FOX COVERT R.C. PRIMARY SCHOOL
SEPTEMBER 2016 NEWSLETTER
What a fantastic and busy start we have had to the new session. It was a privilege to welcome Archbishop Cushley to celebrate our 50th anniversary mass. The children were a great credit to our school, reading and singing with great confidence and enthusiasm.
We have spent the first 5 weeks of our new session working with our friends from Fox Covert Primary school as we stepped back to the 60s and explored the trends, style and culture of that era. Our Open Morning was so well attended, we barely had room to squeeze everyone one. Thank you to everyone who was able to come and celebrate with us and support the children as they showcased their learning. Thank you also to the many parents who helped with catering at both events. It’s heartening to see our whole school community working and celebrating together.
Amidst our own celebrations, we found time to celebrate another birthday – Roald Dahl’s 100th. The children embraced this event with great pleasure. We saw some excellent character costumes, shared our favourite stories and took part in live author events online. Thank you for your efforts in providing costumes for both Roald Dahl and the 60s dress down events. It’s no easy task but the children loved it and looked fantastic! Our Dahl Dress Down Day raised £100.61 for CCLASP. We have supported Glow Gold September an organisation to help raise awareness of Childhood Cancer.
We also enjoyed a series of visits to the Edinburgh International Book Festival and children listened to a range of authors talk about their writing inspiration and share stories.
VISTS/VISITORS
Edinburgh Schools Triathlon Event 2016: Primary 6/Primary 7 will participate in this event on Wednesday 28 September 2016. Pupils should bring a packed lunch with them on that day.
Vikingar: Primary 4 will visit Vikingar in Largs on Thursday 27 October. Further information to follow.
Hillend Ski Centre: Primary 5 pupils from both schools will begin a series of ski lessons on Monday 31 October to 5 December (inclusive).
ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations to the following pupils on their achievements:
Dancing: to Chloe Parsons who achieved a Pass with Distinction in her Primary Tap Dancing exam.
Football: to Freddie Owens who was successful in the Scottish FA Lidl Advanced Skills Trials. Freddie has been selected into the Programme for 2016-2017/
SCHOOL PROCEDURES
School Uniform: Could we please remind you that our school colours are grey, brown, yellow and white, NO BLACK PLEASE. Pupils should wear black shoes/black trainer shoes NOT football trainers, bright shiny footwear, or trainers with bright coloured laces etc. Any football colours or denim should not be worn. Please avoid football colour on lunch boxes, pencil cases etc.
PE Kits: Our PE kit for Indoor and Outdoor PE is as follows:
Indoor
House t-shirt
Shorts
Socks
Gym shoes/plimsolls
Long hair tied back
No jewellery
Outdoor
Cagoule
Sweatshirt
T-shirt
Shorts/leggings/joggers
Socks
Outdoor trainers
Towel
Carrier bag for wet footwear
Punctuality: Please make every effort to have your child in the playground to join their line when the bell rings. The start of the school day is an extremely important time for pupils and it is in their best interests if they are able to start the day’s learning in a calm, settled manner. It is unfair on pupils and staff if children arrive late and miss important teaching input.
We are instructed by the City of Edinburgh Council guidelines to record any lateness. Consistent lateness will be followed up by letter and can lead to referral to the Educational Welfare Officer.
If you have personal difficulties over punctuality please contact the school to discuss any issues with the Head Teacher.
Absence phone call: If your child is absent, please phone the school office on the first day of absence and as early as possible 339 2383. Every absence call should be followed up with a written note to the teacher on the pupil’s return.
Gate times: All gates are locked at 9:15am and any entry to school after this time is by the main entrance foyer only. Should any pupil arrive after 8:50am, I would ask that they walk round to the main entrance at the front of the school to enter the building and report to the school office. All visitors must enter this way, report to the school office and sign in. Gates will be opened again from 3.10pm till 4.00pm.
School Lunches: Meals are cooked on site. School lunches cost £2.05 per day. Menu forms and money must be sent by Wednesday, in an envelope marked with the child’s name, class and days on which lunches are required. Money Pockets are the ideal solution for sending money into school with your child. They are multi-functional and can be used for various collections, trip money, dinner money etc. They are available to purchase from the school office in bundles of 25 priced at £1.25.
