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Stirling Council Children’s Services
DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD
Introduction
Welcome to Stirling Council and GargunnockPrimary School.
Children's Services want all children and young people growing up in Stirling to be happy and safe, to enjoy good health, to be listened to and respected, to engage in a wide range of positive experiences and opportunities and to be ready to succeed. We will work together to realise this ambition by putting children and young people first, promoting inclusion and delivering quality services.
The needs of children and young people cannot be met by any one service or organisation and our schools and nurseries are committed to working together with our partners to achieve the Scottish Government's vision for children and young people who are:
confident individuals,
effective contributors,
successful learners, and
responsible citizens
We aim to ensure that all our schools and nurseries offer the range of experiences for learners that make this a reality.
We want all parents to be involved in their children’s learning and welcome you as an active participant in the life of the school.The Parental Involvement Act aims to strengthen and support parental involvement in education and introduces a more flexible system for parental representation.
Stirling Council is keen that all services work in partnership with families in order that we can continue to improve.We depend on your aspirations and expectations to ensure that the highest standards are being achieved.
David Cameron
Director of Children’s Services
December 2008
WELCOME FROM THE HEADTEACHER
Dear Parent/Carer
A very warm welcome to GargunnockPrimary School.
It is our aim to ensure that every child in Gargunnock Primary is not only safe and happy, but also feels encouraged and successful.
We are a school that is ambitious that excellent learning takes place for all children, within a context of developing the ‘whole child’.Children’s progress within academic, sporting, arts and social aspects of the curriculum are all important, with the aim that we help our pupils become responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
GargunnockPrimary School is part of a small but strong village and our school will continue to value the role that pupils, staff, parents and members of the community can make by working in partnership.
Problems however do arise at times and be assured that no worry concerning your child at school is so small that it cannot be shared.We will listen carefully and then try our best to help.
We hope that the following pages provide you with a clear picture of life at our school, but if any questions remain unanswered please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Angus Black
Headteacher
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
School Address
Station Road
Gargunnock
Stirling
FK8 3DA
Telephone Number
01786 860291
School Roll
76
Who’s who in our school:
Headteacher
Principal Teacher
Angus Black
Lorna Bernard
Teaching Staff
P1
Margaret Ross
P2/3
Emma Horne
P4/5
Sally Smith / Myra Stewart
P6/7
Kerry Jarvis
RCCT
Sue Parsons
School Support Staff
Admin Assistant
Susan Scott
SLA
Iona Donaldson
SLA
Elaine MacEachern
SLA
Lesley Monaghan
Cleaner/Caretaker
Jean Lamond
Catering Supervisor
Janette Gilliland
Catering Assistant
Lynne McEwan
Formation of Classes
P114 pupils
P2/318 pupils
P4/521 pupils
P6/723 pupils
Classification
Our school currently has four classes from P1 to P7.The classes are currently arranged as detailed above.
Usually for our school the distribution of children over the various stages necessitates the formation of composite classes.This is where children from two stages of the school compose one class.Primary teachers are trained to teach in differentiated groups.Consequently, composite classes, organised in flexible teaching and learning groups, operate in the same way as single stage classes and allow children to study at their own level.A composite class will not exceed 25 in number, unlike single stage classed that may contain 33 in P4 – P7.Primary 1 classes also have a maximum of 25 children.Furthermore, where we have composite classes we do provide many meaningful opportunities for children to learn and work alongside their peers.This does take considerable time and effort to organise and maintain, however we recognise the value of providing this for our children.
How learning is organised
We recognise that children, even of the same age, learn in many different ways and have different talents, abilities and interests.Some of the key factors that lead to good learning include good teaching, involvement of children in their own learning, confident and secure children and strong relationships between teachers, children and parents.
We therefore carefully consider any planned changes of how learning is organised in the school, including the composition of classes.We annually review the way that classes and learning are organised, considering how to best meet the needs of all children, as the roll of the school goes up or down.Any decisions need to take into account numbers of children in the school, children’s ages, and gender to ensure a good mix of boys and girls.
Because of our need to balance the interest of all children as learners, learning is carefully planned for in consultation with Stirling Council’s guidance, The Organisation of Learning in Schools.
