The Prep and Junior Schools Academic Year
Dollar Academy Information Booklet
Mr Munro, Rector of Dollar Academy
Dollar is a world-class school, built on the solid values of Work Hard, Get Involved, and Be Kind.
At the heart of our community are our pupils, some drawn into boarding from a diverse range of nationalities and others who are from the central belt of Scotland. All are inspired by a large, dedicated, and highly qualified staff team who nurture individual interests and enthusiasm.
Of course, the whole business of operating an action-packed all-through day and boarding school requires careful planning, and I hope that the following pages will help families navigate the various ‘nuts and bolts’ of life at the Academy. If at any time you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Mrs MacNish, Head of the Prep and Junior School
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to our vibrant and nurturing community here at Dollar Academy. As the new Head of the Prep and Junior School, I am thrilled to be joining the team and I look forward to working closely with each of you to continue our tradition of excellence in education.
At Dollar Academy, we are committed to fostering a warm and supportive environment where every child can thrive. Our approach is rooted in a belief that education should be an enjoyable and inspiring journey, one that nurtures curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
As we embark on this new academic year, I am excited about the opportunities ahead and am confident that, together, we will build on the strengths of our school and create memorable and enriching experiences for our pupils. This information booklet will equip you with the information required for the journey ahead. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
By Phone: 01259 742511
By Post: Dollar Academy, Mylne Avenue, Dollar FK14 7DU
Email: rector@dollaracademy.org.uk
registrar@dollaracademy.org.uk not@dollaracademy.org.uk
dollaracademy@dollaracademy.org.uk
prep@dollaracademy.org.uk
junior@dollaracademy.org.uk
Website: dollaracademy.org.uk
(For all general enquiries)
(For all admissions queries)
(For all absences)
(For all administrative queries)
(For all Prep School queries)
(For all Junior School queries)
Prep 1
Prep 2
Prep 3
Prep 4
Prep 5
Jan Harber | Assistant Head of Prep School
Sophie Petrie | Assistant Head of the Junior School
Mrs O’Sullivan (P1A) & Mrs Stables (P1B)
Mrs Baird, Mrs Thomson (P2A) & Mrs Barlow (P2B)
Mrs Thomson
& Mrs Harewood
Junior 1
Junior 2
(P3A)
(P3B)
Mrs Fraser Tilus (P4A) & Mrs Macdonald (P4B)
Miss Pollock (P5A) & Mrs Murphy (P5B)
Mrs Florence (J1A), Miss Holloway (J1B) & Miss Sheridan (J1C)
Mrs Letford (J2A), Mrs Leslie (J2B), Miss Cooper (J2C) & Mr Dann (J2D)
Term Dates
Our term dates can be found here: https://dollaracademy.org.uk/news-and-events/term-dates/
Term dates are published well in advance each year. Where possible, pupils should not miss school for holidays or other family events. If it does become necessary, parents should write to Mrs MacNish.
The Academy aims always to remain open during normal school hours. Any variation from this due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances will be notified widely.
8.30am 8.50am 9.00am 10.15 - 10.30am 10.30am 11.15am 12.00pm 1.15pm 2.15pm 3.15pm
Prep School Day
Pupils can arrive to the supervised Prep playground Registration
Period 1 (Thursday - Prep & Junior Assembly)
Morning Interval
Period 2
Period 3
Lunch
Period 4
Period 5
Classes End
8.30am 8.50am 9.00am 10.15 - 10.30am 10.30am 11.15am 12.15pm 1.20pm 2.20pm 3.25pm
Junior School Day
Pupils can arrive to the supervised Junior playground Registration
Period 1 (Thursday - Prep & Junior Assembly)
Morning Interval
Period 2
Period 3
Lunch
Period 4
Period 5
Classes End
Morning Interval
Break for the Prep and Junior Schools is taken in the play spaces around the Prep and Junior buildings. Pupils in Prep and Junior are encouraged to bring a healthy snack for the morning interval and re-fillable bottle for water.
End of School Day Arrangements
Before coming to school each day, pupils should have an awareness of their end of the day arrangements. For information on buses, please see the ‘traveling to school’ section. If end of the day arrangements change, we ask that this is communicated via telephone to the school office, as emails are not monitored at all times.
