Category Archives: School Blog

School Blog

Information from Renfrewshire Council – Free School Meals Payment ( Christmas break 2022)

By Monday 19 December, we will make two payments to parents and carers of children and young people attending primary or secondary school and who qualify for free school meals based on family circumstances.
A total of £287.00 per High School child and £284.75 per Primary School child, made up of:
– a payment of £260 per child as part of the Scottish Government extending the Scottish Child Payment to children aged six to 16 (known as a bridging payment)
– a payment of £27.00 per High School child and £24.75 per Primary School child in place of free school meals over the Christmas break and teacher strike action days
Payments are only made to families who qualify (are on certain benefits) and who have already applied for free school meals for this school year (August 2022 to June 2023).
Children in primary classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are all entitled to a school meal regardless of their circumstances. That means parents with children in these classes will only receive a payment if:
– the child’s family qualify based on their circumstances (certain benefits)
– the parent has already applied for free school meals for this school year (August 2022 to June 2023).
If you’ve already applied, please don’t apply again. You will receive your payment automatically.
If you haven’t applied, you can apply now. Anyone who applies before 20 December will get a payment before Christmas. Anyone who applies before 24 December, will get a payment in the New Year.
Nursery children are not eligible for the bridging payment because they are already entitled to the Scottish Child Payment. But nursery parents can apply for a one-off payment called Best Start Grant if their child is aged between 2 and 3-and-a-half years old and they are on certain benefits.
Since 14 November, all families with children or teenagers aged 6 to 16 can apply for the Scottish Child Payment if they met the criteria. This means the bridging payment included in the Christmas break payments will be the last one because families are now expected to apply directly.
If you are struggling to pay bills or have money worries, you can also speak to our helpful Advice Works team who can give you free and confidential help and support. Search ‘Advice Works’ on our website.
School Blog

Important information about free school meal payments during the October break, a £50 Winter Clothing payment and the Scottish Child Payment expansion.

By Friday 14 October, there will be two payments made to parents and carers of children and young people who attend primary or secondary school and who qualify for free school meals based on family circumstances.

-free school meals payment

-additional Scottish Child Payment expansion payment (being paid to parents in the run up to this benefit being expanded to all children and young people aged 6 to 16).

By Friday 4 November, the £50 Winter Clothing payment will be paid directly into bank accounts. This payment is to support families to buy additional clothing as part of the cost of living and energy bills crisis and will be paid for each child in receipt of School Clothing Grant.

All of these payments are only for families who qualify (are on certain benefits) and will be paid out automatically to anyone who has applied for this school year (August 2022 to June 2023).

If you’ve already applied for free school meals or a school clothing grant, you do not need to apply again.

If you haven’t applied and you receive a qualifying benefit, you should apply by 28 October for a school clothing grant so we can include you in the £50 Winter Clothing payment.

If your child is in primary six or seven, you should apply so your child can get a free school meal as well as getting these payments.

If your child is in primary one, two, three, four or five, your child will automatically receive a school meal. However, if you are on certain benefits then you should apply for free school meals because the council make payments into your bank account in place of school meals during school holidays (spring, summer, October and Christmas breaks).

You should also apply for a clothing grant no matter what primary class your child is in (if you qualify).

For more information on if you qualify, click on the link below:

https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/3338/Free-school-meals-and-clothing-grants

Information

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

We make every effort to maintain a full educational service, but on some occasions circumstances arise which lead to disruption. Schools may be affected by, for example, severe weather conditions, dislocation of transport, power failures or difficulties of fuel supply. In such cases we shall do all we can to let you know about the details of closure or re-opening. We shall keep you in touch by using letters, notices in local shops and community centres, announcements in local churches and announcements in the press and on local radio.

 

Wet Weather Arrangements

When directed by Mrs McDonald/Mrs Rowley or Mr Anderson ( Senior Facilities Officer (SFO) ) children can enter the building from 8:50am each day and will be supervised by the  Support Staff until 9:00am.  No child should be in the playground before 8:40am.

In the event of inclement weather during playtimes: children will remain indoors and be supervised by the  SFO and Classroom Assistants.

Snow and Ice

SFO are contracted to create a safe route, (one metre wide), from the main point of access to the school. In our school this is the pedestrian gate on Bankfoot Road to the main entrances of the school .

Where there is reduced access due to adverse weather, you will be informed by text message. If the playground remains slippery during the day, the children will remain indoors during intervals.

School Blog

Feed you Family for £20 Workshops

Join Lorna Cooper, local resident and author of How to Feed Your Family for £20 as she shares her hints and tips on how to prepare meals on a tight budget.

Lorna will be running a series of workshops from the Tannahill
Centre for different groups in the community. Workshops will
start the week beginning 29th August and last for five weeks.

Mondays from 9:30 am – Feeding your Family
Aimed at parents with young families, Lorna will share with
others her hints and tips on how to feed your family on a tight
budget.

Mondays 6:30 pm – Cooking for Young People
Lorna will be visiting the Tannahill Centre Youth Club, sharing
basic cooking skills and techniques that the young people can
carry through the rest of their lives.

Wednesdays 9:30 am – Cooking on a budget
Lorna will be sharing her hints and tips on how to become
more savvy in the kitchen, whether that’s reducing cooking
costs, making the most of leftovers or making the most of batch
cooking.

Wednesdays 1:30 pm – Community Workshops
Unable to attend any of the other workshops and keen to learn
from Lorna, or do you have your own hints and tips that could
be shared with others, then this workshop is for you!

For more information or to sign up, please contact the Tannahill
Centre on 0141 280 8801

School Blog

Free school meals and clothing grant applications 2022/2023

Applications for free school meals and clothing grants for school session 2022/2023 are now open.

You should apply for free school meals and a clothing grant if you are on a low income and receive a qualifying benefit.

If your child is in primary six or seven, you should apply so your child can get a free school meal.

If your child is in primary one, two, three, four or five, your child will automatically receive a school meal. However, if you are on a low income, you should apply for free school meals because the council make payments into your bank account in lieu of school meals during school holidays (spring, summer, October and Christmas breaks). Please note these payments are only for people who meet the threshold of being on a low income. You can read more about the criteria on the MyAccount form.

You should also apply for a clothing grant no matter what primary class your child is in.

If you apply for a clothing grant by Friday 15 July and include all the required supporting documentation, then the council will be able to process your application and make a payment to you before the start of the new school term.

Visit MyAccount and log in to apply.

School Blog

Renfrewshire’s free rewards campaign

If you live or work in Renfrewshire and would like to earn rewards and support local businesses and charities, you are invited to sign up to Renfrewshire Council’s exciting new Not Far? Leave the Car campaign, which is now live and runs until the end of December.

The campaign rewards you, through the free to use BetterPoints app, for engaging in a more active and sustainable lifestyle by choosing to walk, run, wheel, cycle and take public transport more often. Participants earn points for their activities, which they can then use to support local businesses by exchanging points earned for exclusive discounts and offers from retailers within the app.  There will also be a host of other rewards and prizes on offer and participants can also choose to donate their rewards to local charities.

Taking part in the challenge is easy:

  • Download the free BetterPoints app from the App Store or Google Play.
  • Register your details, join the ‘Not Far? Leave the Car’ programme and use the BetterPoints app to track your active journeys.
  • Reward points are automatically credited to your account for eligible journeys.

The BetterPoints app has helped thousands of people across the UK and Europe to adopt greener and healthier habits.

To find out more on the Not Far? Leave the Car visit: leavethecar.betterpoints.uk