Head Teacher: M.R.Tremmel Gullane Primary School

Muirfield Terrace Gullane

EH31 2HL Tel/Fax: 01620 843455

gullane.ps@gullane.elcschool.org.uk http://edubuzz.org/blogs/gullane

Dear Parents/Carers

Almost the last month of the year and Christmas seems to be everywhere! Edinburgh is full of

lights, markets and events and many, many people flocking to see the extravaganza. I hope you are

all managing to make the festive period what you would wish it to be and that you will be able to

spend some time with your families and friends.

School is as busy as ever with many things on the go as usual. Our children do seem to be at the

mercy of a range of bugs of all varieties. On this note I would just like to mention that some

families will call school to say that their little one is under the weather but they are at school

anyway. The office team are asked to call home if their child becomes less well as the day

progresses. We hope you would understand that sometimes, just sometimes, the child may have

been unwell and we haven’t been able to contact you for a variety of reasons. Staff do their

utmost to care for your charges and some do get missed on the odd occasion.

Provision of Free School Meals for P1-3 Pupils

This initiative will begin in January when we return from our break. Mrs King, our Cook in Charge, is

keeping me as informed as possible on this front. I think we may have to consider some form of

ordering at some point but I have yet to work out what would suit. This would allow our kitchen to

make enough meals and reduce waste.

I have an idea which we will trial maybe the last week or two of this term but this will only give the

kitchen a daily total. What I think would really work would be a weekly ordering plan. Happy if

folks have solid and workable ideas on that plan.

Staffing

Over the years I have learned that not all change is good and not all change is bad but change is

inevitable!

You already know that Mrs Travers is to hang up her cloak at the end of this session after 19

years at Gullane and some other years in other schools. We will be sad to see her leave our school

family. The post was advertised as a temporary one and there were no applicants. This post has

now been advertised as a permanent one. Here’s hoping the applications will be there this time.

Mr Cairney, PE Specialist, was a temporary appointment to cover Mrs Barclay’s secondment. He has

secured a permanent post in Mid Lothian. We are interviewing for a replacement on Wednesday

26th November and I hope we are able to secure someone. This post is for 3 schools across East

Lothian not just Gullane.

Miss Brannan is also to leave us at Christmas. She has also secured a permanent post in another

school. We are sad that she has chosen to leave us but a permanent contract is rare these days.

We have really enjoyed having her on the team with her positive energy and bright personality.

The post has been advertised and I will keep you informed.

In fact, I will keep you posted on all job fronts as and when I have information.

Communication from the Parent Carer Council

Plans for 225 new houses in Gullane - opportunity to have your say East Lothian Council

invites your response to their recently published "Main Issues Report" which proposes 75

new homes on the Fire College site and 150 new homes on Saltcoats field (next to school

playground) If you have a view about the potential impact on nursery or school numbers,

accommodation, access, road safety or anything else then please complete the survey

available at eastlothianconsultations.co.uk. Or alternatively e-mail your response to

ldp@eastlothian.gov.uk. The consultation is open until 8 Feb 2015.

The Gullane Primary PCC will also hold a special meeting to hear parents' views on 21st

January 2015 at the school. Come along to find out more and have your say.

Parent Carer Council Information

Our PCC is a good sized group and there are members across all classes/stages. The folks named

below are more than happy for you to approach them if you wish further information on an item or

just wish to ‘bounce’ a thought/idea with them.

Some staff have mentioned these people in their class newsletters but handy to have a list for

reference.

Nursery (PM) Jenni Carter Nursery (AM) Emma van der Vijver Lesley Bowie

P1 Ian McLaughlin Shonagh McEwan Ness Richard Dowsett

P1/2 Erika Mckay

P2 John Ferguson Jude Leslie

P3 Raymond Cowie Anna Gordon

P4 John Ferguson Shonagh McEwan Ness

P4/5 Vivien Crummey Jude Lesley Duncan Edmondson

P5 Mark Lucas Laura Sievwright Anna Gordon

P6 Erika McKay Viv Short

P7 Ian Armstrong Laura Sievwright Mark Lucas

Gullane Christmas Tree Lights

Gullane’s Christmas lights will be switched on at 5.30pm on Saturday 6th December.

(Next to the Old Smiddy Shop) This is always a lovely family event and the lights look

really pretty. Falkos is supporting the event with mulled wine and goodies after the

lights are switched on. Everyone is very welcome. The more the merrier as they say!

Cold, Wet Damp Days

The ground is wet and can be very muddy. Mud tends to adhere itself to the

children’s trousers/tights etc. When they come into class the mud dries and forms

in piles all over the carpets. I ask that they wear cover ups for playing ball games

on the grass. Children will be children and require reminding – support from home is

always valued! Thank you again!