After School Club
The After School Club (ASC) is held in the infant area of the Prep School and is open to all pupils in the Prep School during the academic year. The After School Club provides the opportunity for free play along with a range of structured activities, such as arts and crafts, Lego and construction, jigsaws and board games.
Children are very much involved in planning themes and activities. We provide the opportunity for outside play and games as much as possible.
The hours of care for the After School club are as follows:
Prep 1 (August & September only)
Prep 1-5 Session 1
Prep 1-5 Session 2
2.40 - 3.15pm | £6.75 3.15 - 4.30pm | £12 4.30 - 5.30pm | £12
The Club operates as two sessions so children attending an after school cocurricular activity, and then coming to the ASC, are charged only for the session they attend. Please note that there is no reduction for early collection. There is a 25% discount for children of Dollar Academy staff members.
After School Club
Coordinator
Assistant Coordinator
Mrs Tina Wilson
Mrs Sandra Smith
ASC Registration, Charges and Payment
You must register your child to attend ASC. The registration form can be found on the school website here.
The current registration fee is £30 per child which will be added to your termly fee invoice. Please note that the registration fee represents a one-off payment for each family at the point of first registration.
There are two sessions at ASC. The first session runs from 3.15-4.30pm and the second session runs from 4.30-5.30pm. Each session is charged at £12 per child. Prep 1 children can attend during the first three weeks of the autumn term when they finish at the earlier time of 2.40pm until the end of the school day for a charge of £6.75 per child per session.
Charges will be added to your fee account and will be payable at the end of each term.
Booking the After School Club
The following instructions will only appear for Pupils in P1 to P5:
Open MySchoolPortal. 1.
On the Home Page you will see your children. 2.
Select the child you wish to book sessions for. 3.
Click on “School Information” – then “After School Club” 4.
Select the session time you wish to book. 5.
To start the booking for a session / block, click “Book” for that session. 6.
To confirm the Session, click on “Book this Option” 7.
Select the days you wish to book for. 8.
Double check the number of sessions selected and click “Add to Basket” 9.
To confirm your booking and check out - Check the selected sessions. 10.
Select “Add to Parent Pay” from the drop down menu and click “Book Now” 11.
If you wish to remove a session, click on “Remove” 12.
Your confirmed bookings will appear on the widget on “My Children” or by click on the link to “After School Club Bookings” page. 13.
If there are any last-minute changes to your plans, please contact the school office on 01259 742511 so that the message can be passed on.
Collection from the After School Club
We appreciate that road conditions can be variable, but we would ask that every effort is made to collect children on time from ASC and by no later than 5.30pm, if your child is booked into the second session. Please call to alert us if you have been delayed.
The safety of the children in our care is paramount, and the following guidelines are offered for their protection whilst at ASC.
Please be aware that the ASC coordinator cannot release a child into the care of an unauthorised person. Therefore, if someone other than the Parent/Guardian is to collect the child, the ASC coordinator should be notified in advance via the ASC email: prep@dollaracademy.org.uk.
Parents picking up children from the ASC are asked to park in the Back Road behind the Prep school.
After 5pm cars may be brought round to park in the car park but must not enter the Prep School playground.
The Dining Hall
All the latest dining hall and menu information, including menus and prices, can be found on the school website here.
The Dining Hall offers a wide variety of choice; in addition to a three-course hot meal, the Castle Hill Deli (Juniors only) offers individually priced ‘lighter’ options including sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups.
Lunch
Children in Prep 1, Prep 2 and Prep 3 bring a packed lunch each day. This is eaten in the classroom under supervision of the teacher. Packed lunches may be ordered from the Dining Hall. In dry weather the rest of the lunch hour is spent outside. In wet weather the children may stay inside.
Prep 4 and Prep 5 pupils may choose to bring a packed lunch or take a school lunch in the Dining Hall. Pupils are escorted to the Dining Hall by staff and supervised in the choosing and eating of their meal. They return in groups to the Prep School to enjoy lunchtime play.
