January 2016

Drakies Primary School

Neswetter

Happy New Year to all. We hope you enjoyed our festive cheer at Drakies last month and you had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. This term is a very long term and there is often a lot happening so please regularly check our school blog and Twitter pages for updates. Mrs Taylor 

School Improvement

Quality Assurance Visit There was a visit from Mrs Beaton , Quality Improvement Officer , in December and the overall outcome was positive. Mrs Beaton was happy with the progress made within behaviour protocol, community partnerships, communication and teaching + learning. Mrs Beaton will visit the school regularly over the course of Drakies Primary School a school year to assess school improvement. Drumossie Avenue Health and Well Being IV2 3SG We had a whole school visit from Andy McKechnie from Jammin’ Fitness on 12th

Tel: 01463 236032 January. He presented a whole school assembly from Nursery to Primary 7 and

Mrs Michelle Taylor showed us how to be good LEADERS and to stay healthy in body and mind.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS SCHOOL SCHOOL Teaching staff we have been working with Physical Education Development CLOSES REOPENS Officer Steve Holmes on how to develop physical activity and healthy mindsets Friday 12th Thursday 18 th February February in Drakies School. Thursday 24th Monday 11 th March April Miss Rose ran a Big Breakfast on Wednesday 27th January as part of the ‘shake Friday 29th April Tuesday 3 rd May up your wake up’ campaign. Across Scotland increasing numbers of children Wednesday 4th Friday 6th May are arriving at school having not had breakfast which can impact negatively May on their learning and behavio ur. Breakfast Clubs have been proven to have a Friday 3rd June Tuesday 7th June positive impact on punctuality, academic results, concentration, behaviour and attainment. Miss Rose gained support from Shona Patience Community School Blog Champion at Tesco to provide many different types of breakfasts for our https://drakiesprimarysch whole school to sample. oolblog.wordpress.com/ Numeracy and Literacy School Twitter Staff are working together with the Millburn Associated Primaries to create a @DrakiesPS consistent literacy and numeracy programme. There will be an information evening for parents in the upcoming new session.

Primary 1 Enrolments School Gate During the Primary 1 enrolment week we have had a number of forms which ensures we have a healthy number of Primary 1 children coming into When calling the school in August. Teachers for next session will be arranged in term 4. different rooms or the school office please follow instructions below : Build ing Improvements -Press 1 (bell) School We are going to have a new fire system installed over the next 6-10 weeks. The Office contractors will work through the night from 6pm – 4am to ensure the work is -Press 2(bell) Ladybirds completed whilst the children are not in the building. and Wraparound -Press 3 (bell) Honeybees The school are replacing the telephone system in the next few months to include a dedicated absence line, telephone points in all classrooms and an answering machine service.

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Building Improvements Cont. Staff members dedicated time to clearing and recycling resources across the school and partic ularly in room 5 to ensure it is set up as a spare classroom.

There has been a significant leak in the computer suite which will mean the whole ceiling in that room will be replaced over the next fortnight.

Nursery Provision and Enrolment Although there has been no change to the overall entitlement of 600 hours of Early Learning and Childcare that eligible 3 and 4 year olds can have – there are changes being introduced in some schools to allow the entitlement to be arranged more flexibly next year. The traditional arrangements have been that we have offered five sessions of 3 hours 10 minutes per week, either in the morning or afternoon. In addition there has been the opportunity to purchase wraparound care until 3 pm or 6pm.

From August 2016 there will be the opportunity for parents to take up the 600 hours as a maximum of 16 hours free entitlement per week – with a maximum in any one day of 8

free hours. Parents, if they wished, would therefore be able to tailor their child’s free entitlement to better match their own working pattern. For example - your child may use their entitlement over 3 days and not attend at all on the other two days. Parents may School Uniform also purchase additional early learning and childcare if they need to and if spaces are available. It is important for all children in Drakies What is required is that once you decide on the pattern you wish to use for your 16 hours, to wear school you will keep that pattern for the whole year. There may of course be a change of uniform. We have circumstances – e.g. you change your job and so your working pattern may change - but around 90% of that can be discussed with the Head Teacher to see if changes can be accommodated - children wearing but on the whole once the pattern for the 16 hours free entitlement is agreed then it remains in place for the year. the correct uniform

everyday however Enrolment for Nursery will be during 1-5th February between 3.00pm-4.00pm in the main we would like to school building. see everyone in the school wearing February Fundraising Fridays school uniform. Drakies Primary School are aiming to achieve a total of £2000 to sponsor the school room at the new Children’s Ward at Hospital. This will help fund school resources throughout the room and build a relationship between our school and the hospital.

We are fundraising every Friday in February for ARCHIE by taking part in many activities during Golden Time and Assemblies! There will be a different school challenge each week at assembly which the children can be sponsored for. All challenges will be on our blog and Twitter accounts. We will also be asking children to create a personal challenge to achieve outside of school. This could be anything from making their bed every day for a whole month to taking part in organised events. If every child aims to raise £5/10 we make a huge difference to our total. There will be different aspects to the sponsor sessions such as physical exercise, arts and crafts, musical, skills challenge and outdoor learning. House captains suggested ‘splat the teacher/house captains’!

