Game on Scotland: Ambassador visits
School: Lourdes Secondary School
Background information on school’s Game On Challenge:
The school has been involved in a number of activities around the commonwealth Games
already and have planned a range of additional initiatives until June 2014. The evaluation
report states the following:
We have started a sponsored Challenge for all pupils and staff with-in Lourdes Secondary
School. We have allocated the pupils and staff to two teams (Team Jamaica and Team
Australia) and they are covering the distance from Delhi (the last host of the Commonwealth
Games) to Glasgow. The teams will cover this distance by walking, running, rowing, cycling
and swimming, during school lead events and in their own time. We are having a challenge
to see which team can cover the distance and ‘arrive’ in Glasgow first. We have set up a
large display with-in the school, with information regarding the event and the
Commonwealth Games and a large map of the world showing the progress of each team.
The pupils are being sponsored, with all proceeds donated to Diabetes Scotland. The teams
have also been allocated a mascot (Johan Blake and Casey Eastham) and they will learn
about the two countries and the athletes throughout the course of the month.
We also have a Commonwealth Games Day planned, where the pupils will be split into a
number of different Commonwealth countries and will compete in a variety of different
Games sports. This will be run as an IDL, with subjects such as Geography, English, Maths, Art,
History and ICT being involved, giving the pupils the opportunity to learn about each country
and to have a more exciting, active learning opportunity and experience of the
Commonwealth Games.
Press Information:
Lourdes Secondary School receives Game On Scotland Plaque
Lourdes Secondary School is the first school in Glasgow to receive the Game On Scotland
plaque for the challenges it has set itself to provide exciting learning opportunities around the
2014 Commonwealth Games and the legacy it believes this will create for young people, the
school and its wider community. The plaque has been handed to the Head Teacher, Patricia
Lennon, by the Game On Scotland ambassador, Holly Cram, international hockey player with
over 140 appearances for Scotland. Holly says: Lourdes Secondary School commitment to
providing a variety of exciting leaning opportunities around the Games and its dedication to
improving learners’ health and wellbeing well beyond the Games is commendable. We hope
many other schools in Glasgow City Council will be encouraged by the school’s challenge
posted on Game On Scotland and join the many establishments across the Commonwealth in
creating and sharing their own learning experiences.”
www.gameonscotland.org
Lourdes Secondary School started a sponsored Challenge with-in the school, where two
teams of pupils and staff (Team Jamaica and Team Australia) will cover the 4286mile
distance from Delhi (the last host of the Commonwealth Games) to Glasgow. The teams will
race to see which will cover the distance first. This will be completed by walking, running,
rowing, cycling and swimming, during school lead events and in their own time. The
participants are raising money for Diabetes Scotland through sponsorship and activity
lunches. The school also has a Commonwealth Games Day planned, where the pupils will be
split into a number of different Commonwealth Countries and will compete in a variety of
different Game’s sports. This will be run as an IDL, with a number of different subjects being
involved.
The teacher leading the initiative, Kerry McSween, stated: This is an excellent and fun
opportunity for the pupils to be actively involved in their learning. The projects are giving the
pupils the opportunity to learn about different countries and cultures in a more inspiring and
motivating way, whilst giving them the opportunity to learn and enhance their experience of
the Commonwealth Games. As well as raising money for a very worthy cause, Diabetes
Scotland, the pupils are motivated to be more active. The pupils are also encouraging the
wider community of the school, with family and friends joining in the initiative and being
active with them.
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Game On Scotland background information
Game On Scotland is the education programme of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth
Games. It has been designed to enable schools and educators to use the Glasgow 2014
Commonwealth Games as an inspiring, motivating, relevant and fun context for learning
across the curriculum and for all ages. The programme contains a range of materials to help
make the most of the Games as an educational tool. On the Game On Scotland site you’ll
find:

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Information: 70 nation and territory profiles, Games history, sport profiles,
Queen’s Baton Relay and much more.
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Resources: Brand new learning journeys for learners at all stages (3-18),
support materials and case studies, as well as film and image banks designed
to help educators plan exciting learning experiences.
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Opportunities: Be part of the Games and take up the Game On Challenge,
enter competitions and find out more about other projects and special
events.
The website has been developed by Education Scotland in partnership with the
Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, the Scottish Government and Glasgow City
Council to support practitioners in their delivery of Curriculum for Excellence, the
Scottish curriculum framework. However, the materials are relevant and applicable
across the Commonwealth and in any educational context. They are readily
accessible and easily adaptable to suit individual circumstances and specific
learning contexts.
www.gameonscotland.org

Although everything on the Game On Scotland site is freely available, we encourage
teachers and educators to sign up to the network. As the programme is constantly
evolving, with new information, resources and opportunities added on a regular basis,
signing up ensures you can keep up! 3,500 have already joined our mailing list and
receive the monthly updates we send, highlighting the latest content – join them by
registering here.

As well as accessing information, resources and opportunities, schools and
organisations which visit the website are being asked to tell us about their Gamesrelated learning plans, through the programme’s Game On Challenge
feature. Hundreds have outlined their ambitions and although the majority come
from Scotland, we now have 11 Commonwealth nations and territories represented
on our interactive map, including St Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha, one of
the smallest territories in the Commonwealth.

Scottish schools who progress their challenges are eligible to receive a special Game
On Scotland plaque, with Crown Primary School in Inverness the first to be presented
with theirs in December last year. Our new Game On Scotland Ambassador, Scottish
hockey star Holly Cram, was on hand to help present the plaque, with the school
being the first of many she’ll visit in the months ahead.
www.gameonscotland.org