Category Archives: School News
Important dates for some P7 pupils
Some important dates for P7…..more information will follow as soon as we have it.
- For pupils going to West Calder High School from August 2018
Tuesday 5th June, Wednesday 6th June, Thursday 7th June – Transition days
- For pupils going to James Young High School from August 2018
Thursday 17th May – Health Day. Pupils should arrive for 9.30am, dressed and ready in PE kit and suitable footwear. Outside jackets may be required as some activities will be outside. (It is preferable that they arrive dressed in PE kit, although there will be changing rooms available).
Pupils must all take a packed lunch as they will not be able to purchase food from the school dinner hall that day.
The event will end at 2.30pm.
Pupils should make their own way to and from JYHS.
Tuesday 12th June and Wednesday 13th June – Transition days
Thank you for your continued support.
MCPS Staff
Head Teacher: Ms Thurlow (starting soon)
Acting Depute Head Teacher: Mrs Ramsay
Principal Teacher: Mrs Ross (returning 14th May)
Nursery: Mrs Murray
Primary 1P: Miss Prior
Primary 1W: Mrs Walker
Primary 2: Mrs Smith
Primary 3: Miss Sherlow
Primary 4: Miss Clark
Primary 5A: Miss Anderson
Primary 5C: Mrs Campbell
Primary 6: Mr Renshaw
Primary 7/6: Miss Richmond
Primary 7: Mrs Redmond/Mrs Ramsay (Mrs Ross from 14th May)
Support for Learning: Mrs Kellner
Reduced Class Contact Cover: Ms Brolls
PEF Numeracy Development Officer: Ms Allsopp
Nursery EYO: Mrs Findlay
Nursery Nurses: Mrs Aikman Mrs Murphy Mrs Williamson
Pupil Support Workers: Ms Smith, Mrs Combe, Miss Robertson, Mrs Rashid, Ms Anderson, Mrs Clark
Brass Instructor: Mr Traynor
Admin Staff: Mrs Bokhari; Mrs Mackay
Business Support Manager: Mrs Deerness
Facilities Management Staff: Mr King, Mr Sommerville, Mr Bowie
School Closure
Good morning everyone,
I know you will have had a group call to say the school is closed tomorrow and that we will miss both the ‘P7 Assembly’ and the ‘Bingo Night’.
We will reschedule the P7 assembly for later in the session, I know they have put a lot of work into their presentations and it would be a shame if they did not get to showcase them. I am sure the PSA will be in touch to let everyone know the new arrangements for the bingo night.
The conditions are not ideal but it is lovely to look out and for children to venture out and have fun. I was out yesterday for a short while to clear garden paths and it was bitter cold, this morning you would not know where these paths are!
Boys and girls if you are outside keep wrapped up cosy and keep yourself safe. I look forward to seeing you all back with lots of stories on Monday. Mrs McKenzie
Dates for your Diary Updated
| Date | Event | Time |
| 9th November 2017 | Nursery Big Family Read Launch | 10:30am-11am
2:30-3pm |
| 10th November 2017 | P5C | 11.10am |
| 21st November 2017 | Nursery Pop in and Play | 9:30-10:30am |
| 22nd November 2017 | School Open Afternoon | 1.30 – 3pm |
| Nursery Pop in and Play | 1:30-2:30pm | |
| 24th November 2017 | P6 Assembly | 11.10am |
| 27th November 2017 | School Photographs | |
| 30th November | Scottish Book Week Gifting Event Nursery – P3 | See separate letter |
| 12th December 2017 | School Panto. | 9.15am |
| P7 Party | 1.10 – 3.10pm | |
| 13th December 2017 | Nativity Show | 2pm |
| 14th December 2017 | P6 Party | 1.15 – 3.10pm |
| Nativity Show | 6pm | |
| 15th December 2017 | P5 Party | 10.30 – 12.30pm |
| 18th December 2017 | P4 Party | Morning |
| P3 Party | Afternoon | |
| 19th December 2017 | P2 Party | Morning |
| P1 Party | Afternoon | |
| 20th December 2017 | Nursery Nativity | 10:15 am |
| 21st December 2017 | Church Service | 1.15pm |
| Nursery Party | Parents welcome at 10:30am | |
| Nursery Party | Parents welcome at 2:30pm | |
| 22nd December 2017 | Celebration Assembly | 11.10am |
| School Holidays Start |
Please click here to download: Term 2 Dates For Your Diary – parents
Mid Calder Primary Wins National Award for Excellence in Digital Teaching and Learning
Wednesday 6th September – Mid Calder Primary and Nursery School have gained national ‘Digital School’ status for excellence in digital technology in teaching and learning.
The Digital Schools Award recognises the dedication and innovation shown by Mid Calder Primary in areas of leadership and vision, digital technology for learning and teaching, school culture, professional development and resources and infrastructure.
22 primary schools from cities and towns across Scotland were recognised for their work on digital technology in the classroom at a special presentation ceremony.