Enrolment Procedures
The 2009/2010 school year starts on 18 August 2009.This is the only date for beginning primary school education for that year.
All children who are five years old on or before 18 August 2009 are of school age and must start their primary school education on that date.
Children who are five years old between 19 August 2009 and 28 February 2010 may start their primary school education on 18 August 2009.
If you want your child to start school in August 2009 you should arrange to enrol him /her by 23 January 2009.For details on the school catchment areas, or for further information on enrolment procedures, please speak to the Headteacher or contact Children’s Services on 01786 442648 or visit www.stirling.gov.uk
As part of the enrolment process Stirling Council now checks the residency of all parents wishing to enrol their child at their catchment school.Parents are asked to bring their child’s birth certificate with them, together with a child benefit entitlement letter and a recent council tax bill.
Families who wish their child to attend a school other than their catchment school will need to make a placing request.
For attendance starting in session 2009/2010 placing requests will have to be made in writing to Stirling Council Children’s Services no later than 20 February 2009.Application forms and guidelines for Placing Requests are available from Children’s Services, Viewforth, Stirling on 01786 442666.
Pupils who move into the GargunnockPrimary School catchment area during the academic year can enrol immediately, providing there is a place available.For advice on this please contact the Headteacher.
THE SCHOOL DAY
The school day begins at 9.00am and ends at 3.15pm
Morning Session
Morning Interval
Lunchtime
Afternoon Session
9.00am – 10.45am
10.45am – 11.00am
12.30pm – 1.30pm
1.30pm – 3.15pm
Are the children supervised at playtimes and lunchtimes?
During both morning break and lunchtimes there are always at least two adults in the playground from Mrs Donaldson, Mrs Monaghan, Mrs MacEachern and Mr Black, the school’s Headteacher.The priority for our staff is to ensure all children are enjoying play and activity in a safe environment.Our senior pupils also play an important role in supporting other children at playtimes by acting as Big Buddies and playground games leaders.
We do recognise that some children prefer a quiet break and our school grounds provide opportunities for this too, through areas including our benched school garden.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
GargunnockPrimary School is set in an enviable location amidst extensive and attractive grounds close to the edge of the village of Gargunnock.The school is co-educational and non-denominational.We currently have 76 pupils.
The SchoolBuilding
GargunnockPrimary School was opened in 1977 and replaced the old school, now the village Community Centre which was built in 1858.
Our school has in the past played an important part in contributing to the village’s very strong community spirit and will continue to value its role in this area.
All children and staff maintain daily contact with one another as the four classrooms are situated around one central hall.Lunches are prepared daily in the school kitchen.
The main foyer and corridors are bright and welcoming to visitors with attractive displays relating to various aspect of school life.This theme is continued throughout the school, helping to contribute to our positive ethos.Each classroom is equipped with an Interactive Whiteboard.
The school benefits from spacious grounds which include expansive playing fields, a netball court, pathed wildlife garden, vegetable area and recently installed playground equipment.
SCHOOL AIMS
Our work at Gargunnock Primary is firmly grounded in a vision for a school that puts children first
The school is committed to continuous improvement and meeting the needs of every child.Our aims are therefore placed under the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence for children 3-18.
Successful Learners
·To provide for all children in our school a curriculum that is underpinned by relevance, challenge and enjoyment.
·To ensure that all children’s learning is supported by effective teaching at an appropriate pace, quality resources and a stimulating learning environment.
Confident Individuals
·To help all our pupils feel safe and secure in a caring environment, which values every contribution.
·To equip our children with appropriate skills, attitudes, ambitions and expectations.They will be encouraged to be creative individuals, able to adapt to change and take appropriate risks.
Responsible Citizens
·To promote inclusion, taking into account the cultural and social backgrounds of all our pupils and to develop an effective global dimension in the curriculum.
·To encourage children to become active members of our local and global community showing a commitment to citizenship through the display of our school values – Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Friendliness and Courage.
Effective Contributors
·To ensure that our children will be provided with opportunities to be actively involved in and responsible for their learning and the decision making processes which affect them.
