This week our Primary 7s head to Ardroy for their residential and outdoor learning trip. Mrs Tweed, Mrs Simpson and Mrs Holt are accompanying the children and we are all looking forward to a marvellous experience.  Mrs Peterson will be overseeing all aspects of school and nursery during this time.

Thank you to those bilingual parents who have already offered their talents to our week of language celebration.  We would welcome further offers. Please click here. if you can help.

Flu Vaccines for P1-6 – Wednesday 20th September.  P7 will receive theirs on 8th November.

P1-3 shared starts – These are timetabled half hour slots (9-9.30am Tues 26– Thurs 28 Sep) to allow you to “Stay and Play” with your P1-3 child.  Shared Starts give you the chance to see, at first hand, the types of activities your child is engaged in during class time.  There will be a focus on maths due to it being Maths Week Scotland. The activities on offer enable you to have quality interactions with your child on a one to one or with a small group.  Come in, take part and enjoy the importance of play!

Medication in School – In line with Fife Council medication procedures we are now unable to administer medicines which do not have a pharmacist’s label clearly stating the required dose to be taken. Any medication which would need to be administered during the school day will require an administration of medicine form to be completed and a pharmacist’s label attached.

Rights Respecting Schools work – You are already aware that we have launched our RRS work this term with our whole school topic “out rights our choices”,  On Thursday last week P5/6, P6 and P7 had a worthwhile visit from the Scottish Parliament.  We know that 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 and 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.

Reading Café – at the beginning of term I highlighted that as we strive to become a Silver Level Reading School we will run five Reading Cafés over the year.  Our first is on Tuesday 3rd October from 9:30-10:15 am in our small hall.  To allow all children to participate two MAD groups will invite a visitor to a specific café.  First up are the Learning Leaders and Reading Council.  Children will prepare invites at our MAD group meeting this Tuesday.  If this applies to your child you are invited along to enjoy a story together and have a cuppa (for a small donation).

Celebrating diversity and language – every year around the 26th September we recognise the importance of speaking other languages through “European Day of Languages” – however we celebrate languages from around the world not just Europe!  From  25-29th September classes would like to learn some of the languages that our amazing Tayport families speak e.g. saying good morning, how are you etc. Teachers are currently finding out which other languages their pupils speak to support this.  As a bilingual parent/carer if you would like to come in to your child’s class to support this  please complete the following form here.

Zen Zone – Mrs Simpson and the Health Hub have been preparing the Tesco Community Grant funded Zen Zone and would like your thoughts on the use of Kitbag. We would greatly appreciate your feedback here.

Term time holidays – please refer to our Madras cluster communication in June regarding the impact of good attendance at school and how families can support this click here. If you have booked a term time holiday please contact school well in advance to discuss.

Water bottles – please send in a full water bottle daily (with child’s name on it).

Madras Social Media Workshops – information was sent on Friday to all nursery and school families regarding social media workshops being run on 14th and 23rd November for parents/carers at Madras College. An Eventbrite booking will be offered after the October break.

Rights Respecting Work – Article 30 –  Every child has the right to learn and use the language, customs and religion of their family, whether or not these are shared by the majority of the people in the country where they live.

If you have not done so already please review and return the annual data check as soon as possible.

In order for us to store and administer any medication e.g. inhalers the appropriate paperwork must be completed by the parent. Please contact the office ASAP if this affects your child.

Many of our P7s ran a successful house captain election campaign.  The showed determination and resilience throughout the process. On polling day the successful candidates were:

• Kinshaldy – Skye Burnett and Ivy Lennox
• Scotscraig – Maisie Barton-Coutts and Willow Joss
• Morton – Linden McDade and Evie Farmer

We are participating in a Rag Bag collection. Details are in the attached document.  Uplift is on 25 September.

Remember to send in news of wider achievement either via Seesaw or by emailing the class teacher.  Details were in this term’s learning overview:  click here to view on website.

This week at learn to learn we will hear more about UNCRC article 12 – all about respecting the views of the child.  This is where the idea for our Making A Difference or MAD groups came from.  We give children a voice in leading aspects of school improvement.  Our first MAD meeting will be next week.

There are concerns from the wider community regarding children’s behaviour at the Top Park by some pupils.  An email has been sent to the main year groups where specific concerns have been raised.  Over last weekend there has been some attempted fire related vandalism in our main playground – please can our school community contact the police if they see anything of concern.

Classes will visit our local library either this Thursday or next. P1-3 and P7 visited the Larick Centre’s Scottie – Harbour –  on Friday afternoon.

Meet the Teacher – thank you for visiting classes last week and for the positive feedback received.  If you attended but have not yet completed the survey, here is the link: click here.

Annual Data Check – a paper copy of your contact details will be sent home this week. Please check and return by Friday 8th September latest.  We require a response from everyone. You can update your contact details at anytime via the Parents Portal.