Junior pupils can enjoy a hot school dinner or their own packed lunch which is eaten with peers in the Junior School. The Castle Deli is offered as an option to pupils one day a week.
Dollar operates a cashless catering system using finger-scanning technology; new pupils will be logged on early in the school term. Parents can top up their child’s account via ParentPay. Please note that cash is not accepted at the checkouts.
Pupils should come to school with a reusable water bottle. There are various places around the school campus where pupils can fill it up throughout the day.
Travelling to School by Bus
Prep School pupils may only travel home on the early buses. The below table summarises which year groups can travel on the bus:
1 Prep 2 Prep 3 Prep 4 Prep 5
As the public buses are open to the public, stop at multiple locations and sometimes suffer from issues to do with punctuality, we do not feel it is appropriate for pupils in Prep 3 and below to travel on them. Junior pupils are free to travel to and from school using the school buses. They are also welcome to use the late bus service, after attending co-curricular activities.
If pupils come to school by bus, they will be dropped off outside the Dining Hall; they should then walk up the Heyworth path and avoid using the main drive for safety reasons. If pupils travel home after school by bus, they should board it outside the Dining Hall (except in cases of through-village public service routes). Dollar Academy expectations apply to pupils on buses to and from school. Senior pupil bus monitors are generally present on the school buses to support younger pupils. If your child has an issue whilst on the bus, please encourage them to contact the bus monitor in the first instance and then speak to their class teacher once in school.
Dunblane Infant Bus Route
Coaches (Privately Contracted)
Travelling to School by Car
The school grounds are very busy during the school day, and pupils, parents and carers are reminded that they should not drive into the grounds until after 5pm, and only then if absolutely necessary. The speed limit at all times is 10 mph.
Parents are reminded that they should be considerate when parking in the vicinity of the school and be sensitive to the needs of residents of Back Road and the roads surrounding the Junior School. Please take care not to obstruct entrances to driveways or park on the double yellow lines. Please use the main Mylne Avenue car park wherever possible.
We would ask parents to consider the following:
If you live in the village of Dollar please walk to school when/where possible. Where appropriate, drop-off and/or pick up your children from a location that is not directly outside the school gates.
Please try to keep to an anti-clockwise flow of traffic around the roads immediately adjacent to the school. This unofficial one-way flow of traffic helps ease congestion, particularly on Back Road.
Be courteous and thoughtful of local residents, other drivers and, in particular, pupils and families that are walking to/from school.
Turn your engine off whilst waiting.
Do not drive on to the school site to drop off or pick up your children.
Try car sharing - Dollar Academy uses the app HomeRun to help families coordinate car sharing.
Travelling to School by Bike
Pupils wishing to use bicycles to travel to school should adhere to the following expectations:
Cyclists must operate with care for, and awareness of, pedestrians and other road users at all times and observe the 10 mph speed limit on school grounds.
Bikes can be used only for transport to and from school, at the start and end of the day.
All bikes should be locked when in school and kept in designated places. Helmets should be worn at all times while riding.
Lights and hi-vis clothing should be used at appropriate times.
For further details about travelling to school please click here.
Absences
If pupils are off school, parents or guardians should email the school office on each day of absence via not@dollaracademy.org.uk or call 01259 742511. If pupils are returning after a serious illness or injury, parents should contact Mrs Petrie or Mrs Harber via the Prep or Junior email and they will arrange for your child to see the school nurse and make a plan for their return to school.
If a pupil is absent for a prolonged period of time, following discussion with the class teacher, work may be sent home. However, there is no expectation for children who are absent from school to complete work. On most occasions any learning missed can be caught up on their return to school. It is school policy to discourage any absence from school for extra holiday days; we encourage families to organise holidays in alignment with the term dates.
If a child is late to school, they should make their way directly to the Prep or Junior building where their class teacher will register them. Any prior notice for appointments or pre-arranged absences should be noted in your child’s prep diary or emailed to the school.
Behavioural Expectations
Dollar maintains high expectations of pupil behaviour with our overall aim being that pupils develop self-discipline. We take the opportunity to celebrate success and recognise those who exceed expectations.
