A total of £77.00 was raised. £40 was sent to Red Nose Day and £37 was donated to our school fund.

Thank you for your continued support.

Please click on the link and view flyer from Auchinleck Talbot 2010s club:

Auchinleck Talbot 2010 Flyer

We’re delighted that Barry Holmes, our Active Schools Coordinator, is coming to school to work with us next week.  In line with all current H&S guidelines, Barry will be working with every class outdoors on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  P1/2 and P2 will play fun games, P3 and P4/5 will focus on Team Building exercises and P5/6 and P6/7 will complete their Leadership course that was started in Term 1. Each class will use their own PE equipment and all appropriate precautions will be taken.

As all of these sessions will take place outdoors all pupils should come to school next week wearing their school uniform up top (polo shirts and sweatshirts) and trackies/leggings and trainers so that they can take a full part in Barry’s activities.

What a brilliant day we’ve had at Catrine Primary, with all of our pupils in Primary 4, 5, 6 and 7 returning to their classes.  Our playground has been full of children playing together, with some pupils seeing their pals for the first time since December!  We are so proud of the way the children of Catrine have coped during this last lockdown, and we are very grateful to the help and support that friends and family provided with their home learning.

It’s just great to have our pupils back where they belong!

Mrs Govans

Congratulations to Connor who won the lucky draw after taking part in our Word Search fundraiser.

We are delighted to be welcoming our Primary 4-7 pupils back to school full time from Monday 15^th March.  To ensure the health and safety of all pupils and staff the following arrangements will be in place –

• We will continue with our staggered start and finish times for all classes, with P1/2, P3 and P5/6 starting at 9.00am and finishing at 3.00pm and P2, P4/5 and P6/7 starting at 9.10am and finishing at 3.10pm.
• Supervision will be provided in the playground from 8.45am each morning, in line with EAC guidelines, so it would be appreciated if pupils didn’t arrive before this time, especially pupils who don’t start until 9.10am
• Each class will stay within their class bubble, with our playground being split into zones for interval and lunchtime play
• All classes will continue to eat their lunches (both school dinners and packed lunches) in their class each day.  Please ensure that you have booked your child’s school dinner in advance.
• Pupils don’t need to bring a PE kit – classes will continue to embrace outdoor learning and teachers will inform parents/carers on their class blog of days when suitable outdoor clothing is required so please check the blog regularly
• Pupils don’t need to bring a school bag – all resources will be provided by the school
• Parents/carers: please be mindful of social distancing at drop-off and pick-up times and please wear a mask. 

Although we can’t wait to have all of our pupils back, we need to do so in a safe and organised manner so we appreciate your support in these matters. Please contact the school if you wish to discuss any issues further. 

Thank you. 

Mrs Govans

With our P4-P7 pupils returning to school from Monday 15^th March, we are keen to check in with the parents/carers of our pupils to make sure that they’re all set to get back into the classroom.  Miss Feighan, Mrs McCaig and Mrs McKenna will be phoning over the next few days so if you receive a call from ‘NO CALLER ID’ it’s probably them looking to have a blether.

*Please note that our teachers will not be phoning the parents/carers of pupils who have accessed the school hub this term.

As always, you know I’m only a phone call or email away if you have concerns/issues that you would like to discuss.

Thank you.     

Mrs Govans

Tel.: 01290 551436   email:  judith.govans@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

It’s Money Week at Catrine Primary School this week so our pupils, both in school and at home, will be set a whole range of tasks and activities with a money theme so be prepared for lots of questions about pounds and pence, credit and debit, budgeting and finance throughout the week!  Remember to check your child’s class GLOW blog at the end of the week to see the highlights of this week’s learning.

Mrs Govans

P1/2, P2 and P3 have enjoyed a brilliant second week back in school – check out their class blogs to see what they have been up to, both in class and out and about in the village.  We are so proud of the enthusiastic and resilient way that our youngest pupils have come back to school.

Great news that our P4-P7 pupils will be back with us full time from Monday 15^th March.  Full details for their return will be posted on our GLOW and app next week so please check them regularly for updates. We can’t wait to have all of our classes full again!

 Mrs Govans

Active Schools and the Cumnock Juniors Community Enterprise are working in partnership to look into accessing sport and activity in the local area. They are also looking to gather information on a possible Kit Bank and how best it could be worked to the benefit of the community. Could you please spare a few minutes to complete the Smart Survey with your opinions and feedback. Much appreciated!

Barry Holmes

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Accesstosportincumnock/

Catrine Primary School will be celebrating World Book Day tomorrow, Thursday 4 March. Our Primary 1, 2 and 3 pupils will be taking part in lots of “book” themed activities in their class and Primary 4, 5, 6, and 7 should check on their class blog to see what their teacher has in store for them.

Please note due to current restrictions Primary 1, 2 and 3 pupils are not being asked to dress-up for World Book Day this year.

Thank you.

Mrs Govans

Primary 7 leavers hoodies have arrived and can be picked up from the school office from Monday 1 March.

To continue raising funds, to cover the cost of the leavers hoodies, a word search can be purchased through ParentPay for a donation of £1.00. The word search will be available until Friday 5 March and will be emailed to you through ParentPay. Please email the answer to mary.mcdicken@east-ayrshire.gov.uk or telephone the school office. The winner (picked at random) will received a “chocolate prize”.

