In our experience, our learners and staff care deeply about environmental issues and have a strong desire to actively protect our planet. However, environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity-loss, or plastic pollution are huge global issues and the thought of tackling them can be intimidating, leaving many feeling overwhelmed and wondering ‘Where do I begin?’

We are part of the Eco-Schools programme which provides a simple, seven-step framework that answers this question whilst empowering young people to make a difference in our school, local community and beyond. 

Children's rights are learned, understood and lived in our school. Our rights steering group ensures;

• Teaching and Learning about rights: for the whole school community through training, curriculum, assemblies, topics, focus days/weeks, displays.

• Teaching and Learning through rights: by modelling rights respecting language and attitudes, and making strategic decisions that involve students.

• Being ambassadors for the rights of others: developing as rights respecting citizens.

We try to ensure that digital technologies are at the heart of our learning and teaching. Our Tech Team and Digital Leaders assist learners in taking the lead and take ownership of their own learning. Creative use is made of both physical and online spaces to learn, collaborate and communicate using digital technology. 

Our JRSOs are a very important part of the school as they help raise road safety awareness and promote road safety issues to everyone in the school and the wider community. Here are just some of the activities JRSOs can get involved in:

• Talk at assemblies and to classes on road safety topics

• Run competitions in the school, get prizes for the winners and hand out merit certificates

• Get involved in organising safe and active travel activities.

Every class within Windygoul is partnered to provide buddies across all ages and stages. From Nursery right up to Primary 7 our learners collaborate and cooperate in a wide range of activities. This includes playground games at playtime and lunch time, reading support as well as a friendly face around the school. 

Our signalong ambassadors learn and then share sign language to support pupils in our school who need the help of signs to communicate. They learn new signs each month and it is their job to teach the other children during assemblies or for special events. They learn signs for special occassions, topics and communicate these with everyone in our school community. 

Our Play Leaders have worked closely with ELPA to enhance all of our loose parts play in Windygoul Primary School. They take a lead role in making our playground an exciting and fun place to be.

The future leaders programme aims to create a learning environment where; visibility of skills, meaningful discussion and reflection on skills, supports our learners with their ability to understand, recognise and articulate their skills development. Future Leaders empowers our learners to be - successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors – ultimately allowing them to reach their fullest potential throughout their learner journey and beyond. 

Our Reading Buddy system supports early literacy development. Learners from the upper volunteers buddy with children from Primaries 2 and 3 and meet with them several times a week. They listen to the children’s reading and talk to them about the text as well as supporting them with the Nessy program and RWI.