Coalsnaughton Primary School
COALSNAUGHTON PRIMARY SCHOOL
SCHOOL HANDBOOK 2019/20 Coalsnaughton Primary School Blackfaulds Street Coalsnaughton Clackmannanshire FK13 6JU Tel. 01259 452204 e-mail: coalsnaught@edu.clacks.gov.uk
@Coalsnaughton PS Website: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/cl/coalsnaughton/ 1
Coalsnaughton Primary School
COALSNAUGHTON PRIMARY SCHOOL PARENT’S HANDBOOK CONTENTS Page Director’s Foreword 4 Information Statement to Parents 5/6/7 Welcome from the Headteacher 8 School Aims 9 General Information for Parents 10 The School Day/Emergency& Closure 11 Pupil Enrolment/Secondary School/School Uniform 12 Attendance 13 Attendance and Absence Data Information 14 Data Protection & Behaviour Management for Pupils 15/16 Child Protection 16 Curriculum 16 English Language 17/18 Maths/Sciences, Social Studies and Technologies 18/19 Expressive Arts/Art & Design/P.E/Music 19 Religious & Moral Education 19/20 Health & Well-being, Reporting on Progress 20/21 Developing Young Workforce 21 Additional Support Needs, Inclusion 21/22 Other Support Services 22/23 Homework 23 Care of Books and Materials 23 Children’s progress and Visits by Parents 23/24 Parental Contact with School 24 Parental Involvement 24 Complaints and Concerns 24/25/26 School Meals and Milk 26/27 Breakfast Club 27 Morning Break 27 Tuckshop/Food in Schools/Water Bottles 27/28 School Clothing Grants 2019-20 28 Free School Meals 2019-120 28/29 After School Clubs 29 2
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Playground Supervision Wet Weather Arrangements Health & Safety School Transport Placing Requests/Behaviour on School Transport Additional Support Needs/Transport School Health Service Parent Forum/Council Links with the Community School Holiday Dates Session 2019-20 Insurance Cover – Clackmannanshire Council
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29 29 29 29/30/31 31 31 31/32/33/34 34 34 Appendix A Appendix B
34/35/36 37/38
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Chief Education Officer’s Foreword Clackmannanshire Council Education Service The Education Service provides a wide range of services for children, young people, families and communities and is committed to lifelong learning, giving children the best possible start in life as they progress from nursery to school and beyond. Our mission is to educate, protect, support and promote the achievements, health and wellbeing of every child and young person. Much of our work is undertaken in partnership with other services, agencies, communities, children, young people and their families. Improvement will be supported by collaboration across educational establishments, services and with other regional partners. With the full support of our Headteachers, Elected Members, Chief Executive, our corporate colleagues and partners, we are committed to achieving Excellence and Equity - raising attainment, tackling inequity and ensuring that high aspirations and positive outcomes are the expected norm for every child in Clackmannanshire. We are committed to ensuring that the views of our children, families, communities and partners are taken into account when planning and delivering our services. Shared ownership and awareness of the education “big goals” is key.
It is clear that the needs of our children and young people are best met by working effectively with parents and carers. I believe we need to strengthen parental involvement in education and to provide flexible systems to enable parental engagement and representation. The school your child attends is where it all happens and I encourage you to get involved in whatever way you can, be that via Twitter, Class Dojo, giving a helping hand, taking an interest in your child’s learning or buying a ticket for a concert! Read with your child every day! Ask them what they have learned that day and get them to show you! Look out for opportunities to learn together as a family! It is our intention to ensure that our relationships are characterised by mutual trust and respect, there is transparency and equity in the use of our resources and we are all ambitious for our children and young people. Anne M Pearson MBE Chief Education Officer Clackmannanshire Council
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CLACKMANNANSHIRE COUNCIL: EDUCATION SERVICES Information statement to parents: Primary Education
Certain structures are necessary for the smooth running and well being of primary schools. These features have been identified and setout below as a guide to parents on the type of structures, which will normally be encountered within a Clackmannanshire Council primary school. 1.
Management Structure Each primary school is staffed accordingly to national recommendations and is managed by a Headteacher supported, in most schools, by one or more Depute Headteachers. The Headteacher is responsible to the Chief Education Officer for the efficient management, administration and leadership of the school.
2.
Pupil Conduct A partnership between school and parents is essential in order to ensure the best possible standards of pupil conduct. Pupils are expected to set themselves high standards in appearance and behaviour and school rules are designed to encourage the maximum amount of self-discipline. The general aim is to produce an atmosphere of friendly co-operation, encouraging respect and consideration for other people and for property.
In our Coalsnaughton pupils are expected to:
show good listening skills and follow instructions be safe show respect, kindness and honesty always try their best and allow others to do the same
In the Playground we encourage pupils to:
treat everyone as a friend look after each other follow the supervisors instructions quickly and quietly take care of our school and our play equipment put litter in the bin Parents are encouraged to read the school rules and to query any points if there are any matters not understood. Parental help is sought in encouraging pupils to see the value of accepting school rules. Schools and parents jointly can make young people aware of responsibilities generally to society thereby helping them to get maximum benefit from their education.
3.
Pupil Activities Every school is encouraged to offer as wide a range of sporting and cultural activities. Usually these activities are incorporated in the school's extra-curricular programme, although at times these are an
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integral part of the curriculum. We utilise our Pupil Equity Fund to support and provide numerous sporting, cultural and experiential learning opportunities for all our pupils.
The Council and Sports Development team do their best to provide financial and administrative support for leagues, competitions, festivals and similar events but it is recognised that again the help of parents and the community is irreplaceable. The voluntary partnership of parents, teachers and members of the community in sustaining after school activities is much appreciated. Our school produces and issues a termly overview of clubs and activities to our pupils.
4.
School Improvement Our School Improvement Priorities are based on Scottish Governments Attainment Challenge and on the key drivers from the National Improvement Framework. Staff plan, learning experiences and activities in accordance with the Scottish Government Curriculum for Excellence. More information about Curriculum for Excellence can be found at https://education.gov.scot/parentzone
5.
Parental Consultation All schools offer the opportunity for parents to discuss their child's progress with teachers through arranged meetings. In addition, of course, parents are welcome to be in touch with the school to ask for information at any time. We often consult with parents through questionnaires, the Parent Council or Parent Focus Groups.
6.
Parental Involvement Coalsnaughton Primary school benefits from developing positive and active partnerships with parents/carers by involving them in decisions including information sharing, discussions, open events and focussed sessions on developing the core messages. The better the information that Coalsnaughton Primary School provides to parents/carers, the more they can support their children’s learning and the school. Information that parents share with (the school) can assist teachers in adapting their teaching to suit the learning styles of pupils and take account of any particular issues that may exist. Everyone who is a parent, as defined in terms of the Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 has rights under the right to receive advice and information about their child’s education, general information about the school, to be told about meetings involving their child. All parents are members of the Parent Forum and an annual AGM is held once a year. The Parent Council consists of representatives from the Forum. Chairperson Treasurer Secretary
Colin Davie Louise Davie Colleen ClarkBurns
Miss Stella McLaughlin and Miss Sian Livingston (Members of our teaching staff) along with several parents meet regularly to discuss and support the life of the school. New members are always welcome. If you are interested, please contact the Headteacher.
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7.
Child Protection Procedures The safety and welfare of children and young people are of paramount concern to schools. All staff and volunteers working with children and young people (in or out of the school building) are checked through Disclosure Scotland for offences that would make them unsuitable for such work. The school also has close working links with a wide range of other services and agencies that can help support children and young people in need. Each school has a named co-ordinator responsible for all issues relating to child protection. In our school this person is Mrs ClarkBurns. Full details of the council guidelines and procedures for child protection can be seen in the school on request. The council requires all staff to inform the co-ordinator if any allegation or suspicion of abuse arises. Such information cannot be kept confidential. The co-ordinator must pass the matter to social services and ensure that parents/carers are informed as and when appropriate. Other members of school staff will be informed only if they have a direct role in supporting the child or young person. Social services staff will pursue the allegation. Sometimes this will be as part of a joint team with the police. The school actively supports children and young people to develop their knowledge and skills about personal safety and to be confident in expressing any anxieties about their own wellbeing. This is encouraged through Health & Welling and through specific curriculum programmes.
