Newsletter 1

School Newsletter September 2014

Issue 1

Autumn is coming ….

I can hardly believe that we are nearing the end of September and now looking to the October break.

It’s so much

for

here.

the

We

winter

have

coats

been

a

Project

working

attending

on

is

various

Village

sports

Art

festivals

find out more about as your read on.

recent

event.

We

Meet

hope

the

that

Teacher

you

found

this a beneficial experience as we were delighted to be able to share with children’s

you

how

we

experiences

plan

in

for

school

your

and

to

explain some of the routines for each of our classes.

Just a little reminder that children should be ready to come into school at 8.50am, up

with

their

child’s

peers

and

it

has

certainly been a great start to the

pass it on for you. the

class

fully

appreciate

your

best

to

have

children

ready

very

to

be

collected at 3.20pm

informing

appointment

you

at

our

of

your

Parental

Consultations so if you have not returned

your

slip

requesting

an

appointment already please do so as soon as possible.

the

responsibility for their class and therefore pupils

and

parents/carers possible.

therefore

first

thing

is

meeting

not

always

Thank you for your co-operation.

School Improvement Plan

Just as our children have been busy since returning Our

in

august

three

so

in-service

have days

the in

staff. august

provided us with incredibly valuable time to make an excellent start to our school improvement plan. the

plan

are

Council

look

minutes

with

given

out

to

for

these

the

the

Parent

Parent

updates

to

Council

keep

you

posted.

sheet will continue to come home to you on the second Friday after the start of a new

term.

August

Letters will be coming home at the end of week

on

The

recent

highlights

sheet

covered planned learning experiences from

Parent and Carers Consultations this

takes

As with last session your termly highlights

we shall do our

your

then

Highlights

support

in ensuring children are ready on time and likewise,

teacher

When the bell rings

teacher

year as far as this is concerned.

We

class

Regular updates on the progress of

School Day

lined

your

message is given to Mrs Cameron who will

all

It was great to see so many of you able our

sometimes

needs to make sure they are accessible to

Meet the Teacher attend

that

be done before the bell or your

and so much more all of which you can

to

understand

would be helpful if this could

busy

the

we

you need to pass on important information before they commence school, it

bunch at school sorting out our School Parliament,

Although to

chillier outside and therefore the need

Teacher Messages

–

highlights October

October will

outlining

opportunities

and

come

for

home

so

your

on

next

Friday

31

the

exciting

learning

your

children

between

October and December.

We hope that you

find this beneficial as a means of being able to share in your children’s learning and to see that we are looking to

plan

learning across all four aspects of their S:\Admin\Newsletters\1415\Newsletter 1.doc

curriculum

and

not

subject areas. to

see

the

just

the

traditional

For example you are able learning

that

takes

place

Glebe Update You may be aware of meetings taking pace within

the

village

regarding

a

through Interdisciplinary Studies or where

land down by The Glebe.

we look for learning within the ethos and

land

life of the school as part of assemblies or

community by the church for

Pupil

a

Voice

Groups

opportunities

for

both in and

out

very

important

or

even

personal of

to

school.

us

within

achievement,

to

It remains

know

of

any

achievements that your child has out of school

whether

reward

of

that

a

be

been

period

of

initially. been

keen

the

wider

supporting

–we

a

would

love

to

our

cluster

Law/North

and

North

visiting

Gullane,

Berwick

Berwick

one

pupils

and

Nursery

High

another’s

School)

schools

teachers.

to

The

purpose of these visits is to spend time with

children

in

Writing

about

and

their

Maths.

The

team meet with children individually who been

selected

their experiences. some

work

answer

in

some

at

random

to

share

They play games, show

their

jotters

questions.

received

very

is

class

I shall continue to update plans

great

now

separate

develop

and

excitement

that

we

aspects

in

started

on

Our

Village

Project.

year long project that will culminate in a showcase at the Village Gala/Summer Fair 2015.

There are various aspects to the

project but those that we are involved with relate to Art and Listening and talking.