Our school is also supported by Stirling Council’s Children Services which aims to:
·Promote and deliver integrated education, care, health and support services of the highest quality
·Ensure that services are accessible to all and promote the rights and responsibilities of those who use them
·Raise achievement and reduce inequality
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Priorities for 2008/2009
Our priorities for developing and improving our children’s education during next session are to:
·Further extend our school’s overall engagement with the capacities, principles and outcomes contained within Curriculum for Excellence
·Update whole school programmes for Spelling
·Develop the global element within our curriculum addressing issues of Diversity and Religious and Moral Education within a whole school framework
·Develop a new whole school Sexual Health strategy
·Look to innovatively develop our role as a Health Promotingand EcoSchool to best meet the needs within our community
·Devise an updated approach to homework throughout the school, which includes feedback on pupil progress
·Initiate further opportunities for effective partnership working with parents and the wider community
LEARNING AND TEACHING
Curriculum for Excellence
The curriculum offered at our school is based on the 5-14 National Guidelines but is developing through the principles and capacities set out within Curriculum for Excellence.Development of Curriculum for Excellence provides our school the opportunity to develop our existing curriculum, by for example trialling draft outcomes and embedding of key teaching approaches, so that improvement in all learning and teaching in GargunnockPrimary School becomes an established, ongoing process.
With the development of Curriculum for Excellence, the school aims to build the capacity within all our pupils to become:
·Successful Learners
·Confident Individuals
·Responsible Citizens
·Effective Contributors
Curriculum change will be underpinned by the guiding principles of
·Breadth
·Challenge and Enjoyment
·Progression
·Depth
·Personalisation and Choice
·Coherence and Relevance
We engage in ongoing review, evaluation and development of the curriculum and this process is addressed through the Improvement Plan procedure.It is our aim to ensure that the programmes of study we offer effectively raises levels of attainment, provides children with creativity and enjoyment and enables each pupil to fulfil their potential.
Curriculum
To ensure sufficient breadth, five main curriculum areas have been identified, these are
§Expressive Arts (PE, Drama, Music and Art & Design)
§Religious and Moral Education, Personal and Social Development and Health Education (PSHE)
Language
Language is taught under four main headings:
Talking skills are formally developed to enable pupils to be effective communicators, for all life situations.Children are encouraged to express their own ideas, opinions and feelings confidently and articulately.
Listening is the key to all learning.The various skills required to be effective listeners are developed throughout the seven years at primary school.
Reading is a fundamentally important skill.Emphasis is placed at the early stages on reading out loud i.e. decoding the printed word into spoken word.The teaching of phonics features strongly.Thereafter more sophisticated reading skills are developed e.g. research and reference skills, inference, speculation, in-depth understanding of complex passages etc.
Reading for purpose, understanding and enjoyment is stressed at all stages.The main reading schemes which we use are:
Oxford Reading Tree
Literacy World
Writing skills for all life purposes are developed alongside the important technical skills of spelling, handwriting and grammar.The school revised and updated its writing policy and programme of study during session 2007/08.A structured approach to teaching approaches and assessment of standards in writing, combined with ensuring opportunities for relevant cross curricular writing which offers choice, challenge and enjoyment underpins our approach.
A variety of resources are employed to assist learning across the levels of study in Language, and in line with guidelines a minimum of 5 hours per week of teaching time is allocated to Language.
Mathematics
Our Mathematics programme is based on the programmes of study from Level A to F in accordance with 5-14 National Guidelines.The principle resource is Scottish Heinemann Maths.This begins in Primary 1 and covers all aspects of arithmetic and mathematics.
Number, Money and Measure
Shape, Position and Movement
Problem Solving
Information Technology
The development of skills with mental maths also receives a very important focus.A minimum of 5 hours per week of teaching time is allocated to mathematics.We have chosen to enhance this allocation by a further 15 minutes per day for all stages to enable a focused development of interactive mental maths.
Environmental Studies
Our Environmental Studies policy is based on a structured programme of progressive learning largely delivered through ‘topics’ of study.This programme aims to offer balance across each of the subjects – science, technology and social subjects.Our school currently devotes 4 hours of teaching time to this curricular area per week.Environmental Studies topics also provide a valuable context for teaching and learning in other curricular areas.
Recently we have enjoyed the benefits, during one term each session, of tackling projects in a whole school cross curricular approach.This has included a focus on History and a ‘Celebration of Science’.
