Transitions

Primary 7 moving onto S1

At this time in the school year, our Primary 7 pupils begin to get a taste of what life will be like at secondary school. In preparation for the transition they had the opportunity to go to the AECC to see the Choices for Life show. The Choices for Life message is conveyed through drama and music and is designed to help young people make the right choices when faced with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. It encourages youngsters to adopt a healthy lifestyle and to resist peer pressure. If you would like to find out more log onto http://www.sdea.police.uk/choicesforlife.html

Ellon Academy staff has visited our P7s here at Ellon Primary and the pupils made a return visit last week. The visits are very worthwhile in that the pupils get the opportunity to meet with some of their first year teachers and pupils from other feeder schools who will be in their set. We certainly had a few very excited pupils returning to school on Thursday morning.

The Inter Schools sports event for P7s was held at Ellon Primary this year. Pupils from Meiklemill, Auchterellon and Newburgh enjoyed friendly netball and football matches.

Nursery moving onto P1

This year nursery and P1 staff have been working very closely together to further develop our nursery – P1 transition arrangements to ensure that the children moving on to P1 feel secure and supported. Pupils in Primary 6 who volunteered as Buddies have been preparing their ‘Buddy Passports’ and helping out in the nursery this term. They have been getting to know the children they will be supporting as they prepare for the move to P1.

Our present Primary 1 children have also been involved this year. There have been planned opportunities this term for P1 and nursery children to have joint sessions. They have been enjoying circle games and activities in the P1 classroom. Nursery children and their pals in P1 are planning to have a Summer Picnic together on Tuesday 24th June. The P1s are taking their responsibilities seriously and feel very grown up as they lend a helping hand to the nursery boys and girls. When our present P1 helpers move to P2 next session they will be known as P2 Pals.

The joint P1 nursery sessions also give the nursery children a chance to meet their P1 teachers for next session, Miss Murray and Mrs Trahearn

New Primary 1 Pupils  

The following meetings have been arranged for the new P1s and their parents. New P1 children visit their teacher on 19th or 20th June 9.30 - 10.30am.

A parents meeting will be held while the children are visiting teachers to give information on starting P1.

New P1s start in their classes in groups. Group 1 on Tuesday 19th August and group 2 on Wednesday 20th August.  More information on the induction pattern for the groups 1 & 2 will be given on the class visit days.

Library Books

If anyone has children’s books in good condition that they no longer need, please send these to school and we will use them in our school and nursery libraries.

Alltnacriche Video Production Team

We had a huge response from our P6 pupils to the opportunity to work on editing the film taken during the trip to Alltnacriche.

Unfortunately due to having a limited number of laptops we could only select ten people. To make it fair we drew names from a hat. We were sorry to have to disappoint those who were not selected.

Hopefully this project will be a success and we will have an interesting film documentary of our experiences to share with everyone.

Alltnacriche Photo Album

Thanks to Alison Ure we now have a slide show of photographs taken at Alltnacriche on the website.

To view them you will need to log onto

"this link has been given to Ellon Primary parents/guardians only"

Sounds of Singing

This year schools in the Ellon area have been given the opportunity to participate in a concert to be held in the Music Hall on Thursday 5th June. It will be held during the school day. Our P4-7 classes will be singing two songs, which they are learning at the moment, with Scottish Opera and will have the experience of listening to a full orchestra. It promises to be a memorable experience.

Special Olympics – Grampian Area

Well done to Caelan Gray, Kevin Taylor, Cameron Buchan, Sophie Aitken, Jason Canning, Sophie Dempster, Jack McKessick, Ellie-Mae Mahoney, Jonathan Onwa, and Thomas Cameron.

They won 14 medals between them!

School Improvement Priorities

We are conducting a survey of pupil, parent and staff opinion.  We are asking parents, pupils and staff what they think about our school and how we could improve. You will receive a paper copy of the Parent Survey. It will be sent home this week. Please check school bags.

We value your comments so please complete the survey and return it to school by Monday 9th June.

The results of the survey will be sent to you and we will take these into account when we draw up our 2008-2009 school improvement plan and in the work we do day-to-day.

Thank You

Thanks to all those who gave a donation towards Gerald Stranraer-Mull’s retirement gift. Book tokens were bought with the money collected and he has written to say that he is looking forward to spending it.

Sports Day

It was disappointing that we could not go ahead with sports yesterday due to the heavy rain. We are hopeful that it will dry up before Friday 6th. If conditions are still wet on Friday we will aim to hold sports on Thursday 19th June after the P7s return from their trip.

Veronica Cordiner

Head Teacher    

SESSION 2008/09

Monday 18 August 2008 in-service day (teachers only)

Tuesday 19 August 2008 school reopens for pupils

Friday 10 October 2008 start of October holiday

Monday 27 October 2008 school reopens
Friday 19 December 2008 school closes for Christmas holiday
Monday 05 January 2009 school reopens
Monday 16 February 2009 mid-term holiday
Friday 03 April 2009 school closes for Easter holiday
Monday 20 April 2009 school reopens
Monday 04 May 2009 (May Bank Holiday)
Friday 03 July 2009 School closes for summer holiday

SESSION 2009/10
Monday 17 August 2009 in-service day (teachers only)
Tuesday 18 August 2009 school reopens for pupils
Friday 09 October 2009 start of October holiday
Monday 26 October 2009 school reopens
Friday 18 December 2009 school closes for Christmas holiday
Tuesday 05 January 2010 school reopens
Monday 15 February 2010 mid-term holiday
Friday 26 March 2010 school closes for Easter holiday
Monday 12 April 2010 school reopens
Monday 03 May 2010 (May Bank Holiday)
Friday 02 July 2010 School closes for summer holiday