Diana Simcock and Emma Mackenzie have project.

working Our

involved

our

with first

P4-7 two

children

on

ensure

that

experience

we

for

this

have

our

is

consistency

to of

across

our

schools and that our expectations are the same

regarding

what

achievement

of

a

level looks like for our children. The team are year

not

visiting

however

us

until

Miss

March

Hutchison

of will

next be

representing our school as she joins the team

on

visits

next month.

to

other

schools

art have

out

and

about in the village as artists – feedback

project

children

an

sessions

being

you may have noticed us with been trying to capture details of

of

two

with members of the wider community on a

our

goal

P4-7

have

of

our children are making. ultimate

any

the

form the team with regard to the progress The

of

To give you a quick recap we are working

Those

positive

of land learning

Village Project There

started

thoroughly enjoyed the experience we

piece

outdoor

we intend to use this space as a school

and

children who took part last year and

as

for

commitments we make with regard to how

schools

Dirleton,

of this

possible

parents

(Athelstaneford,

have

These

able to make use

of

experiences

have.

to

Moderation in North Berwick Cluster

talking

these hearing

stage but in the meantime we hope to be

challenge

with

in

enjoyed

discussions are still just at the planning

As with last year groups of teachers from

meet

have

for

hear from you.

be

have

involved

I

village

years

community

opportunities.

will

the

about the potential uses and ideas that

the

particular

School

to

we

be

and

where

Aberlady,

five

to

discussions

younger sibling at home or overcoming a

each

gifted

Naturally

of

participation in sport or giving charity,

medal

has

piece

This piece of

starting

sketchbooks!

We

have

buildings and architecture within the village

and

looking

at

the

work

of

Van

Gogh and Joan Eardley as a stimulus for trying to record our village.

We have been

experimenting

pen,

charcoal efforts

as

with a

and

forwards

to

pencil,

means

hope create

of

now a

ink

and

recording to

take

collage

our

these

that

will

contribute to a larger piece of work to be displayed at the Summer Fair.

Kay Mann has also started her side of the project busy

with

over

P4-7.

the

Kay

summer

has

been

identifying

very

village

S:\Admin\Newsletters\1415\Newsletter 1.doc

residents old and new for us to interview.



More opportunities for outdoor learning,

During the first two sessions in school we

to

have talked about how we can prepare for

classroom

our

environment for learning (fix the fence,

interviews.

Over

the course

of

this

look

year children will be going out as roving

paint

reporters

votes)

to

interview

members

of

the

community and to record their stories.

We



the

at

creating

and

to

our

improve

playground

outdoor

the

games

outdoor

etc.)

(22

More fundraising activities over the year

have drafted letters to send out to those

for our school and others, linked in to

people we are keen to interview and hope

whole school events and possibly whole

to set up appointments with them starting

school trips. (28 votes)

after the October break. anyone

in

information this

project

If you know of

the

village

with

history

that

would

be

beneficial

to

and

would

be

happy

be

to

interviewed by a few of our senior pupils please

do

let

us

know.

We

would

or

families

with

connections

We

are

particularly

excited

by

the

fact

village

various and

generations

provide

a

within

real

opportunities

to

work

with

food

Suggestion boxes in each class (Teacher Priority)



More

personal

topics and

opportunities

to learn in pairs (Teacher Priority) 

Continue to make improvements to the Dining Hall (11 votes)



that this aspect to the project will bring together



to

the school from past generations.

More

(Teacher Priority)

be

particularly pleased to hear from farming families



or

Continue

to

create

opportunities

for

working in Vertical Groups (5 votes) 

Look at improving our points and House system

the

as

well

as

improving

Golden

Time and certificates. (12 votes)

exciting

opportunity for our children to learn from

The next stage in the process is for us to

older residents about their village.

create

We are delighted that Diana, Emma and Kay have been so generous with their time and

commitment

and

are

thoroughly

enjoying working with them in school.

Whole

School

Pupil

Parliament

creating

our

smaller

group

priorities

for

this

year.

It

was

decided by us all that some priorities were taken

forwards

by

teaching

staff

and not by the pupil group.

We

took

a

vote

on

the

following

priorities to establish our top 3 for this year: 

Invite with

more the

nursery

all

children

membership

who

taking

from of

P1-P7

one

to

of

apply

these

for

groups.

