Onthank will be taking part in World Porridge Day to celebrate the charity Mary’s Meals UK.

All children have the right to an education and food. Mary’s Meals created World Porridge Day to celebrate the different meals we have. What we want to do is make sure every child gets one meal at school and that everyone with food that isn’t eaten is shared with children lacking even the most basic things.

We encourage everyone to watch a video from Mary’s Meals:

So, how are Onthank going to support?

Our pupils will be given the option of delicious porridge at the following times and dates:

On Thursday and Friday next week Pupil Council members will stand outside with buckets for donations of any spare change you have. The money will self-isolate during the October holiday and be sprayed before counting.

Thank you to everyone for all your lovely donations.

Rights Respecting School Article 24:

You have the right to the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food to eat, a clean safe environment and information to help you stay well

Written by: Chloe K Pupil Council Chair & Mitchell B Pupil Council Vice Chair

To all of our Onthank Families,

We are delighted to be working with Barnardo’s Scotland in delivering PATHS – a Health and Wellbeing programme that enables our young people to identify and manage a range of emotions and develops social and emotional literacy.

Please find below our Privacy Notice in relation to the Barnardo’s PATHS programme. This gives information on our partnership with Barnardo’s and how we use the information collected.

Our virtual assemblies were a hit during lockdown so we are bringing them back for the new term for all of our families and community to enjoy! 

This month our September Assembly offers you a chance to meet some of our new teachers and pupil council representatives. The assembly also includes some special awards, fitness from Mr Swan, and a staff quiz! Well done to all of the young people involved in making this assembly for our community! We hope you will agree that their presentation and IT skills are top-notch.

Please watch and share the links below:

Our return to school during this time has provided us with an opportunity to transform some of outdoor spaces as we further develop our outdoor learning at Onthank.

Staff kindly volunteered over the weekend to help begin to transform our playground spaces as we look to provide our young people with a more stimulating environment.

Onthank Primary Families,

What a lovely week we have all had in welcoming our full school back to Onthank Primary. Our building is once again alive with the sound of happy, excited, and eager young people – a sound we have missed greatly over the past few months! After our first full week back, we thought we would share some frequently asked questions to all our families to help ease our transition to some of our new adaptations.

Will my child require PE kit?

No. All physical activity will take place outdoors for the time being. No P.E. kit will be required at this time, but we will continue to review this in line with Government guidance.

• Learners can come to school in clothing that is appropriate for physical education and the weather conditions and we ask that children wear suitable shoes for going outside.
• We are currently timetabling your child’s PE days and their teacher will inform them on which days to wear more suitable clothing for the outdoors.
• Some outdoor lessons may take place in grassy areas. If your child needs to bring in a change of clothes or footwear suitable for outdoors on specific days their class teacher will inform them via the class blog.

What will happen on arrival on a wet day? 

• Parents/carers are asked to arrive no more than 5 minutes before your child’s allocated entry time, where possible. This will help to maintain physically distancing between our families.
• From 8.45am until 9.15am, staff will be at our entry points to warmly welcome and support pupils to their class or a sheltered area at their staggered entry time.
• Only P1-P3 pupil parents/carers are asked to enter the playground via the ‘Enter Only’ gate and follow a one-way system, staying in a physically distant and single file queue to drop off their child. Parents/carers will then leave the playground via the ‘Exit Only’ gate.

Can my child bring in a water bottle?

Children are able to drink water throughout the school day. Please send a water bottle with your child’s name clearly marked on it. If children need to refill their bottle the teacher will direct them as to where they should do this in the school.

How will my child order their school lunch?

Children will continue to order their school lunch in class with their teacher. EAC are in the process of creating a new online system to order meals. When this is ready for use, children will continue to order their meals online with the class teacher. All school meals will continue to be purchased via ParentPay.

Where will I find the most up to date information? 

Our ‘School App’ is where you will find our letters and most up to date information. We encourage all our families to download ‘School App’ onto your mobile device and search for ‘Onthank Primary School’. We also post regularly on our school blog, on Facebook and Twitter. Our blog can be found here: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/ea/onthankps/

What do I do if I need to speak with someone in school?

Please call the school on 01563 525477 or drop us an email at onthank.primary@east-ayrshire.gov.uk. We cannot allow parents and carers into school at this time. We want to create an open environment where families feel at ease, feel welcomed and feel valued.  This won’t be for ever but our priority at the moment is keeping our community safe.

What can I do to help?

• You could encourage your child to be as independent as possible e.g. tying shoelaces, opening up water bottles etc.
• Maintain physically distancing within and out with the school grounds.
• Download our school app on your mobile device for all of the latest information.
• Check the main school blog and your child’s class blog regularly.

Thank you for your continued support as we all adapt to the new routines and systems that we have put in place to keep everyone safe,

Senior Leadership Team.

At the moment we have reduced our menus slightly, but where available we will continue to use organic, local and seasonal produce and have designated meat-free days.

• All our main meals/snacks are served with a choice of fresh seasonal vegetables/fresh salad
• Every day we offer a pick and mix sandwich option, salad dishes, yoghurt, fresh fruit and free bread
• All meat on offer is sourced from local butchers with our chicken Red Tractor assured halal meat

This week, Monday 17th August, we start on Week Two of the dinner menu below:

We have created a short social story for you to watch and share with your child/children as we welcome back our young people to Onthank Primary School.

Alternatively, you can use the images below to read the story with your child as we approach the start of the new term.

We can’t wait to see you all soon!

The price of school meals across East Ayrshire will be slashed by 50% during the last two weeks in August, thanks to the Council’s creative application of the UK government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

We’re encouraging pupils and parents to take advantage of discounted school meals throughout the whole school week, for two weeks, commencing Monday 17 August.

This means that pupils will receive 10 days of meals for just £10.80 in the first two weeks of term – a price that will be hard to beat anywhere else!

Andrew Kennedy, Head of Facilities and Property Management at East Ayrshire Council explained:

“Having looked into the possibility of applying the scheme to schools meals, we realised there was much more we could do to assist families at this time. Food provision has been a major concern for us throughout lockdown, and at its peak, we were providing over 7000 meals per day to children and families in need of assistance.

“By applying the scheme to schools meals and extending it to the full school week at the start of the term, we are ensuring our young people can access fresh, healthy and affordable food in a COVID-safe environment.

“To be eligible for the scheme, food must be purchased and consumed on the school premises – and this is something we will be actively encouraging as part of our health and safety measures being put in place when pupils return next week.

To take advantage of this offer, parents should sign up to Parent Pay and pre-order meal choices. Free school meals still apply to those who are eligible.

Following the recent communication from the Head of Education, I wish now to alert you to specific arrangements in regard to your child’s return to school. The whole staff team absolutely share the sentiment of being delighted to welcome your young people back to school!
Please click the link below to view our arrangements for Onthank Primary:

August Return Info – 5th Aug 2020