Messages from the PTA

The PTA would like to say a big thank you to the parents for their fantastic

support so far, the Quiz Night and Monster Mash raised £3000 between

them, which will all benefit the children at Gullane Primary amazingly. Thanks

also for all the generous Christmas Hamper donations, the hampers look

great and will make a wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas. And a final thank you for

all the raffle tickets and calendars that you bought! Calendars still available.

(I have seen a proof and it is super! Mrs T)

The remaining PTA fixtures are as follows:

Family Film Festival - Saturday 31 January - Gullane Village Hall

An afternoon double bill and an evening movie are planned to cater to the lower school,

upper school and those all important parents, carers and teachers.

Easter Disco - Thursday 23 March - School Hall

Competitions, dancing and games to get us in the holiday mood.

Summer Fayre - Saturday 23 May - Gullane Primary School

Save the date! As well as all the usual great stalls we intend to have a 2nd hand school

uniform & sports clothing/equipment stall so start hoarding your stuff!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the PTA.

Christmas Concert

The Dress Rehearsal is on Friday 28th November. We start at around 9.30am. The

P1&2 children perform first. We then have a break and then the P3&4 through to

P5-7 children will perform. We need the break to change the little ones, have a

toilet stop etc.

If you know of any adult that is unable to attend the evening performances – maybe a

gran/auntie/granddad/nursery parents and such like- that find it a challenge to be out in the

evening (or they are babysitting for you!) please let them know they are welcome that morning.

Great for the children as it gives them an audience to perform to. (There is no charge for this

performance)

The concert is scheduled for Wednesday 3rd (afternoon for P1-2 only and evening

for P1-7) and Thursday 4th December (evening P3-7 only). Thank you for purchasing

the tickets – all the funds from this go to pay for music, licences, costumes, props

and various other expenses associated with Christmas. We also subsidise the

pantomime performance and pay for the children’s parties.

The work that goes into practising and rehearsing is super and well managed within the class

timetables. The specialist staff-Music and Art – support us extremely well.

The hamper draw will also take place over the two nights. Make sure you have your raffle tickets

to hand. Such a lovely prize.

P5&6 children are to wear dark/black skirts/trousers and footwear- gym shoes are fine. We are supplying the tee-shirts. Please Note Doors will open at 6.30pm and the hamper draws and various other pieces of news will begin at

6.45pm.

(Please let ticket holders know, who are not parents and therefore do not receive this

newsletter nor the texts, to arrive a little sharper than the ‘Doors Open at’ 6.45pm

indicated on the ticket-thank you.)

All pupils to enter via the front door of the school. No earlier than 6.30pm for P1&2

and P3-7 do not need to be here much before 6.45pm.

Staff supervise the children in the class areas and organise calm/quiet activities. It is useful if

the children bring an extra drink. The PTA provides a little shortbread and a juice for after the

class’s performance which is very kind of them.

P1&2 pupils may be collected from the early years’ entrance from 7.30pm. In past years many

families will arrange for someone else to collect their child if they are attending the concert.

Please let the class teacher know if you are going to collect your child directly after their piece. It

helps them to gauge how many children they will be left with in their areas.

It is important that the other classes have a full audience for their pieces in order to gain the full

experience of performing – they have all worked so hard- and we expect you to stay in the hall for

the whole concert. We don’t encourage you to bring your early years’ child back through to the hall.

All of the children have seen all the other classes’ performances.

Please ensure that you say to a member of staff that you have collected your child. The concert is

usually all done and dusted by 9pm at the latest and we will finish a bit earlier on the Thursday

night- maybe 8.30pm - as we only have the P3-7 classes performing. (Please don’t be late to collect

your child – staff have to get back to the crypt for lights out by 9pm!)

As in past years, we have allowed a more ‘fluid’ start on Thursday 4th and Friday 5th December. As

long as all pupils are in school by 10.00am their attendance will recorded as a full morning. All staff

are in school at the usual time and if families have commitments we will be here for pupils who have

to be at school at the usual time.

Christmas Card Giving in School

I mentioned this last year and I remain unsure how you all feel about this one. It seems a popular

practice for children to give each other Christmas cards. They also give staff cards. This is a

lovely gesture but I wonder if it is necessary? Cards should be for folks that we don’t really see or

when we wish to write a special message.

Once one child gives out their cards all the rest follow on and poor parents appear to be nagged to

buy a whole lot of cards they could do without having to pay for. Children feel under pressure to

give each other cards and before we know it we have felled a couple of trees and desks are awash

with a sea of cards. Then there are the children who don’t seem to get as many and it becomes a

little less inclusive. Just a thought.

House Captain Newsletter

Your house captains

Calumn Sievwright Luffness, Lucy Lucas Kilspindie, Lucy Mitchell Muirfield, Jasmine Hiles Craigielaw

Over this school session we will run a variety of events.

