Author: GCCPRE12

St Brigid’s Primary
Newsletter

October 2016 In truth and love
2011

From the headteachers’ desk
As a headteacher I have the privilege of listening to high profile speakers at events and conferences. At the recent Catholic Headteachers’ Association of Primary Schools in Scotland (CHAPS) conference, Archbishop Philip, always a great supporter of education and our schools, talked about the high regard in which Catholic schools are held and that we enjoy a better than good reputation in the wider Scottish community; he spoke about our responsibility as Catholic teachers to bring faith alive for the children. John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Education, went on to say that in supporting young people to achieve all that they can, it is the relationship between teachers and pupils where value is added in education. Professor Graham Donaldson, former Chief Inspector of Education, added to the debate his views about the importance of supporting the development of teachers so that they can provide high quality, creative learning and teaching in our classrooms. It is pleasing to hear from such eminent public figures affirmation of the importance we place in St Brigid’s on providing high quality learning opportunities for our staff, including supporting their special mission as Catholic teachers.
Over the next few months I aim to give you more details about how we plan to achieve the targets set out in our school improvement plan for this year. On the next page you will be able to read more information about how we plan to raise attainment in literacy.
You should have received your individual parents’ night appointment. It is important that your child develops as an independent learner who can take responsibility for his/her own learning and we would ask that you bring your child with you to the meeting. Perhaps a friend or relative could help with looking after other children while you meet with the teacher.
Congratulations to Mr Cassidy who has passed Glasgow’s Aspiring Heads’ course. Mr Cassidy will receive his award at the City Chambers on 10 October. We are also delighted to share news of the safe arrival of baby Amelie Walsh. Mum and baby are both well.
Mr Gallagher has accepted a permanent post in South Lanarkshire Council and will leave us on 30 September. We wish him well for the future. Mrs Burns has agreed to help out until a new teacher is appointment.
Thank you for your support in getting the new school session off to such a good start.
Carol Scott
Head Teacher

Fantastic Fundraising Friday
7 October
Glasgow's children and young people making a difference for other young people in Glasgow.
The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice provides a place that offers comfort, care and peace of mind for people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting or life-shortening illness. The hospice has been fundraising to build a new purpose built facility on a new site in Bellahouston Park. Schools and nurseries across the city have been taking part in a number of exciting and imaginative fundraising activities to pay for a young person’s bedroom at the new build and to help to furnish a young people's den - an age appropriate space for social meetings where young people can mix with other young people.
Our Mini Vinnies group would like to invite all children to take part in our Fantastic Fundraising Friday on Friday 7 October by wearing pyjamas to school for a ‘PJ DVD DAY’ and bringing a donation to support the hospice. Together we can greatly improve the range of care and services that can be offered to the young people who need them!

European Day of Languages
On Friday 30 September we are holding a day to celebrate European Day of Languages. Children will be involved in a number of exciting activities including:
An assembly celebrating Spanish language and culture
Le cinéma— an opportunity to watch a French film
Chanter—singing in French
Gaelic taster classes P2, P3 & P4
Language awareness quiz

Improving Our School
Session 2016/2017
Priority 1
What do we want to do?
Raise attainment in literacy
How are we doing this?
All teachers and support for learning staff have undertaken training in aspects of literacy development, including the development of phonological awareness
Staff have evaluated the classroom literacy environment and identified strengths and areas for development. Teachers and support staff are ensuring a literacy rich environment in all classes.
We have reviewed and adapted our P1 curriculum to provide a greater literacy focus to meet the needs of our children
Our assessment processes will identify children in P1 for whom the general pacing of literacy learning and teaching is not appropriate and provide support, as appropriate.
We will continue to assess and close the phonics gap for targeted children in P2 – P7
We are offering a range of opportunities for families to be involved in reading with their children, including: reading stories at home using story sacks and Bookbug pack in P1: parent/child library club in P2 & P3 and First Ministers’ Reading Challenge in P4—P7. Please see the back page of the newsletter for events taking place next week.
By the end of December, all parents will have had the opportunity to share their children’s literacy learning in class.
With parents, we will identify additional and creative approaches to engage families in reading. Parents will have an opportunity on parents’ night to contribute their ideas.

