Welcome to Bonaly Primary School

 

1140 Hours Nursery

parent_carer 01042020 copy

Please see the above link to the City Council letter regarding 1140 Nursery Hours.

 

March 19th – City Council Letter on Covid-19

Please see letter from Chief Education Officer, Andy Gray. Covid-19 Letter to ParentsCarers 190320

March 17th Coronavirus (Covid-19) School Update

Home learning – website resources

 

Dear Parents, Carers

 

You will appreciate the measures to counter the spread of the Coronavirus have been widened significantly. Advice from the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland continues to guide the city council response, and therefore school actions. The health and wellbeing of all our colleagues, pupils and service users is of paramount importance.

 

I realise this is a very worrying time for everyone but please be reassured that the Council and school is doing all it can to protect and support our communities.

 

 

Staying at Home / Health Guidance

 

The most common symptoms are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or high temperature. NHS advice is available from https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19

 

In a household isolation situation:

 

• The person with symptoms should stay at home for 7 days.
• Others in the same household should stay at home for 14 days whether they have symptoms or not.
• If others develop symptoms they should stay at home for 7 days – even if that leads to a stay at home for more than 14 days in total.

 

The full extract from NHS advice is:

“Those with symptoms who live alone should remain at home for 7 days after the onset of their symptoms (see “ending self-isolation” below). This will reduce the risk of you infecting others.

If you live with others, then the person who has symptoms of COVID-19 (new continuous cough and/or fever/high temperature) should stay at home for 7 days from the start of their symptoms and all other household members who don’t develop any symptoms should stay at home for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day illness began in the first person to become ill. If others in the household develop symptoms within the 14 days, then they will need to stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms began, even if this takes them over the 14 day isolation period.

It is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or may already be infected. Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community. Staying at home may be difficult and frustrating, but there are things that you can do to help make it easier.”

 

Parents/carers of children and young people with underlying health conditions should seek advice from NHS Inform and consider self-isolation.

 

If you’re your child is off school could you please email admin@bonaly.edin.sch.uk / leave a detailed phone message (0131 441 7211) explaining the reason for the absence. We are being asked to record / code reasons for absence very specifically.

 

Everyone needs to continue to observe the recommended hygiene advice and avoid personal contact.

 

School Impact

 

In addition to the information shared yesterday, we have been informed that all school trips, including day trips and residential events/experiences arranged up until the end of the session, will be cancelled.

 

Should there be teacher absence the following cover order will be applied – (Mrs Miller is currently teaching this week). The priority is ensuring there is a teacher for each class.

 

 

1. Miss Mulholland and Mrs Lillie support for learning teachers will teach classes and support for learning groups / support will be cancelled.

 

1. Depending on numbers in the nursery – Mrs Harris will teach a class

 

1. Mrs Jeffrey’s PE teaching commitment will be suspended and Mrs Jeffrey will teach a class.

 

1. 1. The children will still have PE, but delivered by their class teacher

Mrs Jeffrey’s teaching commitment provides cover to teachers for contractual non-class contact requirements.

 

1. As a last resort classes would be split – meaning that groups of children could go into other classes (again within national guidelines on class sizes)

 

 

Going forward …

 

I am sure you appreciate that teachers are planning and preparing lessons for children who are in school. Therefore we do not have capacity for individual pupil learning to be sent home. However attached are some educational websites , resources which could be used should the children be at home.

 

There are also measures being taken to made available further learning activities for use at home should the government advice change / individual school circumstances mean that schools have to be closed.

 

 

 

Obviously, this is an extremely dynamic situation which is under constant review and I will update you should any advice change.

 

I appreciate this is an uncertain time for everyone but please be reassured that the Council and school is doing all it can to minimise any impact.

 

Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Peter

Peter Gorrie | Head Teacher | Bonaly Primary School | 57 Bonaly Road | Edinburgh | EH13 0FJ | Tel 0131 441 7211
| admin@bonaly.edin.sch.uk | www.bonaly.edin.sch.uk | @BonalyPrimary

16th March 13:00 Covid-19 Update

Dear Parents, Carers

 

In light of the evolving situation regarding Coronavirus the city council has taken the following decisions for schools

“As part of our efforts to delay the spread of the virus, school events where there is a close concentration of people should be cancelled.  Such activities would include concerts, school assemblies, as well as any non-urgent meetings where large groups of staff would be in close proximity.

Parent consultation evenings should be cancelled in order to reduce the spread.

Pupils should not be exposed to malleable products such as Play-Doh, as well as dough, sand/water.  Any planned bake sales should not be allowed for the time being.”

For Bonaly this means the following postponements / cancellation

• Parent consultations this week
• The P7 show will be postponed
• End of term whole school attendance at Colinton Church

We would hope that the Parent consultations and P7 show will be able to take place after Easter, however at this point new dates have not been identified. I am sure you appreciate this is an everchanging situation.

