Below you will find attached a draft copy of East Renfrewshire Council’s Local Improvement Plan 2016-2019. The draft plan was considered by the Education Committee on 4 February 2016.
The authority would welcome feedback and comments from parents/carers. Please send comments and feedback or other priorities for improvement to schoolmail@St-Marks.e-renfrew.sch.uk and we will pass on any suggestions.
Minutes for the latest parent council meeting can be viewed below.
The Scottish Government has today launched a website dedicated to supporting everyone worried about child sexual exploitation. With information for children, young people, friends and families.
You can view the website via our parental websites section. Simply click the link below.
Do you have a Science, Technology Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) Background? If so, would you be interested in becoming a STEM ambassador and sharing your knowledge and expertise about STEM subjects with the school community at St. Mark’s? This would involve coming into the school to speak to children about your job and what it involves.
Gaining recognition for the wide range of achievements can increase pupil confidence, raise their aspirations, improve motivation for learning and keep them engaged in education. It is important that we recognise and celebrate achievements in all contexts for learning, through:
To help us gather this information on pupils’ personal achievements, I would ask you to follow the link below and provide the information required:
This link will remain live throughout session 2016. You can add achievements as often as required by entering your child’s name, class and details of their achievement.
These are some things to think about when talking/spending time together with younger children:
These are some things to think about when talking/spending time together with older children:
These are some things to think about when talking/spending time together with older children:
The National Parent Forum of Scotland has been working with Skills Development Scotland as part of the programme of work underway in Developing the Young Workforce. We are pleased to have produced some tailored information for parents, as part of our successful “in a nutshell” series, which covers the new Careers Education Standard launched at SLF 2015. This new nutshell will supply parents with basic information about the initial role of this programme in schools and signpost them to where they can get some more information if they need it. This nutshell has been produced in hard copy with one for each child in primary, secondary and ASN schools and deliveries will start w/c 11-1-16. We would also hope that it could be used at parent events, subject choice evenings etc. The link to the nutshell on the NPFS website is http://www.npfs.org.uk/career-education-a-world-of-possibilities/
On Monday 25th January at 1.45pm St Mark’s will be celebrating the birthday of our national hero, Robert Burns. On this day, school uniform should be worn however pupils are invited to wear something tartan eg. kilt, tie, scarf etc.
Classes will be performing a selection of Scottish poems for your entertainment and light refreshments will be provided. So come share a wee dram of our other national drink and enjoy our wee shindig.
And in the words of the great man himself – “Dare to be honest and fear no labour”.
Regards
Natalie Fitzsimmons
Acting Head Teacher
Monday 11th January – Friday 15th January 2016.
Registering your child for Primary School
East Renfrewshire Council has set up one week when you should register your son or daughter at your local primary school. You must register at your catchment school, even if you intend to make a placing request to another school or to defer your place and keep your son or daughter at home for another year.
If you intend to educate your child privately or at home, you should still register at your local catchment school.
You may choose to enrol your son or daughter in either the local denominational or local non-denominational school. This choice will determine the secondary school to which your child will transfer.
If he or she is aged five between 1st March 2016 and the end of February 2017 you should go along to the primary school between 1.45pm and 3.30pm any day during the week of Monday 11th January – Friday 15th January 2016.
You should bring your son or daughter’s birth certificate, child benefit statement, a copy of your current council tax notice and mortgate statement or rental agreement. The school can also accept a driving licence, utility bill or bank statement if you are no longer in receipt of child benefit.
On very rare occasions severe weather can lead to the emergency closure of schools. The length of closure may vary from an early closure on an isolated occasion, to full closure for one or more consecutive days.
It is the education departments aim to maintain as full an education service as possible in times of emergency but the health and well-being of pupils will still be the first consideration.
The council website has a page dedicated to providing updates on the impact of adverse weather on all council services including education, click here to access it. The council’s Facebook page and Twitter feed will also provide this information and regular updates.
In the event of heavy snow as first priority our janitor will clear a path to the breakfast club door from the stairs. Look out for signs directing you if we have to make any changes to the usual routine.
School closes at 2.30pm today, Tuesday 22nd December. The school will reopen on Monday 6th January.
We wish all of our parents/carers and pupils a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Class parties for Primary 1-7 will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 22nd December. Pupils should wear their party clothes to school. No football strips please.
Follow the link to view our latest newsletter.
Some things to think about when talking/spending time together with younger children:
Talk about what you’re doing as you carry out everyday tasks like making lunch/dinner, washing up etc.
Point out all of the things you see around you when you’re out at the park, on the way to school, at the supermarket etc.
Look at your child when you and they are talking – it shows that you are interested in what they have to say.
If your child says something incorrectly instead of correcting, say it back in the correct way.
This week P7a created 4 short films to be shown as part of the BBC’s LABvent calendar. The first animation will be shown today, the second on the 14th December and on the 24th December. The BBC clips have had an average of 50 000 views online so the children are very excited to see each of their videos added over the coming weeks. You can view the first film by following the link below.
Primary Four have been celebrating the Turner Prize coming to Glasgow by looking at Scottish contemporary artists. They loved the bold colours used in Jolomo’s paintings and were inspired to replicate the cottage and lighthouse scenes. Pupils enjoyed mixing colours and exploring how shades effect the emotions of their painting. We then created our own ‘artist’ names using the first two letters from our first, second and surnames.
You can view P4’s Artwork by following the link below.
