Author: H. hknoweps

We welcomed all children and staff back to school following Spring Break and look forward to the exciting term ahead. There are plans in place for events over the term but these are continually reviewed, taking into account the most up to date Public Health advice.

The Summer Calendar incorporates the following events:

 Summer essentials

Children participate in outdoor learning throughout the day. In Summer, we request that all children bring a sun hat and sunscreen to school to use as required. This can be kept in their school bag or stored in the classroom.

If you have a summer parasol that fits into the middle of a picnic bench and no longer require it then we would really appreciate if it could be donated to school to create shadier areas. There are 15 picnic tables in the school grounds and we would like to be able to use a parasol for each table in the summer term.

Catering Menu – Summer 2021

The new Summer menu starts on 26th April 2021 at the increased cost of £1.95 per school meal. Milk remains at 20p per day.

You can access the new lunch menu using the following link:

https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/primary-menu

Looking Ahead

The school photographer is booked for 18th August 2021 to take individual and family photographs. The finer details of whether this can be held indoors or outdoors will be decided closer to the time and will reflect up to date Public Health guidance.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

The children have all settled back into school now and learning is progressing in all classes. Teachers and Support Staff are working diligently to ensure the children are supported with the return to in school learning. If you have concerns about your child’s learning, please contact the school and we can arrange an appointment to discuss your concerns fully.

Nut Allergies

Please remember we have both children and staff with nut allergies. This is a very serious condition for individuals affected. Please help keep the school community safe by ensuring no nut products are brought into school.

Role of the Educational Psychologist 

South Lanarkshire Council has an Educational Psychology Service as part of Education Resource. Educational Psychologists support schools and children in a number of ways. This includes consultation and advice to the school and family, assessment of a child’s learning needs, support to identify suitable placements at points of transition and providing training for staff.  The link Educational Psychologist for Heathery Knowe PS is Mr Rick Walsh.

The role of the Educational Psychologist does not include assessing neurodevelopmental differences in children  (including Autistic Spectrum Condition or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The Neuro-Developmental Pathway Team (NHS) carry out all assessments for neurodevelopmental differences after referral from the school or GP. Unfortunately the waiting list is currently between 18 months and 2 years.

A number of GPs in the local area are suggesting to parents that a referral to the Educational Psychologist as a next step. We are happy to discuss any request for Psychological Services intervention however there may be other more appropriate services available to your child.

You can find out more about the role of Psychological Services in SLC using the following link:

https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200187/additional_support_needs_schools_information/661/education_resources_psychological_service

For more general information about the role, please click the following link:

What’s their role? Educational psychologists

Indoor Shoes

Please ensure your child has suitable indoor shoes to wear in the school building. All children are expected to change into indoor shoes on arrival at school.  Indoor shoes must have a hard sole with good grips in case of emergencies.

Plimsolls or trainers that are only worn indoors are suitable. Slippers are not safe and cannot be worn in school.

Homework

Now that all children are back in school, homework is restarting for children. This may be using Google Classroom or paper resources. Please help support your child’s learning by asking about their homework activities each evening.

Transition to Secondary

Transition events to prepare for secondary are well underway. Mrs French and Miss Wharton will lead a four week block of transition activities on a Monday afternoon. Children receiving enhanced support to transition to secondary have individual arrangements in addition to this.

St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School have a virtual tour on Wednesday for pupils transferring to S1.

Lost Property 

A lost property table will be set up outside the main door each morning this week. If your child has lost something at school, please check this table by Wednesday.

On Thursday morning, parents are welcome to collect any unclaimed lost property that they can make use of for their child.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

It is lovely to have all children back at school. On behalf of the staff at Heathery Knowe, I would like to express our thanks to parents and family members for supporting learning throughout the period of school closure. Most children have come back to school feeling confident about their learning and wellbeing.  We hope that restrictions will be relaxed further during the Summer term and that children will have an opportunity to play and learn more freely.

