Author: H. hknoweps

We welcomed all new and returning learners to Heathery Knowe PS and Nursery class this week. It is lovely to hear the buzz of children around the building again and would like to take the opportunity to thank staff, parents and pupils for your patience and support as we implement new processes

Staffing 

We have welcomed a number of new staff to the school this week.

Mrs Mulholland and Ms Parokian joined the School Support Assistant Team and will support learners within the school.

Mr Currie and Miss Gordon are Newly Qualified Teachers and have joined us for the next school year teaching P7/6 and P7.

Mrs Reid and Ms Taylor are temporary teachers and will work at Heathery Knowe PS until Miss Deans recovers and is able to return to work.

Mrs Kerr is an area cover teacher and will work with the nursery (Wed-Fri) and school (Mon-Tues) to support the inclusion of children with additional support needs.

Mrs Fernandez and Mrs Byrne are specialist support teachers and will support learning across the school.

Class Teachers

Room 1 – Mrs MacOwan (Mon- Wed) and Mrs Hughes (Wed-Fri)
Room 2 – Miss Houldsworth (Mr Loveday every second Tuesday whilst class teacher has time for planning and preparation)*
Room 3 – Miss Harris (Mr Loveday every second Tuesday whilst class teacher has time for planning and preparation)*
Room 4 – Miss Deans* (Mr Loveday every second Thursday whilst class teacher has time for planning and preparation)*
Room 5 – Mrs Gray (Mon-Thurs) and Mrs McGee (Thurs/Fri)
Room 6 – Miss Gordon (Mon, Wed, Fri)  and Miss Wharton (Tues, Thurs)
Room 7 – Miss Inglis (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri) and Miss Wharton (Wed)
Room 8 – Mrs Spence (Mr Loveday every second Monday whilst class teacher has time for planning and preparation)*
Room 9 – Mr Currie (Wed-Fri)  and Mrs Gallacher (Mon/ Tues)
Room 10 – Mrs Kane (Mr Loveday every second Thursday whilst class teacher has time for planning and preparation)*

*Mr Loveday is teaching in Room 4 until Miss Deans is able to return.  Ms Taylor and Mrs Reid will provide planning and preparation cover initially whilst Miss Deans is absent. On her return, Mr Loveday will provide this cover for the rest of the year.

Additional Teachers 

Mr Loveday / Mrs Reid / Ms Taylor – Class cover
Mrs Byrne – Specialist Support Teacher (1 day per week)
Mrs Fernandez – Specialist Support Teacher (1.5 days per week)
Mrs Kerr –  Inclusion Support Teacher

All teachers are entitled to time out of class for planning and preparation. This is normally provided on a weekly basis. To reduce the number of teachers working across all classes in the school, full time teachers will be allocated 1 full day every two weeks rather than a half day a week. This is in line with Scottish Government advice to reduce transmission bridges.

PE Arrangements 

The Scottish Government has advised that all PE must be outdoors at the moment. 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.

Room 1  – Monday (9am) and Wednesday (11.30) starting 19th August
Room 2 – Tuesday (9am) and Thursday (9am) starting 20th August
Room 3 – Tuesday (10.45am) and Wednesday (9am) starting 18th August
Room 4 – Monday (10.45am) and Thursday 10.45am starting 20th August
Room 5 – Monday (2pm) and Friday (9am) starting 21st August
Room 6 –  Tuesday (2pm) and Friday (1.20pm) starting 18th August
Room 7 –  Thursday (1.20) and Friday (2pm) starting 20th August
Room 8  – Monday (1.20pm) and Wednesday (1.20pm) starting 19th August
Room 9 – Tuesday (1.20pm) and Wednesday (2pm) starting 18th August
Room 10 – Thursday (2pm) and Friday (10.45am) starting 18th August

Drop Off Arrangements

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

• 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.
• A third gate has been opened to allow children to move into the playground more quickly. 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.
• Please wear a face covering in the school grounds if 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 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.

