PICTURES: Cuppas and cakes for the Keiss community thanks to primary school kids and staff
Parents, family members, and local residents were delighted to be invited to a special afternoon tea event at Keiss Primary School organised by staff and pupils.
On Friday, May 30, Gillian Munro and her P5–7 class hosted a community café at the school, welcoming parents, family members, and local residents for afternoon tea between 1.30pm and 5pm.
Headteacher Sylvie Sinclair said: “This successful event was the culmination of a term-long enterprise project, where pupils took ownership of every aspect of planning and delivery.”
From the outset, the pupils were responsible for organising the event. They wrote and delivered invitations, planned menus, prepared food (including sandwiches, sausage rolls, scones, and cakes), and took part in setting up the venue. Every pupil had a specific job role – such as server, manager, kitchen assistant, head and sous chef or cashier – assigned following an application and interview process led by the school cook, Nadine Stewart.
Each guest paid £7.50 for a traditional afternoon tea, beautifully presented on three-tier trays and including two types of soup, savoury items, and a selection of homemade cakes and tablets. The children set the tables the day before, carefully placing crockery, flowers and decorative signage. Pupils took their roles very seriously – those welcoming guests and serving wore shirts and ties, while kitchen helpers wore aprons and followed hygiene protocols.
The event was a “true team effort”, said the headteacher. Mrs Stewart played a central role, interviewing the children, helping them prepare the food, managing the kitchen on the day, and overseeing safety and cleanliness.
Alison Bain, the pupil support assistant (PSA), provided crockery, and Mhairi Sutherland, another PSA, baked banana cake and other treats for the occasion.
Mrs Sinclair added: “We were also grateful to Treasa Hamilton, a parent of a former pupil and expert in gardening and flower arranging, who donated flowers and led a flower-arranging session with some of the children. These arrangements beautifully decorated each table and elevated the overall presentation.
“Miss Munro, the P5–7 teacher, was the driving force behind the project. Her organisation, dedication, and leadership ensured that every detail was considered, and every pupil was empowered to succeed.”
The support and start-up loan provided by their headteacher ensured the project got off the ground.
In total, over 70 guests attended. Between the entry fees and a raffle, featuring prizes generously donated by staff and family members, the café raised an impressive £560 profit. An additional £83.38 was collected in tips, which will go towards providing a special end-of-term breakfast for the children in July. “A well-deserved treat for all their hard work,” said the headteacher.
This enterprise project offered a wide range of cross-curricular learning opportunities:
Literacy: writing invitations, menus, signs, and thank-you notes.
Numeracy: calculating recipes, budgeting, and handling money.
Digital Skills: designing posters, invitations, and displays.
Enterprise and employability: interviews, job roles, teamwork, and customer service.
Health and wellbeing: food preparation, responsibility, confidence, and pride.
It also provided a wide range of opportunities linked to DYW (Developing the Young Workforce), Rights Respecting Schools (RRS), the Global Goals, and meta-skills.
The atmosphere on the day was described as “vibrant and joyful”, with excellent feedback from all attendees. One guest said the event was “a five-star experience led entirely by young professionals”.
Mrs Sinclair added: "This was one of the most inspiring examples of real-life learning I have seen. The professionalism, enthusiasm, and teamwork shown by our pupils and the support from our wonderful staff were outstanding. It was a proud day for Keiss Primary."
“A huge thank you to all involved for making this a truly memorable community event.”
