Newsletters from 15th December 2016 to June 2017 · Web viewNewsletter 148/15.12.16. Dear Parent/Carer, This will be the final newsletter of 2016. I would like to take this opportunity

Newsletter 148/15.12.16Dear Parent/Carer,

This will be the final newsletter of 2016. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to thank you all for your continued support.

The school will close for the holidays at 12.00pm on Thursday 22nd December and will re-open to children on Tuesday 10th January.

Well done to Ms Bouwer!!I am delighted to inform you that Ms Bouwer has been successful in her application to become Depute Headteacher at Gilmerton Primary School. In the short time that she has been with us, she has worked tirelessly to support the children and the school and this work has been recognised through her promotion.

Her post will be advertised within the next couple of weeks and we hope to interview shortly into the new year. I have agreement from Ms. Bouwer’s new head teacher, however that she will not leave us until her replacement is found.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Ms Bouwer every success in her new position.

Nursery NewsWe are so proud of the nursery children and how confidently they performed our shows this week. Well done everyone! Many thanks to all the parents/carers for your support with this.

Just a reminder that on Thursday we have our whole nursery Christmas Party at 8.30 – 11.40 (doors open at 8.30). Parents are welcome to come to see Santa’s visit at 11am. Please come to the dining hall entrance in the playground. As the school closes at 12 noon can we remind parents/carers that this is the nursery provision for the day and there will be no afternoon session. We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Lost PropertyAs we are almost at the end of term, can I ask you to please ensure that if your child has lost any article of clothing, water bottle, packed lunch box etc that you check the lost property bins before the children break off. All lost property from August to October will be placed in our recycling rag bag. Thank you.

Dates for your diary for the next two school weeks:

Monday 19th

December

1.15 – P4 Christmas Party

Monday 9th

January

Tuesday 20th

December


Tuesday 10th

January

Wednesday 21st

December

Please hand in lunch order slips and money today to the class teacher.

9.15am – Christmas Assembly at Leith St. Andrews Church


Wednesday 11th

January

Thursday 22nd

December

8.30 – 11.40 Nursery Christmas Party (whole nursery)School and nursery closes at 12.00pm

Thursday 12th

January


Friday 23rd

December Holiday Friday 13th

January

I hope you have found this newsletter informative. Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely,

Denise Penman, Head Teacher.


Welcome back! I hope you had a lovely festive break. It was lovely to see all the children back to school and nursery on Tuesday.

Promoting Emotional Health & Well-being – Building ResilienceResilience is a key factor in protecting and promoting good mental health. With this in mind, we will be introducing a new whole school program which aims to look at different ways in which we can help support children to develop their resilience.

This programme will run over a three-year period and will cover ten different themes. Each theme will be introduced at an assembly and key messages are followed up during class activities and at further assemblies. At the beginning of each theme, a parent/ carer guide will be sent out to allow you to support your child in their learning.

The first theme will be introduced during our assembly tomorrow, where the children will revisit and further extend their understanding of what it is to ‘be resilient’. A leaflet is attached to this newsletter giving further details.

Should you have any queries, or indeed like any further information regarding this programme, please contact us.

Home/ School CommunicationAs you know, Hermitage Park Primary School communicate with parents and carers in a variety of ways. We are always looking for ways to improve and to make sure that the communication is useful and effective. To this end, therefore a questionnaire will be sent out over the next few days seeking your views and opinions. I would be obliged if you could complete this questionnaire and return it to your child’s class teacher by Friday 20th January. Many thanks.

Primary 6 Lockerbie Manor Residential Trip – 06/03/17 to 10/03/17A meeting has been arranged for parents and carers and children in primary 6 who will be attending the residential trip to Lockerbie Manor from 6th March to 10th March. The meeting will take place on Tuesday 1st February 6.00pm to 7.00pm where further information will be given as to what children will experience on the trip. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.


Monday 16th January

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 23rd

January

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 17th January 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5

Basketball

Tuesday 22nd

January 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Wednesday 18th January

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

3.00 – 3.45: P1 & P2 Gymnastics3.30 – 4.45: P3 – P7 Gymnastics

3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 23rd

January

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 19th January


3.00 – 3.30: P1 & P2 Parkour3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Parkour4.30 – 5.30: P4 – P7 Taekwondo

Thursday 24th

January



Friday 20th

January

12.05 – 12.50: P1 – P2 Strange Town Drama Club12.15 – 1.15: P3 – P7 Strange Town Drama Club

Friday 25th

January




Newsletter 150/19.01.17

Dear Parent/Carer,

Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitagepark.edin.sch.uk.

Nursery NewsThe children have settled well back into the nursery and we have started doing our Daily 'mini' Mile to kick start the new year. Everyone has been really enthusiastic about running each day and we hope to keep this up all term.

We are also inviting parents to 'Stay and Play' from the 23rd January to 24th February. These sessions allow parents to spend 1 hour in the nursery, playing with the children and taking part in activities. A timetable has been put up in the cloakroom if you would like to sign up to a day.

Continuing from last year we are building our knowledge of French and sign-a-long. The French word of the week and the sign of the week are displayed in the cloakroom. We have been delighted to hear that some of the children are singing our French songs at home! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff.

Loose Parts PlayAs some of you may know, children have now been given the opportunity to take part in Loose Parts Play during playtimes and lunchtimes. They are thoroughly enjoying the experience and are using their imagination and creativity to build a raft of different constructions.

The Pupil Council, who have been leading this initiative have put together a flyer giving information on the kinds of resources which we would like donated to support this. Should you have anything, please hand it into us. Thank you.

School Association Fund-raising 2016At our recent School Association meeting, I was delighted to hear the finance update for 2016. It transpires that the amount raised through fund-raising and the many grant awards that we have received totals £28 595.46!

This is an amazing amount and I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone involved. We are now in a position to start ordering resources for the playground and I am hoping that by the Easter holidays, we will see some of the many improvements in place.

School Trip FundingTaking children out of school to experience learning in a different environment or the meet with specialists is extremely worthwhile and enhances their learning experiences enormously. We try to ensure that all school trips are sourced and costed at as low a price as possible, however, in most cases, there is unfortunately a cost that needs to be met.

