Elderbank Newsletter Term1 August

Elderbank Primary, Early Years, Supported
Learning and Enhanced Deaf Provision

Term 1

August Newsletter

We are delighted to have welcomed all our pupils
back to school along with the new pupils who have
started at Elderbank.

Our new Primary 1 pupils were all a credit to their
parents and carers and have adapted to school life
quickly. There is a lot of information in this
newsletter, but we hope you find it helpful. We
have kept some previous information as we have
some new families who have joined us.

Early Years

All of the children returning to Elderbank started
in their new groups this week. Our new pupils will
be having their pre-admission visits and starting in
their new sessions over the next few weeks. Mrs

Collins, Mrs Carruthers and the Early Years Team
will be working with new parents, carers and pupils
to ensure your child has the best experience.

As we are enjoying the good weather just now,
please ensure your child has sun screen applied
before they come to Early Years.

The Early Years Team will provide further specific
information in a separate newsletter later this
week.

Supported Learning

We are delighted that all the children are back.
You will receive the information for your child’s
personal Google Classroom Account, where you will
be able to message securely, instead of the Daily
Diary. If you have any difficulty logging on
please text the school (07860051398) and the
staff will be happy to assist.

The taxi drop off and pick up is going well and the
new start time of 08:45a.m. is working well. If
you are walking your child to school please enter
via the Early Years gate, drop off at the
school and exit via the main gate,
following the one way system. When
waiting for your child please stand in

front of the bike shelter and the staff will have
your child brought to you. If you are collecting a
child from Classbase 3, your child will be brought
to meet you outside the EY entrance.

Enhanced Deaf Provision

The staff will be in touch this week, with the
details for the electronic communication.

All pupils

Outdoor Learning will be a key part of the
curriculum. Please ensure that your child has
suitable shoes and a waterproof jacket as many of
the activities may be spontaneous.

EV5 Forms and Data Check Forms

Your child will be coming home with a Data Check
Form and an EV5 form to give permission for them
to be involved in activities during the school day.
We have adapted this form, to include learning in
the community to support our Outdoor Learning.

It is very important that these forms are
returned quickly, to ensure the information we
hold for your child is correct. Can I please
remind parents that you cannot remove the details

of the other parent from your child’s form if they
have parental rights. We can only remove the
details if this is requested with the relevant
identification documents by the parent themselves.

Homework

There will be no formal homework issued until the
week beginning the 31st August for the majority of
the school. This is to allow our children to settle
back into the routine of school. We fully
appreciate that this can be challenging for some
after such a long time at home. Primary 1 staff
will provide suggestions for learning through Google
Classroom.

School Meals

The school lunch menu unfortunately has not been
uploaded to the North Ayrshire website as we had
been informed. We have emailed the temporary
menu we received to assist you in supporting your
child to make a choice. Please remember there is
a packed lunch option available every day.

Also on a Monday,
Tuesday and
Wednesdays school
meals are half price
until the 31st August
as North Ayrshire Council have signed up to the
Eat out to Help out Scheme.

Water Bottles

Just a reminder that every child should
come to school every day with a filled
water bottle.

Clothing

Please ensure your child’s clothing is labelled.
This includes shoes. Staff are unable to assist
with clothing as they maintain the recommended
distancing. Please impress upon your child the
need to look after their own belongings carefully.

If your child comes out of school and has
forgotten to bring something, despite being
reminded to take all belongings, they will not be
permitted to re-enter the building. They will
collect the item the next day in school. We
appreciate this is a change to our usual practice.

Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club will resume
on Monday 31st August, but
different arrangements will be
in place for entering the
building. Children will enter via
the side door, which will be accessed through the
side gate and then through the large gate leading
to the rear playground. Pupils will be met at the
door by a member of staff. Once in the
breakfast club the children will be seated in area
groups to minimise the contacts. There will be
table top activities available, but there will be no
other PE type games. This reflects the current
COVID-19 restrictions in place.

Breakfast Club will be open from 8:10a.m. The
last entry to Breakfast Club will be 8:30a.m..

Any P1 or P2/1 pupils will be escorted to their
class. All other pupils will be escorted to join
their class entering the side gate or zig zag gate
at their designated class time.

Entrance and Exit arrangements

Early Years, P1C, P1M, P2/1 & CB 2 (Mrs Symonds)

There is a one way system in place
and you MUST enter via the gate
opposite the Early Years and then
walk along the front of the building and exit via
the Main pedestrian gate opposite the School
Office.