There are occasions when a pupil will make a poor behavioural choice and these will be managed in line with our Behaviour and Discipline Policy, which can be found on our website here.
School Uniform and Appearance
Our expectation is that pupils are well presented at all times whilst in school (including after the end of the school day) and when representing the school on trips.
Dress Code
During the school day, pupils should be in school uniform as outlined in our uniform list. Shirts should be tucked in, ties should be fully done up and top buttons should be done up. Any item worn under a school shirt or blouse should not have a visible logo or design. In the colder months pupils can wear a navyblue V-neck jumper or the Dollar Academy branded half zip top. When training or representing the school in a sports fixture, pupils should wear Dollar Academy sports kit.
Jewellery
Jewellery of any type is not permitted. The one exception to this is a simple pendant which is worn for religious purposes. If a pupil ignores this rule, the item(s) in question will be confiscated. If pupils wish to have their ears pierced, they should arrange this at a time in the year which will not require them to wear studs (covered or otherwise) to school.
Appearance
We require Prep and Junior pupils to wear their hair tied back if it is below shoulder length. Shorter hair should be styled off the face. Navy, black or Dollar tartan hair accessories can be worn. Pupils are asked not to wear make-up to school and nail varnish is not permitted.
Property
We ask that all personal items, including items of clothing, are named clearly before coming into school. Named lost property usually finds its way back to the owner and unnamed lost property is collected in the Prep and Junior Schools and is put on display at the end of each half term.
Younger pupils are asked not to bring toys into school unless necessary for a learning activity. There is an exception in the first term for Prep 1 as part of the settling period.
School Uniform Retailers
House of Henderson:
6/8 Friars Street, Stirling FK8 1HB
Tel: 01786 473681
Dollar Uniform available online at www.houseofhenderson.co.uk
Stevensons:
21-23 High Street, Perth, PH1 5TJ
Tel: 01738 637843.
Dollar Uniform available online at www.stevensons.co.uk
Preloved at Dollar:
An excellent second hand shop ‘Preloved at Dollar’ is run by parents. Preloved at Dollar is located in the basement of the Prep School. For further information please click here.
Mobile Phones and Smartwatches
We recognise the positive impact mobile technology can have on our lives; equally we know that when misused it can lead to significant issues. At Dollar, our approach to mobile phones is rooted in our holistic educational values and our aim to prepare our pupils for the world that awaits them when they leave school – a world where they will have to be able to use mobile technology in a responsible manner.
Pupils in the Prep & Junior School are not allowed access to mobile devices during the school day, unless they are calling home with express permission from their class teacher. We are aware that older pupils who travel by bus may require a phone for safety reasons, however, as pupils will not require their devices for learning we would discourage bringing expensive technology to school where possible. This includes the use of smartwatches with can break/smash easily. If your child wears a smartwatch to school it must be set to ‘flight mode’.
Each classroom, from Prep 5 upward, will have a mobile phone pouch. Pupils are expected to store their mobile devices in these pouches on arrival at school and collect these at the end of the school day. We are aware that many pupils do not carry mobile phones and all pupils will be supported to use school phones if required to call home.
All adults have a responsibility to help young people navigate life with technology, including the management of screentime for young children. To help, as a school we make the following recommendations:
Parents should consider limiting screen time – this can be done by putting restrictions in place on the device itself or by having agreed use times at home.
We would suggest that there are no devices at the dinner table.
We advise that mobile devices are left downstairs overnight. Parents, where possible, should also role-model this behaviour.
Parents should maintain open and honest conversations with their child about what they are doing online. This should include sitting with their child and looking through their phone with them from time to time.
Your Child’s Wellbeing
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is the Scottish Government's approach to improving services for children. The wellbeing of all children and young people is at the heart of GIRFEC. The expectation is that the universal services of education and health will work together in a consistent way with children and their families to provide quick and effective support when it is needed.
We believe in working in partnership with parents and carers as this achieves the best outcomes for the young person in question. Wellbeing is considered through 8 indicators (sometimes called SHANARRI) which help to identify need and any support required. The indicators are:
Pupils from Prep 1 – Junior 2 complete termly Pupil Profiles to reflect on their personal wellbeing. These are complimented through termly staff GIRFEC meetings with the Assistant Heads of Prep and Junior School.