Thank you for your continued support.

The-Exchange: a counselling and psychological support service for young people

The-Exchange is now providing counselling and emotional and psychological support in your child’s school. The service provides a private space where children and young people can talk about things which are troubling them. Talking things over with a professional can help children to find better ways to cope with difficulties. If your child’s teacher or a key adult within the school feels that counselling may be beneficial to them, they will always contact you before making a referral to The-Exchange. For children under the age of 12, parental consent is required in order for the child to attend the counselling or psychological support sessions. When supporting children under the age of 12, The Exchange involve parents at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the process with an aim to improve the overall resilience and psychological wellbeing of the family.

If you would like further information, please contact Mrs Schendel email: Roberta.schendel@eastayrshire.org.uk

Our pupils in Primary 1, 2 and 3 have made a very positive and energetic return to school today – it’s been wonderful to see our playground full of happy children playing together.

Thanks to the many parents of our P4-7 pupils who have collected their next home learning pack from school today – it’s been a nice chance to have a wee blether and catch up too.

P4-P7 home learning packs are available for collection from the main office between 9.30am and 2.30pm.  Can P4/5 and P6/7 remember to return their class novel please?

As always, take care and keep in touch. 

Mrs Govans

Primary 1-3 pupils – return to school information

 We are delighted that our P1, P2 and P3 pupils will be returning to school on a full time basis from Monday 22^nd February, as confirmed yesterday in the First Minister’s announcement.  With the health and safety of our pupils and staff being our priority, the following arrangements will be in place –

• We will continue with our staggered start and finish times to avoid congestion at the school gates.  Primary 1/2 and Primary 3 – start at 9.00am and finish at 3.00pm.  Primary 2 and P4-P7 pupils accessing the school support – 9.10am and 3.10pm.
• Parents/carers – please follow all the social distancing rules at our school gates by keeping your distance and wearing masks
• P1-3 pupils do not need to bring in school bags, PE kits or toys from home.  They can bring in packed lunch bags.
• Lunches will be eaten in the classes.  Please ensure that all school lunches are ordered in advance for your child.
• If any P1 or P2 pupil still has a school reading book at home from their first home learning pack, can this be returned please?

We are looking forward to having our younger pupils back in school – we have really missed them and can’t wait to hear our classrooms full of blethers, laughter and carry-on again!

Primary 4-7 pupils – home learning information

Home learning will continue for the next wee while for our P4/5, P5/6 and P6/7 pupils.  A new home learning pack will be available for collection from the school office from Monday 22^nd February (between 9.30am and 2.30pm please) and Miss Feighan, Mrs McCaig, Mrs Schendel and Mrs McKenna will continue to post daily on their class GLOW blogs, focusing on Literacy and Numeracy.  Please email your child’s teacher with any concerns/issues/questions – they will always get back to you and enjoy hearing from you.  

Our teachers really enjoy speaking with their class during their TEAMS calls and GLOW chats so please keep encouraging your child to join in with these interactive sessions as we know how much they benefit from having a wee chat with their teacher and friends.

As always, stay safe, take care and keep in touch. 

Mrs Govans

Today sees the launch of the Scottish Child Payment – a new benefit from Social Security Scotland that is aimed at tackling child poverty in Scotland.

The new payment will see the equivalent of £10 per week being paid for every child under the age of 6 living in a low income household and receiving a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or one of the legacy benefits (Child tax or working tax credits; income support, income based JSA or income related ESA). The new benefit will be rolled out to every child under 16 by the end of 2022 with payments being made on a 4 weekly basis.

Applications were accepted from November but despite this and a high profile campaign by Social Security Scotland, take up has been disappointing with less than 45% of eligible applications having been made. It is anticipated that there are still around 100,000 children in Scotland who are eligible for this payment but no claim has yet been made. That means a family with two qualifying children could be losing out on more than £1000 per year.

The payments are made 4 weekly and applications couldn’t be simpler. You can apply online at https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment/how-to-apply/ or by telephone on 0800 182 222.

Congratulations – we did it!

As we finish the end of Week 5 of Home Learning, I would like all parents, carers, grans, papas, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and family members of our pupils to give themselves a well-deserved pat on the back for assisting our pupils and children with their home learning tasks.  We love seeing your photos and videos, and, as always, are impressed by your creativity and enthusiasm for helping your children to learn in these unusual times.

The biggest ‘well done’ needs to go to all of our children at both Catrine ECC and PS – they are coping so well, again, with huge changes to their learning and we are missing them all so much.

With an announcement due on Tuesday 16^th February from the Scottish Government about the return details for ECC and Primary 1, Primary 2 and Primary 3 – please continue to check our GLOW blogs and APPS for updates.

Both the ECC and PS are on holiday on Monday 15^th, with inservice days on Tuesday 16^th and Wednesday 17^th so no online learning will be posted on these days.  Class teachers and ECC practitioners will post work on our GLOW blogs from Thursday 18^th February.

Wishing all our families and the Catrine community a lovely February break.  As always, take care, stay safe and keep in touch. 

Mrs Govans