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Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

I am delighted to say that our children had a wonderful time on Friday for Halloween.  Everyone looked amazing!  Mrs Fenwick provided a spooky Halloween lunch and pupils participated in Halloween activities in class in the afternoon.  Thank you to everyone who donated £1 towards school funds.  Here are some photographs of our children:

Face Coverings in Schools

After the announcement on Friday (see previous blog post) , I am pleased to say that staff and pupils have adapted well to seeing adults wearing face coverings in school.  Please remember to wear face coverings when dropping off or picking up your child at the gates or when entering the playground.

Pupils to Wear an Extra Layer of Clothing

As the weather becomes colder, we ask that pupils bring an extra layer of clothing to wear in school.  This does not have to be school uniform.  Current guidelines are that rooms should be well ventilated to suppress transmission of the virus.  Although we will try to maintain a comfortable temperature, windows will be open so pupils may be more comfortable with an extra fleece/ jumper to keep them warm.

Covid-19 Updates

As we approach the winter months, it is likely that there will be an increase in the reported cases of Covid-19 in our community.

Please can I remind you that you should not come in to school if you:

• Have coronavirus (Covid-19) symptoms
• Have tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) in the past 10 days
• Are in a household with individuals who have been tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) in the last 14 days
• Have been contacted through the Test and Protect programme and been advised to stay at home.

The three standard symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) are:

• Fever
• New/ Continuous cough
• Change in sense of taste or smell

Please look after yourselves and rest assured that we are taking all reasonable precautions to ensure that your children and staff are safe in school.

Best wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,

Face Coverings (Adults) – from Monday 2^nd November

The Scottish Government has issued updated guidance to all schools this afternoon which includes a change to the guidance on the wearing of face coverings for adults (staff, parents and visitors) in Primary Schools. (Primaries will now have the same procedures as Secondary schools).

From Monday 2^nd

a) Face coverings should be worn by adults wherever they cannot keep 2m distance with other adults and/or children and young people in or out of the classroom.

b) At all times, when moving around the school, adults should wear a face covering e.g. in corridors, office areas and staff rooms.

c) Face coverings should be worn by parents and other visitors to all school sites (whether entering the building or school grounds), including parents at drop-off and pick-up.

The update guidance applies to all adults and face coverings will now need to be worn unless there is an exemption.

The advice for children has not changed and there is no need for children to wear face coverings but are welcome to wear one if they wish when moving about the school.

We have tried to keep our routines as normal as possible but, from Monday, the wearing of face coverings in the playground by adults and when moving about the school will be introduced and could I please ask that you share this news with your child(ren) so that they will be aware of this change in time for Monday.

Thank you for your support and patience as the new Scottish Government guidance filters down to school level.  Please remember to wear a face covering when dropping off and collecting your child(ren).  This will help to keep us all safe.

Best wishes,

Mary E. Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

Welcome back to our second term of 2020/2021.  I hope that you had a restful October holiday.

Class Newsletters

Teachers will be sending class newsletters home in the next few weeks so that you have some information about what your child is learning in school this term.

Remembrance Day Poppies

We will be distributing poppies to pupils for a small donation.  The poppies have been quarantined for three days and will be handed out using gloves.  Pupils should bring in a donation from tomorrow.

Friday 30^th October – Halloween Costumes/ Non-Uniform Day – £1

On Friday we are having a non-uniform day for a suggested donation of £1 towards school funds.  Pupils (and staff) can wear Halloween costumes or casual clothes.  Please do not send your child to school with a mask or face paint to avoid the risk of cross contamination.  Pupils will engage in Covid-safe Halloween activities in the afternoon.

Ventilation and Wearing Extra Clothing in School

Schools have been advised to ensure that there is adequate ventilation to minimise the spread of Covid-19.  We must also keep classrooms as comfortable as possible.  Classrooms will be heated but windows will be partially open to allow for air flow.  We ask that pupils bring in an extra jumper or fleece (not necessarily uniform) to keep them warm this term.

Flu Vaccinations

Children received flu vaccinations prior to the October holidays.

If you wish to discuss anything further then please contact us via the school office email.  You may also contact me on 07741 686730 if required.

Best wishes

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

School Dinner Winner!