8.
Curricular Policies Every school has written curricular policies, which are the subject of ongoing discussion and consultation and consequent amendment. These are available upon request.
9.
Multi-cultural and Anti-racist Policy The Authority has a Multi-cultural and anti-racist policy. All schools have a copy of the policy and are expected to follow the policy and guidelines.
10.
Equalities Policy Clackmannanshire Council has developed Council-wide policies for diversity, race, disability and gender equality, which aim to ensure that all Council employees are aware of their responsibilities to ensure that no child or young person will receive a less effective service on grounds of ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation. All schools have a copy of the policy and are expected to follow the policy and guidelines.
11.
English as a Second Language The Council provides a support service of teachers of English as a Second Language who visit schools to work with those bilingual pupils who require assistance in developing English language skills.
12.
Communication with the Home
From time to time your child will carry communication from the school giving items of basic information, such as holiday dates together with information of interest about the life of the school. Enquiries of any kind should be addressed to the Headteacher in the first instance.
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
WELCOME FROM HEADTEACHER A very warm welcome to you and your child from everyone at Coalsnaughton Primary School. At Coalsnaughton we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, vibrant and nurturing school where pupils, staff and parents work in partnership together and everyone is encouraged to ‘Be All They Can Be’. The school has a very positive and inclusive ethos. A strong emphasis is put on celebrating success, raising pupils’ self-esteem and on personal improvement. Our pupils have many opportunities to develop leadership and play a part in the day to day running of the school e.g. Pupil Council, Junior Administrator, Peer Mediators, Young Leaders, Head Boy, Head Girl, House Captains, and Responsible Individual etc. You can follow our achievements on Twitter and Class Dojo is used a means of instant communication between the school and parents. Our expectations are high and we aim to provide the best possible learning experiences for all our pupils. Our staff are dedicated and committed to ensuring that learning is relevant, engaging, exciting and fun. We want the best for all our families. We invite parents to come into our school at every opportunity to various events throughout the year. We encourage parents, friends and the local community to share their skills and expertise with our children, to be involved in the work and school life of the school e.g. School Improvement Focus groups, Master Classes, Parent Council, Fund Raising events etc. Coalsnaughton is a small, non-denominational school serving the village of Coalsnaughton and Devonside. The school is a feeder primary for the Alva Academy cluster. The school is small, bright and family orientated. We have three classrooms and a Nursery class. All rooms have an interactive board. The central gym hall is used as a dining room and we hold our assemblies there also. We have a tarmac playground to the front of the school and grassy areas to the rear of the building. All our staff are committed to improving outcomes for our children by working hard as a team and providing a caring, inclusive and welcoming learning environment. If at any time you wish to meet with the class teacher please contact the school office and an appointment will be made for you. This handbook is designed to give you an insight into our school. The information was correct at the time of review November 2018 and may be subject to slight change. If you have any further questions or concerns I will make every effort to be available to answer any queries. We have a number of school policies which I am happy to discuss with you. There are a number of websites that you may find of use to further your knowledge of how our school operates e.g. Education Scotland, ParentZone and Clacksweb etc. We look forward to working in partnership with you and may I take this opportunity to welcome you to our school family. Kind regards
Colleen ClarkBurns (Headteacher) clcclarkburns@glow.sch.uk 8
Coalsnaughton Primary School
Our School Vision -
‘Be All You Can Be’
Our Values: to be Happy Hardworking Healthy Helpful Honest School Aims 1.
We aim to provide an appropriate high quality curriculum for our pupils which will
be effective in ensuring our pupils achieve highest possible standards according to their ability be delivered using a variety of teaching approaches and learning activities be broad, balanced and provide continuity be resourced effectively in terms of human, material and time resources be well planned and evaluated develop appropriate skills for lifelong learning develop an awareness and promote a positive attitude towards environmental issues develop a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle
2. We aim to assist our pupils’ Health and Wellbeing by
building their self-esteem promoting an appreciation of people and property developing controlled, reasonable behaviour providing opportunities to develop emotional awareness encouraging children to develop moral values
3. We aim to create a positive ethos where
there is a safe, relaxed and happy teaching and learning environment staff, pupils and parents are valued visitors are welcomed pupils are encouraged and motivated to give of their best
4. We aim to build partnerships with parents and outside agencies for the benefit of the individual child by
establishing effective communication systems involving parents respecting and listening to the views of parents providing parents with information supporting school based parental organisations making greatest possible use of outside agencies
5. We aim to respond to educational change by
using development planning and quality assurance procedures to provide a high quality service maintaining and further developing a strong school team being well informed about what is happening in education
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
General Information for Parents
School Address:
Blackfaulds Street Coalsnaughton FK13 6JU
Telephone Number:
01259 452204
Headteacher:
Mrs C. Clark Burns
Roll of the School:
64 + 27 (Nursery)
Number of Teaching Staff:
4 Miss Livingston P1/2 ( All classes are composite) Miss McLaughlin P3/4/5 Miss McGill 6/7 Mrs Seeruttun – Support for Learning
Nursery Staff:
Miss McAllister – Nursery Teacher Mrs Wilson – Senior Early Years Educator Miss Aitken – Senior Early Years Educator Mrs Wilton – Early Years Educator Miss Dempster – Early Years Educator Mrs Watson - Early Years Educator Ms Johnson – Trainee Early Years Educator Mrs Moffat – Lunchtime Cover – Learning Assistant
School Chaplain: Auxiliary Staff:
Rev. Margaret Shuttleworth (Sauchie & Coalsnaughton Parish Church)
Denominational Status:
Non-Denominational
Mrs Brown - Administrator Mrs Hepburn- Learning Assistant/School Assistant Mrs Fraser – Learning Assistant Mrs Byrne – Learning Assistant Mrs Harrower - Learning Assistant Mrs Aitken – School Kitchen Mrs Rennie - School Kitchen Mrs Rae – Cleaner
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
Stages of School:
Primary 1 to Primary 7
THE SCHOOL DAY Morning Session Interval Morning Session continued Lunch Afternoon Session
9.00 a.m. - 10.45 a.m. 10.45 a.m. - 11.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. 12.30 p.m. - 1.15 p.m. 1.15 p.m. - 3.00 p.m.
Nursery Session runs from 8.20 a.m. to 2.50 p.m. INFORMATION IN EMERGENCIES & CLOSURES We make every effort to maintain educational service, but on some occasions circumstances arise which lead to disruption. Schools may be affected by, for example, severe weather, temporary interruption of transport, power failures of difficulties of fuel supply. In such cases we shall do all we can to let you know about the details of closure or re-opening. Therefore it is important that the school is kept informed of any changes to your address, telephone number or emergency contact details to ensure that our records remain as accurate as possible. We shall keep you in touch by using letters, notices in local shops and the Village Hall, announcements in local churches and announcements in the press and on local radio. There are occasions when the children may be dismissed early without warning e.g. in the case of power cuts or heavy snowfalls. In the event of this happening, we would be grateful if you could make sure your child knows where to go if you are not usually at home during the day.
SCHOOL SECURITY Our security procedures must be strictly adhered to, as these measures are taken to increase the security of all in Coalsnaughton Primary. Some of our security measures include:1st day absence calling After school club collection procedures Signing children out during the school day Disclosure Scotland checks on visiting staff/students Regular fire checks and tests Door security procedures Emergency procedures policies and other Health and Safety policies All staff and visitors must wear an identification badge
PUPIL ENROLMENT
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The enrolment of next sessions' P1 pupils will take place during January 2019. Exact details regarding the date and time of enrolment will be given in the local newspaper and will also be displayed in the local shops. When parents are enrolling their child they should bring the child’s birth certificate with them. There is a pre-school entry induction programme. Visits and meetings are arranged in June for parents to come along to the school with their children.
Parents considering seeking a place for their child in Coalsnaughton Primary are most welcome to visit our school prior to enrolment. A visit can be arranged by contacting Mrs ClarkBurns, Head Teacher. Application for enrolment in the nursery class can be made during March 2019. Exact detail regarding the date and time of enrolment will be given in the local newspaper and also displayed on posters in the local shops.
