Communication at Loirston School

Last term you were issued with your child’s report which was completed by staff using a new sysyem. Following this we would like to guage your opinion of the pupil report and the reporting to parent system, including parent/ teacher meetings. We are keen to find out if you are happy with the current system or if there is a way that we can better meet needs. We would greatly appreciate if you could please take a couple of minutes to complete 2 short surveys on the current report and what you you would like to see in the future.

Current Report

Future Reports

The Authority can make grants towards the cost of clothing and footwear for school pupils. The current grant is £55 for primary school pupils and £60 for secondary pupils.

You may be eligible if you are in receipt of certain tax credits, allowances or rebates.

Application forms are available now from all schools, community centres and customer access points.

To find out if you are eligible please see www.aberdeencity.gov.uk or call in at any of the above.

Dear Parents/Carers

Finally we are starting to see some sunshine.  The term is well underway and we would like to take this opportunity to update you on all our news at Loirston. We are currently beginning to organise final dates for P1 and Nursery induction and also events such as Sports Day.  We hope to have these with you soon.

Dates for Diary

Open Day – 23 May 2013

Bags to schools 24 May 2013

Cove Gala Bingo Night – 31 May 2013

Dunolly

All reports are coming back very positive and the children are having a very good time.  We look forward to seeing them back at approximately 3.00pm tomorrow, tired but happy!  Apologies the information line did not appear to take up my message last night.  I have however updated it this morning.

Cycling

A huge thank you to the parent volunteers who have undertaken training and offered to help out with Primary Seven Cycling proficiency this term.  We really are very grateful to Mr Stephen, Mr Gilmore, Mrs Leach and Mrs Chapla.  We would not have been able to do it without you!  It is great life skills our pupils are developing as a result.  This week and next week we will also be taking part in the Give Me Cycle Space Campaign and promoting children taking bikes safely to school. Primaries from 4 to 7 will have a chart in their classroom detailing how many bikes have been taken to school and next week totals will be sent off to the authority.  The winning school will receive a visit from a cycle stunt team. 

Reporting Questionnaire

All will have received the updated city version of their pupil report at the end of last term.  We would now like to seek your views on reporting and have put together a questionnaire on Survey Monkey that will be online shortly.  We will also send out paper copies to those who have already signed up to receive paper copies.  We really do want to gauge your thoughts and opinions on reporting in the future.  As you are aware we were one of the five pilot schools for reporting this session and it is also important that we feedback your opinion to the authority.

Staffing allocation

In order to keep you updated regarding our staffing for next session we are currently awaiting our allocation for 2013-2014 from the authority. Obviously we will keep you updated regarding classes for next session as soon as we know.

Bags to School

This will be running again this term. It’s time for a clear out of all these unwanted items cluttering up your house.  Bags to Schools will be picked up on Wednesday 24^th May.  Please drop off bags prior to this.  The school will be open on Wednesday evening till 10pm to drop off bags but if you need to do so before hand please feel free to drop them off at the front office.  Black Bags can also be used.  The company will accept the following items: clothing, sheets, blankets, curtains, soft toys, shoes, belts and handbags.  The school recieves 50p per Kilo or £500 per tonne.  Please take the time as I am to pack a bag as it provides some much needed funds for the school.

Football Team

Huge congratulations to our football team, who have done exceptionally well this season.  They have shown real team spirit, great team work and dedication.

As a result they have won the league following an unbeaten season.  They have done themselves and the school proud.  A huge thank you to Jon Laing, our football coach, who has given up a lot of time and put great effort into coaching our team.

Primary Five Sunflower Competition

As part of their theme this term P5s have organised a “Grow Your Own Sunflower” competition.  Should you wish to buy a pack please send a £1 to school.  The competition runs until 28^th of June giving us all a chance to grow the tallest sunflower. 

Cove Clean up

Many thanks to all who came out on Saturday 27^th April for the Cove Clean Up.  It really was appreciated by the Community Council.

Gala Event

The Gala preparations are well underway this term.  The LoirstonSchool, Cove Gala Princess has been voted for by Primary Seven’s and the vote was won by Molly Fowler.  The date for the Gala is the June.  Prior to this there will be a Family Bingo Night on the 31^st of May.  We look forward to a good turn out at the school at 6.30pm for the event.

Open Day – 23^rd May 2013

In order to share our learning with you, we have arranged for the school to have an Open Day.  Our pupils will show you around their classrooms and share their experiences with you.  Timings are as follows:

9.45 – 10.45 am and 1.45 – 2.45pm

You can come at either time, whichever is more suitable for you.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Gentle Reminders

As you are aware we run a number of after school activities such as athletics, fitness classes, karate etc. If your child is attending this activity it cannot be the teacher’s responsibility to get them there, it is in fact the parents responsibility.  During any activity we open up the community lounge should you wish to wait for your child whilst at their activity.

