The updated school handbook for 2018 – 2019 can be accessed by clicking the picture or clicking here
All posts by Mr Hardy
Primary Engineer Competition
Earlier this week, Holmston hosted the final of the Primary Engineer competition. Schools from all over Ayrshire participated in partnership with GE Caledonia and we had two successful teams. Our P5 team achieved Best Communicators at the Engineer Level and our P3 team were runners up in the Apprentice Level. The cars they made had to go through a series of challenges. The engineers also arranged a visit from a jet engine for us to look at.
Ayr Your Views – Ayr Town Centre Consultation
Local people are set to have their say on exciting proposals that will help transform Ayr town centre for many years to come.
The Council want the public to have their say on ideas which include high-quality and attractive public spaces, a new town centre leisure facility and redressing the residential/retail balance on the High Street.
The Council is holding two consultation events in Ayr Town Hall on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 November between 2:00pm and 7:30pm.
The proposals on show will complement the consultation work which has taken place so far and people will be able to discuss their views with Council Officers and have their say.
As well as the consultation events, there is a short online survey available at south-ayrshire.gov.uk/ayr-your-views. The deadline to complete the online survey is Friday 14 December at 5pm.
Information gathered from the consultation events and the online survey will be used to inform the decision making process. The intention would be to hold further consultation events in the future providing more detail on agreed projects including designs, costs and timescales.
Standards and Quality report and School Improvement Plan
Copies of the latest Standards and Quality Report and School Improvement Plan can be accessed by clicking the links below or from the ‘School Information’ link at the right-hand side of the page. I would like to thank the parents, pupils and staff for their contributions to these documents.
Standards and Quality Report 2017 – 2018
School Improvement Plan 2018 – 2019
Casting the Net Project
Casting the Net is an oral history project developed by Clyde Fishermen’s Association and the Scottish Fisheries Museum and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which over the last year has been capturing the memories and experiences of the Ring-Net herring fishermen and their families from around the Firth of Clyde and West Coast of Scotland.
Next Wednesday and Thursday the ‘Casting the Net’ Bus will be visiting Holmston and the P4, 5 and 6 will have the opportunity of visiting the bus and taking part in workshops. The organisers will be keeping the bus open for members of the community to drop in to find out more about the project from 3.00pm until 4.30pm on Wednesday 14th November.
The project website can be accessed at www.castingthenet.scot.
Christmas Fayre
The Parent Voice are busy organising this year’s Christmas Fayre. Please come along and support our school.
October / November Newsletter
A copy of the latest newsletter is available by clicking here.
Halloween Discos
A huge thank-you to the Parent Voice for organising the Halloween Discos. The pupils had great fun playing games and dressing up. The costumes were amazing!
Tamfest 2018
We had great fun on Sunday at Tamfest 2018. Our Glee Club entertained members of the public around the town and then there was a great turn out for the parade. We hope you managed to make it along.
Tamfest 2018
As part of our creative work, we are currently developing a range of props that pupils can use to take part in the ‘Day o’ the Deid’ procession through Ayr on Sunday 28th October starting at 4pm. Holmston Primary will have a slot in the procession and if you and your child wish to take part, we will be meeting at 3.45pm at the Arran Mall to walk through the town centre. Representatives from the school will be taking part in the procession but parents will be responsible for supervising their child. Pupils will be bringing home props they have made on the Friday before the event. The procession is part of Ayr’s Tamfest celebration – so don’t forget to wear your best Halloween outfits.
Our choir will also be performing during the Sunday at the various venues and times listed below:
UNITY GRILL 14:00
KARWIARNIA CAFÉ 14:30
THE KYLE SHOPPING CENTRE 15:00
For information on free workshops at Ayr Town Hall during the October Week click here
For a copy of the town hall flier click here
Homecoming 2018
Today our P6 and P7 pupils went to the County Buildings to welcome the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland back from their latest tour of duty in South Sudan, Cyprus and Iraq. Around 400 troops marched through Ayr town centre. Included in the parade were armoured vehicles and their mascot, a pony.
After the parade they went for a snack in the main hall of the county buildings and got to sit where the councillors have their meetings.
Preparing for Homecoming 2018
Today, members of Primary 7 went down to the town hall to help prepare for the Homecoming event on Friday. They helped to tie the poppies that have been knitted and crocheted by people from all over Ayrshire onto banners. Our P6 and P7 classes will be attending the parade on Friday.