Expressive Arts
This heading covers Art and Design, Music, Drama, PE/Dance, which together comprises approximately 15% of teaching time.While much of Art & Design and Drama are developed in the context of topic work there is also a major focus on specific skill development.
Our PE programme includes gymnastics, athletics, games skills, fitness and dance.Each child experiences two sessions of quality PE weekly.
In addition the school is very well supported by Active Stirling who provides a range of sporting taster sessions throughout the year.Co-ordinated by Angela Hunter, our Active Schools Co-ordinator the children have recently had sessions in rugby, athletics, curling, club golf, karate and dance. P5 children also participate in a block of swimming lessons.
Children also have many opportunities to enjoy musical activities where they develop singing, music making using percussion and experience music appreciation.Seasonal concerts and assemblies throughout the year provide additional opportunities for children to perform to audiences.
Religious and Moral Education (RME)
This area of the curriculum deals with the development of the pupil in relation to self-awareness, relationships with others, the range of beliefs, values and practices that go to make a religious outlook on life.
Christianity remains the core of study, focusing on education and observance, rather than instruction.Our local Minister, Mr Campbell, participates in our school assemblies on a monthly basis.The school also participates in Church Services at the end of terms and parents are warmly welcomed.
This session the school will be focusing on developing the global element of our curriculum, which will include updating and revising our programme on RME in partnership with pupils and parents. Currently study of other world religions and cultures, focuses on Islam, Judaism an introduction to Buddhism, and other major religious festivals.
Children are encouraged to appreciate the common values of honesty, liberty, justice, fairness and respect for, and tolerance of others, regardless of creed, colour or religion.Any parents wishing to exclude their child from participation in religious education or observance may do so by informing the Headteacher in writing.Such pupils will be set alternative tasks by their teacher.
The school is guided by Stirling Council’s guidance on Cultural Diversity and Religious Observance - Guidelines For Schools on Meeting the Religious and Cultural Needs of Children and Young People.
Personal and Social Development/Health Education
Alongside Religious and Moral Education we offer learning opportunities related to Personal and Social Development and Health Education (PSHE).Detailed and updated programmes of study were developed in these areas during session 2007/08.During this session the school will be updating its approach to sexual health education.At Gargunnock great emphasis is placed on the personal and social development of our children. We believe that a positive and proactive approach to personal and social development is fundamental to the success and well being of each and every member of our school community.
Curriculum Flexibility
Flexibility teaching time will be used to meet specific school needs, as appropriate, and also be used at the teacher’s discretion as appropriate to the current needs of the children.
Homework Policy
Homework is valuable in supporting learning and in giving parents an opportunity to become involved in their children’s learning experiences.
It should be our aim that home learning tasks are meaningful, interesting and that each party; teacher, child and parent understands their role if maximum benefit is to be achieved.In addition it is important to ensure that homework is not overburdensome for children, parents or staff.Home learning tasks should present opportunities to practise and consolidate class work and also promote independent learning.
Aims:
§To consolidate and practise knowledge and skills
§To challenge and extend children’s learning
§To encourage independent learning and a positive work ethic
§To involve parents in their children’s learning
Frequency
Homework should be given consistently throughout the year and details of its structure for the year ahead are provided at the ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening each September.
Parents’ Role
Parents have a crucial role in supporting the success of their children’s learning by taking an active interest in his/her work, valuing and praising achievements and remembering that only reasonable and achievable expectations can successfully be met by children.Parents can best help by:
§Ensuring children work in an appropriate environment
§Taking an active interest in work brought home (but not doing it for them)
§Helping children plan lengthy tasks
§Supporting tasks e.g. use of library, visits, suggesting sources of information
§Discussing errors with children – encourage them to correct errors – but not excessive rewriting
§Checking that your child has achieved the task
§Signing homework to say that they have seen the completed work and that they are satisfied with their child’s efforts
§Parents should not mark homework, but be aware of their child’s level of understanding so that issues can be communicated to the class teacher where necessary
Child’s Role
Children have responsibility to:
§Complete their work in the allocated timescale
§Do their best work
§Discuss any difficulties with their teacher as soon as possible
§Ensure that parents are aware of what they are working on
§Ask for support from parents and teachers
§Ask parents to sign/comment on their homework
Teacher’s Role
§To allocate appropriate homework
§To ensure that tasks are fully understood
§To support children in completing the tasks
§To provide feedback to pupils
§To display children’s work
Keeping in Touch
Homework will be recorded in a jotter or Homework Diary and teachers and parents may use this diary or jotter to keep in touch, making comments or asking questions.
