Category Archives: Whole School News

Keep Safe Kids App

Today is the launch of Renfrewshire Council’s new App – Keep Safe Kids.

The App was developed by more than 60 pupils from six schools and charity I Am Me Scotland, the app is also packed with help and information for you as a parent or carer.

Keep Safe Kids app is a new way for children and young people in Renfrewshire to:
-find health and wellbeing support
-report bullying and wellbeing concerns

All reports made through the app are sent directly to the school and will be picked up in the normal way during school hours.
Reports can be made anonymously and at any time of day. Information is not stored on the app meaning your data is secure.

The App has been designed to keep our children Safe and Supported. It’s about supporting each other and for encouraging everyone to be kind.

Download the Keep Safe Kids app from iOs and Android.

The Final version of the App has been uploaded to the App stores, so please download the new version onto your phones/tablets as this is the one we will be using. The App is available from Apple and Google – Keep Safe Kids.

Click on the link below to view a short video that tells you more.

School Day

A letter has been sent home in the pupils’ bags today to advise that we are reverting back to our more traditional start and finish times.

Please see attached. School Day

9.00 am start and 3.00 pm finish for every class in the school as of Monday 8 November.

We will offer an early entry to our Primary 1 – Primary 3 pupils, opening the doors for them at 8.50 am (depending on staffing levels)

Free Schools Meals and Autumn Hardship Payment

For families in receipt of free school meals on an income basis (so not all P1 to P4 children), there will be an Autumn hardship payment in October (£160).

Families will need to have applied for free school meals in order to get the payments – they won’t be made retrospectively.  If you think you may be entitled to free school meals on an income basis, but have not applied because of the universal free school meals for P1-4, please apply in order to receive these payments.   More information and a link to the online application are here:  https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/Freeschoolmealsandclothinggrants

For those who qualify for free school meals on an income basis (so not all P1 to P4 children), there will be a payment of £11.25 per child for the October break.

Place2Be

Hello Cochrane Castle Families,

Welcome back! It has been so wonderful seeing your wonderful children back in the school. These past few months have been such a whirlwind and it’s totally understandable if you find yourself having a lot of mixed emotions about the return to school.
The Place2Be counselling program on West Johnstone Campus has resumed. Including our work with parents, one-to-one counselling, and our lunch time self-referral service called Place2Talk, which was hugely popular last year with students.

Last year signed permission slips were required for students to be able to use the Place2Talk service. This year we are moving to a negative consent. Meaning that if you want your child to have access to this service no signed permission slip is required, just do nothing. How simple is that!

If you DO NOT want your child to have access to this service please contact me or the school (via email, phone, or morning drop off), or print off the negative consent form below and we will remove your child from the approved list. You can change your consent at any time.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me or your head teacher. I am so excited to be working with your kids this upcoming academic year.

Attached at the bottom of this post is the negative consent form as well as a FAQ sheet about the Place2Talk program.

Click the link below and the file will download. If you have any trouble viewing the document please contact me, and I can send you a copy via email or home with your child.

Place2talk Negative Consent Letter-WJSC

Claire Blaney (School Project Manager)
Claire.Blaney@place2be.org.uk