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Scroll up and across for various columns containing lots of information.

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Head Teacher - Kerrie Laird

kerrie.laird@highland.gov.uk

Phone Number - 01456 450458

Primary 1 English teacher - Mr Adrian Macleod

adrian.macleod@highland.gov.uk

Gaelic Medium teacher - Miss Rosie Greig

rosie.greig@highland.gov.uk

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We warmly welcome all our new P1s and their families.  We have collected information together in this page to help support you. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have - we are here to help.

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Our handbook contains all the information you should require for going forward. You can access this below.

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Glenurquhart Primary School handbook 2025-26

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Our school website can be found below. The News page is updated regularly and a P1 class blog (for both Gaelic and English) is updated weekly with activities and photos taking place in the class. You can follow these to get email updates once new blogs are created for next session.

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At Glenurquhart we aim to provide ...

... a secure, caring and stimulating environment in which the potential of all pupils will be developed.

About us ...

Glenurquhart Primary School has existed as a separate entity since 1980. For more than a century before that time, there was a primary department in the nearby secondary school. The building we now occupy was constructed in 1975. The school occupies an attractive position in the centre of the village, with splendid views of the surrounding hills. The single storey building is divided into infant, middle and upper pupil areas providing for children in Primary 1-7. Each consists of classrooms, an open area, cloakrooms and toilets. During the 1992/93 session, an additional classroom, cloakroom area and toilets were built, extending from the present senior block. In 2005 the school was further extended to provide two classrooms, a staffroom and a resource area. Each classroom is equipped with interactive boards, most of which were resourced by the fundraising efforts of the Parent Council. There is a small hall which serves as a dining room and games hall. The serving area was refurbished and extended to provide new facilities in early 2017. Following the completion of the new Glen Urquhart High School, the primary school playing field is now situated to the rear of the building.

In spring 2011 a demountable unit was installed in the front playground to house the Gaelic Medium Unit to provide primary education through the medium of Gaelic for children whose parents choose this. The Gaelic class was re-situated into the main school building in June 2018 when it was re-opened following 2 years of the children being transported to Bun Sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis/ the Gaelic school in Inverness. In November 2020, the demountable was replaced with a double classroom unit and now houses the senior classes. Work is due to take place over this session to bring Gaelic nursery into the Primary School.

Pupils have regular access to the nearby Astro-turf pitch, the gym/theatre and the library at Glen Urquhart High School.

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a secure, caring and stimulating environment in which the potential of all pupils will be developed. Glenurquhart Primary School has existed as a separate entity since 1980. For more than a century before that time, there was a primary department in the nearby secondary school. The building we now occupy was constructed in 1975.

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Our poster below shows our school's vision, values and aims

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Our school times are:

Primary 1 - 3           -        9.00 am to 3.10pm

Primary 4 - 7           -        8.55am to 3.25pm

All classes start at the times as above on a Friday and close at 12.10pm.
We open our doors at 8.50am each morning and children come straight into class - English through the P1 garden and Gaelic through the entrance round the side.
There is a 15 minute break in the morning and an hour lunch break. (Times for these have yet to be decided following Covid updates.)

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Information on our uniform can be found on our school website above. The children will also require indoor gym shoes/trainers.  We do outdoor learning every day so please consider footwear for this and children will require a waterproof jacket each day.  Helping your child to be able to dress themselves and put their shoes on will support them when they start school.  Please remember to add a name on each of your child's items. Thank you.

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The school will provide stationary so the children do not require these. The children will have a tray each but, these can become quite full therefore please consider this if you choose to buy pencil cases etc.

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We have a Family Learning site which will be updated with information on homework.  Your teacher will also let you know any further information on this too.
https://sites.google.com/glenurquharthigh.org.uk/familylearninggups2223/home

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These are free for all P1 children.  We currently have a hot meal option and a sandwich option.  On a Friday, we have 'Grab and Go' packed lunch option.  Menus can be found on our school website in the 'For Parents' section or click on the picture above.  These are in place already for August.  We ask that you help your child to choose for each day so that they know there will be something they like.
Children can alternatively bring a packed lunch.  They will require a refillable water bottle each day.
At morning break time, toast is available from the canteen.  This is 15p (free for those receiving clothing allowance.)  Children can also bring a snack from home.  It is helpful that this is separate from a packed lunch and to remember that break is just 15 minutes. We also promote healthy options.  *We are a NUT FREE school and ask that children do not bring products with nuts into school. *

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A new serving and kitchen area in the school opened on Monday, 23rd January 2017.

