Enrolment for Nursery and P1

Enrolments for Nursery from August 2024 are now open: Click here for more information.

Enrolments for P1 in August 2024 will open on Monday: Click here for more information.

If you are considering retaining your child for an additional Nursery Year and have not already discussed it with me, please contact me as soon as possible through the school office. This applies to children who turn five between mid-August 2024 and end of February 2025, their parents can choose to enrol them in P1 or retain them for an additional nursery year. The paperwork for the additional nursery year must be completed by end of day on 31st January. There are pros and cons to retaining and you must discuss this with me to get the full picture. Lucy Jess

Dates for this term:

Friday 26^th January  – P1-7 Ceilidh in the afternoon – 1 adult per family is welcome to join us, the capacity of the hall won’t allow for more unfortunately.

Tuesday 13^th February – Pancake Day. All P1-7 children will get a pancake and drink at playtime. Please donate £1 towards the cost if you can. Nursery children will get a pancake in Nursery – no charge as this will be covered by Nursery contribution.

Wednesday 14^th February – Inservice Training Day – School and Nursery closed to pupils

Tuesday 20^th February – P1-7 STEM Afternoon – parents invited in to do a piece of STEM learning with their child.

Thursday 15^th and Friday 16^th February – School Holidays

 Thursday 7^th March

– World Book Day – All children invited to wear a costume.

Monday 11^th March – P6/7 to Dalguise – leaving after lunch and getting back at approximately 3.30pm on Friday.

Wednesday 20th March – Parent Teacher Meetings 5-7pm (Info about signing up for an appointment time will follow)

Tuesday 26th March – Parent Teacher Meetings 3.30-5.30pm (Info about signing up for an appointment time will follow)

Thursday 28^th March

– Last day of term 3

Show Tickets

All pupils in Nursery and P1-7 will be taking part in the Christmas Show. Tickets are now on sale at the school office. 
Each family can buy 2 tickets for the show (£2 each). We can’t offer more than two tickets per family due to the capacity of the hall. But each family will also be able to purchase 2 tickets for the dress rehearsal in the morning (£1 each) so a total of 4 people per family can see the show if they want.
Please note that we can’t make an exception for parents who live apart – if this is true for your family, please decide together about buying the tickets and who will go to each performance. 
You can go to the school office in person to buy your tickets or you can send your child in with an envelope of money and write their name and the tickets you want on the front.

Calendars

If you ordered a school calendar you will have received an email telling you how to pay for and collect your calendar. Please pay and collect by 15th December. We will put any left over after that date on general sale at the Christmas Show.

Christmas Dates

Please click here to check you know all the Christmas dates.

School Uniform

Please remind your child to leave Christmas clothes and accessories at home except for those they are asked to bring in for the show and on the Christmas Lunch day and the last day of term. This helps us keep everyone learning happily right up to the end of term and makes the show and no uniform days feel more special.

Shoes

P1-7 parents, please remind to send your child to school with a second pair of shoes which they can change into at playtime if it is wet or if the garden is muddy. This helps us to keep the garden open through the winter as well as keeping the carpets clean and everyone’s feet dry. On a really wet day, it also worth packing an extra pair of socks.

Christmas Talent Show

Balmerino Primary School is delighted to present a Christmas Talent Show on Monday 18th December at 1.45pm. All children in Nursery-P7 will be taking part. Each family will be able to buy 2 tickets for the show (£2 each). We can’t offer more than two tickets per family due to the capacity of the hall. But each family will also be able to purchase 2 tickets for the dress rehearsal in the morning (£1 each) so a total of 4 people per family can see the show if they want. Information on how to buy your tickets will follow.

Parent Council will be doing fundraising at the show in the afternoon – you will be invited to arrive from 1.15pm to buy raffle tickets, homebaking and teas and coffees.

Here is a message from Parent Council:

Balmerino Primary Parent Council are pleased to be hosting a Bake Sale at the upcoming school Christmas Concert on Monday 18th December. We are looking for donations of baked goods such as cookies, brownies, biscuits, tray bakes and cupcakes etc. If you are able to help, please donate your home baking to the school office at 9am on Monday 18th December. Please also note if you would like to help out at the Christmas Concert please email pcbalmerino@gmail.com to sign up.

