Soirbheas are launching a ‘Food larder’ today (Monday 8th) in Drumnadrochit – one in the bus stop at the bottom of Balmacaan Road, one outside old Tourist Information Centre. Today’s current situation makes everything that little bit tougher and we all understand that this can be a financially challenging time. The Larder will be available 24/7 and will be unmanned. We hope that during these difficult times, members of the community will find this a useful resource.
When using it, please observe the current COVID – 19 restrictions regarding social distancing and helping to keep the larders clean and tidy.
Anybody who wishes to contribute items is more than welcome to do so at The Church Hall in Drumnadrochit open Mondays (2 to 4), Wednesdays (5 to 7) and Fridays (2 – 4 ) for donations.
We would like to thank all those who have been responsible in assisting this worthy project.
Prior to lockdown, we were delighted to receive notice that we had been selected as finalists for two of the Education Scotland Awards – Children and Young People’s Participation and Learning for Sustainability. Our whole school community were involved in these and were so proud of the recognition for everyone’s work.
Unfortunately, the Awards had to be cancelled for this session due to the ongoing situation. I received certificates in the post last week though to show our achievement and a letter of congratulations from John Swinney MSP. A massive well done to all!
Consultation questionnaires were issued yesterday to all parent email contacts. Along with these were links to support parents questions around our return. I have copied these below. If you did not receive the questionnaire please get in touch with me on kerrie.laird@glenurquharthigh.org.uk. Many thanks for the thoughts and ideas shared already, these will be a great support in helping us plan our return.
National information, Q&As and other material on education recovery, parental communication and home learning can also be found in the following links;
The Wildlife Trust have launched their random acts of wildness campaign ’30 days wild’ for the month of June. You might like to join in!
Each day there will be a random act of wildness activity, these can be completed in any order during the week and can be recorded on your wallchart. There is also a wildlife bingo to complete outside. All resources are at the bottom of this post. Have fun!
Every Wednesday at 10 am tune into Wildlife Wednesdays ~ click on the link below. You will find out lots of interesting wildlife facts and get ideas for activities too.
Parents, you can share your photos, ideas and Random Acts of Wildness on Instagram and Twitter using #30DaysWild or join the Facebook group to swap tips with other really wild folk.
The Best Start School Age Payment is a lump sum of £250 which is intended to help with the cost of a child starting school in August 2020. It is in addition to the school clothing grant and does not need to be paid back.
From 1 June 2020 until 28 February 2021 applications are invited by Social Security Scotland for children born between 1 March 2015 and 29February 2016 who are starting school in August 2020. Parents who have deferred their child’s school entry to August 2021 should still apply during this period. If they don’t it will be too late, and they will miss out on their payment.
Best Start Grant School Age Paymentcan be claimed if parents and carers are receiving any one of the following (If you’re under 18, you do not need to be on any payments or benefits to apply:
Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Pension Credit
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Parents or carers can apply via Social Security Scotland freephone helpline on 0800 182 2222, by post or online atwww.mygov.scot/best-start-grant
Don’t miss out, find out.
Getting in touch with the Welfare Support Team is the first step to maximising your potential income. For help to apply for all benefits or entitlements contact the Welfare Support Team: telephone 0800 090 1004 oremailwelfare.support@highland.gov.uk
Full support is available to support parents and carers through the council’s Welfare Support Team and Highland CABx to ensure households are receiving all their benefits and entitlements – ever more important in these challenging times. Advice is freely available to help families with applying for the Clothing Grant and the Best Start Grant.
The Highland Council will provide support towards the costs of school clothing to many families. This will help children from primary 1 to secondary schools in Highland to be better equipped to attend school, focus on their education and fully participate in school life whilst easing the financial pressures for parents and carers.
Applications are now being invited by The Highland Council for the academic year starting in August 2020. Assistance with school clothing can be claimed if parents and carers are receiving any one of the following:
Income Support
Universal Credit (where the monthly earned income does not exceed £610).
Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £16,105 (as assessed by the HMRC)
Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income below £6,420 (as assessed by the HMRC)
If a young person is 16 to 18 years old and receive any of these benefits in their own right, then they can claim for themselves.
An asylum seeker receiving support
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
To streamline the application process, the Council has a single application form for school clothing grants and free school meals. Applications can be made online at
A reminder that Monday, 1st June will be used for staff training. There is no need for children to register this day. Work for the week will be issued on Tuesday by 11am instead. We hope everyone enjoys a long weekend and what looks like to be lovely, warm weather.
Congratulations to the winners of this week’s chess club competition. The challenge was to play as much Fast Chess as possible against robots or friends on chesskid.com. The children with the highest Fast Chess rating over the last seven days are:
1st Matthew W
2nd Liam M
3rd Sam J
“Slow Chess” Challenge ~ 26th May – 9th June
Our new challenge is to play Slow Chess against friends on chesskid.com. On Tuesday 9th June at 4pm, the children with the highest Slow Chess rating will qualify for special chess sticker.
Chess kids can challenge as many friends to slow games as they want. Once a player makes a move, the other player has 7 days to respond, or the game is over! Don’t forget, you can challenge Mr Crossland (GPSVol) Mr McWhirr (GPSVol2) and Miss Mullin (MissMullinGPS) to slow games of chess too! And you can play slow chess in real time if you are both logged in at the same time.
Miss Mullin will be keeping an eye on the Club Leaderboard between now and then.
Chess Club members ~ Remember to log in to chesskid.com between 3pm and 4pm on a Tuesday if you’d like a game of Fast Chess (or Slow Chess) with other club members.
2019/20 ~ News 