If you are unable to complete the questionnaire online please contact the school for a paper copy.
All posts by A FERGUSSON
Parent/Carer Homework Questionnaire
Following on from last years Homework Survey we would like to gather your thoughts on our current homework provision. Your views will help to shape our future homework provision. This survey will close at midnight on Tuesday 16th November and it should take around 5 minutes to complete.
Thank you for taking the time to respond to this.
Our Lucky Cat
Hallowe’en Raffle Winners
Congratulations to our lucky Hallowe’en Raffle winners Gabo (primary 3), Luke (primary 4) and Madison (primary 5).
November Newsletter
November Newsletter
Today the children have been having a fantastic day in school taking part in our Hallowe’en activities. Thank you for purchasing raffle tickets for our Hallowe’en Trick or Treat bags. From this we have raised £180 which will go towards purchasing items for our Christmas crafts.
We have lots of exciting activities planned for November, please read on to find out some more.
School Photographs
This will take place on Friday 5th November. All children will be photographed and family pictures for children in school will also be taken. Please complete the slip sent home this week and return to school ASAP.
Class Videos
This term each class will issue a class video shoeing some of the things that children have been taking part in. This video will be password protected with a text sent with password details to the main contact in school. If you do not wish your child to be included in this then please contact the school directly or via the contact us form on the school website.
Sports Leadership Sessions
Our Active Schools link Mark Devlin will complete Sports Leadership activities with our Primary 5 and 6 children. This will begin on Wednesday 17th November for 4 weeks.
Children in Need
Children in Need takes place on Friday 19th November. We are aware that this is an expensive time of the year, we are asking for a £1 donation if you are able to. This will be available on ParentPay closer to the time. The children will take part in a special activity afternoon.
Parents/Carers Appointments
Due to ongoing restrictions parents/carers will again take place via phonecall. These will take place between Monday 22nd November and Friday 26th November. A letter will be sent home next week with further details for each class.
Book Week Scotland Gifting Event
Primary 1- 3 will have a special afternoon of activities for this on Wednesday 24th November. Children in Primary 1-3 can come to school dressed in their pyjamas on this day. Primary 1 will receive a Bookbug bag, Primary 2 and 3 will receive a Read Write Count bag.
Class Calendar
We will again be offering a class calendar for sale, more details to follow for this.
Christmas Crafts
Each child will be creating a Christmas craft again this year. Funds raised from this will go towards school funds.
Christmas Events
Each class will attend an Advent services at the Church – date to be confirmed.
| Monday 29th November | Reverse advent calendar begins until Friday 17th December. More information to follow. |
| Wednesday 8th December | Christmas Lunch |
| Thursday 9th December | House Prize – Movie and Christmas cooking with Stephanie |
| Friday 10th December | Christmas Jumper Day
|
| Monday 13th – Friday 17th December | Christmas Parties – dates to follow. |
| Friday 17th December | Christmas Nativity to be available for parents/carers |
| Monday 20th December | Christmas craft items to be sent home this week with all children.
Outdoor Care Home visit for all classes – Christmas songs, cards and posters
|
| Tuesday 21st December | Christmas Movie Day |
| Wednesday 22nd December | Pyjama Day
2:30pm finish |
Handball Community Club
An exciting opportunity for pupils to take part in Handball.
HANDBALL COMMUNITY CLUB
PRIMARY:P5-7 boys & girls
DAY: Tuesday
TIME: 5pm-6pm
VENUE: St Joseph’s Leisure Centre (games hall)
DATES: 26th Oct to 14th Dec
COST: Free
REGISTER HERE USING SMARTSURVEY BELOW:
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Handballclub/
*Maximum 30 places – this is due to restrictions based on COVID 19*
Please only attend if you have registered a place. For more information please email: mark.devlin@east-ayrshire.gov.uk
Primary 6 – Term 2 Update
Primary 6 Term 2 Blog Post
Welcome to term 2, I hope everyone enjoyed their October week and had a chance to unwind after all of our super hard work during term 1! Term 1 has been a great start for Primary 6, class routines have been established, a positive working environment has been created, and expectations have been set for a successful year ahead.
Below is an overview of the learning and teaching taking place in P6 this term.
Literacy
Reading
In term 2, after finishing off our class novel ‘Wonder’ we will begin to work on Bug club books. Independent books will be assigned for children to read at home for enjoyment and books will be set for each reading group to work on in class. Daily reading tasks will be set for groups to complete independently after a reading input with the teacher and these tasks will be focused around our active literacy skills. In Primary 6 we have begun to quote from the text to back up our opinion, Primary 6 have made an exceptional start at this, and this is something we will continue to master throughout the school year. During our new topic – Titanic – we will begin to focus on reading and gathering information from various different types of texts, for example, biographies, newspaper articles, primary and secondary sources etc. I believe Primary 6 will enjoy this aspect of the topic and will hit the ground running with it.
