All posts by Mr Hardy

achievement

World Book Day Winners!

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We are proud to announce that we have been named runner-up in the third annual World Book Day Award announced today (Thursday 2nd March) on World Book Day. The school was chosen as one of 10 third prize winners for the Award, each winning £1,000 worth of books for our library.

Each year, schools are invited to take part in a creative challenge, which celebrates reading for pleasure – this year picture book giant, Oliver Jeffers and acclaimed fine artist, Sam Winston asked schools to create their own ‘world of stories’ inspired by their new children’s book, A Child of Books, published by Walker Books, who have funded the Award for 2017.

We are the only school in Scotland to win an award this year. Please take a look at our entry under the Creativity tab at the top of the page and tell us about your favourite book too.

The P7 organised this year’s World Book Day events – this included a house quiz, Where’s Wally Hunt and a book swap. It was a huge success.

 

achievement

SCOTTISH BALLET AUDITIONS FOR CHILDREN – MAY 2017

SCOTTISH BALLET is looking for Primary School children to audition for their Junior Associate Programme! Click here for the poster.

Auditions will be held in May – closing date Monday 24 April 2017.

 Children who are currently in Primary 5 or Primary 6 are invited to apply.  No previous dance experience necessary. Every child who applies will be offered an audition.

Full details can be found on the website – http://www.scottishballet.co.uk/education/junior-associates.html

achievement, STEM

Civil Engineer Visit – Wendy Pring

This week we had a visit from engineer, Wendy Pring of KCP Environemental who is a Civil Engineer, and the managing director of the company along with her husband. She was inspiring and talked to the pupils about STEM careers that will be around when they are leaving school. Developments like the Spaceport in Prestiwck. She also told us about an engineer in Prestwick who has discovered that he can produce a plastic type cover for packaging out of the 90% waste that comes from shellfish. She also told us about how they are using shredded vehicle tyres mixed with tarmac for road and palypark surfacing. Very inspiring.

STEM

Releasing the Alevins!

Today, P6 released their alevins back into the River Ayr. The class have been carefully monitoring the water temperature and watching the young trout hatch from their eggs and grow. But it was time to set them free. Struan and Gordon from the Ayrshire River Trust came back to help release them and answer any questions. You can see more about this project in the P6 class blog.

Parent Voice

Parent Voice Meeting Wednesday 1st March 2017 19:00

your-parent-council-needs-youOur meeting this term has been scheduled for Wednesday 1st March 2017 at 19:00 in the school staff room.

As I am sure you will appreciate not everyone can attend every meeting, therefore, it’s important that we have as many parents as possible on our group.  By being a member of the Holmston Parent Voice it allows you to have your say and find out what’s going on within the school at the earliest opportunity.

We are keen to have a representative from each class so please come along to the meeting on Wednesday night to support the school and help to enrich your child’s experiences at Holmston.

Uncategorized

P7 CLASS PHOTOGRAPH

a-photoPlease note that the Ayr Advertiser photographer will be in the school on Thursday, 23rd February 2017 to take a class photograph of our P7 pupils.

Please could we ask that your child wears their white polo shirt and green sweatshirt on this occasion.

If you do not wish your child to be photographed, please let the school know in writing prior to the event.

Literacy and English

WORLD BOOK DAY March 2nd

logo-nikki-for-cc_v2Holmston Primary will be celebrating World Book Day with a variety of reading activities throughout the day.  We will be holding a design a book cover competition, a Where’s Wally? Competition and an Inter House Book Quiz.

Pupils are encouraged to bring in their favourite book to share and dress as a book character for the day.

Events also include a book swap. Pupils can bring in books that they no longer want from home and swap them with others in the school. Tokens will be given for each book brought in. Each token can be used to ‘purchase’ a new book during the book swap.

We would be delighted if any parents/grandparents/relatives would like to join us by reading an extract from your favourite book to the children.  If you are available, please contact the school office by Friday 24th February 2017.

achievement

P1 – P3 Future Me Campaign

future-meThe ‘Future Me’ campaign as part of Read, Write, Count, encourages families across Scotland to share their children’s dreams for the future.

