Winter Reminder

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As we head into the winter months, please find below a general reminder of illnesses in school.

Due to the increased vulnerability of our Pupils, we must all take extra precautions when dealing with potential infectious illnesses.

If you feel your child/young person is unwell, please contact the school to check before sending them on to transport.

If your child has required paracetamol/Ibuprofen, please contact the school before putting them on transport.

Pupil Escorts will be encouraged to contact the school if they feel that your child is in any way unwell, so please be patient and understanding.

Other Information

For cough/colds/respiratory illnesses – Please keep your child at home if the following applies:

· coughs where the child young person is unable to perform cough etiquette in the infectious period.

· Runny noses – Green/yellow or constant runny nose.

For Diarrhoea and vomiting

• Please ensure that 48 hours has passed between the last episode of vomiting and or loose bowel movement

If your child/young person has a regular cough/vomits/diarrhoea or paracetamol/ibuprofen for medical reasons, please ensure that the school have been informed of any condition. Otherwise, normal exclusions will apply.

School Closure Information Line

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Please find details of the Aberdeen City schools telephone information service for parents/guardians.  This is the Schools Information Line.

 The main features of this service are:

  1. Emergency Arrangements message for Parents/Guardians

To be used to inform parents/guardians of emergency arrangements and important announcements, e.g. early closure arising from adverse weather conditions/failure of heating systems.

  1. Voicemail for Recording non-urgent Messages from Parents/Guardians

The system also has the potential to record brief messages of a routine nature from parents/guardians.  You will be advised at a later date if this feature is to be activated.

  1. List of Messages containing School Information

This could hold routine information for parents/guardians, e.g. the times for a Parents’ Night, School Concert details, etc.

Parents/Guardians can access these features by dialling this National Rate number:

Tel: 0870 054 1999

 A Council message will be heard followed by a request for a six-digit PIN number specific to their child’s school.

The Pin Number for Orchard Brae School is     011890.

 Once connected, a voice will speak out the name of the school and a series of prompts will guide the caller to the appropriate option.  The cost of calls is no more than 10p/call (landline calls).  You can also check school closure status on the School Closure page on the Aberdeen City Council website. Please use the link below:  

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/school-closures

Training available on Eventbrite

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We are pleased to be able to offer a new training programme for professionals and families. The sessions will run until December 2023 and we are planning to run some more sessions after January.

Training sessions are bookable on Eventbrite and start on the 2nd October. All training will take place at Orchard Brae School.

Do not miss an opportunity to learn more about autism and emotional regulation, autism and anxiety, classroom environment, understanding autism and more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Tidying Up In Howes Hoose

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The pupils of Howes Hoose have been sprucing up their outdoor environment since returning to school. One of our first tasks was to wash and paint  our garden furniture. Running out of paint called for a trip to the shops which gave us the chance to practise our life skills out and  about in the community. We also helped tidy up the school sensory garden to make it a welcoming place for our peers as well as some litter picks along the farm track to care for our local area. 

Exploring Movement In Nursery

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The children at our Howes Road Nursery have been busy settling back into Nursery after the summer break and have done a fantastic job of doing so. We have been making the most of the beautiful sunny days with children engaging in their favourite activities both indoors and out thanks to the wonderful donations of parasols and a swing for our outdoor area. The children have been showing an interest in things that move and how we can make that happen. We used salad spinners, vehicles and tall flowers that were blowing in our nursery garden to create some lovely artwork and have taken part in baking activities making yummy round biscuits, round pizzas and cheese swirls. Some children enjoyed using a switch to activate the foot spa, splashing their feet in the bubbles they created. 

Sensory Exploration In Room 10

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Since returning to school after the summer holidays, we have been lucky enough to be able to enjoy the extended period of warm weather as we have reflected on our Summer holidays and some of the different activities we may have done. In particular we have thought about going to the seaside and have enjoyed exploring different themes alongside the Julia Donaldson story “What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside”. We have engaged in a variety of sensory activities, including exploring sand (some ground up cereal), enjoyed feeling slimy seaweed (leaves collected from the playground and fresh runner beans) and of course enjoyed some water play whilst thinking about the different creatures that live in the sea. We have demonstrated our attention and listening skills, as well as communication (we especially liked when the whale splashed its grey tail!)

