Parental Communication

 

School Communications

Summer Newsletter 2023

 

 

Community News

Grampian Disability Sport – Norma Buist Schools’ Swimming Gala 2023 (posted 01/09/2023)

Event: Norma Buist Schools’ Swimming Gala
Date/Time: 28th September 2023 – 10:30-13:30

Location: Fraserburgh Community & Sports Centre, Maconochie Pl, Fraserburgh AB43 9TH

Entry Fee: £5 payable to Grampian Disability Sport (details on entry form)

Enter online: Norma Buist Schools’ Gala 2023 – £5 per swimmer Tickets, Thu 28 Sep 2023 at 10:30 | Eventbrite

 

Aberdeenshire schools, we need you! (posted 31/8/2023)

REGISTER NOW TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF GETTING YOUR SCHOOL ON THE CYCLE SEPTEMBER LEADERBAORD

IT TAKES MOMENTS TO REGISTER AND YOU’LL BE ON YOUR WAY!

Love to Ride’s aim – to get more people cycling for fun, fitness, and transport.

All staff and parents are invited to join our Love to Ride Cycle September Challenge.
It is a great chance to be the role model for all pupils! Especially with Sustrans Cycle to School Week coming up from 25th-29th September!
Registering is free to anyone who lives or works in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
Do something great for your physical and mental health.
Help support a happier and healthier planet.

Enter the prize draw and wins amazing prizes including a £4000 holiday

👉Sign up.
👉Log your ride.
👉 Help your school rise up the leaderboard
👉 Encourage everyone and anyone to join in.

Love to Ride’s Cycle September is funded by your local authority, which means it’s free for your school to take part.

By working together, we can achieve our health, wellness, and sustainability goals.

Find out more and register your school or college at lovetoride.net/abz

 

Hip-Hop School Scotland – Aboyne (posted 28/8/2023)

This activity is being organised by Hip-Hop School Scotland . Aberdeenshire Council is not responsible for the acts and omissions of Hip-Hop School Scotland and members of the public engaging in the activity do so at their own risk.

Aboyne Hip-Hop Dancing Class

For: P5-S3
Restarts: Saturday 26th Aug 2023
When: Every Saturday
Time: 9.30am-10.30am
Where: Masonic Hall, Charleston Rd, Aboyne
For more info email: thainfo@aol.com

Scottish Apprenticeships and Additional Support Needs webinar for individuals, parents and carers (Posted 22/8/2023)

Join on Thursday, 7 September – 6.30pm – 7.30pm

Join a free Skills Development Scotland webinar via Microsoft Teams

Examples and information will cover Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships.

To support accessibility, this webinar will be recorded and British Sign Language translation available.

Find out more and sign up on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/apprenticeshipseventASN

 

 

Grampian Parasport Festival LIVE for Booking (posted 5/7/2023)

Please see below and attached for information on the Grampian Parasport Festival.

We’re delighted to open registrations for this year’s Grampian Parasport Festival, which will be held at Aberdeen Sports Village on Friday 15th September 2023.

The Parasport Festival is a fantastic opportunity for children in mainstream education from P1 – S6 who have a physical disability, vision impairment or hearing loss to try out a range of sports especially adapted to their needs in a friendly, social and welcoming environment. Activities will be led by some of the best coaches from across Grampian (and beyond) and will include athletics, swimming, kayaking, boccia, judo and more. Parents and carers also have the opportunity to meet each other, and to learn about disability sport and ongoing opportunities in their local area.

Please register using the online form, should you have any questions please contact Josef Tautscher josef.tautscher@scottishdisabilitysport.com before Friday 8th September.

For any queries, please email Josef on the email address above or call 07889 281795.

The booking link is https://sds.justgo.com/workbench/public/events?ref=EF2A1E6625C5CD37408502FBEFDDD2B541718C3A

 

Headstart Young Drivers Event (posted 5/7/2023)

Full information can be found on our website: https://roadwisedrivertraining.co.uk/learners/headstart/

A fantastic opportunity for young people aged 14-17 to get their first taste of driving in a professional and safe environment with our experienced instructors.

The programme ran prior to the pandemic and was hugely popular.  Unfortunately the premises which we used (AECC) are no longer available, and it has taken some time to identify an alternative venue.

We have now done so, and are delighted that the first sessions will run at Grampian Transport Museum, Alford (on the outdoor track).

Prices are still to be confirmed but they will include the session and admission to the museum to make it a really fun day out for the whole family.

If any student would be interested in participating, they (or their parents/guardians) can contact us in the first instance at: info@roadwisedrivertraining.co.uk

 

 

 

Do your children know how to stay safe around water?  (posted 25/5/2023)

Did you know that 1 in 4 parents in the UK (26%) haven’t or don’t remember ever discussing water safety with their child(ren)? Did you also know that only 3 in 5 parents of children aged 8+ in the UK (62%) are confident that their child could self-rescue from open water?

