We have been learning:
- to share and take turns with our new friends in Primary 2
- about the rules and routines we have in our new classroom
- how to draw an owl
Primary 3 Homework Week Beginning 17th August
Homework does not need to be handed in on a Friday.
Please remember to fill out the form for Primary 3 to let us know what homework has been completed.
Thanks
Miss Graham
First Week
Good afternoon.
Now that we have all completed our first week back at school, it is great to be able to say it has been a huge success. The children have settled well in their new classes and routines. The school is buzzing with a hive of activity, in class and in the playground. We are all very excited about the great things we are going to achieve in the new school year.
We thank you for your perseverance and patience at this time.
Have a fantastic weekend.
St. Joseph’s, school staff.
Primary 1, Primary 2/1 and Primary 2 Updated Dismissal Arrangements.
Good evening.
Dear parents/carers.
We would like to thank you for your cooperation, as we implement the staggered end to the school day for the children of our infant department. We appreciate it takes more time than usual. However, it is an essential requirement to ensure the safety of all. As such, we would like to remind parents/carers of the arrangements for dismissal.
The children will be dismissed in the following order;
P2- Mr Benyon, followed by P1- Miss McCullagh and finally, P2/1- Mrs Warner. Please stand back from the allocated dismissal zone until it is your child’s turn to be collected. Staff will inform you when it is your turn to move forward and collect your child.
There will be a clearly marked waiting area, located on the grass, at the Zebra crossing, in front of the large gates, leading to the top staff car park. We ask that you adhere to physical distancing requirements around the school building.
Signage will be in place to remind parents of the arrangements and staff will be available to assist.
Thank you for your continued support at this time.
School Staff
Home Learning
Good Morning P4,
It was lovely to see you all again yesterday.
As we talked about yesterday, there are some tasks for you to do on Education City today.
I know you are all new to using TEAMS and if you can, please try and log onto teams with your GLOW email and password . I have added some additional tasks there for you to try if you get the chance but please don’t worry if you can’t!
Enjoy the sunshine and I will see you all tomorrow 🙂
Mrs Strain
Primary 3 2020 Home Learning August 13
Good Morning Primary 3!
I hope you are all well and that you enjoyed your first day yesterday! I had a lovely day and enjoyed meeting you all and learning a but about you! I can’t wait to start our learning in primary 3.
I have some tasks for you to complete today since we are not in school:
- Plan a healthy meal: using the 5 food groups can you plan a healthy meal? draw the items on the plate and label them. Look at the boxes at the side – these are your food groups. Colour them the colour of the food on the plate. For example if you drew carrots – the fruit and vegetable box would be orange for the carrots.
- The 5 Senses: What can you hear/ see/ touch/ taste and smell around your house/ garden. Draw them in the boxes and write down what they are.
Balancing the Scales: what number do you need to balance the scales? For example 9 on one side and 5 on the other. The number to write next to 5 to balance the scales would be 4. There are 3 worksheets – numbers up to 20, 50 and 100. You can do as many as you like. Why not try and challenge yourself.
- Summer Story: write about what you did during the summer holidays – play with friends/ family, watch a film/ tv show, visit family, learn a new skill.
- Character Profile: You can either make up a new character for a book or use a reading book at home. Draw your character, circle the words that describe them and write a little bit about them, describing them.
- Be Kind to Yourself: It is important to look after yourself and to be kind to yourself as well as kind to others. Write down the different ways you can be kind to yourself.
You do not need to print these out – you can complete them in any jotters/ notebooks/ paper you have at home.
Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow!
Miss Graham
Welcome to Session 2020-2021
Dear Parent/Carer,
good morning and welcome to the first day of the new school year. It has been a lovely, calm day, our pupils have settled and responded well to the new routines. It is great to see everyone looking so smart in their school uniforms. Thank you for all the effort you have gone to and for supporting us to make sure everyone is kept safe. We are looking forward to seeing the P5-7 pupils tomorrow.
We wish every success to our former P7s who are starting S1 in St Kentigern’s Academy and Whitburn Academy. Enjoy the next phase of your learning and remember to Dream, Believe, Endeavour, Achieve!
Final Arrangements for Nursery Returning on, August 12th 2020
Please see the final arrangements for our Nursery Return.
Mrs Mooney
NURSERY RETURN AUGUST 12th 2020
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your patience in receiving this information.
We take this opportunity to express our delight in welcoming our children back to the nursery, on, Wednesday, 12th of August. We appreciate that some of our children may feel a little anxious about doing so, especially with the current climate. Therefore, the health and well being of all children will be at the heart of all we do moving forward.
Having been away from the nursery for an extended period, we recognise that some children may need additional time and support to re-adjust to the nursery environment. We expect our new starts will require significant time, to familiarise themselves with their new setting, this is all very normal. Rest assured, your child will be fully supported by the nursery staff.