Breakfast Clubs 

As you are aware, breakfast clubs across South Lanarkshire Council were put on hold previously due to Covid-19.  Following the recent Scottish Government announcement, I am pleased to advise that these will restart after the Easter break.

The role of breakfast clubs is wider than the provision of food. Breakfast clubs are generally considered to enhance academic performance and behaviour of children. They can help develop social skills, provide a calm and safe environment before school and assist children to be ready to learn when the formal school day begins.

• Breakfast Clubs will restart from Monday 19^th Aprill 2021 and will be free for everyone,
• Breakfast Clubs will be open from 8.15am to 8:45am and provide breakfast only. Children should arrive in time to eat breakfast before it closes at 8.45am.
• The school’s Cook in Charge will prepare and serve breakfast items to pupils,
• There will be a staff presence in place to create a safe, secure environment

In order to assist with planning of the free breakfast club from 8.15am, I would ask you to complete the form below to register for Breakfast Club starting on 19th April.

https://forms.gle/gXBq9LhKzhCPhv576

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

PTC Scavenger Hunt

The PTC has organised a scavenger hunt for pupils to participate in over Spring break. There are 16 different items to draw, describe or find that you would see in the local area. Completed entries should be returned after Spring break and entered in to the prize draw.  Each entry costs £2 and all profits will be used by the PTC to support children’s learning.

The winner will receive a cuddly bunny and runners up will receive Easter eggs.

Mobile Testing Unit

A COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit is currently situated at the Holiday Inn East Kilbride car park for individuals with or without COVID symptoms.  The community testing initiative aims to drive down COVID-19 rates and transmission by identifying positive cases more quickly, as people can spread the virus to others before symptoms appear. Dr Jackie Hyland, NHS Lanarkshire Consultant in Health Protection, said: “Covid-19 can be spread by people who don’t have symptoms or the symptoms are so mild people may not recognise that they have the infection.  For the benefit of yourself and your community, I would encourage as many people as possible to get a test. The test results will help to detect the virus and limit its spread”.

Tests can be booked in advance at https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, scroll down to the ‘start now’ button, or telephone 0800 028 2816.  Anyone booking a test online should select the ‘taking part in community testing’ option.

For more information visit: Community testing begins in South Lanarkshire | NHS Lanarkshire (scot.nhs.uk)

Local Community Safety

Heathery Knowe PS children have been reminded that they are representing themselves, their family and their school when playing in the local area and should continue to be safe and show kindness at all times.

We have reminded children of the following important points and would appreciate if parents could reinforce this at home:

• It is important to always find a safe place to cross and never cross between parked cars. We will continue to reinforce road safety over the next two weeks.
• Litter should always be placed in a bin or stored in a pocket until they find a bin.
• Children should not take short cuts across the gardens of local residents.
• Children should not enter someone’s garden to retrieve a ball or toy without permission.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

We are delighted to be welcoming back all pupils to Heathery Knowe PS. Teachers are set up and prepared to welcome back Primary 4-7 learners into the school building. We have reviewed the risk assessments and there are no changes to school procedures and routines with the exception of staff members participating in twice weekly lateral flow testing.

Reporting and Consultation 

South Lanarkshire Council has adopted a new format for pupils’ annual progress reports. The comments written by teachers are briefer than in previous years, focusing on strengths and next steps only. Please note, this is not a decision made by the school, the format and comment box length is set by South Lanarkshire Council.  The report will be the basis for discussion during the consultation meeting.

Over the next few weeks, teachers of pupils in Primary 1-3 will start to write an annual report on each child’s progress over the school year.  Primary 4-7 teachers will write their reports at a slightly later date to accommodate their later return to the classroom.  Dates are being finalised this week and will be issued in next week’s blog. 

If you co-parent your child(ren) but live apart and require two copies of the progress report and two parent consultation appointments, please call the school to make this request. Where possible, we request that parents attend together but recognise this is not always possible.  

