November 2022 Newsletter
Blackfriars November Newsletter
Dear Parent/Carer,
I hope you all had a fantastic October break and would like to welcome you and your children back to term 2 of session 2022/23 at Blackfriars Primary.
Parents’ Nights
16th November 3-5.30pm
23rd November 5.30-7.30pm
Please take a note of the dates of our Parents’ Nights. Appointment details will follow soon.
What’s happening in Expressive Arts?
This term all classes will continue to receive weekly instrumental lessons, whether Baby Strings or ukulele. We have a YMI music instructor in P1-P3 for 8 weeks of this term. All classes will be rehearsing for the Christmas Concerts (see below for upper and lower school concert dates). P6/5 and P6 will participate in workshops with students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. P7 are receiving screen printing workshops with links to sustainability. P7 will also have the fantastic opportunity to perform a 10 minute curtain raiser as part of the Citizens Theatre Christmas show at the Tramway, on December 15th. P2-P7 will be attending the show and P7 parents will be receiving forms to order tickets for the show as well (2 tickets per P7 child). P1 will perform their Nativity on December 20th. The whole school will come together to sing some songs around the Christmas tree on the last day of term.
Miss Taylor
What’s happening in Literacy?
We are delighted that the Gorbals Library is offering class visits, after over two years of missing these due to Covid restrictions. Every class has the opportunity to participate in different library sessions to link in with class learning for Term 2. These visits will coincide with Scottish Book Week, when we will be celebrating books through various activities – look out for some of these on Seesaw as well as in the classroom! In addition to these activities, throughout Scottish Book Week, every pupil in Primary 2 and 3 will receive a Read, Write, Count bag full of goodies with attached tasks linking to every item in the bag. We hope you enjoy exploring these bags at home and the children will also have the opportunity to explore these in class.
We will continue with our weekly Word Aware vocabulary challenges on Seesaw this term. After a successful response in Term 1, we look forward to more this term! The children have enjoyed sharing their Word Aware home learning at monthly assemblies, which will continue this term.
Scottish Book Week begins Monday 14th November. Library visits will be during that week and the next.
Miss Taylor and Mrs Veitch
What’s happening in Numeracy?
We continue to have lots of families taking part in the Monthly Math Challenges on Seesaw, hopefully even more will have a go at the November Challenge – you can find it in your child’s activity folder on Seesaw. This month we are taking part in the Glasgow Sumdog Contest from 18th-24th November so please encourage your child to participate. Sumdog will announce daily winners who get a certificate and 5000 coins. Anyone who takes part will also get a special item for their Sumdog house.
If you need any support with Maths at home please contact Mrs Marsh or Mrs Boyd via Seesaw or the school office.
Mrs Marsh and Mrs Boyd
What’s happening in Outdoor Learning?
OUTDOOR LEARNING
We've had a busy first term harvesting and cooking a variety of vegetables. All classes are growing kale or spinach as an experiment, to see if we can grow them in the polytunnel over winter! Hopefully we will all be eating kale crisps by Easter!
Lots of parents and carers have been enjoying coming along to our Family Outdoor and Gardening Club. It is open to all classes, and is on most Fridays from 1.45pm-2.45pm (check SeeSaw for weekly details). This week (4th Nov) we'll be heading out into the local streets to do a community litter pick, so please do come along and help your child keep our local environment clean and safe. Please bring gloves if you have them.
ECO COMMITTEE
Our passionate new P4-7 Eco Committee have been elected and have begun working on improving our paper recycling, eliminating playground litter and reducing plastic waste in our school. They are full of important ideas and sensible suggestions.
Mrs Murdoch
Thanks
We would like to give a big Thank You to Mr Abela, our ukulele tutor who is leaving us this week and moving on to new adventures. We wish him all the very best of luck in the future. Miss Taylor is seeking out new musical experiences for Primary 5-7 pupils.
Breakfast Club
We have more children coming along to Breakfast Club from 8am each morning and we are beginning to have more activities to entertain the children when they are there.
On a Monday morning we are very lucky to have the “Givin it Laldie” choir in to sing with the Breakfast Club children. On a Tuesday we have karate and the first Friday of every month Mr McCormick goes for a run with our Breakfast Club children.