We understand that for some, it can be quite challenging to meet the cost of trips and we do not wish to put any pressure on parents and carers to try to pay this. We are also very clear that it is important that all children participate and do not miss out because of lack of funds.

http://www.hermitagepark.edin.sch.uk/

With this in mind, therefore I have reached agreement with the School Association for us to use some of their funds which have been raised over the year to ensure that there will be no cost for school trips whatsoever in the future (with the exception of the primary 6 residential trip). All costs will be paid for through these funds. This initiative will ensure equity for all children.

We will however let you know how much each trip costs so that you are aware and to also highlight the importance of supporting the School Association in their fund-raising activities.


Monday 23rd

January

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 23rd

January

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 22nd January 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5

Basketball

Tuesday 22nd

January 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Wednesday 23rd January

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 23rd

January

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 24th January



Thursday 24th

January



Friday 25th

January


Friday 25th

January





Dear Parent/Carer,

Thank you so much to all those who completed our recent questionnaire relating to communication within the school. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be collating and analyzing the results and I will give more details regarding the outcomes at that time.

One area that we have already been looking at is our website, and how we can make it more accessible to everyone and in particular be able to view it using a mobile phone device. We have developed a new site which will allow us to do that and which I feel is easier to navigate. To get information, you merely need to click on a category cloud or for specific class information, click on the class tag on the right hand side. I hope that you feel that this is better, however we will continue to ‘tweak’ it as we go.

To access the new site follow the link – www.hermitageparkprimary.com. The old website will continue to run for the next few weeks, however no new information will be posted there. Any feedback on this new website would be much appreciated.

Principal Teacher – Support for Pupils AppointmentI am delighted to inform you that we have successfully interviewed for the above position. The successful candidate is Mr Ross Hutchison. Mr Hutchison will join our team on Monday 20th March. Ms. Bouwer will leave us on Friday 17th March.

Mr Hutchison will be working with us over the next few weeks to familiarise himself with Hermitage Park and the way that we work.

Be Bright, Be Seen CampaignTomorrow is dress-down day and as part of the Be Bright, Be Seen Campaign, the Junior Road Safety Officers are asking us to wear bright clothing. We would therefore be obliged if children could come to school tomorrow wearing bright, colourful clothes. Thank you.

Nursery NewsWe have had a lovely week celebrating Robert Burns and have been singing ‘Three Craws’ and ‘Up in the Morning’ along with reading books with Scots words. We even had haggis for snack on Wednesday!

Our French word of the week is ‘bien’ and the children are becoming really confident with their greetings.

Stay and Play is continuing and if you would like a session there are still places available. Please sign up in the cloakroom if you would like to play with your child in the nursery.

Could we please ask parents of children who attend our afternoon sessions to ensure that they do not collect their children before 4pm. This is to ensure that the learning in the nursery is not adversely affected. The doorbell will not be answered before that time. If you have an appointment and need to collect your child early, please inform a member of staff and they will arrange for your child to be collected from the school office. Thank you.

Reminder - Parent Meeting – Lockerbie Manor Residential TripA meeting has been arranged for parents and children to give more details regarding the residential trip to Lockerbie Manor. This will take place on Wednesday 1st February at 6.00pm. You will be given the opportunity to hear about the arrangements that have been made, to see some photographs of the centre and also to ask any questions. If you have not already done so, please complete the reply slip, which has been sent separately to this newsletter to confirm if you and your child can attend. Thank you.

http://www.hermitageparkprimary.com/

Loose Parts PlayMany thanks for the donations which we have received in support of our ‘loose parts play’.


Monday 30th

January 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 6th

February 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 31st

January 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball Tuesday 7th

February 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Wednesday 1st February

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 8th February

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

Internet Safety Day – all day


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 2nd

February


P5b to visit the National Library of Scotland – am

P7b to visit the National Library of Scotland – pm

Photographer in school to take class and group photographs – all day

3.00 – 3.30: P1 & P2 Parkour3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Parkour

Thursday 9th

February


9.15 – 10.15 – P1a Class Assembly


Friday 3rd

February


Friday 10th

February

10.45 – 11.30 P4a Class Assembly





Dear Parent/Carer,

What a busy week we have had! Unfortunately, we have had a significant amount of illness throughout the school and this has resulted in some staff absence. Can I please ask you to ensure that if your child has sickness and/or diarrhea that you keep them off school for 48 hours from the last bout? By doing this, we can try to stop the spread of the illness more quickly. This is in line with Lothian Health Board guidelines. Thank you.

Generation Science – Marvellous MagnetsWe have managed to book Generation Science at the last minute to coming into school next week to work with the primary 2 and primary 3 children investigating magnets and magnetism. This is an excellent opportunity for children to work with real scientists in a fun and active workshop.

Generation Science have been in school several times over the years and all the children really enjoy the experience.

Road Safety Show On Wednesday 22nd February primary 6 will have the opportunity to see a production on Road Safety by the Baldy Bane Tour entitled “The Journey”. This is commissioned and funded by Road Safety Scotland.

It will explore the developing relationships in a group of young friends as they journey through primary school towards secondary school. The people they meet and the places they go exert different influences on their behaviour.

BikeabilityI am delighted to inform you that Alexis Simpson, parent volunteer and Dave McGuire, pupil support assistant have recently received training in delivering Bikeability.

We will be beginning our sessions with primary 7 on Monday 20th February and in afternoon and the course will run each and every Monday for 8 weeks (excluding holidays).

The plan is for primary 6 and also primary 7 children to participate in this training at a later date.

Nursery NewsWe have had another busy week in the nursery with parents/carers coming to ‘Stay and Play’. We still have some spaces left in February if anyone would like to sign up.

Our French word of the week is ‘Merci’ meaning ‘Thank you’. Please see the noticeboard or ask a member of staff if you need help with the sign-a-long. We are so delighted that the children are singing our French songs at home and several parents have asked for the words to ‘Bonjour mes amis’. We will post these on our website this week!

