Leith Primary School receives prestigious UNICEF UK Gold Award!
Leith Primary School has been officially awarded Gold by UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting School programme.
UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. The Rights Respecting Schools Award is granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults, children and young people to respect the rights of others in school. Gold is the highest accolade given by UNICEF UK and shows a deep and thorough commitment to children’s rights at all levels of school life. There are over 600 schools across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales that have received Gold.
The school has been working with UNICEF UK since August 2021 and received the Silver certificate in June 2023.
Headteacher of Leith Primary School, Ms Fiona Craig, said: “I am delighted and proud of our pupils and staff for the hard work and commitment they have shown towards supporting children’s rights both here and across the globe. It is wonderful that our efforts are being recognised with the prestigious Gold Award from UNICEF UK. The school community faced some tough times during the COVID pandemic and its aftermath. Having such a wonderful achievement to celebrate demonstrates our how much our school vision, ‘Believe-Persevere-Achieve‘, really motivates us to overcome challenges and achieve success. What makes this particularly special is that we achieved this together as a whole school community. For example, every pupil is involved in creating a class charter, staff and pupils make links to rights in their learning and rights are referred to when discussing and solving daily disputes in the playground. I would like to thank Ms Kirkwood, Ms Wilson, the Rights Respecting Champions and all the staff, pupils and parents for their ideas, enthusiasm and support to put children’s rights at the heart of everything we do here at Leith Primary School.”
The Award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies and practice. A Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.
The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools initiative is aimed at schools across the UK, including those in an early years setting. Currently, it works with nearly 5,000 primary schools, secondary schools, schools for children and young people with special educational needs and pupil referral units across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Schools have reported a positive impact on pupil behaviour, relationships and well-being by enhancing pupils’ self-esteem, leading to less truancy and bullying, better learning and improved academic standards.
Welcome Back Everyone
Welcome back to Session 2024/25. It has been wonderful to have all our young people back at school this week wearing their school colours and eager to step into the next stage of their learning journey. A special welcome to all of our new Primary 1 pupils and their families and to all of our new enrolments to the school.
Everyone is welcome at Leith Primary School and all can call themselves a Leither – ‘once a Leither, always a Leither’, as the local saying goes.
We see Leith Primary as a reflection of our unique community; vibrant, creative, hard-working, inventive, diverse, inclusive, proud, persevering. It is this unique community spirit and identity that makes Leith Primary School such a wonderful place in which to learn and work.
Here is a staff list for this year:
| Class | Teacher | Support Staff* |
| Primary 1a | Ms Lauren Kirkwood | Mrs Bilkies |
| Primary 1b | Ms Jo Kinnell/ Ms Georgia Downie (Fri) | Mrs Lynsey Elbekhti |
| Primary 2a | Ms Sally Richardson | Ms Natalia Ramos (EYP) |
| Primary 2b | Ms Fiona Harris/ Maryam Hafeez (Fri) | |
| Primary 3 | Ms Catriona Campbell | Mrs Qudsia Ainy |
| Primary 3/4 | Ms Saira Afzal | Mrs Edith Stiven |
| Primary 4 | Mrs Kim Watson (Mrs Lauren Kennelly) | |
| Primary 5 | Ms Megan Browning | Mrs Yvonne Thomas |
| Primary 5/6 | Ms Catherine Barclay | Mr Callum Cochrane |
| Primary 6 | Mr Alberto Agea/ Mrs Gillian Clarkson (Weds) | Mrs Miriam Saleh |
| Primary 7a | Mrs Shenel Scott/ Ms Georgia Downie (Mon/Tue) | |
| Primary 7b | Mrs Anne Katrine Christensen | Mrs Sabia Begum |
| Support for Learning (Literacy) | Mrs Ella Ciechanowicz | |
| Support for Learning (Numeracy) | Mrs Gillian Clarkson | |
| Health & Wellbeing | Ms Georgia Downie (PE – P3-P7) | Mrs Gillian Aitken (The Loft) |
| Depute Headteacher | Mr Hugh Stuart | |
| Headteacher | Ms Fiona Craig |
Posts currently or awaiting to be advertised: Principal Teacher, x2 full time permanent class teachers, x3 Pupil Support Assistants, Pupil Support Officer (Leith Academy Learning Community – Attendance)
Lines
| Day | P1 and P2 | P3 – P7 |
| Monday | soft start entry | soft start entry |
| Tuesday | soft start entry | class line for assembly |
| Wednesday | soft start entry | soft start entry |
| Thursday | soft start entry | class line for assembly |
| Friday | soft start entry | soft start entry |
| Classes | Entrance |
| P1a, P1b, P2a, P2b | Main school door |
| P3, P3/4, P6, P7a | Infant playground/gym side door |
| P4, P5, P5/6, P7b | Upper Playground door |
What is a ‘soft start entry’?
