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Weekly Newsletter 18th November 2022

This week at Liberton Primary

  • This week was Anti-Bullying Week across the UK and our classes discussed how our school values of Kindness, Respect, Creativity, Confidence, Inclusion and Happiness can help in our anti-bullying work.
  • For Book Week Scotland our Libby Leaders Promoting Reading group set up a vote for pupils on their favourite book-set.  The board was a hot-bed of discussion and opinions  with the final result of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books coming out top, closely followed by the Harry Potter books, Roald Dahl and Dog Man.
  • On Wednesday classes enjoyed an online workshop from the Royal Observatory Edinburgh called Deep Space Discovery: Seeing the Invisible.
  • On Thursday we were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills from the Scottish Government, Shirley-Anne Somerville to Liberton Primary for the launch of the Read, Write, Count bags for P2 and P3 pupils. Everyone had a great time and our pupils represented the school fabulously.  More details and photos can be accessed here https://nen.press/2022/11/18/families-across-scotland-receive-free-books-during-book-week-scotland/
  • Pupils and staff looked fabulous in their dress-up/dress-down outfits for Children in need.  If you would still like to make a donation this can be done at https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/

Coming up

  • Next week our P1 and P2 class continue preparation for their Nativity.  The Nativity gives all our children valuable learning opportunities across a number of areas of the curriculum including Literacy, Drama, Music and Religious Education and is always a highlight of our school year.  I’m sure this year’s performance of Angel Express will be every bit as wonderful.
  • On Thursday 24th November the school is planned to be closed due to the industrial action by teaching unions (see below). 
  • On Friday the LASC and LPSA have organised an Autumn Clear Up and Christmas Lights Switch-on event. 12.30pm for a 1pm start.  Soup and hot drinks are provided and bring your own tools/equipment if you can.

Industrial Action

You will have received an email from the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the planned industrial action by teaching unions on Thursday 24th November.  The school will be closed for the day.  For any parents who would like their children to take part in home learning activities during the school closure, a list of suitable weblinks is available on our school website and our usual home learning information sheets will be issued as normal each Friday.

P1 Registration 2023

This is the last day for parents and carers to register their child to start P1 next session.  Please use the link below to register.   For parents who are looking to defer their child starting Primary 1 this form still needs to be completed as part of the deferral application process.Register your child for a place in Primary 1 – The City of Edinburgh Council

South East Edinburgh Food Bank Collection

The Libby Leaders ‘Campaigning for Charity’ group are helping to organise donations this year for the South East Edinburgh food bank. We are asking for pupils to donate items such as: tinned foods, cereals, jams, spreads, crisps, UHT milk, tea, coffee, biscuits, snack bars and festive treats. Classes will keep these items in their classrooms with the Libby Leaders collecting donations each Friday up until 9th of December. Any help would be much appreciated!

Tour for parents of next year’s P1 pupils

We have organised a catch-up tour for parents who were unable to attend our Open Day.  This will be held on Friday 25th November at 9.30am.  Parents of children due to start in P1 next year are welcome to attend and should report to reception on arrival.

Access to the school – Car Park Gate

A reminder that all parents accessing the school during the day should do so through the Gilmerton Road gate.  The car-park and car park gate is only for staff use.  Any children being brought to school late should also access through the Gilmerton Road gate.

Swimming Success

Well done to Olivia in P7 for representing Liberton at Scottish Schools Swimming Championships last weekend.  Against tough competition from mainly high school students, she came a very impressive 4th in both freestyle and butterfly.  Well done! 

National Discussion on Education

The Scottish Government is conducting a major national consultation on the future of Scottish Education and are very keen to hear the opinions of parents.  See below for more information.   

The time has come for a new national discussion on education, one which will give everyone the chance to have their voice heard. We’re inviting everyone who has an interest in the future of our education system: children and young people, parents and carers, practitioners, and those in the wider Scottish community to pause, to reflect and to contribute to a future vision for Scottish education. Please use this survey to tell us your hopes and ideas for the future vision of Scottish education. (Survey closes 5th December)

Library wishlist 

The children from the Libby Leaders Promoting Reading group have been working very hard to encourage their classmates to read for pleasure, and are now collaborating with the LPSA library volunteers to make sure everyone who visits the library (P4 to P7) can find a book they really want to read. Although we have built up a fantastic range of novels over the past few years, we really need more graphic novels – they are hugely popular across all year groups and the selection we have simply cannot meet the demand. 

We’ve therefore created a wishlist of graphic novels and comics for the library, all suitable for P4 to P7, in case anyone in the school community would like to contribute: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/2G6R7OLSFVX9D?ref_=wl_share

If you’d like to donate a book to the library, there are a few options: 

  • You can buy a book from the wishlist (either new or second-hand in good or very good condition, depending on buying options available) – you can choose for the book to be delivered directly to the school or you can bring it into school yourself. 
  • You can donate a second-hand copy of any of these titles – most of the books currently in our library were donated second-hand. If you have a copy of any of these graphic novels or comics at home that you no longer need, or if you find the item in supply somewhere else, you can click the ‘Buying this gift elsewhere?’ button on the wishlist and bring it in to school.

If you have any questions about the list or about graphic novels/comics or the library in general, you can contact the LPSA at lpsa.communications@gmail.com. Thank you very much for your support!  

LPSA Christmas Fair – Saturday 3rd December – 10.30am to 1pm
The LPSA Christmas Fair is back and we can’t wait to see you on Saturday 3rd December for some festive fun – Christmas crafts, home-baking, face-painting, gifts, raffle, tombola, books, toys and more! But we can’t do it without you – if you can help with fair preparations on Friday 2nd December (morning), or with set-up, helping on a stall or clear-up on Saturday 3rd December, please get in touch with us at lpsa.communications@gmail.com. And if you know any local stallholders who might like to join us or businesses who might donate a raffle prize, please help us spread the word!

Further information for Parents

What is Scottish Child payment?

From 14 November:

Families who meet the criteria and are eligible to apply will receive a payment of £25 per child, per week (equivalent to more than £1000 per year) and payment will be made on a four-weekly basis. There are no limits to the number of children per family who can receive this benefit.

In order to be eligible for Scottish Child Payment the following criteria must be met:

  • live in Scotland
  • have responsibility for a child/child under the age of 16 and be named on one of the following benefits, Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit
  • Be in receipt of any of the following benefits:
  • Universal Credit,
  • Income Support,
  • Pension Credit,
  • Child Tax Credit,
  • Working Tax Credit,
  • Income-based Job Seekers Allowance or
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

If you are a kinship carer and the child is not named on one of the above, you can demonstrate child responsibility through either a legal order or a letter of support from a local authority.

People will be able to apply online at www.mygov.scot/benefits/ or through our Freephone helpline at 0800 182 2222. Our helpline is open Monday to Friday from

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A paper application will also be available and can be requested via our helpline or downloaded direct from our website.

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