The learners and staff had great fun this afternoon at the Halloween party.  Everyone looked brilliant in their costumes

and the pumpkin display was the best ever!Well done” to Bute class for their Scottish entry.  The entry was paraded around the hall with staff singing “Flower of Scotland”.  PL won best dance and JT was chosen for having the best outfit.  Activities included Halloween games on the ipad, golf with a broom, pin the eyes, nose and mouth on the pumpkin, apple dookin and mummifying staff!!!!!!!

On Monday 19th October, staff from haysholm school joined with staff from across Ayrshire to learn more about multi-sensory approaches to enhance literacy and numeracy learning. This links to our school improvement planning priorities for this session. The focus for collegiate working this term will be using technology to enhance learning of reading and writing.

All the staff and learners would like to thank Caledonian Paper employees for the very kind donation of £1000 towards the purchase of a magic carpet.  We are delighted.

A huge thank you and massive well done goes to Stuart Cooper who took part in a the Great Scottish run yesterday covering 13.1 miles in Glasgow to raise funds for the school. Stuart, a member of the Parent council has been training regularly  for this event. If you have a sponsor form and have collected monies for the school can you please return as soon as possible.

This term ‘Healthy Choices’ at lunch time commenced.  New visual menus and mats have been introduced to augment communication opportunities at lunch time.  All learners who have a restricted diet are being encouraged to smell, touch, lick and taste the lunch choices. Already we have had parents reporting to us that their child is beginning to taste a wider variety of foods at home.  Some pupils are selecting and eating foods that they would not normally choose.  The seniors are taking responsibility for the setting up of the lunch hall for the whole school.  Jobs include setting tables, setting up the menus and clearing up.

Photographs to follow.

While the pupils were enjoying a long weekend in September, staff were working very hard during the in-service day.  Some staff visited another school to learn all about Bilateral Integration.  This is a programme designed to develop gross and fine motor skills, co-ordination, balance and integrate sensory systems. The staff who attended found this an extremely valuable course and will be helping to implement it throughout the school.

There was also Clicker 6 training delivered in school.  This is a fantastic computer programme which staff will be using to help develop pupils’ literacy skills. It allows pupils of all developmental stages to participate in reading and writing activities.

Staff have also undertaken an introduction to Makaton . There will be more training in the upcoming months but staff are already using Makaton regularly throughout the day.

The whole school have been studying chosen Scottish texts this term and completing various associated activities.  Barry from ‘Active Schools’ worked with all of the classes to deliver Scottish games, including hop scotch, hoopla and marbles.

Barry form Active Schools visited the school to deliver some den building activities.  Pupils were able to choose from a wide selection of materials to build their own dens.  Some pupils chose to have seats and windows  in their dens.

The above report has been added under the school information tab for parents and carers to access.  The report has been prepared to give you information about our school’s progress and achievements as well as our plans for the forthcoming year.  Should you wish any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you to all those parents who came along yesterday evening. We hope you found it helpful and informative to learn about the new Child Assessment and Plan.  If you did not manage please feel free to contact your class teacher for a telephone chat or to arrange an appointment.  GIRFEC questionnaires were distributed and if you did not attend a copy will be sent home in your child’s bag.  Please can you complete and return to the school by Friday 25th September.  Thank you.