SECONDARY SCHOOL At the end of P7 pupils normally transfer to:Alva Academy Academy Avenue Alva FK12 5DY Tel: 01259 781356 Close liaison between primary and secondary staff is established to ensure smooth transition for pupils. SCHOOL UNIFORM We encourage the wearing of school uniform: Black/grey trousers or skirts Polo Shirt with school logo School sweatshirt or cardigan Fleece with school logo Gym Bags available
£6.50 £7.50 £14.00 £2.50
(Prices subject to change.) All of the above items can be purchased locally. School sweatshirts, polo shirt, cardigans and fleeces can be ordered through the school. Please ensure all items of clothing, footwear and school bags are clearly marked with your child's name. No football shirts should be worn in school or for P.E. lessons.
ATTENDANCE
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Clackmannanshire Council is committed to working with parents, children and other agencies to ensure that all children enrolled at its schools attend regularly. All children are likely to be absent from school at some time in their school career. However, persistent poor attendance is disruptive to the individual and to the work of the class and may be an early warning of other difficulties. Where there are genuine reasons for non-attendance, the authority will work with other agencies to ensure that the child’s education is continued by means other than school attendance. The Council’s and school staff overwhelming concern is for the welfare of children. Parents who fail to secure an adequate education for their children, for example by failing to secure regular attendance are in breach of their statutory duty. Unfortunately, some absences may be condoned or even actively encouraged by parents e.g. taking the day for birthdays etc. This is not acceptable and where this is found to be the case, the Authority will use all powers at its disposal to ensure that children attend school regularly. The procedures that the Council and school have put in place are aimed at ensuring the welfare of all its pupils. Parents are asked to help by co-operating with these procedures. Clackmannanshire Council actively discourage taking children out of school during term-time for family holidays because of the disruption that it causes to the education of individuals and class groups. Schools cannot give parents permission to do this and, except in the most exceptional of circumstances, such absences will be treated as unauthorised. However, it is helpful for schools to know of such absences in advance and schools may be able to offer advice to you on projects that your child can undertake while on holiday that will promote learning while the child is out of school. Further information for parents can be found in our school attendance policy and parent leaflet. It is the duty of the parents, by law to make sure that their children attend school regularly and punctually. If, on occasion, your child is late for school, please send a note of explanation with your child. Persistent latecoming will be logged by the school as required for government statistics.
Whenever your child is absent from school, please contact the school office on 01259 452204 to speak to a member of staff or leave a message on the absence line. A staff member, or the Headteacher, may contact you by 10.30 am on the first day if we have no notification of absence. When your child returns to school, please send a note signed by one of the parents. Absences from school are now categorised as authorised or unauthorised. Failure to supply a written note or explanation may result in the absence being treated as unauthorised. If the absence is longer than a week, parents are requested to notify the school, by note or telephone call, reporting the reason for absence. Persistent absences will be reported to the School Welfare and Attendance Officer who will investigate any unexplained absence and the Authority has the power to write to, interview or prosecute parents, or to refer pupils to the Reporter of the Children’s Hearings, if necessary. Attendance can be defined as:
Participation in the programme of educational activities arranged by the school. In addition to actual attendance within the school premises, it covered:
work experience education visits day and residential visits to outdoor centres
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college/consortium school study interviews and visits relating to further and/or higher education debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions etc arranged by, or in conjunction with, the school activities in connection with psychological services school medical examinations off-site hospital tuition
Authorised absence defined as:
sickness with note medical and dental treatment family bereavement domestic circumstances relating to exceptional hardship at home no school within walking distance and no transport arrangements study leave religious observance meetings prior to, and in, court attendance at, or in connection with, a Child Care Review attendance at, or in connection with, a Children’s Hearing weddings of immediate family certified debates, sports, musical or theatrical productions not arranged by, or in conjunction with the school sanctioned, extended absence in relation to children of travelling families use of school for election purposes closure due to weather conditions, heating failures, etc. family holidays – exceptional circumstances
Unauthorised absence defined as:
family holidays temporary exclusions arising from incidents in or out of class truancy, an application having been made to the education authority in relation to an attendance order truancy, an appeal having been made to the sheriff in relation to an attendance order truancy, defined as unauthorised absence from school, for any period, as a result of premeditated or spontaneous action on the part of the pupil, parent or both unexplained absence
Please try to ensure that your child arrives PROMPTLY at the start of the school day and after the lunch break. If a pattern of late coming and/or absence becomes noticeable, parents will be written to and asked to call at the school. ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE DATA Attendance and absence information is gathered by the Scottish Government, Local Authority and the school. Absence rates are calculated as a percentage of the total number of possible attendance for all pupils of the school in each morning and afternoon of each school day being a separate possible attendance. The Authority’s and Scotland’s figures include all Education Authority and grant-aided primary schools, but exclude all special schools. Our school is constantly striving to improve attendance rates. We depend on your co-operation to continue with this improvement. DATA PROTECTION ACT 2008
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Information on pupils, parents and guardians is stored on a computer system and may be used for teaching, registration, assessment and other administrative duties. The information is protected by the Data Protection Act and may only be disclosed in accordance with the Codes of Practice. For further information please contact the school. BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT OF PUPILS Rationale: At Coalsnaughton Primary School we aim to work in partnership with the whole school community to set high standards of behaviour where children are enabled to develop responsibility for managing their own behaviour within a positive and supportive environment. We try to create an ethos where everyone is valued and where children and adults enjoy the right to learn and teach. We are a village school, part of a small community and the qualities of tolerance, politeness, good manners and respect for others are of great importance to us. We believe that our school will provide a stable, ordered and caring background where everyone can work and live together, following the agreed Code of Practice which exists in the school. We will communicate regularly to parents how their child is achieving in both academically and non -academically. Our behaviour code consists of 4 basic rights and responsibilities for pupils and staff. School rules support and promote these Rights and Responsibilities. Rights & Responsibilities
The Four Basic Rights UNCRC Article 15 – every child has the right to join groups and organisations
UNCRC Article 24 – every child has the right to clean water, nutritious food and a clean environment
UNCRC Article 28 – every child has the right to an education
UNCRC Article 31 – every child has the right to relax, play and join in a wide range of activities
The Four Basic Responsibilities The responsibility to allow others their right to join groups and organisations The responsibility to ensure that the school environment is kept clean and tidy and that all children can enjoy their right to clean water and nutritious food. The responsibility to ensure that their own behaviour and actions respects the rights of other children to an education The responsibility to ensure that their actions and behaviour in the playground and wider school building respects the right of other children to relax and play
Coalsnaughton Primary School has developed an ‘assertive discipline’ approach to promote positive behaviour. At the beginning of each session the children and class teacher agree on class rules. Positive behaviour is reinforced using a variety of strategies and inappropriate behaviour is dealt with using a series of restorative, corrective actions. If a child consistently displays inappropriate behaviour a letter may be issued inviting parents/carers to attend a meeting to discuss their child’s behaviour with the Headteacher. Parents will be made aware that if the child’s behaviour does not improve.
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AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS which are a threat to other pupils or members of staff, such as verbal or physical abuse, may result in an immediate exclusion, the period of which will be at the discretion of the Head Teacher. When a child returns to school after a period of exclusion, the parents will be asked to give an undertaking to ensure the child’s future co-operation and the consequences of future breaches are made clear. CHILD PROTECTION The safety of children is everyone’s responsibility. If staff have any concerns for a child or young person’s wellbeing, they have a duty to pass on information that will help keep that child safe. All school staff receive child protection training at the beginning of a new academic year. The safety and welfare of children and young people are of a paramount concern to schools. All staff and volunteers working with children and young people (in or out of the school building) are checked through Disclosure Scotland for offences that would make them unsuitable for such work. The school also has close working links with a wide range of other services and agencies that can help support children and young people in need. Each school has a named co-ordinator responsible for all issues relating to child protection. In our school this person is Mrs ClarkBurns, the Head Teacher. Full details of the council guidelines and procedures for child protection can be seen in the school on request. The council requires all staff to inform such co-ordinator if any allegation or suspicion of abuse arises. Such information cannot be kept confidential. The co-ordinator must pass the matter to social services and ensure that parents/carers are informed. Other members of school staff will be informed only if they have a direct role in supporting the child or young person. Social services staff will pursue the allegation. Sometimes this will be part of a joint team with the police. The school and other agencies will treat all matters in the strictest confidence, where ever possible. The school has a policy on confidentiality. The school actively supports children and young people to develop their knowledge and skills about personal safety and to be confident in expressing any anxieties about their own wellbeing. This is encouraged through targeted Health & Wellbeing themes and through specific curriculum programmes.