Absence/lateness: At the start of every school session, we are provided with a summary of pupil attendance and absence for the previous session. This formal report requires to be included in our school handbook each session. Absence is unsettling for children and disrupts the continuity of their learning.
The majority of unauthorised absences are due to holidays within term time. Absence has a clear impact on progress in school work. Absence is unsettling for children and disrupts the continuity of their learning. The directive from the Scottish Executive states that permission for family holidays in term time can only be granted in exceptional circumstances. These are:
- where the family holiday is important to the wellbeing and cohesion of the family, following serious or terminal illness, bereavement or other traumatic events.
- where evidence is provided by an employer that leave cannot be accommodated during school holidays without significant consequences.
On occasion we also have to follow up unexplained absences. It is vital that you notify the school in writing of the reasons for any unavoidable absence and avoid wherever possible any holidays/breaks during the school term
Homework: This session our main homework focus will continue to be reading, mental maths approaches and problem-solving. During this session we are planning to review our homework policy and guidance taking into account current research in education. We will carry out a consultation to gather your views regarding homework and would be delighted to receive as many responses as possible.
After School Clubs: Could you please inform the after school club or any other school clubs, drama, sporting etc. of who will be collecting your child once the club has finished in order to avoid any confusion
HEALTH & SAFETY
Playground: Please ensure that before and at the end of the day children are not unattended in the playground, especially if playing on playground equipment. Also in the interests of health and safety please do not bring dogs into the playground and avoid younger children using bikes, trikes, scooters etc. as in the past accidents and injuries have occurred due to collisions. Thank you.
All visitors should use the main door and report to the office to sign in.
Medicines: The City of Edinburgh Council requires that medicine should only be administered after the appropriate form has been completed and signed by a parent/carer. Please inform us at any time of any changes in your child’s medical needs.
Nut Allergies: Some children suffer from a nut allergy, which is potentially very dangerous. Please do not send your child to school with foods containing nuts.
Head Lice: As it is no longer council policy to send out letters if head lice are detected in school, it is recommended by the Scottish Government that parents check their children’s hair on a regular basis (at least once a week). Children who show no signs of head lice should NOT be treated with special shampoo.
Car Parking: In the interests of safety, could we kindly ask parents to refrain from entering the car park to either drop off or collect pupils, including the After School Club and Breakfast Club. Thank you
Please be mindful when parking in the residential streets around the school, please be mindful of safe parking and residents’ driveways. A number of cars are still parking on double yellow lines and on dangerous corners posing a risk to children as they travel to school.
GET INVOLVED
If you are interested in volunteering in school on a regular basis, whether working alongside children or activities such as maintaining the library please get in touch.
Twitter: Our twitter accounts are:
@FoxCovertRCPS
@MissKellyFCRC
@MrMurphy_FCRC
@MissAlonsoFCRC
@MissConwayFCRC
@MrsQuinnFCRC
@MissMonaghan890
@MissH_Edin
@anne_purcell
Seesaw: Please register with Seesaw this year to see more of your child’s work in class. If you have previously registered you will need to sign out and log in using a new class code.
Parent Council: Meetings will be held in at Fox Covert RC Primary School in the staffroom from 7.00pm to 8.30pm on the following dates:
Thursday 13 October
Thursday10 November
First Minister’s Reading Challenge: Look out for information coming home soon about the First Minister’s Reading Challenge. Passports have arrived and we are ready to go !
Golden Time request: We plan to refresh our Golden Time games and activities. If you are clearing out before Christmas and have any games, jigsaws, craft activities, board games in good condition we would be delighted to receive them. Thank you.
