Author: Maureen Middleton

Thank you for the very good response to the homework survey we undertook during the Parents’ Evenings in November. Pupils across P4-P7 were also surveyed.

During the November in-service we used your feedback to inform our review of our home learning. We have also researched approaches used in other schools.

We are now planning to introduce a new approach to home learning which will start from the week beginning Monday 28 January 2019. The new approach aims to consolidate learning and skills in literacy and numeracy and to give children opportunities to use their learning in real life situations such as home routines and community activities.

Our new home learning approach will include:

• Encouraging reading for enjoyment through providing regular opportunities to borrow books to take home from our new school library (visits will also continue to the Cove library as at present)
• Providing phonics (P1) / reading tasks
• Setting periodic research tasks/ preparation of individual talk tasks
• Use of a termly numeracy/ maths grid to reinforce prior learning. The grid will have suggestions for the use of licensed websites which our children have individual log-ins for and further suggestions for how they can use their learning and skills in everyday home and community settings.
• Lastly, all children will be given skills for life grids with suggested tasks designed to support them to develop a wider range of relevant knowledge and skills. Children will be encouraged to work towards achieving the tasks in the skills grid throughout the whole year

The school is planning for a drop in open event later this month for parents/carers to learn more about the new approach to home learning. See Over.

The school places high importance on building a strong home learning partnership with all parents/carers. We believe the new approach to home learning will help children to better understand the relevance of their learning in school to real life situations. It will also enable parents/carers to take advantage of home routines and everyday situations to encourage their children to continue to their learning out-with school.

Thank you for your continued support.

COLIN NICOL

Head Teacher

Additional Support Needs Guidelines:

The school has recently revised its Additional Support Needs Guidelines.  The new guidelines will help to streamline our system for identifying and planning to meet the needs of children requiring additional support.  As part of our new system we aim to improve communication with parents/carers with regard to any additional supports a child may require.  This will include sending a short letter home to inform parents/carers of the focus of the support their child is being given.  The school will continue to encourage parents/carers to contact the school if they have any queries about the support being provided for their child.

Learning overviews:

 During the week beginning 21^st January we shall be sending home a one page termly overview of the focus for learning in each class for term 3.  This is in response to last year’s parents’ survey which included feedback requesting more information about what children were learning each term.

School Update:

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Please see below some key dates for terms 3 and 4 which I wanted to make you aware of as soon as possible.

Term 3

• Applications for an Early Learning and Childcare Place to be returned to school by 25^th January 2019

• Drop in open evening – Tuesday 29^th January 2019, 4.30pm – 6.30pm

• Mid-term holiday – Monday 11 February, 2019

• In – service days – Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 February, 2019

• Valentine’s disco, Tuesday 19^th February

• Dalguise Information Evening, Tuesday 26^th February, 2019

• Parent Council meeting, Tuesday 5^th March, 2019

• Pupil reports – Friday 29 March, 2019

Term 4:

• Parent Council meeting, 17^th April 2019

• Good Friday holiday,  Friday 19 April, 2019

• Easter bingo, Tuesday 23 April 2019

• P7 Dalguise trip – 24-26 April, 2019

• May Day holiday – Monday 6 May, 2019

• In-service day – Tuesday 7 May, 2019

• Parents evenings – 4 and 6 June, 2019

• Summer disco – Tuesday 11 June, 2019

• Primary 7 induction days at Lochside Academy  – Thursday 13 and Friday 14 June

• Primary 7 parents/carers information evening about transition – Thursday 13 June at Lochside Academy

• Parent Council meeting – Tuesday 18 June, 2019

• P7 Prom – Friday 21 June, 2019

Wednesday 16th January 2019, 6.15pm-6.30pm start

Yellow Eight Kitchen Area, Loirston Primary School – All Welcome

AGENDA

• Welcome/Apologies

•  

• Approve Minutes of last meeting/review outstanding actions

•  

• Fundraising committee update

  • Personalised Christmas Cards/Merchandise

  • Christmas Fayre

  • Secret Santa Shop

  • Valentines Disco

  • Other

  •  

• Treasurers Report

•  

• School Update

  • Homework Policy

  • Parent Open Evenings

  • Improvement Plan update

  • Staffing Update

  • Promoting Positive Behaviour

  • Other

  •  

• Chairperson Notes:

  • Aberdeen City Parent Forum Meeting

  • Termly Parent Meeting with Donna Cuthill – cancelled

  • Health check sent to Donna Cuthill

  • Termly Newsletter feedback

  •  

• AOCB

•  

• Date of Next Meeting 5^th March 2019

Loirston Primary Parent Council Meeting

Wednesday 16th January 2019, 6.15pm-6.30pm start

Yellow Eight Kitchen Area, Loirston Primary School – All Welcome

AGENDA

• Welcome/Apologies
• Approve Minutes of last meeting/review outstanding actions
• Fundraising committee update
  • Personalised Christmas Cards/Merchandise
  • Christmas Fayre
  • Secret Santa Shop
  • Valentines Disco
  • Other
• Treasurers Report
• School Update
  • Homework Policy
  • Parent Open Evenings
  • Improvement Plan update
  • Staffing Update
  • Promoting Positive Behaviour
  • Other
• Chairperson Notes:
  • Aberdeen City Parent Forum Meeting
  • Termly Parent Meeting with Donna Cuthill – cancelled
  • Health check sent to Donna Cuthill
  • Termly Newsletter feedback
• AOCB
• Date of Next Meeting 5^th March 2019

Chair: Ms Michele McPartlin

14 Langdykes Way

Cove Bay

Aberdeen

AB12 3HG

01224 890329

info@cove-bay.com

Secretary: Ms Marlene Westland

27 Sealcraig Gardens

Altens

Aberdeen

AB12 3SH

Secretary@cove-bay.com

Website www.cove-bay.com

MEETING 327

Monday 14th January 2019 Loirston Primary School at 7.15 pm

AGENDA

1. Welcome, Sederunt and Apologies

2. Minutes of previous Meeting No 326, 26th November 2018

3. Police/FRS/City Wardens Reports

4. Community Facilities at Lochside Academy (Evelyn Mair and David Selkirk)

5. Matters arising from Minutes of previous Meeting

6. Treasurer’s Report

7. Planning Matters

8. Welcome to Cove Bay signage

9. Incoming & Outgoing Mail

10. Chronicle / Web Site / Facebook

11. Lochside Academy: Safe Routes to School

12. Annual Cove Clean Up

13. AGM arrangements for 4th February

14. Reports from Aberdeen City Councillors

15. Reports from Community Council Reps. attending Meetings

16. Reports from CACC Sub-Committees

• Christmas Lights sub-committee

• Christmas Concert sub-committee

• Farm Information Cairns

17. AOCB

Date of Next Meetings (Loirston Primary School at 7pm):

AGM 4th February 2019 and 25th February

We are changing the way you apply for your child’s

school place, and you must now apply online.

You can apply for a school place at:

www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/schoolapplications

Starting Primary 1

If your child is ready to start Primary 1 in August 2019 you will need to enrol them in

January.

You should enrol your child for Primary 1 if they turn 5 before the new school year starts

on 21 August 2019. If your child’s 5th birthday is after this date, but before the end of

February 2020, you can also choose to enrol your child to start Primary 1 in August

2019.

Every child is entitled to a place at their zoned school. You must apply for a place at

your zoned school using the online form, but you can also add other schools to your

application if you want to apply for a place for your child at a different school.

Deferred entry to Primary 1

You can request to defer entry to Primary 1 until August 2020 if your child’s 5th birthday

is between 21 August and 31 December 2019 – this may not always be granted but we

will consider your request carefully.

If your child’s 5th birthday is between 1 January and 28 February 2020 and you request

deferred entry, this will be granted.

Moving to another primary school

If your child already attends primary school in Aberdeen City and you want them to go

to a different one, you can apply online for a place at the school of your choice. This is

known as a placing request.

If you want your child to start at a new school in August, you need to make the placing

request by 15 March. If you want your child to start at a new school at any other time,

you can make a placing request at any time and we will deal with it as soon as possible.

We assess placing requests using a priority system. Please see the website at

www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/schoolapplications for more information.

Apply for a school place online

Before you can apply online you will need to:

• Set up an account. This is so you can track the progress of your application.

• Get together proof of your address, your child’s birth certificate, and any other

information specific to your case. You can upload clear scans or photos of documents

when you apply.

If you’re unable to access the internet to apply online, or if you need any help with the

application, you can visit your local library where the staff will be able to help you.

For more information and to apply online, visit www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/schoolapplications

visit www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/schoolapplications

visit www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/schoolapplications