Education Department
Director: Mhairi Shaw, DCE
Council Offices, 211 Main Street, Barrhead, East Renfrewshire G78 1SY
Mearns Castle High School
Head Teacher: Dean T Smith MA
Waterfoot Road, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, G77 5GU
Phone: 0141 577 2300 Fax: 0141 577 2314
e-mail:
Our Ref: CMcC/TM
Date: 15 August 2016
Dear Parent/Carer
Kindrogan Field Studies Trip 5 – 7 September 2016
As part of the Advanced Higher Biology course, pupils are required to carry out an in depth investigation of a Biology topic and write it up as a project report. This project report is worth 30 marks out of the total 120 marks for the course. This year we have the opportunity to carry this out at Kindrogan Field Studies Centre, equipping pupils with the skills of scientific experimentation, investigation and enquiry as well as carrying out a pilot study and data collection for the write up of their project. We feel this is an excellent opportunity for Advanced Higher pupils to utilise the resources of a field studies centre in order to optimise learning.
The trip will take place from Monday 5 September to Wednesday 7 September 2016 at the Kindrogan Field Studies Centre in Perthshire. The three day course will cover:
· visiting sites, checking students’ titles and doing pilot studies.
· data collection.
· collating data.
If you agree to your son/daughter attending this trip please complete and sign the attached consent form.
The cost of this field trip will be £210. This price takes into account coach travel, a two night stay at the Kindrogan centre, meals for the duration of the course and the cost of the field work instructors. Payment is required by 27 August 2016.
Payment should be made online by visiting the school website: http://www.ea.e-enfrew.sch.uk/mearnscastle and clicking the: ‘Pay’ icon, and school payments. Select the relevant school and the relevant trip. You can also access the Council website and click on: Do It Online/Pay and select; School Payments.
The system will then take you through the payment process. All major credit and debit cards are accepted, with the exception of American Express (AMEX) and Diners (DINE) cards. NOTE: There is no charge for debit cards but a 2% bank administration charge will be added to all payments made by credit card.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any difficulty.
All pupils should arrive at school by 8:30am on Monday 5 September in order to be collected by the coach at the start of the school day. We will aim to return to the school by the end of the school day on Wednesday 7 September. Contact details for the outdoor centre: Kindrogan Field Studies Centre, Enochdhu, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 7PG Tel: 01250 870150 www.field-studies-council.org/kindrogan
If you have any queries regarding this field trip please do not hesitate in contacting me.
Yours sincerely,
C F McCulloch
(PT Biology/Science)