Lunch menus for this term can be found below. Special diet requests should be made in advance and these menus have been sent to relevant families to allow this.
Term 4 2021 onwards school menus On a Friday we provide a 'Grab and Go' packed lunch.
School meals for Primary 4 to 7 cost £2.30 per day and are received from Glen Urquhart High School. Money is collected on Monday morning for that week. Cheques should be made payable to 'The Highland Council'.
Free school meals for Primary 1 to 3
Our catering serviceis proud to provide good value meals using quality ingredients carefully sourced. The following regularly appear on our menus:

Beef, pork, lamb and venison from John M Munro, Highland Butcher

Highland free range eggs

Local fruit and vegetables from Swansons Fruit Company, Inverness

We update our menus every 6 months and consult with pupils and staff to improve the food choices and recipes. The menus offer a choice of freshly cooked, nutritionally balanced meals and include favourites such as macaroni cheese, fish and chips, chicken korma and healthy home baking.

We offer seasonal meals where over 75 per cent of the menu is freshly prepared with ingredients that are GM free, with no undesirable E numbers or hydrogenated fats.

All our primary schools have been awarded the bronze with five awarded the Silver Food for Life Catering Mark from the Soil Association.

Packed lunches

As the number of pupils taking packed lunch has been on the increase in all schools, Highland Council has issued the following recommendations which it is hoped you will support. These are designed for the safety and protection of pupils:

All food should be carried in a semi-rigid container with a secure lid - eg. an ice-cream container or similar.

Glass bottles should not be used.

Fizzy drinks in cans or bottles are not permitted.

Packed lunches must be eaten in the dining room/hall.

The Authority cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to packed meals or their containers.

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school meals at glenurquhart primary school

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A new serving and kitchen area in the school opened on Monday, 23rd January 2017. Lunch menus for this term can be found below. Special diet requests should be made in advance and these menus have been sent to relevant families to allow this.

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Curriculum Evening Powerpoint (English) 2026-27

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Curriculum Evening Powerpoint (English) 2026-27

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Curriculum Evening Powerpoint  (Gaelic) 2026-27

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Curriculum Evening Powerpoint  (Gaelic) 2026-27

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Information on Curriculum for Excellence

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Information on Curriculum for Excellence

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Including support on the digital platforms we use.

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After another turbulent year, many parents and carers with children due to start school this Autumn may have a worries about whether they will be ready and wondering what they can do to help prepare.
It is a natural concern, so please find below a short film to try and show how there is no need to be too worried.
There is input from Education Scotland inspectors, as well as from experienced teachers, to explain how transition into school will go this year, what P1 classes will be like in Highland, and how you can help your child prepare
At all times, if you have concerns and can’t find the answers, wel will be more than pleased to help, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Posters to support foundations for different kinds of learning - Health and Wellbeing, Reading, Writing and Maths

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It is the time of year when families are filling in the forms to enrol their children for starting school

This year it may be a little more worrying than usual.

Some parents or carers may be wondering whether their child will be ready or not, especially if they have missed time in nursery.

Nearly all children have experienced some disruption in the last year or so. P1 teachers all know this and they will be ready for the children and take the time that they need to settle in. Schools will be a bit different to usual because we will be adapting to what the children need

Meanwhile there is lots you can do to help through play, games and fun. Just as important, there are some things you really don't need to worry about!

There are some posters below on how play and talk at home can build foundations for different kinds of learning

Nothing is required or expected, but hopefully some of these ideas will be fun and help deal with any worries you might have.

If you click the image, that will give a pdf that can be printed - and there is a link to a clearer image to view on screen too.

Health & Wellbeing

Click the image for a printable pdf

Reading

Click the image for a printable pdf

Writing

Click the image for a printable pdf

Maths

Click the image for a printable pdf

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It is the time of year when families are filling in the forms to enrol their children for starting school This year it may be a little more worrying than usual. Some parents or carers may be wondering whether their child will be ready or not, especially if they have missed time in nursery.

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Lots of fun ideas to support Early learning

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Thank you for visiting our website!

Playing and talking together, having fun, a listening ear and loving kindness - that's all our young children need from us to learn and develop right now. This website has lots of ideas for play and learning, or for if you have concerns about a child's development too.