A soft start entry is when the children can enter their designated entrance at 8.50am without lining up and waiting for their class teacher to collect them. We have found that this creates a faster and calmer start to the day for pupils.
At what time will my child be marked as ‘late’ on the register?
The infant and upper school playground doors will be opened by a member of staff at 8.50am and will be closed at 8.55am. After this time, your child should go to the main school office door where they will be marked as ‘late’ and will be handed a pink slip to let their class teacher know that they have been registered as present by the office.
Why have I received an absence text message from the school?
A child will be marked as absent on the school computerised registration system if a parent leaves a voice or text message before 8.50am to let us know why their child will be off school that day. If we have not received notification from a parent/carer about why their child has not arrived at school on time, they will be marked as ‘To Be Confirmed’. This prompts an automated text message to be sent out to a parent asking them to let us know either by text or by phone call why their child is absent that day. This is done to ensure a child’s safety. It is assumed that all children are in school during school hours, as is legally required, unless we are told otherwise. We therefore ask that parents keep the school informed about any absences and keep all other reasons to take children out of school to the minimum eg; dental or GP appointments.
Why have I received an absence text message from the school when I know my child has entered the school building?
Sometimes, a pupil might go to the toilet or delay their walk to their classroom. This might mean that they are incorrectly marked as ‘To Be Confirmed’ which will trigger an automatic text message to their parent asking for their reason for absence. Equally, a child may come in late without letting the school administrator know that they have arrived so they are not marked as being present on the register. This can sometimes happen on the mornings when there are assemblies or of a child comes in through the wrong entrance and does not collect a late slip from the office. Occasionally, staff may make a mistake but these are rare if children arrive on time or let the office know they have arrived late. We know that these messages can cause parents alarm so ask that you encourage your child to be on time or enter through the main entrance to collect a pink slip if they are late.
Can I come into school to help them with their jacket and bag?
We try to encourage all our pupils to develop age-appropriate independence from P1 onwards. We know that this is very different for P1 parents in comparison to nursery procedures however we find that our youngest pupils become accustomed to this routine very quickly. We ask that parents say morning goodbyes outside and send their child in with their peers. Staff are on hand in corridors with big smiles to help children hang up their jackets and unpack their bags. If the morning routine continues to be particularly tricky for your child, we are more than happy to discuss an alternative routine for them until they settle in.
Communications
You will have received our yearly data check form and KIC form on Friday along with a reminder about helping us to keep you informed about school matters. Please check that the information is correct on the form, including emergency contacts and any changes of phone number and email address. Please make sure that the school is the one of the first places you inform should you change any details over the course of the year.
