Tag: Parents

world book day

Our Librarians Pupil Group have asked for the following message to be sent to you. They hope that, given the option of pyjamas/ dressing gown or dressing up as a character, that everyone can enjoy the event without any ‘unwanted pressures’ for dressing up and that we can all revel in an enjoyment for reading.

The P5 Librarians have an announcement to make about the celebration of World Book Day at Giffnock Primary School on Thursday 7th March 2019.

There are opportunities to dress up, enjoy books in class but also, please look out for our exciting and amazing lunchtime reading events THAT WHOLE WEEK for the school to enjoy!

https://www.worldbookday.com/books/

Free swimming lessons

East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure have asked us to share the following.

We are looking for children from ages 5 to 12 who may be looking for free swimming lessons to put their name down on the list we have at Barrhead Foundry. You do not need to be in swimming lessons at the moment.

These free lessons will be taught by probationary teachers, hoping to pass their swimming qualification and become qualified swimming instructors and gain employment with ERCLT.

The dates of these free lessons are below. If you are interested in any days or times, please contact Barrhead Foundry (0141 580 1174) or pop in and add the child’s name to the list.

24/02/2019 Sun 1.00-1.30
24/02/2019 Sun 1.30-2.00
24/02/2019 Sun 2.00-2.30
24/02/2019 Sun 2.30-3.00
09/03/2019 Sat 10.00-10.30
09/03/2019 Sat 10.30-11.00
09/03/2019 Sat 11.00-11.30
09/03/2019 Sat 11.30-12.00
10/03/19 Sun 1.00-1.30
10/03/19 Sun 1.30-2.00
10/03/19 Sun 2.00-2.30
10/03/19 Sun 2.30-3.00
16/03/19 Sat 10.00-10.30
16/03/19 Sat 10.30-11.00
16/03/19 Sat 11.00-11.30
16/03/19 Sat 11.30-12.00
17/03/19 Sun 1.00-1.30
17/03/19 Sun 1.30-2.00
17/03/19 Sun 2.00-2.30
17/03/19 Sun 2.30-3.00
30/03/19 Sat 10.00-10.30
30/03/19 Sat 10.30-11.00
30/03/19 Sat 11.00-11.30
30/03/19 Sat 11.30-12.00
31/03/19 Sun 1.00-1.30
31/03/19 Sun 1.30-2.00
31/03/19 Sun 2.00-2.30
31/03/19 Sun 2.30-3.00

after school clubs held outside the school

We wish to remind parents/carers that although most of our After School Clubs are held within the school, we do have some that are held in other locations.

We would like to clarify that if the club is not located at Giffnock Primary it is the responsibility of parents/carers to make sure arrangements have been made for your child to make their way to their club and also for leaving the club to go home.  This particularly relates to the current Boys Football Club and Girls Football Club which are both held at Woodfarm High School pitches on Thursdays after school.  We would also like to clarify that if your child requires any medication/inhaler at a club held at another location this should be given to your child from your home supply as medication held in school cannot be transported.

Planning Future engagement – Tackling the School Run East Renfrewshire

Our Parent Council received the information below from Councillor Merrick and they have asked that we share it with you.

Dear Parent/Carer

For the last few months East Renfrewshire Council Roads & Transportation Department have been collecting information on school travel in the area and how streets and spaces nearby schools are being used during ‘the school run’. This is to assist developing long term plans on how we invite more walking and cycling, while discouraging car use, to help create safer and healthier school streets.

A key part of this work is how we engage with schools, stakeholders and the community moving forward. We would therefore like to invite you to one of a series of workshops planned during February to help shape future engagement efforts.

Please register you interest via links below and please share within your networks. The more people (of all ages!) that can get involved the better.

Upcoming Workshops:

Tuesday 19 February:

1:30 – 3pm; Auchenback Resource Centre, 64 Aurs Drive, Barrhead, G78 2LW

5:30 – 7pm; The Foundry (Heys Room), Main Street, Barrhead, G78 1SW

Thursday 21 February:

1:30 – 3pm; Eastwood House, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, G46 6UG

6 – 7:30pm; Eastwood House, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, G46 6UG

If you have any questions or would like any further information please get in touch with myself (John Shelton) or my colleague Ross McDowall via Roads@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

After school clubs

Emails have now been sent to parents/carers of children who have secured a place with our popular After School Clubs for this term. If you have not received an email we are sorry to say that on this occasion your child has not been successful.

