Literacy Day at the Stronsay School

We were pleased to welcome two visitors to the school for our Literacy Day on Wednesday,February 3rd.

 Tom Muir is a writer and storyteller who works at the museum in Kirkwall. Many of us were familiar with his book "The Mermaid Bride and other Orkney Folk Tales" and have read some of them in English lessons. Yesterday he brought the Japanese (photo on the left) and Icelandic versions of his book for us to see. Luckily, he told us stories in English - or should we say Orcadian - and as you can see by the photos, had us all gripped by tales of selkies and trows.

Simon Hall is the Principal Teacher of English at KGS but has been seconded to Education Scotland. One of his roles has been to preserve and promote the Scots language. He is perhaps best known locally for having "translated" The Gruffalo" into Orcadian. Our younger pupils were treated to readings from the book while our secondary pupils discussed the Orcadian language before reading an excerpt from "Harry Potter" in Orcadian.

 Meanwhile, S1/2 were busy making fatty cutties with Cate Evans and Wilma Holland in the Home Ec. room - and very tasty they were, too! (We munched several during the staff meeting). Mrs Brown and pupils worked on some Gruffalo book illustrations. All in all, it was a lively and interesting day where we immersed ourselves in Orkney culture.

Special thanks to Tom and Simon who ventured out to the Northern Isles and gave us a day to remember.