Rain Cloud in a Jar: A Memorable Experiment in Room 6

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Introduction: This week in Room 6, our vibrant classroom dedicated to our incredible pupils, we embarked on an exciting journey to understand the magic behind rain clouds. Through the ‘Rain Cloud in a Jar’ experiment, our pupils experienced first hand the beauty of cloud formation and precipitation, making abstract concepts tangible and interactive.

Setting the Scene: The tables were adorned with clear jars, each waiting to hold its miniature sky. Pupils gathered around with twinkling eyes, eager to dive into the day’s experiment.

Materials We Used:

  • Clear jars for every pupil
  • Shaving cream
  • Blue food colouring
  • Water
  • Pipettes

Our Step-by-Step Adventure:

  1. Creating the Sky: Each jar was filled about three-quarters with water. This acted as our atmosphere, a canvas for our clouds and rain.
  2. Cloud Formation: Pupils added with some support, a dollop of shaving cream atop the water, giggling as the fluffy “cloud” floated.
  3. Rainfall Begins: A few drops of blue food colouring were mixed with water, and pupils, using their pipettes, gently added this mix onto their shaving cream clouds.
  4. Magic Unfolds: The room was filled with gasps and smiles as the blue “rain” seeped through the clouds and cascaded down into the jars, beautifully mimicking a rainy day.

Behind the Magic: We learned together that clouds in our skies hold water. When they can’t hold anymore, they release it as rain. In our experiment, the shaving cream represented these clouds, and the blue water was our rain. When the clouds (shaving cream) became too heavy, they let the rain (blue water) fall.

Moments of Joy:

  • Touch and Feel: Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the tactile experience, from the shaving cream’s softness to the water’s coolness.
  • Visual Delight: Watching the transformation from a plain jar of water to a weather phenomenon was a treat for all eyes.
  • Learning Together: This simple experiment provided an avenue for understanding complex concepts, proving that learning has no boundaries.

Reflecting on Room 6’s Experience: Our ‘Rain Cloud in a Jar’ experiment was more than just an activity; it was a testament to our pupils’ boundless curiosity and capabilities in Room 6. While we dabbled with water, shaving cream, and food colouring, we uncovered lessons about patience, observation, and the wonders of nature. Here’s to many more weeks of discovery, learning, and joy!

It’s Hands On in P1!🙌👏👍

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Our new pupils are settling in to their new classroom down at Ashgrove and really enjoying getting their hands on to the different tools and toys. They have been using shape cutters during Cooking lessons, paint brushes for Art and rolling pins for play dough during Sensory play. They have been using their hands to control the flow of water from the hose, manipulate the toys with moveable parts and create with bricks.

Our Growing Garden

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Our garden is a very rewarding experience. 

We have created and actively maintain our own vegetable garden.

Gardening reduces stress and helps us cope with anxiety and frustration.

It also supports motor skills, enhanced creativity, increased social skills and improved self-confidence. Oh, and it’s fun!

Aberdeen City Libraries Consultation

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Aberdeen City Libraries is consulting on how Aberdeen’s library service can best meet the needs of its citizens and communities between July and October 2023. 

This presents an opportunity for all to reflect, share ideas and shape the future of our library service. 

We have developed a separate version of the consultation for children & young people aged 0-18 years, providing an exciting opportunity for Aberdeen City Libraries to capture the views and voices of children and young people, their parents/carers and those who work with them.  

2023 Leavers

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Our Secondary Awards and Leavers Ceremony was held in school on Wednesday. Congratulations to all of the Award winners and thanks to the families that joined our celebration.

Today we bid a final goodbye to another fantastic group of young people who have all made huge progress over their years in Orchard Brae. It was an emotional day all round as we celebrated their success and wished them well.

Thanks to Nadine of Elm Music Therapy for making our Leavers video this year:

To our leavers, it’s been an honour and privilege to work with you all and we wish you all every success in the next stage of life. We will miss you all!