This week our focus continues with counting items in a row and learning about the first sound in a word. In nursery we are using www.starfall.com to learn about sounds. We are also really enjoying using a bead string to move beads as we are counting. Why not test your child to see if they know the first sound in their name and if they can say other words beginning with this sound?

School DinnersOver the past few weeks, we have had several dinner choice slips being returned to us late on a Friday morning. It is really important that we receive these on a Thursday morning as Mrs Reid, who coordinates this does not work on a Friday and she must order all meals on a Thursday from Leith Primary School kitchens.

Can I please therefore ask you to ensure that all slips are handed in on Thursday mornings. If you child is absent, or if they forget, then Mrs Reid will endeavor to ensure that a meal is available, however it is highly likely that there will not be a choice. Thank you.

http://www.starfall.com/


Monday 6th

February 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 20th

February

pm – P7: Bikeability please remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 7th

February

am: P3a Generation Science Workshop – Marvellous Magnets3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Tuesday 21st February 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Wednesday 8th February

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

Internet Safety Day – all dayam: P2a & P2b Generation Science Workshop – Marvellous Magnetspm: P3b Generation Science Workshop – Marvellous Magnets


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 22nd February

8.15 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

am - P6: Road Safety Show


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 9th

February


9.15 – 10.15 – P1a Class Assembly


Thursday 23rd February



Friday 10th

February

10.45 – 11.30 P4a Class Assembly


Friday 24th

February

Non-School Uniform Day





Dear Parent/Carer,

Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitageparkprimary.com. The school will close for our February holiday tomorrow and will reopen to staff and children on Monday 20th February. I hope you all have a lovely mid-term break.

Questionnaire re CommunicationOnce again thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our questionnaire regarding communication between school and home. We had over 100 responses which is a fantastic amount and the results have given us a real insight into parents and carers views. The summary of responses will be posted on our school website for everyone to see.

What is coming out of this loud and clear, is that parents and carers appreciate having a weekly newsletter, however they would like the newsletter to include more information regarding what is happening within school e.g. trips and workshops etc. We will endeavor to make sure that these are included. Parents and carers would also prefer for the newsletter to be emailed out rather than a paper copy in school bags. We are currently investigating systems which will allow us to do this. Unfortunately, we cannot use our normal email systems as due to data protection regulations and confidentiality we need to ensure that email addresses are not shared. Mr Fair, our business manager is looking into this and it is hoped that we will be able to implement parent email soon after the February holiday.

Some responses asked for a month’s notice for any events and where possible we try to give as much notice as possible. Yearly events such as class assemblies, Christmas events, whole school’s events are set in August and this information is posted to our website in August and updated throughout the year. We will ensure that this continues and that any events booked throughout the year are notified in the newsletter as soon as is practically possible.

Most parents and carers found our website useful however there were concerns regarding the layout of the website and also that some classes post more than others therefore there is a need for greater consistency across the school.

As you know, we have changed our website and initial feedback is very positive and we have already had 732 hits in February which is significantly more than the previous website. We are also in the process of writing a website policy/procedure for staff to ensure that everyone is very clear regarding expectations and to ensure greater consistency across the school.

When communicating last minute events, most parent/ carers would prefer us to use text messages, therefore this will continue and the majority of respondents attended and found class assemblies and teacher consultations useful.

Should you have any further comments/ ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Football Coaching with Hibs Football ClubChildren in primary 2 will participate in a course of football coaching sessions which will begin on Wednesday 22nd February and will run for 6 weeks. We have been lucky enough to have these coaching sessions for the past few years and the children really enjoy the experience.

World Book Day – Thursday 2 nd March World Book Day will take place this year on Thursday 2nd March and we have arranged several activities for the children to help them celebrate this and to encourage their love of reading!

The storyteller, Fergus McNicol from Macastory will be in school on Wednesday 1st March and Wednesday 8th March to work with children from Nursery to Primary 7.

On Thursday 2nd March, we would ask children to dress up as their favourite book character and we will be holding a special book assembly. We have arranged for Blackwells to visit the school binging a selection of books for children to either swap for a £1 book or put it towards one of their other books. They will also have a 20% discount on other books. Parents and carers are welcome to come into school between 2.45pm – 3.30pm to buy books with their children.


Nursery NewsOur French word of the week in the nursery is ‘s’il vous plait’ meaning please. Have a look on our noticeboard for the sign-a-long. We have also been busy counting and learning about sounds. We are becoming more confident identifying our names in writing and talking about the initial sounds. Well done!

We would like to invite parents/carers to come in and read a story in our sensory room on Fridays. For more information, please see our noticeboard. Further information regarding upcoming World Book Day events for the nursery will be issued in the coming weeks!


Monday 20th

February


3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 27th

February


3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 21st February 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball Tuesday 28th

February 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Wednesday 22nd February

8.16 – 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

am - P6: Road Safety Showpm – P2: Hibs Football Club

3.00 – 3.45: P1 & P2 Gymnastics3.30 – 4.45: P3 – P7 Gymnastics3.30 – 5.00: Animation Club

3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 1st March

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

All day – Fergus McNicol storyteller

pm – P2: Hibs Football Club


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 23rd

February



Thursday 2nd

Marchy


World Book Day – see item above


Friday 24th

February

Non-School Uniform Day


Friday 3rd

March





Dear Parent/Carer,

Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitageparkprimary.com. .

P6 Residential Trip to Lockerbie ManorPrimary 6 will be travelling to Lockerbie Manor for our annual residential trip on Monday 6 th March and will return to school on Friday 10th March. They will be accompanied by Miss Bishop, Mrs Murray, Miss Pollard and Mr Goodfellow (active schools coordinator). This is an excellent experience for all and children (and staff) thoroughly enjoy their time there.

Fairtrade FortnightFairtrade fortnight begins on Monday 27th February. The Fairtrade committee will be letting the pupils know about all of our fun Fairtrade fortnight activities this week at assembly, however we felt it might be useful for parents and carers to know also.

