All posts by Mrs Rendall

Let’s Talk Money – Scottish Welfare Fund

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Are you, like so many others, struggling to manage financially?

You are not alone, and we have a small, but committed team at the Council who are here to try and help with financial support and advice.

If you’re on a low income, or getting certain benefits, assistance could be available from the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Under the Fund, two types of grant are available – Crisis Grants (one-off payments) and Community Care Grants (helping people leaving care to live on their own, or to stay in their own home or to help folk facing exceptional pressures and needing essential household items).

Further information is available on www.mygov.scot/scottish-welfare-fund.

If you wish to discuss if you are eligible for help via the Scottish Welfare Fund contact Orkney Islands Council on 01856 886312 or email SWF@Orkney.gov.uk.

To find out more about our Let’s Talk Money scheme head here: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/News?postid=8070

Nursery and P1 Registration

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Nursery and P1 Registration

Early Learning and Childcare Logo

It’s that time of year where the Council’s Education team asks parents and carers to register their young children for nursery and P1, to help schools and nurseries plan for the school year ahead.

Registration takes place online between 9am on 23rd of February and Friday the 1st of March (closes at 5pm).

For Nursery Registration:

Children turning three between 1st March this year and 28th February 2025 can be registered for their first year of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) in one of Orkney’s nurseries or with a partnership childminder – to start in the term following their third birthday. (If your child is three or four years old and currently attending their first year of ELC they will automatically be enrolled for their second year in their current setting – parents/carers do not need to complete a registration form unless they wish to change setting).

Online registration forms can be accepted after the registration period but please be aware that in some settings spaces may be oversubscribed.

You can find the online registration form, and information about each of the settings, at www.orkney.gov.uk/ELC

If you have any queries or require any further information or assistance in completing registration forms, contact the head teacher or nursery manager at your local setting or the Early Years Service, on 01856 873535 or email elc@orkney.gov.uk .

For P1 Registration:

If your child is five years old on or between 1 March and the first day of the school term, Tuesday 20 August 2024, your child will start school this August.

If your child is five years old on or between Wednesday 21 August and the last day of February 2025, your child is eligible to start school on 20 August 2024 – however, you have the option to defer your child’s entry to school. (If you choose to defer, you should let your nursery know so your child can be enrolled for a further year – you won’t be required to complete a registration form). All children who are eligible to defer as above are entitled to an additional year of funded Early Learning and Childcare.

Parents and guardians who wish to enrol their child(ren) for Primary One should complete the online registration form at www.orkney.gov.uk/P1

If you have any queries or require any further information or assistance in completing registration forms, contact the head teacher at your local school or the Education Department, Education, Leisure & Housing on 01856 873535 or email education.leisure@orkney.gov.uk .

Best Start Grant – School Age Payment

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We have changed the way that we deliver Best Start Grant School Age Payment

Best Start Grant School Age Payment

Three young children playing outdoors

Eligible families now receive payment automatically

Best Start Grant School Age Payment will be paid from Thursday 1 June 2023.

Parents, carers and guardians who get Universal Credit, tax credits or other qualifying benefits and who have a child born between 1 March 2018 and 28 February 2019 are being urged to check whether they should apply for Best Start Grant School Age Payment or if they now get the payment automatically.

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/news-events/news/we-have-changed-the-way-that-we-deliver-best-start-grant-school-age-payment

Dates in May

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MAY

1st May  May Day Holiday

3rd May  Parent Consultations

1st – 5th  May Instrumental Course

5th May  Coronation Coffee Morning

We had a great time at our Coronation Coffee Morning

Lots of people came along and enjoyed all the fancies our parents had made.

We concluded the event by planting a lovely tree so we can always remember the day.

A child from each class helped with the planting.

Thank you everyone for all your help and for coming along to celebrate with us on the day.

8th May  Public Holiday

11th May  Tag Rugby Sessions

15th –  May  Parent Council in Peedie Cubby for 2 weeks

17th May  Pre-School Parent Consultations

22nd May  Scrap Store Revamp

23rd May  Fluoride Varnish Day

26th May  Orkney Folk Festival Performance

P5-7 Blog 2021/22

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P5-7 CLASS BLOG

5 Up-and-Coming Blogs to Follow – Mellow Pepper Mint

We love our new Play Park – Thank you Evie and Rendall Community Council – 17th Aug

17th Aug 2021 Thank you for the new benches Evie Community School Parent Council.

19th August 2021 – We are enjoying exploring nature in the wild garden – thank you to the families who helped clear some tracks and improve the area.

 

 

 

 

 

25th August 2021 – The class chose the Junior Road Safety Officers for the year.

31st August – 1st September 2021 – Outdoor Education with P6

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st September – Orkney Active Schools – Young Leader training P5 and P7

7th September – Orkney International Science Festival – Learning about marine plastics as a live presentation from Macduff Aquarium was a good opportunity to see Cedric the flapper skate rescued from a mermaid’s purse that washed ashore in Orkney.

8th of September 2021 We learned about electrostatic charge in experiments led in a live presentation by Orkney International Science Festival.

 

 

 

 

 

8th September 2021 Young Leader training with Orkney Active Schools for P567 – using space

 

 

 

 

 

 

17th September  – Holly from the Orkney Native Wildlife Project helped us learn how to explore and investigate which animals are in our school grounds. We decided where to set the ink tracking devices.

21st September 2021 – We borrowed some books from the Orkney Library van today: Booky McBook Face.

 

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Every school day this month, a pupil is drawn at random to reveal the Christmas Advent activity for the rest of the school. On the 1st of December, we made paper chain decorations and on the 2nd Christmas cards.

 9th December 2021: We had a visit from Dan Lee (archaeologist) and Richard Irvine (anthropologist) as we learned about Orkney’s Energy Landscape. the children chose to add the turbines we can see from our classroom to the energy map. https://archaeologyorkney.com/2021/06/10/orkney-energy-landscapes-project/

 

Primary 6 got their Dynamic Youth Awards on the 13th December 2021 for their Outdoor Learning in term 1.

November 2022

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HELLO NOVEMBER!

What is happening this month at Evie Community School!

We will be going over some of the basic safety rules for children to make sure we all stay safe on November the 5th.

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We will observe a two minute silence for Remembrance on the 11th of November.

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The children in the Kids Community Group have been planning and organising a fun day for the whole school on November the 18th.

Look out for more information about the exciting things we have planned!

The dress up theme is Spotacular but anything you fancy will do fine!

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New HT Appointed

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I have been appointed as the HT in Evie Community School, and I am absolutely delighted.

Mrs Emma Jane Rendall

I am looking forward to developing the school together with the pupils, parents and carers, staff and wider community.  There are so many great opportunities available and we want to make sure our children get every chance to have great learning experiences.

 

Acting Headteacher

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At the moment we do not have a new Headteacher appointed to Evie and Firth, so Mrs Emma Jane Rendall will step up in the interim to give some continuity whilst the recruitment of a new HT is organised.

Mrs Rendall is currently working as Principal Teacher in Firth Primary and is delighted to support Evie Community School as Acting Head.