During these troubling times, we are aware our children may be feeling scared, worried or anxious without the familiarity and routine of an ordinary school day.

I have attached some links and activity ideas which may help to relieve some worry or anxiety and will hopefully help our children to feel a little bit better during these uncertain times.

These activities are only a suggestion, there is no requirement to complete these, they are here to help should you feel your child may need them.

Activity Ideas:

Paths Mood Chart & Check in

By drawing the emotions from our Paths mood chart, using the emotions faces children are used to, children create their own mood metre and indicate daily, by pointing or putting a sticker on the emotion they are feeling. Parents and siblings can do the same and encourage children to talk about their feelings. Having a ‘family check in’ where you share your worries and feelings, can have a positive effect and help to relieve some of their worries or concerns.

Daily Diary

By keeping a daily diary and writing down the emotions you are feeling, this can be a positive way to release some of the worry you may be feeling.

Relaxation/Breathing

This video encourages controlled breathing and visualisation, which may help to relieve any stress or muscle tension children are experiencing.

Massage

Our school have had inputs on massage, which can be a relaxing way to wind down, or prepare for a good night’s sleep. Below are a few of those massage techniques children should be familiar with:

Head massage

Back massage

Try doing it as a family!

As always, any child who feels they may benefit from a chat with me, can email me, at any time, during this holiday period or otherwise, and I will be sure to be in touch.

Take care of each other!

Mrs Travers

Could everyone please check their GLOW mail for a special message from Mrs. McGahon …..

The message is about a special Mount Carmel music video we are planning on doing involving our pupils and staff to help cheer us up !. We are looking for everyone to take a short video of themselves singing and/or dancing  to the song “Reach for the Stars” by S Club 7….about 30 seconds or so will be perfect.

You can do this alone or have your family or pets join in too! If possible try to wear bright colours and if you have made a rainbow, try to use it in some way in your video.

In the message, you will find all the information and links about how and where to send your video to.

So come on Mount Carmel, have a go at reaching for the ……

Dear Parent/Carer,

In this strange situation we find ourselves in it’s hard to think today would have been the last day of term. Over the last few weeks we have become accustomed to what has become the new normal. We don’t know how long this situation will continue for but must remember this will pass and the joy and laughter will return to our school family.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank my whole school team for the effort and enthusiasm in everything they do for our children and families. Also, I know my team and I would like to thank you for your continued support.

I wish you a happy and peaceful Easter and hope we will all be able to be together soon.

Together we are Team MC

Just a wee reminder that all children who access IDL as part of their literacy learning are still able to use this from home. Your school user name and password should still work!

Thank you for trying some of Home Learning Tasks this week.  For the holidays we have been working hard to create some possible ideas that you might wish to complete.  Please remember that these tasks are simply suggestions for you and there is no expectation that these tasks should be completed.

The first day of the holidays is Friday 3rd April.  Home Learning will resume on Monday 21st April.

Click on the following links for additional tasks, remember there are also lots of activities included in your original home learning packs as well as our Home Learning Area.

Holiday ideas grid P1-3 week 1

holiday ideas Grid week 2 P1-3

Holidays ideas grid – Week 1 -P4-7

Holiday Ideas Grid -Week 2 -P4-7

Together we are Team MC

Health and Wellbeing Links

During this difficult period it is important to stay physically and mentally fit.  Below are some suggestions to ensure that you are able to look after your health and wellbeing and have fun too!  Click on the links in the headings.

Mental Health

Despite being stuck indoors and applying rules of social distancing, we can keep in contact with people we care about through technology.  Staying connected with people helps our mental wellbeing.  Agree regular check-in times with friends or family either by phone or online – this helps people feel connected.  Video calling via apps such as FaceTime and Skype allows you to see people as well giving you face to face interaction despite being miles apart.   WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger also have video calling functions.

It is normal to feel overwhelmed. Take a break from using social media or watching the news, which can make you more anxious. Staying informed is important but stick to trusted sources of information such as Government, World Health Organisation and NHS websites.

Young Scot

Find out more about what you can do if you are feeling anxious and worried, and how you can support others in your community.

Action for Happiness calendar

Mindful March – daily things to do in March to help you be mindful and live in the moment.

Mental Health and Wellbeing tips

NHS Ayrshire and Arran website giving ideas and help on ways to improve mental wellbeing.

Aye Mind

Online resources to help with a variety of mental health issues. Check out the Resources section.

Help For Parents

This website is aimed at parents who are supporting a young person with a mental health problem.

