February 2017 Newsletter
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 February 2017 13:05
St Patrick’s Primary School, Ballynahinch
Newsletter
February 2017
P1 applications
The closing date for application to P1 is now closed. However, late applications will still be accepted. Remember, you must still apply for a primary school place if your child currently attends the Nursery. Completed forms should be returned to reception.
Catholic Schools Week – Challenged by Pope Francis to Care for our Common Home!
As in all schools throughout Ireland, Catholic Schools Week will be celebrated in St Patrick’s during the week of 30th January. Details of our celebrations have been sent to parents already and we would ask that you take some time to talk to your child about what they have been learning during the week.
Parent/Teacher Meetings – Week of 6th February 2017
Our teachers are looking forward to meeting parents to share progress, discuss how they can support their child and inform them about the behaviour and attitudes to learning of their child. Parents are encouraged to make every effort to attend. It would be greatly appreciated if you can restrict your meeting to the 10 minute slot allocated. To help with the smooth running of the day the school bell will ring every 10 minutes to indicate that it is changeover time.
How safe is your child on the Internet?
With Safer Internet Day coming up on 7th February now is a good time to consider how safe your child is, whether it be on a computer, mobile phone, tablet or games console. An increasing worry is the amount of incidents being reported to school around inappropriate use of Facebook, text messages and games on games consoles.
Parents, it is your responsibility to monitor what your child is saying and doing when using this technology. Please discuss the rules below with your child. Find our more on how to keep your child safe on www.thinkuknow.co.uk
NSPCC Online Safety Workshop for Parents
We want to support our parents in ensuring that their child is safe when on-line and so we are delighted to have arranged an NSPCC On-line Safety Workshop for Parents on Tuesday, 7th February at 2pm in our school. Please make a big effort to come along.
‘In the Net’ Internet Safety Play
We are delighted to have the Safeguarding Board of Northern Ireland play ‘In the Net’ visit our school to perform to the P4-P6 pupils on Wednesday, 22nd February. The key message of their play is how children can keep safe on the internet.
Head lice
Our policy is to encourage parents/guardians to ‘Once A Week, Take A Peek’- checking your child for signs of head lice. Please be extra vigilant as we are aware that head lice cases are on the increase at present.
Emotional Intelligence
This month’s Emotional Intelligence focus is on the virtue of Love. Why not take a little time to talk to your child about what they are learning about the saints and virtues.
The P2 class will be performing their assembly based on the theme on Friday, 3rd March at 9.30am. Parents of children in the P2 class are very welcome to come along to see their child perform.
Trocaire 2017 – Climate Change, Climate Justice, Climate Action !
It has long been a tradition that the children make every effort to raise money during Lent for Trocaire. This year we focus on Climate Change, Climate Justice, Climate Action! and how it is affecting communities around the world. As Lent begins on 1st March there will be a collection bottle in the front hall of the school so that children can make donations. It is always wonderful to see the efforts that the children make to support Trocaire and we have no doubt that this year will be no different.
School Development Update:
School Development is a crucial part of our work and we are constantly trying to introduce new ideas and approaches to ensure that our provision is of the highest standard. Here is an overview of our progress to date:
Development of Using Maths – Mental Maths
Over the 2016/17 school year the staff of St Patrick’s are focusing on more effectively developing skills in Mental Maths throughout the school. Teachers have received training in developing Mental Maths skills in the classroom and are introducing new strategies and approaches to help the children in their mental calculations. A Parent Workshop has been arranged for parents of P1-4 parents at 7.00pm on 2nd March. We look forward to seeing our parents at this fantastic event.
Development of Comprehension
We have been implementing prediction and questioning skills and approaches developed last year into learning using fiction books. Children are demonstrating good understanding of these approaches in their reading activities.
Other Developments:
- The new Grow in Love RE programme has been consolidated in the P1 and P2 classes and introduced to the Key Stage 1 classes;
- The Lexia support programme has continued this year with evidence showing that children using the activities regularly are making good progress
- Buddies to support the new P1 children we introduced in September. This had a very positive impact on the children starting school and feedback from parents showed that it made transition from Nursery to Primary 1 much easier.
- An additional member of staff has been trained in First Aid
- The P4-7 spelling programme has been reviewed to ensure it provides challenge and is pitched at the correct level.
- Staff are focusing on developing more of a link to the local community in their World Around Us topics.
- New GL Assessment tests have been introduced and trialled to include a new Cognitive Ability Test - CAT 4 and the new Progress Test in English and Progress Test In Maths
- Senior leadership continue to participate in the ‘Inspect Yourself’ programme.
- Staff training has been provided in use of SIMS and staff are using it to improve record keeping.
- The Extended Schools Programme has been reviewed, prioritising provision to be financed following a reduced budget.
- Development of the role of the governor – governors linked to curricular areas the areas of Communication and Using Mathematics have been put in place.
- The Shared Education Programme has been extended to now include five classes.
- A parent friendly SDP has been provided to parents.
Lexia Club
Does your child attend the Lexia Club? If so, do you know that the computer software can be accessed at home? Please encourage your child to log onto Lexia at home and spend some time working on the activities. It will really benefit their learning!
2-3 Club and Stay All Day Club
We are currently finding it difficult to manage these clubs as parents are booking their children into the various sessions and later changing their mind. This results in turning other children away, confusion in who is attending and overstaffing. For these reasons please give careful consideration before booking a place.
Belfast Giants
We are delighted to again be taking part in the Belfast Giants Healthy Lifestyle Programme. The Giants will visit our school on 21st February to do a fitness session with our P6 and 7 pupils and on 10th March the children will get the opportunity to go to watch an Ice Hockey game at the SSE Arena.
Keeping You Informed
Does the school have an up-to-date contact number for you? If not you will not receive important messages informing you of changes to clubs, school closures etc.
Changes to Snow Plan
There has been a slight change to our arrangements should there be snow of adverse weather. From 1st February staff will be permitted to use the staff car park. As a result the main gate to the school will be open. No vehicles are permitted through the main gate except those of staff. Access to the school and Nursery for children and parents will continue to be through the front pedestrian entrance only;
Important Dates
- Parent and P7 transfer meetings – 6th February 2017
- Beesafe Programme for P7 - 7th February in Ballymote Centre, Downpatrick
- Mid-term Break – 13th to 17th February 2017
- Maths Workshop for Parents of P1-4 children at 7.00pm on 2nd March.
- NSPCC Workshop for all classes 2nd March 2017.
- First Confession – 8th March 2017 in St Patrick’s Church, Ballynahinch at 7.00pm
- Confirmation – 26th April 2017 in St Patrick’s Church, Ballynahinch at 6.00pm.
- First Communion – Sunday, 28th May 2017 in St Patrick’s Church, Ballynahinch at 1.00pm
- Don’t post any personal information online – like your address, email address or mobile number.
- Think carefully before posting pictures or videos of yourself. Once you’ve put a picture of yourself online most people can see it and may be able to download it, it’s not just yours anymore.
- Keep your privacy settings as high as possible
- Never give out your passwords
- Don’t befriend people you don’t know
- Don’t meet up with people you’ve met online. Speak to your parent or carer about people suggesting you do
- Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are
- Think carefully about what you say before you post something online
- Respect other people’s views, even if you don’t agree with someone else’s views doesn’t mean you need to be rude
- If you see something online that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the website, turn off your computer if you want to and tell a trusted adult immediately.
