August | 2022 | Woodhead Primary – Head Teacher's Blog

It’s hard to believe that we are just at the end of our first full week of term. We’ve packed so much in already. The children have all settled into their new class routines very well and I am impressed by the hard work that I see as I visit classes.

I have also been very impressed with the children’s efforts to be ‘Ready, Respectful and Safe’ in all areas of the school. Class teachers are telling me about children who are going over and above in class too. I look forward to announcing our first ‘School Values’ awards and ‘Playground Awards’ at our online assembly on Monday.

School and Nursery Lunch Menu

The new 2022-23 menu begins on Monday 29th August with week 1:

School Menu: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200186/primary_school_information/2075/primary_school_lunch_menu_20222023

Nursery Menu: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200184/early_learning_and_childcare/2077/nursery_lunch_menu_20222023

Primary 1 parents are asked to pre-order lunches using this Google Form by Monday 29th August 2022 at 9am.

https://forms.gle/6nmWfyKS4EzZk6eW8

School Holiday Dates 2023/24

A consultation on the proposed School Holiday Dates and Staff Development Days for 2023/2024 is available on the South Lanarkshire Council Website (link below).

The consultation went live on Monday, 22 August 2022 and the closing date is Friday, 23 September 2022.

https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=165588552845

School Uniform

Our children have looked so smart in their school uniforms this term. Thank you to all parents/carers who support the smart ethos of the school by ensuring their children are in the correct uniform.

We are happy to assist any parent/carer who requires financial help/support with uniform. Please let us know.

A reminder that jumpers/cardigans etc. should be grey only and not black or green.

Temporary School Support Assistant

We welcome Mrs. Mackenzie to our team of Support Assistants. She is covering for Mrs. McAuley’s absence and will work Tuesdays – Fridays.

Flu Immunisation

Please return any Flu Immunisation permission slips to school by Monday 29th August 2022 to ensure your child is included in this year’s vaccination programme.

Proposed Industrial Action

A letter was emailed via Parent Pay/Learning Journals last week providing information about proposed strike action which might result in school closure or reduced service. This can be access at https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/sl/public/woodheadprimary/uploads/sites/9618/2022/08/25144245/2022-Parent-Carer-No1.pdf

Non-Class Contact Time

Every class teacher is contractually entitled to planning and preparation time during the school day. For full-time teachers, this is 2.5 hours per week. This is called ‘Non-Class Contact Time (NCCT)’.

This year at Woodhead, Mrs. Martin (nee Miss Ianniello) and Mrs. Keltie teach classes to release the teachers for their NCCT. They will teach Art, Science and PE during this time.

The arrangements for P4 are different as Miss Laing is undertaking her NQT year and shares the class with Miss Miller.

The timetable below indicates when each class will be taught by a different teacher and who that will be.

Please note that it is sometime necessary to change this timetable with no notice due to staff absence and other unforeseen circumstances.

Participatory Budget

Participatory Budgeting gives the parents/carers and pupils of a school a say in how a percentage of our Pupil Equity Fund is used.

Pupil Equity Fund is the money allocated to a school directly from the Scottish Government to help close the poverty related attainment gap.

Last year, our PB focus groups of pupils and parents identified two or three areas that could be a focus of this spend. Following a vote, our PB was allocated to outdoor and nurture resources.

Our Principal Teacher, Mrs. Keltie, is also our PB Lead and will be forming a focus group again this year. Look out for a leaflet all about this coming home next week.

More information on ‘Participatory Budgeting’ can be found at https://pbscotland.scot/pb-in-schools.

Parent Council AGM

The Parent Council AGM will take place on Tuesday 6th September 2022 from 6.45pm. This is a joint meeting of the Parent Council and PTA.

All parents/carers are welcome to attend.

If you are interested in joining the PTA to assist with their fundraising work, please email woodheadpta@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support. Please get in touch via the school office if I can assist you in any way.

Mr. Clark

Mr. S. Jasnosz-Clark

Head Teacher

Welcome to the first Head Teacher’s Blog.

This will be updated at the beginning of each week, and will replace the monthly school newsletters, providing more frequent information about the school, details of what’s on for the coming weeks, links to the lunch menus and other important reminders.

I hope you find it useful.

Mr. Clark

First Week of Term

It’s been a wonderful first week back at school. Everyone looked so smart in their school uniforms and it was lovely to hear the chatter and laughter as the children caught up with their friends and teachers after the holiday. For those parents who were able to join us in the playground on Wednesday, I’m sure you’ll agree it was lovely to see the children lining up so well, eager to get inside and start the new year.

