Hi everyone

We hope that if you have been able to join in with your child on any of our daily Google Meets that you were pleased with how responsive staff were to the interests and “chat” of children. Whether encouraging them to share their news, reciting nursery rhymes solo (as no one joined in!  J), playing French games or singing the children’s favourite songs and dancing, the staff have shown such enthusiasm and commitment to making the children feel listened to and connected to each other and the nursery during this unusual time. We are very proud of how the children have grown in confidence while attending the daily Google Meets and how they happily talk to each other and share news about life at home.

If you haven’t yet had the chance to pop in to the meets, these sessions are a really good way for your child to re-connect with some of their friends and their teachers. Please do get in touch if you need any help with how to get this set up etc.  We look forward to seeing lots of the children again soon at our Google Meets which are at 2.30pm each day from Wednesday 10^th February.

As it is a holiday weekend we will post our next ‘Learning Links and Home Learning Ideas’ on the Google Classroom on Tuesday 9^th February at 7pm.

Have a lovely, long weekend.

Warm regards

Yvonne Donaldson (HT) and Angela Kerr (PT)

Hello everyone

Just a slightly shorter email from me today ahead of the In-service Day tomorrow and the long weekend holiday on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

I am sure you will agree it will be nice to be able to switch off our digital devices, at least for some of the time each day and to relax and try to unwind a little from all of the busy, tight schedules and routines that you, and we, are all living through right now.   I know that I have said this already however I really do want to thank you once again for your enormous support, time and energy over the last weeks since returning to school and nursery in January.  I really do take my hat off to each and every one of you, as well as of course my fantastic staff and pupils- what a Netherlee Team!  Whilst I completely agree that none of this is or has been easy for any of us, together we have been able to do our very best to keep the Netherlee children safe and well whilst also moving their learning forwards.  I know how much they really enjoy and benefit from being able to see their teachers and friends during the live meets and please believe me when I say how much the teachers value being able to see their children too and being able to make sure they are “OK” – this really does means a great deal to the staff as well.

Please find attached the dates for our next round of Live Parent/ Carer Drop In Meets.  We will still go ahead with the P1, P2 and P3 sessions too as I feel this will be a good opportunity for any parents within these year groups to have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have in relation to the scheduled return to school.  The P4-7 sessions will be similar in format to the last round so we look forward to seeing anyone who is able to “virtually drop in” then.

With the 6 Nations starting on Saturday, Mr Aitken has started a virtual rugby club for P5-7. This will run for the duration of the 6 Nations. Details of how to join the club can be found in your child’s Google Classroom. Active Schools have challenged us to name a team of the week during the 6 Nations. Mr Aitken and the children in the club will choose their team of the week and share this and other fun facts each week through a ThinkLink – https://www.thinglink.com/card/1412752054597713922

In January the Specialist Children’s Services Community Occupational Therapy Team launched an advice line where parents/carers, school staff, social care staff, voluntary organisations or other health professionals can seek advice and support for children and young people who are having difficulty joining in with the activities that they need and want to do every day. Please follow this link to find the new advice line: https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/media/264679/ot-advice-line-poster-in-pdf-for-primary-school-age.pdf

So, have a lovely, long weekend everyone.  I will be in touch again next week and I will hopefully also be able to share some more detail in relation to our nursery and P1-3 pupils returning to school, if it is safe to do so of course, on 22^nd February.

Warmest regards

Mrs Donaldson