Incomplete Class Work
As a rule class work should not be sent home to be completed unless:
§An agreement has been made with the teacher/parents beforehand
§*The teacher feels the work has not been completed due to lack of application on the child’s part
* This should not be an ongoing experience for any child.If so this will require further investigation.Parents should be informed if class work is being sent home in these circumstances.Care will always be taken to ensure that incomplete tasks are not due to overstretching the child.
House System
Our school operates a House System, whereby all children are members of a house.The houses are names after local Bens:Venue, Vorlich and Lomond.Children refer to them on a daily basis by the colours – red, green and blue.
The purpose of the House System is to further develop the community spirit of the school, whereby ‘houses’ will be recognised for making an effort to make our school a good place to be.House points are awarded to pupils to reward good social skills and caring and thoughtful behaviour towards others and our school environment.
The children are grouped vertically, providing opportunities to get to know children of different ages and classes within the school.Each child is encouraged to wear a house badge, the colour denoting which house they belong to.
The school’s staff selects two House Captains for each House.Being a House Captain is very much seen as an honour and a very responsible position, which I am happy to say that our children also take very seriously.
House of the week, term and year awards and house challenges provide many opportunities for children to develop team working skills to benefit the whole school community.
House Captains this session are:
Venue
Hannah Gillies & Sam Christie
Vorlich
Callum Farquhar & Sophie Grosvenor
Lomond
Katie Ferguson & Alistair Petrie
Educational Visits and Visitors
At Gargunnock Primary we recognise the many benefits that education outings and visitors to the school offer.We strongly believe that children should experience that learning can be fun and something that doesn’t just happen in the classroom.To this end we often organise excursions and visitors which will enrich classroom learning.
We will inform parents of all educational outing, seeking permission and sometimes assistance with supervision and finance.For health and safety reasons we always comply with the Council’s policy of only hiring coaches which are fitted with seatbelts.
The following are examples of some of the different experiences our pupils enjoy:
Callendar House
Glasgow Science Centre
Hopscotch Theatre Group
Ingliston – Choices for Life
Member of Local and National Government visiting class
Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Residential visit to Dalguise Outdoor Activity Centre
Sea Life Centre
ScotlandStSchool Museum
SmithArtGallery
StirlingUniversity Sports Campus
Storytelling sessions
The MacRobert Arts Centre
Support For Learning
Sometimes children have additional learning needs.We endeavour to support such pupils by employing Stirling Council’s Children’s Services Staged Intervention process.Learning and teaching is managed and organised in a way that will maximise children’s learning.However, although children are taught language and maths in ability groups some children do experience difficulties.The class teacher would deal with this by adjusting the child’s programme of work and if difficulties persist, the Support for Learning Teacher will advise and support the child and the teacher.Parents will be informed and involved in the review of progress.Children who are failing to progress after receiving such support may in consultation with parents be referred to the Educational Psychologist, Speech & Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist.
HomeSchool Links
At Gargunnock we actively encourage the involvement of parents in the educational development of their children.Taking a supportive interest in your child’s schoolwork, including homework, is an obvious means of demonstrating interest and sharing in your child’s learning.It is important to your child’s success that you value what he/she does at school, that you ensure he/she attends regularly and on time, and that he/she behaves.
A crucial part of an effective partnership is the recognition of our shared aims and for children to recognise that school and home value one another.
Information on what’s happening in school is communicated via emails or monthly newsletters, which are sent home with pupils.Please check school bags regularly!The school also has scheduled contact with parents for a formal discussion of pupil progress (these are generally held in November and March.The interviews are confidential and organised by an appointment system).
Throughout the session we seek to develop parental links by providing opportunities for parents to become more familiar with the life of the school.This is done through a ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening in early September, an Open Afternoon event in February/March and curriculum specific meetings for new entrant’s parents.In addition parents may be invited to
Focus Group meetings, whole school performances, class performances related to topics or indeed encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise with our children.There will also be opportunities for parents to volunteer of parent/staff development groups.The focus of these will be related to our Improvement Plan priorities.