P1 Health Checks

Just a reminder that these are on Thursday next week.

School Uniform

As we approach Christmas, some children will start to want to wear Christmas jumpers etc to school. Please keep your P1-7 child in uniform through December. They will be able to wear party clothes the last day of term and everyone will be invited to wear no-uniform/Christmas jumper on the Christmas Lunch Day. It makes these days more special if everyone is in uniform for the rest of December and it helps us to keep a sense of purposeful calm.

Thank you for your support.

Dates

Please check you have all the Christmas dates: available here. The school lunch day is 13th December.

Pantomime Contribution

Please pay your panto this by 8th December using iPayImpact – please choose the fund called Pantomime 2023.

Toy Drive

We are participating in this year’s Toy Drive event which will run until 30th November. Please see the attached flyer below for more information. If you have any donations please hand them in at the school office and they will be delivered down to Wormit Primary, which is acting as the donation hub. The toys will then be collected and distributed to children and families in need. We will be collecting for boys & girls ages between 0-18 and gifts should be new and unwrapped.

Toy Drive Poster

Calendars

Thank you to those who have ordered calendars – as long as you have submitted the form, that is all you need to do just now. We will contact you once they are in to arrange payment and collection.

Christmas Cards

There is one last chance to order by scanning the QR code on the back of your child’s design. The online shop is open til Sunday 19th Nov.

Newport Festival Light Switch On

Please click here for information about this event on Thursday 23td November. 

Playgroup Christmas Fair

Please click here for details about the Christmas Fair 2023

Parent Council Minutes

Click here to read the minutes of the most recent meeting.

Pantomime Contribution

Please pay your panto this by 8th December using iPayImpact – please choose the fund called Pantomime 2023.

Lost Uniform

We have had a few requests to look for lost uniform but we do not currently hold any lost property in school. Please can you check your child has not brought home someone else’s belongings by accident and return it to school if they have. Please make sure all items your child brings to school (including shoes, pencil cases and water bottles) are named as this avoids mix ups happening when two children have the same items.

Toy Drive

We are participating in this year’s Toy Drive event which will run until 30th November. Please see the attached flyer below for more information. If you have any donations please hand them in at the school office and they will be delivered down to Wormit Primary, which is acting as the donation hub. The toys will then be collected and distributed to children and families in need. We will be collecting for boys & girls ages between 0-18 and gifts should be new and unwrapped.

Toy Drive Poster

Tuesday 31^st October

– All children invited to come to school in a costume and to enter the pumpkin competition. Carve and decorate a pumpkin at home and bring it into school. Please pay a £1 entry cost as a donation to school fund and towards the cost of the prizes if you can though your entry will be counted if you can’t.

Parent Council Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Don’t forget the Halloween Hunt around Gauldry tomorrow,  Saturday 28th October. Please meet at the Morison Duncan Hall at 11am to collect your Halloween Scavenger Hunt form. Then set off to find spooky characters hidden around Gauldry. Find them all and return your form to the Hall by 12pm to receive a candy prize.

Calendars

Orders need to be in by 9th November

Please use this form to order school calendars:

https://forms.office.com/e/ypE4hZcQU8

Family Charity Challenge

When you wish upon a star, are a charity who do amazing work granting wishes for children living with life threatening illnesses. They are looking for families to participate this winter in the Elf Wish Walk campaign to help them raise money. Details of the campaign are here:

Scarlett’s Wish

Elf Wish Walk Information Pack

If your family gets involved – we’d love to hear how you get on with your challenge. It could be a great way to beat the early winter blues!

Thank you to a Wormit parent who brought this to my attention.

Poppy Appeal

Collection boxes now in school if anyone would like to donate and have a poppy for Armistice Day.

Volunteers for outdoor learning

P1/3/4 will do outdoor learning each Monday and P5/6/7 will do it each Wednesday. This will start from week beginning 30th October. Outdoor Learning will take place in the school grounds, on the pitch or at Brownie or Waterloo Woods. Please send your child with Outdoor Learning clothes to change into before the session – they will come home in those clothes.

We can only go to the woods if we have parent helpers. If you are free to volunteer on a Monday or Wednesday afternoon, please contact Tracey in the office.

P1 Class Photo

DC Thomson have advised that the photo will be printed in the following papers.

