C Project - Global First for Musselburgh Grammar School August 24, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : News, Outdoor Education, Partnership, Student Achievement , 1 comment so far
From East Lothian Courier:
EIGHT Musselburgh Grammar School students are the first in Scotland to take part in a new, adventurous education project designed to improve self-confidence.
The pilot scheme, entitled ‘C Project’, gives 14 and 15-year-olds the chance to try challenging activities – such as abseiling, rock climbing, canoeing, cliff jumping, hiking, mountain biking, bushcraft and archery – at a range of locations both county-wide and nationally, in a bid to develop self-esteem.
The 14-month programme, transported to Scotland following successful beginnings in New Zealand – where more than 15,000 students have already taken part – has three stages: ‘wilderness adventure’, ‘community challenge’ and ‘C Project mentoring’.
The first encourages youngsters to confront their fears through adrenaline-fuelled pursuits, while the ‘community challenge’ segment will educate students on what sporting, recreational and cultural facilities are available to them locally. Participants then learn goal-setting skills through 10 months of one-to-one mentoring sessions.
Wednesday 20th August Industrial Action August 19, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : Uncategorized , add a commentDear Parent
I wrote to all parents on Monday this week notifying you that the school will be open for pupils and teaching staff on Wednesday and that we expect all pupils in all years to attend.
A copy of the letter is posted in Head Teachers letters.
Ronnie Summers
Head Teacher
New Term and New Ties! August 17, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : Assembly, Parents , add a commentSchools starts again on Monday 18th August. From Monday the school will have a new uniform / dress code policy. The biggest change to this is from S3 – S6 Students will be required to wear ties. The school will provide ties for all S3 – S6 Students and you will be given these during a set of special assemblies on Monday.
In the meantime you can watch this video to help you practice putting it on!
how-to-tie-a-tie-four-in-hand-knot
Or follow these simple instructions!
Two Decades of Football June 25, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : Guests, Healthy Schools, School History, Sports , add a comment
It was a step back in time for one special visitor to Musselburgh Grammar School this week. In the last week of term, former Deputy Headmaster Walter Roy was back at the town’s secondary school to help celebrate 20 years of volunteering by one of his past pupils.
Grammar school coach Scott Robertson has just completed a remarkable twenty years of running school football sides this season. Back in 1988, as a school prefect, Mr. Robertson was invited to assist the school deputy head with the school’s senior football team. A talented side that included Mr. Robertson’s younger brother Mark.
Scott recalls ‘They were a very good team and Mr. Roy had a firm manner with the players. We reached the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup were beaten away from home, somewhere in Glasgow, I think’.
The following year Walter Roy retired and it feel to his young apprentice, Scott Robertson to run the side. ‘It was my very first time taking a group of players, being a team manager. All the boys knew me and there was only a year or two between their age and mine. I pretty nervous at first, no-one had told me how you be a team manager! It was a difficult season, but looking back I think it did me good, being dropped in at the deep end’.
As the years went by, the young coach grew in confidence and continued to run school teams, gaining coaching qualifications and sponsorship deals on the way.
Most notably local businesses ZOT Engineering and Calum Grant Hairdressing have been long term supporters and donated regularly to the school teams.
Reminiscing on his school football Mr. Robertson said ‘I have had a terrific time and met some great players and some real characters. Sadly schools football no longer has the best players as the professional clubs in this area refuse to allow them to play. I think it is a very sad situation that dozens, if not hundreds of boys miss the opportunity to really enjoy the game and play football with their peers, in the hope that they might defy the odds and make a fortune out of playing football. Some are missing the opportunity to have the time of their lives’.
Over the years Mr. Robertson has worked with some of the finest players in the country, either through his involvement in the East & Midlothian schools Select or coming up against them in local school leagues. He said ‘Darren Fletcher is the obvious one to mention, as he was in the East & Midlothian School side when we won the Scottish Cup in 1998. But that team also contained Kevin Thomson, Steven Whittaker, Kieran Renton, Adam Neilson, Darren Dunn and Chris McLeod, all who were very good players. It really was the Rolls Royce of football teams’.
Mr. Robertson added ‘There have been many, many good players at the school and I am delighted that one former player, Colin Nish is doing so well. More recently Kevin Smith who signed for Leeds United when he left the school was a standout player’.
‘I have great memories of schools football and made a lot of friends on the way. I met up with a lad, Grant Fraser some months back and we were of course talking about football. It was funny because he couldn’t really remember if we won any cups or league titles, but he was able to describe in detail a lot of the ‘incidents’ that happened during his time playing for the school, particularly the one involving a badly cooked hamburger being thrown accidentally through a window in Holland during a tournament trip, sorry to bring it up again Alan Morgan!’