Can I also give a gentle reminder about the Playdale Area.  At this time of year we have a lot of classes using the area and we realise that parents also use this area with younger children and toddlers during the day.  With this in mind can we suggest that you are aware that there may be pupils using equipment, balls, skipping ropes etc and we would ask you to be watchful over younger children as we would hate to see any particularly young children get hurt.  Many thanks in advance for your assistance with this.

Kay MacDonald

Head Teacher

P5A and P5B want you to get growing!

We will be selling “Sunflower Kits” for £1

Each kit will have all you need to start growing a sunflower – just add water, sunshine and a bit of love.

Kits will be on sale soon.

Little prizes will be awarded for the tallest flowers.

Cove Gala Family Bingo Night

Friday 31st May – Loirston School

6.30 pm – Doors open

6.45 pm – Eyes down

Sashing of the gala princess will also take place during the evening

We hope that you are continuing to find your child’s learning journey/ eportfolio useful. Loirston staff will be reviewing these later this month and we would really value your input. Please click here to complete our survey where you have an opportunity to give your opinion. This survey was already available on the blog last term so please only complete if you haven’t already. Thanks for your time.

As you are aware from last term’s bulletin, our school has been chosen to take part in a cycling scheme promoting safe cycling.  Over the next two weeks we will be encouraging pupils to take their bikes to school and make sure they are safe in doing so. There is a competition element where the school that has the most pupils cycling to school could win a visit from a cycling stunt team.

As part of the cycling programme we intend to run a cycling proficiency scheme for our P7s on Friday afternoons from 1.15 – 3.15 pm. Parent volunteers have completed their training and are now ready to start the scheme.

I include the 10 week programme for training which will commence this Friday (3^rd May) therefore I would ask all P7s who have bikes to take them to school on Friday to commence training.

Obviously in line with cycling safety it is expected that all pupils wear helmets when using bikes, both to school and around the community.

I realise that there are limited spaces for bicycles to be locked around the school but this is something we plan to look into. If necessary we can accommodate some bikes inside for the training programme.

KAY MACDONALD

Head Teacher

Statutory Consultation on Proposal to Amalgamate Kincorth and Torry

Academies and Create a new School on the Bobby Calder Park Site

As you will be aware, Aberdeen City Council is proposing to close Kincorth

Academy andTorryAcademy, to amalgamate the two schools and establish a new,purpose-built secondary school on theBobbyCalderParksite.

The new school will accommodate pupils in the currentKincorthAcademyandTorryAcademycatchment areas/zones, including those from new housing developments.

A period of Statutory Consultation commences on Thursday 18 April and ends on Friday 31 May 2013, a total of 30 school days.

In 2013, 6th May is a holiday and 7th May is an In-Service Day.

A statutory Consultation Document will be made widely available, including at local schools and on the Council website.

You are encouraged to submit your views on the proposal by writing to

Kincorth and Torry Academies Consultation

Education, Culture and Sport

AberdeenCity Council

Business Hub 13

Second Floor North

MarischalCollege

Broad Street

ABERDEEN

AB10 1AB

or by emailing schoolestate@aberdeencity.gov.uk

All submissions should be received by 5.00pm on Friday 31 May 2013.

A series of public consultation meetings will be held on:

Wednesday 8 May 2013 atKirkhillSchoolfrom 9.45 – 11.15am,

Wednesday 8 May 2013 at Torry Academy from 7.00 – 9.00pm,

Tuesday 14 May 2013 atCharlestonSchoolfrom 7.00 – 9.00pm,

Wednesday 15 May 2013 atKincorthAcademyfrom 7.00 – 9.00pm,

Tuesday 21 May 2013 atWalkerRoadSchoolfrom 9.45 – 11.15am and

Tuesday 21 May 2013 inCharlestonSchoolfrom 1.30 – 3.00pm.

To assist stakeholders in accessing relevant information, a dedicated area of

Aberdeen City Council website will be populated with all information within this

consultation document and further detail on the consultation process and data

relating to the proposal.

The relevant web pages can be accessed at

www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/kincorthandtorry

Following the consultation period, a Consultation Report will be presented to the

Education, Culture and Sport Committee. This will include a summary of

representations received during the consultation period and at the public meetings,

along with the Service responses to representations made.

Should you have any questions about the Consultation process, please write to or

email the addresses above.

We look forward to receiving your comments.

Yours faithfully

Gayle Gorman

Director Education, Culture and Sport

Please find a copy of the school lunch menu for the summer term of 2013. This has already been issued on paper. new summer menu 2013