With figures indicating that around 25% of primary school pupils leave school unable to swim, there is a real fear that as a result of the pandemic many more children will lack the ability or confidence to swim or self-rescue, should they find themselves in difficulty in the water.

We are supporting the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week campaign, running from 17-24 June 2023, and urging our members to access the charity’s free online resources to ensure their children have the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.

Whether heading abroad this summer or opting for a staycation, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), fears that families will head to beaches and inland water locations this summer, without considering the potential dangers, putting themselves and others at risk. Those of us who will be venturing abroad for their summer holiday, may find themselves using non-lifeguarded pools and therefore be at risk if they do not have the necessary water safety skills.

As children (especially boys) enter their late teens, they become increasingly more likely to take risks, with more than 312 people accidentally drowning every year.

And for every drowning death that occurs, there are more than 10 near-drownings, with many of these leading to life-changing injuries.

For more information, and to find out how you can make sure your family enjoys water safely this summer: www.rlss.org.uk/DPW.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK has issued the following advice:

 

 

 

 

Nightstop  – Community hosting to keep young people safe (posted 21/3/2023)

Aberdeen Foyer are delighted to be launching Nightstop North-East Scotland in 2023. Nightstop offers emergency accommodation for young people facing homelessness. This accommodation is offered in the homes of trained and vetted volunteers, who are supported by professional staff. This provides an accommodation option which is youth focused.

The national Nightstop Network comprises over 30 services across the UK and is run by national homeless charity Depaul UK. In Aberdeen City and Shire, Nightstop is supported by The Foyer.

The nature of accommodating young people in private households means that the service can only offer accommodation to low risk young people. The level of risk is managed by a risk assessment and by obtaining two references for the young person.

Nightstop will deliver both crisis response for young people presenting as homeless and early intervention for young people who might benefit from respite. At Nightstop, we often work with young people who are experiencing conflict within the family home but may be able to move back home with support. We can offer mediation and host the young person somewhere safe and secure until support with positive steps in their housing situation are identified.

Nightstop North-East Scotland relies on the generosity of volunteer hosts. These hosts offer their spare bedrooms, with a very flexible level of commitment: you decide when you’re free to host can submit your availability in advance in case of any holidays or other commitments. Hosts receive a stipend of £15 per night as an out-of-pocket expense payment to cover the additional cost of having another person at home.

Hosts are asked to be able to offer a young person a spare room, access to a bathroom and to be able to provide a listening ear.

Megan Douglas, the Co-ordinator for Nightstop North-East Scotland is encouraging people to get in touch to find out more about Hosting.

“Nightstop runs successfully and safely throughout the UK.  We have had a great response in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire so far, as we continue to recruit hosts. We try to make Hosting as easy as possible; holding regular online information sessions so people can come along and find out a bit more. We’re looking for people from all types of backgrounds – maybe your own kids have moved out, maybe you love the idea of volunteering from home or maybe you’re really looking to help change a young person’s life by giving them a bed for the night! Whatever your motivation, it would be great to hear from you. I’m getting a reputation for asking people if they’ve got a spare room, but if you do, you could host for just a short time and keep a young person safe.”

Megan continued “I grew up in Deeside and I know there are plenty of kind hearted people who want to do good in the area. I’d be delighted to have an informal chat with anyone who’d like to know a little bit more.”

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering as a Host with Nightstop North-East Scotland, you can e-mail Megan.Douglas@aberdeenfoyer.com or call 07467 919813. More information can be found here  Nightstop – a bold new service that supports young people at risk of homelessness in Aberdeen City and Shire | Aberdeen Foyer

 

Live Life Outdoors Activity Days (posted 09/02/2023)

Are you a school or group looking for a day (or more) of outdoor activities in Aberdeenshire?

Live Life Outdoors have all the resources you need for a fun, energetic and educational experience for members, pupils, employees or groups of friends.

We can come to your establishment or local sports field, or you are welcome to participate at one of our many sports facilities across Aberdeenshire, including our two ski centres at Alford and Huntly.

As well as skiing, our climbing walls (including our mobile wall), our bicycle pump track obstacle course and our bike maintenance workshops are very popular with all ages.  For younger people we have all the above plus the inflatable body zorbs and soft archery.  We love team building activities and have many challenges which are fun and will break the ice as well as developing team working skills and leadership.

We can take groups on bike rides and hill walks as well as running workshops on outdoor skills such as map reading, shelter building and cooking on a camp fire.  We can show you ways to increase your confidence and enjoyment in being in the great outdoors.

Find more information about each activity here; https://www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk/live-life-outdoors/activity-descriptions/

https://www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk/live-life-outdoors/climb/

We will design and cost a bespoke programme for you group.

Popular times of year will fill up very quickly so enquire today!  https://bit.ly/3sqrnaS