The safety and the health and wellbeing of children and staff is our key priority. At all times, we will adhere strictly to the advice from the Scottish Government and WL Council to ensure everyone is safe and well, as we implement the arrangements for a safe return.
Drop off and Pick up
Drop off and pick up arrangements will be different when we return. We will continue to use the entrance on the footpath that runs along the side of the infant playground, where clear signage will be in place to direct parents. We ask that only one adult accompanies your child to and from the nursery. There will be a familiar member of staff waiting at the gate to welcome your child into the nursery, within the outdoor area. Please ensure your child has dressed appropriately for the weather. The adult will then assist your child, helping them with personal belongings. We regret that at this time, adults are not able to enter the nursery building. If staff needs to invite parents into the building, hand sanitiser will be available at entry/exit zones for general use. Provisions will be in place to ensure physical distancing and infection control measures are maintained.
Key Groups
The staff team has developed three key groups of children and wherever possible, have placed children with their friends. Children will remain in these groups during their time at nursery with their designated Key Worker. The staff will continue to review the groups and in consultation with parents, make changes if necessary, to address the needs of your child. We know that for some of our children, this is their first time in the nursery so; additional staff members will be present to support our new starts in their new environment.
Risk Assessment
A risk assessment has been carried out and appropriate action has been taken to ensure robust procedures are in place within the nursery setting allowing for a safe return. Over the summer period, it has been cleaned using electrostatic spray and staff will continue with regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces throughout the nursery day. This essential requirement will not impact on your child’s learning experiences. Children will also wash their hands on arrival at the nursery which they will repeat regularly during the session, being encouraged to do so, using social stories, videos and songs.
Contact with Parents
Following the Scottish Government and WL Council guidelines, we are confident that the arrangements being put in place for our return to the nursery will ensure a smooth transition and the safety of all.
We are committed to offering our full support to parents and have made arrangements to contact parents directly, on, Monday, 10th of August 2020, to discuss your child’s return, medical information and inform you of your child’s key worker. Please be advised that the call is likely to be made from a private or unknown number.
Further information on the full detailed plan for our return, including all the specific arrangements will be published on, Monday 10th of August 2020.
We know that not all parents, especially those of our new children, may not be aware of our school Blog or may not visit it regularly. For that reason, we would ask that you share these details with others who would benefit from knowing the arrangements.
Please enjoy the last few days of the holiday, stay safe and well and we look forward to welcoming you all very soon.
Regards,
The Nursery Team.
August 2020
Dear Parent / Carer,
Further to a group call you should have received and in response to the latest Scottish Government and West Lothian Council Guidance, arrangements have been made for a phased return to school from, Wednesday, 12th August 2020. We would like to thank you for your patience in receiving this information.
PHASED RETURN DATES: Wednesday 12th – Friday 14th August
New Primary 1 pupils should attend in the mornings only for the first week. Pupils should arrive at the infant
playground for a 9am start, where they will be met by a member of staff and be escorted to their class.
Unfortunately parents/carers are unable to access the classrooms at this time.
On the first morning, the staff member will distribute an individual location number to the parent of each child
in Primary 1, Primary 2/1 and Primary 2.
This is the pick –up area within the infant playground where parents will wait to collect their children at
the end of the school day. For the Primary 1 children pick up time will be will be 12.20pm, each day, for the
first week. On the weeks thereafter, children will be in school for a full day and will be escorted to meet their parent/carer a class at a time.. This will be P2 followed by P1 then P1/2.
- Wednesday 12th August P1 (am only,) Primary 2 – 4 pupils to attend (full day)
- Thursday 13th August P1 (am only,) Primary 5 – 7 pupils to attend (full day)
- Friday 14th August All P1—7 pupils to attend for full morning
On Wednesday 12th August and Thursday 13th August, pupils who are not in attendance at school will be provided with home learning by their teacher. For P5-7 this will be on Glow Teams and children should log on as they did before the summer break. For P2-4, teachers will provide work for the children when they are in school on Wednesday 12th.
Parents are not allowed in the playground at drop off time. Staff will be in the playground to direct and support children.
To maintain 2 metres distance from other adults, only one person may collect the child. Parents MUST stand at the playground markers. Where possible, P3—7 parents are advised to arrange a drop off / pick up point out with the school grounds to pick up their child so that there is no congestion around the school gates at entrance / exit points.
Please adhere strictly to your drop off and pick up times and do not wait at the gates. As far as it is safe to do so, children and parents/carers are encouraged to travel to school on foot, bike, scooter or park and stride. Parents should park in Gateside Road as there is no parking for parents in front of the school. Please do not park in the school grounds or staff car park as it presents a significant threat to the safety of our pupils and prevents school transport from moving safely within the grounds. There are designated parking bays for people with disabled permits.
