Please see attached for what we hope will be a fun and engaging family activity for all of our school community.
Tag: Parents
Family Support Team
Dear Families,
As our Community is very much in our thoughts, we are keen to support in whatever ways we can. Although our Giffnock Family has been very well supported by a variety of staff from other agencies over a long time, the present circumstances in which we are now living have changed and so therefore have some of our needs.
Bearing this in mind we would like to share the variety of free and confidential support that is available to all our families. We have attached a copy of information on this from East Renfrewshire along with the Healthier Minds resource and below you will find a variety of support agencies available which may be of interest.
Please continue to keep in touch with us should there be anything you may need help with,
Our best wishes,
The Giffnock Family Support Team
Health and Wellbeing Update 3 from ERC
Young Carers – for children and families supporting family members with medical or additional needs or requiring respite.
Facebook – EastRenfrewshire Carers Centre
Twitter – https://twitter.com/eastrencarers
Young Carers are still taking young carer referrals and supporting young carers so if you think you may require support don’t hesitate to get in touch with Kevin Daily as below.
Kevin Dailly, Young Carers Education Worker
East Renfrewshire Carers Centre
Barrhead Centre
8 Carlibar Road
Barrhead
G78 1AA
0141 638 4888
Email Kevin Dailly: kevin@eastrenfrewshirecarers.co.uk
Glasgow Womens Aid Helpline is open Monday to Friday, 10AM-4PM on 0141 553 2022 with email support too:
officecover@glasgowwomensaid.org.uk
Family First worker Julie Douglas is available for direct contact and can support on a variety of areas such as School, Health, Home, Money, Parenting, Confidence, Additional Support Needs. You can contact Julie through email at:
julie.douglas@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
or by phoning her on 07393752547
Mental and Emotional Health support is available through Talking Points. Adults in East Renfrewshire can receive help and advice from professionals and volunteers about their health and wellbeing. If you would like more information on Talking Points, please call 0141 800 7850 or email Alan at:
alan.stevenson@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
talkingpoints@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)
Please phone 0141 800 7850. In an emergency, please phone 0141 800 7850, open from 8am to 6pm. Alternatively, you can phone Glasgow and Partners Emergency Social Work Services out of hours on 0300 343 1505.
Other services are available:
Childline 1 2 1 Counsellor Chat
The telephone line is open 9- midnight on 0800 1111.
Infoline: 0300 123 3393.
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Text: 86463
Family Feedback on Remote learning
We are very interested to know more about how you have found the arrangements for, learning activities and general organisation of remote learning so far. We understand that learning from home is both very new and challenging and we want to thank you for your efforts in aiming to make this work the best that we possibly can, together, for our children.
To gather further information from your and your child’s perspectives, we have put together a short questionnaire which we would be very grateful if you would spend a short time completing. Can we ask that you do this by Tuesday 28th April, after which we will collate the responses received.
Thank you in advance for your ongoing support.
Online exercises from cameron Taekwondo
We have received the information below from Cameron Taekwondo and as it’s from our community, and a parent, we thought we would give you the opportunity to join in if you so wished.
The team at Cameron Taekwondo are delighted to advise that we will be running online family friendly exercise classes every Monday and Thursday, these sessions are completely free of charge and open to absolutely anyone who wants to join us, please share with any friends, family and neighbours that you think would be interested. After piloting the classes for the last week, we received very positive feedback and would like to now share the link that will allow you to join us every week.
Mr. Cameron, who has over 22 years of experience will be running the classes in a way that make it suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Class Days : Mondays & Thursdays online through Zoom
Class Time : 5.30pm
Class Duration : 15-20 mins
Class Fee : Free
We look forward to seeing you there. The link to join is below.
Richard Cameron is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Richard Cameron’s Zoom Meeting
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 883 5767 7427
Remote Learning Parental Letter 17 April
An important letter from Headteacher Rob Lawson has been emailed to all parents. The letter can be read here:
Remote Learning and Spring Holidays
NURSERY – PRIMARY 7
Dear Parent/ Carer,
We hope that all of our families and children are keeping as well as possible through these challenging days. As a school and indeed wider community, these are unique times we are living through and ones which are placing a wide range of difficulties and pressures upon us all. First and foremost therefore, we want to continue to support our families as best we possibly can on the road ahead. All our social, emotional and physical health & wellbeing must remain first priorities and if you feel that there is anything that we can help with, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Our school email address is the best place to start contact through:
For the Spring Break, our provision of remote learning through Google Classrooms and the school website and twitter feeds will stop after today; they will of course resume again on Monday 20th April. Our key worker families have already been contacted regarding school provision during the holidays (at Eastwood High School and Crookfur Nursery) but if there are any further questions please do not hesitate to ask.
We wish you and your families all the very best of health in the coming weeks,
Kind regards,
Giffnock Primary School
Support for pupils with autism
Scottish Autism has produced a leaflet with information about Covid 19 for carers of autistic children. The leaflet can be seen here:
https://www.scottishautism.org/
This website also has useful information:
Cancellation of school activities
Regrettably extra-curricular activities at this point in time and for the foreseeable future are cancelled. This will include all lunchtime and after school clubs, swimming lessons, bikeability lessons and the P7 Cluster Multi-Sports event at Woodfarm High School next week.
In addition whole school gatherings have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. This will include any parental assemblies, our Community Café and our end of year Church Service.
Coronavirus update
Continuing learning in light of Coronavirus
You will be well aware of the rapidly changing situation across the country due to the coronavirus. As you know schools, in line with everyone else, are following national guidance which in itself is necessarily changing on a daily basis. More information is available from the NHS at www.nhsinform.scot.