Sport Scotland—Silver Award
We are delighted to have been awarded a Sport Scotland Silver School Sport Award for 2016-2017. This award is in recognition of our school’s dedication to put sport at the centre of our school planning, practice and ethos.
The Silver Award also highlights that our school has shown improvement across the core areas of the Award and demonstrate an on-going commitment to increase our young people’s opportunities and engagement in physical education, school sport and leadership and provide clear pathways of life-long participation in sport.
We are grateful to Mr Woods who has worked extremely hard organising opportunities and building partnerships and also to our Active Schools Coordinator, Jonny Rowan for his support.

Sports’ Update
Eleven Primary 7 pupils have been successful in their applications to become P.E. Leaders, they are assisting with P.E. lessons for Primary 1-3 classes and are undertaking the Play Maker Award programme on a Wednesday after school. These P7 pupils will also lead an after school club for one of the infant classes later in the year.
The school football team has had a positive start to the season winning 4 of their 5 games so far scoring 29 goals in those 5 matches.
Nineteen girls in Primary 4-7 have been attending a girls football club on a Monday after school; this will continue up until the October break.
Pupils in Primary 5-7 have had the opportunity to attend a lunchtime Cross Country Club to help them prepare for the ‘Get Ready to Run’ event at Glasgow Green (for P5) or the Holyrood Learning Community Cross Country race at Nether Pollok (for P6 and P7). Primary 5 and 6 classes have had an athletics coach from Glasgow Sport working with them during their P.E. time to give them some extra training ahead of their upcoming events.
Pupils in Primary 6 will be able to attend a lunchtime badminton club on Tuesdays beginning on 27th September for 7 weeks. 4 boys and 4 girls from P6 will have the opportunity to represent the school at the Holyrood Learning Community Badminton Festival.
Primary 5/4 attended a Tennis Festival at the Emirates Arena ahead of Great Britain’s Davis Cup Semi Final against Argentina.
Pupils in Primary 4 and Primary 5/4 have a football coach from Glasgow Football Development working with them during their P.E. time until 7th October. Some pupils from these classes will have the opportunity to attend a football festival at Toryglen Football Centre on Wednesday 12th October.
Pupils in Primary 2 have a Mini Kickers football coach coaching them on a Wednesday after school until 5th October. Pupils in Primary 3 will have the opportunity to attend these coaching sessions after the October break.
All pupils have been given a St Brigid’s School Sport Loyalty Card; this will reward pupils who take part in our school sport clubs. Pupils will receive a star on their card for each lunchtime/after school club they attend and once their card has 8 stars it is entered into a prize draw that will take place during Health Week in March. Pupils will be given a new card and can have as many entries into the prize draw as possible. 10 of our senior pupils have already completed their first card – a big well done to them!
More sports clubs are currently being organised. Pupils will have the chance to choose which sports they receive coaching in. We are always looking to increase the number of sporting opportunities for pupils in the school - if you know of any sports club that would like to link with the school then please get in touch with Mr Woods.

