Our Lady and St. Francis Primary School

We introduced our Out of School Hours Learning clubs this week.  Miss Ainslie held an Art Club, Miss McCluskey led a Disney Club, Mrs Mushet offered a Drawing Club and Mr Maxwell took Football, Netball and Multi-Sports.  We have been lucky to have some Sports Leaders and former pupils from Taylor High School  – thank you Carly Curran, Sarah McGuinness and Caitlin McMahon for giving up your time to provide opportunities to our pupils.

Well done to our Outstanding Citizens for the last two weeks who participated in afternoon tea with Miss O’Donnell on Friday.  The children received a treat and listened to some music. Photos will soon be uploaded to twitter.

Our assembly on Monday included a challenge for our pupils.  As part of International Literacy Day I requested the pupils read a book and tell me about in by any means they wish.  I was delighted to see so many pictures, book reviews and photos on Teams.  I also had countless children approaching me in the corridor to tell me about their stories.  I am so proud of all of you, getting into the spirit of the challenge – well done!  Each child will receive a house point for the excellent effort.

Our assembly this week will focus on Roald Dahl, as we celebrate Roald Dahl day on Tuesday 13^th September.  This will also fit in to our Rights Respecting School Article of the Month, The Right to Education.  We will also celebrate our Wider Achievers – if you have an achievement/award, bring it in on Monday morning to share with our school community.

We will hold a virtual Parent Council meeting on Wednesday at 6:15.  The instructions to access this will be emailed this week.

Mrs Semple

We introduced our Outstanding Citizens this week at assembly.  These are children who have contributed positively to the school community by either being kind, helpful, compassionate, respectful or showing excellent manners.  The children selected will join the HT on a Friday afternoon for a small treat.  Unfortunately this could not be managed this week, however it will carry over to next week.

Our First Friday Mass was celebrated last week and P7b did an excellent job at leading the mass and coffee morning which followed.  All of our P7s performed 4 wartime songs to our wonderful audience.  It was amazing having our wider community back into the school building, who were all good sports at joining in.  We raised £151!  Thank you for your generosity.

Our assembly this week will focus on Children’s Rights and International Literacy Day.  UNESCO hold an annual International Literacy Day which falls on 8^th September.  I will be challenging the children the children to read a book and tell me all about it, either by drawing a picture, writing about it, uploading a review to Mrs Semple’s Team page or by chatting to me about it.  Please encourage your wee one to participate.   We will also celebrate our Wider Achievers – if you have an achievement/award, bring it in on Monday morning to share with our school community.

Please note the school and nursery are open every day this week.  I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday morning.

Mrs Semple

Our breakfast club was very busy last week and we are delighted to see so many children taking up this offer.  If your child is in P6 or P7 please remember to top up their dinner card.

We also have a good uptake for Kevin Cameron’s choir, both on a Monday and Wednesday afterschool.  If your child has not signed up for this and would like to, let the class teacher know.

Our assembly this week will focus on Growth Mindset, where we will encourage our children to reach their potential and never give up.  Please ask your child about this.  We will also celebrate our Wider Achievers – if you have an achievement/award, bring it in on Monday morning to share with our school community.

The Parent Council will meet in the school at 6pm on Tuesday.  The PC are always looking for new members, if you are interested in becoming a member of the parent council please come along to the meeting on Tuesday.  If you can’t manage the meeting but would still like to become a member, email enquiries-at-ourlady-st-francis@northlan.org.uk.  The work of the PC is very important and crucial to the school, please think about joining.

On Friday the whole school will be attending First Friday Mass at 10 o’clock, which will be led by P7b.  We are also very excited to host our first coffee morning since March 2020.  Please note only P7b will attend the coffee morning.  We are looking for donations for our raffle and cakes/biscuits which can be handed in to the school office.  Any leftover cakes/biscuits will be sold at 10p to children in the school.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday morning.

Mrs Semple

We were delighted to welcome back our P2-7 pupils this week, who looked so smart in their uniforms.  It was lovely to see familiar faces in our corridors, smiling and happy and I have already heard many stories about happy holidays.

Our Primary One children settled in very well, Miss McLaughlin, Mrs Mushet and Mrs Keenan have been very impressed.  Upon entering their class last week I was surprised and delighted to see the children are already learning their morning routines – I am sure if you ask them what picture is on their peg they will know.

On Day 1 and 2, Primary One played in our school yard with their buddies and by Friday they were able to join the rest of the school.  They are already a part of our school community and getting to know each other.  This is in part due to our wonderful P7 buddies, who have been diligent, kind and compassionate towards our newest pupils.  I am so proud of you, and I know you are going to be a magnificent P7 cohort – I am expecting great things.

Our yard is in need of some TLC.  Luckily our staff in the nursery have been able to offer their expertise and have already started to weed, sweep and tidy the P1 yard.  We are looking for resources though – if you have any trellis, ivy, plants, wood paint, top soil, bark or general garden accessories we would be delighted to have them.  The Primary One playground will be our Big Play area this year and we would love to give the children meaningful and enjoyable experiences.