Jacob was the winner of Mrs Fenwick’s school dinner competition which ran this term.   He won a prize and has also picked his favourite meal – Pizza/Spaghetti and Meatballs followed by chocolate brownie and ice cream for dessert.  Well done Jacob!

P4-7 Puppet Show

P4-7 pupils created sock puppets and performed short video clips for their friends.  Thank you for working so hard this term boys and girls!

Have a wonderful October holiday!

Best wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

I hope this newsletter finds you well.

On Friday we emailed you with ‘Covid-19 Schools Information for Parents and Guardians’ .  This should help to answer any questions you may have about how we manage Covid-19 in school.   A copy can be found here:

COVID advice for parents (1)

School Holidays

Please remember that schools close for two weeks for the October holidays from Monday 12th October – Friday 23rd October.  I wish you all a restful break.

Covid-19 Related Health and Safety

We have 38 pupils in Gelston Primary School.  We have tried to minimise contact between children and adults from different classes within the school building.

We have several measures in place to minimise the movement of pupils inside the school buildings. E.g. Each class stays within their classroom in the building.  Pupils enter and exit from separate doors.  They share toilet facilities but they wash hands before and after leaving the classroom.  We have staggered break times and lunches too.

Within each class, pupils do mix with each other in different groupings.  They do not remain seated at their desks all day.  We ensure regular hand washing before and after completing group tasks or before entering/ exiting the room.

We have a strict cleaning schedule in place where the school is thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day and touch points are cleaned twice throughout the course of the day.

There have been implications for staff too with us trying to minimise movement between classrooms during one day and also between schools.

Attainment and Achievement

We have spent a considerable amount of time gathering assessment evidence to find out exactly where learners are and to identify their next steps in learning.  The school closures have had an impact on learning but we are able to move forward now that we have the evidence required.  Mrs Hermon, our Additional Support for Learning Teacher, has been helping to advise us on programmes of work for individuals.

In addition to this we have been supporting pupils with their health and wellbeing needs.  We now have strategies and support in place to help those pupils who have really struggled with the transition back into school.

On the whole, we are delighted with how well our pupils have settled back in to school this term.

Additional Support for Learning

In Gelston we have two full time Learning Assistants –  Mrs McNeill and Mr MacDougall.  Mr MacDougall will return to Gelston after the October holidays.  Across the partnership schools, we also have a full time Learning Assistant, funded by Pupil Equity Funding, whose remit is to raise attainment through targeted interventions in Literacy and Numeracy – Mrs Clifton.

This year Crossmichael received £19,800 in Pupil Equity Funding to close the poverty related attainment gap.  At Gelston, we received £4,800.  This term, Mrs Clifton has been working at Crossmichael.  She will join us in Gelston half way through next term.

I meet with staff every term and we review and revise timetables to ensure that pupils are targeted appropriately and effectively.

Playground Developments

Pupils are keen to develop our playground.  They shared their ideas and showed me maps, drawings and letters outlining their ideas for the playground.   They hope to reuse and recycle items as much as possible and are going to approach local businesses for donations.  The P4-7 pupils helped to write letters last week.

We would like some parents/ carers to help us by applying for more grants to help fund some of the bigger items mentioned.

Pupil Groups

We have elected House and Vice-Captains.  We hope to reinstate our Pupil Council, Health Group, Eco-Schools Group and Blogging Group after the holidays.

Reporting to Parents

Teachers will be sending an email to all parents/ carers before the October holidays with a brief update of how your child is getting on since returning to school in August.  Please contact your child’s teacher via email if you wish to find out more information.

Best wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

It has been a particularly busy week across the partnership schools so I apologise for not updating the blog with a newsletter last Monday.

Help to Find Funding for An Outdoor Classroom

We would like a wooden shelter/ outdoor classroom in our playground.  We will need approximately £10K to enable us to build one.  At Crossmichael, our Parent Council were awarded a grant of £10K from the Blackcraig Windfarm Community Fund.  Unfortunately, we do not qualify for this funding.  Please can I ask any parents who are willing and able to help us apply for grants, to contact the school?