CURRICULUM The curriculum is based on experiences and outcomes from The Curriculum for Excellence. Learning and Teaching are organised to enable teachers to work with the whole class, groups or individuals. A variety of stimulating experiences and challenges takes account of the range in development and learning styles of our pupils. To ensure breadth in the curriculum it is organised into eight main areas: Expressive arts Health and Wellbeing Languages (Our main foreign language is French) Mathematics Religious and Moral Education Sciences Social Subjects Technologies LANGUAGES
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The Curriculum for Excellence document defines language and literacy as:-Talking and Listening, Reading and Writing. (a)
Listening
Active Listening is one of the most important elements of language, i.e. it is a skill which requires to be taught. We aim to encourage pupils to listen with understanding and to be attentive to teachers and fellow pupils. We have listening posts with headphones in each class. At an early age pupils are encouraged to listen in order to understand gain information and to think constructively and purposefully. We use well planned activities and resources to deliver an integrated language programme. We also develop listening and talking through planned Pupil Learning Conversations and targeted programmes i.e. ‘Teaching Children to Listen’.
(b)
Speaking
Pupils are encouraged to be articulate and express their own ideas coherently and with expression. Drama is used as a vehicle for promoting self-expression and self-confidence. Visits by pupils to the theatre and pantomime are a regular feature. Theatre groups, puppet shows, visiting speakers, authors and storytellers are regularly invited to school. Pupils prepare individual presentations in P5/6/7 based on personal or class projects. Co-operative learning is organised in groups which encourage children to listen and talk to others in a purposeful way. Learning conversations encourage pupils to reflect and vocalise their learning.
(c) Reading Our aim is to teach our pupils to become efficient and effective readers, to encourage them to enjoy reading a wide variety of texts fluently, with understanding and to generate interest in the written word both fictional and non-fictional. A wide variety of texts are used in school depending on age, needs and ability of pupils. Great emphasis is placed on the teaching of phonics and reading skills. Vocabulary from the reading books is taught through games, displays, use of word banks, flash cards, sentence folders and workbooks. As the children's reading progresses the development of comprehension and thinking skills are taught using a variety of methods. Each classroom has a small stock of library books and there is a well stocked central school library. Each class has a weekly visit to the school library and pupils are encouraged to read these books at home. A volunteer organises the library and helps to distribute books every week. Parental efforts at home to encourage children to read are extremely beneficial and much appreciated by the staff. Continual assessment of pupil progress and tailoring of resources used ensures that reading progress is as effective as possible according to the needs and ability of the individual pupil. Standardised testing of pupils' reading ages occurs annually.
(d)
Writing
Emphasis is placed on personal, functional and imaginative aspects of writing. Staff use a variety of resources and approaches e.g. North Lanarkshire Writing Scheme, Scholastic Writing Workshop and Big Writing. Pupils are taught handwriting, spelling and grammatical skills in a systematic way using a variety of resources. The children are given opportunities to write creatively and encouraged to use their imagination and present their ideas in an appropriate written form. Over the span of the primary years they will have experience in different types of writing e.g. Personal writing, poetry writing, report writing, recording evidence from
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fieldwork, observations from science activities, letters and from this they will realise that their writing serves a purpose.
Computer word processing skills are taught to pupils from the earliest age. These skills assist pupils to redraft their writing. Pupils progress according to their ability. This is regularly assessed by the class teacher. Spelling is an important skill, which we want our pupils to acquire. It is taught throughout the school using a variety of resources and spelling programmes e.g. Nelson Spelling. MATHEMATICS The school offers a wide range of mathematical experiences. Basic numeracy skills are taught in addition to practical mathematical and problem solving activities. We stress the importance of oral maths work. We aim to help our pupils to become numerate, to think logically and to generate enthusiasm and interest in mathematics and arithmetic. Aspects of mathematics are also integrated into other curricular areas. Pupils have access to laptops and can access relevant programmes and games. Pupils and staff also enjoy using an interactive white board during maths lessons. We have 4 interactive whiteboards in classrooms. SCIENCES Planet Earth Forces, electricity and waves Biological system Materials Topical science SOCIAL STUDIES
TECHNOLOGIES
People, past events and societies People, place and environment People in society, economy and business
Technological developments in society ICT to enhance learning Business contexts for developing technological skills and knowledge Craft, design, engineering and graphics contexts for developing technological skills and knowledge.
These areas provide a rich context to develop a wide range of skills and a certain amount of factual information. The emphasis will be on the children learning by actively investigating their environment. Teachers are encouraged to take their pupils out of school as much as possible to study not only our immediate environment but also to compare other environments in relation to their own. Pupils are encouraged to care about environmental issues through first hand observation and investigation. In this way study is real and meaningful. We are continually improving our school garden/grounds and look forward to using it to enhance our children’s learning experiences. Through their experiences it is hoped that the children will develop into responsible citizens showing tolerance for social diversity and equality of opportunity for all.
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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (a)
Art and Design
An Art teacher currently visits P1-7 on a weekly basis. Class teachers encourage and assist the pupils to acquire new skills. Pupils are provided with extensive opportunities to work in different media, to broaden their experiences and extend their techniques. All pupils are encouraged to have an old shirt or apron which will protect their clothing and can be kept in school. (b)
Physical Education
All pupils will participate in P.E. and games lessons, taught by a PE specialist. Lessons are normally taught in the school hall and the Village Hall is also used when more space is required. Weather permitting the playground and Village Park provides another option. All P7 children participate in ski-ing lessons at Fir Park. There may be occasions when a pupil, for health or some other reason, may be unable to participate in a lesson. Exemption will only be permitted if there is an appropriate parental letter. Sports development officers give the P1 to P7 children opportunities to develop their interests and skills through participating in lunchtime and after school clubs. Physical Education Clothing and Footwear For health and safety reasons pupils should wear T-shirts, shorts and gym shoes for P.E. Tracksuits may be worn for sports, especially when weather is inclement. However, a change of clothing should be brought. Pupils are also requested to keep their P.E. kit in a labelled gym bag, which is left in school. Please ensure that all P.E. kit is clearly labelled. Jewellery of any kind must NOT be worn; in particular earrings must be removed for lessons. Parents will be informed of gym days at the beginning of each school session.
(c)
Music
An interest in music is greatly encouraged by all teachers. Each class regularly has opportunities to sing and create music using tuned and untuned percussion. Specialist tutors give weekly lessons to those who request lessons. All children will participate in public performances.
RELIGIOUS & MORAL EDUCATION The R.M.E. programme takes account of the Curriculum for Excellence guidelines and encourages caring and sharing and a tolerant attitude to others. Being able to differentiate between right and wrong is central to Christian belief, and the other world religions. The Religious and Moral Education programme should assist in their personal search, and in finding and accepting a responsible code of behaviour. Our aims for Religious and Moral Education follow the National Guidelines which have been drawn up to help pupils to:
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religious and to recognise religion as an important expression of human experience; appreciate moral values such as honesty, liberty, justice, fairness and concern for others; investigate and understand the questions and answers that religions can offer about the nature and meaning of life; develop their own beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through a process of personal search, discovery and critical evaluation.