At school level the following precautions have already taken place

• Increased handwashing in school – 4 times per day
• Working with Mitie staff to ensure appropriate supply and replenishment of soap and towels
• Assembly last week on how to minimise the spreading of germs (PowerPoint Link on school website – https://bonalyprimaryschool.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/germs-hand-washing.pptx ) . This message is being backed up by class reminders.
• Children telling the kitchen staff what they want for lunch – ie No longer using lunch tokens for identifying which meal the children are having at the counter.

 

For convenience I am also including below the latest advice from Health Protection Scotland which was updated as recently as yesterday evening (Sunday 15^th March).

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19

What should I do if I have symptoms

If you have symptoms of recent onset (within the last 7 days) of a continuous cough and/or high temperature, however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started. This advice is designed to help people prevent the spread. You do not need to be tested for COVID-19. Self-isolating for 7 days will be enough to prevent spread. Please visit NHS Inform for further guidance and information.

What should I do if my symptoms are worsening

Seek prompt medical attention if your illness is worsening. If it’s not an emergency, contact NHS 24 or your GP. If it is an emergency and you need to call an ambulance, dial 999 and inform the call handler or operator that you may have coronavirus (COVID-19).

What are the typical signs and symptoms of COVID-19

Common symptoms include:

• new continuous cough

and/or

• high temperature

 

Contact with a case of COVID-19

No actions are needed for asymptomatic individuals who have contact with a case of COVID-19. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should follow the guidance for people with symptoms in section 1.1

Thank you for your understanding in this situation.

Kind regards,

 

Peter

Peter Gorrie | Head Teacher | Bonaly Primary School | 57 Bonaly Road | Edinburgh | EH13 0FJ | Tel 0131 441 7211
| admin@bonaly.edin.sch.uk | www.bonaly.edin.sch.uk | @BonalyPrimary

 

Covid-19

As a school we are following all advice and guidance coming from the City Council and NHS services.

Edinburgh City Council – Covid-19 information

NHS Inform – Covid 19 information.

In school time is being set aside for hand washing. Thursday’s assembly had a focus on preventing the spread of germs. The link to this is germs hand washing . 

 

 

December 2019 eNews

This eNews contains information on

 

Staffing

Christmas Fair

Health and Safety

Wider Achievement

End of term

 

Staffing

 

Mrs Adair and Mrs Borthwick, Pupil support assistants,  are retiring at Christmas. They have both given many years of wonderful service to the children and families at Bonaly. Mrs Borthwick for 19 years and Mrs Adair for 25 years. They have seen many changes to their role and within the school during this time. They will be missed ! We wish them a very healthy and happy retirement.

 

We welcome, starting in January,  Miss Rebecca Steel, Miss Nicole Robertson, Mrs Jackson Dyke and Mr Patterson in providing additional support for our learners.

 

Following Dr Walker leaving in October we have recruited a new Support for Learning teacher. Miss Mulholland was successful in being appointed to this post. From January, at least till Easter, Miss Mulholland will be working full-time as SfL post. This is usually a 0.5 post however this acknowledges that there was a reduction from Oct to Christmas. Following further recruitment, P6a will be taught by Miss Smith who taught P5a for an extended spell in October and November.

 

 

Christmas Fair

 

A huge thank you to all those who supported the school Christmas Fair. A phenomenal £3,027 was raised. As a school we hugely appreciate this it provides additional opportunities and resources for the children. Theses funds will go towards Christmas Parties, Visiting pantomime and additional laptop computers.

 

It is also good to see the children taking responsibility for stalls. A great learning opportunity. The nursery, P4, P6 and P7 between them raised nearly £800. The other stages have their opportunity at the summer fair.

 

However the school fair would not be the success it is without the many many volunteers who help out and give of their time. In particular huge thanks to Ailsa Veitch and the team who organised the fair.

 

Health and Safety

 

Health and Well-Being – Head Lice

 

“It’s thought that up to one in three children in the UK may get head lice at some point during the year. A head lice infestation isn’t the result of dirty hair or poor hygiene. All types of hair can be affected, regardless of its length and condition.” (NHS)

 

As a school we follow Scottish Government / Local authority guidance regarding head lice. I would therefore appreciate if you were regularly able to follow the detection / treatment (if appropriate) advice from NHS (http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Head-lice/Pages/Introduction.aspx  ) Detection combing is the best way of finding head lice.

