School Newsletter April 2014
Issue 8 A very busy term!
Well
it
has
hugely
certainly
busy
community.
another
term
for
our
There
has
been
excitement
and
opportunities result
been
for
of
school great
wonderful
learning
our
as
a
Commonwealth
Interdisciplinaries.
Clyde’s’
Commonwealth Team Challenges have
enabled
us
to
work
in
teams from Nursery to P7 with yet more requests for this to happen again in the future. Sport your Trainers, Sport Relief, Micro Fitness
Athlete
Village,
football,
rugby,
Bikeability 1 and 2 –as always it is no wonder we are all needing our holiday, staff included!
Reminders & Requests A
couple
provide
for
about
children
and
look
forward to another
action packed term
leading
the
us
up
to
summer.
One
event we simply did not have time for and
had
to
postpone
was
our
Commonwealth Play In A Day for P3-P7. This has been rescheduled for Monday 28
th
April
parents
and
we
shall
be
for
the
latter
part
in
inviting of
the
afternoon to see our performance.
and
homework,
PE
kits
and
on a Tuesday and is due back in again
on
a
Monday
morning.
Should you feel that weekends are very busy and protected family time we would be
more than happy to
receive homework on a Friday morning to
make
this
easier
for
you
Secondly, recently
PE a
Kit.
drop
We in
have
the
kit to school.
Children should
have full outdoor and indoor PE Kit
including
would
be
shoes
most
for
each.
helpful
if
our learning this term.
I should also
mention that our link school in St Kitts, Beach fortunate
Allen
Primary
enough to have
School a
were
visit from
the Queens Baton on the same day as our
Closing
ceremony.
Their
school
principal gave a speech and mentioned us!
It
younger
children did not wear tights on a day they have PE as they do seem to be keen
to
tights. and
wear
their
shorts
over
their
This is not appropriate for PE
if
wearing
tights,
girls
should
bring a change of socks to wear with PE kits can
be left in school and taken home for Finally,
super celebration of
of
children bringing their full PE
washing whenever you choose.
between it was a
a
noticed
number
Ceremony last week.
the Haka and the wonderful singing in
as
family.
turn out for our Commonwealth Closing From the Limbo to
water
A reminder that homework comes home
their shorts and trainers.
It was wonderful to see such a great
reminders
bottles).
We remain very proud of our
requests
before the start of term (a little moan
the variety of opportunities we are able to
of
all
children
should
have
a
water bottle in school with them every
day.
We
have
access
to
chilled and filtered mains drinking water
in
the
foyer
and
will
be
reinforcing the importance of this as the weather hopefully heats up.
We
want our children to be aware of the importance body
of
water and
for
a
healthy mind.
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Pupil Priorities: Good
Progress
our
pupil
School Improvements has
been
made
priorities
for
with
school
improvement as identified at our Pupil Parliament.
For those of you who can
remember the priorities were:
To improve the lower playground
To improve the dining hall
To
make
greater
use
of
10
of
the
bushes
to
create
bigger
gaps
for play and exploring and to clean up the pond. You may also have noticed the tractor tyre and logs that arrived, thank
Digital
Cameras Well,
flowers (pots or beds), cut back some
you
very
much
to
Mr Lowe for this and the nursery
musical
instruments have made an
new
digital
cameras
have
interesting addition to the
been purchased and the Pupil Council
top playground!
have
a list of items they are still looking
distributed
these
This
to
means
opportunities making and
for
great
for
classes
use
of
to
record
cameras learning
classes.
for
and
garage
so
or
The Nursery do have
if
you
garden
have
clear
over
the
holidays and come across any of the
their
following we would love to make use
technologies,
an
of them:
It
Camping Mats
also means that we now have greater
Old Belfast Sinks
means
achievements.
Small Wheelbarrows
The P5/6/7 pupils should feel proud of
A
recording
out
a
digital
important part of their curriculum. of
planned
their efforts in recording each of us
Hosepipe
for
cutting
into
different lengths
for display on our Commonwealth wall
Funnels and pipes of various sizes
in the hall in various sporting poses!
Crates
The dining Hall has also seen great
Wooden Planks
change this year with lunches now set
I should say however that the request
out very differently offering a canteen
for
style of selection.
children although this was before the
plenty
of
Packed
fruit
lunches
school
lunches
As always there is
and
bread
continue in
the
more
seating
available.
to
hall
sit
return
with
and
also of
our
playground
the
came
in
wonderful
benches
Mr Coppinger.
from
from
If you have
next step is to look at improving how
not seen our lovely Saltire
this
benches
environment
through
some
feels,
softer
perhaps
furnishings
or
them.
please Thank
admire you
very
music – watch this space to see what
much for this and we look forward to
the Pupils cone up with.
lots of outdoor learning and lunches
Finally, the school grounds have taken a little longer for our plans to come together, although we do now know children
exactly would
Having
like
looked
annotated
the
shed
to
at
maps
playground Another
what
list for
is
and
particular
nursery
have
the
fruits
installed of
and
loved
nursery on the wall.
see.
