Nursery Places for 2 yr olds

Early Learning and Childcare – two year old places

Strong Start places for 2 year olds.

Nursery Exterior

 

The government has committed to providing 600 hours of free Early Learning and Childcare for eligible two years olds whose parents meet certain benefits criteria. This must be in place by 31 October 2014 across Scotland. In Perth and Kinross we are calling these places Strong Starts and they will be available from August 2014.

Eligible children will join our Strong Start programme and will be able to access a maximum of five mornings or five afternoon sessions a week. Each session will be approximately 3 hours 10 minutes with start times agreed with individual schools.

Some two year children may be eligible for a place if a parent is receiving any of the following benefits:

  • Income support
  • Jobseekers Allowance (income based)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (income based)
  • Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance
  • State Pension Credit

For more information, see the Council website here:

http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/9572/Early-Learning-and-Childcare—Two-Year-Old-Places-in-Perth-and-Kinross

Health Day

On Friday 20th June, pupils, staff and parents joined together for the annual School Health Day.

The morning consisted of warm up activities, meditation and golf (with Mrs Holt’s professional golfer husband!) before stopping for a healthy snack and then a potted fun run.  After lunch, the festivities continued with boxercise followed by basketball with Mrs Legge’s son (a coach for Perth Phoenix basketball club).

Dynamic Earth Trip

On Tuesday 17th June, pupils from Abernyte visited Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.  The Junior Carsonians (and next years future JC’s) took part in an awards ceremony and workshops, while the rest of the pupils toured Dynamic Earth, took part in a Dinosaur Discovery workshop and visited the ShowDome.

Highlights of the day included the Time Travel lift (with vibrating floor!), 4D biodomes cinema experience (with foamy snow!), the 360 degree “Back to the Moon” film in the ShowDome, handling real and replica dinosaur fossils (including coprolite – fossilised dino poo!) and interacting with the glacier.

Teen Ranch Overnight Trip

On Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th June, P4-7 pupils went to Teen Ranch for two days (and a night!) of outdoor activities and sports. 

Pupils had a fantastic time taking part in horse riding, canoeing, waterslide, archery, rifle range, BMX bikes and trampoline! 

It may have POURED with rain at one point, but pupils were already wet at the time (they were in canoes and splashing each other!) and didn’t care one iota.  Just one of MANY memories that will be remembered for years to come… 

Childcare and Family Information Directories

New versions of local Childcare and Family Information Directories are now available to download from www.pkc.gov.uk/families.  Documents have been produced for five areas:- Blairgowrie and Strathmore; Crieff and Strathearn; Kinross; Highland Perthshire and Perth and Surrounding Areas. 

Each directory includes details of a wide range of services, groups and organisations in the local area that we hope will be of interest to families and to professionals working with parents, carers and children. 

If you know of any other services which it would be useful to include or come across anything in the directories that is inaccurate then please let us know.  Documents will be updated no less than once annually and entries are kept up to date on the national website www.scottishfamilies.gov.uk.

This set of directories complements the information available in the Perth & Kinross Childcare and Family Information Directory which was published in March 2013.  Copies of this area wide document are being distributed to families through Bookbug packs and Family Information Points and are available on request from the Childcare Strategy Team Tel 01738 472350 E-mail childcare@pkc.gov.uk.

Childminder Pre Registration Training

There is a shortage of childcare provision in most rural areas of Perth & Kinross and in some parts of Perth City.  Childminders are the ideal type of service to fulfil demand, particularly to provide before and after school care for children attending smaller primary schools.

The Council’s Childcare Strategy Team organises childminder Pre-Registration Training courses for anyone who might be interested in becoming a childminder.  Previous experience of working with children is not required. 

For details of current courses or for information on childcare options in the local area, phone the Childcare and Family Information Service on 01738 472350 or e-mail childcare@pkc.gov.uk.  Full details are also available on www.pkc.gov.uk/families or www.scottishfamilies.gov.uk

Orienteering Finals

On Wednesday 21st May, a team of P5-7 pupils competed in the finals of the Perth and Kinross School Orienteering Championship, having won 2nd and 9th place in the previous qualifier.

One hundred and five teams, made up of 315 pupils, competed for first place, mapping their way across the grounds of Scone Palace.