Yesterday afternoon we held our Staff vs Pupil football match.

Staff 8 – 10 Pupils

Well done pupils team!

Free School Meals and School Clothing Grants (FSM-SCG) for parents/guardians with an active means tested claim for Council Tax Reduction (CTR)

If you have a child or children that have been in receipt of Free School Meals-School Clothing Grant for the 2022-23 academic year, and you are in receipt of Council Tax Reduction (CTR), and you meet the qualifying criteria (as noted below), you do not need to reapply.

We will use the information we have on your CTR claim to assess your continued entitlement to FSM-SCGs, and your claim will be carried into the next school year.

Payments will begin being issued to parents in mid-June 2023 and continue regularly thereafter.

If you meet the above noted points, and have not received your SCG for your child or children in P1 to S4 by July, please contact us for further guidance/information via email at EducationBenefits@dumgal.gov.uk. Please make sure you include your full name, address and your child/children’s name(s), date(s) of birth and the school they attend. We will then reply to advise whether you need to apply again or not.

If your child or children is moving into S5 or S6, we cannot pay their School Clothing Grant or award Free School Meals until their school has confirmed attendance in August.

The qualifying criteria for the upcoming school year are:

• Child attends a Dumfries and Galloway Council school, and the parent/guardian is in receipt of:
  • Income Support
  • Job Seeker’s Allowance (Income Based)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (Income Based)
  • Universal Credit with a monthly income of not more than £726
  • Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with an annual taxable income of less than £8,717
  • Child Tax Credit on its own, with an annual taxable income of less than £18,725
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Coordinated Support Plan (CSP) (FSM only)

Free School Meals and School Clothing Grants (FSM-SCG) for parents/guardians who do not have an active means tested claim for Council Tax Reduction (CTR)

If you currently do not have an active means tested award for Council Tax Reduction, you will need to reapply for Free School Meals and School Clothing Grant, even if you have received FSM-SCG for the 2022-23 academic year.

Applications can be made online at http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/schoolmeals.

Please remember that Council Tax Reduction is a means tested assessment that you will have had to apply for and provide proof of your household and income details. It is not to be confused with a discount (or standard reduction) to your Council Tax bill, for example a Single Person’s Discount. Such discounts are not means tested, which means we will not have confirmation of your household income details, and therefore are unable to assess your entitlement to FSM-SCGs.

Parents/guardians that have received FSM-SCG for their child or children for the 2022-23 academic year, who do not have an active CTR claim, will need to reapply. In the meantime, if you know you do not have an active CTR claim, please apply via the above noted link.

If you are unsure of your circumstances, but have been receiving FSMs, please email EducationBenefits@dumgal.gov.uk with any queries you have or for further guidance.

Unsure about whether your claim(s) will be carried forward or not? Please email and ask.

 If your child/children has received means tested Free School Meals-School Clothing Grant(s) in the 2022-23 academic year and you are unsure whether you should reapply, please email us and ask at EducationBenefits@dumgal.gov.uk.

Send us an email with your name, address and your child/children’s name(s), date(s) of birth and the school they attend. We will then reply to advise whether you need to apply again or not.

Please use the following link for further information.

https://www.cbrfa.com/

Skills Development Scotland have made us aware of the following courses that have spaces at the moment – please note there are interviews scheduled for this week so some places may be taken then.

• Pre-Apprenticeship Painting and Decorating Level 5 – 5 places.
• Construction Level 4- 6 places.
• Fabrication & Welding Level 5 – 4 places (dependant on numbers, whether will run or not)
• Manufacturing & Engineering Level 5- 5 places (dependant on numbers, whether will run or not).
• Engineering Practice Level 5- 2 places
• Engineering Systems & Wind Turbine Level 6- 7 places
• Intro to Engineering & Renewables Level 4- 8 places
• Transport Maintenance Level 4  (STRANRAER ONLY) – 8 places

Join on either the 7th or 9th of March at 6.30pm

Join the webinar to find out more about Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships, support available on apprenticeships.scot website and hear from the panel discussing:

· developing a CV and interview tips

· information from an employer about what they look for in applications/ interview process

· as well as apprentices sharing how they found out about their apprenticeships/ experience of applying and interview

Sign up https://fal.cn/3vZK8

There are also DYW Live apprenticeship sessions taking place across the week too.

DYW Live Apprentice Showcase

School pupils can hear from a range of apprentices and their employers about what it’s like to take an apprenticeship. Choose from up to four 30min online sessions each day of Scottish Apprenticeship Week from 6 to 10 March. Apprentices and employers from a range of sectors will feature and some sessions will discuss current and future apprenticeship vacancies.

Register to attend any free session through the DYW Live website

We would also be keen to let young people know about a social media campaign we are running throughout Scottish Apprenticeship Week – encouraging them to follow the hashtag #ApprenticeShop.

During Scottish Apprenticeship Week, from 6 to 10 March, young people can follow the hashtag #ApprenticeShop on social media to get a better insight into what apprenticeships are like. Apprentices, employers and learning providers will share lots of information about apprenticeships across the country from a range of sectors including details about current and future vacancies, stories, films and more.

School Toolkit

If you are planning any activity in school it would be great to hear what you are doing and how we can support the activity. We’ve put together a toolkit to help promote your events – just click on the below link.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2023 Toolkit

It has been a busy term so far.  We finally managed to welcome our P7 Pupils and Parents! Our previous efforts had been thwarted by local road closures.  However a great night was had by all exploring the school, sampling learning opportunities and tasting the fabulous food on offer within the school canteen.  Many thanks to parents, pupils and volunteer staff who were able to attend.  Our Senior Phase Football Team plays in the semi final against North West Community Campus on Tuesday afternoon of this week.  Well done to Molly, Ella and Rowan who performed exceptionally well at the Dumfries and Galloway Burns Festival last weekend and placed for a wide range of awards – photos to follow.

We are having a non uniform day on 21 Feb, arranged by the S3 Geography class to raise funds and collect donations for the Turkey and Syrian Earthquake appeal.   The class are busy arranging a coffee morning to support the appeal which will take place on the 4 March – more details to follow.

The pupils February holiday starts tomorrow and pupils are off 22, 23 and 24 Feb.

The school will also be closed to pupils on the 28 February and 1 March due to industrial action.