Our Lady & St. Joseph’s Primary & Nursery
May2017 Bulletin
Tel: 01236 757680
Fax: 01236 870097
Email:
Web:
OLSJ Website NHS Headlice Leaflet
May News
Dear Parents and Carers,
I can’t believe we are nearly at the end of May already! This academic year is certainly flying past. We are very busy in school and nursery organising the events for the last few weeks of term. So much to do so little time! Here’s what is going on over the next few weeks.
QR Codes
I have added a couple of QR codes to the newsletter this month to help you access the NHS link detailed in the newsletter and have easy, instant access to our website. Check out our blog for the latest news about what is happening in Our Lady and St. Joseph’s school and nursery every day.
Fundraising Success!
A special thank you must go to all the parents and carers who supported our fundraising efforts for the nursery trip. The Nursery Natters Parent Group have worked hard to organise and run events throughout the year. With all your hard work and support you raised £690 which covered the cost of the buses and from the Wheelie Wednesday you raised £839 which was just amazing! Well done everyone…….. that’s the whole trip paid!!! One parent and one child are booked for our trip with no further costs to parents and carers – Phenomenal effort everyone. Thank you so much for all your help.
Nursery Trip
The nursery trip this year is going to Wellsfield Farm on Friday 16th of June. We want all the children to be as safe as possible so each child must be accompanied by an adult. The trip is now completely free of charge as fundraising throughout the year has offset the cost of the buses and the entrance fees for the venue.
The buses will leave the school carpark between 9.15 – 9.30am. Nursery staff will make a register of everyone on each bus that morning as you arrive. We would then ask that you go straight on the bus with your child, as there would be no room inside the nursery for 60 children and 60 adults plus the nursery staff.
Our Learning
The children are busy working this term on their new topic which is all about animals and new life. As ever, the staff are working hard to prepare different activities and learning experiences for the children as part of this topic and looking at different resources to capture the children’s interest and imagination. The children have thoroughly enjoyed their recent trips to the chicken farm in Plains. Thanks to everyone who has ordered fresh eggs as well. This is helping us to keep our link with the farm strong as it has been so beneficial to our children and to young Gary who is supported to run the place. The eggs will be delivered on Wednesday 24th of May and you can pick up your orders then.
Efficiency Savings
Although this may not affect you directly just now, it is important information you should be aware of particularly if your child is starting school in August, as this is when changes will take effect.
North Lanarkshire Council set their budgets for this session and there are a few decisions which affect schools directly.
1)It has been confirmed that all classroom assistants in secondary school will be redeployed or can opt for voluntary redundancy. Classroom assistants in Primary schools will be limited to one per school, regardless of the size of school and number of pupils.
2)The P5 swimming programme will be cut from August 2017.
3)There will no longer be funding for the Breakfast Club and it will cease at the end of term, in June.
Pupil Equity Fund
You will also have seen from the press that the Scottish Government has created a Pupil Equity Fund. This is money that the Scottish Government has allocated to each school for the purpose of closing the poverty related attainment gap. Depending on the number of pupils from the poorest postcodes in the village, money will be allocated to each Headteacher to spend on interventions which will help our poorest children in school, to achieve better.
Many parents would like Mrs Calvert and myself to spend the fund on the Breakfast Club. Unfortunately, the Breakfast Club caters for approximately 10% of the pupils from both schools on the campus, most of whom are not from the poorest postcodes that the money has to target. It is also clear from the Scottish Government that this money is not to maintain existing provision, it is to add to the experiences of our poorest pupils to help them achieve more in their learning.
Research tells us the biggest difference to children’s learning and achievement is quality teachers, resources and learning experiences for our pupils. Therefore it is not an appropriate use of this particular money.
Over the years, we have also made sure that any child who is hungry coming to school is given cereal or toast and we intend to continue this as well as offer the Healthy Tuckshop at breaktime.
