Please take some time to open and read our Autumn Update from St. John’s.

Scottish Water have advised us that they require an emergency road closure of Union Street, Hamilton to facilitate essential sewer repairs. Scottish Water have patch repaired part of a pipe in the past but ongoing pressurisation of the pipework over the recent years has resulted in failure and collapse and as a result the properties in Burnside Gate are at risk of flooding (Sewage). 

The road will be closed between Auchingramont Road and Auchincampbell Road with diversion via Almada Street, Muir Street, Palace Grounds Road, Blackswell Lane and Duke Street.

The proposed works are currently being planned to commence on11th October for up to 5 weeks.

Due to the road closure and heavy traffic around the school, we ask all parents to us our Park and Stride at the Bent Park.  No vehicle will permitted within the school grounds without a Parking Permit or Blue Disability Badge.  This includes private taxis.

Please take some time to open and read a letter to parents/carers from Jason Leitch.

Please take some time to open and read the attached document, outlining dates and events taking place within the school in the coming weeks and months.

Dear Parent/Carer

I can confirm that we have had a positive case of Covid-19 and NHS Lanarkshire’s Test and Protect team will be carrying out contact tracing.

The individual is currently self-isolating at home. 

Can I guide you to the attached letter signed by Dr John Logan, Acting Director of Public Health, NHSL which explains clearly the new procedure for schools when we are notified of a positive case within the school.  

As previously detailed whole classes will no longer be asked to self-isolate if someone in the class tests positive for COVID-19. There will be no requirement for your child to self-isolate unless you are contacted by Test and Protect – the contact tracing service. 

I would wish to reassure you that we have in place all the recommended infection prevention and control measures and a thorough cleaning programme for our building.  

It remains important to remember that mixing socially in the community without maintaining physical distancing measures helps the virus to spread widely. It is therefore important that people remain vigilant and follow physical distancing guidance, including during school drop off and pick up. Pupils and staff should wash their hands thoroughly and regularly using soap and water for 20 seconds.  

Individuals who experience any Covid-19 symptoms such as a cough, fever or loss of taste or smell, even if they are mild, should stay off school or work and get tested. Information on how to access testing is available at: www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test 

If you have any questions about coronavirus please visit www.nhsinform.scot in the first instance, or call the helpline on 0800 028 2816.

Headteacher

Dear Parent/ Carer,

We are delighted to welcome our children for term 2021-2022.

It has been a very smooth and happy start for all the children.

They are looking exceptionally smart in their school uniforms, which is a credit to all of you.

Our Breakfast Club is on every day in the dining room. Anyone who wishes can drop children off at the side gate from 8.15am- 8.35am to be served breakfast. About 8.45am children go out to the playground to meet their friends. There is no charge or need to book.

We have a significant number of children with severe nut allergies and ask all adults to ensure that children are not sent to school with snacks or lunches which contain any nuts. Please share this information with all adults who prepare foods to be brought into school.

We have started to work with Primary 1 children to complete assessments to ensure that children are working on targets which are most appropriate to their needs.

Our Primary 1 and Primary 7 children were very excited to meet up and start their Buddy Programme. Our Primary 7s are teaching Primary 1s playground games to play at break times.

A special plea- please label all your child’s possessions. Our lost property bundle is starting to grow already!

This year we are due to be reaccredited for our Gold Award for Rights Respecting School. As always children’s rights are embedded in everything we do in St John’s. We will be resuming our Rights Respecting School Committee and are keen to have Parents/ Carers as members. Any Parents/ Carer who is interested and can attend a maximum of 4 meeting across the school year with our children please contact the school office.

We have a very active Parent Council who meet about 6 times over the year. All parents are welcome to attend the meetings. We usually discuss things which can improve our whole school and plan and organise fund raising events. Our meetings have been remote to date but hopefully in the future we will be able to meet face to face again. Our AGM is on Monday 6 September at 7pm. Anyone who is interested in receiving a link to the Meet please contact the school office.

All schools are working on recovery planning to provide our children with the best educational experiences possible. Our targets for this year are to :

• Improve our teaching of literacy and to use more active strategies again.
• Train all teachers in Talk for Writing and use in classes
• Increase spelling and reading scores
• Recreate a culture of reading for enjoyment
• Support parents to remove barriers to increase school attendance

We are very fortunate to have enough PEF money from the Scottish Government to employ extra staff to help us achieve these goals.