These pages are created by people living and working in the Highlands of Scotland, but everyone is welcome to use them. You can find out more about us using the About menu

Play ideas

If you are looking for ideas how to help young children learn at home through play, scroll down! Or search using the tags.

Help with children's development

If you are looking for more general information about early child development and how to support this, then please use the menus above, or go to this link

Most families have some clothes they never wear at the back of the cupboard. It might be an old coat, a hat, or a jumper.

Children love dressing up and trying things on. Especially things that don't fit well (a huge hat can keep them laughing all morning), or that help them imagine.

You don't need to buy expensive costumes. A blanket can become a cloak, a knotted scarf a pirate's hat

There is a lot of learning going on. Children try out different roles, different versions of themselves. Being brave as a soldier, or caring as a nurse.

And there is lots you can do to deepen the learning just by talking about what you see, and adding vocabulary. "What a scary ghost!"

Think of all the different surfaces and textures you encounter every day

There is the cold, smooth feel of a saucepan; Or the hard but also giving feel of a packet of pasta. Or the way different temperatures of water feel, or frozen peas, or the squidge of a cushion

You'd be amazed how long your child can be happy playing about with some pasta shapes on a table top or the floor (you'll need to decide whether you can cook with them later, probably not!). Or making some mud shapes and pies outdoors in a bucket or a puddle.

But also how much they can learn. Not just about how the world feels, and the different shapes. It also develops their finger and hand skills - very important for helping you cook the pasta, but also the foundation of later writing and all that comes with that!

Anything will do. If you can set up a sand or a water tray, fine. But just exploring some of the things you have around is just as good. If you can chat with them about what they feel and help them compare, then even better.

Don't worry about mess (although do plan where and how you are going to make the mess). Your child will enjoy, and learn from, helping you tidy up and getting everyone clean again.

Keep an eye out for safety and don't let under-5's explore small things independently in case they try to swallow them!

The weather may have got a bit warmer, but there are lots of hungry birds around

So today's idea is all about learning about caring for nature - and also a lot of planning and construction skills along the way

There is something about feed birds that makes us feel good too, so once the hard work is done, you can sit and watch the birds come and go.

Don't worry if your child is not that interested making the feeder (though they may well want to help) - you might have more fun taking bread to ducks, or just putting out some crumbs.

Something today that you can do indoors or outside and can be done big or small depending on how much space you have to play with

If you've got some snowy slush or melty mud outside today, this is a great way to make it useful - or you could make some stepping stones across puddles

Making and then following tracks is a great way to build spatial awareness, and to learn the words and language connected with it.

There are lots of ways to do this - painting with cars on paper, making stepping stones outside - or just watching as a bike swooshes through a puddle

Who would have thought there was play and learning to find in a cutlery drawer?

First of all, there is curiosity to develop - many children love to have a nose around in a drawer

Then there is classifying, describing shapes, learning to be safe with sharp things, how to wash dishes (that's a useful skill ...)

All by helping you with a boring chore - do it for as long as you or your child is interested

We all get things wrong sometimes, so today we have a story about a dog who really tries his best

But it just does not go his way. Cakes are so tasty, and mud such fun to dig!

It's a lovely story to read along with your child and enjoy

While you do this, they will be learning words, how stories work, how to make predictions (science!) and how to have fun by sharing experiences

And you can have some interesting chats about when we are naughty and it is OK to do our best even if we get things wrong sometimes. (Clue - yes, it is)

Or if you just want the story, it is here, with thanks to the Book Trust

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Welcome to the Gaelic support for Parents' Wakelet. This Wakelet is a collection of links to materials stored online that can be used by parents/carers to support children with learning Gaelic at home. This will make it easy to access materials from the one place.

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Practical ideas to support play at home

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What are playful families?

We want parents, carers and families to feel more confident and able to facilitate play opportunities in and around their homes, so that children will have more satisfying and wide-ranging play experiences. We want to support staff that work with families to have the skills, knowledge and confidence to promote play as an essential part of family life.

The day to day pressures on your time as a parent can sometimes mean you feel you don't always have the time to play with your child. You can add play into a busy day by having a playful and curious mindset, by asking the question 'what if?' and enabling children to create, invent and lead play situations.

Children need time, space and permission to play in and around their homes.

We have lots of resources to support playful families on this and the next few pages.

