Newmains News | Newmains Primary School Blog

Dear Parents and Carers, 7th September 2012
I wish to thank you for supporting the school to make sure our children are safe and protected. Good security can be frustrating at times but remains essential for everyone. You will have noticed new gates in our playground to maximise your child’s safety. Please report to the School Office if you wish to contact your child during playtimes and lunchtimes. It is my duty to ensure your child is safe at school.
Our Ragbag collection was a success and funds will be donated to our School Fund. Thank you for supporting our school.

The Teaching of Reading and Writing
As a result of the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence schools in North Lanarkshire Council have been developing active literacy approaches to teach children the skills of reading and writing. We now no longer use words tins. We do encourage our children to practise reading at home. We now use a colour-coded book banding system and our children may be asked to take a reading book home. Please don’t worry if your child does not always have a reading book at home. If you require, any further information on this please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Maguire at the school.

Annual Data Checks and ICT Forms
Please check with your child to ensure that these forms have been returned to school. Every year at this time a census takes place to ensure our records are accurate and up to date. We need these details to ensure the care and welfare of our boys and girls. Please return any outstanding forms to us as soon as possible. Thank you!

Senior Management Team
Please can I ask for your help to minimise interruptions to learning and teaching in our school? Members of the school’s management team will be available to meet with parents or deal with enquires during the following times: Mondays- 11.00 to 11.30 and 13.30-14.00 Wednesdays – 13.30 -14.00 and Fridays- 11.00-11.30. I thank you in advance for your cooperation and support. However, should you wish to arrange an appointment out with these times please contact a member of the Office staff. These arrangements will start from week beginning Monday 17h September.

Parental Consultations
Our first meeting for parents and carers this session will take place on Thursday 11th October. Your child’s class teacher will be in touch soon to organise a suitable time for you to meet after the September holiday weekend.

Parent Support Worker
Our Parent Support Worker is Kristin Carroll, who is known to some of our parents and carers. I know she is already working hard arranging events to support parents and families.

How well are we doing?
Last session, we asked you to answer some questions about your child (ren)’s learning and progress. We received 79 responses from a possible 251. Overall, the response rate was 31%. Thank you for providing us with feedback as this helps us to improve the service we provide for your child(ren).
1. I have looked at my child’s report and talked to them about it- 79 said YES
2. 79 responses indicated that they were happy with the content of their child(ren)’s report.
3. 76 responses indicated that they were overall satisfied with their child(ren)’s learning.
4. 8 responses indicated that they required more information about how to support their child’s learning at school.
We are committed to ‘Trying our very best to ensure everyone achieves success’. We value working in partnership with you to improve outcomes for our learners.

Improving our School through working together
We are improving outcomes for learners and priorities for action were identified for us to focus on through the visit of HMIe. We need to:
1. Involve children more in their learning
2. Continue to improve self-evaluation approaches to ensure consistently high-quality learning experiences for all children.
3. Continue to develop the curriculum, taking account of Curriculum for Excellence.
4. Improve approaches to meeting learning needs in the nursery class.

Children’s Eye Health
Undetected eye problems could be affecting your child’s learning at school. NHS sight tests are FREE for all children and are available at your local optician.

Pupil Committees
The children have selected new members for our Pupil Council, ECO and Health Committees. The children will represent their classmates at monthly meetings to organise events and suggest ideas to improve our school. Our children’s views matter to us!
Parental Involvement
We are always looking for ways to work together and in partnership with our community. If you feel you would like to help out at the school, please contact Mrs Johnston in the school office to arrange for a PVG Check.
School Website
You may have noticed that our current school website (www.newmains.n-lanark.sch.uk) is being updated to provide you with the latest information about our school. We are planning to publish our monthly newsletters on the school website as part of our commitment to being an ECO school and to reduce costs. Please return the slip previously issued to the school as soon as possible.