Mrs McHutchison
Child Protection
We have very robust procedures already in place to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our pupils in Blackfriars. These procedures will not change. However, as we continue to “Get It Right For Every Child,” please remember your first point of contact if you have any concerns is Mr. Martin McCormick, Mrs McHutchison or myself Mrs Shona Henderson.
The Child Protection Co-ordinators are Mr Martin McCormick(P2-7), Mrs McHutchison (P1) and Mrs Shona Henderson. We are also the Care Experienced Co-ordinators.
Book Fair – Returning
The book fair will be returning to the school. We will have the book fair from 15th November and it will be leaving on 29th November.
Permission/Consent Forms
Thank you to all parent/carers and children for returning all permission forms already. All of these forms are very important, remember if any of your details change then you can either log into your Parent Portal and make the changes or inform the school to update these details.
What’s Happening?
- Primary 6 children will all be participating in their final sailing lesson this week.
- Gymnastics – P3-P4 – Friday lunchtime between 4th November and 9th December – 6 weeks
- Football-P4-Soccer 4s
- Primary 7 start their swimming lessons
- Jeely Piece continue to work on Active Play with Primary 3
Afterschool Clubs
Venue – Glasgow Club
- Tennis Club – P3-P4 Thursdays between 3rd November and 8the December 5pm-6pm – 6 weeks
Health and Safety
Glasgow City Council’s Health and Safety Policy states that children should not participate in any physical activity/ physical education if wearing jewellery. This includes earrings. We can no longer put plasters over the earrings as a precaution. They must be removed. If your child can’t take their earrings out I’m afraid they can’t part in PE so please can you get ears pierced at the beginning of the summer holidays if at all possible.
All weather Play
We have had a lovely summer this year but Autumn is now here and Winter is fast approaching, it is important that our pupils get the opportunity for fresh air and light in the long winter months. We also encourage as much learning outdoors that we can. Therefore, your children may be outside on cold, wet, miserable days. Please ensure you send your child to school dressed for poor weather conditions. This will help keep them warm and dry as they play and learn.
Can I please remind you to ensure that your child’s name is on their clothing as children very often forget where they have put things. If you do not have a name on their items of clothing we may never be able to find them! Please help us to help you to keep your child’s possessions safe.
Food Poverty
We are aware of the ongoing increase to the cost of living and want to help. We are starting up a school pantry where families will be able to take bags of food home on Friday afternoons. From Monday 5th September black bins will be at the gates. IF you have any non-perishable goods that you can donate please put them in the bins and we will distribute them.
If you are struggling financially then please contact Mrs McHutchison as there is local help available.
School Uniform
A reminder that our school uniform consists of: the Blackfriars sweatshirt or cardigan, a white polo shirt or tee-shirt and dark coloured trousers or skirt.
On PE days children should come to school wearing dark coloured jogging bottoms, their white coloured tee-shirt or polo shirt and their Blackfriars sweatshirt. In this way there is no requirement for a full change. Children simply take their sweatshirt off and are ready to go. It also means that children are always wearing their school uniform.
The Daily Mile
We are encouraging all classes to take part in the Daily Mile. This regular activity has been proven to have a positive impact on children’s levels of fitness and overall wellbeing. Can we ask that children either wear training shoes to school or have a pair of training shoes available to change into, so that they are comfortable whilst taking part in the Daily Mile.
Internet Safety
We are having a lot of problems at the moment with children using APPS and the Internet inappropriately. We will do our best to teach the children what is acceptable and unacceptable use of the internet but we need your help. Many of the problems are happening on apps that primary school age children simply shouldn’t be using! There are age limits on APPs for a reason.
If you child is experiencing negative interactions on line please remove the APPs and monitor their contacts.
Please read this information page from the NSPCC. It is important:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/social-media/
This article has fantastic advice for parents and how to keep children safe online.
Please note the AGE Ratings for a selection of APPS. They have an age rating for a reason. Basically, we should not have Primary Age children using these APPS.
Facebook-Age 13
Instagram Age 13
Snapchat-Age 13
TikTok – Age 13
Twitter-Age 13
Wink- Age 13
Please help to keep your child safe online!