Parent Mindset Workshop
Last week we held our first workshops for this session with the theme of ‘Thinking with a Growth Mindset’. Parents took part in a range of group activities along with information and question and answer sessions. Further information can be found on the school website. A parental information leaflet is available by clicking here.
Comments from parents included:
- Great session highlighting ways we can improve but also things we are doing, unsure it was right but I was actually helping a growth mindset
- Workshop really helpful in helping me develop strategies to support my child
- Very informative and extremely relevant to some of the challenges I face when trying to support my child not only in school homework but other activities and relationships too
- Good mixture of information and activity. Enjoyed session. Think it’s great that learning is underpinned by growth mindset. Thanks.
Macmillan Coffee Morning
Thank-you to all the families that came along to our coffee morning last week. We raised a fantastic £500. We would like to thank you for all the donations of cakes, biscuits and pastries. The event would not have gone ahead without the support of the staff and parent helpers. We really appreciate you.
Dates for your Diary
Next Thursday 27th September, we have a parents workshop on growth mindsets at 9.30am and then again at 1.45pm. Please let the school know if you want a place.
On Friday 28th throughout the morning we are hosting a MacMillan Coffee Morning. This has been organised by the pupils. It would be great if you could come along.
In the afternoon of the 28th at 2.15pm Primary 7 parents are invited along to a P7 Assembly on Dolphin House and John Muir.
Please note entrance to all events will be through the infant playground door.
South Ayrshire ASN Parents Forum
In South Ayrshire we want to establish a group of parents and practitioners who would like to be involved in how we can get it right together for our children and young people with additional support needs.
The group may assist us to look at a number of areas including:
- Ways in which we can provide support
- The circulation of information to all
- Gathering the views of children and parents/carers
- Identifying support that really matters for the children and families
- Assist with topics and ideas for our ASN Parents Forum
If you would like to be involved in this please mail gary.hoey@south-ayrshire.gov.uk.
We are planning an ASN Parents Forum for the evening of Wednesday 10th October at Ayr Academy. It is our intention to have some valuable and useful information available to parents and carers on the night. We will update the Council’s website with the details as soon as they are available. https://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/schools/learning-support.aspx
Primary 7 and Southcraig Sherborne Project
Primary 7 are very excited to be learning with pupils from Southcraig School to experience inclusive Sherborne Developmental Movement Therapy. Sherborne is based on natural movement play activities inspired by the philosophy and Theory of Human Movement by Rudolf Laban. It offers all participants the inclusive opportunity to develop body and spatial awareness skills. As the children work through the Sherborne Movements each week they will learn to build positive relationships through demonstrating sensitivity as a responsible partner, an awareness of communicating and working together and a shared enjoyment of the movement and play.
Depute First Minister’s Challenge Day 5
Stepped Pyramid
This stepped pyramid has been built by young children and their teacher using some of the building blocks in the classroom. (The blocks are all cubes of the same size.)
(a) How many blocks would be needed to build it?
(b) Now imagine that the children want to build a similar structure with twice as many layers. How many blocks would be needed?
Depute First Minister’s Challenge Day 4
Feeding the Horses
During a very hard winter, Beth had only enough hay and corn to feed her six horses for another 30 days, and it would be another 75 days before spring would arrive. On the seventh day, before feeding time, she sold four of her horses.
Was she able to feed her remaining two horses for the rest of the winter?
Explain your reasoning.
P6 trip to Culzean
On Friday 7th September, the P6 visited Culzean Castle to study biodiversity as part of their Science topic. This is what they had to say about the trip:
“We went pond dipping and we caught newts in the pond. We went deep into the forest to look at the diversity of plants and animals. We had two rangers, Ian and Kate, who taught us about biodiversity.” Jayden and Scott
“When we arrived at Culzean we went on a walk with our ranger, Kate. we were identifying leaves. I found a lime and a beech leaf. Then we looked at invasive plants: rhododendron and bamboo. Bamboo has a great story! We have no pandas in Scotland but years ago the people that lived in Culzean wanted to look fancy because wealthy people grew bamboo. To get rid of an invasive plant you have to remove all the roots. When we went pond dipping we found newts, leeches and waterboatmen. We even found two rare newts!” Charlotte