There will be four house Bake Sales in the January to April term.

Friday January 30th 2015 – Luffness

Friday 27th February 2015 – Kilspindie

Friday 24th April 2015 – Muirfield

Friday 15th May 2015 – Craigielaw

We will hold a House Lunch on Thursday 22nd January 2015 with another one on the 23rd April

2015. This means that the members of each house will sit together to have lunch. The hall will be

‘divided’ into the different colours.

Gullane’s Got Talent will be held on the 19th or 20th March 2015. This is to be confirmed depending

on the celebrity judges’ diaries. Auditions will begin in January 2015 and there will be a separate

information sheet coming soon.

We also want to organise a sponsored walk in the Summer term. This would be similar to the walks

we have done before. The charity we are supporting this year is Shelterbox and each kit costs

£590.00. If each family sponsored the charity for £5 we would raise enough to buy one

Shelterbox.

We would like to end the walk with a picnic as these have been fun before. A possible date is

Friday 5th June but we will confirm this as soon as we can.

Lucy, Calumn, Lucy and Jasmine P7

Nursery – Concert and Party Plan

Please see plans from the nursery staff. You should have a letter which explains all of the timings

and pick-ups.

Please remember to let us know if your child has done something out of school no matter how small or large – we love to

know and we put up a card in school and mention the child and the achievement in our newsletters. We are happy to

accept the text for the information via email.

We also value your opinions and comments- please let me know what your thoughts are – email/call or letters are all fine.

Well done to… Lauren Mackie in P7 has successfully achieved her Level 6 Scottish Gymnastics

Award. She loves gymnastics and we are very proud of her.

And a well done for … Imogen Capaldi in P6. She did amazingly well in the Haddington swimming

club championships this weekend. On Saturday she won a gold medal in the back stroke, breast

stroke and fly and a silver medal in the freestyle (for her age group). Also winning a trophy for

overall girls 8yr old club champion. She's very excited and we are very proud!

Well done to …Owen Malcolm for winning a gold medal in a Stephen Gallacher Foundation golf

competition and qualifying into the stroke play events. Also for qualifying into the Haddington

Swimming Club championships winning silver and 2 runners up medals.

Kind regards

M. R. Tremmel

Thursday 27th November 2014

Community News and Information Instead of many flyers going home and adding to a paper mountain we put all such events in this section. If you are

organising an event please write what you would like as information and we will endeavour to include in this section for

you. We do not take any responsibility nor do we screen the quality of any the community projects and events advertised.

Merryhatton Garden Centre- Christmas Trees. Christmas Trees available – friendly and helpful staff. Contact on 01620 880278 or email on info@merryhatton.co.uk or check out what is available on www.merryhatton.co.uk

Help Needed! Rainbow Unit Leader & Assistant Guide Leader for Gullane Currently seeking a new Rainbow Leader. Rainbows meet Wednesday 16.30-17.30 and Guides are Monday 19.30-21.00- both at Gullane Primary School. If interested please contact Samantha Robertson at guiding.aberladyandgullane@yahoo.co.uk

Diary dates

December 2014

1/12/14 Return order forms for Christmas lunch please + payment. Thank you.

3/12/14 Matinee Performance of concert for P1&2 children only 2pm start

3/12/14 Evening performance of concert – P1-7- 7pm start-doors open at 6.35pm

4/12/14 Evening Performance of concert – P3-7 only. No P1&2 children. 7pm start. Doors

open at 6.35pm

On Thursday 4th and Friday 5th December the children will be allowed to come into school for 10am.

All staff will be in class areas if you have to have them here for the usual time.

9/12/14 Nursery Nativity am – in hall.

11/12/14 Christmas Lunch in school.

11/12/14 P4/5 visit to John Muir Birthplace 9.30-12.30

12/11/14 Save the Children -’Wear a Christmas jumper to School ‘

12/12/14 Brass Band will visit from NBHS- all welcome. Starts at around 9.30am

16/12/14 Church Service 9.45 at Gullane Church

16/12/14 P3, P4 & P4/5 Christmas Party in hall – pm

17/12/14 P5,P6 & P7 Party in hall pm

17/12/14 Pantomime in school hall ‘Dick Whittington’ – cost per child £3. Money can be

sent in as of now .

18/12/14 Nursery Party Pre-school – information in previous letter

18/12/14 P1 & P2 Christmas Party in school hall pm

19/12/14 Nursery Party Anti- Pre-school - information in previous letter

19/12/14 School closes for the term at 12.00 for all P1-7 pupils.

January 2015

6/1/15 All return to school – pupils and staff

6/1/15 P4 Swimming starts

February 2015

13/2/15 Mid-term break for all pupils and staff