Post Primary Transfer Parental Guidance Leaflet - Check P7 class pages

• P1 START

  Fri 21 Aug 2020 E Taggart

  Please see information below regarding starting back: 

   

  School commences on Tuesday 25^th August 2020 for the P1 bubbles (Induction/Transition Week). Please refer to the letter you received in June for your child’s start time and day. It is extremely important that you adhere to date and time.

  From Tuesday 1^st September 2020, your child will attend school every day, from 8.45-11.45am.

  From Monday 21^st September 2020, your child’s school day will be increased to 1pm and from Monday 28^th September 2020, your child will finish at 1.45pm.

   

  Please do not bring in a School Bag or Lunch Box.

  All you are required to bring with you is a Healthy Snack (Nut Free) that your child can eat without assistance and a disposable water bottle. This snack should be carried in a disposable bag with your child’s name on it.

  From Monday 21^st September 2020, a full packed lunch will be required.

   

  This Term, children may wear either the full school uniform or their PE Uniform.

   

  If you have purchased a school Book Bag, this will be distributed but should be kept at home until further notice. Please return the Data Collection Form to the Office as soon as possible, as we need your contact details for our Text Alert System.

   

  When you arrive at school, your child will be collected at the Picket Fence and brought into their courtyard. Please do not enter this area.

   

  Please do not hesitate to contact the School Office if you have any additional concerns or queries.

   

  This year will be a challenging time for all of us, but we can assure you that we will be doing our very best to nurture, support, guide and teach your child so that they reach their full potential.

   

• Year 7 Return to school Information

  Wed 19 Aug 2020 Y7 Teachers

  YEAR 7 INFORMATION - RETURN TO SCHOOL  

   

  Dear Parents

  We understand that the children have been out of school for a considerable amount of time and therefore for some there may be some anxiety about the return. We would like to share some information with you and ask that   you share it with your child.

   

  MONDAY 24^th AUGUST – INDUCTION DAY

  The class will return in their bubbles this day. We will discuss lockdown and the return to school with your children. Time will be spent discussing the importance of good hygiene routines and safe movement around the school.

   

  We will  also discuss the school year, practice papers and then spend some time on pastoral activities. Using the resource ‘Weaving Well-Being’ we will be discussing  8 Empowering Beliefs and will spend time on  ‘Focus on the Positive’.

   

  TUESDAY 25^th AUGUST

  A normal school day with focus on literacy and numerical work.

   

   

  WEDNESDAY 26^th AUGUST

  Pupils will sit their first Maths  GL practice paper in school.  We will score and teach the paper after their break. The  paper will go home and we would advise that parents take time to go over any corrections.  Keeping a record of any particular areas of maths that your child finds challenging is always a good idea. Setting some extra examples of work within those areas will be helpful as often children just need more practice.

   

  THURSDAY 27^th AUGUST

  Pupils will sit their first English practice paper in school. As with the maths we will score,  teach the test and send it home to be worked at further.  Once more identifying  and noting mistakes especially in the spelling or punctuation sections is useful. Spellings often re-occur in practice papers so please ensure that your child spends quality time learning words that they got wrong. Teachers will encourage children to analyse their mistakes and learn from them. 

   

  When the paper is a GL paper please also check that your child clearly marks the answers on the answer grid…we will reinforce this in class.

   

   

   

  FRIDAY 28^th AUGUST

  Normal school day.

   

  CCEA Past Papers will be started in the week beginning Monday 21^st September. At this point pupils will be completing 3 practice papers a week in school.

   

  NB: We are also keen to administer standardised NfER English and Mathematics assessments as soon as we feel is possible.

   

   

  ONLINE LEARNING

  In Yr7  we will be setting up Seesaw in order to post work, homework,  music lesson and home-school communication..

   

   

   

  PRACTICAL INFORMATION

   

  HEALTH

   

  • Hygiene and safety is key in trying to maintain a sustained attendance at school for our Year 7.  Therefore if your child is unwell they MUST NOT attend school, keep  them at home and follow the HSC Public Health Guidelines.

   

  • In the case of a pupil being ill in school, parental contact will be made and the child will be kept in a quarantine room (supervised) until collection.

   

  HYGIENE

   

  • Regular hand washing and good hygiene is crucial. Children will wash their hands when they come into the classroom, before handling food and at the bathroom.

   

  • In P7 we would like all pupils if possible to have a small bottle of hand sanitiser, small packet of anti-bacterial wipes and a pocket packet of tissues.   These items should be kept in a clear plastic lunch bag (labelled with name) at the child’s desk. Coughs, sneezing should always be into a tissue which should then be put into a bin and hands washed for 20 seconds.

   

  • We will be keeping windows in the classroom open as much as possible and we will also be taking fresh air breaks.

   

  • Each pupil will have a designated seat in the classroom and should not move from that seat. Desks and seats in the room will face forward (in line with DE guidance). Pupils will be provided with a folder for basic stationary and their own pencil case must remain under their desk. Children are not allowed to share or borrow resources.

