mention for being the standout Primary entry, giving even the eventual winners a run for their money!

Junior UKMT Team

Maths Challenge

For the first year since the pandemic, the UKMT ran their Junior Team Maths Challenge. Teams of two S1 pupils and two S2 pupils competed in several rounds, including a crossnumber and a relay race. We had two teams participating; our team of Conor, Sanjay, An and Isaiah were awarded full marks in several rounds, but were just pipped to the post, coming second overall.

Mathématiques sans Frontières

After our first prize in last year’s Mathématiques sans Frontières competition, our S4s were keen to prove themselves again this year. To add a bit more competition, the team from last year was split into two teams this year - ¡No hay problema! (Mr Williams’ class) and Pioneers II (Miss Blair’s class - a nod to the team name last year).

Both teams performed well, with ¡No hay problema! coming in second place and Pioneers II coming in joint sixth.

Albyn Primary Maths Challenge

For the third year, the Maths department hosted what has now become our annual Albyn Primary Maths Challenge. From the first event in November 2022, the number of pupils participating has almost doubled; this year we hosted over 60 enthusiastic P6 and P7 pupils from eight local primary schools, as well as from our own Lower School.

Whilst there is an element of competition, the emphasis of the morning has always been on working together and having fun with Maths.

There were several rounds, including some group tasks, a relay race, and the round which is always everyone’s favourite known as the Train Game.

The winning team consisted of P6 and P7 pupils from both Ferryhill and Albyn.

Enterprising Maths Finalists

For the second year in a row, our team of S3/4 pupils came second in the very challenging independent schools’ heat of the Enterprising Maths Competition, and made it through to the Scottish National Final. The team had a great day at the Glasgow Science Centre, where rounds included solving tricky problem-solving style questions themed around Greek Mythology, and constructing a model of an Archimedean Solid.

The team of Hop, Jonathan, Yasmine and Lily improved on the placing of the team from last year to finish 8th out of 59 teams from across Scotland.

8th

in Scotland

UKMT Success

Albyn pupils have had lots of success in the UKMT Maths Challenges this year.

SeniorCompetition(S5/6)

Five pupils achieved a Gold certificate

IntermediateCompetition(S3/4)

Six pupils achieved a Gold certificate

JuniorCompetition(P7-S2)

15 pupils achieved a Gold certificate, including Isaiah T and Bea L who both answered 23 out of 25 questions correctly!

Particularly impressive was Hop N (S4) who competed in the Senior Maths Challenge and answered 25 out of 25 questions correctly. He was also recognised for getting the best score in Scotland for his year group in the Intermediate (Maclaurin) Olympiad for the second year running.

Hop achieved the highest score in Scotland!

Could you have answered one of the questions Hop got correct?

QUESTION: p, q, r and s are two-digit primes which between them use all the non-zero digits except 5.

What is the value of p + q + r + s ?

Modern Languages

Modern Languages

At Albyn School we are committed to fostering a love for language learning, nurturing each pupil’s confidence, and promoting a sense of belonging within a global community. Learning languages not only equips pupils with essential communication skills; it unlocks new perspectives, builds empathy, and enhances cultural understanding.

This year our pupils have amazed us with their commitment to language learning and we have celebrated many successes with our very talented young linguists.

26 September celebrates European Day of Languages - marked throughout Europe as a way of celebrating the different languages we speak in our world. At Albyn School, 45% of pupils in Upper School and 57% of pupils in Lower School can speak more than one language and there are an amazing 30 different languages spoken by the Albyn community!

This year, the theme of EDL was languages for peace and our pupils spoke about why they think languages are essential for living in a peaceful world through a poster competition run by the Council for Europe.

In class, our S1 pupils took part in a quiz where their general knowledge of languages and countries was tested and our senior classes took part in a Routes into Languages webinar run by languages students from Manchester University where they found out about the paths and careers open to them through the study of another language. Our catering team also got in on the fun with a themed lunch, traditional dress and flags to decorate the canteen.

Lower School

Our younger pupils competed in the British Council’s “Celebrate Speaking” competition in February and we were delighted to discover that P3B were awarded a prize for best French song for their performance about animals. Their video was chosen by the French Institute as one of their favourite performances.

17 pupils from primary 6 and 7 sat French exams this year. The DELF exams (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française) exams are official diplomas that assess proficiency in French, recognised globally and aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). These pupils sat exams in reading, writing and listening and held a 15 minute conversation in French with examiners from the French Institute in Edinburgh. Bravo to Aaron, Alexa, Alice, Amber, Annabelle, Asma, Athithy, Daniel, Dobrochna, Emil, Emilia, Emily, Felix, Harper, Kaima, Riaan and Raegan.

UK Linguistic Olympiad

There was notable success in the Upper School too with Ahyan S, Daniel S, Seffan J and Krishan Gobtaining a Bronze Certificate in the category of Breakthrough in the UK Linguistic Olympiad.

They faced three problems: the first one was about the Devanagari script, used to write Hindi, the second one was about Fur, a language spoken in Sudan with nearly 800,000 speakers, and the third problem related to Saisiyat an indigenous language from North-West Taiwan spoken by under 6,000 people.

In German, Lilia W (S4) and Nazar L (S5) achieved remarkable success in the Anthea-Bell Translation competition. The competition, which is run by Oxford University, attracted 22,000 participants this year and Nazar was level 3 area winner for Scotland with Lilia picking up a commendation for her entry.

In French, Elizabeth B (S6) was runner up in the Jacqueline MunroLafon Essay Competition. This annual competition is run by the Franco-Scottish society and this year’s essay title was “Climate change and global warming threaten both the cultures and the very existence of mankind.” You can read Elizabeth’s submission here

Assistants

We have been fortunate to have two native French assistants working with our pupils this year. Laura Danel Molina joined us from October to December and worked with our S3 to S6 pupils helping them with their spoken French. In January, Nolwenn Sauté joined us and shared lots of fun activities with our pupils, teaching us about Breton culture and traditions.

S5 and S6 pupils studying German enjoyed weekly help from Rossella Miccoli, a final year Honours student from Aberdeen University. We are very grateful to her for helping our pupils and inspiring them to continue their language studies beyond school and we wish them all the best for their future careers.

Meanwhile, Latin continues to thrive, with increasing numbers of pupils wishing to study for N5 and Higher. We have been moving over to the new Fifth Edition of the Cambridge Latin Course, which has more opportunities for young people to learn about the relationships between the Greeks and Romans and other cultures and people groups in the ancient world. In October, S2 celebrated Black History Month by finding out about Ancient Ethiopia and how it featured in Greek and Roman History and Mythology.

Bonjour!

On the 3 October we welcomed pupils from Lycée Jean Jaures in Reims, France to spend a day in Albyn school shadowing some of our pupils. A highlight was finding out about the different political systems in France and the UK in Modern Studies with the French pupils giving an impressive presentation in English. A highlight of their annual trip is our pupils teaching them traditional ceilidh dancing and they later recreated an open air ceilidh on their visit to Dunnottar Castle.

The Duolingo App is a great way to keep up language learning out of class and we have a highly competitive Duolingo leaderboard in Albyn School.

Wawrek D and Kitty D have the longest day streaks with Kitty in S3 dedicating 1529 days to learning French and Wawrek in S2 with 1370 days of Spanish.

Scottish Association of Geography Teachers Quiz 2025 The Scottish Association of Geography Teachers holds an annual quiz featuring local, regional, and national rounds. At Albyn, our Geography Club meets every Monday lunchtime, with part of the session dedicated to preparing for this exciting competition.

On 16 May, we took two teams to RGC to compete in the local and regional rounds. Our pupils performed brilliantly, securing an impressive 1st and 2nd place! They tackled a variety of challenging topics, including Geography in the News, The Geography of Germany, OS mapwork, and much more.

The winning team—Taylor B (S3), Jacob K (S2), and Thomas B (S1)—went on to represent Albyn at the national finals at Dollar Academy on Tuesday 10 June.

Geography Business Studies

This year, for the first time, a team of 5 of our sixth year pupils, studying AH Economics / AH Business Management, had a chance to be involved in a fantastic financial learning opportunity - the global investment challenge run by the Wharton Business School at University of Pennsylvania.

The team challenge was to create a long-term investment portfolio for a hypothetical client, based on this client’s background, risk level and other information. Pupils analysed the client’s portfolio to decide on their investment goals and developed an investment strategy tailored to the client’s priorities. Pupils had $250,000 of ‘virtual cash’ and used the competition’s stock market simulator to invest in various investments including shares, exchange-traded funds from US and international stock exchanges as well as US treasury bonds. This provided them with a hands-on environment to learn about investments and portfolio management, while working with real-world data without risking real money.

As part of the competition, pupils learnt about stock markets, commodities, investment strategies and how to analyse a company and its financial statements, such as balance sheets. Income statements, ratios and cash flow statements. They undertook qualitative and quantitative analysis, which included analysing the current macroeconomic and political situation’s impact on stock market trends, in light of Trump’s election as US President, rising energy prices and falling interest rates in the US and UK.

While it wasn’t our day this time, we are incredibly proud of all that our Geography teams have achieved in recent years. Now, we’re turning our focus to preparations for next year’s challenge!

Ethics cup

This year a team of seven pupils (Ether S, Sara S, Fiona F, Evie P, Bennet T, Meera T and Johnathan T) from S4-6 competed, firstly in a regional competition then, having triumphed, in a national final where we were tragically unlucky in being given the toughest case due to the toss of a coin! This is however the end of the story rather than the beginning so lets go back a little.

The Ethics cup is a national competition where the quality of the reasoning and explanations from the team count for more than the actual decisions they make when they are presented with difficult ethical dilemmas. The cases for the competition are released in advance so pupils have time to research and prepare responses but when the competition begins all notes are left behind.

Pupils had to produce an investment strategy ‘elevator pitch,’ a mid-term report and final report outlining their strategy and investment rationale. The winning team was selected on the strength and articulation of their overall investment strategy and competition experience rather than the percentage growth of their portfolios. While our pupils didn’t make the semi-final this time round, they gained valuable skills, knowledge and hands-on experience. This included strengthened team working, communication, presentation, report writing, market and business analysis skills as well as gaining knowledge of stock markets and investment strategies. All of which strengthened their UCAS applications and helped them decide on a suitable career path.

Young Enterprise

S5 pupils participated in the Company Program where in a Team, they came up with a Business Idea. They carried out Market Research to ascertain if there would be any interest in their product. This proved to be positive and they set to work at creating their products using sustainable resources. Numerous Trade Fairs were attended where pupils came up against friendly competition from local schools & a means to network with pupils of similar age. A number of pupils went on to complete the Young Enterprise Exam where they were assessed on their role within the team and how they overcame any challenges that may have arisen.

The team did fantastically to win the regional competition and progress to St. Andrews the hosts of the UK final. In the first round of the finals they faced Belvedere academy, a school in Liverpool, and came out worthy winners with all three judges awarding them victory. The team won the coin toss and chose to be team A, it is at this point that things become more nerve-wracking as only after the coin toss does the team know which case they are going to present which is terrifying because the group of seven have to select five for the round prior to this information being shared. What if the pupils who have prepared the case are not in the team when their case is drawn? Thankfully there was a spreadsheet in place to crunch the numbers and put forward the team that should be the strongest in each round.

Round two was the teams bye so having a bit of time we observed the next opponents for a while then had a little walk to see some of St. Andrews but far more importantly get some ice cream. Having enjoyed our ice cream (or two for Esther!) our thoughts returned to the third round and our opposition Eton college, again the spreadsheet was used and a strong team put forward, at this point we knew that a good performance would take us through to the semi-finals. Both teams did very well, it was going to be close, the judges awarded overall victory to Eton by the score of 2 judges votes to Eton and one draw, however and this could be crucial, the judges also award points out of 60 for each round. This is getting very tense! Albyn school were equal on points with Eton, ahead of Eton on judges votes but, had lost to Eton in the head to head! Which criteria do they use to determine the winner?

