Happy New Year and Welcome to the first Information Sheet of 2022.

Message from Active Schools

As you may know Active Schools provide a range of opportunities for children to participate in sport and physical activities before school, during lunchtime and after school. We also provide opportunities and activities with local sports clubs and activity providers evenings, weekends and during school holidays and in-service days.

If you would like to receive and keep up to date with these activities and programmes please sign up to our newsletter here.

Kind regards

Madison Garland 
Active Schools

 Destination Judo Introductory Offer (sent by Active Schools)

Destination Judo is the biggest junior judo school in the UK. Over the years, and with the support of Active Schools, we’ve established a very successful network of judo clubs in Fife.   
We’d like to announce a special New Year offer for families in Fife:  a starter package of 1 month’s free judo in January, for all of our clubs in Fife.  The offer will run throughout January allowing kids to try out our sport  with no commitment. Triallists can wear tracksuits bottoms and t-shirts to start – and we’ll supply everything else they need.
At the end of the block, they’ll be offered the chance to enrol and, on enrolment, will qualify for a free judo kit worth £40.
Please find out more about our clubs and our sport on www.destinationjudo.com. The site also has our contact details. When booking in please state that you want to take advantage of this Active Schools offer. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Destination Judo Team

0131 467 9054

info@destinationjudo.com

Community News

The page on the website has been updated: Wormit Primary School | Wormit Primary School, Flass Road, DD6 8NL (glowscotland.org.uk)

Nursery Enrolments

Nursery Enrolments for session 2022-23 are now live. More information is available here: Starting Nursery | Wormit Primary School (glowscotland.org.uk)

Primary 1 Enrolments

Primary 1 Enrolments for session 2022-23 go live on Monday 17^th. More information is available here: Starting P1 in August 2022 | Wormit Primary School (glowscotland.org.uk). You have to enrol your child for P1 even if they attend our Nursery – they don’t move on automatically.

Covid Information

I am keeping the Covid procedures page on the website up to date with changing information. I hope it will prove a useful reference point for parents and staff.: Covid-19 Procedures | Wormit Primary School (glowscotland.org.uk)

As this will be the last weekly information of 2021, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all well for the festive season and thank you for your support of the school throughout this difficult year. The staff and I have appreciated and been bolstered by the kind messages of support we have received from so many parents and I have been overwhelmed by how understanding people have been of the difficult context we are working in.  I have copied a note of the remaining Christmas events below and I will look forward to seeing everyone back at school on 6th January 2022. Kind regards, Lucy Jess

Message from Active Schools

P1-7 Changing for PE

P1 to 7 children will begin changing for PE again next term. From January onwards, please send your child with the following kit on their PE days:

– t-shirt

– shorts

– jogging bottoms (or similar)

– clean gym shoes or trainers (for indoor wear only)

The class pages on the website tell you which day yours child’s PE days are or you can put it in their bag each Monday and leave it there for the week, washing it at the weekend.

P1-7 parents, please note the following dates:

Parties will be held on these days:

Monday 20th – P5

Tuesday 21st – P1 and P1/2

Wednesday 22nd – P3 and P4

Your child can come in party clothes on their party day – please make sure they also have a warm layer and their coat. There will be party food served, please make sure you have informed us of any dietary requirements.

21st December: Children will watch the Christmas Concert in school and it will come home electronically.

22nd December – last day of term for all staff and pupils – term 3 start on 6th January.

Nursery

Parents will get information about Christmas events through Seesaw. Nursery children will also be involved in the concert with P1-7.  22nd December is also the last day of term. We will look forward to seeing you back on 6th January.

P1-7 parents, please note the following dates:

Wednesday 8th December

If your child is going to have a Christmas Lunch, you must order by today using the iPayImpact system. The lunch is on 15th December but we need orders by 8th. If you don’t order by 8th, your child will need to bring a packed lunch on 15th even if they usually take a school lunch.

Christmas Parties

Here is a note of your child’s party day. They should come to school wearing their party clothes on that day. Please make sure they also have a warm layer and their coat.

Primary 6 – Thursday 16th December

Primary 7 – Friday 17th December

Primary 5 – Monday 20th December

Primary 1 and 2 – Tuesday 21st December

Primary 3 and 4 – Wednesday 22nd December

Info about the Nursery Party will come directly from the team.

P1-7 Christmas Concert

All primary classes are preparing a song for a school concert. The song will be filmed and all songs shared with all parents electronically so that you can enjoy the concert at home together. We will also (weather permitting) gather the children outside so that they can each hear each others’ songs. We are not going to invite parents to an outdoor event because it would be impossible for everyone to see and hear due to the continued need for 2m social distancing on school grounds and due to the unpredictability of the weather, it might not be possible to go ahead anyway. Once the spring weather comes, we will hope to start inviting you to outdoor events  once again.