Here is a FAQ that explains how we will communicate with you and how you should communicate with the school about a few common issues.
| Issue | Type of Communication |
| When is parents night this year? | Check the school newsletter either on the school website or in your email inbox. |
| On which days does my child have PE/gym this year? | Your child’s class teacher will send out a class newsletter in the first few weeks of each term confirming details like this. |
| I am having trouble ordering my child’s lunches on ParentPay. Who can help me? | It usually takes a week or two for new pupils to get set up on ParentPay. If after you have received your login details you are still having trouble, please look at the help centre on the main ParentPay website: https://parent-support.parentpaygroup.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4416963652113-How-to-get-help#how-to-get-help-0-0 |
| I am concerned about my child’s learning and am not sure how they are managing in class. Who do I talk to? | Your child’s class teacher should be the first point of call for all questions to do with your child’s learning and daily wellbeing. Your child’s class teacher can be contacted by email or Online Learning Journal (P1-P4). Please allow at least two working days for a response. If the matter is urgent, please leave a message at the school office and the information will be passed on. |
| Does my child get homework? They say they don’t but I am not so sure…? | Leith Primary School staff encourages all children to read for pleasure at home or enjoy having stories read to them. We also encourage pupils to join after school clubs and to go outside and play with friends after school. However, teachers will issue something called a Home Learning Grid each term by email, Online Learning Journal (P1-P4) and via 365 (P5-P7). There are activities on the HL Grid linked to work being done in class that children can do independently or with an adult as extra skills practice. All children have a login to a website called SumDog where they can practice times tables, addition, subtraction, division as well as spelling and grammar. A parent or main carer’s interest in what a child is learning has been shown to have a greater impact on academic success more than doing old fashioned jotter-based homework. So try to have regular chats about what they are enjoying at school and what they find tricky. Also try to read for pleasure yourself – books, magazines, newspapers all count. Not only is it a relaxing thing for you to do, it shows your child that reading is something to be valued. Good readers make successful learners. |
| My partner and I have separated. I am concerned about how this is affecting my child at school. Should I share this with school staff? | It is not uncommon for children to behave uncharacteristically when big changes happen at home. It can be helpful for a class teacher to know that your child is adjusting to a new situation at home. They can keep an closer eye on them and make sure they get additional support if its needed. New behaviours can be better understood and taken into account when responding to incidents in class or in the playground. You are welcome to speak directly to your child’s class teacher or to Ms Craig or Mr Stuart if you wish to share information of a personal nature. Our Family Support Worker, Kristy, is also available to chat to you about any family changes or concerns. We will always treat this information confidentially. |
| I appear to have missed my child’s class assembly. Why was I not told about this? | We try to give parents/carers as much notice as possible about school events. This will usually be communicated in the termly class newsletter or in the main school newsletter which is sent at least once per month. We also try to send out reminder text messages. Please make sure we have your most up-to-date phone number and email address and ensure school emails go to your email inbox and not to junk mail. The most recent school newsletter will be posted on the school website so please check there if you think you may have missed something. Let us know if you think you might not be receiving information from school so we can check our systems. |
| I am really concerned about my child’s behaviour at home and worry that they might be Autistic or have ADHD or similar. I am not sure what I should do about this or if I should talk to someone at school? | School can definitely help with anything to do with your child’s development, whether that is their learning or their physical, emotional, social or general development. Senior school staff have decades of experience of working with children and can usually help parents to identify the main reasons why a child might behave in a certain way and what they can do to try to support this. At school we believe that all behaviour is a form of communication. There are lots of reasons why a child might act up at home or at school. In recent years, we have seen excessive use of smart phones and tablets, difficulties with sleep and less consistency with routines and boundaries at home after COVID being some primary reasons for trickier behaviours and increases in children’s worries. Sometimes there may be an underlying developmental condition that could explain difficult or unusual behaviours and we can certainly help support with this too. We work in partnership with lots of different agencies who can help support parents and children with getting back on track or, if appropriate, with making a referral to the NHS for further assessment. Please make an appointment to speak to Mr Stuart (P1-P4) or Ms Craig (P5-P7) to discuss your concerns. Equally you can make an appointment to speak to Kristy Johnston, our Family Support Worker. Kristy is also a trained sleep specialist so can support with concerns in this area. We are all here to help without judgement. |