• P5-7 lunch is 12.10pm-1pm
• P1-4 lunch is 12.30-1.20pm
• Children must sit with their class whilst in the cafeteria. 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. Please do not worry if your account is not activated yet, you will be able to pay for any lunches already served to your child once your account is up and running.
• 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.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

 

 

South Lanarkshire Council is supporting learners with a phased return to school from August 2020.

First Week (10th-14th August)

Monday – School Leadership Team in school and available to take telephone calls.
Tuesday – Inservice Day for all staff. During this time staff will be updated on all safe systems of work and procedures.
Wednesday – Primary 1 pupils ONLY
Thursday – All Primary 1-4 pupils. Primary 5-7 pupils should remain at home on this day.
Friday – All Primary 5-7 pupils. Primary 1-4 pupils should remain at home on this day. 

All pupils return to school on Monday 17th August.

If your child is clinically vulnerable or lives with someone who is clinically vulnerable then an individual risk assessment will be carried out to ensure all supports are in place for their return to school.

Drop Off Arrangements 

Adults are required to social distance in the school grounds therefore the following arrangements will be in place to minimise the risk of transmission.

• Members of the Senior Leadership Team will staff both playground access gates and dispense hand sanitiser to children on their entry to the playground.
• Children are able to enter school from 8.45am. All children should be in school for 9am. Children will be directed straight into the building. This ensures our cloakrooms are quieter and children have the opportunity to wash their hands at the start of the school day.
• The vehicle gate will be staffed to ensure that you can drop off  child quickly and safely. Members of staff will be available to welcome your child at the car and escort them to the playground gate. If possible, older children should be encouraged to get out of the car and meet staff independently as this reduces the numbers of adults in the car park in line with current recommendations. Staff will be wearing high visibility waistcoats and can be easily identified.
• No cars should park in the drop off area. If you need to wait at school please park in a visitor parking bay.

Pick Up Arrangements 

Adults are required to social distance in the school grounds therefore the following arrangements will be in place to minimise the risk of transmission.

• Children in Primary 1-3  will be walked out in their class groups to meet an adult or older sibling. The assembly areas for the classes will be clearly marked in the playground. An adult will remain with the group until all children are collected. Please do not wait within 2m of the assembly point as the teacher needs to distance from other adults and ensure all children are collected safely
• Children from Rooms  6 and 7 will leave the school grounds from the MUGA pitch gates.
• Children from Rooms 5 (Primary 4)  and 8-10 will leave the school grounds from the Flower Pot Garden gates.

Parents are able to enter the playground at the end of the day to ensure there is enough space for social distancing around the school grounds. There will be yellow painted markers to support this. Please arrange a meeting point with your child(ren).

Primary 1 First Day 

Primary One children only are starting school on Wednesday 12th August.  Children are welcome to arrive between 9-9.30am on the first day.

Children will enter through the classroom playground door. On the first day parents will be able to come into the playground and take photographs of their child however only children can access the classroom area.

We will take photographs of each child in the classroom and at lunch and make these available to parents at the end of the day.

Lunch Provision 

Primary 1 -3 pupils are entitled to free school meals and do not need to bring money to school unless they are purchasing milk.

Primary 4-7 pupils will order lunch in classrooms at the start of the day rather than the cafeteria. This is a change to reduce movement around the school.

Contact

Normally parents are welcome to pop into school and speak with office staff or the leadership team during the day. We need to minimise this at the moment to support social distancing. If possible please contact the school in the following ways:

For general queries and information please contact the school using email or telephone: office@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk / 01355 221042

For queries relating to Nursery please contact Wendy Gallacher (DHT) using gw07gallacherwendy01@glow.sch.uk or call Carine McPherson (Early Years Team Leader) on 01355 221042

For queries relating to Primary 1-4 please contact Kirsty Duff (Head Teacher) using headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk or 01355 221042

For queries relating to Primary 5-7 please contact Laura French (DHT) gw07frenchlaura@glow.sch.uk or 01355 221042

For queries relating to the administration of medicine and health conditions please contact Carole Anne Robertson (Support Services Team Leader) on  office@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk / 01355 221042

For queries relating to Additional Support Needs please contact Wendy Gallacher (DHT) using gw07gallacherwendy01@glow.sch.uk

If you have concerns or comments about any aspect of school life please contact Kirsty Duff (Head Teacher) using headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk or 01355 221042

If you do need to visit the office then please follow the social distancing guidelines displayed at the entry point to the school.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

 

 

 

 

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Heathery Knowe PS. I hope all our children and their families have enjoyed a restful summer break and are looking forward to returning to school soon.