Christmas Woodland Club

I am advertising this on behalf of Chris Childe.

Voicemail

We now have a voicemail system on the school phone and may use it at times of day when the office can’t be manned or when it is particularly busy. If you get the voicemail, please leave a message and know that it will be quickly picked up. We will call you back if needed but if you are phoning to pass on information, e.g. to report and absence we will note it and only call back if you have requested we do so.

Playground Charter

Over the course of several terms, we have been working with the children on ensuring our playground is a safe and happy place. This work started after the return from lockdown in March when we found that the children were finding it hard to settle back into playground routines. It was in response to our own observations and to parental feedback that children were finding the playground a wee bit rough and noisy. We had a series of assemblies and each class worked on establishing their own expectations for their playground space. Since August, we have been able to open up the bubbles and children are now mixing with other classes outside, meaning that we need a common charter and shared expectations across the school. Mr Rose has taken the lead on this work through assemblies and all children have had a chance to share their ideas of what they think our playground should look like. We have also listened to parental voice particularly with regards to rough play and berries.  The result of this work is our charter which you can view here: Playground Charter. This week has been the first week since the charter was launched and I have been pleased to see lots of lovely play in the playground – the children are playing a range of active games as well as being able to take quiet space if they would like.  Moving forward, the charter will support us to maintain our high expectations around playground behaviour, keep playtimes safe and fun and it will be a useful reference to new staff who are supporting the children outside and secure a consistent approach. I would welcome any parental feedback on the charter – lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk

Staying Warm in School

We still have children in the upper school wearing coats inside to keep warm because they are wearing shorts and don’t have an extra jumper with them. I would prefer children to keep their coats for outside as I am not sure they are comfortable for class, particularly if they get damp. Please can you check your child has a school jumper and a second thick jumper everyday as well as their coat. It is up to you, as a parent whether you insist on long trousers/tights. but my advice is that we can’t keep the areas warm enough for bare legs to be suitable in the winter months. On a Friday, children attending cross country do not need to wear shorts all day. They can run in joggers or tracksuits trousers. If they wish to run in shorts, they can change into them at 3pm.

Staffing

We have said goodbye to Mr McCarthy today as he takes up his new post at Newport PS on Monday. Our loss is their gain. Mrs Rice will join us from Monday 6th December having been successful at interview. Mrs Walker, as you know, will leave at the Christmas holidays as she starts her retirement and her post will be filled by Mrs Henderson.

House Quiz

P4-7 had great fun at the House Quiz this afternoon. Well done to all and particularly to the House Captains who took a lead role:

Woodhaven – 50 points

St Fort – 51 points

Flass – 56 points

Newton – 61 points

Christmas Event in Perth

I have been sent details of this event in Perth to share. The message from the organisers is:

Christmas Wonderland at Perth Riverside. The trail promises festive fun for families and takes place between 10^th – 23^rd December at Norie Miller Walk. Santa will be there in person each night, so that everyone can meet Santa at no additional cost, guaranteeing that Christmas feeling. Click here for an event map to show the range of beautiful and fun Christmas installations: Christmas Wonderland Event Map 2021_3  There is a discount code –  FIFESCHOOLS10 it offers a 10% discount on tickets. Discount code will apply to tickets purchased before 8 December (code excludes Saturdays). Be quick to get yours before they run out! More information about the event and to book tickets, check out the website www.perthchristmaswonderland.co.uk

Message from the Laidlaw Music Centre at the University of St Andrews

Here is information about musical opportunities for children in P4 and above: StAMP Choir and Orchestra poster

Is your child interested in a Karate Club?

Details are available here about a new club: Karate – St Andrews

Keeping Warm in School

Due to ongoing Scottish Government Regulations, we need to keep the building well ventilated. We now have CO2 monitors in school to help us do this more effectively. The CO2 monitors show us when more fresh air is needed and when windows can be closed somewhat to keep heat in. But it is still the case that we sometimes need windows open to an extent that the temperature is lower than it would have been without these regulations being in place. We also make greater use of the outdoors e.g. when the weather allows, P4-7 Assembly is held out of doors as the group is too big to gather in the hall. Please help us to help the children stay warm in school time. I recommend all children wear long trousers or tights to school (no bare legs please) and that your child wear a school jumper and brings an additional jumper or fleece to wear over the top if needed (they are allowed to wear this in class as an additional layer). Please also send them with a warm, waterproof coat each day. If their coat doesn’t have a hood, please send them with a hat.   If they don’t have a coat and something to cover their hair, they may get cold or a little damp at playtime and then find it hard to warm up afterwards if the classroom is cooler.  I don’t want any child to be cold or uncomfortable at school and I am grateful for your support in sending them with the correct clothes to help me with that.

