Category Archives: Whole school

Whole school, Wider Achievement

Big Schools Bird Watch – Friday 12th Feb

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Our final day of bird watching! I hope you have enjoyed this week and perhaps learned a little bit more about the regular visitors to your garden and surrounding area. Maybe you’ll be come a regular bird watcher from now on, I know I am!

Please let me know what you saw yesterday by filling out the form below. I will post the final form later on this afternoon for today’s spots.

Thank you so much to P2/3 for all the wonderful information they have provided us with this week. 

Today’s bird is a blackbird.

I’ve included another hands on activity today because I love the fact you can recycle things lying around to make it. This is how to make a bird bath! I don’t know if you have ever see birds having a bath, maybe in a puddle? It’s great to watch them and will bring a smile to your face. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Use the link below for some ideas and adapt it to suit you!

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/maketheperfectbirdbath/

To finish off this week’s activities I’ve included another audio story. If you scroll to the bottom of this link you will find a story about a blackbird. Sit back, relax and enjoy the story.

Whole school, Wider Achievement

Big Schools Bird Watch – Thursday 11th Feb

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Hello to all our bird watchers of New Cumnock Primary School! Please tell me what you spotted yesterday by filling out the form below.

Bird of the day is brought to you by P2/3.

Today’s bird is a sparrow.

If you can, have a look at this PowerPoint which explains in more detail about the bird watch and why it is important to take part.

cfe-sc-31-big-schools-birdwatch-cfe-first-level-powerpoint

I have a very ambitious activity that you might want to try with a grown up at some point, maybe not today unless you have the materials to hand. It is very exciting to have a bird box nearby and watch the birds coming and going. We have one in our garden and were fortunate enough to have blue tits nesting last year, it was an amazing experience! If you’d like to give building your own box a go follow the link below.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/createasparrowstreet/

Don’t forget to take 10 minutes again today to spot birds in your area. I look forward to seeing your results tomorrow!

 

Whole school, Wider Achievement

Dress To Express – Children’s Mental Health Week 2021

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A huge well done to everyone who took part in Mrs McMurdo’s Wider Achievement Challenge of Dress to Express last week. We loved seeing photos and videos of you all dressed to reflect how you feel and your explanations were super!

Apologies that these photos were missed from our video, but they are too good not to share! Thank you Mary and Miss Mason for your fabulous entries!

Whole school, Wider Achievement

Big Schools Bird Watch – Tuesday 9th Feb

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Welcome to day two of our Big Schools Bird Watch! What a beautiful clear day for bird watching yesterday, what did you spot? I saw lots of lovely birds in our garden including robins, blue tits, great tits and sparrows!

Please complete the form to tell me what you saw.

I hope you can find 10 minutes in your day today to have a little look for the birds around you. It’s a wonderful relaxing activity to take part in and you can do it on your own or with someone, even your whole household!

Our bird of the day is brought to you by P2/3.

Today it is the Blue Tit!

The first activity idea I have for you today is a story. It is very cold outside this week so snuggle up and enjoy a wee story with someone in your house. They are about our bird of the day, a very common bird we see where we live, a blue tit.

There are three stories to choose from using the links below. The third is an audio story.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-kids/kids-stories/the-blue-tit-and-the-caterpillar/

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-kids/kids-stories/little-orphan-blue-tit/

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-kids/kids-stories/bedtime-stories-audiobooks/

Once you’ve listened to a story I’d love to see any art you could do to show me your favourite part. Maybe you could draw a picture or make the characters using play dough. Please send them to your teacher or to me at corrine.mason@eastayrshire.org.uk

Here are a couple of online bird games for you to try…

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-kids/games-and-activities/online-games-for-kids/hungry-birds/

Feather Frenzy | Learning Game for Kids – The RSPB

I look forward to seeing your masterpieces and what birds you spotted today!

 

Literacy, Remote Learning, Whole school

Jolly Readers – E-Readers available for FREE!

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We are delighted to announce that Jolly Learning have now made all of their Jolly Phonics Readers available as e-readers for Android and Apple devices FOR FREE!

Jolly Phonics e-readers now available! — Jolly Learning

This is the reading scheme we use in school. As we are progressing with new learning, our class teachers will be continuing to use class readers as a resource. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to download these whilst this offer is available.

Spanning 93 books across 5 levels of decodable readers, they will help you to support your children remotely as they practice their reading skills anywhere!