Systems to reduce transmission risk

The following points form part of the school’s risk assessment to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19

• Where possible, children should enter the school grounds independently or with only one adult accompanying the child(ren). Fewer adults in close proximity reduces risk of transmission.
• Adults are required to wear face coverings unless exempt. Please do not be offended if a member of staff asks you to wear a face covering, they are doing this to ensure the school community is as well protected as possible.
• Adults from different households must remain two metres apart at all times unless they have formed a bubble. Understandably, adults enjoy making connections and catching up with one another however we need to ask that you adhere to social distancing at all times to reduce the risk.
• Children should not attend school with symptoms of Coronavirus. If your child has a temperature, loss of taste or smell or a new (unexplained) cough, they should not attend school and a test should be arranged.

We appreciate your support in this matter and hope that by following the guidance we can reduce the risk of transmission as far as possible.

Resources return 

Children should bring any borrowed resources back to school next week. This includes counters, cubes, whiteboards and pens, textbooks, resources etc. There are very few extra resources in school and it is important that they are available for children to use from next week.

Chromebooks should be returned to be serviced and updated. Long term loans will be retuned to pupils after they have been maintained. Short term loans will be retained by the school and reissued to any pupils who are required to work from home during a period of ill health or isolation.

Individual circumstances 

Please contact the school office if you need to discuss your child’s individual circumstances related to their wellbeing or return to school. We are happy to make individual arrangements to ensure all pupils feel supported regarding their return to school.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

Once again, the pupils across Heathery Knowe Primary School and Nursery have shown commitment to learning, staying safe and showing kindness. I look forward to the final week of remote learning and having all children back in school from Monday 15th March. If you have any concerns about your child’s return, pleases contact the school this week to discuss your family’s individual circumstances.

Safety in school grounds

A few children are crossing the car park area and entering via the car gate. There will be an increased staff presence at the outside gates over the next week to remind children of the procedures for entering the school grounds safely.

Clothing 

The school and nursery ventilation plan requires that windows are opened regularly to allow air circulation. Children need to bring a jumper or cardigan to school in case it becomes cooler in the classroom.  Children will play outside unless the weather is dangerous. Please continue to ensure children have warm and waterproof clothing for outdoor learning and play.

Fundraising 

Over the next term, some pupils and staff are organising a fund raising event to enable us to purchase new sets of dictionaries and thesauruses for all stages of the school and rhyming / sounds books for nursery. Dictionaries and thesauruses are needed to support independent writing and expand vocabulary.  The children who are organising the event will provide further details in the coming weeks with a target of £2000 to cover the cost of this investment in children’s literacy.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

Heathery Knowe PS and Nursery welcomed back all Nursery children and P1-3 pupils. The children have settled back into school routines and are enthusiastic about their learning. Primary 4-7 learners continue to show commitment to learning remotely and we hope that all children can return to school soon.

Residential Experiences 

The Primary 7 residential experience planned for the summer term has been cancelled because of current restrictions and following the advice from the Scottish Government.

Understandably, the children will be very disappointed however the safety of pupils and staff is our priority.  School staff will now work with pupils to plan a Primary 7 celebration week with a range of activities for the children to enjoy.

Following discussion with the PTC, we have decided not to book residential trips for the current Primary 6 and Primary 5 groups until the position is clearer regarding travel and restrictions.

World Book Day 

This Thursday is World Book Day and Heathery Knowe PS Literacy working group has planned exciting activities for children learning remotely and in school. World Book Day aims to inspire young people and foster a love of reading.

As in previous years, children should not dress up for World Book Day at Heathery Knowe PS and should wear full uniform if attending the school building.

Activities for children learning remotely will be posted on the whole school Google Classroom.

New Staff

Mrs Sanne Berry joins the Nursery team on Monday 1st March 2021. Mrs Berry is an Early Years Support Worker with previous  experience in an Early Learning and Childcare Setting.  Mrs Berry is joining the Heathery Knowe team on a permanent contract and we look forward to welcoming her to the school.