Playground Developments

I have listened to our pupils and they have asked for more play areas within our playground.  We are keen to use materials that are low cost and local.  Pupils have been looking at some ideas.   They plan to contact local businesses to ask for donations of paint, tyres, sand, gravel, black silage sheeting, tarpaulin,  wooden pallets, wood, etc. so that they can build play areas.   Here are some examples of play areas that the children have looked at:

If you have any items seen in these pictures that you could donate to school then please contact us.  (We are always looking for small cars and other vehicles!)

We also received £400 to go towards our playground developments from Castle McLellan Foods Ltd.

Parent Council Annual General Meeting 

We had our meeting last Monday and the minutes will be uploaded to the Parent Council Page as soon as possible.

Mrs Abby Tuchewicz  is standing down after a year as Chairperson.   I would like to thank her for her support in that time.  We were not able to appoint a Chairperson so role bearers have decided to take it in turns each term as Chairperson.

Good Luck Miss Scott!

Miss Scott started her Maternity Leave on Friday.  We wish her good luck with the birth of her baby and look forward to hearing the news!

Best wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

Learning at Home when Isolating due to Covid-19 Symptoms

If your child needs to stay at home because they are exhibiting one of the three Covid-19 symptoms (new, continuous cough/ fever/ loss of taste or sense of smell) then the school will make contact with you every week to check in with you.  This will normally be a telephone call from the Principal Teacher or Headteacher.

If your child is feeling well enough to complete some learning at home then the class teacher will provide work for him/her via email, or paper copies will be made available.

School Chromebooks Borrowed by Children

During ‘lockdown’ we gave some children a school ‘Chromebook’ laptop so that they could access learning online.  These laptops belong to the partnership schools.  We now need to gather them back in to schools for pupils to use.  These can be borrowed again if required.  Please return the Chromebooks with the power cords (and dongles if you received one).

Reporting to Parents

This term, each teacher will email you a brief summary of your child’s strengths and next steps in learning.  We understand that many of you are anxious to find out if your child has any gaps in their learning as a result of the school closures.  We hope that this summary will provide you with this information.  You may contact class teachers via email if you have any questions or concerns.

Parent Council Annual General Meeting – Monday 21st Sept

We are having our AGM via the ZOOM app on Monday 21st September at 7pm.  If you wish to be invited then please email gelstonprimaryschoolparentcouncil@outlook.com and Abby Tuchewicz will send you a user ID and password.

The Parent Council is there to represent your views.  The name ‘Parent Council’ does sound very formal but this group can be as relaxed as you wish.  Please look at the leaflet to find out more.

Parent Council Know How

Each role (Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary) can be shared between two parents.

P1-3 Community Walk

On Friday our P1-3 pupils went for a walk around our community to find out more about where we live.  Here are some photographs.

Best wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher

Dear Family and Friends of Gelston Primary School,

We have had another lovely week at school.  I enjoyed teaching our P1-3 pupils on Friday.  They were very helpful in solving a maths investigation about coloured buttons!

How much has the ‘lock down’ impacted on learning?

Every year in Primary 1, pupils complete a standardised assessment at the start and end of the year.   We have just completed the ‘end of P1 assessments with our current P2s.  The results show that the children are slightly behind where we would expect them to be.  We are pleased to see that the gap is not as huge as we anticipated and teachers are working carefully to ensure that all pupils reach their full potential.

Teachers have been gathering evidence of pupil progress from formal assessments and from examples of their school work.  We now have targeted interventions in place for some pupils who need additional support.

We are continuing with the ‘Closing the Literacy Gap’ and ‘Closing the Numeracy Gap’ interventions after the October holidays.  Until recently the guidance provided to schools was that staff had to remain in the same school where possible.  Therefore, our Learning Assistant (Mrs Clifton) who is trained in the interventions, was not able to travel between the two schools.  She is currently completing a block at Crossmichael Primary School then will be based at Gelston to complete a block here.  (We plan to train more members of staff in the future so that these approaches are sustainable.)

Our Additional Support for Learning Teacher, Mrs Hermon, will be coming to Gelston next Monday to complete specific assessments with some pupils.

I have been in touch with families to organise Child’s Plan meetings.  A Child’s Plan meeting happens when a child has multi-agency involvement to support them in reducing/ removing barriers to learning.

Covid-19 Updates

I will continue to provide updates as I receive them.

Best Wishes,

Mary E Lidstone-Scott

Headteacher