Risk Assessment
Please be assured that the safety and health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff is our key priority and we will adhere strictly to advice from the Scottish Government and WL Council to ensure that everyone is safe and well.
The new risk assessment will include essential public health measures such as:
- enhanced hygiene and environmental cleaning arrangements;
- minimising contact with others and physical distancing for adults;
- wearing appropriate personal protective equipment where necessary;
- a requirement that people who are ill, to stay at home; and
- active engagement with Test and Protect.
Please note that there is no requirement for children to wear a face covering or for physical distancing between children in a primary school.
Anyone with a high temperature, new continuous cough, loss of (or change in) sense of smell or taste, or who has had contact with a family/community member with symptoms, should not attend school. If a child begins to display these symptoms when in school they will be isolated and will be asked to return home thereafter parents should arrange testing. Information on Track and Trace procedures will be given when the child is collected.
Information on groups of children within the school, and on school transport and the adults that each child is in contact with is being collected to support Track and Trace procedures. This may mean the sharing of names with official public health contact tracers.
Recovery Planning
Our recovery plan reinforces the importance of literacy, numeracy and wellbeing. Supporting social and emotional needs will be a priority. We recognise that some children will need additional time and support to re-adjust to the school environment.
School Transport
If your child is entitled to travel to school on the school bus, this will be regarded as an extension of the school estate and it is not necessary to maintain distance between children and young people of all ages (subject to continued low levels of infection within Scotland). Face coverings are not necessary on dedicated school transport. Maintaining distance between pupils on dedicated school transport is not necessary. Mitigations will be put in place including hygiene, ventilation, improved cleaning regimes involving regular and thorough cleaning of surfaces.
School Meals / Breakfast club / Playtime
- Breakfast Club will resume on 12th August and pupils can have breakfast at the start of the day between
8.15am and 8.40am. Pupils should enter through the upper playground gate then go to the right hand door as
they normally would
- Lunch service will resume from the school servery. Pupils may bring packed lunches from home, for their
own consumption
- Staggered breaks and lunch times will also be implemented to minimise contact between groups of pupils
FAQs
Should children wear school uniform in August?
Pupils should wear school uniform as normal.
PE kit consists of
- black / dark coloured shorts / jogging bottoms / leggings
- white T shirt or polo shirt
- plimsoll or plain trainers for outdoors PE (please do not send expensive trainers)
We will use the outdoor area for PE as much as we possibly can so please take this into account and ensure your child has appropriate PE kit / sun cream for outdoor PE.
Your child’s teacher will let you know when the PE days are once we have returned to school and new timetables are in place.
As a safety measure, please send your child to school wearing their PE kit with a school jumper on top on PE days until further notice so that they do not have to change clothes in school.
Please ensure your child is appropriately dressed for the weather every day as children will participate more in outdoor learning activities, as well as going outside for PE, breaks and lunch time. If the weather is good, please ensure your child is wearing sun cream. If you need support with uniform, PE kit, waterproofs or outdoor clothing, please contact the school office.
Where will my child go on the first day?
There are signs displayed around the school which show the entrance door / lining up area for all classes. Staff will be present to support pupils to locate their area and entrance. Please not that P1 and P1/2 parents and children should enter using the car park gate, follow the one way system and ensure they maintain 2 metres distance from other adults. P3-7 pupils should use the upper playground gate. Staff will also be available to help the children in the mornings and at home time.
Please remember that P3—P7 parents should not enter the school grounds but should arrange a drop off pick up point out with the school grounds. As far as it is safe to do so, children are encouraged to travel the final part of the journey to and from the school gate alone to meet a member of staff or parent.
If you would like to speak to a member of staff, please call the school to book an appointment. Parents should not enter the school building unless they have an appointment.
What should my child bring to school?
- Your child should only bring essential items to school. Every child will be given their own pack of writing and
coloured pencils from the school, along with other items of stationery, so there is no need to bring their own.
- Children may bring a packed lunch to school
- Please do not allow your child to bring toys or other non -essential items to school
- Snack for playtime ( this will be eaten in class, after cleaning hands, before or after break)
- Children can bring hand sanitiser if they wish. Please write their name on the container.
Please continue to check the app for further updates over this last week of the holiday. I am sure you will understand that this is a developing situation and things can change at short notice according to national and local guidance. You can also see a ‘Back to School’ animation on the WL Council website
https://westlothian.gov.uk/back-to-school.
We are all looking forward to seeing our children next week. The safety of our pupils, parents and staff is of prime concern to us and we will follow guidelines to ensure we keep everyone safe. We understand that you may be anxious about the new arrangements and may have questions. Please use the school email or answer service to contact us and we will work with you to answer any questions. Thank you for your continued support. Please take care and stay safe!
Frances Burns
Mrs F Burns
Head Teacher