Evening Telegraph – Thursday 2^nd November

Courier – Thursday 9^th November

Pantomime Contribution

All children (Nursery – P7) will be going to the Byre theatre to see their performance of Cinderella on 8th December. We be leaving at approximately 9.30 and will return in time for a late lunch. Children should bring a waterbottle and snack of your choosing for the interval. To help meet the cost of tickets plus transport, we are asking for a £10 contribution per child. Please pay this by 8th December using iPayImpact – please choose the fund called Pantomime 2023. Please don’t send cash but if you have problems accessing iPayImpact, contact Tracey in the office and she will help. If you can’t meet the cost, please email me in confidence to let me know – your child can still attend – no one will miss out!

Cluster Netball

Please find information below from Fife Active Schools on P5-7 cluster netball:

Messages from the Office

The milk fund is open until the 22^nd of October it’s £9.75 for this term. Please pay over the holidays if your child will drink milk next term.

Reminder from Tempest – For free delivery to school of your child’s photographs order online by Sunday 8^th October

Ragbag raised £114.40 this time for school fund. Thank you to all who contributed.

Tuesday 31^st October

– All children invited to come to school in a costume and to enter the pumpkin competition. Carve and decorate a pumpkin at home and bring it into school. Please pay a £1 entry cost as a donation to school fund and towards the cost of the prizes if you can though your entry will be counted if you can’t.

Save the Date

There will be a P5-7 Basketball Cluster League event on  20^th November 2023 @ Madras College 15:30-5:15pm. After the holidays, you will be able to tell us if your child would like to go along and we will pick a team from amongst those who are keen.

Pantomime Contribution

All children (Nursery – P7) will be going to the Byre theatre to see their performance of Cinderella on 8th December. We be leaving at approximately 9.30 and will return in time for a late lunch. Children should bring a waterbottle and snack of your choosing for the interval. To help meet the cost of tickets plus transport, we are asking for a £10 contribution per child. Please pay this by 8th December using iPayImpact – please choose the fund called Pantomime 2023. Please don’t send cash but if you have problems accessing iPayImpact, contact Tracey in the office and she will help. If you can’t meet the cost, please email me in confidence to let me know – your child can still attend – no one will miss out!

Newport Festival Christmas Cheer (High Street Lights On Event)

P5-7 children are invited to enter this competition over the October holidays. Click here for details: xmascompletter2023

Cafe Inc – free for all in the October Holidays

October Holiday

School and Nursery will be closed from Mon 9th – Friday 20th October inclusive. I wish all staff and families a good break.

If you child will be playing out on their own over the holidays, please remind them of safety rules. I was in touch a couple of weeks ago about road safety. I have also had a message for the hall committee asking me to pass on a concern that children are climbing on the oil tank beside the skate park. This could be dangerous to the children as well as causing damage to the tank. Many thanks.

There are some great activities going on at the Forgan Arts Centre over the holidays. Click here for details.

Fife Active Schools Community Clubs 

Please find below an update message on clubs and activities in North East Fife from Madison Garland at Fife Active Schools:

Reminder

P1 and P7 dental checks on Monday 18th

School Photographer

The Tempest photographer will come into school on Friday 22nd September to take individual and sibling photos. As long as you have given permission for photos, all children and sibling groups will have their photo taken unless you contact us to request otherwise. If any child is reluctant on the day we won’t make them so if you feel strongly that you want the photo taken, please make sure your child knows your wishes. If you have a younger child who is not yet at our school and would like to include them in the photo, please call Tracey in the office to make an arrangement.  If you have an extended family group at the school (e.g. cousins) and would like a photo of all the children, please contact Tracey to discuss – we will do this it possible. There is no obligation to buy.

Safety in the Community

Concerns have been raised by staff and members of the community this week about children playing on the main road. Specifically, on Monday, a group of our pupils were riding bikes on the wrong side of the road and standing in the road and on the pavement encouraging cars to honk at them. I have spoken to the children about this and would ask that, if your child regularly plays out by themselves, you discuss safety with them.

P7s have done Bikeability Level 2 and if they are riding their bike on the road, I recommend you remind them of the safety rules they have learnt. P6 have done Bikeability Level 1 but this does not cover road use and the P1-5s have not yet done Bikeability. P6 will do level 2 this session and P5 will do Level 1. I would not recommend P6s and below cycle on the road without an adult unless you are very confident in their safety skills. I recommend all children wear a helmet at all times.

