Victoria Primary School & Nursery Unit Carrickfergus

Safety First: Let's Keep Our School Zone Safe and Sound!

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you today to address an important matter concerning the safety of our children during drop-off and pick-up times at Victoria Primary School.

As many of you know, Elizabeth, our dedicated school crossing patrol, has been on leave, and I have had the opportunity to take over her duties. This experience has given me a firsthand look at the challenges and dangers that can arise during these busy times. I must commend Elizabeth for her nerves of steel, as I have witnessed some truly alarming and dangerous actions by drivers. I think she might secretly be a superhero in disguise!

Ensuring the safety of all our children is the responsibility of every adult within our school community. It is crucial that we all exercise great care and attention when driving near the school. I have seen some near misses and inconsiderate driving that could have had serious consequences. Let's avoid turning our school drop-off into a scene from a high-speed chase movie!

One particular issue that needs addressing is the stopping on the yellow zig-zag lines outside the school. These lines are there for a reason – to keep your children safe. According to Northern Ireland law, it is illegal to stop on these lines, as they are designated to ensure clear visibility and safe crossing for our students. Think of the zig-zag lines as the "no-go zone" – let's keep it clear and safe for everyone!

Victoria Primary School is situated within a housing estate, and we do not have the luxury of ample space to accommodate modern commuter needs. Therefore, it is imperative that we all remain vigilant and considerate when driving around the school. Remember, we're all in this together – let's make sure our school run doesn't turn into a bumper car rally!

I urge all parents and carers to adhere to these guidelines and to set a positive example for our children. Let us work together to create a safe and secure environment for everyone.

Let's make a pact! Take a moment to review your drop-off and pick-up routines, and let's all commit to making our school zone the safest it can be. Your cooperation and dedication to our children's safety are greatly appreciated. Together, we can make a difference!

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. C. Fulton
Principal

Hi all,

You will all be aware that our wonderful ELIZABETH, as our school crossing patrol, ensures the safety of our children and wider school community every single day.  We would be lost without her!

From tomorrow, Elizabeth will be off work for a short while.  This means that we may not always have a school crossing patrol at the front of school.

Other school staff will do their very best to try to cover this important job, however, there may be some instances that crossing patrol will not be available.

Teachers have spoken to children in all classes about road safety and the importance of being safe when crossing the road.

Parents / Carers - for the next few weeks, please take care when crossing the road outside school and ensure your children have an adult with them if possible.

Thanks,

Mr C. Fulton

Principal

Next Tuesday, 18th March, VPS will be starting the development of our exciting new FOREST SCHOOL area.

In conjunction with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, we will be planting over 300 trees around the edge of our school field as phase 1 in the development of our forest school.

All children will be helping to plant trees next Tuesday.

Please can you:

*send your child into school with welly boots next Tuesday (some children may already have a pair in school, in that case you don't need to send another pair)

*make sure your child has a coat in school on this day.

*send in some old trainers and a spare pair of trousers etc if your child does not have welly boots.

We will be inviting parents, who are available, to join us and information on this will follow shortly.

Many thanks,

Mr C. Fulton

Principal

Hi all,

Parent Interviews are taking place this week.

For children in P1-P7, parents are asked to wait outside the main entrance.  Doors will be opened and you will be shown to your child's class.

A bell will ring at the end of your 10minute interview.  This is to ensure the smooth running of the parent interview timetable.

All parents / carers will exit via the P1 doors.  Please go through the school hall and out the P1 doors.

Thanks,

Mr F.

We will be holding our Art Exhibition next week during Parent Interview Week.

Each year group in school has been learning about a different artist or style of art and they have created their own piece of art work linked to their learning.

You will be able to pick up your child's framed artwork, in the school hall, after your parent interview.  Each piece of framed art is £5 and can be paid on the day of your interview.

If you have a telephone interview instead of a face-to-face interview, please send in the £5 with your child and the class teacher will send home your child's art work.

We can't wait to showcase our amazing art skills in next week's Art Exhibition.