Miss Rachel Welsh joins P3/4 on a temporary basis. Miss Welsh is a student teacher and will work alongside Mrs Gray and Mrs McGee.

All new staff have been invited to be part of the twice weekly lateral flow testing programme for Coronavirus in advance of joining the school.

‘Make HK Beautiful’ 

As we move forward as a school, our focus is on ensuring the outdoor environment is one we can be proud of. Over the years, the original raised planters have become overgrown and damaged.

This year we are focusing on developing the grounds to create a beautiful space for children to play in. If you are able to donate any plants, planters, tubs, bird boxes,  empty hanging baskets or brackets, seeds, compost or window boxes, they would be gratefully received.

We hope over Spring, Summer and Autumn you are able to watch our school grounds being transformed by the children with the help of adult volunteers.

Website safety

Thank you to the parents who have made us aware of a new website being used by some pupils in P5-7 called Omegle.  Omegle advertises itself as a website to talk to strangers. The website picks a stranger at random for each user to talk to.

This is a website that parents and staff have shared concerns about. We would ask that parents are aware and vigilant if children have access to the internet that they are not accessing this site.

Chromebooks

Parents of children in P1-3 who have a school chromebook are reminded to return them to the school. Any child who has a permanent loan arrangement will be reissued with the device once it has undergone maintenance. Short term loans will be reissued to P4-7 children who are still learning remotely.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

On Monday 22nd February 2021 all nursery and Primary 1-3 children return to school. We are looking forward to welcoming the youngest learners back to school and continuing to teach P4-7 children remotely.

Nursery 

There are no changes in procedure for children returning to Nursery. Please wear a face covering in the grounds of the school and nursery. If you have any queries, please contact the school to speak with someone in the Nursery staff team.

P3/4 Room 5

Primary 3 children in Room 5 return to learning in school on Monday. Primary 4 children will continue to learn remotely. Mrs Gray and Mrs McGee will teach Primary 3 learners in school. Mr Loveday will teach Primary 4 learners remotely. Mrs Gray,  Mrs McGee and Mr Loveday will work closely together to ensure that there is continuity of learning for Primary 4 pupils whilst ensuring all children in the class benefit from direct teaching and learning opportunities. This will continue until Primary 4 learners are able to return to learning in school.

Homework 

The staff at Heathery Knowe are very grateful for the support offered to children while they have been learning remotely. At a time when our young learners are returning to learning in school all day  and settling back into routines, we have decided that homework activities will not be set during the month of March. This is intended to be supportive to families who have older siblings that continue to learn remotely and to P1-3 learners who will be tired as they settle back into school life.

Teachers will suggest optional activities such as home reading, revising sounds and counting activities.

PE Arrangements 

The Scottish Government has advised that all PE must be outdoors at the moment as South Lanarkshire Council remains in tier 4. Please provide your child with jogging trousers/ leggings, trainers and a sweater for PE. PE kit should be brought to school to change into. If your child is timetabled for PE at 9am they will be able to wear it to school but should bring a uniform to change into afterwards. If your child is timetabled for PE at 2pm they will be able to wear their PE kit home and will bring their uniform home in their school bag.

There are no changes to PE times and days from the start of session.

Chromebooks

All P1-3 children with school chromebooks should return them to school on Monday morning. Mrs McGee will undertake maintenance of the chromebooks and reissue to families who qualified for permanent loan based on individual circumstances.

