Dear Parents and Carers,

• First Minister’s announcement on schools: The First Minister announced that P1, P2 and P3 children will have a full-time return to school, with their teachers and pupil support assistants, from 22 February provided there is continued progress in the suppression of the virus. A final decision will be made in 2 weeks, the 16 February.
• When the P1-P3 children return to school, P4-P7 children will continue Learning at Home. I shall update you as soon as information comes to me on the return date for P4 -P7 children.
• Learning at Home will continue for the P1-P3 children until their return to school.
• Our ‘Hub School’ for key workers will continue run until all the children are back at school.
• The Care Commission has not set a date for Kidzcare Breakfast and After School Clubs to start for all children when schools reopen.
• Testing: The First Minister also announced that staff in schools and senior phase pupils would all be given access to at home testing twice a week. We welcome any support which will allow us to ensure our school is Covid19 free.
• Parent Feedback: Questionnaires for both pupils and parents have been emailed to you. Your feedback will help us identify what is working well and next steps. The closing date for returns is Monday 14 February.  
• This week is Children’s Mental Health Week, a great reminder for both children and adults to #WatchYourWellbeing. This year’s theme is ‘Express Yourself’, encouraging children to share their feelings in a creative way.
• February is LGBT History Month 2021. There are also lots of events planned at https://www.lgbthistory.org.uk/
• Parent Council Meeting: Thank you all who attended the meeting. It was a very good meeting. Your thanks have been shared with all the staff this morning. You asked for more short videos on maths functions, we shall do this for you.

Staffing Update:

• Ms Smolenska in P7A, is leaving us at the end of the week to take up a course which may lead her career in a different direction. Good luck!
• We welcome Miss Krysten Egan, who will teach P7A. Miss Egan has been a supply teacher in our school and has met a lot of the children.
• Two new Pupil Support Assistants will start in February: Miss Athina Sidera and Miss Slavka Hezelyova.
• Mrs Lesley Lamond, DHT has been seconded to Granton Primary School from the 16 February to the summer holidays to support the school whilst they complete their recruitment for a permanent DHT. Best wishes and congratulations to Mrs Lamond on this opportunity.  
• During the time Mrs Lamond is on secondment, Ms Jenny Dobie is going to increase her hours and support P2 and P3 staff and pupils. She knows the children well, having worked with them in P1. and Mr Martyn Wood and I shall support P4 staff and pupils. This will aid transition as the children move into Second Level

Schools close this Friday, 5 February for the February break and reopen on Tuesday 16 February 2021.

Look after yourselves and each other. Do all you can do to stay safe, that way we can help look after everyone in our Community too.

Kind regards,

Carol Kyle