You can access the books by clicking on the links below:

For the Google Play Book Store:

Jolly Phonics Orange Level Readers

Jolly Phonics Red, Yellow, Green and Blue Level Readers

For the Apple Book Store:

Jolly Phonics Orange Level Readers

Jolly Phonics Red, Yellow, Green and Blue Level Readers

 

Remote Learning, Whole school

No Printer… No Problem!

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We are aware that many of our families do not have access to a printer. Our teaching staff try hard to not be heavily reliant on worksheets in the daily tasks they set, but sometimes a worksheet perfectly sums up the aim of the lesson.

If you don’t have access to a printer, fear not!

There are some options:

  • You can create your own version of the worksheet on paper or in a jotter (please remember we have staff available to assist you at the school between 10am and 12pm Tuesdays and Thursdays if you wish to collect resources to support Remote Learning).
  • Alternatively, if you have access to an iPad or iPhone device, you can use ‘mark-up’ to annotate the worksheet and then save as a photo to then submit to the class teacher. The video below shows you how to do this.
Remote Learning, Whole school

Live Sessions – Parent and Pupil Guidance

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As we continue to offer Live interactions as part of Remote Learning between our pupils and their teachers from P3-7 via Microsoft Teams, we will be introducing this now for P1-2/3 pupils through VScene.

P1-2/3 children will find instructions about how to access VScene on their class blogs. Please note that a PIN number to enable secure access to VScene will be sent by text message to these families.

We previously sent out parent and pupil guidance around online learning. Please find it attached again below for your reference.

PARENT-AND-PUPIL-GUIDANCE-Microsoft-Teams

Please note the main points to be aware of:

  • Make sure you have a quiet space to work as background noise can interfere with the live stream if your microphone is not switched off.
  • To protect your privacy, you have the option of having your camera on or off. Alternatively, you can use the background options to blur your current background or choose a different one. Mrs McNulty likes the beach one as it makes her feel like she is on holiday! 
  • Behave in the lesson as you would do in school. Your time on the Live sessions is limited so make sure you paying attention so as not to miss any vital information which will help you with the work that follows.
  • Keep an eye on your class blog/Teams page for times of any Live sessions taking place so as not to miss out. Set an alarm to remind you to be online at that time.
  • We appreciate that parents/carers may be required to assist your child get logged on and set up, particularly with the younger children, however, once they are set up, it should only be the child who appears on the screen, not the adult. This is a platform for them to communicate with their teacher, and although we appreciate they may need some support, this must be done off camera.  If you as a parent wish to discuss something with the class teacher, please use the class teacher’s email or contact the SLT to discuss.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate this new territory  together!

COVID-19, Whole school

Resources to support Remote Learning – we are here to help!

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We are aware that some families may require additional resources to support their child whilst Remote Learning. Therefore this week we will have a member of staff in the reception area of the school on:

Tuesday 26th and Thursday 28th January between 10am and 12pm.

If you require any resources please drop by.  We will have stationary, paper and jotters to help your child record their learning during the coming weeks.

Please come to the main entrance of the school, ensuring you adhere to the socially distanced markers present, wear a face covering and sanitise upon entering the reception area.

Burns competitions, New Cumnock, Whole school, Wider Achievement

Happy birthday Rabbie!

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As you will all be aware, learning about the life and works of Robert Burns is a big part of our curriculum and heritage here at New Cumnock Primary.

Normally, this time of year is busy and exciting with poetry, signing and instrumental rehearsals taking place in preparation for school, regional and even National level competitions!

Unfortunately, these competitions have been cancelled this year due to the current Covid restrictions.

However, here at New Cumnock Primary, we still want to celebrate the work of our National Bard and showcase our pupil’s poetry talents to our wider community!

We received lots of video entries for our Burns celebration, and Mrs McNulty was delighted that she was able to use every one that was sent in. Thank you so much, we hope you enjoy!

Please find below some ideas and activities if you wish to celebrate Robert Burns’ birthday with your own Burns Supper at home tonight.

How to celebrate Burns Night – History Scotland

Burns Night Activities For Kids (activityvillage.co.uk)

Make Your Own Tartan Craft (activityvillage.co.uk)

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UPDATE: Please check this video upload below if you had difficulty with the previous video playing on your device. If you are continuing to experience problems, please contact Mrs McNulty at danielle.mcnulty@eastayrshire.org.uk