Dear Parent/Carer
We have had a busy couple of weeks. Our P7s have led their first committee and are making plans for events and
activities throughout the coming weeks. Thank you to those of you who are able to support at Wigtown Book Festival, we will confirm dates for our classes to visit the site and get a behind the scenes look. Please remember to use your child’s voucher to gain free access to events. I will be there as a volunteer so once again we are able to offer that you can sign your child from P1-7 in and collect them at the end. Unfortunately we cannot have friends from other schools or relatives without an adult present so this is only open to our partnership. Come along and support this fantastic event with world class authors.
Our assembly last week focused on Child line and encourages the children to speak out and stay safe. The link is below
from NSPCC will let you watch what we shared in school for your interest. Speak out Stay safe programme | NSPCC Learning At assembly this week P1-4 gave us a fantastic peak through their keyhole. P1s demonstrated their number knowledge making 5, P2s showed how their number bonds to 10 helped them add number to 100 and continuing on a maths theme. Anna had chosen to show how she could confidently add 3 numbers looking for patterns, we were very impressed by them all. Then the other P3s and P4s shared their skills in descriptive writing. They had all written about hedgehogs after Mr Darwin rescued one from our playground drain last week. The children had researched information and collated the facts. Finally Carsen ended assembly with his PowerPoint on hedgehogs that he had chosen to make in his own time, fantastic. Well done to everyone in P1-4.
This week we also learned about meta skills and how they link with our future careers. These will
take the place of our learning dispositions and the children will be using them in all areas of their
learning and school life. Above is a picture of the 12 key skills. Below is a video link to Skills
Development Scotland that highlights why transferable skills are so important as we are preparing
our children for jobs and future careers that don’t even exist yet. I think a few fancied being architects in space or controlling the driverless cars.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITJUQre19Mg
On Wednesday night we held our first Parent Council meeting of the year. We discussed the school priorities for this
session, fundraising ideas and events for families, a Hallowe’en activity day rather than an after school disco, the introduction of Meta Skills alongside and in time instead of learning dispositions and other items. Please remember everyone is invited and welcome to attend.
The Galloway Gazette photographer visited today to take photographs of our new P1s. This is such a lovely way to celebrate entry to school and is a long time since we have had this. They all looked out their best smiles for the occasion.
Please remember to reply to the invitation to learning conversation on Thursday 2nd October time slots will be sent out soon.
Looking ahead we are excited about activities for Maths Week Scotland. The committee have great plans for an outdoor maths day linked with Wild Maths theme for this year.
P7s will also have a day to visit the DEHS this term, we are just waiting on confirmation and this will be shared with you. They are already chatting about it and to reassure you & them that a member of school staff will accompany them during their first 3 visits.
As always please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need anything at all email me on gw08andrewskirsty@ea.dumgal.sch.uk
‘Together we succeed’
Kirsty Andrews
Partner Headteacher