Playful families resources

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We want parents, carers and families to feel more confident and able to facilitate play opportunities in and around their homes, so that children will have more satisfying and wide-ranging play experiences. We want to support staff that work with families to have the skills, knowledge and confidence to promote play as an essential part of family life.

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- School bag - large enough to hold lunch box (if necessary), snack, water bottle and A4 file.
- Indoor shoes to be left in school.
- PE shorts and change of pants, socks and bottoms in a bag to be left on their coat peg in school.
- Playtime snack or money for toast (any money in an envelope named.)
- Refillable water bottle
- Waterproof jacket

PLEASE ADD NAMES to all these items, including bags, bottles etc.

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Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods are payments to help with the costs of supporting your family.

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Information on applying for these can be found below. We encourage all families to look into this.

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To receive free school meals and assistance with school clothing, your household must be in receipt of any one of the following:

Income Support

Universal Credit (where the monthly earned income does not exceed £726).

Income-based Job Seekers Allowance

Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance

Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £18,725 (as assessed by the HMRC)

Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income below £8,717 (as assessed by the HMRC)

Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit

You can also apply:

If you are 16 to 18 yrs old and receive any of these benefits in your own right

If you have no recourse to public funds, normally due to immigration status

If you are a family awaiting your first monthly Universal Credit award notice

The School Clothing Grant is £154 for Primary School children and £165 for High School children.

If you have any issues with our online application form or questions about the free school meals and clothing assistance scheme, then contact us by email at clothingandmeals@highland.gov.uk.

Clothing Grants and Free School meals applications for the school term commencing August 2023 Open on 1 July 2023.

Alternatively, our Welfare Support Team can be contacted at welfare.support@highland.gov.uk for advice and assistance in making an application.

Upload evidence or other documents online

If you need to submit documents as evidence, please click the link below to upload photos or scans of your evidence.
UPLOAD EVIDENCE

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Free school meals and assistance with clothing

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information on free school meals and assistance with schoolwear grant

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Welcome to Gaelic4Parents.com, the website for parents and children interested and involved in Gaelic education, by Stòrlann. This site is bursting with games, stories, audio and much more to help you enjoy the experience of learning Gaelic, whatever your age or ability! The site aims to be a helpful source for the learning of Gaelic through Gaelic Medium Education, and also provides homework support for those in Gaelic Medium Education.

Here's a selection of what you can find here (you can find all the resources and age groups with the menu above).

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Welcome to Gaelic4Parents.com, the website for parents and children interested and involved in Gaelic education, by Stòrlann. This site is bursting with games, stories, audio and much more to help you enjoy the experience of learning Gaelic, whatever your age or ability! The site aims to be a helpful source for the learning of Gaelic [...]

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Children will require a change of shorts for P.E. (which can be kept in a bag on their peg in school.)
Having a spare set of clothes in this bag is always helpful too, especially socks, pants and bottoms.

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Information on Gaelic Medium Education for Parents

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Information on Gaelic Medium Education for Parents

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Gaelic Medium Education is an option within Scottish education that gives children and young people an opportunity to become fluent in Gaelic. As children and young people move from stage to stage, they will continue to develop their fluency. In so doing, they also fulfil all the aims and goals of Curriculum for Excellence and accrue all the benefits of bilingualism.

Where is Gaelic Medium Education available?

Gaelic Medium Education is available in 14 out of 32 Scottish local authorities to all children and young people. Some local authorities use neighbouring local authority provision to meet the requests of parents.

Gaelic Medium Education is available in about 60 primary schools and their associated secondaries in Scotland, including dedicated Gaelic Medium schools. An increasing number of early learning and childcare centres, secondary schools and further education centres also provide learning through the medium of Gaelic.

The Bòrd na Gàidhlig website has maps showing where Gaelic Medium Education is available in Scotland.

If I do not speak Gaelic, can I still choose Gaelic Medium Education for my child?

Gaelic Medium Education is available to all. Many children learning in Gaelic Medium Education do not come from homes where Gaelic is spoken. Some children acquire fluency in Gaelic in the home and continue to develop their fluency by choosing Gaelic Medium Education.

How and when is Gaelic Medium Education delivered?

Gaelic Medium Education begins in 3-5 provision or, in some cases in P1, and continues through primary and secondary school. In Gaelic Medium Education, there is an initial focus on learning Gaelic, until children become fluent enough in the language to enable its use across all subjects and aspects of learning. The entire curriculum is taught through the medium of Gaelic.