Physical Health

Children and young people should be trying to exercise for an average of 60 minutes a day throughout the week to encourage a healthy development of bones and muscles. This physical activity can be moderate in nature and include activities such as walking, cycling and playing outdoor games.  Aim to vary the intensity of the activity through the week.  Try to avoid being stationary for long periods. You can find more guidance on how much you should exercise here.

PE with Joe Wicks

The Body Coach will lead you through a 30 minute workout.  Tune in live to his channel on YouTube every morning at 9.  Don’t worry if you miss it, you can watch his videos later in the day.  Even the adults are taking part!

10 Minute Shake Up games

Change4Life website with games based on famous Disney and Pixar movies.  Ideal for younger children.

NHS Fitness Ideas

Free and easy fitness ideas to help you stay active.

Play@home

Play ideas for in the garden or in the house.  Ideal for young children and toddlers.  Instructions are also in Polish.

Facebook – Lockdown Tips & Ideas

A group has been created called Family Lockdown Tips & Ideas to share ideas for loads of indoor and garden activities.

Hopefully you will give a few of these activities a go and it would be nice to see your children taking part in these activities.  Photos can be sent to class teachers via Glow and can be posted on the Blog.

Thank you.  Have fun and stay safe.

Team Mount Carmel.

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Tasks

Numeracy Tasks

Health and Wellbeing Tasks

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Tasks

Numeracy Tasks

Health and Wellbeing Tasks

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Tasks

Numeracy Tasks

Health and Wellbeing Tasks

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Task

Numeracy Task

Health and Wellbeing Task

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Task

Numeracy Task

Health and Wellbeing Task

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Task

Numeracy Task

Health and Wellbeing Task

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Please find below the Home Learning Tasks for the week.

Remember to try to complete the core tasks and some of the additional tasks.  There is no expectation that all tasks should be completed.

Literacy Task

Numeracy Task

Health and Wellbeing Task

Possible daily routine.

8.00-9.00 Breakfast, play outside

9.00-10.00 Joe Wicks on YouTube and spelling/handwriting

10.00-11.00 Home Learning – Literacy task

11.00-11.30 Snack and play outside

11.30-12.30 Home Learning- Numeracy tasks

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and play outside

1.30-2.30 Walk or exercise

2.30-3.00 Home Learning – IDL task

Could parents/careers please help children to check Glow mail. Each class teacher has sent an e-mail and are looking forward to getting your replies.

Follow this step by step guide for accessing Glow mail for the first time.

Remember if you have any difficulties or have an idea to share please use or contact us form.

contact us

Together we are are Team MC.

Dear Parents/Carers

As we come to the end of the first week of this difficult situation the team at Mount Carmel would like to thank you for your understanding and support. We would also like to thank the many key workers from our school community who are caring for and supporting East Ayrshire.

It’s difficult to comprehend how much has changed over so short a time.

From Monday 30th March our Home Learning Zone will contain activities posted on each class blog.

There will be three core activities and a selection of additional tasks. The Home Learning Zone will be updated regularly. I anticipate there will be a few teething problems but we will work through them just as we have with glow access this week.

It’s important that children and families feel supported and not isolated. You can contact us anytime using our online form and we will get back to you as soon as we can. We are happy to hear any suggestions you have or ideas you want to share. We are also here if you want to just have a chat. We will continue to post ideas and suggestions in our Health and Wellbeing area. It’s important we all look after ourselves and each other.

I don’t underestimate the impact this pandemic is having and will continue to have on us all for the foreseeable future but as the school family of Mount Carmel we will get through this.

Mrs McConville

Head Teacher

Our team have been working hard to create fun educational experiences for your child.  Our very own Mrs Taylor has created an amazing Bookbug session.  Grad a teddy and join in the fun!

Mrs Taylor – you are amazing.

Team MC

Soon we will add pupil activities to be completed by each class. This will be in the form of 3 areas:

Literacy

Numeracy

IDL

These tasks will be posted to each class blog.  Each area will contain 3 core tasks which all pupils should aim to complete. There will also be a selection of additional tasks which can be completed if you wish.  We are committed to doing all that we can to support our pupils and families. Together we are all Team MC.

If you require further support or guidance please complete the contact us form.

Class teachers are in the process of emailing all pupils through GLOW please ask your child to respond to this. They may need your help.

This week please continue to work on these tasks as suggested in our main Home Learning Zone.

Week Beginning Monday 23rd March. Below is a set of 25 suggested activities that can be completed by most primary age children.  There is no expectation that your child should complete all of these tasks, please use your own judgement and complete as many or as few as you wish.

Also remember to include some exercise in your daily routine, this an excellent resource and one that your child has used previously in school.

Daily PE with Joe

Other useful links:

David Walliams elevenses – a 20 minute story released each day

Together we are Team MC

If your child is entitled to Free School Meals please follow this link and complete this form.