I have identified your child’s PE day for next week below.  Please note we are back to uniform and children will get changed in the building.  The children will also participate in an outdoor PE session, for the moment they only need a waterproof jacket in case  when it rains.

P1a – Friday

P1b – Tuesday

P2 – Tuesday

P2/3 – Friday

P3/4 – Wednesday

P4 – Wednesday

P5 – Wednesday

P5/6  – Tuesday

P6a – Thursday

P6b – Thursday

P7a – Thursday

P7b – Friday

This week will be our first full week and we are starting it with an assembly on Monday morning.  Our focus for this week’s assembly is Article 31 – The right to play and an introduction to the wellbeing indicators.  Please ask your child about these and what they have learned.

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend and has a great week next week.  I think it would be accurate to say expect some very tired children by Friday 3pm.

Mrs Semple

New letters have been added to the school information page regarding COVID.  Please use this link to read.

School Information

There is a new system for Registration of Infant Beginners.  Guidance can be found here.
https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-admissions/registration-infant-beginners-primary-school

All applications should be sent to the enquiries email of the receiving school.  Our email address is enquiries@ourlady-st-francis.n-lanark.sch.uk

Placing requests can be sent to ef.placingrequests@northlan.gov.uk

Transport forms can be requested from ef.transport@northlan.gov.uk

Your child’s birth certificate must be provided, along with a current council tax bill.  A scan or screenshot will be accepted and should be attached to the email.

The deadline for applications is 22nd January 2021. 

The annual calendar has been uploaded to the website.  The dates are subject to change and more dates will be added as restrictions are eased.

Please visit our Technologies page to view the Digital Guides from North Lanarkshire Council.

Technologies

It is essential to stop the spread of the COVID19 , that if you can work from home and keep your children at home where they are safe, then you absolutely should do so.The education support service is only for those carrying out NHS and critical services who have no other option.

KEY WORKERS

All North Lanarkshire schools will be open on Monday for the children of the following categories of key workers

It is essential, to stop the spread of transmission of coronavirus, that people who can work from home do work from home. This is not business as usual and it is vital that this support being offered is only accessed by those who absolutely require it to enable NHS and other critical services to function.

If you’re a key worker who requires support, please take your child to your normal school on Monday. We will review these arrangements over the coming week and it is likely we will fully close some schools but we will inform you of this and the alternative provision we will put in place.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should any child who has symptoms of coronavirus, or who lives in a household where someone has symptoms, present at school. The whole family must follow the self-isolation advice.

Key worker categories:

Category 1

Includes:

• Health and care workers directly supporting COVID-19 response and associated staff
• Workers supporting life-threatening emergency work as well as critical primary and community care provision
• Staff of energy suppliers
• Staff, including teachers and early years workers, providing childcare and learning for other key workers and staff who support school buildings

Category 2

Please note that the first presumption is that staff who can work from home will work from home

• All other health and care workers including home support staff and care home staff
• Emergency services staff, including police, fire and rescue, prison officers
• Military personnel
• Social workers

Those supporting critical national infrastructure including:

• Staff keeping air, water, road and rail passenger transport operating
• Oil, gas, electricity and water and sewerage workers
• Logistics staff including drivers and transport workers
• Food and other necessary goods staff including food production, processing, distribution, sale, delivery as well as those essential to the provision of hygienic and veterinary medicines
• Staff in essential financial service provision including: banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure; IT and data infrastructure; postal services; civil nuclear, chemicals and telecommunications; payment providers; waste disposal.
• Journalists and broadcasters

Category 3

Other council and associated staff in the following categories. Please note that the first presumption is that staff who can work from home will work from home

• Strategic-level management and support staff
• Waste services staff
• Fleet services staff
• Cemeteries staff
• Property repairs and maintenance staff including frontline workers of Mears and Saltire
• Roads and lighting maintenance staff including staff of Amey
• Facility support services including cleaning, catering, school crossing patrollers and janitorial staff
• Human resources staff including payroll and employee service centre
• IT staff
• Communications staff
• Finance staff including welfare, revenue and benefits staff and municipal bank staff
• Registration staff
• Essential legal services
• Psychological services staff

SCHOOL MEALS

All children who are entitled to free school meals will be able to access these meals. If you need to access this support please take your child to their usual school at the school’s normal lunchtime, but only at their normal lunchtime.

Breakfast clubs will be open in those schools that normally offer them, will be open.

S4, S5 and S6 PUPILS

A normal timetable will not be operating. Only the following pupils should attend at school:

• Children of key workers as detailed above.
• Pupils who have already been instructed by their schools to attend at a specific time for coursework purposes.

Other S4, S5 and S6 pupils will be contacted by schools in due course to arrange completion of coursework. Schools have already informed pupils about arrangements for online learning.