Having rushed to the central scoreboard and the two postgraduate students in charge of it we had to await

somebody who actually knew what was going on, following some tense moments the decision was in, we were through! Having progressed by the skin of our teeth, with Eton left in last place due to the judges’ votes being the deciding criteria, on to the semi-finals we go! There we faced an old rival, Elgin Academy. Having met in the regional round the rivalry goes way back to January, where we were victorious, Elgin’s place in the finals secured by way of being the best runners-up. Elgin arrived in the room first and took their position closest to the host, little did they know how important this would be. Albyn arrived and took their positions, now having lost two team members who needed to hustle back to Aberdeen to perform for music day! The host turned to the teams and fatefully asked Elgin, the team closest to him to call the coin toss, they called correctly and decided they wished to be team A, there was an audible sigh from Albyn who had customarily chosen to be team A throughout the regional and now national finals. Elgin presented their case, there were some errors, the team from Albyn sensed their opportunity, their moment was coming. The host now presented them with the case, it was case number 2! The audible sighs from 20minutes earlier were replaced with moans and groans. This was the most difficult case in the entire competition, the exact one nobody wanted and everyone was talking about all day. Having presented a solid response in the most trying of circumstances the pupils and the room all looked towards the judges, the first voted in favour of Elgin, the second in favour of Albyn, the whole room looked to the third and last remaining judge he spoke about the quality of the arguments but nobody heard the words he was saying we all awaited the actual result…Elgin! The Albyn team had performed admirably and a certain unimpartial observer still feels as if they had done enough to get to the final but it seems it was not to be this time around. Next year perhaps it will be our time!

This year, pupils from Primary 3 to Primary 5 had the exciting opportunity to step into the science laboratories for a term of hands-on learning. Each year group explored a range of investigations, with pupils actively leading their own experiments by choosing which variables to change—encouraging curiosity, independence, and critical thinking.

Primary 3 pupils explored the science of sound, creating “screaming cups” and measuring the decibel levels using sound meters. They also investigated UV light and discovered the protective power of suncream through practical experiments. Primary 4 linked their learning to their IPC topic, Ancient Civilisations, by mummifying fruit and investigating the science of forces. Meanwhile, Primary 5 embraced more complex investigations—making bouncy balls, designing their own working versions of the game Operation, and exploring the properties of hydrogels and UV light.

To celebrate their learning, pupils showcased their work at a Science Fair, presenting their findings with confidence to peers, teachers, and family members. It was a joy to

see how engaged and enthusiastic they were, using accurate scientific vocabulary and demonstrating a real understanding of the topics they explored.

Primary 6 and 7 attended weekly science lessons, looking at topics such as how Cholera spreads to the effect of forces on parachutes and submarines. The pupils have demonstrated excellent scientific thinking in these lessons and are developing their scientific communication skills.

We are incredibly proud of the pupils’ achievements and can’t wait to welcome them back to the labs next year for more discovery, collaboration, and scientific fun!

Techfest

Primary 3 had a fantastic STEM day with Techfest, who guided us through a session on ‘Georgian Aberdeen.’ We explored what Aberdeen was like in the past, what was important to the city, and then imagined what we would want in a city of our own.

In teams, we planned our dream cities, considering what was essential and what we didn’t necessarily need but really wanted! This is where our imaginations ran wild—some cities featured flying coconuts, countless ice cream shops, and exciting water parks!

The Techfest team then taught us how to create 3D buildings using card, and our cities began to take shape. They are still a work in progress, but soon, we will showcase our creations and discuss their similarities and differences. This links back to our current IPC unit, ‘Different Places, Similar Lives.’

Primary 6 had a lesson with Techfest as well and we were learning about ‘Georgian Aberdeen’ through bridges. Pupils have been previously learning about Victorian Aberdeen and the architecture of the city and this session helped to improve our understanding of the architecture of Aberdeen further.

In teams, we planned and then created a bridge that would be able to hold and support objects. We had a variety of methods and designs with some bridges long and flat, some had foundations and some had high sides and flags!

Pupils enjoyed designing and building the bridges and also enjoyed watching their bridges being tested!

Chemistry

S2: Bath Bomb Challenge

Our S2 pupils embraced their curiosity and applied their growing knowledge of chemical reactions, reaction rates, and acids and bases to design and create their very own bath bombs. Working in teams, they experimented with different methods, tested their results, and refined their techniques. The excitement reached its peak during a friendly competition to discover which group could produce the fizziest bath bomb! Each team then confidently presented their process and findings to the class, building both their scientific understanding and their communication skills.

Nat 5: Fire Extinguisher Experiment

One of the most memorable moments for our S3 pupils came during the culmination of the ‘Rates of Reaction’ topic, when they used their scientific knowledge to create working fire extinguishers—then put them to the test by extinguishing real flames. While some groups achieved dramatic success and others faced challenges, every pupil demonstrated confidence in applying their learning to real-world problems. The activity also highlighted the importance of teamwork and perseverance, showing how collaboration can lead to creative solutions.

Royal Society of Chemistry UK Chemistry Olympiad

This year, pupils from S4 to S6 took part in the prestigious UK Chemistry Olympiad, organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Known for its rigorous challenges, the Olympiad pushes students to explore advanced topics and apply their knowledge in novel, real-world contexts. Despite being a post16 competition, several of our S4 pupils took part, showcasing impressive confidence and ambition.

Participants tackled complex questions, from the chemistry of Agarwood in perfumes to the science behind clay pigeon shooting cartridges. We are incredibly proud of all who took part, especially Jonathan T (S4), Sara S (S6), and Cameron D (S6), who achieved Silver Awards, placing them in the top 25% of competitors across the UK. An outstanding result.

Biology

This year was a little different for the Biology department, with Miss Emma Main being on maternity leave and Miss Tara Thomas joining the department for the year. Miss Thomas has made a great impression on the pupils in the department with her enthusiasm and kindness and we thank her for her efforts and wish her well for the future. Miss Main rejoins us in August as Mrs Anderson!

As usual it has been a busy and productive year with almost 100 pupils being presented across National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher in Biology and Human Biology. In addition our S1 and S2 pupils have been working hard across a variety of topics, improving their knowledge and skills of all things biological.

Our budding Biologists love the opportunity to explore their natural environment and this session was no exception. All S1 pupils spent the day outdoors on our Environmental Day in May, exploring the environment around Hazlehead Park, while our S4 pupils visited Collieston Beach and the River Dee to carry out their fieldwork. The S4 pupils had the added benefit of a glorious bright and sunny day - there was even paddling in the sea!

There was also great effort, enthusiasm and success outwith the curriculum too, with pupils in S2 and S3 entering the UK Biology Challenge, pupils from S3-S5 entering the Cambridge Biology Challenge and S6 pupils taking part in the UK Biology Olympiad.

Once again the Cambridge Biology Challenge, a team competition where pupils research a question and present their findings in any form they choose, resulted in much discussion. The first question - does behaviour fossilise - had pupils delving into stories such as that of the toddler that died in Southern Italy 17,000 years ago of a possible congenital heart condition. We then moved onto discussions on the biology of our favourite winter themed organisms, why we dream and what animals might dream of, before the final question - to discuss the biology of any mysterious event, organism or phenomena! There are 778 teams that have entered this year’s competition and our top team this year, the team of S4 girls otherwise known as the Chromo-crew, currently sit in 8th position, with one set of results to go.

Engineering, Design & Technology

In P6 our pupils have experienced two brand new topics. In Engineering Design, pupils were set the challenge of picking a ping pong ball up from a distance using limited resources. Pupils completed the engineering design process of researching, designing, building prototypes, testing and iteration. In Mechanical Engineering, pupils have built small air powered cars and raced them in a drag race competition. After using a template design, pupils learned about streamlining, rolling resistance and the effect of weight to build a car of their own design.

Our P7 pupils completed a project on Technology Innovation. In this, they researched about advances in technology over the last century, learned about emerging technologies and designed a technology of the future. Some examples include a flying motorhome, a room that would selfdecorate for Christmas, and a portable 3D printer to create anything as and when you require it. In Electrical Engineering pupils learned about energy transformations, the national grid and how we generate electricity. They completed a project to build a functioning wind turbine from a DC motor and recycled material to generate a voltage.

S1’s completed a project on Environmental Engineering. In this they researched real-world sustainability challenges to design a solution. Within their solution they considered social, environmental and economic impacts throughout their supply chain and how it fitted into a circular economy. In Robotics Engineering, they learned about the importance of giving complete and explicit commands within programming. They finished this project by constructing a small robot to move around a course or complete a dance routine.

In S2, pupils began with Structural Engineering. They learned about forces, materials and types of bridges.

The end of topic project involved designing and building a bridge from paper straws, lollipop sticks and glue. Pupils were required to design their bridge to a specific budget, planning and buying their materials in advance or risk the project running over budget. In Electronic Engineering pupils learned about basic series and parallel circuits and resistance. Their project was to design a circuit to a given specification.

Engineering Science in our senior phase continues to grow with two S3 classes this year plus over 10% of the national cohort of Advanced Higher pupils. Our Advanced Higher pupils completed particularly impressive projects this year including a pin setter for a bowling alley and an anti-skid system for a plane.

In our co-curricular offerings, we have had recent success in regional competitions. A group of S2s won the Aberdeen round of the IET Faraday Challenge.

Using their experience from their Electronic Engineering project, they designed and built a child’s toy of a robotic clown.

A team of S2 pupils travelled to Inverness to compete in the Global Underwater HUB STEM challenge. Pupils were challenged to build and program a robot to move around a course. The competition was very close and our pupils earned a well-deserved second place.

Physics

The Physics department has enjoyed another engaging academic year with pupils readily embracing the topics we have covered in each year group.

Our S1 pupils have enjoyed their first year in the Upper School journeying through Key Skills, Forces and Sound and Music.

Our S2 pupils have expanded and extended their exploration of the subject and consolidated their practical skills in topics including Forces, Light and Space.

Our certificate classes have continued to progress through each syllabus and have enjoyed the challenges and progression they have experienced.

S1 and S2 Physicist Profile Project

As part of our EDIB topic, pupils were tasked with choosing a physicist and compiling a profile about their life, work, achievements and contributions. In particular, pupils were tasked to consider:

● What challenges/barriers did they face?

● If they were alive/if they lived in today’s world now, how would things be different for them in society?

● Were they recognised during their lifetime or posthumously?

This then formed the basis for some meaningful and insightful discussions about equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

S1/2 Debates as part of British Science Week

To mark British Science Week, our S1 and S2 pupils engaged in a variety of debates which were linked to current topics of study and issues relating to our society today.

S1 pupils completed research on their chosen energy source and argued their case for being awarded funding for their project.

S2 pupils debated whether or not we should send a human mission to Mars.

All pupils participated with enthusiasm and energy and were able to share their thoughts and perspectives. It was really impressive to see the wide range of contributions enabling pupils to embrace other crosscurricular skills such as literacy and public speaking.

British Physics Olympiad

The department has expanded the opportunities available to now include P7-S6 pupils and this year we had a wide variety entering various competitions which are detailed below along with results:

Congratulations to all pupils who took part and benefitted from the experience. The newest additions to this list which include the Years 7 and 8 and Junior online challenges are taking place in May.

Particular congratulations goes to:

● Vasiliy M (S6): Gold in Round 1 competition

● Leya O-W (S3): Gold in the Junior Astro Online Challenge competition.

● Turner (S4): Gold in the Intermediate Online Challenge competition.

Computing

Classes

P7 pupils led the way this year with some exceptional skills building (extending our design unit through use of Minecraft to animate World War 1 trench layouts) but by far the most impressive has been creating computer code which is currently on the International Space Station as part of the Astro Pi Mission Zero challenge. These programs have been designed to make use of some of the sensors on the space station, as well as entertain the astronauts as they go about their work. The S1 pupils demonstrated their understanding of the concepts covered this year by working together to complete an escape room challenge. Some of the S1 classes also created engaging whole school material for Internet Safety Week, celebrated at Albyn in mid-February.

S2 pupils began the year learning about the implications and ethics of Artificial Intelligence, using this knowledge to inspire hand-drawn computer animations in Art and Design. Most recently the classes were introduced to text-based coding through the CodeMonkey platform.

Our S3 National 5 classes competed against each other in November to create the most impressive digital advent calendar which also demonstrated the HTML, CSS and Javascript skills they had developed.

The S4 National 5 class performed exceptionally well in the national Ada Lovelace Capture The Flag (CTF) competition, beating teams from Scottish Universities enroute to a tie-break final round after seven teams achieved 100% in the competition. Congratulations to “The Right Side of the Room” team who placed 3rd nationally!

Higher and Advanced Higher classes benefited from a variety of visiting speakers who kindly gave up their time to share their journey in the technology sector. Jack Laundon described his path into a cyber security undergraduate degree at Abertay, while Darren Douglas and Pete Preston hosted a series of interactive presentations on the growing number of opportunities in the AI industry.