Parent Council Matters
The Parent Council held their AGM on Tuesday 4th September and appointed the following members: Chairperson: Mrs Walker Treasurer: Mrs Taylor Secretary: Mr Sandrey. Our Parent Council meets monthly and always welcomes new members. If you would like to find out more, please talk to any of the Parent Council members or drop a note into school and we will pass it to Mrs Walker. The next meeting of this term will take place on Monday 1st October at 6.30pm.
Key Dates for your diary:
Parent Council Meetings Dates: 1/10/12, 12/11/12, 3/12/12, 4/2/13, 4/3/13, 15/4/13, 13/5/13 and 3/6/13
Proposed dates for Parent Council Discos are: 1/11/12, 13/12/12, 14/3/13 and 13/6/13. Primary 7 Disco with St Brigid’s and Morningside Primaries is planned for Thursday 20th June 2013.
* copy of current Constitution is enclosed with this newsletter

Supervision of Children before School Starts
I would like to remind everyone that we have a wonderful breakfast service, staffed by Mrs Dempster and MrsMcMillan in our school. Cereals, toast and milk are provided at a cost of 20p per day and this is great value for money. Our Janitor provides an adult presence in our playground from 8.40am to ensure our children remain safe. I would ask for your support to ensure that your child(ren) arrives to school after this time unless they are having breakfast at the Breakfast Club. Please could I also ask you to encourage your child(ren) to develop as an independent and responsible citizen by lining up in their lines without you! Thank you for your help and support in these matters.

Information Meeting for Kilbowie – Primary 7 Class
There will be a short presentation of an information DVD for parents on Monday 17th September at 215pm in the classroom. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about this very worthwhile experience too! More details are available at http://www.ea.n-lanark.sch.uk/kilbowie/

ARK at Coltness Memorial Church
Ark started back on Tuesday 4th at Coltness Memorial Church. More details are available from Jen Carty who can be contacted via the school.

Lunchtime Arrangements for Session 2012/13
We have made a number of changes to our arrangements for lunchtimes:
Children in rooms 14-17 who have a packed lunch will eat their lunch at ‘Newmains Café supervised by Mrs Dempster. Children in rooms 4-12 who have a packed lunch will eat their lunch in the dining hall supervised by Mr Clinton, Mrs Maguire and Miss Gray. School lunches operate with 3 sittings and each class getting a turn to go first for lunch. I would also stress that children who intend to leave the school to go down the street for their lunch must have a letter signed by a parent each day they wish to go out for lunch. (P6 and P7 children ONLY)

Thank you for your continued support of your child’s learning and all that we do in our school. Strong teamwork and partnership working makes a real difference!

E CLINTON (Head Teacher)

WELCOME BACK TO SESSION 2012/13

Dear Parents and Carers, 17th August 2012
Where does the time go? It’s great to see all of our children looking so fresh and smart in their new school uniforms. I do hope you all had a nice summer holiday and are delighted to be getting back into the routine of school life. To our new parents and carers; we are very happy to welcome you and look forward to getting to know you. Please remember if you are unsure about anything- just ask!

Classification Update
Our classes for this session are as follows:
Primary 1 Room 4- Mrs. M. Lilly
Primary 1/2 Room 8 – Mrs. M. Brown
Primary 2/3 Room 9- Miss. S. Keating
Primary 3 Room 11- Mrs. C. Stevenson
Primary 4 Room 12- Mrs. J. Govan
Primary 5 Room 14- Miss. V. Allan
Primary 6 Room 15- Miss. S. Ralston and Miss. K. Gray (PT)
Primary 7 Room 17- Miss. G. Burns and Miss. K. Gray (PT)
Nurture Room 5- Mrs. M. Mooney
* Miss Dempsey is supporting learning and teaching in classes whilst Mrs Queen is on maternity leave. I am delighted to inform you that Mrs Maguire has been appointed to the position of Acting Depute Head for this session. I am sure you will join with me in wishing her well in her new role. Mrs Glen will continue to provide Additional Support for Learning (Mon &Tues) and Mrs Donnelly will provide non-class contact time. This session the curricular areas for this are the delivery of Art and Design and Physical Education.