Here is the part where staff and parents can help too.....do you have a New Years Resolution that you haven't started yet? Sign up to a challenge and post it on our page with a pledge. Any little or large challenge will help us reach our ambitious target. There will be a prize giving for the most creative and enthusiastic fundraisers!

Visit the page below: https://www.justgiving.com/Drakies-PrimaryHighlandArchie/

Are there any parents with specific skills they can help with our challenges between 1.30 – 3.00 on Fridays in February? We are looking for the following:  Gym instructors who could do a sponsored dance for 45 minutes  Arts and craft skills – ie knitting squares to create a blanket, cross stitch, clay modelling Well done to the P6 boys who came 1st place at SFA  Woodcraft – creating bird boxes, benches for the garden tournament at Millburn. Please get in touch with Mrs Taylor! 

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As part of learning about Robert Burns and Scots School Administration Language P6 made some tartan and Burns portraits School Lunches which were displayed at Primary 1 – 3 children are entitled to free school meals. Parent of Primary 4-7 children now Tesco as part of a food have the opportunity to use an online service to pay for school dinners tasting event. http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/878/schools/9/school_meals/2 See the link for more details.

Meetings with Teachers

We are promoting an open door policy and all staff work tirelessly to ensure your children are safe, secure and learning at Drakies Primary. If at any time through the school year you should wish to meet with a class teacher, Support for Learning Teacher Miss Rose, Depute Head Teacher Mrs Pirie or Head Teacher Mrs Taylor, please send a note to the class teacher or phone the school to arrange a meeting. We will do our very best to arrange a meeting with you.

Head Lice Head Lice Head lice are a common problem in primary aged children and are currently a constant problem in the school. They can’t be prevented but regular checking ensures early detection and treatment if necessary. It would be very helpful if parents and carers could check their children’s heads once a week during hair washing. Remember that you are looking for living, moving lice. Advice on treatment can be sought from your local pharmacist or GP.

Tissues There are lots of colds and winter bugs going round so we would like to ask children to have a packet of tissues for their pocket or if parents would like to donate a box of tissues for the class?

School Community

Staffing We welcome Mrs Carol Robb to our clerical team. Mrs Robb will work on Tuesday mornings and Friday.

With a heavy heart I must announce that Mrs Thomson will retire in the Easter holidays. Mrs Thomson has worked in Drakies since 1987 and has been a wonderful ambassador for our school. We wish her well in her retirement.

We are increasing our management team by advertising for a Principal Teacher post after the Easter holidays.

Class Learning

Honeybees PM celebrated Burns Night by P1 learned about marching in the haggis, neeps and tatties Burns Day and whilst listening to traditional Scottish music. made their own tartans.

After reading about the Betsy Ross 5

P7 have started their topic on famous pointed star on the American flag P4 Scottish landmarks and people. They learned how to produce our own stars have been busy designing leaflets on and have been learning about the Gymnastics – Reminder famous landmarks. that parents of gymnasts significance of the 50 stars and the 13 attending the red/white strips on todays flag. competition on 7th February can com e and watch our final practice on 4th Feb from 4- P5G have now been introduced to their topic this term – ancient Egypt. The class are very 4.30pm in the school hall. excited about learning how the Egyptians lived and how to mummify a person or animal!

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Dates for the Diary P5F concluded the

Nelson Mand ela topic by making a Date Activity timeline and Tuesday 2nd February Parent Evening P5F and P7 discussing what they Wednesday 3rd February Parent Evening P5F and P7 had learned from his Friday 5th February Swimming sessions for P5 and P6 children until 22nd life and example. April Bring swimming equipment Tennis sessions for P1 and P1/2 children until Friday 26th March Drumming sessions for P7 children with Martin O’Parka until Friday 26th March Monday 8th February Parent Council – All Welcome

Wednesday 10th February Quality Improvement Officer Visit

Friday 12th February Forest Schools Day – Wear warm clothes and P1/2 are doing 3 wellies! Monday 15th February School Closed or 4 laps around Tuesday 16th February School closed the quad on a Wednesday 17th February In-service day – School closed to pupils daily basis to fit in with their Tuesday 8th March Dental Checks for P1 and P7 st th healthy lifestyles. Monday 21 – Thursday 24 March Primary 7 at Abernethy Thursday 24th March Last Day of Term P6 Trip to Culloden Battlefield

Friends of Drakies

 Thank you to everyone who came along on Monday 11th January to discuss budget cuts in Council.

 The next meeting will be Monday 8th February at 7.00pm.

Fundraising Main Fundraisers  Christmas Fundraising from Christmas fair and raffle £1923.77  Christmas Jumper Donations - £59 towards ARCHIE and £119 towards Diabetes UK (still 1 tub of donations towards Archie to be counted)

Additional Charity Work by Drakies…  Christmas Carols at Tesco - £147 towards CLIC Sargent  Ellie Graham JustGiving Page http://www.justgiving.com/Emma-Graham28 Let us know of any outside of school charity events you are involved in….

Active Schools Co- Out of School Club – CALA ordinator – Tim Please continue to complete forms which can be found in the front Allan porch of the school and hand into the school office. - If your child is absent or you need to cancel a booked space Millburn please call 07876542621. Active Schools Website - http://careandlearningalliance.co.uk/drakies-oosc.asp