Co-curriculars

The coding club and variety of Esports opportunities have kept the Computing Science room busy almost every lunchtime of the week! It has been fantastic to watch students work across year groups on coding projects or join teams to enhance their Esports performance. We are looking forward to the forthcoming upgrade to the Computing Science facilities to enable our students to enter local and national competitions next session!

Perse Coding Team Challenge 2025

The Perse Coding Team Challenge is an online competition for P7-S4 students with an interest in developing their coding skills as part of a small team. Students work together in their teams to submit short code solutions to a range of challenges which increase in difficulty. Teams who progress from the initial qualifying stage can compete for the Braben Cup and other prizes. This competition aims to help bridge the gap to the British Informatics Olympiad.

This year thirty six Albyn School students took part in the national competition, a four-fold increase on the number of teams last year. Prior experience paid off, with five S3 and S4 students qualifying for Round 2, and while we didn’t manage to attain any of the prizes on offer this year, our school ranking continues to improve.

Congratulations to Aakash K, Ben A, Bennet T (S4), Ali R and James L (S3) who showed great teamwork to achieve “merit” in the competition this year.

Thank you to all who took part and look out for more events, competitions and opportunities through the Computing Science department in the near future.

Creative Arts

Well, what a year in the Creative Arts Faculty have had. From class teaching, to competitions, co-curricular and performances, it has been a busy one full of creative flair, hard work and enjoyment.

The Art, Drama and Music Departments have all written about what’s been going on for them throughout the year both in and out of the classroom. I thought I would take some time to highlight and congratulate the pupils and the Creative Arts Team for the many many things that we have had going on.

Autumn Concert

If we cast our minds back to October, over 160 pupils took to the stage with full gusto for the Autumn Concert. Featuring the Orchestra, Covers Band, Guitar Ensemble and much more, I couldn’t be more proud. To those of you that came along to watch, thank you for continuing to support us and show commitment and encouragement to all we do. The commitment from staff, pupils and parents to make the event a huge success fills my heart with joy. Here are a few words from the Music Department’s superstars Miss A and Mr C:

Our Autumn music concert was a resounding success leaving the audience smiling and cheering from start to finish. Our young performers dazzled on stage with their singing and playing. From choirs to recorders; from ukuleles to guitars; from orchestra to cups (if you know, you know). This concert showed the diversity of instruments and music that is heard throughout the school every day, in classes and in our co curricular activities. The energy and dynamic of our performers were matched by our fantastic supportive audience who truly brought the concert to life. Thank you!

> Miss Addison

The concert successfully showcased a huge breadth of talent at Albyn from P3 to S6, beginners to exam pupils, soloists to large ensembles, and highlighted our diversity through a range of genres including gospel, jazz, pop, musical theatre and classical. I think we succeeded in communicating our passion for music as a school, and promoting the idea that it is a joyous experience that brings us all together.

> Mr Cowling

Christmas Performances

Christmas then took hold and that meant a lot of events in the Creative Arts Faculty. Our LS and US Choirs as well as our Jazz Ensemble did us extremely proud, performing at Fountainhall Church and The P&J Live to help raise funds for NSPCC, Childline and Pounds for Primaries. These events are a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to make a difference in the community as well as gain invaluable experiences performing to a vast audience.

In school saw Miss Addison, Mr Cowling and Mr Somerville pull together pantos, nativities and the stunning musical performances at St Marks Church.

Burns

In our inaugural representation at the competition, our amazing pupils Angus, Sabi, Harper, Miranda and Lottie competed in a variety of categories pushing their comfort zones and representing our school marvellously. Their performances achieved outstanding success at the prestigious Burns Federation North East Scotland Competition, bringing home multiple trophies and medals, and making us extremely proud.

The annual competition, which celebrates Scottish culture, took place at Portlethen Academy, and saw talented young competitors from schools across the region showcase their skills in recitation, singing and instrumental performances.

From the NE competition we send a huge congratulations to:

• AngusD(S1)–1stplaceforinstrumental(seniorschool)

• Sabi B (S4) – 3rd place for verse (senior school)

• Harper L (P6) – 1st place chanter (primary school)

• Miranda S (P5) – 1st place P4/5 singing and best overall Burns Musician in NE Scotland.

Blue Lamp Jazz

In the New Year, we continued our performance schedule outside of School with our Covers Band and Jazz Ensemble playing at the famous Blue Lamp. It was such a great venue steeped in Jazz history. Performing with the NE Jazz Ensemble and Aberdeen City Music School, our pupils were part of a superb display of music.

The Great Gatsby

Ending February with style and class was Miss Williams’ production of The Great Gatsby. Huge congratulations to Miss Williams and the cast for a wonderful show. The collaboration and ensemble connection was a joy to watch. More details on page 84.

The Scottish Opera

In March, we welcomed The Scottish Opera in school. Primary 6 & 7 pupils rehearsed The Tale o’ Tam o’ Shanter with the team from The Scottish Opera, bringing their hours of hard work together from their time spent learning the material with our fabulous Music teachers. It was such a wonderful day of creativity and fun, immersing in the Creative Arts, giving the pupils the chance to work with industry professionals as they rehearsed and performed altogether. Our parents thoroughly enjoyed the extravaganza as the hall was transformed through Tam’s journey.

Angus continued his success at the National Final in March gaining 1st place. Miranda will compete in the National Final later this June.

We are unbelievably proud of them for representing Albyn and showing the utmost confidence performing in the competition. Their achievements not only highlight their individual talents but also reflect our commitment to promoting Scottish culture and the arts.

Federation National Competition

Matilda

At the end of March our pupils took to the stage to perform Matilda Jr for three nights of standing ovation.

The most wonderful thing about the whole production was the whole team coming together, from staff, to pupils, to parents, to former pupils, to outside professionals. We worked tirelessly in rehearsals, behind the scenes, on stage, late at night, early in the morning… you name it, it was a huge team effort.

Huge thank you to all involved for a slick, professional and highly entertaining set of performances and never ending memories. The West End stages await you all!!!

Scottish Samurai Awards

In a dazzling display of talent and cultural pride, Albyn School pupils Angus D (S1) and Aurelien D (P6) captivated audiences last month at the Scottish Samurai Awards with a carefully choreographed duet. The ceremony, celebrated for honouring excellence across a range of disciplines, witnessed these young musicians not only take centre stage but also receive a prestigious award in recognition of their exceptional services to Scottish culture.

Established in 1994 by Ronnie Watt OBE OSS, the esteemed award ceremony celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields embodying the spirit of excellence and cultural exchange between Scotland and Japan. Held at Broomhall House, the ancestral home of King Robert the Bruce and his family, the event was graced by guests including dignitaries such as HRH Prince Mayolein MacDonald OSS Taisho, HRH King Temple MacDonald Jamala II OSS Great Taisho, Dr Joseph Morrow Lord Lyon King of Arms and Charles Edward Lord Bruce OSS Grand Marshal.

The afternoon culminated in Angus and Aurelien each receiving ‘Order of Scottish Samurai Cadet’ awards for their services to Scottish culture, followed by a captivating piano and violin ensemble that celebrated Scotland’s rich traditions. The young musicians expertly fused tradition, innovation and maturity with their performance and were met with enthusiastic applause from their audience.

Musician of the Year

This years’ Musician of the Year and Sherriff’s Cup competition is set to be an unbelievable display of talent and endeavour as our finalists take to the stage at Fountainhall Church on Tuesday 10 June. For the first time, our MoTY Final will be held externally to allow one of our finalists to play on the organ. To make things even more special, we will be hosting a whole program of events throughout the day for our parents and community to drop in to enjoy. Whether it is the String Ensemble playing in the gardens outside or our Covers Band belting out one of their favourites, we will end the term with Music for all.

This remarkable opportunity follows a triumphant time for creative arts at Albyn School, with Angus recently achieving 1st place for instrumental at senior school at the Burns Federation National Final and Aurelien currently holding the Albyn School ‘Young Junior Musician of the Year’ award.

These unique opportunities celebrate emerging talent and help to build confidence, teamwork and ambition in pupils, just some of the key qualities that Albyn School seek to instil within their pupils. This wellrounded development fosters leadership, resilience and a deep appreciation for heritage and the arts, qualities that empower them to embrace challenges and excel in prestigious platforms like the Scottish Samurai Awards.

This event will mark our first full Albyn Music Day that we hope will grow and flourish in years to come with a chance for our whole faculty to showcase and entertain you all.

I truly am so unbelievably proud and grateful to the whole team in the Creative Arts for their expertise and dedication to our pupils. We make a vibrant, at times crazy and definitely passionate bunch who want to give our pupils the chance to find their voice, to be who they want to be and to thrive in the freedom of the Creative Arts. Here’s to an amazing year and to what lies ahead in next years’ creative bubble!

Art at Albyn

The Art Department at Albyn School stands as a testament to the institution’s commitment to cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and artistic excellence among its students offering a comprehensive curriculum that includes drawing, painting, 3D, ceramics and printing. and designers, and so they have an appreciation and understanding of the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

In Art we explore the Visual Elements: line, tone, colour, texture, shape, pattern and we develop the skills, which enable pupils to record and express their feelings, ideas and observations. Pupils build on their knowledge and experience each year by extending their exposure to and experience of different media and techniques. Work is project based working with a variety of media with 2D and 3D outcomes.

They work with traditional and new media, developing confidence, competence, imagination and creativity. Within the department projects are planned to allow all areas to be covered and that progression and continuity can be purposefully built in.

“Our mission is to provide pupils with the tools and support they need to express themselves meaningfully and confidently through art,” says Miss Holdsworth. The success of this approach is evident not only in the accolades pupils have received, but in the vibrant, evolving body of work that adorns the department’s studios and hallways—visual proof of a thriving artistic community.

P4-S2 are taught in the Art department for a double period a week and as an option for S3-S6 where they will study National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher. In addition to the curriculum art lessons, the department also runs a co-curricular programme of activities, events and competitions. We follow the National Curriculum for art and design which aims to ensure that all students produce creative work, explore their ideas and record their experiences.

We teach them to become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques. Students learn to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design. We introduce them to a variety of past and present great artists, craft makers, photographers

Competition winners

We have had some recent competition success stories. Two of our Lower School pupils’ monster designs were chosen by renowned ‘Great Pottery Throw Down’ winner AJ Simpson to be made into ceramic monsters by them.

Also one of our Primary 1 pupils’s self-portrait was recently chosen to be exhibited online and displayed at the Royal Academy of Art Kids Summer show in London - chosen from over 23,000 submissions.

THE GREAT GATSBY

Our February production of The Great Gatsby was a real highlight this session: an ambitious and impactful reimagining of the classic text by F Scott Fitzgerald.

Catherine G brought to life Gatsby’s hope and capacity for wonder, balancing this with the more mysterious aspects of the character’s past. Serena S gave a poignant performance as Daisy, highlighting the sacrifices necessary to thrive in a society which prioritises and protects wealth above all else, and Evie P gave an excellent performance as Tom, never shying away from communicating the dislikeable aspects of the character.

In the Valley of Ashes, the industrial neighbourhood which contrasts so bleakly with the excess of Gatsby’s parties, Emma-Grace D and Taylor W as Myrtle and George powerfully captured the desperation of their characters- and its devastating consequences. Observing all of these events unfold, Nick, played with great sensitivity and attention to detail by Aveline S, was, like the audience, left feeling disenchanted by the ‘careless people’ created in Fitzgerald’s original novel.

The production featured a talented ensemble, with memorable cameo roles such as Harriet J’s hilarious portrayal of Mrs McKee and Sadie B as the enigmatic Wolfsheim. Music was a key element in the production, creating a timeless world in which 1920s classics co-existed alongside Lady Gaga, Johnny Cash and AURORA.

The movement sequences created in collaboration with Christine Devaney from Curious Seed brilliantly captured both the excess and emptiness of the world of the play. The production was ably supported by a fantastic crew led by Lawsound and our in-house tech team of Brooke B, Georgia C and Ana Y.

Congratulations to all involved in this great collaborative achievement, bringing to life a classic play which feels as timely now as it did when it was first written.

Music

After a long absence it is great to be back in the music department and to see it just as busy as always. I have missed taking the various vocal groups which were well nurtured by Mr Cowling in my absence. We have restarted the Vocal Ensemble with a healthy number of pupils across the P7 to S6 range. This is a group where we can really hone the skills of our most dedicated singers. Focusing on technique and vocal production this group happily tackles more demanding pieces.