We will be running a Fairtrade snack challenge for two weeks and any pupils that bring in a Fairtrade snack will be given a Fairtrade sticker. We will also be running a ‘Guess how many Tea Bags Competition’. This entails Fairtrade representatives going round the classes during the next 2 weeks with a bag full of Fairtrade tea bags for pupils to guess how many there are. This competition will cost 20p per guess and the winning pupil will receive their choice of item from the tuck shop free of charge.

In addition to this, we will be running a Fairtrade tuck shop every day for a week to allocated classes. The days are as follows:

Monday 27th February- P1 and P3 Tuesday 28th February- P2 and P4Wednesday 1st March- P5Thursday 2nd March- P6Friday 3rd March- P7

Nursery NewsOur new topic is ‘The Sea’. We have enjoyed reading ‘The Rainbow Fish’ and ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’ and doing lots of artwork such as creating lighthouses with junk materials. Special thanks to Brandon’s Mum who collected lots of rocks, shells, crabs, sticks, seaweed and many interesting objects from the beach for our tuft tray play area. The children have been fascinated by the shells in particular and have loved using their senses when exploring the objects.

We are also transforming our hut into a storytelling area. If anyone has any dressing up clothes or props that would fit in with well-known stories, please let us know! Thanks to the parents/carers who have signed up to read stories in the run up to Book Day. If you are interested in this, please sign up on the noticeboard. Please also note that we would welcome stories in different languages.


Monday 27th

February pm – P7: Bikeability please remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 6th

March P6 to Lockerbie Manorpm – P7: Bikeability please remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

Selected P6 & P7 children to Cross Country event at The


Meadows

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 28th February 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball Tuesday 7th

March

P6 to Lockerbie Manor

3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Wednesday 1st March

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

All day – Fergus McNicol storyteller



3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 8th March


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir



3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 2nd

March


World Book Day


Thursday 9th

March




Friday 3rd

March


Friday 10th

March


P6 return from Lockerbie Manor





Nursery NewsIn the nursery this week we welcomed Fergus the storyteller as part of our World Book Day celebrations. We had a lot of fun singing songs and using our imaginations to develop his stories. As part of our promotion of Bedtime Stories we came to nursery dressed in our pyjamas. Please remember you are welcome to borrow books from the nursery. We have talked about our favourite characters in books and are going to focus on ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ next week.

As part of our maths discussions we have been looking at big and small and making comparisons. We have also been using the French words for big and small – grand(e) and petit(e) alongside the Sign-a-long.

Open Day – Wednesday 15 th March Our next open day will take place on Wednesday 15th March 2.15pm – 3.15pm. This is an opportunity for you to come into school to see what the children are learning and discuss this learning with them. Please feel free to visit as many classes as you wish, not necessarily your own child’s class.

From Studio to Stage – Queens Hall, EdinburghChildren from both the junior and senior choir alongside some of our talented dancers will be taking part in a concert, “From Studio to Stage” on Tuesday 14th March at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh. The children have been working very hard on their performance and can’t wait to perform on a real theatre stage.

Letters giving full details have been given out to the families of the children who will be participating however should your child not be performing but you would like tickets for the performance, please contact the Queen’s Hall directly.

20 Miles per Hour Speed LimitI have been asked by City of Edinburgh Council to remind everyone that phase 2 of the rollout of a 20 miles per hour (mph) speed limit went live on 28 February 2017. The second phase is the largest construction phase in the scheme stretching from Granton to Portobello, Duddingston to Morningside, Gorgie to Murrayfield. The introduction of the new 20mph limit has relied upon signage and road markings alone and existing speed humps or other traffic calming remain unchanged. Larger 20mph signs mark the entrance and exit of a 20mph area where the speed limit changes. These signs are supplemented by smaller repeater signs or road markings with speed limit roundels.

While many cities in the UK, Europe and beyond have already brought in 20mph (or 30km), Edinburgh is the first city in Scotland to roll out 20mph limits in this way, with many other areas, including East Lothian, keen to bring in slower speeds.

Slower speeds bring many benefits to places and people. They help to reduce the risk and severity of collisions, encourage people to walk and cycle and spend more time in an area. The project extends 20mph speed limits to approximately 80% of Edinburgh’s streets, while retaining a network of roads at 30mph and 40mph on key arterial routes.

Our Junior Road Safety Officers will be discussing the roll-out of phase 2 during our assembly tomorrow.


Monday 6th

March P6 to Lockerbie Manor

pm – P7: Bikeability please

Monday 13th

March pm – P7: Bikeability please remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20243/20mph_for_edinburgh

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20243/20mph_for_edinburgh


remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

Selected P6 & P7 children to Cross Country event at The Meadows

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 7th

March


3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball

Tuesday 14th

March 3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P5 Basketball6.30 – Studio to Stage Performance @ Queen’s Hall

Wednesday 8th March


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir



3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 15th March

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


2.15 – 3.15 - Open Day


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 9th

March




Thursday 16th March



Friday 10th

March


P6 return from Lockerbie Manor

Friday 17th

March

10.45 – 11.30 – P3b Class Assembly






Nursery NewsThis week we have enjoyed listening to and acting out the story of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’. We made story maps and retold the story using pictures, by ourselves! We have also made a big display that helps us remember the order of events. Our French word of the week is ‘beau’ meaning beautiful and we have done the Signalong during our story too. We have been talking about position and using words such as over, on, above, below, under and through.

Lexi Shepherd P3a to Represent ScotlandCongratulations to Lexi Sheppard who has been selected to represent Scotland at the Dance World Cup in Germany. Lexi has also been chosen by a panel of judges to be Team Scotland's Mascot and will be one of three dancers who will lead the Scotland Team during the opening ceremony.

The Dance World Cup has over 12,000 children trying to qualify for the final which is held each year in a different country. There are 47 countries from all over the World who compete in this very prestigious competition.

Mrs McLaughlin, our PE and Dance specialist is one of Lexi's coaches and will also be attending the competition. To represent your country at this level is such a great achievement. We wish them both every success at the competition.