Children and young people will also have opportunities to use and develop their language skills in a range of situations outside the school, and to have their learning and achievements recognised with awards and qualifications at the secondary stages.

Gaelic Medium Education can be delivered in free-standing provision known as Gaelic schools or Gaelic Medium schools. In other cases, Gaelic Medium provision is delivered alongside English medium provision under the leadership of the same headteacher.

Why should I send my child to a Gaelic Medium school?

There are many sound educational benefits to learning Gaelic. Gaelic Medium Education is recognised for successful and high-quality achievement in which young people gain all the benefits of bilingualism.

The research 'Gaelic-medium Education in Scotland: choice and attainment at the primary and early secondary school stages', by Edinburgh University, provides evidence that there are very high levels of attainment in Gaelic Medium Education. This high level of attainment is a key attraction for parents in choosing Gaelic Medium Education.

The report showed that young people in Gaelic Medium Education perform equally well as their peers who are learning through the medium of English. It also showed that young people learning through the medium of Gaelic performed better in English language than those learning through the medium of English.

Another study, by Strathclyde University and the University of Cagliari in Sardinia, showed that bilingualism has benefits that go beyond language to include arithmetic, problem solving and enabling children to think creatively. This research found that the vocabulary of bilingual children is noticeably richer than that of children of the same age who are not bilingual. It found that, because bilingual children are used to switching between languages and to thinking in two different languages, this gives them an ability to filter out unimportant information and focus on what is relevant and important.

Language and Cognition in Gaelic-English Young Adult Bilingual Speakers: A Positive Effect of School Immersion Programme on Attentional and Grammatical Skills - This secondary school Gaelic immersion study reports positive effects of bilingualism on language and cognition.

Gaelic makes a valuable contribution to Scotland's education, economy, heritage, language and culture as an official language of Scotland.

A wide range of exciting and viable career opportunities exists for young people who have qualifications in Gaelic.

How do I access Gaelic Medium school for my child?

If you would like your children to be taught through Gaelic Medium Education, contact your local authority.

The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 establishes a process by which parents can request Gaelic Medium Primary Education (GMPE) from their education authority.

A GMPE Request Form is available on the Scottish Government website.

Statutory Guidance has been issued under Section 9 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. It consists of two parts. Part 1 provides Guidance specifically relating to the Education (Scotland) Act 2016. Part 2 provides Guidance on what parents should expect for GME in schools.

Where can I find further information?

The Highland Council video, "Educational Growth" explains the benefits of Gaelic Medium Education and of being bilingual.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig - The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 created this statutory body, which has a remit for promoting the use and understanding of Gaelic language, culture and education.

Stòrlann Naiseanta na Gàidhlig is a government funded group that provides books, resources, support and advice for young people and teachers in Gaelic education. Their website has support for parents of children in Gaelic Medium Education, including live advice on homework.

Comann nam Pàrant is a parental network that gives support and advice on all aspects of Gaelic Medium Education. Their website has a selection of videos in which parents and practitioners discuss various aspects of Gaelic Medium Education.

Comhairle nan Leabhraichean (The Gaelic Books Council) - you can purchase a full range of books and CDs through the website, or by visiting the shop in Glasgow.

The Gaelic4parents website provides live online support with Gaelic Medium Education homework across subjects. The website aims to build parents' confidence in accessing Gaelic Medium Education, particularly if they themselves do not speak Gaelic or are learning Gaelic. The website also has audio books for enjoyment and as part of Gaelic reading schemes used by Gaelic Medium Education schools.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's website has a range of information on Gaelic Medium Education. It includes this video on the benefits of Gaelic Medium Education, as well as pragmatic advice.

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Gaelic Medium Education (Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig)

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Gaelic Medium Education is an option within Scottish education that gives children and young people an opportunity to become fluent in Gaelic. As children and young people move from stage to stage, they will continue to develop their fluency. In so doing, they also fulfil all the aims and goals of Curriculum for Excellence and accrue all the benefits of bilingualism.

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Get Tax-Free Childcare: step by step - GOV.UK

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Check if you’re eligible for Tax-Free Childcare, how to apply and how to pay your childcare provider.

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All about Government help with childcare costs, including 15 to 30 hours free childcare, Tax-Free Childcare, tax credits, Universal Credit, vouchers and support while you study