Choir

As well as Vocal Ensemble I have started taking the Upper School choir and I am very proud to see so many attending. It is particularly exciting to see so many boys taking part too. This gives a richer overall sound to the choir. Since January we have learned two songs in very different styles. ‘Keep it Moving’ from the new film version of the Color Purple which is an uplifting, rhythmic and joyous song. To contrast this we have reintroduced singing in latin with a beautiful setting of Agnus Dei. With our seniors on study leave we are learning the popular ‘Die with a smile’. This is going to be a spectacular burst of sound and energy as we highlight most of the music department in one go. The Upper School choir will sing along with the covers band and orchestra, if that wasn’t enough the primary 5-7 classes will also add their voices.

It is great to be back into the swing of things and taking the Upper School choir every Friday is a highlight of my week. Mr Cowling is really enjoying teaching and inspiring the Lower School Choir. Since January, LS choir have had fun learning songs and moves from musical theatre, primarily “Food, glorious food” and “Any dream will do”. They thoroughly enjoyed singing the very upbeat version of “Jerusalem” as part of their Easter celebrations. They look forward to joining the US choir for the Closing Ceremony.

Recorder Ensemble

This year, the Recorder Ensemble have pushed themselves to play duets and trios featuring improvisation passages. They performed 2 folk songs from memory at the Autumn Concert, and contributed to the Christmas Fair with an assortment of carols. They look forward to moving from descant instruments to treble and tenor counterparts in the future.

Ukulele Group

In only its second year, the Ukulele Ensemble has expanded its repertoire of pop songs. Comprising of Upper and Lower school pupils, the ensemble contributed to the Autumn Concert with a rousing performance of Katy Perry’s “Roar”. The group’s current output encompasses rock’n’roll, reggae and latino hits.

Covers Band

Our school covers band is going from strength to strength following our successful gig at The Blue Lamp! We continue to meet every Wednesday lunchtime, expanding our repertoire and sharpening our sound. We’re thrilled to welcome our new vocalist, Emmi, whose energy and talent are already making waves in rehearsals. Exciting times lie ahead as we gear up for our first ever “Music Day” performance, followed by a unique open-air concert - “Lunchtime with a Twist”! Get ready to experience live music like never before - we can’t wait to share it with you!

Jazz

Fresh from our fantastic Blue Lamp performance, our Jazz Ensemble is back in action with short but spirited rehearsals every Monday breaktime—when everyone remembers, of course! We’re currently polishing a couple of jazz standards in preparation for our Music Day event in June. One of our latest additions, “Flashdance,” has quickly become a favourite - especially with Miss Addison (hands up if you’re old enough to remember the movie!). We’re looking forward to sharing our groove and swing with you all soon!

Curriculum wise we have reintroduced teaching Music Technology from primary 7 upwards. This opens up music to another set of people, even if you don’t like performing you can still express yourself and make music. Each term pupils have a different project to complete which ties in with the more traditional elements of listening and performing. This year we have already made electronic versions of Samba, Soul Music and the Sugar Plum Fairy. In general this is working towards our goal of being a more integrated and inclusive department.

As you can tell we have had a busy and exciting year, yet again! We really look forward to continuing to impress and wow our audiences with the enthusiasm and talent of our pupils next year. Thank you to everyone who supports our music events. It is so important for us as a department and the pupils. Happy Holidays!!!!

& Sport

Lower School

Football P3/4 Team

The Albyn P3/P4 football team train on a Wednesday and play matches at football festivals on a Saturday morning. We sometimes play at Milltimber or other times at Harlaw playing fields. We are coached by upper school pupils, PE teachers and parents of the team that help on a Saturday.

In training, we do drills to help us get better at football. After we have finished the drills we usually have a football match.

The festivals on Saturday morning are 5-a-side matches against other schools from Aberdeen. We usually play around 5 games that each last 10 minutes.

At training and the festivals, everyone always tries their best giving 100% all the time. Some of the team play club football and football is their favourite sport but for others it’s maybe not their favourite sport and they just want to try a different sport. The football has helped everyone in the team improve their passing, skills and shooting and we have lots of fun together.

At the festivals, we win some games and we lose some games. We sometimes play against friends who attend other schools and it is always nice to win when we play these games! Even when we lose we are not sad as we know we have tried our best.

Playing football helps people meet new friends from other classes and in the year below. This means outside football, we know more people and we can play with them.

The highlight of the year was when the team were awarded Albyn Team of the week after doing very well in one of the football festivals last year. We got a team photo and a brownie. Everyone who plays in the team was very happy and we all enjoyed the brownie.

We will start to play football again after the summer. The festivals will then be 7-a-side. Now we have made friends as a team, we hope to get better and win as many matches as possible while playing for Albyn School.

> Finlay S (P4)

P5 Team

P5 football have had a great season to remember with great moments we had 13 wins and 3 losses everyone has enjoyed every minute they’ve improved a lot from last season.

Their amazing win against Kingswells 25-2 gave them a lot of confidence, Xander K 4, Dylan K scoring 9! Harrison B scored 4, Rowan B scoring 2, Fraser M scoring 2 and Tireniogo scoring 1 we scored minute after minute. Xander K scored a Free Kick from the Halfway line! Everyone played really well with passes going all over the field.

Albyn lost 3, however they bounced back with lots of wins they fought throughout the whole game but now we have learned from these losses and worked together to come back better than ever. We were resilient and made some comebacks like against Culter F.C

Star players Albyn have a great team but also have some standout players such as Xander K a strong and battling midfielder that controls the game with

speed, Dylan Knight a great striker who scored pretty much 4 or 5 goals a game. Sean N who has left but was the star player as an amazing defender who no one can get past. Harrison B is the king of headers and is also good with the ball. We all practice daily in the playground practicing skills,and we look forward to training on Tuesdays and Saturday and matches on Saturday we do running first then we do a passing drill then we do shooting and we finish off with a match and on other Saturday we have matches or festivals it helps us become better players.

Albyn vs Cults 2-2 until Sean played the corner into Harrison and he was first to the ball and scored a smashing header in the last minute of the game.

We went wild when we saw the ball hit the back of the net 3-2 to Albyn!! And Albyn won the match 3-2 with an important last minute goal from Harrison B.

Albyn had a fantastic season with goals, drama, teamwork, empathy, resilience, leadership and did well in the end with Dylan K top scorer with 24 goals Xander K with most assists 21 and we look forward to more games and in the future.

> Xander K (P5)

P6 Team

Our Primary 6 football team train on a Tuesday and play 7 a-side games on a Saturday. This year has been enjoyable because we have been able to play lots of matches and we have played well in those matches. We have received the ‘Team of the Week’ award two times this season for competing at our highest level and for trying our best.

This year we have been working on our passing and shooting skills as well as improving our teamwork skills. We have had many new players in our team this

season and hope to keep everyone together on our footballing journey throughout the years.

We play against schools from the local area in our league games and we have been playing better football as the year has gone on. This will help us throughout our journey as it will encourage us to get better and be ready for competitive secondary school matches.

Training and games are fun as we get to play lots of football and we get to play in all weather conditions and play in all of the seasons.

> Harper L (P6)

P7 Team

The football season was great! We had wonderful players in the team, 12 in total : Daniel, Damisi, Eni, Alex, Fred, Cameron, Jamie, Abas, Emon, Aaron, Gabe and Innes. The formation of all these great players consisted of; Fred as the goalkeeper, Damisi, Alex, Cameron and Gabe as our defenders, in midfield we have Daniel, Aaron, Abas and Jamie and our forwards are Eni and Innes. This line-up gives us a very strong team.

Our favourite memories of Albyn Football: It was our first match of the season, at home against Colter. The score was 8:2. This was a brilliant performance from all our players and especially Fred, our keeper who saved three amazing shots which helped us get a well deserved win.

In one of our matches against rivals Fernielea, the highlight of the game was Cameron’s halfway line goal which was meant to be a clearance.

The game finished 8-7 to Albyn. We were all really happy at the final whistle because it was getting very tense and edgy.

3:

Daniel’s double hat-trick against Fernielea shocked the opponents and the fans. This was an amazing win for the team because everybody contributed, from Fred in goal, to Eni and Innes up front!

Jamie and Abas’ two first-time passes leading to Jamie scoring with a great first-time finish in the bottom corner.

Damisi and Aaron both scored a hatrick in the same match which was the last game of the season where we won 8-5. We played really well as a team and started off strongly scoring 3 goals in the first 5 minutes!

P7 football was the best along the way we learnt that if you are 7:0 up you don’t stop working this season was the best season for all the players

Netball

P4/5 Netball

The Primary 4 and 5 netball club takes place from 3:35pm to 5:00pm every Tuesday. We have been training extremely hard this year and have made lots of progress. We play warm-up games such as Golden Child and games with the bean bags. We have been working on positions such as goal shoot and centre. We’ve also been practising footwork. We are lucky to have Ellie and Nate, two senior pupils, helping us

When I first joined the club last year I found it very difficult. I couldn’t score and it was hard to pass the ball to others. But my coach was very kind and patient and spent about an hour each week showing us pupils how to improve our skills. Little by little I improved my shots, footwork and passes. I also learned the importance of teamwork, as playing together we scored more points.

At school, I have had the opportunity to play several other sports, and I still miss the netball club as I found it great fun playing alongside my friends. So my question for you P4 - 5 pupils reading this article is: Why are you waiting to join the netball club?

> Valeria L (P5)

P6/7 Netball

In Netball we train every Tuesday after school until 5:00pm. Our Netball coach is Miss Howie and sometimes Mrs Noble coaches us as well. This CoCurricular helps us develop our skills for netball such as shooting, passing, catching and teamwork. This year we haven’t done any matches or tournaments but we have been training hard all year. Doing exercises such as pepper pot and Golden Child.

Last year we played a Netball match against St Margaret’s at Robert Gordon University. We won 6-4. We also went to a Netball Tournament against lots of schools. After the first round there were different leagues. There was a Bronze League, Silver League and Gold League. We qualified for the Gold League. After playing all the teams in the Gold League it was time for awards and we placed 5th in the Gold League.

> Vivian R (P7)

Lower School and Upper School Skiing

As Ski Captain, I am proud to have witnessed an incredible year of achievement across all levels of Albyn School’s ski teams.

During the SSSA dual slalom qualifier Albyn A achieved an impressive second place in the senior open category. This result led us to a place in the finals in Edinburgh against schools throughout Scotland which is an amazing achievement that gave us the opportunity to come together, support one another, and learn from every race. Despite the hard competition, we managed to win one of our four races, which emphasised the growth and potential within our team. Albyn A was proudly represented by Emily K, Anaya K, William K, and Katy H.

Our Albyn Senior B team also had a great afternoon, winning one face out of six and showing great progress. It’s been very inspiring to watch how much each skier has improved this season, not just in technique but also in their confidence and competitive spirit.

The younger skiers in our Albyn Primary team also performed very well, winning three out of their six

races and it’s clear that the future of Albyn skiing is in great hands.

Albyn School also performed well during the Robert Gordon competition, where we had the chance to race in a mixed team alongside students from other schools in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen. This was a unique experience that not only challenged us in new ways but also encouraged teamwork beyond our own school. One of the mixed teams, which included our own Emily K and Anaya K, finished an impressive third overall.

Internationally, William K represented Albyn at the highest level. Competing in both the British and English Championships in which he placed 16th out of 60 in both the Super G and Giant Slalom disciplines. Even more impressively, this placed him 11th among British competitors overall. William’s dedication and performance have been inspiring and set an excellent example for the rest of the team.

Overall every skier, from our primary team members to our international racers, contributed to an amazing year. As captain, I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished!

> Emily K (S6)

Upper School

1st XI Football

This season for the Albyn Seniors has been one of what-ifs. Our season began with a home game against ISA, a team with a knack for beating us early on in the season. We were all unsure of how we would gel as a team, with many S4’s stepping up into starting roles. Despite this, the boys battled hard and got into a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes to go, before collapsing to suffer a 4-3 opening day loss. Despite the disappointment of the loss, the boys took courage from the performance and were in great spirits ahead of our Scottish Cup First Round game against Waid Academy.

The game against Waid was potentially the best game of our season, with Aiden scoring our goal of the season past their Dundee United goalkeeper to put us 1-0 up early in the second half. Unfortunately, Waid Academy nicked a late equaliser to take the game to penalties. Only one penalty was missed throughout the shootout, with that penalty sadly being an Albyn penalty. Waid Academy advanced.

The boys continued to play well in games against RGC, High School of Dundee and Gordonstoun, but struggled to see out games despite this. Unfortunately, tight disappointing losses meant that our season fizzled out. The boys played some exceptional football and scored some brilliant team goals throughout the season, but just didn’t have the grit to see games out at times.