Open Day – Wednesday 15 th March Just to remind you that our next Open Day will take place on Wednesday 15th March 2.15pm – 3.15pm

School Association Bingo Night – 23/03/17The School Association will be holding a ‘Bingo Night’ on Thursday 23rd March 6.30pm – 8.00pm in the school hall. Tickets cost £1 per adult; 50p per child and will include a drink and a snack. Game tickets will cost 50p each.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 10th March before and after school. Tickets are limited so please come early to purchase them. Please note that this event is for school aged children only.

Playground DevelopmentAs you will see progress is being made in our playground developments. The shed, which unfortunately was not as robust as we had hoped has now been replaced by a container and children are once again enjoying the loose parts play. We have taken delivery of more benches and picnic benches and we now have storage containers which need to be bolted down. These containers will contain playground toys, small world play and art/ craft resources for children to access during their breaks.

We have also taken delivery of our first set of planters which will now be painted and will be planted with shrubs and flowers. Mrs McCaskell and our primary 3 gardeners will take responsibility for these.

Many schools across the authority are in the process of developing their playground and unfortunately in some schools some issues have arisen regarding health and safety. These are schools who have installed natural playgrounds with tunnels, sand and/or high rise constructions.

As a result of this all playground developments have been stopped and a strict protocol put in place. Requests have to be made formally to head office and a project manager must be appointed by them. Before this instruction had been enforced, we were already well on our way with our astroturf pitch as we had received 2 out of the 3 quotes that are required.

I have made the request on behalf of Hermitage Park Primary School for these works to continue several weeks ago and I am hoping to hear back soon however all head teachers have been informed that due to the number of applications that have been received this may take some time. Whilst this is disappointing and may mean that our timescales are further extended, we will continue to chase this permission up.

Homework/ Out of School Learning PolicyAt the last School Association meeting there was some discussion around Homework and the pros and cons of this. Some parents are obviously very in favour whilst others are not. It was suggested that the School Association should seeks the views of the wider parent forum in the form of a survey.


Hermitage Park Primary School has a Homework/ Out of School Learning Policy which has been in operation since November 2013. This can be found on the school website and states clearly what the expectations are and what happens if homework is not done. Should you wish a hard copy of this policy, please ask at the school office.

Basketball After-School ClubUnfortunately, due to the unreliability of the coach, our after-school basketball club has had to be cancelled. I have spoken to Lee Goodfellow, our Active Sports Coordinator who assures me that he has contacted all the relevant parents to apologise and to arrange for a refund of monies.

Lee is in the process of trying to find another sports club that can take place on a Tuesday after school.


Monday 13th

March


3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 20th

March

P6b trip to Edinburgh Zoo (all day) pm – P7: Bikeability please remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 14th

March 6.30 – Studio to Stage Performance @ Queen’s Hall

Tuesday 21st

March


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


2.15 – 3.15 - Open Day


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 22nd March

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir



3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 16th

March



Thursday 23rd

- March



Friday 17th

March



Friday 24th

March






Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitageparkprimary.com. The school will close for the Easter holidays on Friday 31st March and will reopen on Tuesday 18th April.

Nursery NewsIn the nursery this week we have started to talk about new growth and Springtime. We have set up a garden exploration tuft tray and the children have been pretending to plant. As soon as the weather improves we will start planting outside!

We are continuing our French learning and this week have been learning about the colours ‘rouge’ (red) and ‘vert’ (green). We went on a colour hunt around the school and took photos on the ipad. Have a look at our floorbook to see what we found.

Can we kindly ask that parents who wish to collect their child early in the afternoon, prearrange this with staff so as the doorbell does not interrupt our routines at the end of the day.

End of Term AssemblyOur end of term assembly will take place next Friday morning at Leith St. Andrews Church. The children will walk down to the church as soon as possible after registration and we aim for the assembly to begin around 9.30am.

Should you be available to walk with us to the church we would really appreciate it. If you could meet at the school for 9.15am. Thank you.

Otherwise it would be really good to see as many parents and carers there as possible.

School Association RaffleIn order to support the School Association’s fund-raising activities for the primary 7 leaver’s dance, I have agreed that we will sell raffle tickets to children for the chance to win some spring goodies. The prizes vary but range for cuddly toys to chocolates.

Tickets will cost 50p each and will be on sale in class next week.

Swimming GalaRepresentatives from primary 6 & primary 7 will be attending The Edinburgh School’s Swimming Gala at the Commonwealth Pool on the morning of Wednesday 29th March. Letters have been sent out to those involved confirming details.


Monday 27th March pm – P7: Bikeability please

remember to bring your bike and helmet to school

Monday 17th April

Holiday


Tuesday 28th March

am – P4a Holyrood Park

am - P5a & P5b to Kubo & the Strings performance

Tuesday 18th April


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

am – Swimming Gala


3.30 – 5.00: Animation Club

3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 19th April

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 30th March

Please hand in lunch order slips and money today to the class teacher for lunches after the holidays Thursday

20th April


Friday 31st

March Non-School Uniform Day Friday 21st

April





Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitageparkprimary.com. The school will close for the Easter holidays on Friday 31st March and will reopen on Tuesday 18th April.

Nursery News

The children in the nursery have been enjoying talking about signs of Spring this week. We have been making Spring art and taking photographs on the ipads. We are also enjoying the brighter days in our garden area. Many thanks to the volunteers who have signed up to help with clearing areas and tidying up the garden.

We would like to say a big thank you to our student Miss Toyi who is spending her last week with us. The children and staff will miss working with her.

We would also like to wish Miss Hobbs all the very best for her wedding day which will take place over the Easter holidays. We hope she has a wonderful time! She will be returning as Mrs McLaren.

Late coming to School

Over the past few weeks we have been noticing that the number of children coming into school late has increased significantly.

Instructions for daily tasks are given and discussed at the beginning of the day together with the core teaching, therefore it is really important that children do not miss this. Continued late coming has a negative effect on their learning.

I would therefore be obliged if you could ensure that your child is in school for the 9.00am bell. Thank you.

School Association Bingo Night

What a great time was had by all at the School Association’s Bingo Night on 23rd March. There was a great turn-out and I am delighted to inform you that £300.77 was raised. Thank you to everyone who helped organise that event and who helped on the evening.

