Dear Parents/Carers,

You made it!  The end of lockdown learning for all appears to be in sight and we so much look forward to having all of our pupils back in the building on Monday.  There are several items to make you aware of in this week’s update and I expect that as we all settle back into full routine, there may well be further updates over the coming days.

Return of Home Learning Resources

A reminder to  P4-7 pupils that all learning resources that were sent home, including Chromebooks, textbooks, jotters, workbooks etc. are required to be returned on Monday as they will be needed in class.

Risk Assessment

Our risk assessments remain, as they were, prior to the Christmas holidays.  Hand hygiene, minimisation of items coming into school and social distancing between pupils and adults remain the key mitigations of protection.  There will be no sharing of equipment other than in early years classes and pupils are encouraged to minimise physical contact amongst themselves wherever possible.  No pupil or member of staff should attend school if they are feeling unwell and where coughs, temperatures or loss of taste/smell, occur, self isolation and testing guidance is to be followed.

Parents are asked not to congregate at the school gates and masks are to be worn when dropping off and collecting pupils. 

At this time, indoor PE is not permitted and as such, pupils are reminded to come dressed to take part in outdoor lessons, regardless of the weather. On PE days, pupils are to come dressed for PE with school jumpers also worn.

We continue to require to have classroom windows open to increase the ventilation in the school building and pupils are permitted to wear additional layers if they wish to do so.  Please note that additional layers are as well as, not in place of, school jumpers.

There are a few changes to the entrances and exits currently in use at the school.  P1-3 classes now enter via the main playground door, P5 and P6 will enter at the first stairwell and P4 and P7 will enter from the second stairwell.  Staff will be on hand on Monday to ensure that everyone gets to the correct line.

Playground equipment, including the climbing set, are currently out of bounds.  Our nature walk and MUGA operate on a timetabled basis to ensure that only one class bubble is in these more confined spaces at any one time.

School meals are served in the canteen from Monday through Thursday and in classrooms on Fridays.  Tables and serving stations are laid out to provide sufficient spacing between class bubbles.  The current school menu will continue until the Easter break and this can be found at https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/22864/primary_2-choice_grab_n_go_menu

Recovery of Teaching and Learning

As has been the case for our P1-3 classes who returned last month, the initial focus upon returning will be reconnecting with pupils and ascertaining where each one is at in their learning.  It is expected that this will take time and in light of this,  homework for P4-7 pupils will not be assigned before the Easter break.

The Highland Council have employed additional staff to help with the recovery of learning. Mrs Karen MacRae will be working at PPS each Tuesday in this capacity.  During her day at the school, she will have times slots to support each class and teachers will be in touch with parents of pupils who will be involved in this.

Health and wellbeing of all continues to be our main priority at this time and in each class, daily emotional check ins, whether formal or informal, take place for all pupils.

Parents Night

Virtual parent appointments for P1-3 pupils take place on 23^rd and 24^th March.  Parents have been sent instructions around how to book these and how to join.  We are using the new Highland Council approved Parent Booking system which also offers a facility for two parents to join the meeting from separate locations.  If you require this facility, please be in touch with the school office who can help with this.  We hope to hold similar virtual parents appointments for P4-7 pupils on 4^th and 5^th May and further details about this will follow.

Red Nose Day

Next Friday, 19^th March, we will support Comic Relief Day.  Pupils are invited to wear red and or/crazy hair, donations of any size are accepted.  Pupils are also asked to come to school prepared with their best joke which can hopefully be shared in classes! We look forward to a bit of fun in the fundraising.

It goes without saying, but must be said again – this has been a difficult time for everyone and we fully appreciate the trying circumstances that you have all faced while trying to deliver remote learning to your own children.  We are very grateful for the input that you have had, for your communication, your encouragement of pupils, your perseverance with technology and for your ongoing support of the school during this time.  Please know how very much it has been appreciated!

We can’t wait to see you all on Monday!

Regards,

Sara