Please be assured that we will continue to do our very best for your children. However, due to the recent budget efficiency savings, we no longer have the allocated funding to run the Breakfast Club or the P5 Swimming Programme.
Health and Wellbeing – Headlice information for Parents and Carers
Could I ask that all parents and carers are vigilant in the matter of headlice. “Take a peek, every week!” and check your child’s hair please. This is a link to the most recent information about headlice from our colleagues at NHS.
Free school meals/clothing grant
Just a wee reminder to all parents and carers about the availability of free school meals and clothing grants. Families who are entitled to support are encouraged to apply. You can pick up an application form from the school office but forms can also be downloaded via:
Applications relating to the new term are being accepted by First Stop Shops. Early submission is encouraged to ensure clothing grants are made and free school meals are registered for the start of the new session.
May Bank Holiday Weekend
The May weekend will beFriday 26th and Monday 29th May …….here’s hoping we get some sunshine!!!
Nursery Induction
I can’t believe it but we are at the induction time of year again for school and nursery!!! The children who will be starting nursery from August were invited along for a visit to see the nursery and meet staff last week. It was lovely to meet many of our new pupils and parents who will be joining us from August 2017. Thanks to everyone who came along.
Primary One Induction
Our Lady and St. Joseph’s newstarts for August are invited along for two induction days on Wednesday the 24thMay from 9.30.am in the dinner hall and Thursday the 1stof June from 10.30am. On the second induction day, parents and children are invited to stay and have lunch at the dinnerhall as part of the visit. Due to the card system in place, only one adult and the child can have lunch that day.
Glenboig Primary induction days arethe 31stof May and 1stof June from 10am. Glenboig Parents are also invited to lunch as part of theirsecond induction day.
Mrs Calvertand I are looking forward to spending time with your children and getting to know them better as they prepare to move to school in August.
Volunteers
Thank you to all our volunteers for the trips. We appreciate that people are really busy with work and other commitments. We are always looking for you to come along and help us out if you have a spare morning or afternoon. If you think you would like to help out, just give your name to any of the nursery staff. We are always happy to see you and welcome you to our nursery.
Friday Forest and Trips
The dates for the bus trips and forest sessions for the rest of the term are as follows.
June 2nd, 9th and 16th. On the 16th, parents and carers are invited along to the Forest for an end of year party. As ever, please dress the children for being outside in our very changeable weather!
Inservice Day
Thursday 8thof June is the UK General Election and the school is being used as a polling station. This will now be an inservice day for all pupils. This was going to be our Nursery Sports Day AM and PM. We have had to check the diary for an alternative date and we will reschedule the Nursery Sports to Wednesday 14th of June. Weather permitting we will race outside. If it is pouring we will use the gym hall.
Nursery Graduation
The Nursery Graduation for our children will be on Monday the 19th of June for all the pupils from 9am. The children will be entertained by Magic Den who was great fun last year. The children will perform a few songs and then we will have the graduation and snack. There will be no afternoon session that day as all children are invited to attend in the morning.
Important Dates for May and June for your diary
Wednesday 24th May – School Induction Day 1 at 9.30am for new P1 pupils starting OLSJ in August.
Friday 26th and Monday 29th May – Long May weekend holiday
Thursday 1st June – School Induction Day 2 for new pupils starting OLSJ plus an opportunity to try school lunches.
Thursday 8th June – Inservice Day – school is being used as a polling station for the UK General Election.
Wednesday 14th of June – Nursery Sports Day and Dancing
Monday 19th of June – Nursery Graduation from 9am
Nursery Natters
Our final Nursery Natters coffee morning will be on Wednesday 21st of June in the library. Please come along for a cuppa and a natter if you can. Everyone welcome.
And Finally…
As ever, thank you for all your help and support………………..just over 5 weeks the summer holidays but who is counting!!!!!
Ellen M. Turnbull
Headteacher
Comments and suggestions
Please email or send in any comments or suggestions you may have to the addresses listed. Thank you.