The Scottish Education Recovery Group have continued to meet over the summer and Mr John Swinney (Depute First Minister) will share the plans for the reopening of schools tomorrow (30th July 2020). South Lanarkshire Council will use this information to plan for the reopening of all schools in the local authority including Heathery Knowe PS and Nursery. Once the guidance has been fully considered by South Lanarkshire Council and plans are in place, I will share the specific plans for our school with you.

School Uniform

There is no change to the school uniform requirements for children at Heathery Knowe PS. Please ensure that all items of clothing are labelled clearly.

The uniform consists of:

• safe waterproof shoes that can be worn while playing and learning outdoors
• grey trousers or skirt / pinafore
• blue shirt or polo shirt
• tie
• grey or maroon cardigan or jumper.

The PE kit consists of:

• dark coloured shorts
• blue polo shirt / tee shirt
• gym shoes

All children are asked to bring:

• indoor shoes – This is normally their gym shoes which are worn each day. Indoor shoes must have a hard sole as they will be worn outdoors in the event of evacuation.
• waterproofs-  Ideally a waterproof jacket, trousers and wellingtons. Some younger pupils may prefer a splash suit. Children will play outdoors on rainy days to ensure classrooms are ventilated and children have access to fresh air each day.
• spare socks – Please pop a spare pair of socks into your child’s bag in case they are required.

Resources 

• Children should bring a school bag each day. Children will not bring resources to and from school at the start of term but this may change over the year so a bag with enough space for a reading book and jotters is required. The bag should be waterproof to ensure all resources are protected.
• Children are welcome to bring a packed lunch. At the start of term this must fit into their school bag so that children are only carrying one bag into the building. This may change over time.
• At the start of term, children will have an individual stationery resource pack for their sole use in the classroom. Children should not bring their own pencil case to school initially.
• Children may bring a water bottle. Please ensure it is easy to fill and is clearly labelled with their name.
• Hand sanitiser is available throughout the school. There is no need for your child to bring their own sanitiser to school.

Please note that no items of clothing, bags or pencil cases should promote  any football teams or display logos that may be offensive to others. 

Support 

If your family is eligible for free school meals or a clothing grant please use the following link to apply:

https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200259/education_benefits/159/school_clothing_grants_and_free_school_meals

Individual Requirements 

If your child requires a special medical diet (medical condition or allergies) please email me to request the forms required. Completed forms will be returned to the catering team who will plan a special diet.

If your child requires a special diet for religious reasons please email me to request the forms required. Completed forms will be returned to the catering team who will plan a special diet.

If your child has a condition that requires regular medication in school please email me to request the forms required.

If there are other special arrangements that need to be made for your child or you would like to make us aware of specific circumstances that may affect your child’s learning or wellbeing please send a short email and a member of the leadership team will be in touch to discuss it further.

My email address is headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk

Thank you for your continued support. I will be in touch again next week with further information about the safe reopening of Heathery Knowe PS.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

The staffing for Heathery Knowe PS has been finalised today. Children will receive notification of their class allocation and pattern of attendance by the end of the week.

Leadership Team 2020/2021

• Mrs French will work Monday – Thursday only during session 2020/2021.
• Mrs Gallacher will continue as Acting Depute Head Teacher during the first term and then this will be reviewed depending on pupil numbers.
• Mrs McGee will be Acting Depute Head Teacher on a Friday to cover for Mrs French.
• Miss Inglis will be Acting Principal Teacher on a Friday to cover for Mrs McGee.
• Miss Wharton will be Acting Principal Teacher Equity Mon-Thursday with responsibility for promoting equity of opportunity for all learners.

