All NLC schools will start closing from 12 noon today.

Staff will remain in school with your child until they are collected.

Happy New Year!  It was great to welcome everyone back to school on Monday and what a busy week it was to kick off the new term.

There will be a Scottish theme running through many lessons over the next few weeks, as we celebrate Rabbie Burns birthday.  Next week’s homework will include some Scottish poetry, songs or stories – so look out for it coming home!  On Monday I got the ball rolling by working with P.1 & P.7 together on a Scottish drama lesson.  Wow!  Yet again, I was blown away by the talent, teamwork and enthusiasm of all our learners.  FANTASTIC WORK!

As the week progressed, I was delighted to get the chance to observe a full range of fabulous lessons at all stages.  In addition, we had some excellent assemblies examining our Motto and celebrating our Values.  All adults in our school are now nominating pupils for weekly awards.  This week the certificates included recognition of respectful behaviour and qualities of friendship, with our Dinner Ladies giving out more awards than anyone else!  How proud we are that our learners remember their good manners and responsible behaviour outside the classroom too.  I was also delighted to hear of the excellent behaviour of our Nursery Children during their trips to the Library this week.  Even at an early age, we have great ambassadors for Kirkshaws making us proud when members of the public seek me out to compliment us on our behaviour!

We have been delighted to welcome two PE specialists to our staff team this week.  Following their initial assessments, they will be working in partnership with school staff to ensure we deliver a physical education programme specially tailored to suit the needs of the individual.  We are all eager to take this forward; ensuring we develop our Health & Wellbeing programme effectively over the next few months.  Other visitors this week included staff from Coatbridge High School who have been working with Primary 7, and Speech and Language Specialists who are training staff in new approaches to literacy.  It’s all go!

I also had the opportunity to visit our neighbours in St Timothy’s on Thursday.  I had a great meeting with Mr Forbes, where we discussed loads of ideas we could put in place to work more closely together.  Look out for news of a partnership plan coming soon!

Now we are already looking forward to NEXT year.  We are enrolling next week for our new August intake.  Please telephone the school if this applies to you.

Many thanks to everyone for all their hard work and dedication over the past term.  This week we have performed, partied, worked, played, laughed and sang.  We had our first (but certainly not last) Inter-House Quiz and our choir performed to an audience for the first time ever!  All in all a most successful way to end a fabulous term.  It was also exciting to send Miss Smith off with our best wishes as she takes a break from her duties in the nursery as she prepares for the arrival of her own child in the new year.  We can’t wait to meet the newest member of the Kirkshaws family before spring.

Here are just a few photos of the week…

On behalf of all the Kirkshaws staff, I would like to wish you a Happy Christmas and a Fabulous New Year, when it comes.

During our November Parents’ Night we asked for your feedback on a number of school issues.  While many of you told us you were happy with the way things are going at the moment, we were delighted that we were given some feedback that we could work on.  See your comments, and our response here…

November 2017 – Parental Feedback

As the song goes…”It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”  What a fantastic week, building up to our Christmas celebrations.  Christmas Art and Christmas activities are popping up all over the school if you take the time to look around.  Whether it is learning about trees and plants, or ordering coins…Kirkshaws teachers can skilfully turn it into a seasonal lesson across all learning.

We have also had many out-of-the-ordinary activities over recent days too.  Rooms 4 & 5 organised their own Christmas Enterprise events, successfully selling all their products.  It was so encouraging to see the huge turn-out of parents and friends for both events.  Thank you to everyone who helped out before or on the day.

We have all been practising hard for our Super Christmas show next week.  I can tell you, you are in for a treat!  If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, call into the office on Monday – there may still be one or two left!  Our Nursery have already wowed their audience with their fantastic performances in their Nativity.  They have set the bar high – now it’s up to the school pupils to live up to the high standards they have set.  They also visited St James’ Way towards the end of the week…Busy Bees!

Christmas Lunch went well on Tuesday, thanks to all the staff and volunteers who served the food to all our young diners.  The catering staff, as always, delivered the feast with a smile, despite the huge pressure they were under to produce such a huge quantity of turkey!  What an achievement.

Then the parties started today, with Primaries 6 & 7 leading the way.  Fun and laughter all around as they danced, sang and played traditional party games.  In recognition of the vast amount of work our senior pupils take on around the school, we set a more grown-up table for these young people.  A few extra treats because they deserve it!

However, ‘normal‘ work continues as well.  Mr Sharp and I attended a Mental Agility Meeting with local schools, discussing how we can ensure each school is delivering a suitably challenging level of work across all stages.  That’s the challenge we will take on over coming months.  Miss Clowes, Mr Haggarty and I were on different training courses this week too, all of them encouraging us to look at the nurturing environment Kirkshaws Primary is to all its pupils.

But one of the most important tasks I carried out this week was the interview for our new Acting Principal Teacher.  I am delighted to announce that Mrs McGarry will take on this role when we return to school in January.  I am sure you will join me in congratulating Mrs McGarry on this well-earned promotion.

No such thing as WINDING DOWN FOR CHRISTMAS at Kirkshaws!!

Looking back over the past week, I’m amazed at how we have managed to fit it all in!  We’ve welcomed two new pupils into the Kirkshaws family and it has been so encouraging to see the hand of friendship being offered to both girls by their classmates.

Rehearsals in the hall have become more regular, with both the Nursery Nativity and the School Christmas Show looming.  If you are planning to join us for either of these performances, you are in for a treat.  In addition, the new school choir are practising some seasonal songs to share with the whole school on the last day of term.  Four senior pupils are also busy learning song words, as they have volunteered to join the Cluster Choir ~ preparing to take part in the Coatbridge High Christmas Concert this week.

Weekly swimming lessons have started in Primary 5, with everyone enjoying the afternoon of sports on offer at the Time Capsule.

Then the Panto, Bring & Buy Sale and Christmas Fête kept us busy right up to the end of the week too.  All in all, it has been a busy wee week, but That’s Not All Folks…here’s a summary of the week ahead.

HUGE thanks to everyone who took part, raising a grand total of £944.54.   Another great success, thanks to our Fundraisers!

Our new school handbook is now available for download.

School Handbook 2018/2019