The school chaplain is the minister of Sauchie & Coalsnaughton Parish Church who has regular contact with the school. A Harvest Service is held in the school hall in the autumn. We hold weekly Assemblies on a Friday afternoon. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from religious education and observance in school. Any parent, who wishes to do so, should notify the Head Teacher in writing. HEALTH AND WELL-BEING A systematic health programme covering many aspects of health education is studied from P1-7. Aspects covered include personal hygiene, knowledge about the body, dental care, health and safety, healthy eating, maturation, solvent, drug and alcohol abuse, sex education, hazards to health, and knowledge about the history of medicine. The School Nurse, Dental Nurse, Crime Prevention Officer and Community Policeman assist class teachers in the delivery of the health education programme. Our Health & Well-Being programme which is based on the recommendations of the Curriculum for Excellence, concentrates on the development of our pupil’s moral, social and cultural values. Some aspects of health are taught separately. Parents are advised of arrangements for the teaching of sensitive aspects of learning e.g. sexual health education, drugs etc. REPORTING ON PROGRESS As part of our reporting procedures, children will share Snapshot Jotters at home twice a year. Children will complete all of their learning for one week in this jotter. In this jotter we aim to capture a snapshot of learning and teaching. We hope to share with parents/carers the wide range of activities your child has participated in during a whole week at Coalsnaughton Primary. Snapshot jotters will go on with your child to the next class and continue to be used throughout their time here at Coalsnaughton. Over time, as this jotter begins to record more evidence of learning we will be able to see just how each child has developed and how hard they have tried to improve. We hope it will become a very special jotter and something to will treasure in future. We also hold parent-child consultations with the class teacher twice a year, these are scheduled in November and March. These appointments take place in the child’s class, each child has a 10 minute appointment where the teacher will discuss the child’s progress and inform of next steps and also discuss any questions or queries the parent or child may have. Summative progress reports are sent home to parents in June but these should simply be a summary of all progress and learning communicated over the session
DEVELOPING THE YOUNG WORKFORCE
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Throughout their learning journey we aim to equip our children with skills and knowledge that will allow them to gain positive destinations and prepare them for life and the world of work. We do this in a number of ways e.g. through curricular opportunities, enterprise activities, financial education and experiential learning etc.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS Children have the right to be valued, to be treated with respect and to have their additional needs met. Inclusiveness is a basic human right and this assumption will consistently under-pin the Council’s responses to meeting the needs of all children, in particular those with physical, sensory or learning difficulties, exceptional ability, social, emotional or behavioural difficulties, medical difficulties or other special needs. Education, therefore, must be inclusive and children should be educated with their peers in their own communities unless, in very exceptional circumstances, that is not in their best interests. All pupils learn at a different rate and some pupils experience difficulty with a particular area of the curriculum, whilst others are beyond the level expected for their age and stage. In all areas of the curriculum, class teachers try to ensure that each child is working at their own level, with materials suitable to his/her needs. Classes are therefore organised mainly in groups, with provision made for individuals when pupils require additional help or extension work. The school benefits greatly from Mrs Seeruttun's expertise in this area. The school has a Meeting Learner’s Needs Policy and the aim of this policy is to ensure that all pupils with special needs will have access to the full range of the curriculum. The policy ensures that parents of such pupils are consulted on a regular basis and that this consultation may be with all those who have responsibility for ASN pupils. The Staged Intervention process provides a coherent framework for meeting pupil needs. The school has wheelchair access and a disabled toilet. Our Support for learning teacher works with pupils, staff & parents on a weekly basis. INCLUSION The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 was amended in 2009. The 2009 Act strengthens the duties placed on Clackmannanshire Education Service to identify and meet the additional support needs of children and young people. This was further strengthened through the Children and Young People Act (2014). We continue to do this through the Staged Intervention process which is focused around GIRFEC (Getting It Right for Every Child) principles. The 2009 Act clarifies the definition of additional support needs and increases the rights of parents and young people in respect of requesting assessments, making placing requests as well as access to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland (ASNTS). The Act also places a duty on Clackmannanshire Council to provide access to mediation and dispute resolution services free of charge to parents who have made a successful placing request from another Authority. The Act now deems all Looked After children to have additional support needs unless the education authority determines otherwise. Clackmannanshire Council has procedures in place to assess these needs through the Staged Intervention process, as with all children and young people who may require additional support. Information and leaflets for parents, carers and young people can be found on the Council’s website http://www.clacksweb.org.uk/learning/asl/
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Leaflets include ‘Additional Support for Learning – a Guide for Parents’ ‘Additional Support for Learning – Resolving Differences’
Coalsnaughton Primary School
More information on The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 is provided by Enquire – the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. Operated by Children in Scotland, Enquire offers independent, confidential advice and information on additional support for learning through: A telephone helpline – 0845 1232303 An email enquiry service – info@enquire.org.uk Two websites www.enquire.org.uk (for parents/carers and practitioners) www.enquire.org.uk/yp (for children and young people) Enquire also provide a range of clear and easy to read guides and factsheets explaining everything from ‘additional support in the early years’ to ‘what planning should take place for moving on from school’. The Scottish Government have a duty to provide an advocacy service to parents and young people following a reference being made to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland (ASNTS). Ministers have also agreed that the advocacy service should also provide support for parents and young people from the time they have grounds to make a reference to the ASNTS. It will be a national service and available to parents and young people on request and free of charge. This service will be provided through a partnership between Barnardo’s and the Scottish Child Law Centre. The two organisations will work together to deliver lay and legal advocacy for parents and young people. The service will focus on non legal representation, but where appropriate in complex cases, legal representation will be available. For further information on this National Advocacy service please contact the Scottish Child Law Centre:
Telephone: 0131 6676333 Email: enquiries@sclc.org.uk Web: www.sclc.org.uk
ClackmannanshireEducation Service is committed to working in partnership with all parents and carers of children and young people with additional support needs and seeking their views on all aspects of the support provided in educational establishments. We encourage parents to contact the school/establishment in the first instance if there are any queries or concerns, and we will always try to resolve any difficulties as soon as possible. Further information on how support for learning is organised in Clackmannanshire is available by contacting either the school, or the ASN team at Kilncraigs: telephone 01259 452441 or e-mail asn@clacks.gov.uk. The Staged Intervention process provides a coherent framework for meeting pupil needs. Information on how the authority supports children and young people with additional support needs within this process is available in leaflet form from all schools within the authority and on www.clacksweb.org.uk. OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES Several support services are readily available to the school. The Educational Service provides advice and support regarding overall issues of quality and effectiveness. Other services provide advice and/or assistance about how best to meet the needs of an individual child or group of children. Staff from the Primary and Secondary Schools Support Service offer experience in working with children with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties; staff from Psychological Services provide assessments of and support for a range of pupil needs; and the school can link with social services over matters of family and child welfare. Attendance ad Welfare staff support pupils’ attendance at school.
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HOMEWORK AND HOME LEARNING Homework should be a partnership between pupil, teachers and parents and helps develop and reinforce skills being taught in school. Homework provides an opportunity for pupils to extend their study skills and learning outwith school, thus helping them to become independent learners who can organise, plan and meet deadlines. Homework in primary has been an accepted part of the Home/School partnership for many years and is an important part of learning and teaching. In Coalsnaughton all of our children have some type of homework each week. The emphasis this session is mainly on encouraging reading and mental agility. Homework is at the teacher’s discretion, so may vary in amount and type. Research shows that the impact of children completing formal homework tasks is very low. With such busy lives out of school we have initiated a Busy Bee Learning Hub to help and encourage core skills and homework tasks. Parents can help their child with homework by: taking an interest in the homework, offering praise and encouragement, not becoming agitated, signing the completed task. Parents should contact the school if a problem arises over homework. A Parent’s Guide to Homework is available to parents. CARE OF BOOKS AND MATERIALS Since books and materials are expensive and the school's budget is limited, we ask for your help in taking care of them. Books should always be covered for protection and any books which are lost or destroyed should be paid for. CHILDREN'S PROGRESS AND VISITS BY PARENTS We welcome visits by parents and are pleased to discuss the work of the school and the children's work and progress with you at any time, but if parents wish to discuss matters in detail, it is preferred that they make an appointment. The time after 3.00 p.m. is most suitable for meeting with teaching staff. Please do not visit a teacher in his/her class without first seeing the Head Teacher as this may disrupt the work of the class. In an emergency, any communication for the children should be given to the Head Teacher first. Parents' Meetings are held in October/November and February/March during which you may discuss your child's progress with his/her teacher and have an opportunity to see his/her work. Every child has an entitlement to two learning conversations with their teacher every term. These are recorded in your child’s learning conversation folder and will be sent home along with your child’s SNAPSHOT jotter twice a year.
Progress reports, for all pupils, are sent to you yearly, in June. Regular testing and assessment takes place more formally throughout the session on specific aspects of the curriculum to determine the child's understanding of the subjects. In this way a teacher can build a comprehensive profile on each child. Sometimes diagnostic testing may be necessary to ascertain the reasons for lack of achievement.