Class Teachers 

Nursery – Mrs Caldwell and Mrs McGee
Primary 1 – Mrs Hughes and Mrs MacOwan
Primary 1/2 – Miss Houldsworth
Primary 2 – Miss Harris
Primary 3 – Miss Deans
Primary 4/3 –  Mrs Gray and Mrs MacOwan
Primary 4 – Mrs Kane
Primary 5 – Miss Inglis
Primary 6/5 – Mrs Spence
Primary 7/6 – Mr Currie and Mrs Gallacher
Primary 7 – Miss Gordon and Miss Wharton

Mr Loveday will team teach Primary 5 and 7 during the period of blended learning.

Thank you for your continued support

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

We are now in a position to begin planning for the reopening of Heathery Knowe Primary School. The work undertaken over the next few weeks will be in preparation for children returning to school in August.

National Route Map 

The Education Recovery Group has prepared non statutory guidance to support local authorities and schools plan for reopening. You can read the full guidance by clicking on the link below.  As we are a local authority school within South Lanarkshire Council further guidance and direction will be provided for us in due course and will cover all key areas as outlined in the national guide. Over the next few weeks I will be working in partnership with local authority and school staff to ensure Heathery Knowe Primary School and Nursery has considered all of the key areas including:

• calculating the capacity of spaces within the school to work out how many learners can be taught within a space whilst adhering to the 2m social distancing guidance
• consider all aspects of physical distancing (increasing separation and decreasing interaction). This needs to include all non teaching spaces (cloakrooms, toilets, playground, offices etc). We also need to consider visitors to the school, face to face meeting spaces and all aspects of caring for the needs of pupils attending.
• education for children who are clinically very vulnerable and may not be able to return to school as they are shielding.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-re-opening-schools-guide/

Phased Reopening 

You may see cars start to appear in the car park as staff are gradually phased back into the school building.  Only the Senior Leadership Team will be in school week beginning 1st June 2020. Mrs Gallacher will take the lead on all aspects of online learning. Mrs Gallacher and class teachers will be the main point of contact next week for queries regarding learning.

There are no clerical staff in school next week. We will try and answer the telephone however are likely to be in different areas of the school building completing risk assessments and preparing areas for staff returning therefore emailing to request a return call is the most reliable way to make contact with the school.

Please do not come to the office as we have not set up the necessary social distancing procedures and markers and will not be able to deal with your enquiry in this way.

Primary One Transitions 

We are preparing to welcome 41 new Primary One pupils to Heathery Knowe. This weekend letters are being issued to all pupils to welcome them to Heathery Knowe. In due course a transition pack will be delivered to new pupils. At this stage we are unable to say if new pupils will be able to visit the school and classroom before we close at the end of June.

The @knoweschoolwelcome twitter account has been set up and this will be used more and more over the next few weeks to introduce staff and provide key transition information.

Primary Seven Transitions 

We are preparing to say goodbye to 44 fabulous Primary Seven pupils who have been outstanding as Primary 7 leaders and role models over the year. I continue to see their personal qualities shine through as they teach and play with younger siblings, help with household chores and show such a responsible attitude in their Google Classrooms.

Normally there would be a P7 treat and I have promised the Primary 7 pupils that this will still take place for them when it is safe to do so. The pupils know it may be August or later before we can celebrate the end of their primary education.

A leavers’ pack will be delivered to Primary 7 leavers in due course. We are trying as far as possible to stick closely to the times on the annual planner and hope these will be ready around the time of the planned Leavers’ Assembly.  At this stage I am unable to say if P7 pupils will be able to visit the school one last time before we close at the end of June.

New Session

I know parents (and staff) are keen to find out the model of pupils returning so that childcare and work can be planned around this. As soon as there is guidance from SLC I will ensure it is shared with parents and staff. However this guidance cannot be issued until capacity is established etc so there are a number of steps to take place before this will be confirmed.

Meanwhile I would invite parents to share your views with me. This means I can ensure the perspective of Heathery Knowe’s parent community is communicated during any discussions I have with the local authority. As always, please email headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk if you would like to raise particular points for consideration.