Drop Off Arrangements

We reviewed the procedures for dropping children off in the morning and can advise our updated arrangements are as follows:

• Adults must wear a face covering unless exempt from doing so. Older siblings walking to school and then returning home for remote learning should remain close to parents and try to stay 2m from friends.  I understand this is a big ask of children however our priority is reducing the risk of transmission.
• The playground is supervised and children can enter from 8.30am using the middle gate. Please note toilet facilities are not available until 8.45am (unless there is an emergency).
• Classroom doors will open at 8.45am and pupils should all arrive by 9am. Children can arrive earlier however need to form a line at the classroom door rather than playing in the playground area to prevent classes mixing with one another.
• Children should enter the nearest gate on arrival at school and are asked to sanitise their hands at the gate. There are gates open at the Nursery side, cafeteria and MUGA pitch.
• Please ensure children arriving by car can be dropped off quickly so that the drop off zone flows as freely as possible.

Pick Up Arrangements 

We reviewed the procedures for collecting children in the afternoon and can advise our updated arrangements are as follows:

• The cafeteria gate will be opened at the end of the day as an exit only gate. Please enter via the MUGA pitch gate.
• School gates will not be opened until 2.55pm as classes will be using the playground areas for PE until this time.
• Please use the 2m bumble bee markers / spots to support social distancing while waiting for children at meeting points.
• Only one adult per family should enter the school grounds to collect children. This is to support social distancing of adults and ensure our school community is safe and protected from Coronavirus.
• Please wear a face covering in the school grounds if possible.

Lunch Arrangements

Lunch is now staggered to ensure all the safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of transmission of Coronavirus.

• Lunch sitting 1 is 12.10pm-1pm
• Lunch sitting 2 is  12.30-1.20pm
• Children must sit with their class whilst in the cafeteria. each child has a numbered seat to assist with track and trace.  Unfortunately, whilst children do not need to socially distance from one another, we are required to keep groups of children separated.
• The cafeteria cannot accept cash and all lunch payments must be made using ParentPay. Children entitled to means tested free school meals are automatically offered milk. Children paying for milk, must book on using ParentPay.
• If the weather is dry, P5-7 pupils who bring a packed lunch are able to make a choice about whether to eat outside or at the packed lunch area inside. If you would like your child to always eat their lunch inside, please let the school know this is your preference.
• P1-4 pupils will always eat packed lunches indoors.
• If you have any special dietary requirements (intolerances, allergies, health conditions, halal, vegan), please request a form from the school office and this will enable the catering staff to  design a menu for your child.

Playground Arrangements 

The playground is zoned and each class will rotate around the zones during the week. Children need to play with the children in their class and in the designated area until further notice.

Summer arrangements 

The staff and pupils are beginning to plan events for the Summer term. We are requesting views of parents at the initial planning stage on the following events:

• Primary 7 Leaver Ceremony
• Nursery Leaver Ceremony / Graduation
• Alternative to Shorts and Shades Disco and Summer Fayre
• Fundraising
• Primary 1 induction  days
• Residential Experience
• Sports Day
• Parent consultation meetings.
• Other ideas

Please use the following link to share your views:

https://forms.gle/XAimKaLcpjBsqJh99

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

Children, families and school staff are looking forward to the mid term break. Although most children have been learning at home this term, staff have continued to engage with learners through Google Classrooms and Google Meet sessions. School and Nursery are closed on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th February for holidays. On Wednesday 10th February it is an INSET day. Children re-engage with remote learning or in school learning on Thursday 11th February.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors

This week Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) engaged virtually with Heathery Knowe  PS and Nursery Class to discuss the school’s strengths and challenges related to remote learning. I am delighted to share that this was very positive engagement for the school with many key strengths highlighted. One key strength was the community approach to supporting children learn remotely with parents, pupils, school staff and extended family working well together to support children.

Reporting

Teachers normally start writing each pupil’s full report during February and parents receive these before Spring break. This year annual reports will be delayed in the hope that all children will return to the classroom over the next few months and teachers will be able to report on in school learning.

Reports are now scheduled to be issued in May 2021 along with parent consultation meetings via telephone, video conference or in person.

If you have any concerns about your child’s progress in learning, please call the school at any point during the school year to make an appointment to discuss your concerns.