Drumbrae Art Competition: If you require any further information regarding this Art Competition please use this link:
NYCos National Boys Choir 2017: This is open to Boys between the ages of 10 -16. Flyers are available from the school office or you can join online at NYCos.co.uk
City of Edinburgh Council Consultation on Out of School Care: Do you use or are you interested in using out of school care? Do issues around out of school care affect your family life? Following our consultation with parents, carers, young people and out of school care providers, a report has been compiled to explore thoughts, concerns and aspirations around out of school care. If you are interested in accessing this report, please go to the following link:
and search for Out of School Care
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
DRESS DOWN DAY: Friday 30 September 2016 will be a ‘Dress Down Day’ for Tong Len. Tong-Len’s mission is to help displaced communities in North India achieve a secure and sustainable future by addressing the root causes of their poverty and ill-health through a range of education and health-based projects. Further information can be found on the Tong Len website. Please send in a donation of 50p or more for the privilege of wearing casual clothes. If you do not wish to make a donation, please send your child to school in school uniform. Thank you
Parent Consultations: These have been arranged on the following dates:
Thursday 6 October– 5.00pm–7.00pm
Friday 7 October- 1.00pm-3.00pm
Tuesday 11 October- 4.40pm-6.30pm
Edinburgh Schools’ Open Day and Primary 1 enrolment: This year the Schools’ Open Day for new P1 parents will take place on Wednesday 2 November 9.30am -10.30am and 1.30pm – 2.30pm. This is an opportunity for families to visit their catchment school before Primary 1 enrolment begins.
Primary 1 enrolment will take place on Thursday 10 November 9.00am - 11.45am. If your child is aged fifth birthday falls on or before the 28 February 2018 then please come along with your child’s Birth Certificate, Utility bill, Council Tax bill and Baptismal Certificate (if you have one).
Nasal Flu: The Nasal Flu vaccinations have been scheduled for Monday 21 November 2016. Please return the signed form if you have not already done so.
Foxy Finance: Will held on the following dates throughout October, November and December:
Friday 7 October
Friday 4 November
Friday 18 November
Friday 2 December
Friday 16 December
Please send money in with your child to deposit into their Capital Credit Union account. Pupils should ONLY bring in money if they have an account number.
If your child wishes to open a Capital Credit Union account an application form can be obtained from the school office.
Calendar Dates for your Diary
Day / Date / TimeWednesday / 28/09/2016 / 9.00am / Rag Bag Collection
Wednesday / 28/09/2016 / 10.30am–1.30pm / P6/P7 Triathlon at Forrester/St Augustine’s
Thursday / 6/10/2016 / 5.00pm-7.00pm / Parent Consultations
Friday / 07/10/2016 / 1.00pm-3.00pm / Parent Consultations
Tuesday / 11/10/2016 / 4.30pm-6.30pm / Parent Consultations
Thursday / 13/10/2016 / 7.00pom–8.30pm / Parent Council Meeting
FRIDAY / 14/10/2016 / 12.05pm / SCHOOL CLOSES
MONDAY / 24/10/2016 / STAFF RESUME (In-Service Day)
TUESDAY / 25/10/2016 / PUPILS RESUME
Thursday / 27/10/2016 / All Day / P4 – Visit to Vikingar
Monday / 31/10/2016 until 5/12/2016 / P5 Skiing at Hillend
Wednesday / 02/11/2016 / 9.30am–10.30am
1.30pm-2.30pm / New P1 Open Morning
Thursday / 10/11/2016 / 9.00am-11.45am / New P1 Enrolment
Thursday / 10/11/2016 / 7.00pm-8.30pm / Parent Council Meeting
Monday / 21/11/2016 / Nasal Flu Vaccinations
Thursday / 24/11/2016 / 2.00pm-3.00pm / Open Afternoon
Wednesday / 30/11/2016 / 9.00am-10.15am / P1 Screening
Wednesday / 30/11/2016 / 11.00am–12.00pm / St Andrews Day/Advent Mass – All welcome
Tuesday / 06/12/2016 / 9.00am-12.00pm / Hopscotch Theatre
Friday / 09/12/2016 / 6.00pm-9.00pm / Christmas Fayre set up
Saturday / 10/12/2016 / TBC / Christmas Fayre
THURSDAY / 22/12/2016 / 12 NOON / TERM ENDS
Christmas Party and Nativity dates will be confirmed shortly