   

  • Initially school-bags will not be permitted.

   

   

  BREAK/LUNCH

   

  • There will be staggered times for both break and lunch. Children must  sit in their own seat while having lunch in the classroom and not move around the room. If dry they will get out to the playground.

   

  • All pupils will need a packed lunch in a disposable lunch bag (with their name clearly marked). This will be kept under their desk and disposed of at the end of the day.

   

  • Pupils may keep a disposable water bottle at their desk.

   

   

  UNIFORM

   

  • Either full school uniform or P.E uniform will be acceptable. We would encourage a fresh uniform daily.

   

  BEHAVIOUR

  • The school’s Positive Behaviour Policy will be revised to have a temporary amendment in relation to Covid19. Further information on this will follow.

   

   

  COMMUNICATION

  • If you need to discuss a matter directly with us please contact the school office to organise a telephone chat with us….or send  us a note /letter in a sealed envelope. 

   

  Finally it is important that you give your child time to settle back into the school routine. Their well-being is of utmost importance. We will all be working together to prepare them as best we can for their transfer tests but it is all about balance.  Enjoying their clubs, hobbies  and interests outside of school is very important and should be encouraged.

   

  This year will be challenging for all of us but we together we can make the most of it.

   

  Mrs M Dolan                                                                         Mr N McGinn

  VP & Yr7 Teacher                                                                Yr 7 Teacher

  KS2 Coordinator                                                     

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Education Restart

  Mon 17 Aug 2020
  

• Galaxy Coaching Summer Camp

  Mon 29 Jun 2020

  The link to book is www.galaxycoaching.com/summer

  

• End of year school mass

  Wed 24 Jun 2020

  Mass will be celebrated by Fr Michael on Friday 26th June at 9.30am.

  All children, parents and families are invited to log on to stbernadettesparish.org to join in community mass .

  Mr Mc Taggart

   

• Important message from Principal and School Governors

  Wed 25 Mar 2020

  25/03/20

   

  Arrangements at St Bernards Primary School for key worker children

   

  Dear Parents,

   

  The School is open to look after pupils of key workers.

   

  As it is important to ensure adequate staff cover each day, the Principal will maintain a list of eligible children who can, and are welcome to, avail of this service.  If you are a key worker and require assistance with the care and supervision of a pupil at the school, please contact the Principal by e-mail (kmctaggart731@c2kni.net).  Your child will be added to the list and the School will do its very best to help in these difficult circumstances (in line with DE guidance). 

   

  Please let the Principal know as soon as possible and preferably no later than 4pm on the day before the service is required to enable adequate arrangements to be put in place.  The more notice we have, the better able we are to safely accommodate your children.

   

  Pupils not on the list, should not attend. 

   

  Parents who need to use this service can be assured that the School is following best practice with regard to social distancing and cleanliness.  A limited number of class rooms are in use for small numbers of children, only a small portion of the School is open, and additional teacher based supervision is in place.   The classes which are in use, and the areas of the School which are open, are being thoroughly cleaned each day. 

   

  Pupils attending the school should bring a packed lunch.  Arrival and collection of pupils will be through the fire doors of the assembly hall.  School will operate normal hours between 9am and 2pm / 3pm.  Please note, the Church car park will be closed but the gates to the school will be open - for access through the car park and via Wynchurch Walk.

   

  The School strongly recommends that children stay at home for their safety and only attend school if this is necessary to assist key workers.  This service will be reviewed daily in line with DE guidance and in conjunction with the School’s own risk assessment. 

   

  We thank our staff for the effort that they are putting in to managing this situation whilst continuing to try to deliver the curriculum to all our pupils through home learning. 

   

  Please use this service if you need to, but otherwise we urge our School community to remain safe and stay safe by staying at home. 

   

  Best wishes and keep well.

   

  Kieran McTaggart,

  Principal.

• BBC Radio 2 500 Words writing competition

  Sun 09 Feb 2020 S. Hackett

  As you may have seen on social media or heard on the radio, the 10th year of the BBC Radio 2 500 Words writing competition is currently underway. It’s open to children from 5 to 13 years, has fantastic prizes and although it attracts tens of thousands of entries somebody has to win!!! 

  If you wish your child to enter simply go to the BBC Radio 2 500 Words website where you can download all the necessary information. Good luck to our St Bernard’s pupils. 

• PTA Christmas Catch Up and Cake Sale after 12pm mass this Sunday 8Th December

  Wed 04 Dec 2019

  Please join the PTA and school community for  Santa, Mince Pies, Music and Olaf.

  Come along to the Parish Hall after 12pm Mass and join the fun.

   

  If able to volunteer any help, please contact the school office or Ciara Faloona.

• Digital Admissions and Criteria information for Enrolment 2020

  Mon 25 Nov 2019

• Welcome Father Spence!

  Mon 02 Sep 2019 K Weir
  The children were delighted to receive a visit from our new chaplin Father Spence. We look forward to working alongside him to prepare the children for their sacraments and showing him our lovely school!