King’s Park has been closed now for some two weeks and we are unlikely to open again for some time. While school may be closed I and your teachers trust you have been able to continue with your education. 

It is important each of you, with the help and guidance of your teachers and parents/guardians are following a daily routine to make sure your education is not neglected.

We all need to remember that often out of challenging and difficult times good opportunities present themselves. The situation you find yourself in today gives you the opportunity to take a more personal responsibility for your own learning. It also presents the opportunity for a more ‘whole family’ focus on where you learn, what you learn and how you learn.

Your family home, your garden, for some your farm yard all present many many creative opportunities for learning by doing or what your teachers call, ‘active learning’.

So, my message to you for the days and weeks ahead is, get active, get creative and work together with your brothers, sisters, parents/guardians to make the Easter days and beyond a time to be enjoyed as a family for this is, we hope, a once in a lifetime experience.

Finally, and most importantly please also send a warm and thoughtful message to your grandparents and great grandparents at this especially challenging time for each of them.

Be good and stay safe.

T.Shields (Principal)

In these difficult days that we find ourselves in, we would like to share some hope and positivity throughout our school community.

Each week we will invite pupils to create some artwork on a given theme. Parents/guardians are then invited to take a photo of the child’s artwork and email it to kpmessagesofhope@gmail.com. This email address will only be used for the collection of artwork - all other questions should be directed to the contact forms on the year pages of the website.

We will then post as much artwork as possible on the ‘Messages of Hope’ page on the school website. 
 

Over Easter, we will have two themes which will last for the next two weeks. The first is a ‘Thank you’ poster for our NHS heroes and and all the other key workers who are working hard to keep our communities going at the minute. The second theme is Easter.

The artwork can be in any style -drawing, painting, papercraft etc. Also, we would like to point out that this is an entirely optional activity! 
 

We look forward to seeing lots of lovely artwork! Remember to check back after Easter for a new theme!

Thank you to all the pupils who have sent in their beautiful rainbow pictures.

Please keep sending your rainbow artwork to kpmessagesofhope@gmail.com

We will have a new theme for our artwork on Friday.

Check our the beautiful rainbows here: https://www.kingsparklurgan.com/messages-of-hope/

Miss Spiers and Mrs Thompson have created a blog to share fun, active physical activities that are suitable for the whole school and which will be updated regularly.  Visit your year group's page for the link and an explanation, or check it out here: kpactivestars.edublogs.org

To all of our children:

I write to each and every child and young person who attends King’s Park, or should I say to each and every child and young person who has not been able to attend our school over this past week.

While school as we have known it is closed, many of the staff have been going in to help support some children at this time. To them we say a big thank you.

For your part we hope you have found time to do your school work as set by your teacher and maybe a little extra reading as well, that you have found time to play and be active, importantly we hope you have stayed safe and done as your parents/guardians have asked of you.

This is the first week of many when your only contact with school will be by using your computer, so remember to stay safe on your computer too and only use programmes and sites that your parents/guardians allow you to use.

Finally, I hope the week just past has been good for you, it is certainly one all of us will never forget. As for the week ahead, again be good, be safe, keep up the good work and I will speak with you again soon.

T Shields

Principal

Get involved! Get active!!

Follow  our KP Active Stars blog for fun, physical activities and challenges that you can try at home! You can leave comments to let us know how you are getting on!

KING'S PARK PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

(EDUCATION AUTHORITY – SOUTHERN REGION)

20 March 2020 (Updated 21st March)

Dear Parent/Guardian

Schools have been asked to facilitate pupils whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 team who would have otherwise no option but to stay at home, 'vulnerable children' and children with a Statement of Educational Needs.

It should be stressed that the aim is to keep the number of children in school to an absolute minimum.

The following headings have been provided as documented on 19 March 2020.

• Health and Social Care.  This includes doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, home carers and staff required to maintain our health and social care sector.
• Education and childcare.  This included nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who will remain active during the Covid-19 response.
• Public safety and national security.  This includes civilians and officers in the police (including key contractors), Fire and Rescue Service, prison service and other national security roles.
• Transport.  This will include those keeping air, water, road and rail transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.
• Utilities and Communication.  This includes staff needed for oil, gas, electricity and water (including sewage) and primary industry supplies, to continue during the Covid-19 response, as well as key staff telecommunications, post and delivery, services and waste disposal.
• Food and other necessary goods.  This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution and sale, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (e.g. hygiene, medical etc).
• Other workers essential to delivering key public services.
• Key national and local government including those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response.
• Guardians/Parents of vulnerable children.
• Parents of children with a Statement of Educational Needs.

If any of the above applies to you, we would ask you to contact the school as soon as possible stating which category applies to you and which day/s your child/ren will be attending school next week 23rd-27th.   You may contact the school via the office or by emailing via the website.

*Parents must use this provision only if absolutely necessary and where there are no other child care options available.  It must be stressed that pupils should not be sent to school when they are unwell.  It is our understanding that children’s health and safety are best ensured by remaining at home and away from other children and adults.

When in school the children will be in composite classes and able to work on the activities already provided. Children must bring their pack of work to school.  Pupils should wear school uniform/tracksuit.  The staff will be supervising the completion of their work only and not providing normal teaching.

Parents/Guardians will be asked to complete a registration form on arrival into school on Monday.

Lunch at this point will be via a packed lunch which should be provided by parents.

It must be stressed that the guidance is changing almost daily and that the provision for pupils will depend on the school being able to maintain sufficient staffing levels each day.

Our thoughts are with all of the community of King’s Park at this stressful time and we trust you and your family will stay safe over the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely,

T Shields

Principal

KING'S PARK PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

(EDUCATION AUTHORITY – SOUTHERN REGION)

19 March 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian

RE COLLECTION OF WORK PACKS FOR PUPILS

Packs for those pupils who were not at school today should be collected from the canteen on Friday 20 March. 

We would ask that all reading books and library books be returned to school and placed in the boxes provided.  Medication not already sent home can also be collected at the same time.

It is important that those collecting the packs exercise social distancing and our staff will assist with this.  Parents/Guardians with siblings in other year groups can collect the packs of work for these children also.

  9.30 P7

10.00 P6

10.30 P5

11.00 P4

11.30 P3

12.00 P2

12.30 P1

1.00 Nursery (Nursery parents are asked to return all their Getting Ready to Learn Packs.  A box will be provided for this)

Teachers will be communicating with pupils on a regular basis via the class pages on the school website to outline details of daily/weekly activities they can be doing. 

Finally, we would like to extend our very best wishes to you and your family over the coming weeks.  Our thoughts are with you all.  Take care. 

Yours sincerely

Mr D T O Shields

T Shields

…………………

Principal

KING'S PARK PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

(EDUCATION AUTHORITY – SOUTHERN REGION)

19 March 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian,

King’s Park Primary and Nursery School will close today for the foreseeable future.

Our staff have over recent days been putting together resources, educational links and advice for you to assist in continuing with your child’s learning opportunities over the weeks and indeed months ahead.

The situation is changing by the hour as we all know and appreciate.  As I write this letter all schools await guidance from the Minister of Education regarding a number of issues such as the provision for the children of health workers and Free School Meals etc.

Staff will be in school tomorrow, health permitting and we will endeavour to assist you and our whole school community to meet the many challenges we will face.

We will keep in contact with you over the coming weeks via our school website.

Finally, can I wish every family in our school community our sincere best wishes for the future and most importantly for everyone to stay safe.

Your sincerely

T Shields

………………………

Mr D T O Shields

Principal