Our wellbeing and child protection, anti-bullying and healthcare policies can all be found on the school website here.
Curriculum
Taking our core values of ‘be kind, work hard and get involved’ we enable our children to embrace their learning with enjoyment, develop their interests, bring out their talents and encourage them to be the best they can.
Based strongly on Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, the broad curriculum in the Prep and Junior Schools is designed to be progressive in its development and each teacher is very aware of the preceding experiences of individual pupils.
The broad curriculum in the Prep School is designed to be progressive in its development and each teacher is very aware of the preceding experiences of individual pupils.
We pride ourselves in knowing our children well, having high expectations and ensuring each child meets their potential. We place a strong emphasis on learning the core skills in English and Mathematics and prepare the children for life beyond the classroom and outwith the Prep and Junior Schools. The curriculum is further enhanced by input from Senior School staff who take a leading role in the teaching of Music, Art, Physical Education, Home Economics and Technology and provide taster experiences in French, German and Spanish in Prep 4 and Prep 5.
To build on the experiences and provision in the Prep School the aims of the Junior School take account of its unique position within Dollar Academy for it forms a transitional stage between the Prep and Senior Schools. English Language, Religious and Moral Education, Maths, ICT and Health and Wellbeing are all taught by class teachers.
For much of the year, History, Geography and Science are taught by class teachers who specialise in these areas. Both Junior 1 and Junior 2 enjoy a unique Lifeskills programme designed to educate pupils in skills for lifelong learning, covering topics such as financial education, career choices, sustainability, politics, philosophical thinking and citizenship.
Junior 1 pupils undertake the John Muir Award in Outdoor Learning lessons, while Junior 2 pupils participate in the Junior Duke Award. Music, Art, P.E./Games, Computing, Enterprise, Home Economics, EDT and a Modern Language (French, German or Spanish) are taught by Senior School specialists. This specialist teaching makes use of the outstanding Senior School facilities and aids the pupils’ transition to the senior school.
Religious Observance at Dollar Academy
Dollar Academy was founded within the Christian tradition and, as such, we fully adhere to Christian values through assemblies, hymns and Christian celebrations.
This is complemented by an inclusive RME curriculum which embraces and celebrates other religions, beliefs and cultures.
Teaching and Learning
Our dedicated team of highly qualified and motivated teachers uses a variety of teaching styles and resources to ensure the children reach their potential. Teaching is done with the whole class, half classes, in small groups or with individual pupils – whichever is considered appropriate. We foster high expectations, with differentiation and challenge built into our curriculum. Children are taught in our modern, safe, well-equipped classrooms as well as in specialist classrooms in the Senior School and also outdoors in our extensive grounds.
Support for Learning
Full details on the Support for Learning department can be found here. The Support for Learning Department aims to equip pupils with skills and strategies which will help them to succeed independently and with confidence in their current and future learning.
Our Support for Learning staff are involved with pupils of all ages and abilities. Any support given will be shared with parents/ carers and reviewed regularly to ensure the most appropriate level of support is provided. Should your child receive support from external agencies such as NHS, CAMHS, OT, SLT etc, whilst not mandatory, we would always encourage information to be shared in line with GIRFEC best practice.
Homework
We believe that homework provides a valuable opportunity for pupils to consolidate prior learning. In the Prep School, assistance to young readers at home is warmly welcomed. We would recommend reading ‘little and often’ as an approach. As pupils move up through the years in the Prep School reading homework will be complemented by other curricular tasks.
In the Junior School the work given aims to support what has been taught during the school day. Pupils in the Junior School will receive Mathematics and English homework from their class teacher, as well as ‘swaps’ subjects from their discreet learning in Science, History and Geography. At busier times of the year staff work to plan lighter homework tasks to ensure a manageable workload for pupils.
Should you have any queries about your child’s homework then please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance.
Parents’ Evenings & Reporting
General information is provided at the start of each academic year at our Information Evenings which parents and carers are encouraged to attend. In the Prep and Junior Schools Parents’ Evenings are held for each class twice a year in October and February. At the end of the academic year parents and carers will receive a formal report documenting progress and next steps for their child.