Our final game of the season saw us travel away to Merchiston School. Despite playing below par, the boys were clinical and won 5-2 to close the curtain on our season. Looking back, we were extremely unlucky

at times, and with a few slightly different outcomes, our season would have looked a lot different. Despite this, the boys grew over the course of the season and ended the year as a well-gelled team, ready to take next season on.

> Philip O (S6)

S1 Football

2024-2025 marks the first season that the S1 football team plays football in the academy. There were different boys from different schools all joined up in Albyn school, choosing to play football for our school. We all enjoyed playing football this season and from time to time got better knowing each other and working as a team much better. The team includes the following S1’s : Adnan A, Katie A, Harris B, Joe B,Thomas B, Noah C, Mikayeel C, Freddie C, Harris D, Mark F, Jacob G, Tjesh G, Ethan G, Ivo H, Benjamin K, Shane M, Sadie M, Ali M, Makua O, Ishbel P, Adrian P, Omas S, Alfie S, An T, Noah V and George W.

The boys played their first game at their home pitch, Milltimber against West Hill Academy. There was much excitement coming into this game. Unfortunately the boys lost at home 15-0. While there might’ve been heads down, that was just the first game. For the next few matches we got better slowly but proceeded to lose again and again. The team spirit wasn’t to be seen yet by the team until a game at Dyce would have changed the spirit. The boys travelled to Dyce away with a 1-1 draw in the end with the team’s hopes positive and great. After that match we then continued to face other teams with lost’s in the end but with small margins in each game. From time to

time we understood each other’s game styles and how we played effectively as a team. Another good game we played was against Old Machar. We did lose 5-2 but in the second half we were outstanding playing them like a game of chess. We played Robert Gordons twice with the first game almost having us winning where at one point we were winning 2-1 but unfortunately we got beat 4-2 away. The next time we played them saw us lose 6-2 but we tried our very best. Finally our last game of the season so far was against Gordonstone at home. The boys were ready and were going to give out their best. They proved it to be successful as we beat Gordonstone 7-1 and got our first win to round the season off with a win.

In a few weeks we will face Orkney where they will be coming up to Aberdeen. But Gordonston was the last game of the season and saw us with delightful expressions. We all hope to play a better brand of football and try to give other teams a harder time on the pitch next year. That rounds us off with the season and the team now is better than ever.

> George W (S1)

S2 Football

The Albyn under-14’s season was a season with many great performances but not a lot of wins. The team never gave up and always kept going.

The season started with the chance to go on tour to Edinburgh. The tour was great fun however the results did not go so well as we lost 4-2 to Winchburgh Academy and 7-0 to The Royal Highschool of Edinburgh. These were difficult games but the team kept fighting until the end. Our first home game was against Aberdeen Grammar School. It was a difficult match against a great team that ended in a 9-1 loss.

The first game in the Scottish cup was also difficult and we played a very well set up Lochside Academy at home and lost 9-0. This loss then allowed us to drop down into the Scottish plate where we got our first chance to play an away fixture. We played against Kirkcaldy High School where we won 4-1 with a great performance. This was our first competitive win since we started in S1.

Sadly, the success was not continued as in the next round of the Scottish Plate we lost 6-1 to a good Culloden Academy team. Our next game was a much better performance where we lost 3-2 to Lochside Academy in a very tight game with lots of great play from both teams. The result showed how much we had grown since our first game against them.

The final game of the season was a great moment for the team where we played a fantastic Hazlehead team and came from behind to win 3-2. It was a great way to end the season and showed the teams improvement throughout the season.

This season was not a season with a lot of success but the team had a great season and improved a lot. The team are now looking forward to next season where they can hopefully get some more success and finish higher up the table.

> Ross A (S2)

U15 Boys Football

An admirable “third-place” finish for Albyn’s Under-15s football team.

The team’s season started with a bang. They bagged a 6-3 win in the league against St Machar, at home, with R.Mackay, Selim and Obosi each scoring a brace.

The first round of the National cup against Ellon looked promising but didn’t go as planned. A 2-5 home defeat forced the team to reflect on mistakes made and how improvements could be implemented going forward.

An away day to old Machar was a must win match to stay in the battle for a top three finish in the league. The boys lead 2-1 at halftime but, despite Wilkies peptalk, the home team re-gained the advantage with the score going to 3-2 after the re-start. The team had to do something to change the outcome. With only 15 minutes remaining Grieve scored the equaliser with Obosi scoring a top corner goal to seal a dramatic win for Albyn. The race for top three was on.

The football team travelled to Gordonstoun for the first round of the international school cup (ISC). With many key players missing the team had to give 110% to move onto the next round of the tournament. With full time ending in a 2-2 draw, Lindsey scoring both goals, the game went to penalties. Both teams were able to score 4 penalties, however Twist anticipated the direction correctly to deny the fifth spot kick and Fraser scored the winning penalty. Through to the next round.

The quarter-finals against Merchiston, held at Spain Park, required a huge effort from the team. The away team opened the scoring but Obosi, with a sneaky shot in the bottom corner, levelled the score. The goals kept coming. Grieves’ hat trick added to Albyns final victory of 9-2, sending them soaring through to the semi’s.

For the away trip to Robert Gordons a special guest was added to aid the team- Aberdeen Youth Player Joel Okhouya. Both teams had chances and tensions were high. The home team were the first to score, but we weren’t going to give up. A free kick from McDougall went smashing into the back of the net but was disallowed by the referee after a deflection off

Adenshina. After that the home team scored, giving them a 2 goal advantage. Half-time and quitting wasn’t an option. Lindsey was able to score a great weak foot volley, making the score 3-1 however, it wasn’t our time. The final whistle blew and Albyn was knocked out of the ISC. Despite the loss the team put in a solid effort.

Albyn U15’s have had a great season, finishing third in the table and reaching the semi’s-finals of the ISC. A great team and huge potential for next season.

> Euan M

(S3)

U15 Girls Football

This season has been an unforgettable journey for our U15 Girls Football team, one filled with moments of learning, perseverance and growth. Our passion and dedication was visible right from the first training session of the season. Throughout the season we competed in many friendly matches against different schools, with us winning the majority of our matches. As well as friendly matches, week in and week out, we fought against tough opposition in the U15 Girls Aberdeen League, but we met each challenge head-on with determination, ability, and unity. Whether it was fighting to secure important results in difficult situations or displaying moments of quality, we effectively showed fantastic teamwork and communication throughout the season. Our consistency paid off, and as the season progressed, it became clear we were in the running for something special in the league. Finishing second in the league was a massive achievement and a testament to the hard work that was put in by every player and coach. As well as the league, we also had high hopes for the Scottish Cup. The Cup presented a different kind of intensity and excitement for us, and we went into it hoping to get far. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were knocked out earlier than we

would have hoped, in a game against a challenging opposition. It was a tough result to take, but we accepted it in our stride with maturity and a positive mindset, using our disappointment as motivation to finish the season on a high. Our setbacks didn’t define us; instead, it highlighted how far we’ve come and how much potential we have.

> Paige P (S3)

1st XI Hockey

Looking back on this 1st XI hockey season, we can see more than just wins and losses. We can see a team of players that started off never playing together, to becoming a close group of girls who enjoyed playing hockey together.

We started our season off on a strong high, with a weekend trip to Glasgow. We played two matches across the two days which ended in good results, with some bowling and pizza in-between. The trip was a great way start the season as it gave us a chance to bond as a team and learn more about each other. Another high for the team was making it to the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup. We had beaten Selkirk High School in order to get to the quarterfinals. This was the best match we played this season, because not only did we come out with the win, we also felt like it was the first time we played as unit, a real team. Being a relatively young team we knew it would be harder for us to progress in the competition, and unfortunately didn’t make it further as we faced a strong St Aloysius team in the quarterfinals. Even though we would have liked to have progressed further, we were really proud of the effort and resilience of the team to progressing to the quarterfinals in the first place.

Throughout the season there has definitely been some frustrating moments. There were tough games against Grammar were we couldn’t pull away enough to secure the win. Or the game against Gordonstoun at home where we started off strong but we let the game slip away from us due to some defensive lapses. However, overall, these moments led to us being hungrier, wanting to be better as a team.

More effort was put into the gruelling Monday night and Saturday morning training sessions in order to get the results we wanted. Highlighting the determination of each team member.

This season has definitely had its ups and downs. But without the bad games we wouldn’t have built the determination, trust and grit as a team which made the highs possible.

> Erica B (S6)

S1 Hockey

This year, the S1 Hockey Team have worked towards learning new skills and developing their teamwork. For the majority of the team, this has been their first year learning and playing hockey. The entire team worked hard on Mondays to improve themselves and the team. To gain some more experience, the school organised some friendly matches to help us understand how a proper match would play out. As the season progressed, the margin of loss became lesser and lesser. Our coaches have worked with us to give us as many chances and opportunities to progress such as recommending hockey clubs to improve our playing and offering more training times on Saturdays, which many members of the team have taken into account and started participating in. This year, Hockey has been a new and exciting opportunity due to the coaches, the players and the game (hockey is great)!

We thank all the coaches, players and parents who have made hockey happen this year. And we hope to have an even better season next year than we already have had this year with improvement, dedication and the amazing coaches around us!

> Marion M M (S1)

U15 Boys Hockey

Boys hockey at Albyn was introduced a few years ago and every year we are achieving more. This year’s ‘first evers’ for Albyn boys hockey were having our first ever 11-a-side match against RGC which we won 4-0 and this secured us our first ever ‘Albyn team of the week’ award and our pic on the stairs! Our team has a range of abilities with some players in the north district squad, to some who are completely new to hockey but we all work together as one team and share advice to younger or less experienced players.

In December we started off the season with 2 wins in a row, beating both grammar and RGC. In March, as we came up against more experienced players from Grammar, we couldn’t maintain our streak and lost both matches, 4-2 & 2-0, Despite losing these games we saw by far the best performances from some of our players. We now have one more chance to regain the title of the Queen’s Road Derby when we play grammar for the final time this year in June.

> Cameron P (S3)

S1 Netball

It has been a great year for the S1 netball team. We have really enjoyed competing in the Scottish Cup and making it to the quarter final match for the plate. It was a very tough match and the score was really close even though we didn’t win. It has been so fun to participate and make it so far. Netball has been the highlight of the year for many of the S1s. During

matches, fun tournaments and even training we have all made amazing progress with our netball skills and have made memories we will remember forever. We have all worked so hard this year and look forward to hopefully progressing even more next year.

> Anaya K (S1)

S2 Netball

This year, our S2 netball team really stepped up our game - improving our gameplay and teamwork both on and off the court. We started the season with a closely fought friendly against Hazlehead Academy, which set us up for a competitive season. This was followed by our first Scottish Cup appearance against AGS. Despite not having the results we wanted during the first half of the season, our teamwork was strong, with skills and confidence levels building. Our B team had a lovely performance against Harlaw, showcasing excellent skills. One of the A teams standout performances was a win against High School of Dundee - putting us through to the quarter finals of the Scottish Plate. We then went on to place second at the Junior B tournament, with an obvious improvement in our attacking. Unfortunately, our Scottish Plate journey ended at the quarter finals with a close game against Wick High School. The determination of both teams really shone through towards the end of the season picking up a good result at the S2 tournament and various other friendly matches. Overall it was an amazing season, where everyone enjoyed netball to its fullest - which is always what matters the most!

> Olivia M (S2)

Senior A Netball

This season has been one of determination and resilience for the Senior A netball team as we experienced both wins and losses. We opened the

season with a few tough matches that ended in unfortunate defeat. However we did not let this hinder our morale as we used this as motivation to work hard in training. This perseverance led us to a dominant win against Aberdeen Grammar School in the Scottish Cup. This win was supported by two S4 players who stepped up to assist us in attack.

Introducing new, younger players to our team allowed us to unlock versatility that was completely new to us after finishing last year’s season. Although introducing change can be challenging, between weekly training and matches our team dynamic was truly strengthened by the end of this year.

Another highlight of our season was a fierce match against Lathallan, which ultimately ended in a 27-28 loss.

Despite the close score, the whole team showed great maturity and patience as they continued to play the ball around the circle and kept calm in attack to work the ball to turnovers instead of panicking due to pressure.

In conclusion, both the ASSNA league and the Scottish cup this year presented opportunities for growth for all of our players and exposed us to a high quality netball that all of us, leaving and staying for next year, will benefit from.

This season has built upon an already strong foundation for success of the Senior A Netball team, and we look forward to seeing its further development.