Thank you for your continued support

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

Dear Parent / Carer

Thank you for submitting your email address to receive your child’s progress report. Please note reports were written by teachers in March 2020 and only cover the learning period August 2019-March 2020.

It is important the school takes time with this process to ensure it is accurate and without error. I am now writing to explain the process the school will follow to issue them

• Email – all parents who completed the Google Form by the end of the day on 20th May will receive their child’s report before 29th May 2020. If you were unable to provide an email address by 20th May, you will receive your child’s report once an email address has been received but no sooner than the 1st June. 
• Verification – you will receive an email to ask you to confirm this is the email address that you require the report to be sent to. Please respond to this email. The report will not be issued unless this step is complete.
• Issue – you will receive an email with the report attached as a PDF document. The file will have the format initialsurname.pdf. For example, KDUFF.pdf. Reports will be issued as class groups over the period 20-29th May 2020. Siblings are unlikely to receive their reports on the same day and we would ask for your patience with the process.
• Confirm – the email with the report attached will include a link to a google form. Please click this link to:
  • confirm you have received and can open your child’s report
  • add any feedback comments that you would like the leadership team and class teacher to read and respond to
  • request a telephone consultation if you would like the class teacher to call and discuss the report in more depth.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

It seems a long time since we closed the physical building of Heathery Knowe Primary School and Nursery Class and moved to a virtual learning environment. The children have  shown resilience and flexibility during this time and we are very proud of them. I would like to extend thanks to parents and staff for supporting the learners. It is through the commitment of parents and staff that our school community continues to thrive.

Update for Scottish Schools 

The Scottish Government chairs the COVID 19 Education Recovery Group for Scotland. This is where all Covid 19 related issues regarding Scottish education are discussed and National recommendations are made. If you are interested in reading the minutes of these meetings, please use the following link:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-education-recovery-group-april-2020/

Transition into Primary 1 

We are continuing to plan for new pupils joining us when the school reopens and look forward to welcoming them to Heathery Knowe. We cannot run the transition programmes planned but we are adapting the transition to support learners coming into Primary 1.

• A new Twitter account will be added for parents specifically focusing on the transition into school. We are currently waiting for SLC to sign off the new account before we can start tweeting.
• Miss Houldsworth is developing a powerpoint presentation for new pupils to share photos and information regarding the school.
• Once placing requests are finalised, classes will be organised and Primary 1 teachers will start to make contact with new pupils and their families.
• The Nursery staff are working towards celebrating each leaver’s time in nursery.

Transition from Primary 7 into Secondary Education

The transition process is well underway for all Primary 7 pupils moving on to Secondary Education.

• Calderglen High and Duncanrig Secondary School have both created video presentations from new S1 pupils and these are shared on the twitter feed
• Transition meetings and planning for individual children has continued using online meetings
• Once the outcome of placing requests are finalised, secondary schools will start to make up class groups
• Primary 7 teachers are working towards celebrating each leaver’s time in school. South Lanarkshire Council have issued guidance that stipulates schools cannot organise events for pupils to come to school to collect leaving gifts (ties, teeshirts, year books etc) at this time.

Transition within Heathery Knowe Primary School 

The teachers and leadership team are working together to organise classes for next session. There is often some anxiety about the process and questions about how we reach decisions about how a class group is made up.   This year we need to respond to advice at National and Local Authority level regarding children’s safe return to school and this is likely to influence school organisation.

Please bear in mind that teachers move between stages and it would be helpful if you could discourage your children from assuming who their teacher(s) will be based on the stage they are teaching this year.

I would like to take this opportunity to provide an outline of the process at our school.