Absence Reporting
When needing to report your child as absent please make sure that you contact the absence reporting team.
The contact details for the absence team are: 0141 287 0039 or https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/pupilabsence
Once you have set up your Parent Portal account absences can also be reported through that.
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE HEADTEACHER TO REPORT ABSENCES. The headteacher is not always available in school and so absences can be missed.
If you inform us that you intend to take your children on holiday or to visit family abroad we will ask you to fill in a form. This form will include the date they will not be attending and the date the children will return. Again, if you need help getting your child to school please contact Mrs McHutchison.
ChildSmile – Fluoride Varnish
Childsmile will be coming to the school on 7th November for P1 – P4 to do the Fluoride Varnish on the children. Information will be sent out to all parents regarding this shortly.
School Photos
The school photos were taken at the school recently, please make sure that you check out the details that went home with the children on the day to order your photos.
Blackfriars Blether
In November the dates for Blackfriars Blethers are:
Monday 7th November – All parents and Pre-Entrant P1 parents welcome
Thursday 17th November & P3A Assembly – All parents welcome
In the meantime we do communicate via:
@BlackfriarsP - Follow us for updates
School App: Scot Ed – search for Blackfriars Primary School
Have a look at our school website - www.blackfriars-pri.glasgow.sch.uk
The class app used at our school is Seesaw. This will have class updates, homework and school information on it. Each child has an individual login which will be provided by the class teacher. If you are needing the log in then please ask for this.
Always check your child’s school bag for any letters, forms, documents that may be handed out.
With Thanks, Shona Henderson, Headteacher
Provisional Dates for your Diary 2022/23
P3a Assembly and Blackfriars Blether
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9am 17th November- Blether
9.45am P3a Assembly
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Infant Christmas Concert (P1-3)
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PM- 9th December
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Primary 4 Christmas Party
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PM – 13th December
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Primary 2 Christmas Party
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PM-14th December
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Primary 3 Christmas Party
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AM-15th December
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P2-7 Christmas Show at Tramway
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PM-15th December
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Upper School Christmas Concert (P4-7)
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PM-16th December
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Primary 6 and P6/5 Christmas Party
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PM-19th December
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Infant Nativity
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AM- Tuesday 20th December
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Primary 5 and P5/4 Christmas Party
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PM-20th December
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Primary 1 Christmas Party
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AM-21st December
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Primary 7 Christmas Party
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PM-21st December
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Carols round the Christmas Tree (Pupils)
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AM-22nd December
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P2A Assembly and Blackfriars Blether
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9am 26th January- Blether
9.45am P2a Assembly
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P6/5 Assembly and Blackfriars Blether
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9am 2nd February- Blether
9.45am P6/5 Assembly
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P3b Assembly and Blackfriars Blether
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9am 23rd February- Blether
9.45am P3b Assembly
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Primary 7s to Blairvadoch Residential Centre
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20th March
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P4 Assembly and Blackfriars Blether
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9am 23rd March- Blether
9.45am P4 Assembly
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Sports’ Afternoon (weather permitting)
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PM-Wednesday 7th of June
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Reserve Sports’ Afternoon (weather permitting)
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PM- Thursday 8th of June
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Primary 7 End of Term Assembly
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Week Beginning 19th of June-TBC
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School Holidays 2022/23
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2022
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Christmas/New Year
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Thursday 22nd December - Closing at 2.30pm
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2023
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Children Return
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Wednesday 4th January
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Mid Term Break
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Monday 13th February
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Tuesday 14th February
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In-Service Day
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Wednesday 15th February
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Children Return
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Thursday 16th February
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Spring Break
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Monday 3rd April
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Children Return
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Monday 17th April
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May Day
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Monday 1st May
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Children Return
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Tuesday 2nd May
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In-Service Day
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Thursday 25th May
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May Weekend
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Friday 26th May
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Children Return
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Tuesday 30th May
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Summer Holidays
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Friday 23rd June (1pm finish)
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In-Service Day
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Monday 14th August
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Tuesday 15th August
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Children Return
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Wednesday 16th August
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