Senior B Netball

Our Senior B team made great progress during this year’s season.

The team faced challenging teams but managed to come out on top on numerous occasions, most notably, dominant performances against Harlaw and Ellon. Another highlight was a well matched draw against St Megs, where the players demonstrated impressive grit and teamwork under the pressure of a close score.

This season has left great preparation for the players as they will step up into the Senior A team next year. The lessons they have learnt from matches and training have shaped them into stronger and more versatile players.

We look forward to seeing these players progress as they take on new challenges in a new league next year.

> Anna C and Phoebe R (S6)

Laser/Pentathlon/Rifle Shooting

The modern pentathlon team started the year off with seven of us taking a short plane ride down to Loughborough University to represent Scotland in the world school games. Over the 4 days we competed against some of the best athletes throughout England in a series of four events consisting of OCR, swimming, Laser pistol shooting and running. A tough weekend was finished off by returning with an impressive total of 4 medals across the individual and relay events.

The following November a few of the team qualified for the British championships in air rifle and pistol shooting and travelled down to Birmingham to compete. Although no medals this time, the experience alone was incredibly valuable, offering a chance to compete at a national level, gain exposure to top tier talent while building experience under high pressure situations.

Recently, our team took part in a target sprint event. The event involves running 400 metres, followed by shooting five targets with an air rifle, then repeating the 400 metre run and shooting sequence, and finishing with a final 400 metre sprint. Several team members delivered outstanding performances, given that this was their first time competing in a target sprint. Thanks to their efforts, a number of them have successfully qualified for the British Championships, which will be held in Wales this September.

> Molly M (S5)

Athletics

It has been a great year for athletics and cross country at Albyn.

In March our athletics team had a chance to compete at Hopetoun House in the secondary schools cross country championship. With over 1400 other competitors and a very hilly course it was a tough race. Our team did well and we narrowly missed out on a team result. With our top runner only missing out on qualifying for the Schools international athletics board cross country event.

Later on during March Albyn hosted the annual cross country championship at Balgownie. There were many great results with Jess D winning her race. The Albyn teams also did very well with lots of success in the team events with medals being won in almost every race.

Albyn also looks to take part in the community by taking part in local races. Run Balmoral was another massive success. With Nathan L defending his title and

setting a course record and Blair Blackwood finishing in a close second. Along with good races at the metro prom series which we have competed in for the past few years with lots of success and improvement in the kids and their running.

Nathan was also given the opportunity to compete down at the Emirates stadium where the world athletics indoors had just been held. Nathan was at the Emirates for the 2 days of competition and managed to qualify for the finals and raced well there.

At Albyn there is a great opportunity to train and perform in athletics with top level coaching from Nichola Crawford and a supportive and adaptable PE department. Athletics and cross country along with all other sports is a key part of the culture at Albyn as we believe in building persevering and adaptable students in and away from our academic studies.

> Nathan L (S4)

Albyn Cross Country Championships

Support for Learning

This year has been one marked by professional development, community engagement and a steadfast commitment to early intervention for the Additional Support for Learning (ASL) Faculty at Albyn. Our collective efforts have not only enhanced our practice, but also reinforced our dedication to fostering an inclusive learning environment for all pupils.

Professional development: Advancing Expertise

Faculty members, this year, have undertaken a variety of professional development courses and qualifications, underscoring our commitment to staying at the forefront of best practice in supporting learners with additional support needs. This has included team members completing courses on GTCS Dyslexia professional recognition, Dyscalculia identification, Inclusive Practice, RWI Fresh Start intervention, Autism and ADHD. These professional learning opportunities have equipped our team with the latest strategies and insights, enabling us to better meet the diverse needs of our students.

Celebrating Neurodiversity Week: A Community Effort

March saw our school come alive with activities during Neurodiversity Week, a global initiative that challenges stereotypes and celebrates the strengths of neurodivergent individuals.

A highlight of the week was a thought-provoking talk by Dr. Shannon Babbie from the University of Aberdeen, who shared valuable perspectives with S5 and S6 pupils on neurodiversity in education.

In the Lower School, our Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) sessions provided pupils with the opportunity to engage with literature that highlights neurodiverse characters and themes, fostering empathy and understanding. The front reception area was also transformed into a vibrant display, inviting visitors to learn more about our commitment to inclusion.

Poetry Pie

As part of my GTCS Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice Programme that I’m undertaking this year, I’ve been running a lunchtime club called Poetry Pie, which supports early intervention through fun, engaging literacy activities.

Open to children from P1 to P3, the club focuses on developing phonological awareness, building confidence with rhyme and rhythm, and sparking a love of poetry and reading. It’s been a real hit with pupils, and I’m excited to continue running it next year.

> Mrs Gundersen

Collaborative Learning: Partnering with Holy Family School

A significant initiative this year was our collaborative professional learning days with colleagues from Holy Family School. This exchange allowed our faculty members to engage in meaningful discussions about best practices across our two schools for pupils with additional support needs. Sharing experiences and strategies has enriched our approach, strengthening the partnership between our two schools.

Early Intervention: Laying the Foundation for Success

Recognising the importance of early intervention, we implemented poetry and phonological awareness groups for some of our youngest pupils this year. These sessions aimed to develop foundational literacy skills, providing students with the tools they need to succeed in their educational journey. The positive impact of these groups has been evident, with noticeable improvements in pupils’ confidence and abilities.

Library

The Mackie

Library is

a

popular place for studying, reading,

and homework. Every break and lunch, pupils make the most of the tranquil atmosphere.

New S1s played the Reading Game in the first term, helping them to see what’s in the library. For November’s Book Week Scotland, our S1s stepped up to the challenge, changing English classroom doors into book covers. It was a hard choice but Coraline (Mr Howden’s class) got the judge’s vote as the winning door. To round off term 1, disguised book characters and seasonal puzzles caused a lot of head scratching as pupils had fun solving them.

The Author Project ran for most of Term 2. Each S1 had a new fiction book to read, were tasked with researching its author and creating an informative poster about them. Our student teacher kindly judged all the entries. Mr Williamson decided on four winners, all receiving a Waterstones voucher.

Sections of the library boosted by new stock this year include dyslexic-friendly novels, neurodiverse fiction, and S3/S4 section. The new display stand has been key to promoting thematic resources, eg black history, narrative verse novels. In the new year we

sent around 20 boxes of older stock to Books Abroad for them to distribute to countries most in need.

Passing the Mackie library on 6 March, you may have felt transported to Hogwarts School. That familiar theme tune could be heard, the room full of cloaked pupils. S1, S2 and S3 pupils took part in a Hogwartsthemed digital escape room, amongst other Potterish activities: Marauders’ maps, invisible ink, word searches, anagrams. Everyone got involved and it was great to see the library as an active learning space.

Everyone can be a bit forgetful, but this year has been unique for strange items left in the library. A tooth left behind seemed to be the strangest item. But no, a few weeks later Mrs Macpherson found a small bottle labelled ‘Venice Canal Water.’ There’s nowhere quite like Albyn, is there? Keep reading and making everyone smile!

Warrack Library Highlights

Accelerated Reading (AR) continues to encourage and challenge our readers, which now includes the P3 pupils. Our AR pupils have achieved more than 3000 quizzes this year, that’s 3000 books read and counting! A brilliant achievement.

It was extra bright and cheerful when primary classes turned their classroom doors into book covers in celebration of Book Week Scotland, last November. Each floor had a winner: Elmer (yellow), The Twits (red) and Where’s Wally? (blue).

The library itself is looking brighter thanks to the addition of some smart noticeboards, generously donated by ASPA. Your next reading suggestion might be there, courtesy of our reader recommendations.

This year we have replaced and improved lots of non-fiction, to help supplement our curricular topics. Other improved sections are our Scots picture books, Scottish non-fiction, and dyslexic-friendly reading.

World Book Day

At the World Book Day assembly it was fantastic to see so many creative costumes, staff too joined in, dressed as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory characters. Ms Ross has to get a special mention for staying in character as Violet Beauregarde! Later in the day Mrs Macpherson went to a very interesting talk about one of our FPs. Definitely the only Oompa-Loompa in the audience, glowing orange.

For WBD lots of teachers generously shared the books that have stayed with them, from childhood or teenage years. Their book choices are currently on display. Perhaps you might be inspired to pick up one of their favourite novels.

Mr Martin

A book that stands out for me is Boy by Roald Dahl. I remember reading this in primary school and it was the first autobiography I ever read. This was such a change from the usual fiction I would read and it opened up a whole new reading experience for me.

Mr Cowling

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I loved this book for its rich texture and honest exploration of family relationships overcoming obstacles of separation, political unrest and war. Hosseini understood the enduring power of love, forgiveness and redemption.

Little People Big Dreams

This year we have replaced and improved lots of non-fiction, to help supplement our curricular topics. Other improved sections are our Scots picture books, Scottish non-fiction, and dyslexic-friendly reading. Little People Big Dreams biographies are new additions too. Their popularity is phenomenal with three being borrowed every day!

Mrs Macpherson thought it would be interesting to ask all our Lower School pupils what their Big Dreams were. Your wonderful dreams for the future were displayed for World Book Day.

Croatia

Fun in the Sun!

The week in Croatia allowed us to explore and discover a new culture, and to push ourselves in an alternative environment. We went through a carousel of biking, which allowed us to explore the beautiful countryside on the Island of Vis and visit the secluded Stiniva Bay, where many of us jumped off small cliffs and swam in crystal clear blue waters; hiking up some spectacular hills and swimming in Barjoška Bay where Mama mia was filmed; a military tour that introduced us to hidden tunnels, atomic shelters and cannons which are no longer functional; and kayaking between some small bays with snorkelling off the beaches of the picturesque Adriatic sea. When we returned to Split after four nights in Vis, we visited Diocletian’s Palace, which was shockingly ginormous and featured incredible architecture. Although we were plenty busy in the day, the evenings allowed us to unwind and explore the lovely little towns of Vis and market areas of Split as well as unfailingly indulge in ice-cream. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Croatia, learning more about a region of the world, the majority of us have never visited.

> Anna S and Kate P (S5)

Lochgoilhead

71 pupils from S1 took part in the residential activities week trip at Lochgoilhead on the West coast of Scotland.

Throughout our journey at Lochgoilhead we faced many challenges and took part in various activities, including watersports, climbing and exploring the wilderness. Of the activities we can collectively agree that ‘All Aboard’ was the group favorite. ‘All aboard’ looks like a big telegraph pole with a small platform at the top. The challenge was to get four people on the top platform at the same time - this required individual physical challenge and teamwork to help each other onto the top with a lot of trust needed! The least favourite was the ‘Burn Run’ that involved clambering in our wetsuits up a deep stream. It wasn’t that we didn’t enjoy the ‘Burn Run’ but it was VERY cold! During our experiences we further developed some of our attributes such as bravery, teamwork, ambition and resilience. Examples of this are when we did some of the climbing activities. A lot of us were

nervous of heights and then felt brave because they had successfully completed the obstacles we faced and overcome our fears. For resilience many of the water sports had very cold water so people used their resilience to get through it. An example of teamwork is during the raft building when we all worked together to build a working boat that could float and go certain distances. This also shows ambition because we only used wooden poles and barrels to build the raft.

To summarise, this adventure has been one of adventures and we have learned some valuable skills and lessons and joined in with fun activities even if it was new to us. In the end Lochgoilhead has been memorable and a great success for everyone.

> Finlay F, Shane M and Harris W

Switzerland

At the early hour of 1:45am on Sunday 1st June, 21 pupils and three staff set off from Edinburgh to Geneva, Switzerland, ready for a week of discovery, challenge, and fun. We arrived to glorious sunshine and dove straight into a unique walking tour where teamwork and problem-solving were key. Pupils worked in groups to solve puzzles across Geneva’s museums, investigating a fictional disappearance while exploring the city’s rich history—including the panoramic copper model of Geneva at Maison Tavel, which we reached after climbing every step to the atrium. Over 5 miles of the city were covered that afternoon!

On Monday, our curiosity was put to the test at the Botanical Gardens, where pupils saw real-life examples from their recent Biology lessons. At the History of Science Museum, they examined anatomical exhibits and experimented with microscopes and vintage lab equipment. A boat ride across Lake Geneva brought us to Geneva Plage, where we braved an icy obstacle course on the water. Teamwork was essential to navigate the inflatable obstacle course on the icy water—though laughter was guaranteed whether you stayed dry or not!

That evening, we enjoyed a local favourite— Flammekueche, a delicious flatbread that showed the German influence in Swiss cuisine.