Communication
We believe in working in partnership with parents and carers, as this achieves the best outcomes for the young person in question.
There are the following opportunities for formal contact with the school:
A Welcome/Information Event will be held in September.
Formal Parent/Teacher meetings take place in October and in February.
Christmas Celebrations are held in December.
Sports Days are held in June
Written reports are sent out to parents/carers in June.
In addition to these key contact points, we encourage open, honest and respectful conversations focused on the development of the pupil. A member of staff may get in touch with a parent to discuss a concern or issue, but equally a parent is welcome to get in touch with the school.
We operate an open-door policy and invite parents to call, email, make an appointment or pass on a message at the beginning or end of the school day. That said, to minimise disruption during the teaching day, which commences at 8.50am, please see the guidance below:
Telephone messages will be taken by a school receptionist and passed quickly to the Prep and Junior Schools via internal phone. This method should be used when an immediate response is required e.g. a change of collection arrangement. Formal Parent/Teacher meetings take place in October and in February.
Urgent messages will be given directly to class teachers, but teachers do not normally take calls during class time.
All emails for Prep staff should be directed via prep@dollaracademy.org.uk and for Junior staff should be directed via junior@dollaracademy.org.uk
If you need to meet with the class teacher to discuss a significant issue before the start or at the end of the school day, please make an appointment via the email addresses above.
MySchoolPortal
By the end of 2024 parents and carers will have access to MySchoolPortal where all information about their child will be available in one place.
Parents will be able to access their child’s reports, information letters, forms, parents’ evening information, homework overview, co-curricular commitments and trips and tours information through MySchoolPortal.
School Calendar
School activities and events are listed on the online SOCS calendar available here. You can sync this online calendar to your personal/family calendar if you wish.
Contact Details
It is essential that you ensure any changes to addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and emergency contact details are updated via MySchoolPortal.
Fortunas
The Dollar Academy magazine Fortunas is published twice a year. This is available for the whole community to enjoy. There is no charge for this magazine; however, you must opt-in to receive a hard copy. This option will be shared with new parents in October.
Co-Curricular
We encourage all our pupils to become involved in co-curricular activities in line with our school value ‘get involved’, but they are optional. Full details will be published online via MySchoolPortal, which will be updated at the start of term. Parents will be given details of how to sign their children up for activities.
After school co-curricular clubs are only available form Prep 4 upwards. If there is a need to cancel a club at short notice, then you will be contacted by email and information will be updated on the SOCS calendar. If there is a high level of interest in a particular club, we may need to split this into separate blocks to give all children the opportunity to take part.
Lunchtime co-curricular clubs are available to all children from Prep 1 upwards. There is no requirement to sign up electronically for lunchtime clubs as this will be done in school with the children.
Music and Drama Productions
Performance is an essential part of musical and dramatic life at Dollar. Highlights of the year include: The Music Department’s Christmas Concert. Prep School Nativity, Prep 4 Scottish Opera experience, Prep & Junior School Carol Service, Junior 1 Cantata and the Junior 2 musical production.
Instrumental Tuition
Full details of Individual Instrumental Tuition and how to apply for lessons, can be found here.
Sports
Junior pupils enjoy the opportunity to compete in fixtures against a variety of schools, either on Saturday mornings or midweek. These are a valuable part of the sports programme at Dollar and we encourage parents to come and support the school. All information regarding fixtures is published on SOCS sports.
Trips and Tours
A central part of our academic offering are trips and tours that act to enhance our pupils’ development. Each year group enjoys a variety of trips, visits and experiences. Our Junior 1 and Junior 2 pupils enjoy residential trips in the Spring and Summer terms respectively. All information regarding trips and visits is communicated directly via class teachers and/or trip leaders. The cost of these experiences are additional to the termly fees, however every effort is made to keep costs low and learning impact high.
Sports Weekend
The weekend prior to the last week of the academic session is our annual Sports Weekend. This starts with the Prep School Sports on Thursday, Junior School Sports on the Friday and the Senior School sports on the Saturday afternoon. Parents experience the culmination of the athletic activities of the year. The CCF hold their passing out parade on the Sunday morning followed by a display from the Pipe Bands. Finally, the Rector hosts a cricket match on the Sunday afternoon. The Boarding Houses also run other events for the boarding communities.