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Parent workshops are held in school where parents are given the opportunity to find out more about what is being taught in school and the teaching methods used by staff. PARENTAL CONTACT WITH SCHOOL It has been stated that apart from its pupils, parents form the most important group of people with whom a school has to relate. The staff of Coalsnaughton Primary School, welcome the help and assistance given by parents. Parent helpers are a beneficial force and provide support to both staff and pupils. Our open door policy allows for accessibility of parents to staff and vice versa. A comfortable liaison is established through newsletters, visits, interview, meetings and Class Dojo.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT Coalsnaughton Primary school and supporting services can benefit from developing positive and active partnerships with our parents/carers by involving them in decisions including information sharing, discussions, open events, school improvement activities and focussed sessions on developing core messages. The better the information that Coalsnaughton Primary provides to parents/carers, the more they can support their children’s learning and the school. Information that parents share with (the school) can assist teachers in adapting their teaching to suit the learning styles of pupils and take account of any particular issues that may exist. Everyone who is a parent, as defined in terms of the Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 has rights under the right to receive advice and information about their child’s education, general information about the school, to be told about meetings involving their child.
COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS The school is keen to receive feedback from parents and carers regarding all aspects of the service it provides. We issue regular newsletters and host evenings to discuss individual pupils’ progress and/or to share issues relating to the curriculum or of whole school concern. We welcome parents’ and carers’ support for our work and want to know of any circumstances where they may be dissatisfied. Please write or call to arrange to meet with the Head Teacher if you would like to discuss any concerns. Complaints You can complain in person, by phone, email or by letter. We regard a complaint as any expression or dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by us or on our behalf. Who can complain?
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Anyone can complain who is the parent or legal guardian of a child or a person authorised to complain on his/her behalf. For example, a child’s grandparent who is not the legal guardian needs authority from the child’s parent or guardian. This would normally mean a note to show that the person responsible for the child had agreed. What can’t I complain about? Here are some things we can’t deal with through our complaints procedure:
A routine first time request for a service or action – e.g. informing the school that your child told you she is being bullied and asking them to resolve this. Requests for compensation from the Council. Things that are covered by a right of appeal, e.g. Exclusion from school which has its own statutory process. In these cases we will give you information and advice to help you.
A 2 stage complaints procedure is in place. Stage One - Frontline resolution In the first instance please complain to your child’s school or nursery, telling them as much as you can about the complaint, what has gone wrong and what you want them to do to resolve the matter. A senior member of staff, either the Headteacher or Depute Head, will be responsible for looking into complaints. Heads are senior managers with a high level of responsibility for your child’s learning and welfare and able to look into most matters. However, the Headteacher may refer the Stage One complaint to Education Services centrally, e.g. if it is about the conduct of the Headteacher or too complex to be dealt with at front-line service level. The school or nursery will give you our decision at Stage One within 5 working days or fewer unless there are exceptional circumstances. If we need further time we will ask you to agree an extension of
up to 5 further days. If the Stage One complaint has been referred to Education centrally your response will come from there.
Stage Two – Investigation If you are dissatisfied with your Stage One response you can move to Stage Two. Stage Two deals with 2 types of complaints: those not resolved at Stage One and those not appropriate for Stage One, for example the conduct of a Headteacher or too complex for a Headteacher to deal with. To move to Stage Two, you should contact the Head of Education and ask for a formal investigation under Stage Two. You can do this by e-mail (apearson@clacks.gov.uk), phone (01259 452440), letter (Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa. FK10 1EB) or in person. Or you can ask the Headteacher of the school or nursery to move the complaint to Stage Two on your behalf. When using Stage Two:
We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 workings days. You will be contacted by the Investigating Officer for your complaint, who will usually meet you to confirm: the detail of your complaint, what you want to achieve, and if your expectations are achievable. In some cases, e.g. your complaint has been made in writing and
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is clear, there may be no need to meet. It is helpful if you present any evidence that you can offer in support of your complaint, e.g. contact details for witnesses, reports from other professionals etc. if appropriate. We will write to you confirming the details of your complaint, what you want to achieve, and what the investigation can cover. We will give you a full, written response to the complaint as soon as possible and within 20 working days. If our investigation takes longer than 20 working days we will agree revised time limits with you and keep you updated on progress.
After we have fully investigated your Stage Two complaint, if you are still dissatisfied with our decision or the way we dealt with your complaint you can ask the Scottish Public Services Obudsman (SPSO) to look at it. The SPSO cannot normally look at:
A complaint that has not completed our complaints procedure. Events that happened or you became aware of, more than a year ago.
SCHOOL MEALS The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 has had a significant effect on school lunches. Clackmannanshire Council implemented the nutritional requirements for food and drink in schools in primary and special schools in August 2008 and in secondary schools in August 2009.
In primary schools, a two-course lunch is available to all children comprising of a main course and a homemade soup or a pudding. Children can select a main course from a choice of two. Sweet choices include fresh fruit, fresh fruit salad, yoghurt or a fruit based hot pudding. A selection of fresh bread and water or semi-skimmed plain or flavoured milk is available every day and is included with the meal. We operate a three week menu cycle operates. Parents are sent copies of the menus each session and the same information is available on www.clacksweb.org.uk. All school lunches are produced centrally by a cook freeze system. In this production system, food is produced in batches, rapidly cooled and frozen to preserve flavour and vitamin content, then transported to each primary school to be finished and served. Food is served from multi-portion dishes in much the same way as it has always been. Salads and fruit are still freshly prepared in every school. By investing in the cook freeze production method, in raw ingredients and in new recipes, we have improved the quality of food provided. The cook-freeze system is extremely good in terms of food safety, portion and cost control. Efficient management of the production system means more funding can go into the food. Special menu days are held throughout the year e.g. Christmas, St. Valentines Day. All schools also offer a free lunch to each Primary One pupil when s/he starts full time education. Where space permits, schools may invite parents to join their child for lunch. The service constantly reviews raw ingredients and recipes. Where possible, we try to source produce locally and plan to put together a “tasting panel” of pupils to check out new recipes. Clackmannanshire Council is committed to promoting the uptake of school lunches, we believe that this is consistent with our efforts to have all our schools health promoting and delivering a Curriculum for Excellence. We welcome comments and suggestions from parents.
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Payment for lunches is collected in advance, on Monday morning, for the week. The cost of a school lunch is £2.00 School lunches are supervised by the school helper and the Head Teacher. Packed lunches may be eaten in the hall, under supervision. All pupils having lunches at school must stay in the playground for the remainder of the lunch break, unless written permission is given by parents for the pupils to return home. MILK Milk costing 75p a week (15p a carton) can be purchased on a Friday for the following week. BREAKFAST CLUB A breakfast service is provided in our school. The service is available free of charge to children entitled to free school meals. All other children can have a breakfast for £1.20. In this school, service starts at 8.30am to 8.55am. This facility is open to all pupils are has proved to be very popular. The children are given a nutritious breakfast which sets the foundation for successful learning. The primary school breakfast comprises:
Tea, fresh semi-skimmed milk or water. A piece of fresh fruit or a glass of fresh, unsweetened apple or orange juice. Cereal with milk. There is a choice of three cereals. Toast or crusty bread with spread and a choice of jam or cheese.
MORNING BREAK All Primary schools in Clackmannanshire operate a Milk Scheme. Under the Scheme, all children who are entitled to free schools meals will be given a 200ml carton of chilled, semi-skimmed milk, free of charge at morning break, unless the parent opts out of the Scheme. Other children and their parents can choose to optin to the Scheme and pay 15p per day. TUCKSHOP Many primary schools in Clackmannanshire run tuck shops at morning break. There is an increasing emphasis on using the tuck shop to promote enterprise activities and healthy eating. Many schools, in consultation with pupils, have changed the products that are sold in tuck shops from confectionary, crisps and fizzy juice to fruit, water and fruit juice. In our school the Pupil Council run the tuck shop. They sell stationery, water and at various point of the year they sell seasonal items e.g. items from Baker Ross, fresh fruit, popcorn, vegetables, yoghurt and healthy drinks. FOOD IN SCHOOLS There is a great deal of interest in the dietary habits of children and how the food that children eat influences health, wellbeing and attainment at school. Schools are recognised as having a key role in influencing the dietary habits of children, both through the curriculum and through the food that is provided for children during the school day. Schools in Clackmannanshire are taking a whole school approach to food, through “Health Promoting Schools” and implementing the recommendations of The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition ) (Scotland) Act 2007. If your child has a food allergy or needs a special diet, please discuss this with the Head teacher.