 

Keeping in Touch – Contacting the School

 

I am sure you appreciate that for health and safety reasons all visitors / parents coming to the school must report to the office at the main entrance. This applies to both within school hours and out with these times. For general enquiries, reporting absences, and to arrange appointments please contact the school office on 0131 441 7211 or by email on admin@bonaly.edin.sch.uk . We will always try to respond to any queries as soon as possible but I am sure you appreciate that first thing in the morning staff are preparing for the upcoming day, similarly there will also be end of the day commitments.

 

Road Safety

 

It is unfortunate that I continue to receive concerns from parents and local residents regarding inconsiderate and illegal parking. Ultimately, we wish to minimise the chance of accidents – however there are still a small minority of adults dropping / collecting children who show little consideration of potential dangers caused by their road use. Can I please urge you to consider whether it is necessary to bring a vehicle and if so could you park 5 minutes away from the school – thus avoiding potential dangers where there are larger volumes of pedestrians. Thank you!

 

Severe Weather

 

Last week saw cosmetic damage to the flashing on the angled wall near the main school entrance. Temporary exit / entry arrangements were put in place for nursery and the school. The next step is for this to be replaced so that the school is back to looking a splendid as ever. Thank you for your understanding with this.

 

Wider Achievement

 

Congratulations to our Sportshall Athletics team who are through to the final in January after winning their heat earlier this month.

 

Many of our children have contributed to the Robert Louis Stevenson inspired art work in Colinton Tunnel. This is well worth a visit if you haven’t done so already.

 

P6 led an assembly sharing important messages around bullying during anti-bullying week.

 

Our P1 and P2 last week showed great talent in performing the nativity story.

 

End of Term

 

Just a reminder that school closes on Friday 20^th December at 12 Noon.

School opens to children on Thursday Jan 9^th. (Tuesday 7^th, Wednesday 8^th are INSET days for staff)

 

I hope that you all have a very happy and enjoyable festive season.

 

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Peter Gorrie

Peter Gorrie | Head Teacher | Bonaly Primary School | 57 Bonaly Road | Edinburgh | EH13 0FJ | Tel 0131 441 7211
| admin@bonaly.edin.sch.uk | www.bonaly.edin.sch.uk | @BonalyPrimary

Starting Primary 1 in August 2020?

Was your child born between 1^st March 2015 and 28^th February 2016?

If you are in the catchment of Bonaly Primary School and would like to apply for a Primary 1 place starting in August 2020, registration is taking place w/c 4^th November.

You will need your child’s birth certificate, your most recent Council Tax bill and an additional proof of address (e.g. utilities bill) dated within the last 3 months.

Please sign up to one of the time slots at the school office or phone on 0131 441 7211.

You will have the opportunity to fill out the relevant paperwork, be given a guided tour of the school by our senior pupils and meet Mrs Miller, our Depute Head Teacher or Mrs Harris, our Principal Teacher.

City of Edinburgh Council School Open Day

The City of Edinburgh council also promote a school open day – this date is Wednesday 30th October at 11:00 or 1:30 and you will have the opportunity to have a tour of the school. It is not necessary to come to this if you are signing up to to the above P1 registration slots. Please contact the school on 0131 441 7211 if you intend to visit us.

Thanks, Peter Gorrie, Headteacher

Walking Bus

The Woodfield Avenue Walking Bus is looking for new members to join. The Walking Bus is a safe, convenient and fun way to travel to school every morning. Meet at the bus stop at the top of Woodfield Avenue at 8.25am with a view to leave at 8.30am. We make a stop at the bottom of Bonaly Road to pick up again and leave at 8.40am. Parents of children on the walking bus must volunteer to walk at least one morning a week. For more information contact anouskacurzon@gmail.com.

The Bonaly Blether

The Bonaly Blether (Issue 1)

I am delighted to share the work of some of our P7s who have shown some terrific desktop publishing skills in producing “The Bonaly Blether” which has a sample of some of the learning from different classes across the school from this term.

 

Norovirus Advice

Please see below that all schools have received today from NHS.

By following this advice we can minimise the likelihood of an outbreak at Bonaly.

 

UPDATE ON DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING IN SCHOOLS

 

A number of schools across Lothian have reported an increase in pupils with vomiting and/or diarrhoea.  The symptoms are suggestive of viral gastroenteritis (also known as norovirus or winter vomiting disease) which is known to be currently circulating in the community.  It is usually a short lived self-limiting illness from which children and adults recover quickly.

 

Further information about norovirus and its prevention can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/norovirus

 

 

Therefore to minimise the likelihood of developing norovirus

 

• If your child develops vomiting and/or diarrhoea please ensure they remain off school until they have been symptom free for at least 48 hours.  This advice applies at all times.  So for instance if your child becomes unwell over the weekend they should not attend school on Monday even if by then they feel well.

 

• Ensure that all members of your family wash their hands frequently using warm water and liquid soap, especially after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.

 

 

 

 

Peter Gorrie