At the moment all schools and Early Learning and Childcare Centres remain open. However, over the next few days and weeks, it is possible that an increased number of pupils and staff will catch the virus and have to stay at home. This will mean whole families having to stay at home for long periods of time, unable to come to school or go to work.
To help with our planning to continue to offer opportunities for learning we would be grateful if you could answer the following questions via the following link:
I know this is a worrying time for everyone and I want to assure you that we are working hard to plan for different situations and continue to provide learning and teaching for our children and young people. We will continue to communicate with you through our usual channels on the arrangements for your child. Please continue to follow the updates provided through the school and Council social media sites.
Cancellation of P4 swimming lessons
On advice from the local authority, NHS and wider governmental guidance we have unfortunately had to take the decision to cancel the Primary 4 swimming sessions. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Water Bottles
Could we please remind you to provide a water bottle for your child for their wellbeing and to keep them hydrated. Water fountains are available in school but we are finding that many pupils do not bring a suitable container to utilise the fountains.
We are regularly providing paper cups for pupils throughout the school day and are mindful of the environmental impact of this.
Music in school
Please see the attached leaflet for further information about music in Giffnock Primary.
After School Clubs week beginning 16th March
Please note that most After School Clubs are cancelled next week (Week beginning 16th March) due to teachers preparing for Parents Night and for Parents evening on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March.
The only Afterschool Clubs running next week are;
Boys Football – Monday 16th March
Gymnastics – Tuesday 17th March
Taekwondo – Friday 20th March
Sport Relief Friday 13 March
To support Sport Relief on Friday (13th March 2020) we are organising activities in school and pupils may come dressed in sports clothes (with a red theme if possible).
The Sports Committee will be collecting any optional donations on the day.
Parent drop in with Giffnock Family Support Team
NURSERY – PRIMARY 7
Dear all,
Just a reminder we are looking forward to seeing you on Thursday 12th March from 9 – 10 am at Giffnock Primary in our library.
We will be sharing information on how you can further support your child emotionally with some new strategies and approaches from the ERC Healthier Minds resource and also what we are using in school with our children currently.
Ms McLeod, Ms Rawley and Mr McGee (our Educational Psychologist) will be present too for any questions afterwards.
We invite you to stay on to meet with other families and enjoy a tea/coffee refreshment.
A look at our Parental Lending library will also be available so we are looking for volunteers to help with either the library or a book group if enough people were interested.
We look forward to seeing you then,
Best wishes,
The Giffnock Family Support Team
School Book fair
Giffnock Primary School Book Fair
Tuesday 10 March to Friday 20 March 2020
Dear Parent/Carer
Our Annual Book Fair will take place here in the school on the above dates. The Book Fair is always lots of fun for the children, parents and teachers. It also provides another opportunity to encourage the children to use and enjoy books, both fiction and non-fiction.
The school gets commission on any books purchased. This commission is spent on books, enabling us to add to our existing resources. From previous Book Fairs we have been able to supplement our resources with a wide selection of reference material, fiction books for class libraries and sets of fiction novels for use within our reading programme. Remember, however, that no pressure will be put upon either you or your children to buy. Whether or not they are buying the children should enjoy the experience.
Tuesday 10 March to Monday 16 March
Book Preview Classes will be timetabled to visit the Fair. Here they can view books and decide on any they might want to buy. No money is needed at this point. Their choice will be sent home on an order form to be approved or amended and signed by parents. Staff will be on hand to help and guide children.
Tuesday 17 March
Book Fair Orders All order forms must be returned by today with payment. No orders will be accepted after this date. This will allow staff to collate orders ready for distribution as soon as possible. For the most part, books will be distributed immediately. However, each year some titles prove to be very popular and these have to be re-ordered. This normally takes a couple of weeks.
Order Forms with correct amount of money/cheque (made payable to “Giffnock Primary School Fund”) should be returned in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the child’s name and class as soon as possible. Please also write Book Fair on the envelope
Wednesday 18 March and Thursday 19 March
The Book Fair will be open in the library on parent/teacher evenings, but you will only be able to choose from what is left on display and you must pay on the night.
Remember – last date for orders is Tuesday 17 March. Please return orders in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and class and Book Fair written on the envelope.
Parent Council Spring Fling Disco
We are looking forward to our annual “Spring Fling Disco” taking place on:
Thursday 12th March,
P1&2 6-7pm
P3,4&5 7.15-8.15pm.
Tickets are £3 and this includes drinks. As always, we welcome any parent helpers, please indicate your availability on the form which is being sent home today with your child.
Please return forms and money by Tuesday 10th March to class teachers.
Ski Lessons
We have been asked by Active Schools to share the information attached regarding upcoming cluster ski lessons.
Active Schools P4 – P7 Skiing March 2020
Parent Appointments
We would like to advise you that the online booking system for parent appointments will open on Monday 2nd March 2020 at 21:00hrs and will close at midnight on Sunday 15th March 2020. A letter giving further information is attached together with a “parent guide” for the booking system.
If you have any queries or require assistance with the booking system please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Young Carers Service
If you provide additional care for someone in your family or if your child helps with this, then the Young Carers Service would like to hear from you.
Young Carers provide support for children who may be involved in additional support and care for their siblings or family members. They can provide advice and support to access additional clubs and activities.
If you or your family would like to find out more please contact Kevin Daily at kevin@eastrenfrewshirecarers.co.uk. Or ask a member of the Giffnock Family Support Team for further information.
There is also a carers Get Together on Thursday 5th March from 10 -12 pm in Voluntary Action, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead. The purpose of the get together is to explore activities that would be of interest. If you would like to go along you can contact Karen at the centre on 0141 638 4888 to book a place.