Miss Primrose in based in our school library and is working on literacy with all classes over the week. Mrs Sharples is supporting targeted children across the school to increase literacy attainment.

Caroline, our Early Years Worker, and Mrs Murray are supporting children in our Nurture Classroom- The Rainbow Room each Wednesday.

Mrs Murray is now qualified to work with children on Talk and Draw therapy and will be doing this with individuals on a Thursday.

Caroline will be creating exciting outdoor play opportunities on Thursdays and Fridays for our infant classes.

Mrs Sharples will liaise with parents/ carers to support children improve their school attendance.

This year 5% of our PEF budget spend is to be decided by children and parents. We are looking to have a committee who would meet about 4 times over the year to decide on what is the best use of the money- about £4,000. Our Pupil Council Representatives will share our children’s thoughts and plans. We need about 2-4 parents/ carers who could join us to be part of this important group. If you could spare the time please contact the school office for more details. Our first meeting will be held on week beginning 30 August at a mutually agreeable time.

We are very much looking forward to restarting our pupil voice groups and will share information about all of these soon.

At present there are no after school clubs running but hopefully they will start to be reintroduced as the year progresses.

As always if you want further information please call the school office and we will return your call as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

Alison Hope.

Please takes some time to read the following information from our headteacher. There is also a letter attached from our Executive Director of Education.

16 August 2021

Dear Parent/Carer,

Welcome to session 21-22.

I am very much looking forward to seeing all of our children back safely to school.

I have listed below some information which I hope will be of help for the new session.

Entry and Exit to school

We are continuing with the one way system, where parents/ carers enter by the side gate and exit by the main gate onto Dixon Street.

The staggered start times for mainstream pupils will continue. Children can be dropped at the main gate between 8.45-9.15am. Any child arriving after 9.15am should come through the main entrance.

ASN classes will enter from 8.50am.  Rooms 1, and 10 will enter through the front door entrance where a member of staff will be there to greet them.

All adults entering school grounds must wear a face mask, unless exempt.

The staggered finish times are as below:

Rooms 2,7,9,11 and 14 will leave through the main gate at 3pm.

Rooms 6,8,12,15 will leave through the side gate at 2.50pm.

Siblings meet in the gym hall and leave in family groups through the main gate at 2.50pm.

ASN classes will leave by the front door from 2.50pm.

Breakfast Club

Our breakfast Club will resume on Monday 16 August from 8.15-8.45am. There is no charge and all are welcome. Children should enter through the side gate, where staff will be waiting to welcome them.

Label Everything!

Please label all items of clothing, bags, lunch boxes and shoes! This means that when items are lost they can be returned to the correct owner.

Changing clothes

At present children do not need to change outdoor shoes for indoor shoes or wear a full PE kit.

On PE days children should just wear polo shirt and remove sweatshirt jumper. PE is still held outside and thus a waterproof jacket is recommended.

Once the mud kitchen is timetabled classes will be informed of their day and will be advised of appropriate items to bring- usually wellies.

Food and Drinks

Children are encouraged to bring a small snack and water/ diluting juice to drink over the day. Water bottles can be refilled in classes. There is fruit available from the dining hall if a child wants it.

Milk should be ordered and paid for through ParentPay and is collected by the child in the dining room. A letter with all ParentPay details will be issued next week.

School lunches also should be paid through ParentPay. Children will be given the choices for each day and can order their selection in the morning.

Children can bring packed lunches and all parents/ carers are reminded that the school has children who are allergic to nuts and ask that no food is sent which contain nuts- especially a particular chocolate spread.

Once the children are registered next week an information pack will be sent out.

I look forward to this being a more settled year and thank you in advance for all your support in adhering to all of the guidelines to keep us all safe.

Yours faithfully,

Alison Hope.

Please follow the links below to watch our P7 Leavers’ Assembly and Presentations Ceremony.

Assembly Link

Leavers’ Ceremony

The school have recently received up to date guidance from South Lanarkshire Council on Parents/Carers attending events within school.

Unfortunately we are not permitted to have parents in attendance at Prize Giving, Sports Day or our Leavers’ Assembly. We do, however, intend to make a video of our Prize Giving and Leavers’ Assembly available to our families to watch at home.