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Children in Clackmannanshire can access food during the school day: At breakfast (limited schools) At morning break At lunchtime WATER BOTTLES We encourage our children to drink water regularly in school. Research proves that keeping the brain hydrated helps children to learn more effectively. We have a water cooler in school. We recommend that your child brings a filled water bottle to school, which can be refilled during the school day, from the cooler. Please ensure that your child has their name on their bottle. The responsibility for cleaning the water bottle and ensuring appropriate hygiene levels rests with you as parents. We recommend that your child takes their water bottle home every day for cleaning and refilling. SCHOOL CLOTHING GRANTS 2019-20 SESSION School age children whose parents are receiving one of the following benefits have an automatic entitlement to a grant to assist with the purchase of school clothing, provided all necessary proof is shown. You must also be in receipt of child benefit.
Income Support Income-based Job Seekers Allowance Income-based Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit where NO Working Tax Credit is payable and income is less than £15,910 (as assessed by Inland Revenue) Maximum Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit with an income below £6,420 An asylum seeker in receipt of support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Application forms can be obtained from schools, CAP Offices and the Council Offices at Kilncraigs, also by accessing http://clacksweb/dyna/clothgrant . Application forms for the 2019/20 academic session are issued in June 2019 and the closing date for all applications is 31 December 2019. FREE SCHOOL MEALS School age children whose parents are receiving one of the following benefits have an automatic entitlement to free school meals, provided all necessary proof is shown. You must also be in receipt of child benefit. Income Support Income-based Job Seekers Allowance Income-based Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit where NO Working Tax Credit is payable and income is less than £16,010 (as assessed by Inland Revenue) Maximum Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit with an income below £6,420 An asylum seeker in receipt of support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 If you think you qualify please contact the Facilities, Schools and Welfare Team on 01259 452499 for further information. Pupils registered for free school meals are also eligible for free milk and for free breakfast, whether or not they take a school lunch.
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Application forms can be obtained from schools, CAP offices and the Council Offices at Kilncraigs also by accessing http://clacksweb/dyna/clothgrant. Application may be made at any time during the session. AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS Throughout the school session we offer all the children the opportunity to attend ‘After School Clubs’. These are held weekly from 3pm to 4pm. The activities available vary from baking to homework club. PLAYGROUND SUPERVISION During morning interval the playground is supervised by Learning Assistants. House Captains act as monitors. The monitors have three functions: (a) (b) (c)
To put out and return playground equipment. To assist the Learning Assistants by providing an extra pair of eyes. To call for assistance from the Head Teacher or staff when the need arise.
WET WEATHER ARRANGEMENTS If weather is inclement during morning interval, all pupils remain in their classrooms where games and books are provided. All classes are supervised by Learning Assistants. During lunch time those pupils having school lunches are permitted to stay in their classroom where they are supervised by the Learning Assistants. We would ask that parents of children who go home for lunch, keep children at home until 1.10 p.m. on wet days. Likewise, if weather is inclement before school starts in the morning, it is helpful if parents would not send children to school before 8.55 a.m. Pupils will be allowed to sit in the cloakroom areas from then until the bell rings at 9.00 a.m. but supervision at this time would be limited. HEALTH AND SAFETY When a pupil becomes ill or is involved in an accident, which cannot easily be attended to at school an emergency contact becomes essential. Parents should ensure that the school is provided with such a contact and their telephone number. We strongly advise that valuable toys, games and personal items such as mobile phones are not brought to school as we cannot be responsible for loss or damage. Fire drills will occur regularly throughout the year. SCHOOL TRANSPORT Clackmannanshire Council has a Home to School Transport Policy, which is summarised below. A full copy is available from Education Services.
The Education Service ensures that schools, parents and pupils are properly informed of their respective responsibilities in relation to the operation of an efficient and effective home to school transport service.
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Free home to school transport is provided generally either:
Coalsnaughton Primary School
When a child lives a long way from his or her catchment area school. When a child has Additional Support Needs.
Free transport may be provided by:
service bus, using season tickets contract hire vehicle parental transport contact
Primary Pupils For primary pupils who are under eight at the start of the school session, transport is provided if the distance from home to school is more than one mile by the shortest suitable walking route. For those eight or over at the start of the school session, the distance is two miles. Following the completion of P1 enrolment on the last Friday in January, each primary school submits a list of P1 pupils to the Education Service. Education Services measure the distance from home to school and, if a pupil is eligible for free home to school transport, the parent will be notified of arrangements before the start of the new session. If you enrol your child
into P1 after the last Friday in January OR into any later stage of primary school i.e. P2 to P7, at any time
you will need to apply for free home to school transport by completing a School Transport Application Form and return it to the address on the form. An assessment will be carried out and, if your child is eligible for free home to school transport, you will be notified of arrangements as quickly as possible. Secondary pupils Alva Academy: any pupil resident in the catchment areas of Menstrie PS, Tillicoultry PS, Strathdeveon PS, Muckhart PS and Coalsnaughton PS. Each primary school submits to the Education Service a list of those children in P7 who are transferring to secondary school in the new session. If a pupil is entitled to free home to school transport, this will be arranged and the parent notified of arrangements before the start of the new session.
If you enrol your child into a secondary school outwith the normal transfer arrangements, you will need to apply for free home to school transport by completing a School Transport Application Form and returning it to the address on the form. An assessment will be carried out and, if your child is eligible for free home to school transport, you will be notified of arrangements as quickly as possible. NOTE: All entitlement to transport is subject to policy change by the Council.
Moving home or changing school
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If your child receives free home to school transport and you move to a new home or change school, you must inform the Travel and Transport Team, so that the transport entitlement can be reassessed.
If you move to a new home and you think your child might have become entitled to free home to school transport, please complete a School Transport Application Form and send it to us at the address on the form. An assessment will be carried out and, if your child is eligible for free home to school transport, you will be notified of arrangements as quickly as possible.
PLACING REQUESTS Remember, children who attend school as a result of a successful placing request are not eligible for free home to school transport. However, if there is a vacant seat available providing transport for eligible children, then a non-eligible child may be given a seat on a concessionary basis. Please contact the Education Service for details. BEHAVIOUR ON SCHOOL TRANSPORT The majority of pupils who use school transport are well behaved. However, there is a minority who misbehaves to such an extent that they endanger others as well as themselves. Any misbehaviour that is likely to put the safety of any person at risk or repeated low grade misbehaviour may lead to transport provision being withdrawn. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS Children may be entitled to free home to school transport because they have additional support needs. These needs may be short or long term. For example, a pupil with a broken leg may require transport on a short-term basis; a child whose family becomes homeless may require transport on a short-term basis until the family is rehoused. Children with physical or learning disabilities may need home to school transport for the whole of their school career. The Education Service manages home to school transport for children with additional support needs. Contract hire vehicles including taxis and minibuses provide most, but not all, transport for children with additional support needs. Only drivers who have been checked through Disclosure Scotland are used. Some children who receive transport because they have additional support needs require the services of an Escort. Clackmannanshire Council maintains a bank of Relief Escorts, who provide cover in the event of absence of permanent staff. SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE NHS Forth Valley fulfils a statutory obligation to provide a health service for all school -age children in Clackmannanshire. The aim of the service is to make sure that all children are in the best possible health to benefit from their education and to provide the Education Authority with the advice about the spread of infections and the promotion of good health. This service is provided by staff from Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust. During P1 parents will be asked to complete a health questionnaire and will be given the opportunity to ask to meet the named nurse for the school. Children’s height, weight and vision checks are done at this time. Hearing is no longer screened in school but any concerns about your child’s hearing should be discussed with the
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school doctor who can arrange a fast track referral to the audiology department. During their time at school, children are offered various immunisations and parents are asked for written consent for these.