Tuesday took us to the mountains for a taste— literally—of Swiss tradition. At Maison Gruyère, we watched cheese being made before sampling the famous Gruyère. At Maison Cailler, pupils became chocolatiers, crafting their own bars and learning the science behind the perfect snap. An interactive factory tour ended with a challenge to try all nine types of chocolate—only one managed it! Later, we explored the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, testing our speed on the 100m track and reflecting on global sporting unity.

Wednesday’s highlight was a visit to CERN. Pupils explored states of matter through an interactive science show and marvelled at ELISA, a proton accelerator used for historical research. In the discovery hall, virtual reality games and quantum challenges sparked endless curiosity and friendly competition. In the afternoon, the International Red Cross Museum offered a powerful perspective on global humanitarian work, encouraging pupils to

look beyond their own world. That night, we shared a traditional fondue meal, dipping together from communal pots in true Swiss style.

On Thursday, we explored the crypts beneath the Cathedral, where pupils were fascinated by the ancient ruins and layers of Geneva’s history hidden below ground. After stepping back in time, we climbed the Cathedral towers—170 steps that strengthened both legs and camaraderie—for a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. The final hours were spent wandering the cobbled streets of the Old Town, soaking in the atmosphere and reflecting on all we had experienced before beginning our journey home.

Paris

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit Paris for Activities Week. This was a fantastic experience, as it allowed us to practise our knowledge of the French language and try some authentic French cuisine.

Looking forward to this exciting trip, we arrived at the airport at around 4 a.m.—tired, but running on adrenaline. After a morning of flights, we arrived in Paris and took a boat trip down the Seine. This gave us the opportunity to see various French monuments while enjoying the sun and the breeze. After our first impressions of the city, we made our way to the hotel to check into our rooms and have a dinner of salad, rotisserie chicken, and apple tart.

The next morning, we made our way to the Stade de France for a guided tour and a chance to experience the life of football players. This was followed by a trip to Montmartre. We had lunch on the grass below the basilica before heading inside to see the beautifully intricate interior. We then wandered around Sacré-Cœur to see the various artists and souvenirs. We had the chance to eat some real crêpes and try some orange pressée. That afternoon, we made our way to a local football fixture to play against a local team. This gave us a unique opportunity to practise our French and meet new people. After a dinner of pizza at the Villeneuve club, we made our way back to the hotel to sleep.

The next day, we went to Disneyland. We had free rein of both parks, allowing us to try all the big rides. Our personal highlights were the Tower of Terror—a ride where you go up in a lift in a haunted hotel before being dropped—and the Indiana Jones ride, a rickety old rollercoaster. That afternoon, we had dinner at the Rainforest Café before heading back for the night.

On Thursday, we started the day by walking around the city centre, visiting the Place de la Concorde, Les Jardins des Tuileries, and the exteriors of the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay. We then took the Metro to the Eiffel Tower, where we had the opportunity to take the lift to the top and see the beautiful views of Paris. That evening, we went to a local French restaurant and tried some authentic French dishes.

On our final day, we went shopping in a shopping centre to try some food, buy souvenirs, and really practise our French. After a few hours of experiencing French shops, we made our way back to the airport for our journey home.

It was an amazing opportunity, and we are all thankful to Albyn and the team of staff on the trip for allowing us to have this experience. It was a fantastic week to spend time with friends, see iconic French sights, and learn about French culture and the French language!

> By Harriet J, Aveline S and Héloïse P (S4)

French School 08

This school year, the French School, with its new team and the renewed accreditation of the GS/P1 through the 9th/S3 class, has invested in consolidating its programs and numerous projects, while strengthening its ties with Albyn School.

The school, located on the landing of House 21, with its four classrooms, uses the common areas to share its work and exhibitions with the entire community.

Pupils were involved in the Vendée Globe solo race, in the Francophonie and its traditional crepe celebration, in the national short film competitions, the Little Reading Champions competition, the Dis-moi Dix mots competition, the Koala/Kangourou math competition, in theater, the celebration of women, equality of girls and boys, black history month etc.

Career opportunities were explained to Upper School pupils by parents as part of the Avenir program, and training for the former was offered to middle school pupils as part of the Health program.

All these actions perfectly illustrate the richness of our hybrid program.

Albyn

School’s Model

United

Nations

Club has had another very successful year.

The Club meets weekly and is lead almost entirely by the pupils under the leadership of Fiona F and Evie P as Secretary Generals of the Club. This year Shashwati V was Deputy Secretary General, Zahra H was Media Officer and Gemma W took on the role of Positions and Resolutions Officer.

Throughout the year, the pupils ranging from S1-S6 have been able to practice their public speaking skills, research the stances of different countries on a huge range of topics, build alliances with countries when thinking about these topics and consider current ongoing issues, which effect citizens of the global community.

The years events started in September at ISA, with an after school mini conference which focussed on the protection of indigenous human rights. The event generated some interesting and informative debate.

In November, RGC hosted a one-day conference discussing issues relating to the ethnic cleansing occurring in Myanmar to genetic engineering in humans. The event was a great opportunity for some of our newer members to experience the intensity of a full day of lobbying and debating.

In December, around 70 delegates from across schools in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire participated in Albyn Club’s “Mini MUN” Conference. The conference had two committees discussing issues around Foreign Military Bases and Alternatives to Refugee Camps. Zahra H and Fiona F and Evie P and Shashwati V chaired each of the committees. The event was a great success and we were delighted that so many could attend.

Finally, in March 2025 the Club were at St Margaret’s to discuss Food security in conflict zones and the global persecution of activists.

Albyn’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF)

This has been another exciting and eventful year for Albyn’s CCF. Our section has continued to grow, with several new recruits joining us at the start of this academic year.

These recruits have now completed their First Class Cadet training and are fully integrated into our section. Their energy and commitment have been a great addition to the team.

In October, two cadets attended a badges camp where they worked towards their leadership qualifications. One cadet excelled and was awarded a prize for achieving the highest score on the Bronze Leadership course — a fantastic individual achievement and a proud moment for our contingent.

We also had cadets taking part in Air Experience Flying, where they had the opportunity to take to the skies in a powered aircraft — for many, this was their first time flying and a highlight of their cadet experience so far.

In November, a dedicated group of cadets attended a RAST training weekend in preparation for the regional competition. This training focused on core skills including First Aid, Drill, and teamwork under pressure. Their hard work paid off when they travelled to Inskip in December to compete in the regional RAST competition. The team performed admirably across a range of disciplines and achieved 4th place overall in the Uniform Inspection category — a very respectable result considering the high standard of the competition.

This April saw cadets attend our annual combined Blue and Bronze Leadership weekend at Gordon Barracks in Aberdeen. Cadets from both Albyn and Robert Gordon’s College came together to complete command tasks and leadership exercises, developing their confidence and decision-making skills in challenging environments. Several of our cadets successfully earned their leadership badges, adding to the growing number of qualified leaders within our ranks.

Throughout the year, cadets have continued to make the most of the training opportunities available to them, from improving their marksmanship skills with air rifle shooting at school to preparing for upcoming fieldcraft camps and summer activities.

As we look ahead to the rest of the year, we are excited for more training camps, flying opportunities, and of course, our annual Cadet Dinner — a chance to celebrate everything the cadets have achieved and to formally hand over leadership roles to the next generation of senior cadets.

We are proud of everything our cadets have accomplished this year and look forward to building on this success in the year to come.

Formula 24

The 2024 season of racing brought more growth and success for our F24 club here at Albyn.

For the second year running, we were crowned the F24 Kit Car International Champions, with our car Green Arrow 1 - OEG. In addition to this we broke into the top 20 cars, coming 12th overall, holding our own against the lighter, faster scratch built cars. For the first time, we entered into F24+. This competition is for pupils and students aged 16-25. We nearly won the Kit Car International Championships in our first attempt but a mechanical fault 10 minutes from the end prevented this.

Over the winter, as we prepared for the 2025 season, we have been building our brand new car, Green Arrow 3 - Resonance. Our aim is for this to be a significant step forward to improve on our current cars.

The season has started well so far. At our first race at East Fortune we came 1st in the kit class, 1st and 2nd overall in F24. In F24+ we came 1st in kit class and 1st overall.

At our recent race at Alford we had to overcome challenging conditions with extreme rain.

For the first time since covid, GA1 was beaten at a qualifying heat by another kit car. Fortunately it was beaten by our brand new GA3 at its maiden race. We came 1st and 2nd in the kit class and 2nd overall.

These initial results have meant that we have qualified all three cars for this year’s international finals where we will have two cars capable of competing to retain our title.

Next year we are looking into ways that we can help support F24 grow in Scotland. We hope to offer our expertise and organise events to help other schools develop their cars. Additionally, if GA3 does prove to be an improvement on GA1, the redevelopment of GA1 can begin.

None of this would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. We would like to thank: OEG, Resonance Asset Management, Valor, Baird’s Pharmacy, LJ Property Maintenance, Scottish Self-Build Renovation, Sign Company.

Warhammer Club

Warhammer Club has continued to meet this year on a Thursday in the Warrack Library with a dedicated group of 8 boys. The club provides an opportunity for the boys to paint and play with their models. Most of our focus is on the science-fantasy side of the hobby with Warhammer 40000 being the game of choice. This year we have also branched out into a stand alone game, Blackstone Fortress, thanks to Riaan who brought it along to the club.

After Christmas we ran our inhouse Warhammer tournament, which saw some very fiercely contested games over 8 weeks. The final between Gabriel and Cameron was a close fought affair with Cameron coming out on top to win the competition for the second year in a row. With Cameron moving to university in the autumn there will now be a vacancy for the next player in the club and several good players looking to fill it.

In March, 6 boys were able to play a competitive fixture against the International School Aberdeen. This was a singles event and our young team did themselves proud with a number of very close games. Brandon came 3rd overall and won the award for best painted army. Innes won the most sporting player award. We hope to make this a bi-annual event in the schools’ calendar.

If there are any other Warhammer players out there (pupils or staff) we would love to see you come along to Warhammer club or if you have never tried the hobby before and would like to give it a go please do come along, we have models for beginners to use.

A huge thank you to Cameron who has been part of the club from S1-S6 and in the last year has taken a huge amount of work for the running of the club off me. His calm approach on knowledge of the rules will be sorely missed next year!

Scripture Union (Upper School)

The Upper School Scripture Union meets on Tuesday lunchtimes to study the Bible and pray together. About fifteen pupils meet regularly along with Mrs Webb, Dr Girdwood and Miss Thomas. We begin with a quiz, game or discussion question and then look at a Bible passage or theme, using video materials from SU Scotland. In the Autumn Term we went through the Bible overview series ‘God’s Big Story’, which helped us look at how the whole Bible story points

to Jesus. In the Spring Term, we used the ‘Shine’ series to explore issues of identity, influence and friendship and how we relate to one another. In the Summer Term, we explored the Bible Shorts series. We have also had visits from Cherie Young, one of the SU staff team, and Rev Vijay Pillai of Aberdeen Christian Fellowship, who came to do a Christmas talk. We have had a very exciting year and look forward to welcoming new S1s in August.

Duke of Edinburgh

Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) at Albyn continues to be well supported

by pupils and staff with another busy and successful year.

Our S3 pupils are almost at the end of their year long Bronze journey having completed a practice and a final expedition in the Glen Dye area south of Banchory. The weather was amazing on all four days and was even midge free which made it all the more enjoyable. We had some interesting goals this year with one group choosing to write a story using their group and DofE leaders as the main characters, whilst another researched tales of old related to the flora and fauna. Who knew rowan berries were so interesting?

All of our participants throughout the levels have been busy in the community with a huge variety of voluntary work which has seen our pupils actively involved with the Scouting Association, Brownies, Girl Guides, Food Banks, Churches, Community Centres and Youth Clubs across the City and Shire to name a few.

As part of the Silver training programme, pupils worked through the British Red Cross First Aid Champions online course, before undertaking some practical sessions on CPR, using a defibrillator, epi pens and choking. This training helps us equip the pupils for life as well as their DoE expeditions.

Of special mention this year has to be the large number of pupils who have successfully completed their Gold Award before leaving school which is a very impressive achievement. Two of our Gold pupils included Cameron D and Laurence B. Both boys undertook rugby coaching for their volunteering

section, all the way through the various levels of the Award Scheme. Cameron is delighted with the journey it took him upon as he has excelled in coaching and is now a qualified referee and coach as result of his experiences. The confidence that Laurence gained during DofE led him to put himself forward for a three week Borneo expedition during the summer holidays.