Bike/ Scooter Security

Yesterday afternoon, during the school day, two youths came into the school playground and stole two bikes from the bike rack. We were able to get them back immediately after staff chased the culprits. The Police have been informed.

Can I please remind you that should your child bring their bike or scooter to school they should securely chain it up to the bike rack? Thank you.


Monday 17th April Holiday Monday

24th April am – P4a Holyrood Park


Tuesday 18th April

Tuesday 25th April


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 20th April

Please hand in lunch order slips and money today to the class teacher. Thursday

27th April


Friday 21st

April


Friday 28th

April





Welcome back! I hope you had a lovely Easter holiday. It was great to see all the children back. Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitageparkprimary.com.

Nursery News

This week in the nursery we have enjoyed seeing our friends again and asking and answering questions about the Easter holidays. We have been enjoying the Spring weather and learning some songs too.

We are also continuing to learn French colours and the colour of the week is ‘orange’. We already know ‘vert’, ‘rouge’ and ‘jaune’ and have started asking about other colours too!

In gym, we are practising Athletics and are taking part in running, throwing and jumping activities.

Smart Phones and Access to Social Media Sites

It has come to my attention that some of our children have been accessing pornographic and inappropriate images on social media sites using their mobile phones. I have discussed this with the children who I know about and their parents, however can I please urge you to check your child’s search history and ensure that their phone has effective firewall security to ensure that this does not happen. Thank you.

Parent Reports

Our annual reports to parents will be sent out via schoolbag post tomorrow. Can I please ask you to sign and make any comments on the reply sheet by Friday 5th May? Thanks

Road Safety

It has been brought to our attention that the railing at Sleigh Drive/Lochend Road has not yet been repaired. This is resulting in children crossing the road before they walk round to the Crossing Attendant. If your child walks home this way can you please ensure that they walk to the crossing attendant for their own safety.



Monday 24th April am – P4b Holyrood Park Monday 1st

May Holiday

Tuesday 25th April

Tuesday 2nd

May 3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 3rd May


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

3.00 – 3.30: P1 & P2 Hibs Football3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Hibs Football3.30 – 5.00: Animation Club

3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 27th April


Thursday 4th

May In-Service Day

Friday 28th

April


Friday 5th

May





Please check out what the school has been up to and what the children have been learning on our school website - www.hermitageparkprimary.com.

Introduction to ParentPayLetters will go out today regarding an exciting initiative that will hopefully make the school a cash-free environment and which will go live on Monday 8th May. This system will also allow us to improve our communication systems, in line with the feedback we received from our recent survey on communication by allowing us to use email when communicating to parents.

Should you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to ask.

Nursery NewsIn the nursery this week we have been learning the French colours song. Our word of the week is ‘rose’ (pink) and the children can now say 6 colours in French! Our tricky colour is ‘jaune’ (yellow). We also know all the Sign-a-long for the colours.

We have been enjoying playing outside, particularly with the construction blocks, which we are now storing in an outside unit where the children can take responsibility for tidying away. The empty cardboard boxes have also inspired our imaginations!

In gym, we are continuing to practise our Athletics skills through throwing, jumping and running stations.

ParkSmart Campaign

The Junior Road Safety Officer team (JRSOs) and Miss Firth are currently running a ParkSmart campaign over three weeks, which started this week. You might have noticed a parking warden outside school this past week; this is part of the campaign.

The ParkSmart campaign aims is to raise awareness of the problems caused by double parking and parking on the yellow lines outside the school gates. This way of parking can make it difficult for children to cross the road safely on their way to and from school, as well as getting in the way of local residents.

We are also trying to encourage everyone to walk, scoot or cycle to school instead of driving.

The JRSOs will be holding an assembly tomorrow (Friday 28th) to share what they have been doing with the rest of the school and to introduce a competition to the children.

A ‘parent pledge’ has been sent home with this newsletter for parents to fill in. The JRSO team would like you to circle the statement that you will try to do over the next two weeks, and beyond, then return it to school for us to create a display with.

School Association FundraisingThe School Association have once again been working hard raising funds for the school. Recently they held a competition in aid of the P7 leavers dance to “Guess the Lamb’s Birthday” and raised £121.

The winning birthday was 12th April and the winner was Mya McConnachie, P3b.

Capturing Parents Views – Leith AcademyLeith Academy have asked me to advertise an event that they are holding for parents and carers of pupils in primaries 6 & 7 on how better to support, challenge, motivate and provide equity for our pupils. During this session you will be able to:


Speak to staff about your views; Share any concerns or hopes you have for the school; Identify any further help or support the school could be providing for parents/carers of

students; Vote on areas you feel we should be focusing more on as a school.

The event will take place on Friday 12th May between 2pm and 4pm in Leith Academy.


Monday 1st

May Holiday Monday 8th

May 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 2nd

May

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball Tuesday 9th

May

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball

Wednesday 3rd May


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

3.00 – 3.30: P1 & P2 Hibs Football3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Hibs Football


3.30pm – 4.15pm – P3 – P4 Creative Arts Club

3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 10th May

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 4th

May In-Service DayThursday 11th

May



Friday 5th

May


Friday 12th

May






Parent Questionnaire – School Improvement & Pupil Equity Fund

Questionnaires have been sent out today to determine views on how well we are doing in school and where you feel we need to focus upon next. These views will also help us to decide upon how we will spend the funds which we will receive from the Scottish Government to support our work to support children affected by poverty to meet their full potential.

I would be obliged if you could take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Please do not feel that you have to write in every box, only where you feel you have an opinion. Whilst questionnaires have been sent home with all children, please only complete one per family. Many thanks

Nursery News

This week in the nursery we have been learning about life cycles, we have our own caterpillars and tadpoles which we can’t wait to see them grow and transition into something new.

Next week we will be starting to look at transitions ourselves with many of us getting ready to move onto school.

We also have a new vegetable planter in the garden and we will be planting some of our seeds and bulbs ready for the summer.

General Election - Thursday 8 th June

We have been informed that the school will once again be used as a polling station for the General Election which will take place on Thursday 8th June. Whilst we have not have official confirmation as to whether this will be a school closure day or an in-service day, I can confirm that the school will be closed to all pupils of that day.