Writing
Our writing day will be a Tuesday. The pupils will have the opportunity to discuss and plan their writing the day before and will be encouraged to take time at home as a homework task to think about the content of their writing. This term Primary 6 will be focussing on Persuasive writing. The pupils will use the OREO (Opinion, Reason, Example, Opinion) framework to structure their writing. Primary 6 will focus a different aspect of grammar/punctuation each week with the expectation they use this in their formal writing. Some pupils will be expected to up-level their writing by using tools such as thesauri and the VCOP pyramid.
Spelling
The spelling groups will continue to experience the Active Literacy spelling program, this will introduce common words and focus phonemes pertinent to their level and stage. The pupils will work on the Active Spelling strategies, these include diacritical marking, syllabification and words within words as daily spelling tasks and have a spelling test each week on a Friday morning.
Numeracy
This term P6 will focus on The Four Operations (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division) and our Beyond Number topics will be to continue with Angles and Symmetry and Data Handling. The pupils will experience activities at their stage and level. Constant revision of multiplication tables will be encouraged across all groups. Sumdog and Topmarks games can help with the rigor of times tables at home.
Health and Wellbeing
Last term, through our ‘Wonder’ novel we focused on friendships, changing relationships and choosing kindness. This term, some Primary 6’s will have the opportunity to become Barnardo Buddies, which those who applied have already interviewed for, introducing them to the world of work. This will be a great opportunity and experience and will allow Primary 6 to develop their leadership skills. Moreover, they will be able to put their PATHS control strategies into place, modelling these to the lower school through teaching and playing playground games with them and helping to sort any conflict. We will begin a Health and Wellbeing topic looking at food and a healthy diet, discussing the choices we make. P6 will continue to engage in our weekly PATHS lessons and be encouraged to use their ‘check in’ cards and feeling jotters to report any worries or concerns they may have to the teacher. The ‘Pupil of the Day’ is up and running. This year we are complementing each other based on each other’s skills and talents.
Our PE days this term will be on a Wednesday and a Thursday. Our Wednesday sessions will be led by Kilmarnock Sports College in the morning until the 10th of November. Following on from this, from the 17th of November for the next four weeks PE will be in the form of Sport’s leadership sessions lead by Mark Devlin. Pupils are asked to come dressed for PE on these days – school uniform on top but leggings, joggers, trainers can be worn on the bottom. The focus in PE this term is football on Thursday and gymnastics on a Friday.
Expressive Arts
Through our class topic P6 will have the opportunity to experience a range of activities in Drama and Art pertinent to their level and stage. P6 especially enjoyed ‘Hot seating’ in drama last term which involves putting themselves in the headspace of a character and answering questions from their classmates as that character. This is something we will take forward in term 2, putting ourselves in the shoes of those aboard the Titanic.
RME
Throughout Primary 6 the pupils will listen to and engage with stories from the Gospel of Matthew. This term P6 will look at special dates in the liturgical calendar such as All Saints and All Souls Day. P6 will choose a Saint to research and present to the class. Moreover, we will enjoy 2-3 weekly visits from The Sisters to work with the children on mass responses and prayer.
2+1 Languages
This term, Primary 6 will be working on French as their main language and also some Spanish. So far in term 2, Primary 6 enjoyed working on a group task where they identified which countries spoke French around the world using maps. Moreover, pupils learned about the origin, meaning and typical traditions of Mexican celebration ‘El Dia de los Muertos’ (Day of the Dead) and produced some wonderful art work based on their learning.
In Primary 6 we promote hard work and amazing attitudes. Our reward card system allows pupils to gain reward cards for Wonderful Work, Amazing Attitude, and being a ‘Superstar’. When the pupils gain five cards, they can choose an individual reward. They can also choose to go for a class reward once everyone reaches five reward cards; this promotes teamwork within the class. Throughout term 1 many children achieved five reward cards and enjoyed an individual reward as a result of this, I have no doubt this will continue in Term 2 and we can hopefully work towards a class reward together.
If you have any queries or questions, please contact the school directly.
Thank you for your support and I look forward to a wonderful year in Primary 6.
Miss McKenna
Hallowe’en Costumes
We would prefer it if children did not wear age inappropriate costumes to school on Friday.
Hallowe’en trick or treat raffle
We have three fantastic Hallowe’en trick or treat bags filled with a range of special Hallowe’en treats. 👻🎃💀
Look out on ParentPay from Monday for your chance to purchase 5 tickets for a £1. The raffle will close at Midnight on Thursday with tickets being drawn on Friday. All proceeds from this will go towards school funds.
Good Luck!
Children and Young People’s Climate Conference 2021
Today some of our Primary 7 children have participated in Children and Young People’s Climate Conference. This focussed on Energy, Transport, Waste and Natural Environment.
