Fordbank Primary School
August 2011 Newsletter
Welcome Back Everyone
Welcome to our new P1 pupils.
Everyone has settled well in class and I am sure all pupils
will continue to enjoy their time at Fordbank.
P1 pupils will be in school from
9.00 – 3.00 pm starting from
Monday 5 September 2011.
AS LAST YEAR, PLEASE HELP A YOUNG PUPIL IN SCHOOL WHO HAS A SEVERE NUT ALLERGY BY
MINIMISING THE AMOUNT OF FOOD WHICH CONTAIN NUTS ENTERING THE SCHOOL. YOUR HELP
WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MRS BROWN (DHT) AND MRS MINTO (PT) ARE TEACHING CLASSES THIS YEAR. A
GOOD DAY TO SPEAK TO MRS BROWN WOULD BE A WENESDAY ALL DAY AND FOR MRS MINTO
WEDNESDAY MORNINGS. OUR DHT AND PT WILL DO THEIR BEST TO REPSOND TO PHONE MESSAGES
LEFT AT THE OFFICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
On Monday 5 September at 11.45 am, one parent per P1 child is invited to go to the lunch hall with their child to
try out the menus. A parent wishing to eat a meal (you don’t have to) will pay £1.50 for a hot/ cold meal. P1 pupils
will pay an introductory price of £1.00 on that day. All pupils normally pay £2.00. Please send in a note to say if
you wish to attend.
Parent Council Meeting Our first meeting will be on Monday 5 Sept at 6.30 pm – again, new parents very
welcome. This meeting will be followed by a short PTA meeting at approximately 7.30 – 8.00 pm.
Tempest Photographs This year Tempest will be taking individual/family pictures on Monday 12 September am.
White shirts and ties will be required on the day – thank you. Class pictures will also be taken for P1 and P7 pupils
only.
Indoor shoes Pupils in P3-7 will change their shoes each day before entering the classrooms. Please ensure your
child has a pair of indoor shoes which will be kept in school.
Classes and Teachers for 11/12
P1
Mrs Traynor
P2/3
Mrs Campbell
P4
Mrs Young
P6
Mrs Brown (DHT)
P1/2
P3
P5
P7
Mrs Minto (Principal Teacher)
Miss McArthur
Mrs Halliday
Mrs Miller
Fordbank Primary School August 2011 Newsletter
Mr Menzies will teach all classes PE sessions each week to allow teacher preparation time. Mr Menzies is currently
taking over from Mrs McMillan until she returns to work. He will also be teaching P6 each Wednesday all day and
each Thursday afternoon. Mr Telford will teach P1/2 each Wednesday which will include one PE session.
Water Please encourage your child P2-7 to bring a filled water bottle to school as pupils will be allowed to drink
water throughout the day so that brain cells are always kept alert! P1 drinking is limited to intervals and lunch
times as they go to the toilet too often! If the weather is exceptionally hot P1 pupils will obviously be able to bring
water to school.
Lunches Cost for all pupils is £2.00.
Football Pitch P6 and P7 pupils using the pitch must bring a pair of trainers without screw in studs which stay in
the school at all times – thank you.
Cycling All P7 pupils are able to bring their bicycles to school each day and use the racks at the main entrance.
Cyclists must enter the P7 gate or main entrance gate and must walk their bicycle when inside the school grounds.
The school will not be held responsible for theft or damage.
PE Pupils should bring their kit for each of the two sessions or they will be unable to participate. Please help the
school by leaving ear piercing to summer holidays as pupils will not be able to take part in activities for obvious
health and safety reasons. Covering earrings with plasters is not permitted by the council and pupils must be able
to take earrings out themselves. Allocated days for PE at the moment are indicated below.
P1
P2/3
P3
P6*
Monday and Friday
P1/2 Monday and Wednesday
Tuesday and Thursday (Mr McCormick will teach P2/3 PE each Thursday)
Monday and Tuesday
P4 Monday and Thursday
Wednesday and Thursday
P7 Tuesday and Thursday
P5 Tuesday and Friday
*P6 pupils will receive weekly swimming sessions each Tuesday pm from 23 Aug-11 Oct.
Term Dates
Please find attached dates of school openings for this session.
Parent Evening Dates Parent evenings this year have been set for:


Wednesday 12 Oct
Wednesday 28 March
4.00 – 7.00 pm & Thursday 13 Oct
4.00 – 7.00 pm & Thursday 29 March
4.00 – 7.00 pm
4.00 – 7.00 pm
Fordbank Primary School August 2011 Newsletter
You will all be aware that public services are operating in a tough economic climate. Please be assured that in
Fordbank Primary School we will continue to do our utmost to provide a high quality educational experience for your
child, making best use of the resources available to us. As you know, we now have a one senior clerical assistant
(Miss Jones) and two classroom assistants (Mrs Kennedy and Mrs Connor) in school. Please note that Mrs Connor
works Mon - Thurs only. There are a number of things you should be aware of:

There will be occasions when there is no-one in the office to respond immediately to requests when
parents/carers visit the school or telephone. We will endeavour to keep this to a minimum. Times to stick
to when visiting or contacting the school should be 8.45 – 10.30 am, 11.00 – 1.15 pm and 1.45 – 4.15 pm
(Fridays 4.00 pm). This allows our Senior Clerical assistant, Miss Jones, to have her break and lunch.

It will not be possible for items handed in for children during the day to be delivered to them as this
wastes valuable office time. It is important for parents to ensure that their child has everything he/she
requires before coming to school, e.g. snacks, packed lunches, dinner money, homework, PE kits and musical
instruments. Pupils who forgot their packed lunches will be given a lunch in the canteen and parents/carers
will be required to reimburse the school.

Parents should ensure that children are aware of the arrangements for their homeward journey each day.
You are requested not to telephone the school asking for a message to be relayed to your child. Family
emergencies will be dealt with as a matter of priority.

It is very important that children arrive at school on time and are collected promptly at the end of the
school day.

In the event of a child’s absence from school, it is essential that parents telephone the school office
by 9.30am at the latest.

The minimum requirement of one adult presence in the school grounds during intervals will be maintained as
Mrs Kennedy and Mrs Connor will both be in the playground during intervals.

At Fordbank Primary it has been the practice to offer Primary 7 pupils the opportunity to experience a
residential trip. In the current climate, this is no longer going to be possible. We will consider alternative
activities which will provide Primary 7 pupils with similar opportunities in a non-residential environment.
Further information will be available in due course.
Please be assured that in Fordbank Primary School we will continue to work hard on behalf of your child and we look
forward to your ongoing support.
PLEASE HELP THE SCHOOL FURTHER
It would be greatly appreciated if more parents used the drop off / pick up area at the main entrance of the
school at the beginning or end of the day as the severe congestion of cars outside the infant gate may cause an
accident in the future.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school regarding any of the above issues.
Thomas J McCormick
Head Teacher
School year 2011 - 2012
Term
Autumn
Term
2011
Break
Teachers Return
Opening and Closure Dates
Monday
15 August
2011 (IS)
Pupils Return
Tuesday
16 August
2011
Local Holiday/Closed
Schools Re-Open
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
23 September
26 September
27 September
2011
2011
2011
Mid Term
First Day of Break
Teachers Return
Pupils Return
Monday
Monday
Tuesday
17 October
24 October
25 October
2011
2011 (IS)
2011
St Andrew’s Day
Schools Closed
Schools Re-Open
Wednesday
Thursday
30 November
1 December
2011
2011
Christmas
Schools Close
First Day of Break
Wednesday
Thursday
21 December
22 December
2011
2011
Last Day of Break
Wednesday
4 January
2012
Schools Re-Open
Thursday
5 January
2012
Mid-Term
First Day of Break
Teachers Return
Pupils Return
Monday
Wednesday
Thursday
13 February
15 February
16 February
2012
2012 (IS)
2012
Spring
First Day of Break
Monday
2 April
2012
Teachers Return
Monday
16 April
2012 (IS)
Pupils Return
Tuesday
17 April
2012
Local Holiday/Closed
Re-Open
Monday
Tuesday
7 May
8 May
2012
2012
In-Service Day
First Day of Break
Last Day of Break
Schools Re-Open
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
24 May
25 May
28 May
29 May
2012 (IS)
2012
2012
2012
Schools Closed
Tuesday
June
2012
Last Day of Session
Wednesday
June
2012
Spring
Term
2012
Summer
Term
2012
May Day
Subject to
Change *
Queen’s Jubilee
Teachers return Monday 13 August 2012
Pupils return Tuesday 14 August 2012
Notes
* Please note the date of the in-service day, Thursday 24 May 2012, and the holidays on Friday 25 and Monday 28 May 2012 may be subject to
change. A proposal is currently being considered to link these days to the holiday being held on Tuesday 5 June 2012 to celebrate the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee. Should that proposal be agreed then the following dates would apply:In-service day – Thursday 31 May 2012; holidays – Friday 1 and Monday 4 June 2012 as well as the additional public holiday on Tuesday 5 June
2012. Schools would therefore re-open on Wednesday 6 June 2012.