Walter Roy was the man responsible for getting me into football and I have never really looked back since. I looked up to Walter and the manner in which he handled his players and ran his teams. He had a great sense of humour, but tolerated no nonsense from his players. He managed to balance the relationship just right.
Current headmaster Mr. Ronnie Summers was on hand, accompanied by Assistant headmaster Gordon Fruish to welcome back Mr. Roy and it wasn’t long before happy memories of his teaching days came flooding back.
Mr. Roy was invited to re-create a special moment. As the school’s current under 14 squad lined up in the main assembly hall, he took his place far left with his apprentice Scott Robertson far right. It was scene that was first photographed in the exact same spot 20 years earlier.
Afterwards Mr. Roy and Mr. Robertson posed at the reception with a unique football top marking the occasion, before Walter was taken on tour of the school by Gordon Fruish.
He said ‘The school has changed a fair bit. This is the first time I have set foot inside the building since retiring. There are still some familiar faces though. I have really enjoyed coming back.’
With a slight smile Mr. Roy commented to headmaster Ronnie Summers ‘I can’t be too bad at recruiting, you’ve got 20 years out of this lad!’
The visit brought Mr. Robertson’s journey in school’s football full circle and with his current squad winning the league championship, it has concluded a very memorable season.
The Art of the Graphic Novel June 12, 2008
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The National Library of Scotland recently held a great exhibition called ‘Local Heroes - The Art of the Graphic Novel’. This exhibition celebrated the history of the graphic novel and allowed viewers to visually see how the style of graphic novels has changed since their conception. The fascinating exhibits ranged from ‘The Beano’ to ‘2000AD’, to the recently re-released ‘Kidnapped’.
Members of staff from the English Department, Art & Design and Mr Bray had attended different illustrated talks relating to Graphic Novels. Gary Erskine, a freelance Scottish comic artist who is currently working on the new Dan Dare novels, led one of these talks. His enthusiasm for graphic novels and how they could be used in schools was inspiring - watch this space!
The exhibition is now finished, but the Art & Design Department are fortunate enough to have acquired a large number of exciting resources from it. These include large visual display boards that we hope to display in the Department, and around the school, as well as lots of graphic novels. Many thanks to the National Library for letting us have these resources, as well as Mr Bray for collecting them.
Visit the Art & Design Department website to see more pictures.
Rotary Young Photographer Winner June 12, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : Uncategorized , add a commentCongratulations to Morag Barton, one of our S6 Advanced Higher Art & Design pupils, who was named as the winner of the ‘My Home Town’ section of the Rotary Young Photographer Competition. Morag won the District 1020 competition which covers the whole of the South of Scotland, and over 50 Rotary clubs. Well done Morag!
Art & Design Exhibition June 12, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : Uncategorized , add a commentThe Art & Design Department were very fortunate to have Malcolm Cruickshank, an Artist in Residence, working with a number of pupils in S1 - S6.
Pupils based their research on the museum at Prestongrange, working from a number of photos that Malcolm had taken at the museum. The projects used recycled materials including plastics and papercrete (concrete and shredded paper) with the outcomes being abstract sculptures. The S3 sculpture can soon be seen in the school garden.
An exhibition of work is currently on display until August in the Brunton Hall. Go along to the Box Office and ask to view it! Visit the Art & Design Department to see photos of the exhibition opening.
S2 France Trip 2008 May 19, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : News, Outdoor Education, Parents, School Trips, Student Achievement , 21comments 
A group of our S2 pupils are away in France at the moment – they have been up-dating their section of the website with lots of photos and news as they go. It looks like they are having a great time!
Have a look at the S2 France Trip Home Page Here
Wii comes to the Grammar April 9, 2008
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Duke of Edinburgh Silver Training Walk March 8, 2008
Posted by mgsonline in : Healthy Schools, News, Outdoor Education, School Trips, Student Achievement , 1 comment so far 
We have an extensive extra curricular activities programme at Musselburgh Grammar School. One of the initiatives that has really gathered momentum in the past 18 months is the schools Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme. W currently have 28 pupils working towards their Bronze Award and 24 pupils working towards their silver award.
On Saturday all of the Silver group took part in a practice walk in the Pentland Hills. One of the purposes of the walk was to test equipment and to practice navigation. Unfortunately due to the poor weather we had to cut the walk short but a great deal of fun and a massive mount of learning still took place.