Charities
Each session, a new Charities Committee made up of Form VI pupils is selected. The Committee is responsible for the running of a number of events throughout the course of each session to raise money for nominated charities.
In recent years we have raised significant sums for CHAS, DEBRA, Macmillan Cancer Research, Children in Need, Homestart, Ocean Youth Trust, the Terrence Higgins Trust, Alzheimer’s Scotland, the Uphill Trust, Barnardo’s, Aberlour, The Gate and the British Lung Foundation.
The Committee is also heavily involved in the administration of the Sponsored Walk which takes place in the local hills once every two years. Enormous sums of money are raised for local, national and international charities. The Sponsored Walk in June 2023 raised over £65,000 for six charities.
For full details of all the activities available please click here.
Medical Information
Nursing Centre
The School Nurses are Karen Finnie and Krissy Scott, and they will be happy to help any pupil who needs attention. If pupils are feeling unwell during the school day, or are hurt in any way, they can visit the Nursing Centre when required with a teacher’s permission. If a pupil is required to be sent home; the school nurses will get in touch with the emergency contacts provided.
The Nurses are based in the Nursing Centre, Mylne House, 3 Academy Place, from 8.30am – 5.00pm Monday - Friday. Boarders are registered with Dollar Health Centre.
When a pupil returns after a prolonged absence due to illness or injury, a conversation should be had with Mrs Harber/Mrs Petrie and the child’s class teacher before visiting the Nursing Centre so that support can be put in place to manage the pupil’s return.
Prescribed Medications
Only items such as asthma inhalers or auto-injectors should be carried by pupils during the day. For younger children, a conversation should be had with Mrs Harber and the child’s class teacher to agree how medication is transported around the school campus. For all other prescribed medications, we ask that parents complete the ‘Administration of Medication form’ here and email the Prep/Junior school to alert the relevant staff.
Medical Information
At the start of each academic year, the nursing team send out an annual medical form to all parents to complete. This includes consent for over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol (calpol) and anti-histimine (piriton) to be administered by school staff.
The form should be completed whether or not there has been a change in circumstances. Medical information about pupils will remain confidential. However, information on medical conditions that may affect or be affected by school activities (e.g. asthma) will be shared with relevant staff.
Head Lice
Should you find nits or lice on your child's hair, please do let us know. We ask that hair is treated with an appropriate medicated shampoo before your child returns to school, in line with NHS guidance. Shoulder length hair should be tied-back during the school day to minimise transfer. In line with our ‘Uniform and Appearance’ guidance shorter hair should be styled neatly off the face.
Infectious Diseases
Parents are asked not to send their children to school if they are suffering from an infectious illness. The school should be informed if a pupil has been suffering from such a condition during a holiday or has been in an area of the world where such illnesses are endemic.
If a child is suffering from diarrhea and/or vomiting they should remain off school for 48 hours after the last episode in line with current NHS guidance.
Other Information
Visitors
Visitors (including parents and carers) to the school are required to sign in at Reception, where they are given a visitor badge.
The only exception to this is if family members are coming on school site to support a pupil performance/match. While pupils are encouraged to offer guidance to visitors around the school, they should also notify staff if they see strangers who give cause for concern.
Dogs
Parents and pupils are reminded that dogs should be kept on leads in the school grounds, and should not be allowed to foul any school area. Dogs should not be brought into either the Prep or the Junior School playgrounds.
CCTV
CCTV cameras are in operation around the site to enhance the safety and security of pupils, staff and property. Our CCTV policy can be found in the policies section of the website here.
Boarding
There is a separate Boarding Handbook. More information about boarding can also be found here.
Dollar Academy Parents’ Association (DAPA)
DAPA’s main role is to support the school by welcoming new families to the Dollar Academy community and by supporting at large events.
DAPA meets twice a term, with the AGM (to which all Dollar Academy parents and carers are welcome) taking place in Term 3. If you would like more information, please click here.
