| Dear Parent/Carer, |
I am pleased to communicate our plans and information ahead of our pupil’s return to school on Wednesday 16th August 2023.
School Uniform
We are requesting that all children come to school wearing their full uniform- the only exception to this will be on the day of your child’s outdoor P.E session. Our uniform includes a white shirt, grey skirt/trousers, and a grey jumper/cardigan. Children should also wear their school tie. Blazers continue to remain optional. As always, please ensure all items of your child’s uniform are labelled with their name and class. This helps us to return items to the correct child.
Sun Safety
We ask for your support to ensure your child is protected from damage to their skin. You may wish to consider applying a sunscreen that is a once-a-day application formula to your child first thing in the morning. Our staff are not able to apply sunscreen to children at school.
Equipment
We recognise that some of our pupils may bring their mobile phones to school. These should remain switched off as soon as pupils enter the school gates. Pupils must not switch their mobile phones on again until they have left the school gates at 3pm. Please note the school is not responsible for any loss, damage or theft of mobile phones. The school will contact you directly by phone if we need to communicate or share information with you about your child.
School Transport
School transport will be available to eligible pupils. Please remember that your child should only
travel on our school buses if North Lanarkshire Council has approved them to do so. Your child is not insured to travel on the bus if they do not appear on our approved transport list. Please remember you are responsible for your child’s conduct on the school bus.
Please note:
- Parents may wish to encourage pupils to walk or cycle to school in keeping with the promotion of active travel.
- Privilege transport will be available, subject to the procedures applied by the council in September 2023.
- Children who travel to school on our school buses must go straight into the playground where staff are able to provide general supervision to pupils prior to the start of the school day. The school is not responsible for the safety and wellbeing of children who are playing in the community park behind the school prior to the start of the school day.
Breakfast Club
Our breakfast service will start on Wednesday 16th August 2023, from 8.15-8.45am. The breakfast consists of cereal, milk and toast. This is free to pupils who are in Primary 1 – 5 and for pupils in Primary 6 – 7 who are in receipt of free school meals. For all other pupils, the cost is £1 per day with a sliding scale for families of two at £1.50 per day and families of three at £1.80 per day.
Pupils should enter the door from the turning circle at the back of the school. Mrs Tonner, our Breakfast Club Assistant, will be at the door each morning to welcome the children.
Lunchtime Arrangements
Pupil meals will be pre-ordered daily from the menu displayed in class. Our lunch menu operates on a three weekly cycle and can be accessed from this link. (www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-meals/meal-menus/primary-school-menu) All P1-P5 pupils are entitled to a universal free school meal. For pupils in P6-P7 the cost of a two-course lunch is £3.10 unless your child is entitled to free school meals.
To apply for free school meals, please download, complete and email your application to fsm@northlan.gov.uk or send your completed form to Revenue and Benefits Support Team, Dalziel Building, Ground Floor, Scott Street, Motherwell, ML1 1SH. The link to the website for this is included below:
Free school meals and clothing grants | North Lanarkshire Council
Contact with the School
At Cumbernauld Primary, we prioritise the wellbeing of our pupils. We pride ourselves on the partnership we have with our parents and school community. If you have any concerns about your child, then please do not hesitate to contact the school to seek our support and advice.
If you wish to speak to a member of staff, can I remind you that this request needs to come to us via the enquiries email account or a phone call to the office. This helps us to direct your enquiry or concern to the appropriate member of staff. If your arrangements change, or you need to pass on a message to your child, please contact the school office by no later than 2.30pm.
Telephone: 01236 632110 Email: enquiries-at-cumbernauld-pri@northlan.org.uk
The email account will be checked daily in the morning before registers are completed and again in the afternoon. We aim to respond to enquiries/requests as soon as possible.
The school office is staffed each day from 8.30am-3.30pm. At times, it may be necessary to operate an answering machine for you to leave a message. We will return your call as soon as possible.
Public Health Messages for Schools
Public Health Scotland and the Scottish Government wish to reiterate core messages for schools in Scotland:
- Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water will help prevent the spread of common infections such as cold, flu, COVID-19, threadworms and stomach bugs. Hands should be washed throughout the day, e.g, before and after eating; after using the toilet; after coughing or sneezing; and when returning from breaks.
- Staff and pupils should continue to follow the advice set out on the NHS Inform website if they have symptoms of a respiratory infection such as coronavirus, this is summarised below.
- Adults including staff, volunteers and parents visiting early year’s settings, should stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms of a respiratory infection such as coronavirus and they:
- have a high temperature or
- do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities
They should do this until they no longer have a high temperature (if they had one) or until they feel better.
- Children who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they are no longer have a high temperature and they’re well enough to attend school.
Arrangements for Starting School- Wednesday 16th August 2023
P1– Mrs Hart has issued a letter with the arrangements for these pupils.
P2- P7 pupils should arrive for school starting at 9am. From 08.45am, staff will provide general supervision in the playground. They will also be able to direct our pupils to their lines.
At the end of the school day, to ensure the safe collection of pupils teachers will accompany pupils in P2a, & P2b, & P2/3 to the signs on the blue fence and P3a and P3b to the school gate.
P4-P7 pupils will assemble with their class teachers and continue to be dismissed from the school playground. It would be helpful if all parents and carers could agree a designated meeting point with their child to ease collection at the end of the school day.
As always, if any matter gives you as a parent or a carer cause for concern, please do let me, or a member of the staff team know. Thank you in advance for your continued support and co-operation in all school matters. We are all so excited to see the children back in school with us this week.
I look forward to working in partnership with you again this session.
Yours sincerely
Ed Clinton
Head Teacher