Christmas Arrangements

Ongoing Scottish Government Regulations do not allow us to have the whole school together in a space or to invite parents into school for events but we will be keeping the Christmas spirit alive with a Christmas Lunch,  Craft, Parties and a Concert (which will be shared virtually with you to enjoy at home). More details will follow. If any parent is interested to read the Schools’ Covid Regulations, it is available here.

In-service Day

Just a reminder that the school will be closed to all pupils (Nursery-P7) on Friday 12th November for the in-service day. Staff are taking part in training on Body Image, supporting children with autism and sensory difficulties and we will be carrying work out on developing our progressive pathway documents.

Foodbank

Here is a letter from the food bank following our recent collection: Foodbank

Parent Teacher Interviews

If you received a final reminder yesterday and haven’t yet made your appointment, please do so by end of day today. No further appointments will be able to be made after today. The teachers are looking forward to meeting you at your appointment.

11th November

We will respect a 2 mins silence in school and all children will be given a poppy to wear if they would like. We invite you to send a coin in with your child for them to put in the Poppy Appeal box on 11th.

Bonfire Night and Diwali

Lots of our children have learnt about Bonfire Night and Diwali this week. We had a focus on firework safety at assemblies on Tuesday and P4 have made beautiful rangoli patterns in the playground:

Class Pages

These have been updated this week. Please read the pages that apply to your family – there is up to date information about learning and some photos of the classrooms as well as reminders about  homework, PE days etc. You can follow these links or use the menu above.

Nursery

P1

P1/2

P3

P4

P5

P6

P7

Class Photos (Nursery-P7)

Thank you to all parents who responded to the question about school photos. More than a third of parents in the school indicated that they would like to buy a class photo so I am arranging for the Tempest Photographer to come in. The photos will be taken on Friday 5th November, first thing (weather depending). Please send your child to school wearing the clothes you would like them to be photographed in (uniform please). All children will be included in the photo unless you withheld photo permissions at the start of the year. If you did give permission but don’t want your child to be included,  please  email lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk to tell me.  There is no obligation to buy.

P1-7 Parents Night

Please make sure you sign up for your appointment by the end of the day on Wednesday 3rd November.  And please make sure you have read all the information so that you know how the system works. Information is available here and here.

As the appointment is only 10 minutes long, the purpose of the meeting is for the teacher to update you on your child’s progress. If you have any concerns which would need longer to discuss, please contact me, in the first instance, at lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk to raise them.

As per the email I sent last week, we will be holding P1-7 Parent/Teaching meetings by video call in November. The text of the email is available here: November Parent-Teacher Meetings (P1-7) | Wormit Primary School (glowscotland.org.uk). Please read this email and the information below in full so that you know what to expect.

Please make your appointment by the end of the day on Wednesday 3^rd November – this will give the teachers time to prepare for the interviews. We can’t guarantee you will get an appointment if you don’t book before then but we do want to support every family to be able to speak to their child’s teacher so please do contact me at lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk if you need help or an alternative arrangement.

Parents Evening Booking System (PEBS) is now ready for you to sign up for your child’s appointment. To make your appointments please login at: https://parents-booking.co.uk/wormit

To login you will need to enter:

• Your first name and surname
• Your child’s first name, surname and date of birth

The login details you enter must match those we have on record for you.

After you have made your appointments you can choose to print or e-mail a confirmation but you don’t receive an email with a link for the meeting as you would for Teams or Zoom. On the day of your appointments, you need to re-login at the website address above. We recommend you do this 15 before your first appointment. 10 minutes before your first meeting you will be able to join the video meeting room, where you can wait for your appointment(s).  Please note that the meeting will start and finish automatically as scheduled – the teacher has no control over this. You will only get your full 10 minutes if you join the meeting room before the start time. If you join the meeting late, it will still end as scheduled. We will reschedule a meeting if it is cut short due to delays at our end or if the parent has called us in advance to say they are experiencing difficulties.  We won’t reschedule a meeting if it is cut short due to the parent joining it late (this is to protect teacher workload) so please get set up in good time for the meeting.