P2G, P2/3, P3G

The pupils will enter the school grounds via the
side gate at the designated drop off times.

In response to the congestion caused by parents
coming early or waiting we have altered the exit
arrangements.

P2G, P2/3 and P3G will now be collected through
the service gate. There will be no vehicle access
at this time. The children will be brought to this
area and lined up. Parents and carers will follow
the arrows, keeping their distance and walk round,
collect their child from the line and keep on
walking. A similar system is working with P1 and
P2/1 currently.

Arrangements are unchanged for the rest of the
classes.

Drop Off

It is ESSENTIAL that all children

arrive at the exact drop off time. This
is an incredibly precise plan and is best
practice, but we have no flexibility for
pupils arriving late as pupils need to be escorted
to their class and follow the one way systems in
school. No mainstream classes pass through the
main entrance. This ensures we are implementing
the government guidance. Thank you in advance
for following this.

Social Distancing

Unfortunately, adults collecting their
children are not physical distancing.
This puts everyone at risk. We ask
everyone who is gathering in these
areas to wear a face covering and maintain the 2m
physical distancing. This protects you, your family
and our staff while folowing the government
guidance.

Children in Primary 4 – 7, should meet
you away from the school gates.
Thank you to all of the parents and
carers who have arranged this. The
Lollipop person will be there to assist with crossing
so children can be met on the other side of St
Kilda Bank if necessary.

Parking

As you are all aware children are being encouraged
to walk to school and be outside as much as
possible. If you have no option and have to drive
please park and then walk. Please do not park on
St Kilda Bank, St Kilda Court or St Kilda Place.
This will prevent congestion and help keep
everyone safe. The parking bays on the opposite
side of St Kilda Bank are residents parking. We
have already received complaints from residents
and politely request that everyone adheres to
these requests. There are lots of places to park
on the streets behind St Kilda Bank with a short
walk to the school. If your child brings a scooter
or bike to school they can put in the bike shelter
and then make their way to their entrance. P5R –
P7 will need to put their bikes in the shelter and
then make their way back out to the zig zag path.

Snack

Please ensure your child has a snack
for their break time. This can be a
piece of fruit or something easy for
them to eat. There will be no morning
tuck service from the cafeteria. We
are unable to accept any snack handed in late, as
there are no visitors allowed in the school.

ParentPay

If your child is in Primary 4 – 7 and you
pay for their meals please ensure you
have topped up their parentpay account
as we operate a cashless system in the same way
as all North Ayrshire schools. More information
can found at www.parentpay.com

Physical Education

Your child will be participating in
physical activity, but this will be
outdoors initially so there is no
need for a gym kit. We will keep
you informed if this changes and the class teacher
will let you know the days your child is having PE
and they should wear jogging trousers, leggings

and shorts instead of their school skirt or
trousers. Children should wear their school polo
shirt and sweatshirt. Pupils should also have
suitable footwear.

Car Park

Parents and carers dropping their children, who
have a Blue Badge, at school, will be issued with a
car park permit.

As most parents are aware each teacher has a
maximum class contact time per week. This means
that for a minimum of 2.5 hours per week your
child will have a different class teacher.

Please find detailed in the table, on the next
page, the class teachers who will be teaching your
child.

Kind regards,

Miss Robertson

CLASS Main Teacher Mr Caldwell
Mrs Gourlay
Explorers Mr Strang Mrs Morrison
Base 3 Mrs Ross Mrs Watson
Base 7 Mrs Matteo Mrs Watson
Base 8 Miss Bembom Mrs Murray
Base 9 Mrs Hannah Mrs Morrison
Base 10 Mrs Happs Mrs Morrison
Base 11 Mrs Boyd Mrs Morrison
P1C Mrs Cook Mrs Gourlay
P1M Miss Millen Mrs Morrison
P2/1 Mrs Jarrott Mrs Morrison
P2G Miss Green Mrs Morrison
P2/3 Miss Anderson Mrs Stewart
P3G Miss Girvan Mrs Stewart
Base 2 Mrs Symonds Mrs Bain
P4D Miss Drummond Mrs Gourlay
P4P Mr Pentleton Miss Rose
P5R Miss Rankin Mrs Bigham
P5S Mrs Sharp Mrs Stewart
P6B Mrs Preiss Mrs Bain
P6N Miss Neill Mrs Bain
P6/7 Mrs McRae Mrs Bain
P7H Miss Hercus
P7T Miss Todd

**This is subject to change if there are staff absences.