Category: Calderwood Chronicle

Calderwood Chronicle 25_04_2025

Calderwood Primary Chronicle: 25/04/25 Every fortnight we will issue our chronicle to families via email and our blog. All other information about Calderwood is on our blog and on Twitter we highlight our achievements.

Calderwood Commitments:
 School Holiday: 5th and 6th of May 2025. Pupils resume 7th May 2025
 Clan Connects for Bramble (P2 parents only) and Thistle: 9:15am on 2nd May 2025 (Doors open at 9am)
 Curriculum Event: 15th May 2025 (5 – 7:30pm)

Calderwood Calendar:  Updated: 2024-25 Calendar Calderwood

Communication:

Absence from School: If your child is going to be absent from school, it is vital that you inform the school office at your earliest convenience. This can be via phone call or email (wlcalderwood-ps@westlothian.org.uk).

If your child requires medication, please ensure this is handed into the office and the correct forms are completed. Children should not carry medication in their school bag.
We are delighted to let you know that Mrs Bates’ position at Mid Calder Primary School has now been made permanent. There are no immediate plans to replace Mrs Bates here at Calderwood as the resourcing associated with this post has recently allowed us to welcome 2 new Pupil Support Workers to the team, Mrs Hargreaves and Mr Delaney. We also intend to continue to extend our PSW team as we move into the new session.

We are keen to seek parent/carer views on whether Calderwood classes should be reconfigured moving into the next school year (as has been the case in previous years), or whether classes should remain, broadly, as they are with the exception of any composite classes which need to be reorganised or individual circumstances. At this point, we are seeking your views and will, in the next few weeks, carry out a similar consultation with the children and staff. Please note that any individual circumstances involving your child should not be added to this form at this time. This form will close on Monday 5th May. Form link: https://forms.office.com/e/xgGNtAbGqT

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Miss Stark for her commitment and hard work within Calderwood Primary School. We wish her all the best as she begins her maternity leave.

Sponsorship Spectacular: Closing Date Approaching (2/5/25)

Please see the below information about the Parent Council’s exciting Sponsorship Spectacular!

Parent Council Sponsorship Spectacular: Choose Your Challenge. The Parent Council hope to raise money for digital resources, outdoor equipment and to replenish the school’s collection of reading books. During the Easter holidays, pupils are invited to take part in creating their own sponsored challenge. They can be sponsored to do anything they choose: whether that’s a sporty challenge, helping in the community or doing something creative. There are a few ideas in the linked blog post , but pupils are welcome to create any challenge they would like.
Please return this to your child’s champion by Friday 2 May. The information on the completed sponsorship form will be used to decide the winners of the prize for:
Most Challenging Idea
Most Community Minded Idea
Most Creative Idea

Please make sure the form includes the details of the challenge your child did, if they want to take part in the competition. All pupils, regardless of how much money they raise, or if they raise any money at all, are welcome to enter the competition.
Any sponsorship money raised should sent by Friday 2 May by bank transfer to:
Calderwood
Primary School Parent Council

Bank of Scotland
Account Number: 22560568
Sort Code: 80 22 60
Please use your child/child’s name and clan as the reference.
Please contact the Parent Council by email (calderwoodpspc@gmail.com) if you have any difficulties sending funds by bank transfer.

Calderwood Compliments:

Thank you to all our families who completed our Ethos survey. This feedback provides rich information which we use to help us celebrate school successes and to plan our next steps.

Calderwood Chronicle 28_03_25

Calderwood Commitments: 

• Champion Conversations (parent/carer consultations): 2^nd and 3^rd Please ensure you have pre booked an appointment.  The booking system will close on the 1st of April. Jotters will be available and the Scholastic book fayre (phone required for purchases).
• Dress Down Day – Autism Awareness: 4^th Wear your Favourite Colour – No donation.
• Terms Ends: 4^th April at 11:55am (P1 and P2 clans) and 12:00noon (P3-7 clans).
• School Resumes: Tuesday 22^nd A

Calderwood Calendar: 

• Updated: 2024-25 Calendar
• House Celebration: 1^st April for the winning House of the term – Roe House.

Calderwood Communication:

• Anti-Bullying: We have begun our Anti-Bullying focus this week with a session for the whole school (split into groups!) where the children and champions gathered together to share their views on what bullying is and how we can promote Anti-Bullying better at Calderwood. This will help to form our Calderwood definition of bullying.  The Anti-Bullying focus will continue over the next few weeks.
• Since November, Emma Ballantyne, the school’s Education Officer, has been based at Calderwood PS to support the leadership and management of the school during Miss Burton’s absence at that time. This arrangement has been continuous in order to provide stability for the school and she will continue to undertake her role from the school and provide the senior leadership role for the school community for the remainder of this term and into next term. Mrs Page has joined the leadership team as Depute Head Teacher, recently being seconded as DHT from Peel PS, and will remain in post for the remainder of the academic session and will provide the maternity leave cover when Miss Stark takes leave from just after the Easter break. The Leadership Team continues to be supported by Miss Connor and Mrs Warden as Principal Teachers. The Leadership Team in place will provide continuity for the remainder of the session and any further updates will be communicated in the summer term and be discussed in advance with the school’s Parent Council.
• Absence from School: If your child is going to be absent from school, it is vital that you inform the school office at your earliest convenience. This can be via phone call or email (wlcalderwood-ps@westlothian.org.uk).
• If your child requires medication, please ensure this is handed into the office and the correct forms are completed. Children should not carry medication in their school bag.
• At this time of year, children can be inside all day with the cold and wet weather and are therefore in close proximity of each other for longer periods of time. This is just a gentle reminder to check your child for head lice periodically.