Diary
Dates
Fri 30 Sept European Day of Languages
celebration—activities across the school
P5 to Great Schools’ Run
Mon 3 Oct Master of Education students to work with P1b and P2b
Thurs 6 Oct Individual parents’ meetings
Fri 7 Oct Fantastic Fundraising Friday in
support of Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice
Selected P6 and P7 children to Cross Country at Nether Pollock
Read-a-long Literacy launch for P1 parents
Mon 10 Oct Senior pupils’ residential trip
Wed 12 Oct Selected P4 & P5/4 children to
soccer tournament at Toryglen football centre
Fri 14 Oct In-service learning day for staff— school closed for children
Mon 17 Oct Holiday week
Mon 24 Oct School reopens at 9:00am
Wed 26 Oct Mrs R O’Neill to Literacy for All
training
Fri 28 Oct Mrs Scott to Holyrood Secondary Learning Community meeting
Tue 1 Nov NSPCC Stay Safe Programme for P6 & P7 classes
Wed 2 Nov Holyrood Learning Community public speaking competition for
selected P7 children
Thurs 3 Nov Workshop for parents whose first language is not English 9:10am in school—more information to follow
Mrs Scott to association of Heads and Deputes Conference
Mon 7 Nov Ms Carlton and Mrs Scott to
Glasgow Counts training
Ms Sweeney to Archdiocese of
Glasgow training course
Tue 8 Nov NSPCC Stay Safe Programme for P6 & P7 classes
Fri 11 Nov Mr Neal to Archdiocese of
Glasgow training course
Tues 15 Selected children to Gymfest
Wed 16 Nov Badminton heats for selected
children
Fri 18 Nov Fluoride Varnishing programme
Mon 21 Nov Ms Carlton and Mrs Scott to
Glasgow Counts training
Tue 22 Nov Flu immunisation programme for all children with parental consent
Wed 23 Nov Mrs Scott to GCC Self-improving Schools conference
Mon 28 Nov Rag Bag collection
Ms Carlton and Mrs Scott to
Glasgow Counts training
A list of school holidays for the session can be found at:
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=17024

Enrolment of New Primary P1 Children
Children who will be 5 years of age by 28 February 2018 are due to start school next August. Children should be enrolled during one of the times below:
Mon 7 Nov 9:30am—11:00am
Tues 8 Nov 1:30pm —2:45pm
Wed 9 Nov 9.30am—11.00am
Thurs 10 Nov 1.30pm—2.30pm
Please contact the school office for an alternative time if none of the above times are suitable.

Mini Vinnies
The Mini Vinnies group would like to thank everyone for their generous food contributions in support of Glasgow City Mission appeal to share our harvest lunch with the homeless.

Contact us:
St Brigid’s Primary School
4 Glenmore Avenue
Glasgow
G42 0EH
0141 647 3952
headteacher@st-brigids-pri.glasgow.sch.uk
Follow us on Twitter @StBrigidsPS
http://www.st-brigids-pri.glasgow.sch.uk/
Pupil Absence Reporting Line: 0141 287 0039
Glasgow City Council website:
http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/
Parent Council email address:
st.brigidsparentcouncil@yahoo.co.uk

First Minister’s
Reading Challenge
Launch Monday 3 October
P4-P7 School assembly at 9.50am
Presentation to introduce the Frist Minister’s Reading Challenge
What is the First Minister’s Reading Challenge?
St Brigid’s have signed up to the Challenge. How can children and families be involved?
Parents of all P4—P7 children are welcome to come along to the assembly to find out about the Challenge.
Along with this newsletter, P4—P7 parents will receive an information sheet about the Challenge

Literacy for All: St Brigid’s Primary Launch
Week Beginning 3 October 2016
How can parents be involved?
First Ministers Reading Challenge Week Beginning 3rd October 2016
First Ministers Reading Challenge Week Beginning 3rd October 2016

Literacy for All P1—P3
Events for children and parents
Friday 7 October
P1a 9:05—9:45 Book Bug
P1b 9:05—9:45 Story Sacks
P1b 9:45—10:30 Book Bug
P1a 9:45—10:30 Story Sacks
P2 10:50—11:30 Book Bug
P3 11:35—12:15 Book Bug
P1, P2 and P3 parents are invited to share the Book Bug sessions with their child. Book Bug sessions will include gifted book bags to all P1 children. All P2 and P3 children will be gifted a book to take home to share with their families.
Read-Along-Story Sacks (P1 parents)
What is a Story Sack?
What is the aim of Story Sacks?
How does it work?
These sessions will introduce how we plan to provide good quality children’s books with supporting materials to bring the books to life to take home to share and enjoy with your child.
After School Library Club (P2 & P3 children and parents)
P2 and P3 children will also have the opportunity to attend an after school library club in school with their parents after the October break. More information will be given at the Book Bug sessions on 7 October.

P6 Reading Club
We are continuing to work with our business partners, Pinsent Masons lawyers who will help with reading in P6 once a month.