Further health questionnaires will be issued in Primary 7 and S3 when an appointment to discuss any general health matters can again be made with the named nurse. If you have any concerns about your child’s health, which may affect their education, an appointment can be arranged with your named nurse through the school or by contacting the department at the telephone number below. School staff, with parental permission, can also request an appointment with the named nurse at any time. The nurse will also support health promotion sessions in school. Parents and school staff, with parental consent, can request a consultation with the school doctor at any time. School Dental Inspections The NHS in Scotland runs a programme of dental inspections of children in Primary 1 and Primary 7. The aims of the National Dental Inspections Programme (NDIP) are:
To inform individual parents/carers of the dental health/oral health status of their children. To provide Scottish Government and NHS Boards with information on trends in dental disease in order to monitor oral health and plan dental services. To support dental attendance in those children who are found to have need of dental care. For more information on NDIP please visit the website: www.ndip.scottishdental.org/about/
Childsmile Your child may attend a school participating in the Childsmile Programme. Childsmile is a national programmed designed to improve the oral health of children in Scotland, and reduce inequalities, both in dental health and access to dental services. For further information on Childsmile visit the website: www.child-smile.org Clinics From time to time children may have clinic appointments (eye clinics, dentist, doctor, etc) during school hours. Please let the school know about these visits and arrange for your child to be collected. For personal safety reasons, children are not allowed out of school during school hours unless accompanied by a responsible adult or unless written permission to do so has been given by the parent or carer.
Infectious Diseases Colds, flu and gastro-enteritis are the most common infections affecting children of school age. Keep your child off school in the early stages of flu and while they still have diarrhoea. Help them understand how to prevent picking up and spreading such infections. For advice about early detection and treatment for other infectious diseases e.g. chickenpox and mumps, consult your GP or Health Visitor. The School Health Service can be contacted at:-
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Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre Hallpark Sauchie FK10 3JQ
Coalsnaughton Primary School
Community Nursing Team Joan Gracie Public Health Nurse Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre Hallpark Sauchie FK10 3JQ Tel: 01259 290195 Linda Rickard Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre Hallpark Sauchie FK10 3JQ Tel: 01259 290195 Head Lice Head Lice are spread through head to head contact at home, while playing or in school. Regular combing of your child’s hair using a head lice detection comb is the best way to catch this possible problem at an early stage. The only way to be sure that your child has head lice is to find a live louse. If you find live lice, get the correct lotion from your doctor, health visitor, or pharmacist. Shampoos and other treatments are not effective. One treatment requires two applications of treatment lotion seven days apart. If this is not followed correctly then re-infection is likely. Advise all family members and close friends of your child to check and treat only if live lice are found. Don’t be shy about advising others of this possible problem as you would tell family about other infections, which might affect them. Regular combing of your child’s hair with the head lice detector comb is the best protection as it allows you to detect and then treat speedily. Further advice can be obtained from the Health Board head lice leaflet which is available in all schools and health centres and also the Education Services leaflet “Frequently Asked Questions”, which is available in schools. Scabies Scabies is a skin infection caused by a quite different insect, a mite, which causes the typical symptoms of rash and itching. This is an unusual infection in schools, which is difficult to catch and does not normally result in outbreaks. Scabies affects all age groups and social classes. Again it is important to stress that the presence of scabies does not mean that a person is unhygienic merely that they have been in direct contact with someone who carries the mite on their skin. It can be difficult to identify scabies because any rash or itching is caused by a general skin allergy to the mite and so the site of the itch may not be the same as the position of the mites. Common sites may be fingers, sides of the hands and forearms. Treatment is by application of insecticide body lotions, which is prescribed by your General Practitioner after he or she had confirmed the diagnosis. Again, in order not to allow the mites to become used to (resistant to) the treatment the Health Board advises on the type of treatment is applied properly all necessary contacts are
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
treated at the same time, a single application should be sufficient although some cases may need a second application. Pupils may return to school as soon as treatment has been applied. PARENT FORUM/COUNCIL
Coalsnaughton is fortunate to have a very active and support Parent Forum and Council. Our Parent Forum consists of all our parents/carers in our school community. Our Parent Council meet throughout the year and the times and dates of our meetings are displayed on our noticeboards in the playground and nursery entrance. They are also issued in the events calendar at the start of the new session. The Parent Council assist in planning events/activities, fundraising and are involved in shaping our school improvement agenda.
We welcome all parental involvement in whatever shape that takes. It may be accompanying a class on a school trip, helping with craft activities, developing resources, serving teas and coffees etc. Your support and assistance in the day to day running of the school is welcomed and greatly appreciated! LINKS WITH OUR COMMUNITY Wherever possible we will endeavour to utilise the resources of our local community and tap the expertise of our local residents to enhance the learning experiences for our children. We have developed relationships with local businesses and colleges. For example: Gartinney Nursery, Coalsnaughton and Sauchie Parish Church, Forth Valley College, Active Schools, MacRoberts Centre, Dollar Academy, local emergency services, local SPCA, NSPCC.
School Term Dates 2019/20 Event
Date
Autumn term begins (Staff only- staff development Monday 19th August 2019 day):
Autumn term begins (Pupils):
Tuesday 20th August 2019
Autumn term ends:
Friday 11th October 2019
October holiday begins:
Monday 14th October 2019
October holiday ends:
Friday 18th October 2019
Winter term begins:
Monday 21st October 2019
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
Event
Date
Staff Development Days
Thursday 28th November 2019 & Friday 29th November 2019
Winter term ends:
Friday 20th December 2019
Christmas holiday begins:
Monday 23rd December 2019
Christmas holiday ends:
Friday 3rd January 2020
Spring term begins:
Monday 6th January 2020
Staff Development Days
Monday 17th February 2020 & Tuesday 18th February 2020
Spring half-term holiday begins:
Wednesday 19th February 2020
Spring half-term holiday ends:
Friday 21st February 2020
Spring term ends:
Friday 3 April 2020
Easter holidays begin:
Monday 6th April 2020
Easter holidays end:
Friday 17th April 2020
Summer term begins:
Monday 20th April 2020
Good Friday
Friday, 10th April 2020
Easter Monday
Monday, 13th April 2020
May public holiday:
Monday 4th May 2020
Summer term ends:
Thursday 25th June 2020
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
Staff Development Days
Monday, 19th August 2019
Thursday 28th November 2019
Friday 29th November 2019
Monday 17th February 2020
Tuesday 18th February 2020
For Further Information Contact Education Service Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa, FK10 1EB Tel: 01259 452437 / 450000 Email: education@clacks.gov.uk or use the on-line contact form
Insurance Cover Public Liability There is in force a Public Liability Cover in the name of Clackmannanshire Council, which would operate in
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
respect of any third party claim for injury or damage to property arising out of the operation of the Council. This is a Liability Cover and, as a result, negligence on the part of the Local Authority or their employees resulting in loss or injury must be established. Pupil’s Property Each session, unfortunately but inevitably, pupils’ property is lost, damaged or stolen in school. As a parent you should be aware of the following points:-
a) Clackmannanshire Council’s Liability policy does not provide cover for personal property left within the school or other Council premises. b) Under normal circumstances a Home Insurance Policy gives some measure of cover for personal effects of the policyholder and his family but pupils are strongly discouraged against bringing expensive personal items to school. c) personal cover.
It is suggested that you may care to consider taking out additional individual
Summary of Policy Cover Insured Persons:
Organisers, participants, members, employees and others travelling on excursions or trips organised by or under the auspices of all employees of the insured.
Insured Risk(s) and Benefits 1. a)
Death (Excursion)
b) Permanent Total Disablement c) Permanent Partial Disablement
Adult
Under 18 years
£20,000
£20,000
£20,000
£20,000
Proportionate based on ‘Continental Scale’.
Aggregate Limit - £15m with £25m re aircraft accidents 2.
Medical Expenses
3.
Baggage and Personal Effects
Unlimited
Unlimited (Outwith UK only)
£5,000
£5,000
Excursion/Trip Insurance Policy (Schools, Services to People and other Services of the Council) . Insurer Chartis
4. Money
Adult £5,000
Under 18 Years £5,000
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Coalsnaughton Primary School
5. Cancellation
£10,000
£10,000
6. Personal Liability
£5,000.000
£5,000.000
Territorial Limits Worldwide For full details, please consult the Council’s Policy for Educational Excursion
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Coalsnaughton Primary School Handbook
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