Free School Meals

East Ayrshire Council will continue to support families with children in Education who have Free School Meal entitlement, by providing them with a light lunch or small dinner. If your family falls into this category and you wish to utilise this service, please complete the form.

Please note we will require 24 hours’ notice to start this service.

During these difficult times we have all found new methods to communicate with others.  If you have queries for our team please complete the form below.

Team MC

Our fantastic Mount Carmel team have been working hard to get Home Learning Tasks organised for all.

Class teachers will soon be sending an email to each child to checkin with them.

Please find a step by step video for accessing GLOW mail for the first time. Created by our talented Miss Mudge.

Team MC

Looking for a little bit of time during the day for the kids to just take a pause. David Walliams is now releasing a short story a day for the kids to enjoy. Fantastic! We know how much our Mount Carmel boys and girls love hearing stories so give this a try today.

Click on the image below.

Schools and early childhood centres – latest update from EAC

We would like to thank all parents/carers and staff for heeding our advice and helping us to make sure that we could provide childcare for our most critical key workers today.

It has been enormously helpful that everyone has respected our advice to use our schools as a last resort. Now that we know the number of young people who are continuing to attend our schools and early childhood centres (ECC), we are in a position to revise this further and re-organise according to most needed areas. As a result tomorrow, Tuesday 24 March we will move to a ‘hub’ provision.

Register for our hubs

To use our hub, please fill in our e-form so that we have your details logged in advance of your child’s arrival. Remember we need to reduce social contact, and even if you are a key worker, please only  send your child as a last resort and if you absolutely need to.

No child will be turned away on the first day of this revised provision, providing they have been registered.

One of our colleagues will contact you if you do not qualify for a keyworker place.

The hub provision for Mount Carmel Primary School is now James Hamilton Primary Hub.

The Coronavirus outbreak has led to a high degree of worry, uncertainty and concern for both children and adults.  Our children are very aware of what is taking place and it may cause them to feel anxious and unsure about their safety.

It is important to encourage children to talk their feelings within a safe context, at the same time as maintaining a sense of normality, routine and calm. Supporting children will enable them to process and manage their feelings and help build resilience.

You may find these suggestions helpful:
– Reassure children and young people that they are safe: Children benefit from regular reassurance that they are safe, and being reminded that adults will do what they can to keep them safe.
– Let children know that it is alright to be upset, all feelings are okay.
– Create a routine include some work, play and exercise in this.
– Emphasise their resilience and strengths: Focus on the strengths of our children and young people, in terms of their daily life. Help them to see and acknowledge that they have many strengths to help them cope if they are feeling anxious or upset.
– Look for opportunities to help others: Acts of kindness, charity and humanity help to restore positivity and has huge benefits for our own well-being.

Please have a look at our new Home Learning Zone.

This area will continue to evolve over the coming days and weeks.

Saturday 21st March 2020 20:27
Dear Parent/Carer

We appreciate fully that many parents are concerned about keyworker status.

The guidance we have received from the Scottish Government is that “if one parent is a key worker and the other is not, the non-key worker should normally be expected to provide childcare. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.”

Having checked the UK Government guidance, it is different and says that if only one parent is a key worker, they can send their children to school if required.

In light of this contradictory position, we will deal with each case on its merits. If there is no other childcare option then we would look for confirmation of this.

We want to do all we can to support key workers. We need them to look after those who are going to get sick and to keep our vital services running, but we also need to avoid social contact so, if key workers can make any other arrangements for their children,  we ask them to do so.

Head Teachers will not turn away any child on Monday, but will need to seek some form of  confirmation of key worker status for future attendances. Going forward we will need to keep matters under review with staff absences rising as more of our staff require to self isolate and we know parents will understand.

Remember we need to reduce social contact, and even if you are a key worker, please only send your child as a last resort and if you absolutely need to.

Kind regards

Linda McAulay-Griffiths
Head of Education

Dear Parents/Carers

A further reminder to all parents/carers to please understand that our emergency provision is absolutely only as a final option.  We are sure that our parents/carers will understand and respect this to help keep our pupils, staff and families safe.

We are still encountering some questions regarding emergency provision from Monday.  Clearly all adults in the child’s household must be keyworkers to access the service.  Where this is not the case, the other adults are expected to provide care.

Please refer to the website for the key worker categories:

https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndGovernment/Coronavirus/Schools-ecc.aspx

Kindest regards

Linda McAulay-Griffiths
Head of Education

Each child was provided with a Home Learning Pack.

This included login details for:

GLOW

Sumdog

BugClub

If you require password details to be reset then please complete the form below.