Mr
The
P1/2
in
using
the
outside
the
These too are Coppingers
hard
labour and we thank you very much
the as
children
blackboards
our and
of
outside as the weather improves.
follows:
equipment,
for this!
more
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Moderation We
were
visited
P5/6/7 Profiles & Nursery Class
by
the
Moderation Team on the 6 A
team
of
3
teachers
Cluster
of March.
th
from
Learning Story P5/6/7 have now started their on-line profiles
local schools spent the day
This
with
us
talking
latest
with
our
about
various
their
learning
in
and
time
children
Reading
experiences
and
Numeracy.
Maths
This
and
was
a
really
opportunity to have someone external our
school
evidence
to
come
in
support
and
the
look
for
progress
our
children are making in their learning. What
was
very
clear
judgment
of
the
completely
with
was
that
team
the
the
matched
teacher’s
own
professional judgement
were
Maths
delighted
Library
to
earlier
hope
that
useful
in
child
with
have
launch
this
term
this
has
and been your
Maths
and
home.
We
at
and
had
improve over
hope
and
add
time.
to to
Should
positive continue
this you
are
not
find
clear,
please
to refine these. Maths Library resources will continue to come home although not necessarily to
allow
home learning tasks. continue
with
these
some
variety
of
The nursery will for
a
few
more
weeks and then move onto their Book in a Bag.
to
record
their
achievements areas
as
in
well
as
works as a model nearer the end of the year with a view to perhaps taking forwards with the rest of the school next session.
This follows on nicely
from the Nursery Learning Stories that form part of transition into P1.
The
Learning Stories continue to evolve for our Nursery children and again, thank you
for
your
very
the
positive
amount
of
feedback
information
now have. Transition P7-S1
transition
meetings
continues
between
myself
with
and
Ms
Haines and staff from North Berwick High
School.
Our
children
are
currently away in Ford Castle for their P7
residential
which
forms an important part of
their
preparation
transition
that
returned in order that we can continue
week
them
We shall be reviewing how well this
collection
include a note in the bag when it is
every
apps.
curricular
to
anything is missing from a game or instructions
best
feedback regarding a number of these games
of
about learning and achievements you
our
supporting
Numeracy
and
regarding
Maths Library Update & Feedback We
enables
use
achievements from outside of school.
worthwhile visit as it afforded us the to
making
accounts wonderful time. our
P7
pupils
and are
for
by
all
having
a
Lots more events for are
planned
for
next
term including of course their 3 day visit to NBHS from Wednesday 25th Friday 27th June. Nursery - P1 transition also continues next term with a more formal planned programme Nursery will much
planned
and
continue of this
P1/2. to
between Friday
form
the
the
mornings focus
work which will
for
centre
around ‘Journeys’.
The broad outline
as
these
to
what
transition
arrangements will look like will come home in a letter to pre-school parents on
Tuesday
22nd
April. S:\Admin\Newsletters\1314\Newsletter 8.doc
Village Quiz Night
ECO News The
Big
news
of
the
term
course the award of our 3 now
was
proudly
alongside
of
green flag
rd
Thank
you
hardworking
Eco
keen
to
publicise
Earth
Hour and delighted to meet with Mr Gerlings who spoke
with them about
ways to improve the energy efficiency of
the
Thank
lighting you
around
very
much
the
for
time,
this has led to discussions with our Energy Officer so watch this space for something new being trialled and the Eco
Committee
monitoring
our
electricity usage. Finally
P5/6/7
have
been
busy
this
week digging over a strip of land to the side of the public footpath leading to the field behind the school.
They
are working with parents and also Di Simcock
to
create
a
of
attracting
the area. hoping labour
more
bees
is
the
by
I also had a very interesting meeting recently with several members of the establish session. details
a
church
Village
looking
Project
for
to next
I cannot give away too many at
delighted
this to
be
stage
but
planning
we to
are work
closely with our community after the summer on this project, most certainly involving Art and Writing.
Night,
appreciated.
night
for
adults.
been
before,
This
is
If
look
you
out
have
not
the
next
for
event Literacy Booklet Following on from our Maths
Library
Lunch to support parents with Maths and Numeracy at home we have now turned our attention to Literacy. On our School Improvement Plan this year
is
to
produce
a
Parental
Information Booklet for Literacy.