Sponsorship Spectacular:

• Please see the below information about the Parent Council’s exciting Sponsorship Spectacular taking place next month!

Parent Council Sponsorship Spectacular: Choose Your Challenge.  The Parent Council hope to raise money for digital resources, outdoor equipment and to replenish the school’s collection of reading books.  During the Easter holidays, pupils are invited to take part in creating their own sponsored challenge.  They can be sponsored to do anything they choose: whether that’s a sporty challenge, helping in the community or doing something creative.  There are a few ideas in the linked blog post, but pupils are welcome to create any challenge they would like.

Your child will come home with a sponsorship form next week.  Please return this to your child’s champion by Friday 2 May. The information on the completed sponsorship form will be used to decide the winners of the prize for:

• Most Challenging Idea
• Most Community Minded Idea
• Most Creative Idea

Please make sure the form includes the details of the challenge your child did, if they want to take part in the competition.  All pupils, regardless of how much money they raise, or if they raise any money at all, are welcome to enter the competition.

Any sponsorship money raised should sent by Friday 2 May by bank transfer to:

Calderwood Primary School Parent Council

Bank of Scotland

Account Number: 22560568

Sort Code: 80-22-60

Please use your child’s name and clan as the reference.

Please contact the Parent Council by email (calderwoodpspc@gmail.com) if you have any difficulties sending funds by bank transfer.

Calderwood Compliments:

• Blair clan put on a brilliant Clan Connects this morning. They then enjoyed sharing their learning with their parents/carers.  Well done to Blair clan, and thank you to all who attended and to Ms Bryson for making this possible.
• We had a fantastic morning last week listening to some great presentations for our Dragon’s Den event. Our judges Gayle Duffus, Education Director at the Wood Foundation alongside Dr. Sam Clark from Heriot Watt were very impressed with the inventions, level of detail and quality of presentations given. Well done to everyone who took part and to our winners.
• Thank you to all members of our community who have donated games and toys after our plea. We really appreciate this.

Calderwood Chronicle 28_02_25

Calderwood Commitments: 

• Dress Down Day: Friday 28^th All donations raised today will go towards musical instruments for the school.

Calderwood Calendar: 

• Updated: 2024-25 Calendar
• P5 Show: Monday 3^rd March at 2:00pm. Parents should enter via the Arena doors from 1:45pm.  The show will start at 2:00pm prompt.  In you are running late, please enter via the school office.
• P5 Show: Tuesday 4^th March at 6:00pm. Please enter via the school office from 5:45pm.  The show will start prompt at 6:00pm.
• Balmoral Clan Connects and Sharing the Learning: 9:15-10:15am on 14^th Doors Open 9:05am.

Calderwood Communication:

• Absence from School: If your child is going to be absent from school, it is vital that you inform the school office at your earliest convenience. This can be via phone call or email (wlcalderwood-ps@westlothian.org.uk).
• A reminder that in Miss Burton’s absence, you can continue to contact Miss Stark, Miss Connor or Mrs Warden via the school office.
• If your child requires medication, please ensure this is handed into the office and the correct forms are completed. Children should not carry medication in their school bag.
• At this time of year, children can be inside all day with the cold and wet weather and are therefore in close proximity of each other for longer periods of time. This is just a gentle reminder to check your child for head lice periodically.
• School Meal Survey 2024/2025: The West Lothian Catering Team are looking for feedback on school meals. We would appreciate if you would take a few minutes to sit down with your child to gather their thoughts and opinion on school meals and let the Catering Team know using the link here.

Road Safety:

• Park Smart Banners: We have chosen the winners for the posters to go on our Park Smart banners which will be displayed outside the school. The banners are currently being finalised and will be sent to order as soon as possible.
• Thank you so much to all parents and carers who took time to complete our travels survey – the response was incredible! We are currently looking at the data to inform our School Travel Plan. A copy of this will also be sent to the roads department so that your views are heard.
• The children and champions have also been completing travel surveys and their views will be pulled together as part of our School Travel Plan too.
• Where possible, there has been a Pupil Support Worker out at the front of the school at the end of the day.

Calderwood Compliments:

• World Thinking Day – it was lovely to see some of our learners celebrate World Thinking Day by wearing their group uniforms.
• NSPCC Connects – Last week we held our NSPCC Connects – Speak Out, Stay Safe. The children learned about recognising if they feel unsafe and ways they can get help.
• Our Primary 6 Learners have set up “Take What You Need” tubs, which will be situated throughout the school. They have shared information with all clans and are currently putting together a parent/carer leaflet to share with families at home.