| I think my child is being bullied. Who should I speak to? | It’s not nice to see your child upset about something that has happened at school. It is natural for parents to want to do something immediately to fix the problem. The best thing you can do is listen to your child and reassure them that you are there for them. A cuddle can fix many of life’s issues! A falling out between friends is a normal part of childhood and so too is learning how to best express their wants, needs and feelings. Young children can go through phases of using physical behaviours such as pushing, grabbing, hitting, throwing, kicking when they are not yet able to identify how they are feeling or what it is they want to say. Some may then progress to saying unkind things to each other in reaction to experiencing unpleasant feelings such as disappointment, embarrassment or rejection. School staff do a lot of work with children on understanding emotions and using words to express how they feel but also with learning how to understand situations from another’s point of view. Like reading, writing and maths, some children develop their social and emotional skills more quickly than others and some children require extra support. We encourage children to try to sort out friendship issues themselves so they feel they have some control and say over what happens next. Staff will often help them to do this through having a supported restorative conversation. Sometimes, children feel like they have no power to change things and are too frightened by the behaviours to say anything. The RespectMe website is a good source of information on bullying for parents. If you believe your child is being bullied, please contact the school and ask to speak to Mr Stuart or Ms Craig so we can support your child as soon as possible. |
School Colours
Thank you to parents/carers for sending the children back to school in their smart school colours and school sweatshirts and hoodies. They look terrific. If you have not yet managed to get school items, we welcome pupils wearing dark bottoms (black, grey, navy, trousers, skirts, shorts, pinafores), white or light blue polo shirts or t-shirts and plain dark tops (navy, black, grey cardigan, jumper or ideally school sweatshirt or hoodie). Blue gingham dresses are also acceptable.
School branded items can be ordered from Image Scotland: https://leithps.imagescotland.com/shop
Please do not send pupils in with designer branded clothing, clothing with football team logos or tops with slogans. Your child may be asked to take these items off for collection at the end of the day.
Children should wear sensible footwear to school (no heels please). Children should also bring waterproof jackets with a hood to school as pupils will go outside for break and lunch in all weather except for really extreme weather.
If you would like financial support with purchasing any clothing for school, please speak to Kristy Johnston, our Family Support Worker or speak to the school office.
Digital Learning
Like all schools in Edinburgh, we support all children to develop their digital skills from nursery onwards. We ask all P5-P7 parents/carers to co-sign an agreement about acceptable use of their iPad in school as older children use iPads with increased regularity in preparation for secondary school. If you are interested in how iPads are used to support learning in class please look at the Edinburgh Learns Digital website: https://edinburghlearns.digital/parents-carers/overview/
Important Dates for Your Diary
| Event | Date |
| LPPC Welcome Picnic on Leith Links for all parents and children, especially those new to the school. | Friday 30th August – after school |
| Meet the Teacher – Open Classroom Session | Wednesday 11th September (PM) |
| Holiday Monday | Monday 16th September |
| Autumn Term Ends | Friday 11th October |
| Pupils start back | Tuesday 22nd October |
| Autumn Parent-Teacher Consultations | Wednesday 13th + Friday 15th November |
| Open Classroom Session | Wednesday 11th December (PM) |
| Winter Term Ends | Friday 20th December |
| Pupil start back | Tuesday 7th January 2025 |
| Lagganlia Residential Trip | Wednesday 19th – Friday 21st February |
| Spring Parent-Teacher Consultations | Wednesday 12th + Friday 14th March |
| Spring Term Ends | Friday 4th April |
| Pupils start back | Monday 21st April |
| Monday Holiday | Monday 5th May |
| P7 Benmore Residential Trip | Tuesday 6th – Friday 9th May |
| Victoria Day Holiday | Monday 19th May |
| Sports Day | Wednesday 28th May (4th June back up) |
| P7 Transition Visit Days | Tuesday 17th – Thursday 19th June |
| P7 Leaver’s Assembly | Wednesday 25th (PM) |
| Summer Term Ends | Thursday 26th June |
| Session 2025/26 Starts | Wednesday 13th August |
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