• The first step is always to review our school roll with South Lanarkshire Council. Colleagues at Headquarters advise us of the number of classes and teachers for the following session. This process takes place from January – May and often  changes as new families move into or out of the area.
• The identification of teachers taking Primary 1 classes is always shared earlier so that transition planning and induction processes can take place.
• Our classes are organised initially using literacy working groups as a guide. Pupils who are attaining similar levels of literacy and working at a similar pace will progress as a group. This means pupils from two different classrooms may come together to form a group for the following year.
• We then consider how each class is made up using the size of the groups as a guide along with our knowledge of the pupils. Groups going into composite classes are not identified because children are not working at the expected levels.  For example, if your child is a P3 pupil and placed in a composite P3/2 class, this is not because they are struggling with learning and require to revisit concepts taught in P2. Similarly, if you have a P2 pupil going into a P3/2 composite class, this is not because they require the challenge of the P3 curriculum.
• Finally, we consider the draft classes to ensure no pupils are separated from all of their friends or socially isolated. Current class teachers flag up any issues using their knowledge of pupils and social groups and small tweaks are made.
• Class lists are then finalised and shared.

This process takes place every year and we spend a lot of time ensuring that the class groups are organised to provide the best opportunities for learning and teaching at each stage. I trust that you recognise that the robust process means we have fully considered your child’s learning and social needs and made a professional decision about classes.

Further information is available using the following link:

https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/853/composite_classes

Thank you for your continued support. I hope all Heathery Knowe families are safe and well.

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

Heathery Knowe Primary School and Nursery Class is now closed to all users.  Facilities Staff will complete the deep clean next week and then they will be redeployed to other establishments.

On behalf of all teachers at Heathery Knowe PS, I would like to thank  families for supporting home learning activities, ensuring the children are engaging in a wide range of tasks and uploading evidence for teachers to see. The strong partnerships help us to  plan for the coming weeks and ensure the continuation of learning.

Spring Break

Spring Break is scheduled to begin on Friday 3rd April at 2.30pm for two weeks. During this time, staff and pupils will take a break from learning. Teachers will not post to Google Classroom or be able to respond to messages during the break. We hope all families and staff are able to rest within this time before the new term starts on 20th April.

Supporting Learning at Home 

The staff team normally based at Heathery Knowe Primary School are now leading learning online for the most part. However, staff members have also  volunteered to provide childcare for children of key workers in the hubs across East Kilbride. We are very grateful to the staff who are healthy and well and able to provide this support to key workers.

If your child’s normal class teacher is working in a hub for a day or is absent from work,  Google Classroom will be monitored by another teacher. There is a system in place to ensure that the children at home have access to a teacher each day.

Childcare for Key Workers

Childcare was provided at Heathery Knowe Primary School for the first part of last week whilst South Lanarkshire Council created a longer term plan for the provision of childcare.

Three hubs have been opened  in East Kilbride to provide emergency childcare. As before, places are only open to those families whose children are well and healthy and who cannot secure personal, alternative childcare arrangements. Both parents need to be classified as key workers.

 

Thank you to all parents, carers and school volunteers for supporting the staff and pupils at Heathery Knowe Primary School this week. Thank you to the staff team for showing such commitment to sustaining the children’s learning whilst preparing for home learning going forward.   Whilst the school building is closed to most pupils, we are fortunate to have facilities to enable children to continue to learn and speak with one another in Google Classrooms. The staff team are committed to ensuring the Heathery Knowe community continues to thrive until we can work together in the school building again.

Provision for Monday and Tuesday

Childcare provision will be made for Category 1 Key Workers only. This service should be used only if the person is scheduled to attend work and there is no alternative childcare provision available to the family. Children with symptoms or underlying health conditions should not use this service.

If you are a Category 1 Key Worker and intend to use this service, please email me to confirm the days and times you require provision. If you have already called to confirm that your child is attending then you do not need to take further action.

All children entitled to a free school meal are welcome to attend for lunch.  If you plan to use this service, please email me at headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk . This will  enable the Cook in Charge to estimate the number of meals required.

Contact

Please send any queries to headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk and I will ensure it is passed to the relevant member of staff. Please do not email teachers directly as they may be absent from work. Using one central point of contact ensures that you will receive a response from a member of the school team. In the case of staff absence, another member of staff will cover the Google Classroom and Twitter feed.

Blog

The Head Teacher’s weekly blog will be briefer as we move forward. It will be used to communicate important updates about education and childcare provision as it becomes available.