If your child has been allocated a place with our After School Clubs, our expectation is that your child will attend. Please note that all children must be prepared to attend weekly and not withdraw from these clubs. The coaches are responsible for the children in their care and any absences must be accounted for.  In the unlikely event that your child is unable to attend any session could we please ask you to telephone the school office beforehand (we cannot accept a child’s notification to the class teacher) and this will then be marked on the club register for that day.  Without your assistance our administrative staff have to telephone parents/carers to ascertain the whereabouts of their child and with more pupils than ever taking part in after school clubs this can be a very time consuming task.

Summer church service

Following our recent email regarding a change in the date/ time of our Summer Service 2019, we have spoken with the Parent Council on behalf of some of our P7 families. Whilst the service is around six months away it has become clear that a number of our P7 families had already made plans, as has been something of a tradition at Giffnock, to take the morning to be with their children at the service and their last day at primary school.

With this in mind we have communicated with our friends at Orchardhill Church who have been very kind in reorganising the Summer Service for the final day of the school year. We have agreed upon a 10.30am start time on Thursday 27th June which we can now confirm for you. This slightly earlier start will allow a little extra time to return from the church in readiness for the early closure for our P1-7 children at 1pm that day.

In trying to work alongside and listen to our families wishes, and indeed to organise these arrangements in the spirit of our ‘Giffnock Family’, we thank you in advance for your understanding regarding these changes.

Church services for nursery children

Following the last few whole school church gatherings, it has become clear that the extended time periods of these services have been challenging for some of our youngest children. As a learning experience, a range of our nursery boys and girls have found understanding and engaging with some of the content in these services difficult too, with their play-based learning having to be interrupted for such services. Furthermore, given that only one service can ever be held on the day, some of our children (morning or afternoon) would always be unable to attend.

With these factors in mind, we have decided that our nursery class children will not attend either the Easter or Summer Services this school session. We are however aware that, especially when older siblings in the school are attending the services, some families may wish to take their own child with them to the church when they themselves intend to go. In such a case, we are very happy for you to do so and would simply request that you notify the nursery class staff of this intention prior to that day.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Mrs. Judy Brown (Principal Teacher) through the school office.

Free Golf coaching

Mearns Castle Golf Academy are offering FREE golf coaching to kids between the ages of 5-13 in partnership with Active Schools during the week commencing Monday 11th February 2019.

Please look out for flyers being handed out at the school gates today Thursday 31st January 2019.

For any further information you can telephone 0141 644 8200.

Class assembly dates

Giffnock Nursery and Primary School

Class assembly Dates

January to March 2019

Dear Parent/ Carer,

During the school year each class will present their own assembly.

Your child’s class will send you an invitation in advance to attend; please reply to this so that we know for seating arrangements.

Assembly starts at 9.50 am and finishes at approximately 10.20am.

Dates Classes who are presenting at assembly
1.2.19 P4b and Mrs Benzie
15.2.19 P3b and Miss Johnston
1.3.19 P4a and Mrs Horrocks
8.3.19 P2b and Mrs Sibille
22.3.19 Nursery morning children
Church Service at Orchardhill Parish Church  29.3.19 at 11.00 am hosted by Primary 3s and Primary 4s.

All welcome.

football taster sessions

Football Development Programme: Sport for All Taster Sessions 2019

East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Football Development would like to invite your child to attend a free taster session at one of our Football sessions

Our sessions are suitable for children from 3–12 years. The free taster sessions are going to take place between Monday 28th and Saturday 2nd February 2019. At the end of your taster you will receive information relating to our community football programme which operates across the East Renfrewshire area.

If you would like to take advantage of any of the tasters detailed on the back of this letter then please contact Peter from Football development by email at peter.dunn@ercultureandleisure.org to book. Please note that bookings close Friday 25th January 2019.

If in the meantime you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

John Gervaise,
Scottish FA Football Development Officer
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure
Email. john.gervaise@ercultureandleisure.org
Tel. 0141 577 8452

church services changes

We wanted to alert you to changes that have been made to our end of term services to be held at Orchardhill Parish Church – the new dates/times are noted below:

Spring Service – Friday 29th March 2019 – the service will now be held at 11.00am in Orchardhill Parish Church (rather than the afternoon).  Children will return to school after the service and primary pupils will have an early finish at 2:30pm and afternoon nursery pupils will finish at 4:00pm.

Summer Service – Wednesday 26th June 2019 – the service will be held at 11.00am in Orchardhill Parish Church (rather than Thursday 27th June).

These new arrangements have been updated on the parental calendar on the school website – this is a useful tool to keep up to date with school events and information.