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

A total of £112.00 was raised for the Valentine Chocolate Raffle!

1st Prize Lauren P5/6

2nd Prize Kaci

P6/7

Primary 7 would like to thank everyone for their support!

Please find below size chart and available colours for the Primary 7 Leavers Hoodie. Please complete the form below by Thursday 18 February.

Hoodie sizes: 

Medium Youth (age 7-8), Large Youth (age 9-11), XL Youth (age 12-13), Small adult, Medium Adult

If you require any further information or assistance, please email mary.mcdicken@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Thank you.

Please support Primary 7’s fundraising event to raise money for their leaver’s hoodies. Raffle tickets can be purchased on ParentPay.

Thank you.

Please click on the links below and enjoy live lessons from East Ayrshire Council:

Live family sessions starting the 8th Feb 2021

Live sessions Parent -carer Guidance Document

Are you home schooling this week? Help your child to explore the different ways they can express themselves by taking part in #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek.

You can take a look at the free activity ideas for parents and carers by clicking on the link:

https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/

Primary 7 is organising a “Valentine’s Chocolate Hamper” raffle to help raise funds for their leavers hoodies. Tickets cost £1 each and are available to purchase on ParentPay (please note you can purchase any many as you want ….)

Primary 7 would like to thank you for your continued support!

Due to the increasing number of children having to attend our schools parents/carers are reminded of the following key principles from the supplementary guidance for school admission during COVID-19 school closures.

Only key workers who are physically attending their workplace or who cannot fulfil their critical functions when they are working remotely from home may qualify for places.

Where alternative options are available – e.g. where childcare/remote learning can be provided or supported by one non-key-worker parent or carer who is able to work from home – these should be used instead of children attending school in person.

These principles are in place to ensure that we keep the number of children in school each day to a minimum to ensure that safety of both pupils and staff, as the more children we have in then the more staff we require to bring in.

Thank you for your continued support.

Well done to everyone – we’ve survived three weeks of home learning!!  Thanks to everyone – pupils, parents, carers, grandparents, brothers, sisters and family friends – for your time, patience and creativity when helping our pupils with their learning. You’re all doing a great job!

The next paper home learning pack for every pupil will be available for collection from the school office from Monday 1^st February (between 9.30am and 2.30pm please).

Can P1/2 and P2 return their reading books from the first home learning packs please?

Also, a variety of stationery items – pencils, rubbers, jotters – will be available for collection so let us know what you need to help with your child’s home learning lessons.

As always, we’re only a phone call or email away so please get in touch if we can help in any way.

Have a great weekend. 

Mrs Govans

Please click on the links below and enjoy some live lessons from East Ayrshire Council:

Live family sessions wk 2

Live sessions Parent -carer Guidance Document

If you wish any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the school.