However, each Monday, I will publish a weekly blog for pupils highlighting the learning activities taking place across our ‘virtual’ school, celebrating achievements of learners and other news. If you have home learning activities or other news/achievements that your child would like to share then please email me at headteacher@heatheryknowe-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk and I will include them.

The first children’s blog will be published on Twitter and Google Classrooms on Monday 30th March.

What’s on next week?

Monday / Tuesday – Category 1 Key Workers’ children may attend school for childcare if they are working and have no alternative childcare arrangements.

Monday / Tuesday – All children entitled to free school meals may attend between 12-1.30pm to eat lunch. Please note we are minimising social contact therefore this is for the provision of free meals and not to play with friends in the playground.

Thank you for your continued support

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff

Heathery Knowe Primary School pupils and staff have enjoyed a busy week of learning and development.  The pupils have embraced new learning opportunities and have been a credit to themselves and staff.

Pizza Express and Community Visit

Learners in Room 5 participated in a Health and Wellbeing and World of Work excursion to the local Pizza Express in the town centre. They had an opportunity to find out more about ingredients, cooking and even prepared a personal pizza to eat on return to school. This excursion also provided a valuable opportunity to ask questions about working in the catering industry and running a business.

Room 5 learners also prepared letters to deliver to local businesses to ask if they could support the development of school library areas with book donations. The  pupils showed confidence and were very respectful as they hand delivered their letters and spoke to store staff to explain the content of the letter and the developments in school.

The children enjoyed learning outwith the classroom.

STEM Challenges 

Primary 5 pupils organised STEM challenge activities for all classes as part of British Science Week. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and is an integral part of our curriculum. The various activities included designing bridges that could stand without support,  building boats that were able to float, making sea creatures from recycled materials and making a pair of glasses to fit a face. We are very proud of our pupil leaders in Room 7. They organised activities and explained them clearly in each class.  There are many photos on Twitter of children engaging in STEM at Heathery Knowe Primary School.

Clyde in the Classroom 

The Primary 5 ‘Clyde in the Classroom’ experience ended on Friday 13th March. After caring for trout eggs and watching them develop into alevin and fry, they were ready to be released into a local stream to continue their development into adult sized brown trout.  The pupils have shown incredible respect for the developing trout and have undertaken the tasks of caring for them responsibly and with commitment.

Launch of Reading Cafe 

The Reading Cafe opened for the first time this week. Over 50 pupils attended each session, choosing to read or be read to during their lunch break. Pupils enjoyed snuggling up in the new library areas, enjoying a quiet lunch break absorbed in a book.

Reading Cafe is open to all pupils during Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes.

School Grounds Update 

This weekend, the guttering at the kitchen area is being inspected and cleaned to resolve the issue with the overflow pipe continually draining onto the playground area.

Resolving the drainage issue will be a larger job. The Property Officer has advised that new drainage channels are required to allow the water to drain away and prevent large puddles in the playground. It is fortunate that it is nearing a school holiday and we are hopeful that the work will be completed over Spring Break so that it does not impact on the pupils.

Allotment – Raised Bed

Mrs McGee and Mr Loveday have secured the rental of a raised bed in the allotment area immediately behind the school. The school will take groups of pupils to the community allotment to grow plants and vegetables which can then be harvested.

Mothers’ Day Shop

Primary 7 and the PTC will run the Mothers’ Day Shop next week. Children may bring £2 or £3 if they would like to purchase a Mothers’ Day gift in school. The shop will be fully stocked on Monday and will remain open each day until all gifts are sold.

The money raised from this enterprise activity supports the Primary 7 end of session treat.

What’s on next week?

Monday – Thursday : Mothers’ Day Shop
Tuesday – Deirdre Grogan (University of Strathclyde) visitng Nursery, Room 1 and Room 2
Friday – Head Teacher attending Head Teacher Leadership Academy all day

**Reminder: P7 pupils attending Calderglen High need to return the information pack as soon as possible**

Thank you for your continued support

Kind regards

Kirsty Duff