Langside Primary School Newsletter: November/December 2015
As we head towards Christmas, there are a number of key activities you might be interested in:
November
Tues & Wed 3rd & 4th
School Photographer
(class pictures for P1 and P7; individual and family groups P1-7)
Wed 11th
Remembrance Day (poppies are currently on sale in school)
The headteacher has been invited to the launch of the World War 1
exhibition at Shawlands Academy that evening and will invite a group of
P7 pupils to accompany her.
Mon 9th – Fri 13th
Registration of P1 for August 2016, 2 – 4p.m. Mon - Fri
All families must register children in their own catchment area school.
Parents should bring proof of address and the child’s birth certificate
(NOT a photocopy).
December
Wed 9th
P7 School Show at Shawlands Academy 7-8.30 p.m.
Wed & Thurs 9th & 10th
P1 Nativity at 2.15 p.m.*
Fri 11th
P1-2 Christmas Party with Giggles the Clown
Mon 14th
P2-7 Christmas Concert 1.30p.m.*
Tues 15th
P2-7 Christmas Concert 10.30p.m. and 1.30p.m.*
Wed 16th
P3-4 Christmas Party with Kidnetic 1.15 – 2.45p.m.
Wed 16th
P5-7 Christmas Party with Kidnetic 3.30 – 5p.m.
Thurs 17th
Christmas Lunch in the Dining Hall
Fri 18th
P1-7
Tues 22nd
School closes for Christmas at 2.30p.m.
Hopscotch Theatre Christmas Pantomime
*More information about tickets sales will follow
January 2016 – Happy New Year!
Wed 6th
School re-opens at 9a.m.
Learning, Teaching and Curriculum
Through Inter-disciplinary Learning (IDL) contexts, children learn a variety of skills, knowledge
and understanding through connections made within and across curriculum areas and subjects. This
helps deepen their learning and usually makes it more enjoyable.
If your work, interests or hobbies relate to any of the following, and you would have time to share
some of your expertise to further enhance the children’s learning experiences, then we’d love to hear
from you!
Year
Group
Context/s for Learning
Core subject areas for study
 People who Help Us
 People and Place, & People in
Society (geography &
modern studies)
 Sciences
 Literacy
P1
 The season of winter
P2
The Best Wee Street in
Glasgow
History
Geography
Modern Studies
Literacy
See Early Years’ Newsletter
See Early Years’ Newsletter
The Romans
 History
 Geography
 Technologies
 Literacy
Visit to the Hunterian Museum – or
further afield e.g. the Antonine Wall in
Bearsden
Visit to the local library for reference
material
The Human Body
 Health & Well-being
 Sciences
 Literacy
Visit the Science Centre
Visit to the local library for reference
material
 History
 Geography
 Literacy
Visit to the local library for reference
material
Explore the Heritage Trail ( Langside)
Visits: e.g. Linlithgow Palace,
Holyroodhouse Palace, Edinburgh
Castle, Stirling Castle, Lochleven Castle
Local library for reference material
Visits: e.g. the Glasgow Science Centre
Planetarium, University of Glasgow
Observatory, Coats Observatory
(Paisley), the Scottish Dark Skies
Observatory (Ayrshire)
P3
P4
Mary Queen of Scots
P5
Wall – E
 Sciences
 Technologies
 Literacy
Pantomime
(the School Show)
 Expressive arts (drama,
music, art)
 Literacy
P6
P7




How you can help at home…some
suggestions
Attend a professional pantomime
Support rehearsal of parts/songs
Support learning more about
music/acting/dancing e.g. joining a club
Please note, the IDL contexts are in addition to the discrete teaching of literacy, numeracy, health
& well-being, as well as any other curriculum area not being delivered in the IDL context.
Curriculum Areas and Subjects
Curriculum for Excellence aims to transform lives through learning. It is designed to help prepare
children for life in the modern world, and emphasises the importance of the particular methods and
approaches used in teaching and the design of learning experiences/activities to success.
At Langside, our approaches are entirely consistent with what is recommended.
Study Areas
(please note, these headings are used to organise progression across the curriculum for ages 3 to 18yrs)
Talking and listening
Reading
Literacy and English
Writing - the craft of writing in various genres
- the technical tools of spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting)
Our number system/number processes, money (including financial
Numeracy and
awareness/capability) and measure
Information Handling
Mathematics
Shape, Position and Movement
Mental, emotional, social and physical well-being
Planning for Choices and Changes
Health and WellPhysical Education, Physical Activity and Sport
Food and Health
being
Substance Misuse
Relationships, sexual health and parenthood
Participations in performances and presentations
Art and design
Dance
Expressive Arts
Drama
Music
Planet Earth
Forces, electricity and waves
Biological systems
Sciences
Materials
Topical science
Technological developments in society
ICT to enhance learning
Business contexts for developing technological skills and knowledge
Computing science contexts for developing technological skills and knowledge
Technologies
Food and textiles contexts for developing technological skills and knowledge
Craft, design, engineering and graphics contexts for developing technological skills and
knowledge
Social Studies
Religious & moral
education
(a different programme
is followed by Catholic
schools)
People, past events and societies (history)
People, place and environment (geography)
People in society, economy and business (modern studies)
Christianity
World religions selected for study
Development of beliefs and values
More detail about the Experiences and Outcomes in each of the above can be found on Education Scotland’s
website: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/curriculumareas/index.asp
Christmas Card Designs
All children who took part in the Christmas Card design project will come home today with a sample
of their very own Christmas card. What a fabulous design team they are – I’m sure you’ll be very
proud! The pack contains an order form for parents who wish to purchase.
Please note that payment is required with order, and all orders must be received by school by Friday
13th December 2015 at the latest.
Staffing
We currently are very short staffed in the school office as Ms Mungall is still sick and has been since
August, and Ms Ashcroft has reduced her hours. We are working hard to cope with the wide range of
administration and clerical tasks involved in running a school, including staff availability to answer the
main door to visitors, answer telephone calls, deliver messages and maintain/update our website and
Twitter account.
We hope you will be understanding of those occasions where you might find yourself frustrated or
disappointed because this staff shortage impacts on you. Our priority will be to manage our resource
to ensure there is no impact on the children. Thank you.
Building Maintenance
The council has been testing the foundations of the front wall in order to assess and action any
necessary repairs. This has meant temporary disruption to the garden and P1-3 playground.
The gym hall roof has been repaired and I’ve been advised that Langside’s refurbishment is planned
for next school session (2016/17). The Parent Teacher Council will meet with a representative from
the refurbishment programme to learn more about all that will be involved. We will share this
information as soon as possible. Exciting times ahead!
If your child is absent from school…
Please note, that the Council has changed several aspects of its administration procedures. One of
these is the way parents report their child’s absence from school.
If your child is absent, please do not phone the school (unless there are sensitive issues around it
which you need to discuss with us).
Instead, parents should phone the Pupil Absence Reporting Line on: 0141 287 0039. We have
tweeted this number for ready access to those who are comfortable following Twitter. You don’t
need a Twitter account to read our tweets – you can access www.twitter.com and search for our
Twitter address @LangsidePri
We are aware that several parents have experienced some problems with this system and we have
reported these to the council’s City Business Team (responsible for the management of this).