From Tuesday 22^nd April 2025 we are introducing a new Cashless Catering system in your child’s school.

Catering Services recognised that it was time to update their cashless payment system. They researched and engaged with companies to find a system that is straightforward and easy for you to use. They have also ensured that the system utilises the latest technology available.

The new ordering system will therefore make the process quicker for your child at lunchtime and by ordering in advance will help Catering Services reach climate change targets by reducing food waste.

All meals will be ordered by parents through ParentPay, using your existing Parentpay login.

The system will be easy to use. You will log in to ParentPay and select school meals. Then all you have to do is check the menus, select a meal for your child, then they collect it at lunchtime as normal.

ParentPay knows if your child qualifies for a free school meal so you can order with the knowledge that no payment is required. If your child pays for their school meal, you will have to make payment within 2 hours of the meal being ordered.

Meals must be ordered by 8am and can be ordered up to three weeks in advance.

You will be able to make your first meal bookings on ParentPay on the evening of Friday 11^th April.

The link below will take you to an instructional video on how to book school meals.

PARENTPAY – HOW TO BOOK A MEAL

Additional allergen and dietary information:

The new system will also have improved allergy and dietary management, so you can be confident that special dietary requirements are observed. Make sure this information is up to date by contacting your school.

If you have provided current dietary information for your child, this will be updated on the new system and will block any meal choices that contain approved allergens.

The system is also a useful information tool for parents and carers in displaying allergen information linked to each online menu item this includes all information for pupils following religious and lifestyle diets.

Please find the slides from the launch. These will support in using the online platform at home.

NRPS Rocket Phonics Launch

 Please see below posters containing information about Stewarton Tennis Club.  Thank you.

We are aware that some of you are having difficulty with the new online reading books loading. We have been in touch with Boost Learning and they have recommended the following.

Boost Learning System requirements

• Supported browsers

  Windows:

   

  • Google Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge

  MacOS:

   

  • Google Chrome
  • Safari

  Please ensure your browser has been updated to the latest version before using Boost. 

Pop-up blockers

Some Boost resources open in a new pop-up window or tab. If you have a pop-up blocker enabled, you will need to allow all pop-ups or add https://boost-learning.com/ to your exceptions list in your browser settings to view them. 

• Google Chrome Pop-up Blocker Support
• Safari Pop-up Blocker Support
• Firefox Pop-up Blocker Support 
• Microsoft Edge Pop-up Blocker Support

JavaScript

Boost requires JavaScript to work. It is normally enabled by default, but you can check your browser settings by following the links below to make sure:

• Google Chrome
• Safari
• Firefox
• Microsoft Edge

If parents/children are using any iOS tablets (apple) they need to ensure that the mobile website is enabled. Once parents are on the Boost website they must click on the AA on the menu and request ‘Mobile Website’, there should not be any access issues after that. Please note, sometimes it needs to be enabled several times, unfortunately Apple has not given us an easy solution for this issue.

If anyone continues to have difficulty accessing books, please get in touch.

Nether Robertland Primary School will be taking part in this years’ Big Walk and Wheel event which starts on Monday 24^th March and runs until Friday 4^th April. We would like to encourage you all to walk, cycle and scoot to school every day, but particularly over the 2 weeks that we are promoting.

Big Walk and Wheel is the UK’s largest walking, scooting and cycling challenge. It inspires pupils to make active journeys to school, improve air quality in our neighbourhood and discover how these changes benefit our world.

Active travel is a great way to build physical activity into our daily routine. It helps us arrive at school more relaxed and alert, and is great for our mental wellbeing.

Posters will be displayed around the school and our notice board in the gym hall for a reminder of the details.

Your child will receive their login for Rocket Phonics. This will allow them to login to access the digital book their teacher has assigned them. Please find the link to the website below. Please note, it is called Boost Learning

https://boost-learning.com/

As part of the Scottish Child Payment campaign, please see the information below.

Social Security Scotland are encouraging parents and carers to apply for Scottish Child Payment.

Parents and carer can apply for the payment, which is over £100 every 4 weeks, if they:

·       get Universal Credit, tax credits or other qualifying benefits

·       have a child or children aged under 16

Please help raise awareness of Scottish Child Payment with your network by sharing resources and familiarising yourself with the eligibility criteria.

    You can find resources on the Social Security Scotland website including:

·       Factsheets in multiple languages such as Arabic, Farsi, Polish, Romanian, and Urdu

·       Posters and flyers

·       Social media posts

Social Security Scotland – Guidance & Resources

There is an opportunity for you to ask questions and be pointed in the right direction.

Please see the link for these events below:

Scottish Child Payment Stakeholder Event Tickets, Wed 26 Feb 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

Scottish Child Payment Stakeholder Event Tickets, Thu 27 Feb 2025 at 14:00 | Eventbrite

The NSPCC has published a news story to help parents/carers learn more about artificial intelligence (AI) content and tools. The article explains what AI-generated content is and offers six tips to support children to use AI safely. If you would like to learn more and discover ways to help your child stay safe online, click on the link below.