Recognised by Education Scotland and supported by HP, Microsoft and Intel, the award is designed to encourage and recognise schools that make the best use of digital technology in the classroom.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, said: “This programme positively impacts upon pupils’ motivation to learn as well as recognising achievement by teachers and schools in advancing the integration of technology in the classroom. I commend all the primary schools receiving their digital schools award on their great achievement.”
Depute Head Teacher, Sarah Burton, of Mid Calder Primary, West Lothian said: “The Digital Schools programme offered our school a supportive structure to evaluate our digital learning journey and where we needed to go.”
“It has also enabled our Technical Troopers pupil group, to take on a valuable leadership opportunity within our school. We are very proud of how digital learning is embedded in our school from nursery to primary 7, and this award was a chance to celebrate this work and share with others.”
Mid Calder Primary in West Lothian is now among 43 Scottish primary schools from across Scotland that are recognised for excellence in digital teaching and learning
Nursery Newsletter August
Dear Parent/Carer,
It has been a busy and exciting first week in our new nursery building with the return of our preschool children and welcoming new families and children to our school.
Our nursery motto is ‘playing to learn, learning to play’ and that has been evident as the children explore their new building and resources. The staff worked hard over the holidays to ensure the learning environment was set up and ready for the new school term, and it lovely to hear positive feedback from you all.
It is great to see so many of you choosing to wear our new nursery uniform, which was designed by a pupil last session. This helps to give the nursery a sense of identity in the larger school community.
We would like to welcome Mrs Williamson and Mrs Murphy who are new early years practitioners in our nursery team.
We look forward to seeing you all at Meet the Teacher on Thursday 7th September at 6:30. This is a session for parents and carers, which will let you find out about learning in the nursery and how you can support your child at home.
Miss Burton
Depute Head Teacher
September School Newsletter
Dear Parent/Carer
When we left school for the holidays in June everything seemed in place for the start of the new school session, but we have begun the session with no P7 teacher. We are very pleased Miss Tuke has secured a permanent position as principal teacher in East Lothian but it has altered the planning we had in place for our upper primary children. However, we have been very fortunate to have Mr Clancy return to the school and he will work with Mrs Redmond to teach the P7 class until we have a new Acting PT in position. Despite this setback we have had a very good start to the new term and the children seem very settled in their new classes. The new Primary 1 children have already embraced the school routine for coming in with Miss Prior and Mrs Walker having lovely quiet classes to begin the day.
The children have been looking at the school aims, with each class taking an aim and looking closely at what it means for us in our school. They will present to each other at our assembly this week so everyone will be aware of what the aims mean to the children and staff and that these are the aims we will live and learn by.
I have high expectations of what I believe our children can achieve and having spent a lot of time in classes over the first few days I believe our children and staff have high aspirations of what they can achieve. I thought I would share a poem about always doing your best and if we all do our best then we can reach these aspirations we have! Mary McKenzie
2017.08.27 Ist newsletter of 2017-18
2017.8.28 page 2 ist newsletter 2017 – 18
Education Scotland Case Study
Education Scotland visited our school to ask pupils and staff about digital learning in our school. They created a video which you can watch by clicking here. Well done to our Technical Troopers for explaining our journey.
“Education should prepare young people for jobs that do not yet exist, using technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems of which we are not yet aware.” Richard Riley
In Mid Calder Primary School, we share this vision and we believe that in providing learners with a rich range of learning experiences in the digital and physical world we are developing a range of skills, knowledge and attributes to enable them to be confident and competent in the world of learning, life and work.
West Lothian’s investment in infrastructure has provided us with the flexibility of an Anytime Anywhere Learning (AAL) wireless network which allows connectivity for school and personal devices alike. This has enabled learners to be partners in their learning, offering a range of personalisation and choice opportunities whilst promoting Health and Wellbeing through the recognising of their rights and responsibilities.
Through our case study we hope you recognise the positive impact embedding digital technologies into the life and ethos of our school has had on our school community.
iAchieve
We launched our new approach to achievement last week at Meet the Teacher. Each child now has a copy of their iAchieve level (you can download these below) and this is used to tracked their achievements. When they have achieved three of the tasks in each box they will receive a certificate in class or at a Friday Assembly and move on to the next area within their level, for example if they complete Brilliant Bronze for Responsible Citizen they will move on to Super Silver.
If the achievement has been completed at home the pupil can fill out an iAchieve sheet (found below) which are available from their class teacher. Primary 4 to 6 have the option of using their iAchieve blog (the link to these blogs are above and pupils will require their Glow password as these blogs are private) and Primary 7 can use Didbook, to record their achievements.
Our Achievement Assemblies will now be Celebration Assemblies, these will celebration our achievements for that term and pupils will be presented with a Literacy and STEM Award as nominated by their class teacher. The parents/ carers of that pupil will be invited along to the assembly.