Rights Respecting School – all our classes have been preparing their class charters over the past week.  Children’s rights are at the heart of how we want our classes to operate.  At Learn to Learn (our assemblies) we will be focusing on a different Article from the United Nations Rights of the Child most weeks.  We would like families to be aware of the right being shared so that it can be discussed at home too.  Click here for a child friendly summary of all UNCRC rights.  This weeks right is: Article 42 –  which is that everyone should know about children’s rights.

Road safety – at learn to learn this week we will be revisiting crossing roads safely. Our Junior Road Safety Officers will be sharing the school travel plan soon to support our roads around school being as safe as possible.

No nuts – please remember that there should be no nuts for snacks or lunches, including nut based chocolate spreads.

Community updates on the website – information about what is on at the Larick Centre and the upcoming Auld Kirk Open Door. Click here to view.

The Larick Centre will be revealling its Scottie by the Sea this weekend. There’s lots of fun to be had on Saturday!

Here is our school calendar for 2023-24.  Some dates are subject to change: Tayport calendar 23-24 Families

We are keen for all our families to understand our curriculum and areas of improvement so the following video explains some the broad school improvement areas for this year as well as some of the new calendar items.

Our refreshed curriculum rationale can be viewed in more detail on the website by clicking here.

Class learning overviews for the term will be shared with you later this week.

The August nursery newsletter is on the website too. Click here to view.

We hope you have had a good summer break. Here is a short video with a few reminders before Wednesday 16th.  If children bring bikes or scooters to school they must dismount at the gate and walk the bike or scooter to the bike shed.

Here are the lining up arrangements:

Staff news – We are sad to see a number of staff moving on this summer but wish Miss McIntosh and Mrs Murray well on their new teaching adventure in Dubai.  Mrs Golding has also decided to move on to a new school in Angus council and we wish her lots of luck too.  Mrs Green and Miss Amores, Pupil Support Assistants, are also leaving us for pastures new.  We wish them all every success.

End of year gathering – everyone is welcome at the parish church on Friday at 10am when we will celebrate the end of a great year.

Milk money must be paid by end of term.

Ferryport Nursery had a very positive Care Inspectorate Unannounced Visit on 12 May – report now available at: on the Care Inspectorate website.

School finishes on Friday 30th June at 3pm.  All classes will be in the main playground with their teacher just before 3pm so they can wave off our P7 leavers who will exit from the sports hall doors and then parade up to the front of the school.

School reopens to pupils on Wednesday 16th August.  Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th August are inservice days for all staff.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy break.

No football shirts for gym days – please ensure that on gym days children wear plain t-shirts and shorts.

End of year progress reports will be issued on Friday afternoon.

Milk fund open for next term.

Fake Nails are not safe for the wearer or other children in primary school e.g. during gym or playtimes.

Sharing Our Learning – thank you so much for visiting school on Friday afternoon.  Over 70% of pupils had visitors and opportunity to talk about and share their learning.  We would love your feedback if you managed to attend: click here

Return all reading books or school resources – as we move towards summer please check if you have any school books or resources and return them asap.

Classes for 2023-24 – We appreciate your patience while our school teaching team is confirmed this week.  We will have 9 classes and our planned class structure is as follows:

P1, P1/2, P2/3, P3, P4, P4/5, P5/6, P6 and P7

It is important to highlight that the above class structure could change after the summer break if new families arrive and require spaces that are not available.  All children will meet their planned new teacher and visit their new classroom on Thursday morning.

Sports Day – thank you for your support in making Friday such a successful day.  I was very proud witnessing children displaying our school value of kindness to themselves and others.

Walk to School Week – Tayport Primary School placed third out of 66 Fife schools that took part!  Well done to everyone and let’s keep it up!

Parent survey – we are in need of your feedback to support next year’s school improvement planning so a link to a short survey is included in this week’s weekly update email. Thank you in advance.

P7 Fife Boys’ Cross Country Champion – Harry Robinson competed and placed first in this highly competitive race last week.  Harry also won the endurance race at Friday’s sports day.

Headlice – some classes have ongoing issues with recurring headlice.  Please can everyone keep combing and checking regularly! click here for NHS advice,

Classes for 2023-24 – our staffing is yet to be confirmed for next session so classes cannot yet be set.  It is anticipated we will be able to share new class structures and teachers by 9th June.

Dates to the end of term:

• Monday 5th June – Holiday
• Tuesday 6th June – Inservice Day 5 – school closed to pupils.
• Friday 9th June – Sharing our Learning from 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm. You are welcome to come into our classes so children can talk about their learning. A bell will ring at 2:45pm so all visitors leave the building.  Children will depart as usual at 3pm.
• w.b. 12th June – Final week of homework.
• 13-15th June – P7 transition visits to Madras
• Wednesday 14th June – 6pm – New P1s Information evening
• Thursday 15th June – P1-6 children have transition visit with new class teacher.
• Friday 23rd June – School report cards issued.
• Monday 26th June – 6pm – P7 Leavers’ Ceremony (P7 families only)
• Friday 30th June – 10am – End of year celebration and gathering at the Church – everyone welcome. School closes at 3pm.