NSPCC – Online Safety

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on how we currently communicate with you. We have carefully considered your views and plan to use this information to help us improve on how we communicate with you.

You shared the following:

• 77% of responses shared that communication is effective – 23% shared that communication can be unclear and/or difficult to understand
• 40% of responses indicated that they get all of the required communication they need
• 53% of responses indicated that they get most of the communication they require
• 38% of responses indicated that the notice time for upcoming events needs improved upon.
• 77% of responses indicated that they are happy with a one week’s notice for events – 23% would like a two week notice for events
• 80% of responses indicated use of the app for reminders

Taking all the views into account, we have identified a series of actions which should support us in communicating more effectively.

Please see the PDF below which contains lots of helpful information about the Lockerbie Manor P7 residential.

Lockerbie Manor

Exciting News! P4-7 Author Visit – Friday 7^th March

Please see below, updated information regarding the Junior Chess Tour

Junior chess tour event 3 Greenwood

Please check that your child has the correct jacket as we have a few children who have lost their jackets. Some missing jackets do have names on them, eg, inside pockets etc.

Many thanks.

Our Christmas Concert was a huge success! We can’t thank our pupils, staff, parents and community enough for joining in the fun, smiles and laugher 🎄🎼💃💜

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will have to cancel the junior chess event planned for Tuesday 17^th December 2024 to be held at Greenwood

We hope to start them again in the New Year and will advise you when that is planned

Thanks for your attention and patience in this matter

John Montgomery

Secretary

On behalf of Ayrshire Chess Association

Please find attached the entry form for the next Junior chess event to be held in December at Greenwood as well as the report on the recent event held at Greenwood in November

Thanks

John Montgomery

Secretary

On behalf of Ayrshire Chess Association

Junior chess tour event 3 Greenwood

Family Fun with Numbers – Maths Week Scotland / mathsweek.scot

• Saturday 23rd November 2024
• Saturday 7th December 2024
• Saturday 11th January 2025
• Saturday 1st February 2025

• We hope all the boys and girls had a fantastic time at the Halloween disco. They all looked incredible in their costumes. We are delighted to announce that the disco raised £637, £500 of which we will donate to our reading resource campaign, with the rest added to our general fundraising pot. We appreciate all of your support.

  A special thank you goes to Mr Howie for his amazing experiments, Miss Orr, Mrs Beveridge and Mr Gilroy for keeping the disco flowing, our P7 volunteers who helped run the door and support our younger pupils, and our brilliant helpers who applied glitter tattoos and staffed the tuck shop and lucky dip. We hope wehaven’t missed anyone but we really appreciate everyone’s efforts to make the night so much fun for our children.

JUNIOR ROAD SAFETY OFFICERS SEMINAR

On Tuesday 24^th September 2024, we went to Kay Park Church Hall for our seminar. This is the event that helps train us for our roles as Nether Roberlands’ Junior Road Safety Officers.

We arrived early to school on the Tuesday so that we could get the bus to take us to Kilmarnock. We left school at 8.45am and we walked to the bus stop on the Robertland Hill. When the bus came, we got on and sat together up at the back and it took us to the bus station.

We used all the correct crossings when we got off the bus to keep us safe and when we arrived at the hall, we were met by a lady who registered us and gave us a goody bag which included our JRSO notebooks.

Lots of other schools were attending and we were in the green group with 2 other schools.

The first activity that we were doing was with Barbara, who works for Ayrshire Roads Alliance. She talked to us about The Green Cross Code and got us to make posters. We used different coloured paper and we had the choice of lots of crafty items to use.

The next station we went to was to listen to a new initiative that JRSO’s are being asked to join in with. It’s called ‘STARS, we strive for 5’. We are being asked to do 5 things over the year and aim to get 5 starts. The things we have to aim for are….

1. Sustainable Travel Initiative.
2. Bikeability/Cycling
3. Road Safety Campaign
4. Run a school travel or road safety competition.
5. Create and maintain a noticeboard or school blog.

We are looking forward to the challenge and hope to earn the 5 stars.

We then stopped for a snack. There was juice and biscuits provided for us and we were extra lucky as Miss McMillan bought us snacks too!!

After snack time, we joined Chloe who asked us how we arrived at school. We were asked if there was different ways we could encourage pupils to walk, cycle etc, rather than taking the car.

We had to use our imaginations for her next task. We were to come up with crazy ideas to get to school without using electricity! Water slides, trampolines, jet packs and flying carpets were just a few of the funny ideas!!!

Before we knew it, our morning was over. It had been really enjoyable and we have taken lots of new ideas away with us.

It was time for us to get the bus back to school. When the ladies heard that we were using public transport, they were very impressed that we hadn’t used cars or taxi’s to get there…..a big gold star for us!

Please see below information regarding Ayrshire Gymnastics.  Thank you.

Our class teachers have planned learning for the session for their classes. If you would like to see what the planned learning is to support with this further at home, please take a look at the document for your child’s class by going to the ‘Sharing Learning’ page in the menu above. The planned learning is subject to change.