Earth House Prize Photographs
October Week Holiday
We hope all of our children and families have a fantastic October holiday. Our holidays begin on Friday at 3pm. School returns on Tuesday 19th October at 9am.
Friday 8th October – Own clothes day
A reminder that Friday 8th October is an own clothes day. We are asking for a £1 donation to be made for school funds. This is available on ParentPay.
Earth House-House Prize
Earth house had an amazing House Prize today. The children enjoyed their movie morning and cooking with Stephanie this afternoon. We are looking forward to some delicious cookies tomorrow.
Thank you to Stephanie and our amazing kitchen staff for organising this today.
Friday lunch – Munchie Box
A reminder that tomorrow’s school lunch will be a Munchie Box. This will contain a slice of pizza, 1/2 burger in a bun, chicken nugget and chips. Dessert is Strawberry tart or popcorn!
House Prize – The Winning house…
We are delighted to announce that winning house for this term is:
The Winning House will have a fabulous day on Thursday. Their prize includes a movie morning with snack provided and a cooking masterclass with our talented kitchen staff.
Friday 8th October – Non uniform Day
On Friday 8th October pupils and staff can choose to wear their own clothes rather than school uniform. As always no football clothing please.
Parents/carers are asked to donate £1 via ParentPay for this (available from Monday 4th October). This is to raise money for our school funds.
Congratulations – Primary 5
Congratulations to our Primary 5 children who were confirmed last night.
May God always be by your side.
Primary 5 – Confirmation
Please keep our Primary 5 children in your prayers as the prepare to be Confirmed this evening.
Change to school lunches this week Thursday and Friday only
On Thursday and Friday there will be a change to the school lunches being offered.
Thursday 9th September
Red – gammon sandwich
Blue – Tuna sandwich
Green – Cheese sandwich
Friday 10th September
Red – Fish and chips
Blue – Macaroni cheese
Green – Egg sandwich
Rugby Community Club
Primary 6 and 7 Rugby sessions
We are delighted that Kilmarnock Rugby Club are supporting our Primary 6 and 7 with Rugby this term. Due to this PE sessions will now be:
Primary 6 – Thursday and Friday
Primary 7 – Tuesday and Thursday
Children should continue to wear polo shirt and school jumper with appropriate leggings, tracksuit bottoms or shorts.
PATHS – Barnardo’s PATHS® Programme for Schools
This year we are delighted to continue our work with Barnardo’s PATHS® Programme for Schools. If this programme is new to you or you wish to find out more information please have a look at http://www.pathseducation.co.uk/what-is-paths/paths-curriculum/
Please take some time to read the privacy notice related to our work with PATHS.
Start of term information
Please read the letter included in the link below regarding our return to school.
Return to school or other education setting
Information for parents and carers to support
pupils returning to school from NHS.
As this term comes to an end we would like to say a huge,
thank you,
to:
Our fantastic staff – those who work in the kitchen, our cleaners, our janitor, EAST support staff, all of our classroom assistants, our clerical staff and our teaching staff. This has been a challenging year and each and every one of you have risen to overcome these. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for all that you do each and every day. We hope that you enjoy a well-deserved rest over the summer.
To our Primary 7 children it is with great pride that we get to say ‘Good Luck’ to you in the future. Do not forget us, you will always be part of our Mount Carmel family.
To our new Primary 1 children we can’t wait to welcome you into our family in August.
To our amazing parents, thank you, for all of your support throughout the year. Enjoy the time with your family over this holiday period.
To Father Martin, Sister Mabel, Sister Juliet and Sister Rose, thank you, for supporting us on our faith journey.
And finally…
Thank you
…to our amazing children, you are reason that we come to work every day. We thank you for your smiles, love and laughter. Have a fantastic break and we look forward to welcoming you all back in August.
Together we are,
#TeamMC
New Primary 1 gift bags – last day for collection
A reminder that gift bags for our new Primary 1 children are available outside the main front door.
This includes a personalised story from their P6 buddy, a Primary 1 yearbook with photographs of classmates, a note with their house name as well as some lovely summer gifts.
This is the last day for collection and will be available until noon today.
Uniform Exchange
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Uniform Exchange. We now have a wide range of items in various sizes available for families.
These can be collected from outside our main school office until 12.00pm today. In the new term these items will continue to be available daily in our main foyer.
Uniform Exchange
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Uniform Exchange. We now have a wide range of items in various sizes available for families. These can be collected from outside our main school office until 12.00pm on Friday.
Primary 1/2 Summer Gift
A special end of year gift from Mrs Dunsmore is available for collection from outside the main school office. Many of the gifts have already been passed on to siblings within the school. If you have still to receive your gift please collect it by 12.00pm on Friday.