If your child plays out alone or walks to school alone, I recommend you plan a safe route with them and only allow them to cross the road if you have planned a safe route with them. While Gauldry is a quite village, there are no road crossing and large vehicles pass through. The advice I have given the children is never to cross if they can see a moving vehicle, even if it is a distance away.

Upcoming Dates

The Immunisation Team from NHS Fife will be in school on Tuesday 12 September 2023 to administer flu vaccinations to eligible pupils whose parents have given consent.

Wednesday 13^th September – Apple Day – All children are invited to come to school in apple colours (no uniform day). Please send £1 per child, if you can, to help cover the cost of the day. We will harvest the apples and the children will do associated activities. Please note there will be food tastings so make sure you have informed us of any allergies or intolerances.

 Monday 18^th September – P1 and 7 dental checks

Wednesday 20^th September – P1-7 Parent/Teacher meetings 5-7pm

Friday 22^nd September – Tempest Photographer in School to take individual and sibling photos

Tuesday 3^rd October – P1-7 Parent/Teacher meetings 3.30-5.30pm

Please make sure you have logged into Seesaw and made a note of your child’s Parent/Teacher meeting date and time. The targets will come home on Tuesday and examples of your child’s learning towards their targets will begin to appear after that.

Assembly

One of the priorities in our School Improvement Plan this year is to further develop our relationships, behaviour and anti-bullying practice and capture it in policy. As a starting point to involving the children in this, we have started some work today in engaging with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The key learning at Assembly was:

• The UNCRC is a list of promises made by almost all the governments in the world to give children what they need. There are 54 promises called articles.
• Rights are what you need, not necessarily what you want.
• No child can have their rights taken away from them but all children need to act in a way that does not stop other children losing their rights.
• Part of our job in school is to teach children about their rights and about how to respect others’ rights. The key articles for us in school are:

3: All decisions should be made with children’s best interests and safety in mind.

24: The right to health care, nutritious food and clean water.

27: The right to an adequate standard of living.

28: The right to a primary education.

29: One of the goals of education is to teach respect for the environment and for other children an adults.

31: The right to play and relax.

I have asked all classes to discuss this a little further before next week’s assembly and to link the articles to our school values and the Wellbeing Indicators which often talk about in school (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, included). You might also like to discuss these articles at home and link them to things you do in your family e.g everyone brushes their teeth before bed (even if they don’t want to!) because you have the right to health (article 24).

Save the Date

Madras College will be hosting a workshop on social media with input from Police Scotland for parents with children attending the cluster primary schools. This will be an opportunity to come along and engage with other parents about Social Media on the following dates:

Tuesday 14^th November at 7pm
Thursday 22^nd November at 7pm

This is suitable for parents with children of any age. The best time to start to understand your child’s use of Social Media is before they get interested in getting involved. Remember that messaging apps like Whatapp are social media as well as Facebook Instagram, Snapchat and many more.

Below is the outline for the workshop.

• Social Media – the positives and negatives
• Different platforms – Discussion
• Support available
• Questions

An Eventbrite booking link will be sent out after the October break.

Sent on behalf of Active Schools

Dear Parent/Carer,

I am excited to announce that Active Schools in partnership with Kingsbarns Primary School and Cambo Estate are hosting the Cambo Cup. This is a running event for pupils in P1-7 and is set to take place on Friday 29^th September at Cambo Estate from 3:45pm-4:45pm. This is set to be a fantastic event for all involved. In order to register your child for this event if you could please complete the below sign up form no later than Thursday 28^th September that would be great. 

Please note that this event will be extremely busy on the day and that all directions for car parking must be followed. This event is free of charge. 

https://forms.office.com/e/MwHJJERdhi

If you have any questions please do just get in touch with me 

Thank you,

Madison Garland 

Active Schools Coordinator 

Madras College Cluster

Madison Garland | Active Schools Coordinator

Madras College| Bell Brae | St Andrews | KY16 9BY

Office:03451 555 555 Ext. 452 904 |  Mobile:07864 617 946

Visit: Active Schools | Active Fife – leisure hub