Letter from Director of Education, with update from East Renfrewshire Education regarding move to Level 4.

Director of Education Letter – November 2020

Thank you for your patience as we look to welcoming our children back to school on Wednesday 12th August.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone hope that the information in the links below will answer some of your questions. Information will also be communicated via email where these are available.

Cross Arthurlie August 2020

Letter from the Director of Education

Now, more than ever, is an important time to focus on our mental health and wellbeing.  These updates have ideas to help you and your family stay mentally, emotionally and physically healthy.

Health and Wellbeing Update 1

Health and Wellbeing Update 2

Health and Wellbeing Update 3

Health and Wellbeing Update 4

Health and Wellbeing Update 5

Health and Wellbeing Update 6

We are delighted to see so many of our children engaging with online learning through our Google Classrooms.  It’s really important to stay safe when learning online and that all devices are configured to keep everyone safe.  Home internet connections are different to the secure connections set up in school.  These tips provide advice on how to establish safe connections at home.

Keeping Safe Online at Home

Learning at Home Guidance for Parents and Carers

This document provides some advice to help your child access Glow at home.

Using Glow tools at home

Schools are gathering information to support continuation of learning in light of the Coronavirus.  We hope you can take time to read the letter and complete the online survey:  Head Teacher Letter – 17 March 2020.

Mrs MacDonald

The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 sets out the role parents, schools and education authorities must play in ensuring all parents are fully involved and engaged in their children’s learning and in the life and work of our schools.

The Scottish Government made a commitment to update, strengthen and modernise the guidance as part of its joint Scottish Government / Convention of Scottish Local Authorities “Learning Together” Action Plan.

We are now seeking the views of a wider audience to refine the updated guidance.

We are running a full public consultation on the draft updated guidance, from Friday 24 January 2020 until Thursday 30 April 2020.

We would be grateful if you can complete the consultation questionnaire on the refreshed guidance which can be accessed at: https://consult.gov.scot/learning-directorate/parental-involvement-act.

We hope to hear from anyone who has an interest in how parents can be fully involved and engaged in children’s learning.

For more information on the public consultation and how you can be involved in this please contact: parental.involvment@gov.scot

Specialist Diets

If your child requires a special diet for medical reasons, you should obtain a Medically prescribed diet registration form, from the school office and send with an accompanying letter from a medical practitioner or dietician confirming the specific details of the diagnosis to your school office. Once the form has been received you will be contacted by one of the catering team to discuss your child’s dietary needs and outline the process ensuring a suitable meal is provided.

For pupils wishing to access the School Halal Menu then a Cultural diet request form should be completed and for any pupils wishing to access the Vegan or Vegetarian menu then a Lifestyle request form should be completed, both forms are available from the school office Please note that it’s your responsibility to inform us about changes in your child dietary needs.

(Nicky Joiner, Catering Coordinator, Education Facilities Management)

A new website has been launched:  www.eastrenchampionsboards.co.uk.  Its purpose is to support and improve the experience of care experienced young people in East Renfrewshire.

The website may be of interest to school staff and parents/carers.  Some of the information will be equally relevant to young people who are not care experienced.

More fruit and vegetables, less processed red meat and sugar on the menu.

https://www.gov.scot/news/making-school-food-healthier

The Scottish Government and all local authorities are jointly committed to providing the healthiest food to children and young people. This commitment is underpinned by a duty to provide school meals that meet strict nutritional requirements, including encouraging the use of fresh, local and sustainable produce School food regulations will be amended to ensure:

• a minimum of two full portions of vegetables and a full portion of fruit are offered as part of a school lunch, with full portions of fruit and or vegetables also available in, for example, tuck shops
• a minimum weekly amount in the school menu of red and processed red meat provision –  such as bacon, ham and pepperoni

For Primary schools – Ensure no more than 175g of red and red processed meat can be provided over the course of the school week, of which no more than 100g should be red processed meat. All of the 175g amount can be used for unprocessed freshly prepared red meat.

This is a new standard and is based on the Scottish Dietary Goal for red and processed meat which is supported by scientific evidence based dietary recommendations to limit intakes of these foods to 70g per day with the purpose of protecting the health of children and young people. Therefore if a child is to have processed meat in their diet this can be managed at home by parents/carers.

Dietary advice highlights red meat as a major source of iron and zinc which can contribute to meeting the recommended nutrient intakes for primary school lunches removal of fruit juice and smoothies from primary and secondary schools to help reduce sugar intake.

The measures follow extensive consultation and advice from a working group comprising health, nutrition and education experts.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/report-responses-consultation-nutritional-requirements-food-drink-schools

Currently all East Renfrewshire school meals are nutritionally analysed and comply with the existing regulations laid down by the Scottish Government.

All medically prescribed diets will be accommodated on receipt of an Acute Services Division referral form from a hospital dietician or a Doctor’s letter detailing dietary requirements.

Loraine Lawrie
Quality Manager
Facilities Management (Education)

Please find attached a letter from the Chief Executive of Social Security Scotland regarding the Best Start Grant School Age Payment that is due to open for applications from Monday 3 June 2019. 

Local Delivery Relationship Leads Contact Details

Best Start Grant – School Age Payment – Local Authority Chief Executives

As you know all Councils continue to face significantly challenging financial situations. A difficult budget decision by elected members to remove Pupil Support Assistants (Classroom Assistants) from schools was approved as part of a package of savings for 2018-2021. The removal of these assistants was pushed out to the 2nd year (August 2019) to allow schools to prepare for the proposed changes. PSA Classroom Assistants were introduced to support teachers with non-teaching tasks, moving forward there will only be the provision for Pupil Support Assistants (Additional Support Needs) within schools.   No change has been planned for Pupil Support Assistants (Additional Support Needs).  To realise the budget decision to remove Classroom Assistants from our schools we have worked closely with our Trade Union colleagues to ensure that all staff have been treated fairly and equitably.  The decision to take the saving in year 2 (2019/20) has enabled schools to manage into the changes in their Pupil Support allocation with temporary staff having been employed since 2016 when vacancies have occurred. As such the planned saving was achieved by the non-renewal of temporary contracts for staff who had a planned contractual finish date of June 2019.

I understand completely the frustration this has caused many of you as some of the temporary staff have built up strong relationships and have provided very good support to teaching staff, however, I am sure you will realise that there was no expectation by these staff beyond the terms of their contract.  Therefore where temporary staff have been deployed and a need for PSA (Additional Support Needs) support continues, then we will endeavour to ensure a permanent member of staff is redeployed to work with identified children.

The Education Department continues to be committed to our vision of “Everyone Attaining , Everyone Achieving through Excellent Experiences” despite the difficult financial constraints that are being imposed on Councils and we appreciate the dedication and support of all staff in delivering a quality education during these testing times.

Tracy A Morton

Education Senior Manager (Developing People)

East Renfrewshire Council