Monday 8th

May

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 15th

May 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 9th

May P1 to teddy bear’s picnic at the Royal Botanic

Tuesday 16th

May 3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball


Gardens3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball

Wednesday 10th May

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 17th May

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 11th May



Thursday 18th

May



Friday 12th

May


Friday 19th

May

P7 to Magic Maths morning at Leith Academy12.05 – 12.50: P1 – P2 Strange Town Drama Club12.15 – 1.15: P3 – P7 Strange Town Drama Club






Parent Questionnaire – School Improvement & Pupil Equity Fund

Thank you to everyone who has completed the above questionnaire. If you have yet to do so and wish to share your views, please return to the school office by tomorrow. Thanks.

Parent Consultations

Parent consultations will take place during the afternoon of Friday 26th May and the evening of Tuesday 30th May. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond Miss Firth’s control she will be unable to meet with parents on Friday 26th May, therefore she has arranged for her meetings to take place on Friday 19th May instead.

Letters have been sent out confirming appointments, should you not have received an appointment time, please contact us as soon as possible.

Nursery News

We have been talking about transitions and moving on. We made the move from home to nursery and now some of us are preparing for the move from nursery to Primary 1.

We are talking about what is going to happen, any worries, what we’re looking forward to and are becoming familiar with the new setting and what will be expected. The children have expressed that they are excited and looking forward to starting school!

We have started visiting the Primary 1 classrooms when empty and will have the opportunity next week to visit whilst the P1s are exploring their learning areas. We are using a visual time line of the school day to talk about what happens in Primary 1 and new activities such as playtime and lunchtime.

The children have used the gym hall throughout the year and have been in the infant playground for ‘Daily Mile’. They will get the chance to spend time in the dining hall during transition lunches; more information on this will follow soon. Please check the nursery notice board or speak to staff if you have any questions.

Lastly, as the weather slowly improves we would kindly ask parents/carers to apply sun cream to their child and make sure they have a sun hat if sunny weather is forecast.


Monday 15th May

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7

Monday 22nd

May Holiday

Dance

Tuesday 16th May

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball3.30 – 4.30 P3-P7Homework Club

Tuesday 23rd

May

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball3.30 – 4.30 P3-P7Homework Club

Wednesday 17th May

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Please complete you lunch order Online via Parentpay by midnight.

Wednesday 24th May

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 ChoirP7b to Art Workshop at the Hub




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 ChoirPlease complete you lunch order Online via Parentpay by midnight.

Thursday 18th May


Thursday 25th

May

P2 to Gorgie Farm


Friday 19th

May

P7 to Magic Maths morning at Leith Academy


P5a Parent Consultations

Friday 26th

May






I apologise that there was no newsletter last week. This was due to sickness absence.


Primary 7 Trip to the Scottish ParliamentAs part of the children’s work on democracy, a trip was arranged some time ago for primary 7 to visit the Scottish Parliament. This is due to take place next Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon respectively.

In light of the recent tragic events in Manchester and the terrorism threat level being increased to critical, several parents have contacted the school raising concerns and asking that this trip should not go ahead.

I have been in contact with the Scottish Parliament and sought advice, however their message is clear, that it is ‘business as usual’ for school tours. Armed Police officers are always in attendance at the Parliament, however I am assured that security has increased significantly and that more armed officers are in attendance. Everyone entering the building, including elected members and members of staff are entering the building through the main doors and that scanners are in place and bag checks (similar to airport arrangements) are carried out. No liquids are allowed into the building

I am assured that this enhanced security will have minimal impact upon the children’s experience.

I understand these concerns in such troubling times, however feel that it is important that this trip goes ahead. Should parents feel strongly that their child not attend, then that is their choice and we will honour this. Should this be the case, please let the school know as soon as possible. Where children do not attend the trip, alternative arrangements will be made for them in school.

Parent Curriculum Evening “1+2 Modern Languages”Over the past couple of years, we have spent considerable time and effort developing our modern languages curriculum in order to address the 1+2 Modern Languages initiative. I am delighted to invite parents/ carers to a curriculum information evening on Wednesday 7th June 5.45pm – 6.45pm in the school hall in order that you can find out more about what the children are experiencing. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

ParentPayParentPay – the new lunch ordering system went live for Hermitage Park Primary on the 8th May. Thank you to the parents and carers who have activated their accounts so far.

Once you have activated your account, log in via ParentPay rather than mygovscot. It is also important to note that you have up until midnight on a Wednesday to order for the following week. You can also order for the remaining school session if you wish!

For anyone that is having difficulty with the system, please come to the school office between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Monday the 29th May. We will have a computer available and we will try to assist with any problems with logging in and ordering. Many thanks.

Nursery NewsThe children who are going into P1 next session have continued to visit the classrooms this week. We have also welcomed some P1s into the nursery to talk about what to expect in P1. They told us that some things to look forward to are choosing things for your packed lunch, playing in the playground, learning about letters and numbers and meeting new friends.

A sign-up sheet for parent consultations has been put up in the cloakroom. These will take place Monday 29th May to Thursday 1st June. Please put your name next to a suitable time.

Can we also remind parents to put sun cream on their child on sunny days as the children have access to the outside garden area throughout the day and we have been enjoying the start of better weather.

Fairtrade Tuck shop


We will once again by holding a Fairtrade Tuckshop during break on Friday 2nd June. There will be a variety of items on sale ranging from 60p to £1.35.


Monday 29th May

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 5th

June 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 30th May

P7b – Scottish Parliament visit

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball


Tuesday 6th

June 3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball

Wednesday 31st May

Please complete ParentPay ordering of school lunches for next week.