Curriculum for Excellence
We we are well placed to continue delivering Curriculum for Excellence. Your child will continue to benefit from effective teaching and will enjoy his/her experience of our school. The staff team here are committed to encouraging your child to be the very best they can be! We are working to enable your child to be:
* A successful learner * A confident individual * A responsible citizen and an effective contributor who is literate and numerate and equipped with skills for the 21st century! Our school motto is ‘Trying our very best to ensure everyone achieves success’.

What we are learning in class
Each term your child will bring home an information sheet to tell you what they will be learning and how you can help at home.

Every Child at Newmains Matters
* It is also important that you let us know if your child is going to be off school, the reason and the expected length of the absence. Please also help us by ensuring where possible that you call the school before 2.30pm if you would like a message passed onto your child. Thank you for your help.
* It is extremely important that we have accurate and up to date contact details for you and a daytime contact in case we have to get in touch with you. Please make sure the office has your correct home, mobile and daytime contact numbers.
* To ensure good security and to protect your child from harm, I would ask all parents and carers to report to the school office if they wish to speak to their child during playtime or lunchtime. This is in line with guidance from North Lanarkshire Council and I request your support to ensure all of our children are safe and protected. ALL visitors to the school MUST report to the school office in the first instance. Parents or guardians should not enter classrooms without permission from a member of the school’s management team.
* North Lanarkshire Council has very clear guidance in relation to dogs on school property. The only dogs permitted to be in the school playground at any time are guide dogs.

Annual Reminders
The Breakfast Club has already started, so please feel free to send your child into school at 8.20am to have cereal, toast and milk for 20p.

Please make sure that items of clothing are labelled with your child’s name – it’s difficult to tell one school sweatshirt or jacket from another, so names on clothes are really important.
If your child has a medical condition which requires them to have medication at school, please contact the school office for the necessary consent form.
Please make sure your child comes prepared for P.E with their gym kit. All jewellery must be removed during PE, as there are health and safety implications.
We are no longer permitted to advise parents of any reported cases of headlice. Parents are requested to check their child’s head regularly and treat any outbreaks as necessary.
All children who travel on the bus must have a current bus pass. If you have not applied for a bus pass yet, please pick a form up from the school office. We will give the bus passes to the children whenever we get them.
Please ensure your child does not bring expensive items such as mobile phones or i-pods to school.
We are always looking for parent helpers, so if you would like to take part in school activities, please call the office and ask to be disclosed.
Newmains Primary is a Nut Free Zone. We have a number of children who have nut allergy and as you know, this can be very serious for them. Please do not send nuts or food items containing nuts for snacks or packed lunch with your child.
Please work with us to make sure all our children are safe. Thank you.
Please remember to use the car park for dropping off and collecting your child. Better safe than sorry!
Code of Conduct: Our expectations for your child.
1. Follow instructions first time
2. Keep hands, feet and unkind words to yourself.
3. Always try to your very best.
4. Stay safe.

I enclose with this newsletter:
* Child Protection Information – Children’s Charter and Framework Standards.
* Holiday Arrangements for 2012/13.
* Lunchtime Arrangements for Session 2012/13.
* Guidance letter for travel on our school buses.

We are looking forward to another busy and hard working session, working in partnership with you to make sure all our children progress, learn well and enjoy their time with us at school.
Yours sincerely,

E CLINTON
Head Teacher

INCREASE IN SCHOOL MEALS 16th April 2012
Please note school meals are subject to new charges. The costs are as follows:
Milk 200ml carton 10p
Pure Juice from 40p

Snack meal (including vegetable garnish) £1.05
Starter/Dessert course 50p

Traditional Two Course Meal £1.75
Soup or Starter/Hod or cold dessert 50p
Main course, vegetables and potato portion £1.25

E CLINTON
Head Teacher

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