Both had some top tips for our younger pupils in relation to the expedition section. Laurence was adamant that everyone should take great care where they sit to avoid the dreaded tick bite! Cameron’s advice is to be willing to be flexible in terms of team members and learn to work with many different types of people. One of his most memorable moments was during his Gold expedition on a sunny day in Scotland, reaching the top of a munro with beautiful views.

Finally, DofE at Albyn would not be possible without the dedication of the DofE staff team and wider community. A special thanks goes out to Mrs Imlah and Ms Hay who run our different Award levels, and to Mr Blancke, Ms Carballal, Mrs Pedrog and Mrs Wood for supporting that work and enabling expeditions to run successfully.

We are delighted to welcome Miss MacDougall who is the newest member of the team. I must also thank the wider Albyn staff along with family friends and neighbours who assess pupils week-in-weekout for their 3 sections. Our pupils’ success would not be possible without you!

> John Blunsdon, DofE Manager

Shashwati’s story

Shashwati V, also in S6, chose to attend the celebrations at Buckingham Palace to collect her Gold Award earlier this year. At the Gold Award ceremony at Buckingham Palace, she had the opportunity to meet Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, and connect with so many like- minded people at such a lovely event. Like the boys, Shashwati has gained a lot from participating in DofE.

One of her most memorable DofE experiences was during her Gold expedition when she saw a herd of deer in the wild, finding it surreal to be so close to nature, especially since living in the city where she didn’t get these moments. The sounds of nature with no traffic or city noise were immensely calming. Shashwati said that the expedition section in particular pushed her in every way, showing her how strong she was and leaving her with an incredible sense of achievement.

Her top tip for younger groups is to always be ready for the unexpected. The weather can change and things don’t always go according to plan, so staying flexible is key. Communication with your team is also vital to make sure everyone is on the same page and is supported. Finally, and most importantly in her opinion, don’t forget to take photos! They not only capture the journey but also preserve memories of an experience that you may not ever be able to relive again. It’s a great reminder of how strong you were and how far you’ve come.

“The whole DofE experience taught me how to rely on my friends and be someone they can rely on. It helped me build the confidence I needed when applying for medical school, shaping my journey towards becoming a doctor.”

Without a doubt, Shashwati would recommend participating in the scheme to all of our younger pupils. The experience gained at volunteering in Girlguiding and Rainbows inspired Shashwati to do even more volunteering, and so she joined the Royal Voluntary Service and worked in the maternity ward café. She also became an NHS Grampian volunteer, where she had the opportunity to speak to patients in the orthopaedic rehab unit. These experiences further fuelled Shashwati’s desire to pursue paediatrics and support young people’s growth, shaping her career goals.

DofE fits in very well with our school values of confidence, curiosity, empathy, endeavour, resilience and teamwork. These values are evident across all aspects of the DofE programme, which means that pupils must meet and adapt to a wide variety of new challenges and experiences.

Pupils start their DofE journey in S3 with their Bronze Award and progress through to Silver in S4 and Gold in S5. DofE has four (five at Gold) separate elements including an expedition.

Timescales differ between the awards as can be seen below:

Cameron

Laurence

Debate and Public Speaking

The Debate and Public Speaking Society have had another productive and successful year and we have been glad to see a very healthy uptake of pupils in S1, all of whom have been keen to take part in competitions and show a great deal of potential for the future.

We began the year with introductory lessons, run by the Senior Debate Team, before we had our first big event with the Halloween Public Speaking Competition in October. The motion “What terrifies me” saw Selma S (former S1) and Meera T (S4) take the junior and senior prizes.

Into November and we ran a series of S1 Debates, performed to a very high standard, on the motions “This house believes that social media does more harm than good” and “This house would make voting in national elections compulsory”. This month also saw two of our senior debaters, Fiona F and Sara S, take part in the Donald Dewar Debating Competition at St Margaret’s School, where they successfully made it through to the next round.

Next up in December was the Christmas Debate, won by Jess S (S5) and Selma, followed in January with the New Year Public Speaking Competition, which saw An T (S1) win the junior prize. During all these months,

the Senior Debate Team continued to work with all the different year groups on various debating and public speaking skills. Unfortunately, in January Fiona and Sara were not able to progress through the next round of the Donald Dewar competition, despite an excellent performance on the night.

In February, we held our biggest junior competition of the year, the Burnside Cup. The controversial motion, “This house agrees that VAT should be added to private school fees”, was argued admirably by all involved, but especially by the eventual winners, Rosanna S (S1) and Zoe S (S2).

The final internal events of the year took place in March and April with the Clan Public Speaking Competition, won by Erin C (S3) and Meera T (S4), followed by the Clan Debate won by Fiona F and Isaiah T (S1), with the best individual speaker award going to Jess S.

External competitions this year included two University run events for different year groups. In March, we took two teams to the Edinburgh Schools Debating Competition, where Bennet T and Jonathan T (both S4) won the novice final in their first big external competition.

Then in April, we took part in the first Aberdeen Schools Debating Competition for many years. This event was for S1-3 and we had two teams in the overall final, Zoe S and Melodie U (both S2), and An T and Mikayeel C (both S1). Although we were not able to win the final, Mikayeel did jointly win the best speaker for the competition. All of our competitors in these events represented themselves and the school admirably and did very well against experienced debaters from all over the country.

A big thank you and congratulations to everyone who took part in our competitions this year and to those who were able to win the prizes. Many of our judges for events this year have commented on the exceptionally high standard of all our competitors. The Debate and Public Speaking Society would not be able to perform as successfully as it does without the help of our senior debaters, who organise our weekly sessions and support our younger members as they learn the basics and develop their speaking skills. Debate and Public Speaking is a skill for life and helps with so many different aspects of school subjects, and therefore I would like to thank Fiona F (our vice-captain), Esther S, Sara S, Bennet T and Jonathan T for all their hard work this year.

My biggest thank you is to Catherine B, who, as Captain this year, has gone to exceptional lengths in preparing events, supporting pupils, leading meetings and keeping us all motivated. The whole society wishes her all the best for the future.

Message from the Captain

It has been an absolute pleasure to be the Captain of the Debate and Public Speaking Society this year. It has been a very meaningful, memorable and fulfilling part of my final year at Albyn.

My aim as Captain has been to create a positive and encouraging environment where our members feel confident to put themselves out there, whether it is taking part in debating competitions or having the courage to give a speech to an audience. It has been incredibly rewarding for me to see the progress of the students week after week and I feel honoured to have been able to contribute to their development. This year, got the chance to attend a local debating competition, not as a participant, but as a coach, and seeing the teams give their best and perform so well was a proud moment for me.

am grateful for the help I received from a number of people in the society over the years, such as the senior pupils who encouraged and supported me when was a younger member back in S1. A very special thank you goes to Mr Howden for giving me the opportunity to provide value to the club as a leader, for supporting me in this role and for always believing in me. I also have been lucky to work with such a great student leadership team, who helped considerably in the running of the club throughout the year. have no doubt that the new senior leaders will continue to help the society go from strength to strength and wish everyone the very best for the future. This year has meant a great deal to me and I will look back fondly on my time in the Debate and Public Speaking Society.

Catherine B, Captain 2024 - 2025

Astronomy Club

The Astronomy club ran in the winter terms and a wide range of exciting topics were discussed, with a focus on the life cycle of a star. Pupils researched a stage of the star life cycle and presented their findings along with an activity for the rest of the group to do.

We are hoping to link up to a radio telescope in the future as well as potentially join up with the Aberdeen Astronomical Society for some events.

Albyn Gazette

Pupils have also been working on the Gazette, an online e-zine, over the past year

Alba Lynes

Our ‘Alba Lynes’ is a crestive writing publication produced and delivered entirely by pupils:

Wellbeing Centre

Wellbeing Centre

It has been a swift term in the health centre promoting and supporting the physical and psychological health of our pupils. The health centre provides a light and airy space for pupils to receive treatment and recover.

We are grateful to ASPA for providing us with funds to add a ‘headspace’ area outside the health centre along the wellbeing corridor. Something positive to look out for the next session.

During this session we welcomed pupils from S1 and P1. Pupils were given a tour and explanation of when and how to access the health centre to see one of our two registered children’s nurses. Pupils were offered a height and weight and an opportunity to discuss their health. Building relationships early on is integral to the success of care that maybe required in the future.

The school nurses were able to spend time with S5 and S6 talking over first aid and demonstrating basic life support. Nurses set the homework of downloading Whatthreewords. We hope our pupils encouraged their families to download this life saving app too!

We work closely with the NHS to ensure that immunisations are offered and pupils are supported through the process.NHS UK vaccine schedule. Albyn has an excellent record of uptake with all vaccinations. The NHS staff always comment on how well behaved and police our pupils are when receiving their vaccinations.

Our allergy and medication policy has been reviewed with the support of our school GP to ensure that we are up to date and offering the safest care.

As we enter into the Summer months work is being concentrated on ensuring trip staff are up to date with training and have all the resources they need to keep pupils safe on their adventures.

Pupils with chronic conditions who are moving on to upper school are offered a meeting with the school nurse to discuss their condition and medication in the hope of empowering them to manage their condition independently as they progress through school.

The school nurses continue to work with the ‘Aberdeen School Nursing Group.’ Meeting online regularly sharing good practice and continuous professional development. Later on this month Albyn will be hosting the school nurse annual Forum. Nurses and pastoral staff from other independent schools will be invited to share some Mental health training with Scottish Action for Mental Health.

Parents are encouraged to contact the school nurses at any time if they would like to discuss their child’s health.

> Nurse Tor and Nurse Sandra

Albyn Alumni

Events and Reunions

In September 2024, we welcomed back over 60 former pupils and former staff for the annual Decades Reunion. We had leavers from the 1960s right up to the 2000s celebrating their 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years of being an Albyn FP!

A superb afternoon touring the school, catching up with friends and peers and enjoying afternoon tea. Many people brought their own scrapbooks and photo albums to share and some brought items for the Albyn Archives.

Looking forward to this year, we look forward to welcoming back every former pupil along with former staff who can make it along to celebrate 100 years of Albyn at Queen’s Road on 27 September. We have a whole weekend of festivities planned and we want you to be part of them.

If you haven’t received information about this yet, please get in touch with us at formerpupils@albynschool.org or call the school on 01224 322408.

Business & Mentoring Hub

Although our hub has taken a while to get off the ground, we are very excited to see former pupils sign up to lend support to those who are starting out on their careers or considering what they might want to do after graduation.

FP participation rates in the Careers Fair organised by Susan Prentice increase each year and momentum is gathering for this important alumni offering.

If you want to be involved, please contact us at formerpupils@albynschool.org for more information.

Albyn School: A Century at Queen’s Road

This wonderful book celebrates the last century of Albyn, containing stories about school life, beginnings and first days, extracurricular events, celebrations and recollections, pranks and exams shared with us by our former pupils over the years.

Included is material from our archives about the move to Queen’s Road in 1925 right through to the present day and a full colour photo of all our pupils in the shape of 100 as well as the full school roll including staff.

If you didn’t manage to get your pre-order in before the deadline, don’t miss out on our special offer over the September weekend celebrations! Friday 26 Sep 2025 6-8.30pm

Albyn

If you want to go ahead and book your place for any or all of these right now, you can do that at: albynalumni.org/events

Albyn School Parent Association

A YEAR IN FOCUS

It’s been a busy and exciting year for the Albyn School Parents’ Association (ASPA), with a range of events and initiatives that have brought our school community together while raising valuable funds for the school.

One of the highlights was the low-noise fireworks display, where the disco was a real hit with pupils and parents alike. Our Christmas Fair was another great success – Warrack the Elf made a magical return, and the addition of the brand-new Santa Sleigh brought smiles to young faces all day long. We’ve also been proud to support Albyn School’s Open Days, welcoming prospective families and showcasing the strong sense of community that sets us apart.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about upcoming events including our traditional Afternoon Tea, the everpopular Sports Day Stall, the Summer Fair, and the Uniform Sale. Thanks to your generosity, ASPA has been able to contribute to several fantastic school projects this year. These include a brand-new lighting system, resources to support Albyn’s Curricular Excellence, ‘Indiana Bones’ skeleton for the Science Department, comfy new cushions for the Library, and new furniture and accessories to enhance the school’s mental health area – to name just a few.

A huge thank you to all the parents for your continued support – we couldn’t do it without you.

If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Just drop us an email at: ASPA@albynschool.org

We raised over

£8k at our Christmas Fair