We
met as a teaching staff team last week to begin to look at the type of information we can and should be sharing your
regarding
your
questionnaire
Thursday
seeds!
and
Quiz
always very well attended and a fun
without
when they can then start sowing the
community
recent
Literacy We quickly
realised we could not possible do this
hard
completed
in
the
throughout the school.
to
The nursery are that
greatly
with
Wildflower strip in the hope
efforts
a huge commitment and
school.
your
Council
Debbie Coppinger this is
plan and have certainly not rested on were
their
our
Committee
Parent
Village
continue to work through their action
They
the
arranging
Committee
their laurels!
to
Fundraising for
Saltire
in front of our school. The
always
within
flying
the
as
help, you
hence
hopefully
the
filled
during Parental Consultations.
in
If you
did not get a questionnaire please pop into the school office to collect one. We shall be using this information to hopefully have
address
around
any
questions
literacy
and
you the
experiences your child has at school and how you can help at home. booklet
will
be
distributed
to
This all
families and also sit on our website for
all
to
access
should
questions
arise.
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Adult Learning Classes
Social Media
You may have noticed recently a flier
Finally, it has come to my attention
coming
out
about
some
that
for
Adult
opportunities
Learning within the village. keen
to
try
and
include for our families and are very
pleased
classes come
with
that
up
we
with
the
have
as
variety
been
supported
by
colleagues in Adult Learning. do
not
have
a
leaflet
of
able
to our
If you
there
is
still
time to pop into the school office to collect one and sign up for what s on offer.
To give you a flavour we have:
Raising
Children
(Free).
With
Confidence.
This runs for 7 weeks on a
June.
course
and
positive who
It
is
always
comments
take
part.
emotional promote children.
in
happens
from will and
ourselves
Sessions
do Kids Do that? inside
excellent
receives
You
wellbeing
it
an
very
are making connections or requesting friendships with adults or people they do not know well.
like to discuss this please do come in. Alternatively there are sites available
Children’s
brains)
the
ups
and
down of life. Elementary food Hygiene (this one costs
£30)
is
certificated
by
Health and Safety Executive.
the This
is an important one if in your job you may ever need to be handling food. Keeping Up With The Kids – This is
another
running
free
for
Wednesday until 21
st
3
evening
May.
evening
course
weeks from
on 7
th
a
pages
safe
on
on-line,
how
adult
learning does and
e-safety
and
sessions focus
how
on
to
to
keep
including
Facebook’s’ own website.
safe on-line.
(Looking at what
with
support
to
–Why
If your child has a
social media account and you would
how
to understand how we can support
access to these sites and as a result
safety
include
It is very concerning
to me to hear that some children have
earlier
our
the Facebook
order to do this.
at
very insightful one) which helps us children
for
parents
Cotton Wool Kids (this is always a
our
to
look and
have
to forge dates of birth in
children
May to
pupils
do so and will have had
6.30pm to 9.30pm from 7 th
our
they are still too young to
with
th
of
accounts.
legislation
Wednesday evening in school from 18
number
According
This is something we have been
a
on
One of the I
mentioned
exploring
keep
your
e-
child
In school we do cover will
be
discussing
this
with our older pupils. Finally
a
Henderson
message regarding
from
Kirsten
ChildMinding.
Please note that the school does not seek to promote individual businesses we are simply doing a favour for one of
our
parents
in
sharing
this
information. I have part-time places available now, full-time
places
available
starting 21/07/2014. For more information please contact
me
on
01620
880384
or
em@ail:khenderson@btintenet.com
May
These sessions will
look at how to support your child with IT for home learning tasks.
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DATES FOR DIARY: May 1st
P7 Leavers Photographs
2
Term Information Sheet out
5th
Holiday
6th
In-Service Day
nd
April
(East Lothian Courier)
4
Church Service @ 9.30am
8
Big Cook Little Cook at NBHS
22nd
Back to School
12th
Walk to School Week
New School Menu starts
14th
P6/7 Tag Rugby Festival
th
th
Mobile Library in the Village 28
th
P1/2 Class Assembly
Commonwealth Play in a Day
19
Holiday
20th
Mobile Library in the Village
21st
Meadowbank Athletics Event
22
Village Clean Up Day
27th
P1 Information Session
th
nd
We are starting next term to think about planning for next session and putting together our school improvement plan.
As soon as
we have word from the
authority regarding our classes for next session I will let you know.
In the
meantime we shall be at Church on Friday at 9.30am for our Easter Service with Rev Evans-Boiten and parents and families are most welcome to join us.
In the
meantime on behalf of the rest of the staff team, thank you for your continued support and we would like to wish all of our families a relaxing and enjoyable Easter break and look forward to welcoming you back to school on Tuesday 22nd April. Please
remember
to
keep
an
eye
on
the
school
http://edubuzz.org/blogs/athelstaneford/ for the most up to date information.
blog As
ever if you have any concerns or queries please do not hesitate to contact me. Catriona McKinnon Head Teacher
Shop and raise school funds! If you buy online there is now an easy way to earn vital school funds. By visiting eduPayment.co.uk and locating a participating retailer our school will earn commission from your purchases. Leading online brands are participating in the service including, Amazon.co.uk & New Look. You pay no more; there are even special offers to help you pay less. Please visit www.edupayment.co.uk for more information.
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