The new Primary 1 children have been amazing and are adapting to the routines of school so quickly. We were very impressed with their lines on Thursday morning for their first full day in school. Both Mrs. Arthur and Mrs. Mitchell have commented on how pleased they are with the children and how well they are working in class.

The Woodhead Way

This week, we launched ‘The Woodhead Way’ – a simple reminder to our children of our shared expectations of them all. This sets a high standard of exceptions about ‘how we do things at Woodhead’.

Our expectations are simple and clear, to encourage all children:

to be ready to learn and work hard in class
to be respectful of all adults, classmates and other children
to be safe in all areas of the school and ensure other children are safe too.

By being ready, respectful and safe, children are recognised with 5 minutes of ‘Reward Time’ each day, which they can enjoy at the end of the week in class.

When children go ‘Over and Above’ in class, this is also recognised and celebrated. Children who regularly go ‘Over and Above’ will be recognised through our weekly ‘School Values Awards’ and ‘Playground Awards’.

At the end of each month, a pupil from each class will be invited to the ‘Golden Table’ at lunchtime – recognition for going ‘Over and Above’ in our expectations of Ready, Respectful, Safe.

You can find out more about the research behind this approach at https://whentheadultschange.com

Lovely Lines

As part of the Woodhead Way, we expect children to be ready, respectful and safe when lining up to come in to school.

We visibly recognised when the children do this and award the class who goes ‘over and above’ in their lines with an extra playtime.

This week, Primary 3 and Primary 5 went ‘over and above’ to be ready, respectful and safe in their lines and have been recognised with an extra playtime. Well done!

Flu Immunisation

This will take place on Tuesday 8th November 2022 for P1-7 children.

Permission slips have been received into school from NHS Lanarkshire and should be retuned as soon as possible.

After-School Clubs

We have had a few enquiries about when after-school extra curricular activities will start back. We hope to begin our programme later in the term.

SLT Drop-in Sessions

This year, we have introduced drop in sessions for parents/carers in the Nursery to P7 to drop-in and have a chat with a member of the school leadership team. This will take place on the following dates:

Monday 12th September 2022 (3.30pm-5.30pm
Wednesday 30th November 2022 (3.30pm-5.30pm)
Wednesday 1st February 2023 (3.30pm-5.30pm)
Tuesday 14th March 2023 (3.30pm-5.30pm)
Tuesday 25th April 2023 (3.30pm-5.30pm)

The purpose of these is to allow an opportunity for parents/carers to ask questions they might have, get advice or help with:

supporting learning at home.
understanding the general Scottish Curriculum for Excellence
issues/problems out-with school such as financial matters, school uniform, accessing community resources such as food banks etc.
accessing IT resources such as Google Classroom, Twitter, ParentyPay etc.

It is not an opportunity to get information about your child’s academic progress – this happens in our Parent Teacher consultations.

It is also not an opportunity to raise a concern or complaint or discuss an issue involving another pupil – we encourage parents/carers to get in touch via the office if they need any help with such an issue.

We will issue a sign-up sheet for any interested parent/carer prior to the first event.

PE Days

Click on the following link to view details of our PE days:

PE Days August 2022

Annual Calendar

The planned dates for the entire school year 2022-23 can be found b y clicking on the link below:

Woodhead Annual Calendar 2022-23

Lunch Menu 22nd August 2022-26th August 2022

It is Week 2 of the Spring/Summer menu in the school and nursery this week:

Week 2 Nursery Menu

Week 2 School Menu

All children in Nursery to Primary 5 receive a free meal. Parents/carers of children in Primary 6 and Primary 7 who may be eligible for a free school meal can find more information here.

Primary 1 parents/carers are asked to complete the following order form for this week by 9am on Monday (even if your child will have a packed lunch)

P1 Lunch Order Form

Please note the 2022-23 Lunch menu will begin the following week (29th August 2022)

What’s on at Woodhead in the coming fortnight:

Friday 26th August 2022: Non-Uniform Day (No theme) NB, there will be no charge for non-uniform days this year.

If I can be of any further assistance, please get in touch via the school office.

Kind regards

Mr. Clark

S. Jasnosz-Clark

Head Teacher

Week Beginning Monday 29th August 2022

Week Beginning Monday 22nd August 2022