Update

The Scottish Government announced a planned phased return for pupils beginning on the 22nd February if transmission of the virus continues to be suppressed. The initial focus is on the return of Nursery – P3 children with P4-7 children continuing to learn remotely.

School staff will be tested twice weekly for Coronavirus to reduce transmission risk in school.

To find out more about the Scottish Government announcement, please click the link below:

https://www.gov.scot/news/back-to-school-1/

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

We have enjoyed another busy week at Heathery Knowe PS through remote and in school learning. We received very helpful feedback from the parent questionnaire and are in the process of contacting parents to discuss feedback further and consider how to continue to improve. If you have not already completed the questionnaire and would like to do so, please use the link below:

https://forms.gle/3jjgUyN23ohLySGE7

Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HMI)

Heathery Knowe PS and Nursery Class have been selected by HMI as part of the national sample of quality of remote learning offered by the school and nursery. This will take place next week and we are looking forward to engaging with HMI to ensure the best learning experiences possible for children attending Heathery Knowe PS and Nursery. This is not a full inspection and no report will be issued to parents.

Transitions 

Mrs French has been in discussions with both Duncanrig Secondary School and Calderglen High School to plan enhanced transitions for pupils who may need additional support to make the transition to secondary school.

Similarly, we are planning enhanced transitions for children who may need additional support to move from nursery into Primary 1. If your child is registered for Heathery Knowe PS and would benefit from this support, please contact the school.

Google Classroom Tips 

Teachers, pupils and parents have been sharing their experiences of Google Classroom. I have answered the most commonly asked questions through the discussions.

When supporting my child, should I correct their errors so the work submitted is correct?

Teachers need to see a child’s own work the same as it would be in school. This enables teachers to assess their understanding of concepts and plan next steps. Please submit the work with errors and the teacher will assess and plan in response to received work.

Teachers place deadlines on  work and I feel under pressure especially when Google Classroom says I am submitting work late.

To organise returned work into a logical order, Google Classroom requires teachers to set a date and time for submission. Please be reassured, we are delighted to receive evidence of learning when it is complete, even after the deadline. This is an organisational requirement of Google Classroom.

My child is working and I am marking it myself rather than uploading it and it looks to the teacher as though they have not completed tasks. Do I need to upload it?

As it would be in a classroom, teachers need to see children’s own attempt at learning to assess and plan next steps. This means that work needs to be uploaded. Please contact the school if you need support with this.

Why can we not be given all work a week in advance?

At all times (remote learning and within a classroom), a teacher plans on a day to day basis for literacy and numeracy and this is always after school and into the evening. It is always responsive to how well the children have understood the concept the day before. Teachers may need to continue at a slower or faster pace depending on the children’s progress. This needs to continue in a remote learning environment.

We are considering if there is a way to provide a schedule in advance or create a folder in each class with other curricular areas for the week ahead but this is in a very early stage and requires full consultation with teachers about the feasibility of this.

I do not have a printer. Please can I have a paper pack?

All learning for children is provided through Google Classroom including teaching videos and all resources. It is important children access the teaching content of pre-recorded and live lessons. Paper resource packs are only suitable for revision material.

There should be no requirement to print any resources. Please contact the class teacher if you feel a resource needs printed and ask how it can be adapted to a digital task.

Do we have to follow the school plan? I would rather do my own activities.

Teachers are planning new and progressive learning experiences for children based on Curriculum for Excellence. This is the learning that is in the forward plan and children would be covering in school. Attending live and pre-recorded lessons and following the class plan is the best way to ensure your child moves forward with the same knowledge and skills as other pupils in the group / class. We appreciate how difficult it is to juggle remote learning with other commitments and would encourage you to contact the class teacher and discuss the best way to support your child’s learning.

The leadership team track engagement of literacy and numeracy and whether children engage in live interactions (Google Meet). If there are less than 10 engagements a week then a member of the leadership team will contact you to find out if any support is required.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff