St. Cuthbert’s RC Primary School
Newsletter 1– Thursday 12th 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 and look forward to your children returning for the new and hopefully more ‘normal’ school year 2021-22. Staff will return on Monday 16th August and school resumes for pupils on Wednesday 18th of this month (see start times below). As you will be aware, things have started to open up since the 9th August and the advice to schools is to proceed with cautious optimism. As a result, following City of Edinburgh Council advice, a small number of changes have been made and other mitigations retained for the start of term. These changes will be reviewed six weeks after the beginning of term. Please see a brief summary below of current advice:
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.
Staggered Timings August 2021 – School Resumes Wednesday 18th August
These will remain in place for the start of term until further notice.
Please note that P1 pupils will have their own previously communicated pattern of attendance on week 1. (see below for a summary of these).
| Class | Entry and Departure Point | Start Time | Break | Lunch | End of Day |
| P1* See below for weeks 1 & 2. | Side Gate and Class Door | 8.45am | 10.15am | 12.15pm | 2.50pm 12.10pm on Fridays. |
| P2 | Side Gate and Back Entrance(current entry point) | 9am | 10.15am | 12.15pm | 3.05pm 12.25pm Fridays. |
| P3 | Main Entrance via main gate | 8.55am | 10.30am | 12.30pm | 3.20pm 12.30pm on Fridays |
| P4 | Main Entrance via main gate | 9.05am | 10.30am | 12.30pm | 3.30pm 12.40pm on Fridays |
| P5 | Upper School Entrance via gate closest to it | 8.55am | 10.30am | 12.30pm | 3.20pm 12.30pm on Fridays |
| P6 | Upper School Entrance via gate closest to it | 9am | 10.30am | 12.30pm | 3.25pm 12.35pm on Fridays |
| P7 | Upper School Entrance via gate facing it | 9.05am | 10.30am | 12.30pm | 3.30pm 12.40pm on a Friday |
| LCC1 | Side gate and side class door | 9am | 10am | 1.15pm | 3.20pm 12.30pm Fridays |
| LCC2 | Side gate and side class door | 9am | 10am | 1.15pm | 3.20pm 12.30pm Fridays |
P1 Pupils Start and Finish Times Weeks 1& 2
- Wednesday 18th August – A-L Surnamed Pupils 8.45am-12.10 noon enter and exit via P1door. Staff will be on hand to guide pupils and families.
- Thursday 19th August – M-Z surnamed pupils 8.45am-12.10 noon enter and exit via P1door. Staff will be on hand to guide pupils and families.
- Friday 20th August – all pupils attend from 8.45-12.10am
- Monday 23rd August – all pupils attend from 8.45am to 2.50pm (these times remain the same for Monday-Thursday. The class finishes at 12.10pm on Fridays.
School Uniform
It is our hope that all pupils will return to school wearing full uniform this year to reinforce our sense of identity as members of the St Cuthbert’s community.
BE Uniforms (formerly known as Border Embroideries) have opened a shop locally at 187a Dundee Street, Edinburgh EH11 1DH (Tel 0131 378 9509). All our branded schoolwear will be available to purchase from either this new store or by using the ‘Find your School’ search bar to find the school’s online shop at www.beuniforms.co.uk.
To further foster this sense of identity, we have worked with BE to create a new P7 school tie. For the inaugural year of this tie we will supply all pupils with one of them within the first 2 weeks of term depending on when they arrive. We will also supply our P6 pupils with a tie to ensure they are also setting an example to the younger years.
Breakfast and After School Clubs
Breakfast Club will resume on Wednesday 18th August at 8am. All children attending will require to have new registration forms completed on their first day. Please see a member of staff to do this.
We will share information re After School Club as soon as we have it.
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
Finally
We look forward to seeing everyone again on August 18th. Have a good weekend.
Mr P Brack, Head Teacher and all at St Cuthbert’s School
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School 