‘Future Me’ aims to support families to start a conversation with their P1-3 children about their hopes and aspirations, which will ultimately help to improve their lives in the future. It asks families to share those dreams, either as a picture, letter or film on the ‘Future Me’ wall at www.futureme.scot. The campaign builds on existing Scottish Government efforts to tackle educational inequalities and raise attainment in early years and beyond. With increasing time pressures on families, Read, Write, Count highlights easy activities built around everyday things families are already doing. Whether it’s going to the shops, travelling to school or at mealtimes, Read, Write, Count offers parents and carers simple ideas that will help children do their best at school.

All families in P1 – P3 will recieve a ‘Future Me’ leaflet home from school.

Click here for a copy of the toolkit.

 

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Consultation on the South Ayrshire Children’s Service Plan

a-south-ayrshire-councilSouth Ayrshire Council are keen to hear the views on what’s important for children and families to help us to develop South Ayrshire’s Children’s Service Plan. This will help support joint working to enable children in South Ayrshire to be safe, healthy, achieve, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included.

Services have been working together to identify what they see as the main priorities to focus on and we would like parents and carers to have their say by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CWNRQZ8

Please note the consultation will only take place between the 13th and 22nd February 2017.

To request the survey in another format contact the Council on 0300 123 0900

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South Ayrshire School Clothing Bank

uniform-bank

Providing new school uniforms to families experiencing financial hardship in South Ayrshire.

We work on a referral basis and work closely with South Ayrshire Foodbank, Home Link, Barnados, SeaScape and various agencies within South Ayrshire council who send us referrals and we supply what’s needed.

Anyone who is in a trusted position or in an organised group can refer a child to us. Here’s how…

Send us a message with the following information:

Name and address for items to go to
Sizes/ages/gender/school colours
any special items required ie blazer / gym kit

That’s it, one step we’ll sort the rest.
For any further information please contact
Nicola Cramond
nicola@lpsltd.co.uk
FaceBook: SouthAyrshireSchoolClothingBank

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Safer Internet Day

internetOur ‘GIRFEC’ focus for February is SAFE. As part of our work towards this, we have used the Safer Internet Day 2017 (07.02.17) to remind pupils about safe and positive behaviour on-line. The focus this year is on images and videos. During our assemblies we have thought about how images can be manipulated, the personal information a photo can give away and who can see the photo/video after it has been posted. Further information for parents can be found on  the right hand side menu and we are also hoping to have a workshop for parents during March  – further details to follow.

achievement, Literacy and English, STEM

Authors and Brown Trout!

We have had a really busy week in school. On Tuesday, We had a visit from Ross Mackenzie, prize-winning author of “The Nowhere Emporium” and “Shadowsmith“. He worked with the P3, 4 and 5s to help them develop their writing and maybe help inspire our pupils to become authors too!

Meanwhile, the P6s had a visit from Gordon and Struan from the Ayrshire River Trust to start a project on hatching trout in the classroom.  They showed the class how to fly fish, taught them about the life-cycle of the trout and helped to set up our incubation tank. If the P6 can ensure a steady temperature of 8 degrees for two weeks, Gordon and Struan will bring back 100 trout eggs for us to hatch and release back into the river. This is a very exciting project. You will be able to follow the development of this project on the P6 class blog.

P1 Registraion

P1 Registration THURSDAY 19th JANUARY 2017

Children, who have attained the age of five years between 1st March 2017 and the last day of February 2018, should be brought to the Holmston School Office between the hours of 9.15am and 3.30pm on Thursday 19th January.  THE CHILD’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND PROOF OF ADDRESS MUST BE PRODUCED ON THE DAY OF REGISTRATION (e.g. a copy of your Utility Bill or Council Tax Notice etc.)

Each Primary School has a designated “Catchment Area”. If you live in one of the streets listed below you are in the Holmston “Catchment Area” and should register at Holmston Primary School.

If you live in the Holmston “Catchment Area” but would like to send your child to a different Primary School you should still register at Holmston where you will be given the appropriate form (placing request form) and advice concerning the school of your choice.

If you do not live in the Holmston “Catchment Area” but would like to apply to send your child to Holmston you should register at the primary school in your own Catchment Area.  The Head Teacher will take your particulars and supply you with the appropriate form (placing request form) and advice concerning your request.

catchment

Literacy and English

A Visit from Tony Bonning

The pupils enjoyed a visit from authour Tony Bonning today. He shared stories, poems and songs with us in a special assembly. As we are preparing for our own Burns’ Competition it was really useful to have a fantastic role model to show us what excellent performance looks like. He gave us all some good advice that if we want to be good at writing and reading we have to keep trying, put in lots of effort and learn from our mistakes.