Staff Car Park

Dear Parent / Carer

As we make preparations for the school re-opening in August 2020 we are having to comply with Health & Safety guidelines from the Scottish Government.  To allow more space in classrooms, furniture and other items will have to be stored in a large container in the staff car park which will limit the amount of parking available to staff. In addition and continuing in August, we also need to minimise the number of people transitioning across all areas of the school.

Previously permission had been given to some parents/carers to use the staff car park because of special circumstances but as we know you will appreciate, we are unable to allow this to continue.  With effect from August 2020 only parents/carers who are registered with a disability and are displaying a “Blue Badge” will be able to access the staff car park and park in the designated disabled parking bays.

We would therefore ask that if you require access to the staff car park from August 2020 you email the school advising us that you are a “Blue Badge” holder and include your name, your child/children’s name and your vehicle registration number.  This information is required by Monday 22nd June to allow time for a list to be compiled, as access will need to be closely monitored from August.

Returning online learning devices to school

For parents/carers with a school device
We are pleased we have been able to support your child’s online learning during school closure with loaning your family a school device. As we approach the end of the school term, we need to request that the digital device and charger cable is returned to Giffnock Primary School during the week of the 15th June. This is to allow us to complete our inventory and manage any redistribution of devices required for our blended school provision in August.
During the week of the 15th June, please bring the device back to Giffnock Primary School at some time between 9am – 3pm. When you are at the school gate, please phone the school office on 0141 570 7180 and a member of staff will come to the gate to meet you. They will then sign the device and charger cable back in. We would ask that all devices are returned by Friday 19th June at the latest, please.
Kind regards,
M. Allaway
ICT Co-ordinator

Libraries Summer Reading Challenge

Every year thousands of children across Scotland take part in the annual Summer Reading Challenge.

This year, things are a little different. East Renfrewshire Libraries will be supporting the Digital Summer Reading Challenge to encourage children to continue to read for pleasure over the summer months.

From Friday 5th June:
There will be lots of fun activities and incentives thanks to the Silly Squad and children can borrow brilliant, multiple access free ebooks and eaudio-books from our collection with their library card.

To take part in this year’s Digital Challenge visit: www.ercultureandleisure.org/SummerReadingChallenge

To join the library visit:
www.ercultureandleisure.org/joiningthelibrary

Learning Together – Online Numeracy & Maths Session For Parents To Support Learning At Home

The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) is working in partnership with ‘Count on Us’ Education with the support of Education Scotland to bring 8 online numeracy and mathematics events for parents in June. The first event is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Friday 5th June 10.00am – 10.45am. The theme of this session is Early Number Development. The sessions will cover themes that are explored within CfE across the age ranges of five and twelve years of age.  However, as children move through levels at their own developmental pace, parents with children currently outwith this age range may also find the session beneficial and are also invited to attend.
Many of you attended the successful Puzzles and Pizza evening earlier in the year which was led by Chris McKenna from Count on Us. I have attended various courses supported by Count on Us and have found them to be very interesting and informative therefore I recommend these sessions to you. You can find out more about the sessions and sign up at the link below.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
Natalie Stead
Acting Principal Teacher

Nursery Pre School Pupil Photos

You will by now know that your children will be invited into nursery in small groups to mark the end of their nursery journey.
It would be really helpful if you could email a photo of your child (if possible a head and shoulders shot?) to:  schoolmail@giffnock.e-renfrew.sch.uk
We are really looking forward to seeing you all again, however briefly, and celebrating your time at Giffnock Nursery.
Kind Regards
Giffnock Nursery Staff

Parent Council Meeting June 1

From the Parent Council
You should now all have received an email from the school with some further details and plans going forward. As per the email, the Parent Council will be having a meeting on Monday 1st June. Because of technical restraints and practicality, only office bearers will be in attendance. We would like to share with you the agenda which will be discussed and ask that if you have anything you wish added, questions or concerns that you would like to be discussed in the meeting please email – giffnockPC@hotmail.co.uk
DRAFT AGENDA
Review minutes & actions from previous meeting.
1. Review of current homeschooling practice
2. Phased return, discuss; PPE, play, social distancing,  curriculum,  childcare,  structure of classes
3. Curriculum for excellence and its application / appropriateness for home schooling. Discuss curriculum going forward in light of reduce contact hours with teaching staff
3. Transition years, discuss actions and measures being taken to aid the pupils most affected.
4.  Any other business

Taking Home Confidential Information

As you know we do not usually issue texts unless we need to convey urgent information or if we need to monitor responses.  We would like to advise you in advance that we will be issuing a text on Monday 1st June because new Data Protection law means that periodically we need to check your wishes for your child taking home confidential information.  You have already completed paperwork to consent to your child bringing home confidential information but if we do not receive your response to Monday’s text it will mean that during next session we will be unable to send home items with your child.
Please do NOT respond to this email but we would be grateful if you could reply to the text on Monday with either 1 or 2 (no other comments please) – a copy of which is shown below.
“New Data Protection law means we need to check your wishes for your child taking home confidential information.  If you are happy to continue reply 1, if you are not happy reply 2.  Please only use numerical 1 or 2 in your reply, no other characters.  Thank you”

Primary 3 RSNO Junior Choir

PRIMARY 3 ONLY
Each year a member of staff from the RSNO Junior Choir comes to the school to lead choral workshops for our Primary 3 children. Following the workshop some selected singers would be invited to join the choir which is a fantastic opportunity. This year the decision has been made by the RSNO to hold auditions via Zoom. You will be able to find an application form and further information about the Junior Chorus by following the link. Applications will close on Friday 5th June and auditions will take place the week beginning Monday 15th June. Before the audition week the applicants will be sent a video of the song they will learn.
Please contact the RSNO if you would like any further information.

Holiday weekend

As we approach the long holiday weekend we wanted to share with you this activity pack which is full of ideas for all of the family. It contains many exciting activities for the garden, keeping fit and active as well as lots of family fun. Within the pack there are also links to stories written for children to help them understand and make sense of our current situation. There are links to amazing attractions around the world which the children can visit, all from the comfort of their own homes.
We wish you a happy and healthy long weekend spent with your families.

P3 Potatoes

In term 2, our Primary 3 children planted some potatoes while learning about what plants need to grow. We have seven tubs of potatoes which are in our school grounds soaking up the sun and occasional rain showers. The school playground will be open from 11am for one hour tomorrow, Wednesday 20th May. If you would like to collect a tub you would be very welcome to do so however it will be first come first served. Of course, anyone coming along will need to observe social distancing guidelines but there will be plenty of space in the playground to do this. The tubs are in the playground on the far side of the nursery garden fence. If you collect a tub please do keep in touch with its progress and we do hope you will be able to enjoy a few of the potatoes in the not too distant future.
Kind regards,
Miss Stead, Mrs Cole and Mrs Taylor