St Cuthbert's RC Primary School

     St. Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

                           Newsletter 7– Friday 24^th September 2021

                                   St Cuthbert’s CARES We are: Creative Active Respectful Equal Supported

Good afternoon everyone,

Thank you for taking time to read through the information below. As always, please ask if you have any questions. See contact details at the bottom of this newsletter.

P7 Ties & Uniform

We believe that wearing uniform sets the purposeful community ethos that we want for our school.

Our next step with building this ethos, is, as previously mentioned, the introduction of our new P7 ties which have now finally arrived. The school has funded these for all P7 pupils.

Our senior pupils having their own distinctive tie, not only marks them (and P7 pupils in years to come) as senior pupils within our community but is also an excellent preparation for Secondary School, where wearing uniform and ties is a daily expectation. As our second most senior class, P6 will also be given a regular school tie to wear, again free of charge.

It is not just P6 and P7 where uniform is important however and we thank all of our parents and carers who make such an effort to ensure that pupils in all classes wear the school’s uniform.

Please note that the school has a stock of good condition uniform items that can be obtained upon request. Please don’t hesitate to ask.

Parent Consultations

These will take place via Teams or Telephone (your choice) over the fortnight from 4^th October to 17^th October.  Please see the letter which has been sent home today. We apologise for short turnaround time but would ask that the tear off slip is returned by Wednesday 29^th September. Please ask if you have any questions.

Homework

Homework began this week. Whilst paper copies are available, our primary aim is to maintain our digitial learning skills by using Teams. New Teams have been set up for each class but existing user names and passwords should be used. We will be passing on Teams passwords to class teachers over the next week for anyone who has forgotten theirs. This will hopefully be done by next Friday 1^st. Should you require any help with passwords after this date please contact our office.

School Milk

If you missed the original deadline and would like your child to have milk in school daily from 26^th October to 30^th June 2022, please order and pay for this via your Parent Pay account. The cost is £25.16 (17pm per 200ml tetrapak). Please note that the deadline for ordering is Wednesday 13^th October.

Crossing Patrol Person

Good news! Please note that we now have a new Crossing Patrol person, Rab took up his position from Wednesday and will be there going forward.

Active School Clubs Begin Next Week

Thank you for the quick response, the available spaces for our clubs are now fully taken and they will start next week. We hope to be able to offer more choice after Christmas but are happy that a good start has been made. Thanks again to all of our volunteers: Mr Evans, Mr Silver and Mr Vilanova.

Swimming – A Thank You

Thank you to P5 and our Parent volunteers who took our first whole class trip since the pandemic on Thursday. They represented the school really well.

Sharing Learning Via Twitter – P1 and P2 Update

Please note that with Miss Donnelly’s return P2 will now tweet on a Tuesday alongside P1.

Please also note that our Star Learners and Pupils of the week are celebrated on twitter every Friday.

Learning Conversation with P5 – Next Week

The next of my learning conversations will take place on Thursday 17^th September. The focus will be Literacy. I’ll update you in next week’s newsletter.

St Cuthbert’s School Football Team

Our team recorded a convincing 15-1 victory over Craigour Park – a brilliant start. This Saturday they face Gracemount, again at St Cuthbert’s pitch. Big thanks to Mr Howie for his hard work which makes the running of the team possible.

Lost Property

There is still a large amount of this on our premises, please try to put names on items so they can more easily be re-united with their owners. We will keep our current stock until October, please feel very welcome to come and look through if you wish. Items left on October 18th will be recycled.

Nursery Update

Pirate week was a huge success!  On Thursday we had a full crew of pirates in the nursery; searching for treasure, walking the plank, creating maps and searching the seven seas with telescopes. The children listened to My Granny Is a Pirate by Val McDermid and sang some pirate songs. This has inspired wonderful conversations about islands and volcanoes so next week our little volcanologists will be doing some BIG experiments – watch this space!

As it is now decidedly Autumnal outdoors the children have harvested our apples before they are blown down by the wind. Next week we will be baking with them and learning all about the autumn season.

Thank you to parents for bringing your children up to the door in the mornings. The team think it is working well and children are coming in happily after saying goodbye to their family.

We have a Soft-Start here at St. Cuthbert’s, meaning that the day starts off with free play from 8:30-9:00am. After that we get our day started with a big welcome. Please try and have your child in nursery before 9am – we don’t want them to miss any of the fun!

Remember your wellies, woollies and waterproofs next week.

St Cuthbert’s, Slateford and Our Lady’s, Currie/Fr Aidan

No news yet on any change and we are very happy to still have the support of Fr Aidan. Fr will be coming into to celebrate a class Mass with P7 next Friday.

I will update you as soon as I hear about any change in priest.

Contacting Us

Your comments and questions are always welcomed, we can be contacted via

• Phone – 0131 443 2621
• E-mail – admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (school) and

stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (nursery)

We will always try to respond as quickly as we can. 

 Have a good weekend.

Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School

     St. Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

                           Newsletter 6– Friday 17^th September 2021

                                   St Cuthbert’s CARES We are: Creative Active Respectful Equal Supported

Good afternoon everyone,

Thank you for taking time to read through the information below. As always, please ask if you have any questions. See contact details at the bottom of this newsletter.

September Weekend Holiday – Monday 20^th September

Please note that the above date is a holiday and both staff and children will return to school on Tuesday 21^st September.

Active Schools Update – Booking Now Open

Our offer for this term has now been shared via our digital platforms. We will post again with this newsletter. Please note links to online booking are on the document. If anyone needs any help with the booking process, please let us know. Thanks to all those staff and parent volunteers who have kindly given of their time.

Trees

The tree outside the main gate was damaged whilst our skip was being taken away on Monday. When the team came out to rectify this issue they surveyed the other trees surrounding the school, identifying several which were dead or dying. These were the ones removed. Please note that no living tree was cut down.

Homework – w/c 21^st September 2021

We will start homework from week commencing 20^th September.

Homework will be given out weekly, using Teams as the main platform but  paper copies can be supplied upon request.

It will be given out on Friday with an expected return date of the following Thursday. Giving time for parents/carers to support over a weekend if desired.

Content should include Literacy, Numeracy/ Maths and one other curricular area. All tasks aim to consolidate in-class learning.

Swimming –  P5 Classes Start Thursday 23^rd September

P5 swimming will start next Thursday and for the next 8 weeks thereafter:

P5 (9 weeks) 23/9/21 – 25/11/21

Parent helpers are vital to us being able to support this important learning. If you are able to add your name to our bank of helpers, please contact our office team. Thank you so much to all those who have done so – it is greatly appreciated.

John Muir Trust P6 Outdoor Learning – Starting Thursday 30^th September

As part of their work towards the John Muir Award, Primary 6 will be taking part in outdoor sessions as follows:

Dates:  Thursdays      30/09/21    1.15-3pm

                                    7/10/21     10-12noon

                                   4 /11/21     10-12noon

                                 18 /11/21     10-12noon

Could all children please come to school on these days wearing appropriate warm clothing and waterproof coats and shoes. Thank you.

Late Arrivals/Absences

Great to see a slight reduction in the number of late arrivals this week. Thank you to all concerned. Please do your utmost to ensure that the children arrive on time.

If your child is going to be absent please call and inform our office. If there is no answer it is perfectly okay to leave a message. If you could do this prior to 9am, it would be greatly appreciated.  Please also state the reason for your child’s absence.

P7 Ties & Uniform

Apologies that our supplier has been unable to supply us with our distinctive new P7 ties which were expected last week. They are now expected to arrive next week and will be issued in time for pupils to wear them hopefully week commencing 27^th September. We will also supply P6 with a tie at that time to help them set a similar example as senior pupils.

Please continue to ensure that all pupils in all classes wear uniform. It really does set a positive tone and help us with our ethos building.

Sharing Learning Via Twitter – P1 and P2 Update

Please note that P1 weekly tweets have now commenced alongside those posted by our other classes and will continue to be posted on a Monday. P2 will also tweet on a Monday when Miss Donnelly returns.

Learning Conversation with P6 -Literacy Focus

Every member of P6 took part in our conversation on Thursday. They told me about learning they had engaged with connected to spelling words with a silent b, using metaphors and similes as well as persuasive writing. The strengths in learning they shared included dictionary skills, the use of simile and metaphor as well as cursive handwriting. The class stated that they knew what their strengths were from self-assessment against success criteria, peer and teacher feedback. Next steps in learning identified included decoding challenging words, upskilling and improving writing and presenting work to a higher standard. Practice was identified as a key way of getting better as well as help from peers, family, teachers and supporting adults in the class. Well done P6!

St Cuthbert’s School Football Team

Our team makes their competitive debut v Craigour Park Primary School on Saturday at St. Cuthbert’s. We wish them all the best and will report on how they got on in next week’s newsletter.

Nursery Update

Shiver me timbers! Next week is Pirate week in Nursery. We’ll be searching for buried treasure using our treasure maps and reading My Granny is a Pirate by Val McDermid.

This week we are still focused on babies and caring for others. As our new children settle into the routine of nursery we are learning to share and be kind to others.

The children enjoyed the 3 Little Pigs; listening to the story, re-enacting the exciting parts when role-playing in the garden, and building the pigs houses using household junk.

As we move into autumn and the weather is more changeable, please remember to bring wellies, waterproofs and warmer clothes. We also have had some autumnal sunshine, so please hand in some sun cream for staff to apply on bright afternoons. The children are outside exploring, and experimenting come rain or shine!

Next week we ask parents to bring the children through the side gate directly to the nursery door. To keep us all safe from possible Covid transmission, no more than two children (with a parent/carer) in the nursery grounds at any given time. Masks should be worn by adults. Please remember to close the gate behind you. Pick-ups will be from the usual front gate.

Letter from Jason Leitch – National Clinical Director

This was posted on our digital platforms yesterday.

St Cuthbert’s, Slateford and Our Lady’s, Currie/Fr Aidan

I spoke to Fr Aidan this week and he will continue to be our acting school chaplain and will say Mass at both St Cuthbert’s and Our Lady’s Currie in the short term. We hope to hear from the Archdiocese about more permanent plans shortly. Fr Aidan will join P7 for a class Mass on Friday 1^st October.

Please see website for details of times and how to book a place.

https://www.stcuthbertschurch.com

Contacting Us

Your comments and questions are always welcomed, we can be contacted via

• Phone – 0131 443 2621
• E-mail – admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (school) and

stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (nursery)

We will always try to respond as quickly as we can. 

Finally

We look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday 21^st September. Enjoy the holiday weekend.

Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School

Dear Parents/Carers

Please find attached a copy of a letter from National Clinical Director, Professor Jason Leitch to all parents/carers of children in ELC settings and school age pupils.

Kind regards

Pat Brack

Head Teacher

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

0131 443 2621

Dear Parents/Carers,

Please see attached details of our Active Schools offer for Term 1. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Pat Brack

Head Teacher

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

0131 443 2621

Dear Parents/Carers

Please see communication from Lorna French.

Kind Regards

Pat Brack

Head Teacher

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

0131 443 2621

                           Newsletter 5– Friday 10^th September 2021

                                   St Cuthbert’s CARES We are: Creative Active Respectful Equal Supported

Good afternoon everyone,

Thank you for taking time to read through the information below. As always, please ask if you have any questions. See contact details at the bottom of this newsletter.

Homework – w/c 21^st September 2021

We will start homework from week commencing 20^th September.

Homework will be given out weekly, using Teams as the main platform but  paper copies can be supplied upon request.

It will be given out on Friday with an expected return date of the following Thursday. Giving time for parents/carers to support over a weekend if desired.

Content should include Literacy, Numeracy/ Maths and one other curricular area. All tasks aim to consolidate in-class learning.

School Health Care Plans

It has been brought to my attention that some parents have completed the annual KIC form stating that their child has a health condition which requires medication in school.  Despite communication from the school including letters being sent home since the beginning of term, no medication has been supplied.  Children with asthma are required to have two inhalers into school, one of which will be kept in a bag clearly marked with the child’s name in the classroom and one in the school office.   If your child is of an age to carry their own inhaler to school, please make sure that the are doing so on a daily basis.  The school still requires to hold a spare inhaler in the office for your child.

I am sure you will appreciate that these measures are in place to safeguard our children and I hope you will support the school in implementing these.

Covid Positive Cases Contact Tracing and Communication Process – Please Contact us If Your Child Tests Positive.

Please inform the school if your child has tested positive for Covid 19 via a PCR Test. The school will in turn issue a ‘Warn and Inform’ letter to parents/carers of classes affected. The Test and Protect Team will decide who should isolate as a direct contact, guidance on what now constitutes a close contact can be found on the NHS inform website. The school will unlike last year have no direct involvement with the contact tracing process but will report all notified cases to City of Edinburgh Council.

In school we will continue to follow FACT: Face Coverings for adults in communal areas, Avoiding large scale indoor gatherings, Cleaning our hands regularly, Two metre distance between adults indoors, Self-isolating and getting tested if covid symptoms are present. We would also ask that pupils bring in tissues if they have non-covid cold like symptoms to avoid spread of germs.

City of Edinburgh Council – Covid Guidance Letter

Please see attached letter from Lorna French, Acting Head of Schools and lifelong learning.

Swimming – P4 & P5 Classes – Parent/Carer Volunteers Urgently Required

We now have the go ahead for blocks of swimming lessons at Dalry Swim Centre on Thursdays from 1 – 2 pm for the above classes. Dates are listed below.

P5 (9 weeks) 23/9/21 – 25/11/21

P4 (7 weeks) 2/12/21 – 27/1/22

A separate information letter has today been issued to the P5 class.  In order to facilitate this important learning, we are dependent upon the support of parent/carer volunteers. If you can help, we would be extremely grateful. Please complete and return the slip on the letter.

Flu Immunisation Forms – A Thank You

Thanks very much for your prompt return of these forms. Much appreciated.

Lost Property – Please Claim by 17^th September

We now have a large collection of unclaimed lost property, we are always working to keep our school as tidy and organised as we can so can only retain these items for a limited period. Any items unclaimed by 17^th September will be recycled.

Late Arrivals – Staggered Timings

After a great start we have noticed that the number of late arrivals is starting to rise. We understand that occasional and exceptional circumstances result in pupils being late but please ensure that this does not become a pattern.

Start times are as follows:

P1 8.45am, P2  9.00am,  P3 8.55am,  P4 9.05am,  P5 8.55am,  P6 9.00am and  P7 9.05am.

Message from P1 Teachers

Thank you for your support with integrating our new P1 pupils into school life. They have made a great start. Please see below some short notices we would like to pass on to you.

Firstly, please remember that school starts promptly at 8.45am, if your child arrives late please bring them to the main door reception to be registered. The school day ends at 2.50pm Monday to Thursday and 12.10pm on a Friday.

Please try to avoid crowding the P1 entrance and window space. This will help individual pupils and the class settle more quickly.

Finally, we will be sharing learning regularly via Learning Journals, if you have not signed up for this easy to access platform, please contact our school office via admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk. We will also share learning via a weekly tweet from the school twitter @stcuthbertsrcp weekly on a Monday.

Active Schools – Update

We met with Fiona Damen again this week and are hopeful of being able to share details of clubs and how to book next week.

Sharing Learning Via Twitter – P1 and P2 Update

Learning will be shared digitally on the following days

Monday – P1 & P2 – This has not taken place as yet but will hopefully start next week in P1 and after the September weekend in P2.

Tuesday – P7, LCC1 & 2

Wednesday – P4 & P6

Thursday – P3 & P5

Friday – Star Learners and the Pupils of the Week

Learning Conversation with P6 -Literacy Focus

The next of my learning conversations with our pupils will take place on Thursday 17^th September. The focus will be Literacy. I’ll update you all next week on the conversation.

Nursery Update

We have seen some lovely roleplay in nursery this week, with lots of the action revolving around babies; washing them, feeding them, dressing them, even washing the clothes! Next week you might spot a washing line in the garden

Where the children can peg out their washing. Through peg play children can learn colours and counting, improve fine motor skills, and enjoy experimental play. Next week will be also be exploring The Three 3 Little Pigs and singing songs with number.

As we move into autumn and the weather is more changeable, please remember to bring wellies, waterproofs and warmer clothes. The children are outside exploring, and experimenting come rain or shine!

Nursery families, please use the top school gate when arriving and leaving nursery. This is the first gate as you walk down from Slateford Road, opposite the PDSA.

More great news for our team – Pablo, formerly our Early Years Assistant has accepted a promoted-post as an Early Years Practitioner. Congratulations!

To keep up to date with what’s happening in nursery and more, follow us on Twitter:

St Cuthbert’s RC Nursery Class (@StCNurseryClass) / Twitter

St Cuthbert’s, Slateford and Our Lady’s, Currie/Fr Aidan

Fr Aidan, will continue to be our acting school chaplain and will say Mass at both St Cuthbert’s and Our Lady’s Currie in the short term. We hope to hear from the Archdiocese about more permanent plans shortly and will share these as soon as we have them. In the meantime, we thank Fr Aidan for the amazing support, priestly and pastoral care he has provided.

Please see website for details of times and how to book a place.

https://www.stcuthbertschurch.com

Contacting Us

Your comments and questions are always welcomed, we can be contacted via

• Phone – 0131 443 2621
• E-mail – admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (school) and

stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (nursery)

We will always try to respond as quickly as we can. 

Finally

We look forward to seeing everyone again on August 18^th. Have a good weekend.

Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School

St. Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

                           Newsletter 4– Friday 3^rd September 2021

      St Cuthbert’s CARES We are: Creative Active Respectful Equal Supported

Good afternoon everyone,

Thank you for taking time to read through the detailed and important information below. As always, please ask if you have any questions. See contact details at the bottom of this newsletter.

Flu Immunisation Forms – Urgent Please Return by Monday 6^th September

Letters re flu immunisation were sent home with pupils yesterday. These are collected by courier on an extremely tight turnaround time of Monday 6^th September. If you wish your child to be immunised please ensure that the forms are returned by Monday. Thanks very much.

Covid Positive Cases Contact Tracing and Communication Process – Please Contact us If Your Child Tests Positive.

Please inform the school if your child has tested positive for Covid 19 via a PCR Test. The school will in turn issue a ‘Warn and Inform’ letter to parents/carers of classes affected. The Test and Protect Team will decide who should isolate as a direct contact, guidance on what now constitutes a close contact can be found on the NHS inform website. The school will unlike last year have no direct involvement with the contact tracing process but will report all notified cases to City of Edinburgh Council.

Celebrating Our Patron Saint – St Cuthbert

The school celebrated St Cuthbert’s Day – which falls on 4^th September – slightly early with Fr Aidan visiting classes to talk about St Cuthbert and children receiving a cake and juice to celebrate our patron on Friday.

Learning Meeting – P7

Over the coming term, I will be meeting with classes to discuss their learning. This week I visited P7. The class were very reflective and were able to identify both strengths and next steps in their weekly learning. Importantly, they were able to identify strategies to help them achieve their next steps too. Well done P7!

KIC Forms

If you have NOT returned your child’s completed KIC/Photographic forms, please do so as soon as possible.  The information required is extremely important for your child’s school record.   If you DO NOT return the KIC form, it could mean that your child will NOT be able to take part in any excursions from now until June 2022. Thanks to those who have returned the forms.

Data Capture Forms

Schools are required to update information on their pupils annually.  We sent out the annual Data Capture this week.  Please check all the information on these, make any amendments if required and return the signed form to the school as soon as possible. Thanks to all those who have done so.

Lost Property

We already have a collection of Lost Property gathering in school.   Can you please make sure that all your child’s clothing/bottles/bags etc are clearly marked with their name in order that these can be returned.  Please also impress on your child that they should take responsibility for their own items by taking these home at the end of the school day. Thanks very much.

P1 & P2 Access to School Building After Class

As you know, due to Covid restrictions, the P1 and P2 children enter and leave by the infant department.  At the end of the day, we are finding lots of children who are either playing in the playground or waiting for older siblings, are pressing the main entrance buzzer and asking to use the toilet.  This means they then have to enter and walk through to an area of the school which is being cleaned ready for the new school day.  Whilst we appreciate there can be an ‘emergency’ can you please support us by checking with your child before you leave the infant department.  The class teachers will also remind the children to go to the toilet when getting ready to leave.

Active Schools – Update

We hope to have an offer to share shortly. This will include: free of charge clubs provided by staff members as well as external clubs where payment will be required. Some of these clubs will be based in the school building/grounds whilst others will be based at our local high school St Augustine’s – more details to follow. The aim is for those clubs to start shortly after the September weekend, although this will depend on the situation with and statistics for Covid at that time. We will keep you informed.

Sharing Learning Via Twitter

Learning will be shared digitally on the following days

Monday – P1 & P2

Tuesday – P7, LCC1 & 2

Wednesday – P4 & P6

Thursday – P3 & P5

Friday – Star Learners and the Pupils of the Week – this will commence this week.

Homework

This will commence week starting 14^th September. Further details to follow.

Breakfast Club

Bookings for next week can be made by contacting the school office.  All children attending will require to have new registration forms completed on their first day of attendance and exact monies should be handed in to the office in an envelope marked with your name and the days you wish to reserve spaces for.

Cost £1.50 per day first child and £1 for additional siblings

Nursery Update

Our new children are settling very well, and all the children have been enjoying our book of the month; Owl Babies written by Martin Waddell & illustrated by Patrick Benson.  This is the story of three owl babies who wake up in their nest to find that their owl mother is gone. “I want my mummy” cries little Bill. The owl babies do their best to comfort each other while waiting for their mother to return. When she finally returns, the baby owls bounce up and down, welcoming her with joy.

Owl Babies is a delightful story celebrating the bond between parents and their children. It has a lovely reassuring message that mummy will always come back, so it can be used to ease the separation anxiety young children experience when going to nursery for the first time. If you would like to join the fun and watch along with your child at home, click on the link below.

Owl Babies 25th Anniversary – YouTube

As we move into autumn and the weather is more changeable, please remember to bring wellies and waterproof jackets for your children.

To keep up to date with what’s happening in nursery and more, follow us on Twitter:

St Cuthbert’s RC Nursery Class (@StCNurseryClass) / Twitter

Please be aware that all our term-time places have now been allocated for children returning/starting nursery in August 2021 (option 1). We still have Option 2 and Option 3 places available, see below for details.

Option 2	Option 3
2 DAYS + 19 Flexi Fridays Full Year (50 weeks) Monday    8:00am – 6:00pm Tuesday     8:00am – 6:00pm 1st & 2nd Friday of each month	2 DAYS + 11 Flexi Fridays  Full Year (50 weeks) Wednesday 8:00am – 6:00pm Thursday      8:00am – 6pm 3rd Friday of each month

If you would like to apply, please find below a link to the City of Edinburgh Council website, where you can download a nursery application.

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/12890/apply-for-nursery

Please bring (or post) the application, along with a copy of your child’s birth certificate and proof of home address – e.g. Council Tax letter or utility bill, to:

St Cuthbert’s Early learning & Childcare

St Cuthbert’s R C Primary School

9 Hutchison Crossway,

Edinburgh

EH14 1RP

Alternatively, you can email your application along with supporting documents to: stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk

Please be aware that a place at St Cuthbert’s is not guaranteed, as places are allocated using the City of Edinburgh Council Admission Policy.

St Cuthbert’s, Slateford and Our Lady’s, Currie/Fr Aidan

Fr Aidan, will continue to be our acting school chaplain and will say Mass at both St Cuthbert’s and Our Lady’s Currie in the short term. We hope to hear from the Archdiocese about more permanent plans shortly and will share these as soon as we have them. In the meantime, we thank Fr Aidan for the amazing support, priestly and pastoral care he has provided.

Please see website for details of times and how to book a place.

https://www.stcuthbertschurch.com

Contacting Us

Your comments and questions are always welcomed, we can be contacted via

• Phone – 0131 443 2621
• E-mail – admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (school) and

stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (nursery)

We will always try to respond as quickly as we can. 

Finally

We wish you all a very happy and relaxing weekend.

Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School

St. Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

                           Newsletter 3– Friday 27^th August 2021

      St Cuthbert’s CARES We are: Creative Active Respectful Equal Supported

Good afternoon everyone,

We hope you and your families have had a good start to the school year. Thank you for taking time to read through the information below – apologies there is quite a lot to read this week. As always, please ask if you have any questions. See contact details at the bottom of this newsletter.

Permanent Principal Teacher Appointment – Miss Munro

Congratulations to Miss Munro who after two successful years in an acting capacity has now been appointed our permanent Principal Teacher.

Covid Positive Cases Contact Tracing and Communication Process

NHS Test and Protect will now take primary responsibility for this process but will also notify the school when a positive case has been identified. The school will in turn issue a ‘Warn and Inform’ letter to parents. The Test and Protect Team will decide who should isolate as a direct contact. The school will unlike last year have no direct involvement with this process.

No Bank Holiday This Monday

Please note that although this coming Monday the 30^th August is a Bank Holiday in other parts of the U.K, that it is not a Scottish holiday and pupils should attend school as normal.

KIC Forms

If you have NOT returned your child’s completed KIC/Photographic forms, please do so as soon as possible.  The information required is extremely important for your child’s school record.   If you DO NOT return the KIC form, it could mean that your child will NOT be able to take part in any excursions from now until June 2022.

Data Capture Forms

Schools are required to update information on their pupils annually.  We hope to send out the annual Data Capture forms next week.  Please check all the information on these, make any amendments if required and return the signed form to the school as soon as possible.

Lost Property

We already have a collection of Lost Property gathering in school.   Can you please make sure that all your child’s clothing/bottles/bags etc are clearly marked with their name in order that these can be returned.  Please also impress on your child that they should take responsibility for their own items by taking these home at the end of the school day. Thanks very much.

P1 & P2 Access to School Building After Class

As you know, due to Covid restrictions, the P1 and P2 children enter and leave by the infant department.  At the end of the day, we are finding lots of children who are either playing in the playground or waiting for older siblings, are pressing the main entrance buzzer and asking to use the toilet.  This means they then have to enter and walk through to an area of the school which is being cleaned ready for the new school day.  Whilst we appreciate there can be an ‘emergency’ can you please support us by checking with your child before you leave the infant department.  The class teachers will also remind the children to go to the toilet when getting ready to leave.

P4 Scottish Government Funded Meals for All

The Scottish Government initiative to provide Free Meals for School Children has now been extended to include P4.   After Christmas, all children in school will be entitled to a free meal at lunch time.

Please note this new entitlement for P4 can now be accessed via Parent Pay.

Please ask if you have any questions

Active Schools – Message from Fiona Damen Active Schools Coordinator.

Dear Parent, Guardians and Carers,

I met with Mr Brack and Miss Munro this week and together we discussed the return of Active Schools activities in term 1, 2021. Active Schools objectives have a different focus post lockdown, leading to a more targeted approach aimed at children who face barriers to sports participation.  

Active schools are however still committed to ensuring every child gets active and my role will be more in school curriculum based offering extra physical activity and support to those classes and pupils who need this most.

Active Schools plan to run some clubs FREE as well as offering other opportunities run by clubs for a small weekly charge as before.  If you would like to volunteer to support in any way some sports activities please contact myself or Mr Brack.

I am working hard behind the scenes to provide a good quality mix of after school sports activities to offer to St Cuthbert’s families and hope to have a plan ready after the September weekend. Please look out for more updates in this newsletter soon.

Return of School Football

I know that we had successfully functioning teams prior to lockdown and it would be great to start this again. If you are interested in running a school team again or for the first time for either girls or boys please let me know and I will pass the guidance to you.

P.E Days

Please remember that pupils can now change in school and uniform should be worn on all days.

P1 –  Monday &  Thursday                            

P2 –  Tuesday & Friday

P3 –  Monday & Tuesday

P4 –  Tuesday & Wednesday

P5 –  Monday & Thursday

P6 –  Monday & Friday

P7 –  Monday & Wednesday

LCC1 & 2 – Tuesday & Thursday

Sharing Learning Via Twitter

Learning will be shared digitally on the following days

Monday – P1 & P2

Tuesday – P7, LCC1 & 2

Wednesday – P4 & P6

Thursday – P3 & P5

Friday – Star Learners and the Pupils of the Week

Homework

This will commence week starting 14^th September. Further details to follow.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club numbers continue to grow and bookings for next week can be made by contacting the school office.  All children attending will require to have new registration forms completed on their first day of attendance and exact monies should be handed in to the office in an envelope marked with your name and the days you wish to reserve spaces for.

Cost £1.50 per day first child and £1 for additional siblings

Adult Education Opportunities

Please see flyer from City of Edinburgh Council.

St Cuthbert’s, Slateford and Our Lady’s, Currie/Fr Aidan

Fr Aidan, will continue to be our acting school chaplain and will say Mass at both St Cuthbert’s and Our Lady’s Currie in the short term. We hope to hear from the Archdiocese about more permanent plans shortly and will share these as soon as we have them. In the meantime, we thank Fr Aidan for the amazing support, priestly and pastoral care he has provided.

Please see website for details of times and how to book a place.

https://www.stcuthbertschurch.com

Nursery Update

This week we have welcomed some new children into the nursery. It has been wonderful to get to know them and their families.

Isabel Gibson from the Memorial Garden Committee in Gorgie generously donated some fantastic art materials and natural resources. It was very much appreciated and we are sure to make good use of everything. Keep an eye on the Learning Journals to see what our very creative children come up with!

To keep up to date with what’s happening in nursery and more, follow us on Twitter:

St Cuthbert’s RC Nursery Class (@StCNurseryClass) / Twitter

Please be aware that all our term-time places have now been allocated for children returning/starting nursery in August 2021 (option 1). We still have Option 2 and Option 3 places available, see below for details.

Option 2	Option 3
2 DAYS + 19 Flexi Fridays Full Year (50 weeks) Monday    8:00am – 6:00pm Tuesday     8:00am – 6:00pm 1st & 2nd Friday of each month	2 DAYS + 11 Flexi Fridays  Full Year (50 weeks) Wednesday 8:00am – 6:00pm Thursday      8:00am – 6pm 3rd Friday of each month

If you would like to apply, please find below a link to the City of Edinburgh Council website, where you can download a nursery application.

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/12890/apply-for-nursery

Please bring (or post) the application, along with a copy of your child’s birth certificate and proof of home address – e.g. Council Tax letter or utility bill, to:

St Cuthbert’s Early learning & Childcare

St Cuthbert’s R C Primary School

9 Hutchison Crossway,

Edinburgh

EH14 1RP

Alternatively, you can email your application along with supporting documents to: stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk

Please be aware that a place at St Cuthbert’s is not guaranteed, as places are allocated using the City of Edinburgh Council Admission Policy.

Contacting Us

Your comments and questions are always welcomed, we can be contacted via

• Phone – 0131 443 2621
• E-mail – admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (school) and

stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (nursery)

We will always try to respond as quickly as we can. 

Finally

We look forward to seeing everyone again on August 18^th. Have a good weekend.

Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School

Dear Parents/Carers

Please see updated and revised letter.

Kind Regards

Pat Brack

Head Teacher

St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

0131 443 2621

  St. Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

  Newsletter 2 – Friday 20^th August 2021

 St Cuthbert’s CARES We are:
Creative Active Respectful Equal Supported

Welcome back everyone,

We hope you and your families have had a great summer andyour children will have a great academic year 2021-22. Please note, for any new parents/carers that these newsletters come out weekly on a Friday afternoon and can be accessed via our website, Learning Journals and the school app. If you need help finding or joining any of these platforms please let us know.

Contacting Us

Your comments and questions are always welcomed, we can be contacted via:• Phone – 0131 443 2621• E-mail – admin@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (school) and 

stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk (nursery)

We will always try to respond as quickly as we can.  

P.E Days

Please remember that pupils can now change in school and uniform should be worn on all days.

P1 –  Monday & Thursday                             

P2 –  Tuesday & Friday

P3 –  Monday & Tuesday

P4 –  Tuesday & Wednesday

P5 – Monday & Thursday

P6 – Monday & Friday

P7 – Monday & Wednesday

LCC1 & 2 – Tuesday & Thursday

Sharing Learning Via Twitter

Learning will be shared digitally on the following days

Monday – P1 & P2

Tuesday – P7, LCC1 & 2

Wednesday – P4 & P6

Thursday – P3 & P5

Friday – Star Learners and the Pupils of the Week

These posts will commence next week.

Homework

This will commence week starting 14^th September. Further details to follow.

School Uniform – Thank you and Further Information

Thank you so much for the efforts you have made to ensure that your children have returned to school wearing uniform which helps foster our sense of a shared identify and set the standard of high expectations across the school.

Our new P7 ties should be with us by 6^th September. At that point we will distribute them in the expectation that they will be worn daily to help P7 set an example as role models for the school. P6 pupils will also be given a school tie as they are also senior pupils who we want to encourage to act as role models to our learning community. 

P4 Scottish Government Funded Meals for All

The Scottish Government initiative to provide Free Meals for School Children has now been extended to include P4.   After Christmas, all children in school will be entitled to a free meal at lunch time.

Please note this new entitlement for P4 can now be accessed via Parent Pay. 

Please ask if you have any questions.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club resumed successfully this week and bookings for next week can be made by contacting the school office.  All children attending will require to have new registration forms completed on their first day of attendance and correct money should be handed in to the office in an envelope marked with your child’s name and the days you wish to reserve spaces for. 

Cost £1.50 per day first child and £1 for additional siblings

Nursery Update

The Team were delighted to welcome back our returning nursery boys & girls this week. We think everyone looks that wee bit more grown up! We have been developing our garden over the summer and the children have been exploring our new den and water area.

Great news for our team – Kathleen, our part-time Early Years Assistant has accepted a full-time position, and George, formerly our Early Years Assistant has accepted a promoted-post as an Early Years Practitioner. Congratulations to both.

To keep up to date with what’s happening in nursery and more, follow us on Twitter:

St Cuthbert’s RC Nursery Class (@StCNurseryClass) / Twitter

Please be aware that all our term-time places have now been allocated for children returning/starting nursery in August 2021 (option 1). We still have Option 2 and Option 3 places available, see below for details. 

Option 2	Option 3
2 DAYS + 19 Flexi Fridays Full Year(50 weeks) Monday    8:00am – 6:00pmTuesday     8:00am – 6:00pm1st & 2nd Friday of each month	2 DAYS + 11 Flexi FridaysFull Year (50 weeks)Wednesday 8:00am – 6:00pm Thursday      8:00am – 6pm3rd Friday of each month

If you would like to apply, please find below a link to the City of Edinburgh Council website, where you can download a nursery application.

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/12890/apply-for-nursery

Please bring (or post) the application, along with a copy of your child’s birth certificate and proof of home address – e.g. Council Tax letter or utility bill, to:

St Cuthbert’s Early learning & Childcare

St Cuthbert’s R C Primary School

9 Hutchison Crossway, 

Edinburgh 

EH14 1RP

Alternatively, you can email your application along with supporting documents to: stcu-nurmail@st-cuthberts.edin.sch.uk

Please be aware that a place at St Cuthbert’s is not guaranteed, as places are allocated using the City of Edinburgh Council Admission Policy. 

St Cuthbert’s, Slateford and Our Lady’s, Currie/Fr Aidan

Fr Aidan, will continue to be our acting school chaplain and will say Mass at both St Cuthbert’s and Our Lady’s Currie in the short term. We hope to hear from the Archdiocese about more permanent plans shortly and will share these as soon as we have them. In the meantime, we thank Fr Aidan for the amazing support, priestly and pastoral care he has provided.

Please see website for details of times and how to book a place.

https://www.stcuthbertschurch.com

Summary of Covid Restrictions as they Currently Stand

Changes:• Pupils who are direct contacts of positive Covid cases no longer have to isolate if they have a PCR Test and test negatively (fuller information on this process in next week’s newsletter).• Bubble system has now ended within the school day. This means that pupils will no longer be restricted to particular zones at breaks and can play with pupils from classes other than their own. • Restrictions removed on P.E, Drama, Music and Dance. This means that pupils can now sing and can also use changing facilities for P.E. meaning that pupils no longer need to come to school on P.E days wearing sports clothes but should instead wear uniform and bring P.E. kit to change into.• Lunch Hall – we plan to gradually progress our classes use of the lunch hall with the aim being to return to pre-covid normality by October.

Retained:

Most other mitigations from last year such as regular hand washing, the wearing of masks by adults in communal areas, one-way systems within the school, no assemblies or large scale gatherings, staggered start and finish times are retained under review for the first six weeks of term. Pupils who test positive will continue to isolate for 10 days.

Finally

Have a good weekend, we look forward to seeing you and your families next week. 

Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School