A more detailed guide is available here: Parents-Evening-Booking-System-Guidance

Internet Browser Compatibility:

You must use one of the below devices and internet browser combinations for the video meeting technology to work:

• Apple iPhone/iPad (iOS 11+): Safari
• Android phone/tablet: Chrome or Firefox
• Linux computer: Chrome or Firefox
• Microsoft Surface: Chrome or Firefox
• Mac computer: Safari, Chrome or Firefox
• Windows computer: Chrome, Firefox or Edge (Chromium)

Troubleshooting Tips

• Please log into the system 15 mins before your first appointment. If, at 10 minutes before, you are experiencing difficulties – either you can’t get logged in or the join button has not appeared, please contact the school office BY PHONE on 01334 659445. Please don’t delay calling us if you need help – this will help us get the meeting running on time or let us know we need to help by rescheduling it.
• If you have more than one child in the school please ensure you enter the log-in details for the correct child at the time of their appointment.
• In rare instances school computers may lose connection and affect your meeting time – if this happens we will contact you to let you know and arrange an alternative appointment.
• When logging on please avoid Apple products if possible as, in our experience, it appears there may be a compatibility issue even though it is listed as a compatible device.
• You can only log in from one device and so parents have to be together to both be on the call. We ask that wherever possible, parents either take the call together or one feedback to the other.
• Please contact lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk by the end of the day on 3rd November if you don’t think your device will work to support a PEBS video call – we can set up a meeting by telephone instead if this is the case.

Following the disruption of the last two years, it is more important than ever that we support children to attend school as well as is possible. Our aim is that all children should attend for at least 95% of the school year. This equates to attending at least 4.5 days every week on average. Evidence suggests that children who attend for 95% or more of the school year have the best future attainment outcomes and it is important that good attendance routines are established from the very beginning of a child’s time at school.

​Attendance of below 85% falls into the cause for concern bracket. There is evidence that absences pushing attendance below 85% have a significant impact on overall attendance. 

Good attendance also supports children’s social and emotional development. It helps them to develop and sustain friendships. 

​It is important for us (school and parents) to monitor and support attendance throughout the school year and if you feel concerned at all about your child’s attendance, please contact me to discuss how we can support. Equally, if we are concerned about your child’s attendance, we will contact you to offer support.

​I would ask all parents to note the following ways that attendance can be kept high:

• avoid making appointments for during the school day whenever possible. If your child has a necessary dental or medical appointment that has to be held during the school day, let us know and only take them out of school for the duration of the appointment.
• only plan holidays/events for school holiday time. 
• only keep your child off school if they are too ill to attend (see below) and return them as soon as they are well enough to be back in school.
• Only keep your child off school to isolate if advised to do so by NHS (see below) and return them as soon as you are able.

There are occasions when children should stay off school:

• if they are ill with any illness and present as tired, poorly or otherwise not fit for school.
• suspected or confirmed infectious illness (e.g. chicken pox) – you should consult us about when it is safe for your child to return after symptoms end.
• tummy bugs – your child should stay off school until 48 hours has passed since the last instance of vomiting or diarrhoea.
• a continuous cough, loss of sense of taste or smell, high temperature – these are the symptoms of Covid, your whole household should isolate for 10 days or until your child has a negative PCR test. Your child can return to school after a negative test but if they have had a high temperature, they should not return until 48 hours after it goes down.
• if your child is told by NHS or TEST AND PROTECT to isolate and seek a PCR test, they must stay off until they receive a negative test result.

There are times when we may ask you to collect your child from school – this might be because they are too poorly to concentrate or work or it might be because we suspect Covid symptoms (or another infectious illness) and need to ask you to monitor them at home.
​

We also recognise that there are times when the wellbeing of the family is supported by a child being off school (for example in the event of a bereavement or a family event like a wedding).
​

If your child needs to be off for one of the above reasons, please explain it to us fully – I am always happy for you to contact me to ask for advice or support if your child needs to be off. If they are off school following NHS advice but otherwise well, you can request work for them to do at home.

​Beyond this, all children should attend school everyday. It is no longer the case that Public Health recommend all pupils in the class remain at home in the event of a positive Covid case in school and you should not keep your child at home to avoid contact with others unless you are advised to do so by a medical professional.

​All Covid related absences should be reported to lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk

All request for an absence in advance should be sent to lucy.jess@fife.gov.uk

All requests for work for a pupil who is isolating should be directed to Jamie.rose@fife.gov.uk

All other absences should be reported to the school office by 9am on the morning in question – email to wormitps.enquiries@fife.gov.uk or call to 01334659445.

​I am grateful to you all for your support,

Lucy Jess,
25^th October 2021