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

P7a – Scottish Parliament visit




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 7th June


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

5.45 – 6.45 – Parent Curriculum Evening “1+2 Modern Languages”

Thursday 1st June


Thursday 8th

JuneSchool Closed to Pupils – General Election

Friday 2nd

June

Fairtrade Tuck Shop


Friday 9th

June







Changes to Staffing for next sessionWe have yet another change to staffing for next session. Mrs Gray, who has been with us for 14 years has been successful in being appointed at Fox Covert Primary School. Whilst she is sad to leave us, and we are sad to lose her, it is important for her own career development that she experience other schools. Mrs Gray has been instrumental in leading our 1 + 2 Modern Languages initiative alongside organizing Sports Day with Mrs McLaughlin over the past few years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work and commitment that she has shown to Hermitage Park Primary School and wish her all the very best for the future.

Her position will be advertised and it is hoped to interview candidates on Tuesday 20th June with a view to having them in post for the beginning of next session.

Class Teachers for next sessionEarly level spans Nursery to end of P1. Learning in P1 is based on active learning through play. It will look very similar to nursery. Each child will have an allocated ‘home group’ teacher for the session who will be your main point of contact for Primary 1. The children will be taught by all the teachers working collaboratively as a team thus ensuring all children are integrated in the year group as a whole. Children are organised into new mixed ability, class groups at the end of P1.

Children in the primary 2/1 class will be allocated according the City of Edinburgh Council policy; the oldest children in primary 1 alongside the youngest children in primary 2 will make up this class. However, there is a need to ensure balance regarding gender and also to consider additional support need. The maximum class size for any composite class is 25.

At other stages, the maximum class sizes are: 25 for primary 1; 30 for primary 2 and 3; 33 for primary 4 – 7.

Primary 1 teaching team – Miss Wilson, Mrs Salvona, Mrs Pitt, Miss BrownPrimary 2/1 – Miss BrownPrimary 2 – Miss BishopPrimary 3a – Miss SutherlandPrimary 3b – Miss AlexanderPrimary 4a – Miss MilnePrimary 4b – Miss FairweatherPrimary 5a – vacancyPrimary 5b – Miss FirthPrimary 6a – Miss BinniePrimary 6b – Mrs DeponioPrimary 7a – Ms. WatsonPrimary 7b - Miss Little

School Association – Homework QuestionnaireThanks to everyone who has already completed the homework survey. If you've not had a chance yet, you still have time.

The survey can be accessed with the following link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3H8HNWJ and can also be found on the school association website https://hermieschoolassoc.wordpress.com/

It is also possible to pick up a paper copy of the survey from the school office. The last day to complete the survey is Friday 9th June.

Bake Sale for Gymnastics ClubAngie Edwardson will once again be holding a bake sale for children on Friday during morning break in order to raise funds for the gymnastics club. Cakes will cost £1.00.

Nursery NewsThis week we have started talking about holidays and our topic is camping. We have turned our role play area into a camp site with a tent and the children have been making a pretend campfire for story time. We also had a special treat for a camping snack with fruit kebabs, sandwiches and ice cream.

https://hermieschoolassoc.wordpress.com/

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3H8HNWJ

The children going into P1 will be starting the transition lunches this week. Most children are very excited about Primary 1 and are looking forward to moving up and staying for lunch. The children who are staying are also keen to welcome our new children who will be arriving after the summer.

Please continue to check the notice board for any updates and information on nursery news.


Monday 12th June

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 19th

June 3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Tuesday 13th June

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball Tuesday 20th

June 3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball

Wednesday 14th June


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

1.00pm onwards – P1 –P3 Sports Day (Leith Academy Playing Fields)




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 21st June


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

9.15 – 10.15: Children meet new teachers




3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Thursday 15th June

1.30 – 2.30: Children meet new teachers3.00 – 3.30: P1 & P2 Parkour3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Parkour

Thursday 22nd June


Friday 16th

June


Friday 23rd

June






Changes to Staffing for next session

I informed you last week that Mrs Salvona’s job-share partner in primary 1 would be Mrs Kirsteen Pitt. Unfortunately, Mrs Pitt, who is currently on a career break living in England has just informed me that she no longer wishes to relocate to Edinburgh and take up her post. Mrs Salvona has kindly agreed to work full-time for the whole of the first term (until the October holidays). We will advertise the vacancy early in the new session with the aim of appointing a new member of staff as soon as possible.

Primary 7 Leavers’ Ceremony

The Primary 7 leavers’ ceremony will take place on Wednesday 28th June 1.45pm – 3.15pm. Unfortunately, to ensure that we do not go over our capacity for the hall, we will have to limit tickets to 2 per child. Should you not wish to take up the 2 tickets, please let us know in order that we can redistribute them

The children have been working extremely hard on their performance “Bugsy Malone” and are really looking forward to the show.

Primary 7 Prom

The Primary 7 Prom will take place on Thursday 29th June 5.45pm – 9.45pm. Letters giving full information have already been distributed by the School Association, however if you have not received these, please let us know as soon as possible. Thanks

Nursery News

This week in the nursery we have enjoyed playing in our ice cream parlour! We have designed ice creams on the smartboard using an ICT game, made ice cream cones using cotton wool and paper plates and enjoyed role playing in the shop.

We also performed a rehearsal of the garden party show for our P5 buddies. We are looking forward to seeing parents and carers on Tuesday (3-4pm) and Wednesday (10.30-11.30am) for the shows. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.


Monday 19th June

3.00 – 3.30: P1 – P2 Dance3.30 – 4.30: P3 – P7 Dance

Monday 26th June 9.00am – 1.30pm House Trip

Tuesday 20th June

3.30 – 4.30: P4 – P7 Basketball Tuesday

27th June


Wednesday 21st June


8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

9.15 – 10.15: Children meet new teachers


3.30 – 4.15: P 3 & 4 Choir

Wednesday 28th June

Please complete ParentPay ordering of school lunches for the first week back from the holidays.

8.15– 9.00: P5, 6 & 7 Choir

1.45 – 3.15 P7 Leaver’s Ceremony

Thursday 22nd June

Thursday 29th June 5.45 – 9.45 P7 Prom

Friday 23rd

June


Friday 30th

June School & Nursery closes at 12.00pm (noon)



Documents

Newsletters from 15th December 2016 to June 2017 · Web viewNewsletter 148/15.12.16. Dear Parent/Carer, This will be the final newsletter of 2016. I would like to take this opportunity