French in P1-3.

learn

We then took a vote to establish our 3

be

for

forwards these priorities this year and for

onwards

fed

able to narrow down our list of 14 items to

to

groups

policy whereby all children form P1

first Parliament meeting and we were then

main

Voice

responsible

Government have introduced a new

back their ideas from our

9.

Pupil

As many of you will be aware the Scottish

Pupil

Priorities.

Each

three become

met

last week for the next stage in

the

then

Watch this space for more information.

School Parliament Our

will

visitors village

and

other

into

school,

more, schools

work

involve

our

more,

and

finally to investigate the possibility of a school pet. ( 36 votes)

a

have the opportunity to second

language.

In

addition to this from P5 onwards an additional modern language is also to be

introduced.

have

until

this

is

All

the

fully

year

schools 2020

in

to

Scotland

make

sure

We

are

implemented.

fortunate within the North Berwick Cluster to be part of a pilot project running this session which means that our P1-3 class will

benefit

French.

from

All

undertaking

being

teaching

training

introduced staff

within

the

to

will

be

next

few

weeks with a view to starting this with P13

from

October

onwards.

This

training

shall focus on how to deliver the teaching of a modern language in primary schools and

not

necessarily

restricted

to

French.

S:\Admin\Newsletters\1415\Newsletter 1.doc

Following this pilot year a decision will be

diarrhoea

made across the North Berwick cluster of

We

schools

these

then

as

to

take

classes this

which

language

forwards

the

with

following

remains

we

session.

French

shall

Primary

or

to

would

prevent

kindly

infection

ask

guidelines

that

to

we

avoid

spreading. all

follow

unnecessary

one

absence for both children and staff over

Whether

the winter months and thank you for your

changes

to

support in this.

something else I am sure you will agree that

this

is

an

excellent

opportunity

for

our children and feel reassured by studies which

show

that

modern

language

helps

with

being at

exposed

such

overall

a

to

young

age

language

development of literacy skills.

a

and

Should you

have any questions about this please do not hesitate to get in touch.

to offer help to us at the recent Meet The as

enable

this us

use

of

blog

as

what

is

our a

shall to

hopefully

continue

to

provide additional opportunities for our children. are

keen

provide

promote

possible,

and given

the restrictions we have with space and staffing.

With

hopeful

of

this

being

in

able

a

comment

their

mind

we

offer

a

to

are multi

the October break -more details to follow Mr McCann our PE

specialist will also be starting a lunchtime club with some of our pupils shortly, more information to follow on this also and we are investigating the possibilities of other clubs running for shorter blocks. think

you

school

would

like

experience

or

to to

sharing

in

school.

and

the

children

class.

offer

We

would

be

delighted

to

hear from you or perhaps even a member of your family who does not live locally – what a great way to share what your child is up to. http://edubuzz.org/blogs/athelstaneford Dates for your Diary October 10 21

End of Term

th

Pupils Return to School

st

30

Tempest Photography

th

(Individual and Family Photos)

sports club on a Monday after school after from Active Schools.

of

school

It really is very easy to leave

After School

to

where

means

happening

Clubs are always an area that we

wonderful

their parents may have left for them and

Thank you to those parents who signed up events

We are very keen to continue to make best

really appreciate comments that

After School Clubs

Teacher

School Website

As

ever

if

you

have

any

concerns

or

queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Catriona McKinnon Head Teacher

If you an

provide

after

us

with

support to do this please do get in touch Shop and raise school funds!

Hand washing

If you buy online there is now an easy

As we approach the winter months it is important

that

we

importance

of

hand

making

of

use

water.

We

all

soap

shall

way

the

absence

related

from

to

school.

this

is

Based

kept

off

school

for

a

school

funds.

By

Leading online brands are participating in the service including, Amazon.co.uk & New Look.

sickness

upon

period

of

48

hours from their last bout of sickness or

You pay no more, there

are even special offers to help you pay

NHS

guidelines it is advised that all children are

vital

earn commission from your purchases.

revisiting

you reinforce this at home. issue

earn

a participating retailer our school will

warm

this in class and would ask that

An

to

visiting eduPayment.co.uk and locating

washing,

and

be

revisit

less.

.

Please visit

www.edupayment.co.uk

for

more information.

S:\Admin\Newsletters\1415\Newsletter 1.doc