Ethos
At Gargunnock Primary we recognise the significant impact that a positive ethos has on our school, we therefore devote considerable time, energy and effort to further developing this aspect of school life.
We aim to help every child to be the best that he/she can be.The development of the whole child is paramount.To achieve this it is crucial that the environment and relationships within our school community contribute positively to an ethos of achievement.Promoting high standards and high expectations of behaviour and a commitment to a positive school community is central to the success of our school and our children.
Managing Behaviour
Good behaviour is an integral part of a good ethos.During session 2007/08 staff, pupils and parents worked together on developing a revised school behaviour policy.Our philosophy to behaviour is we believe that children learn best in a positive environment where they are supported, happy and free from tension and anxiety based upon our core school values of Honesty, Friendliness, Respect, Responsibility and Courage.
As such, all staff will seek to promote good behaviour, not only in the classroom, but also in the playground, dining room and throughout the school generally.Consistency and fairness in approach to all will be important to the success of our policy.
In fostering a positive ethos it will be important that rules and expectations are clear, understood and shared.To ensure this:
§Recognition and rewarding of positive behaviour will be celebrated
§Children will have many opportunities to be familiar with our school values and expectations, specifically:
-full class discussion at the beginning of each session
-focus at Circle Time
-discussions during PSD activities and school assembly
In effect, all that we do in school will promote and reinforce positive behaviour.Recognition of positive behaviour and achievements will have high profile in our school.All staff will use a wide variety of positive behaviour strategies to praise, encourage and reward children.In addition, children will have opportunities to praise and reward their peers.
How do we currently deal with inappropriate behaviour?
Despite the emphasis on promoting positive behaviour there will be times when a child’s behaviour falls short of the expected model.Pupil, parents and staff will decide on what constitutes unacceptable behaviour and how the school will respond.
Bullying
At Gargunnock bullying will not be tolerated.Our aim is to make our school a ‘bully free zone’.The term bullying is defined as:
‘behaviour where one, or more individuals, for their pleasure or gratification, hurts, frightens, or browbeats physically or emotionally’
We encourage all children NOT to accept bullying behaviour and to report it PROMPTLY to an adult – staff member or parent.Only though intervention and collective refusal to accept such behaviour will the achievement of our aim be possible.
Where children are found to be displaying bullying behaviour parental involvement will be sought to determine a positive change in a child’s behaviour.
Strategies we currently use:
In managing inappropriate behaviour the following strategies have been agreed:
§Verbal warning 1
§Verbal warning 2
§Use of traffic light system for loss of golden time
§Loss of golden time
§Informal contact to parents
§Letter sent home to parents
§Other sanctions, as detailed in the policy, implemented by class teacher and/or HT
§Where misbehaviour continues the class teacher will discuss this with parents.The HT must be informed of this
§Serious incidents must be reported to the HT immediately
§Should any child fail to respond and not improve their behaviour the HT will meet with the child and/or parents to discuss the matter further and find a solution
§School support staff will be enlisted to support behaviour
§The school psychologist may also be involved in supporting the management of behaviour
Inappropriate behaviour/incidents will be logged by the class teacher in the class log book and monitored by the Headteacher.
Sanctions:
The following sanctions have been agreed:
§Loss of Golden Time
§Loss of class/house/school privileges, which could be:
-jobs/responsibilities
-monitor/house captain status and badge
-representing class/house/school at various activities
-enrichment outings
-special treats arranged by the school
§Banned from football for a specified time (only if football is part of the problem)
§Punishment activity – to be completed in school and signed at home or completed and signed at home:
-letter reflecting on poor behaviour how they should have behaved, what they will do next time, apology
-paragraph on the importance of
§Grounding only by HT/Principal Teacher for specified time
§No grounding for unfinished class work
Sanctions should:
§Be immediate and time contained
§Be fair, appropriate and in proportion to the cause of the sanction
§Be applied consistently but take into account individual circumstances
§Avoid the humiliation of children at all times
§Be explained clearly to the child
Helping our children to manage their behaviour is something that is best done in partnership; we all have an important role to play.
Role of Parents
Our school recognises and responds positively to the important role of parents in their children’s education.We seek to involve parents in policy formulation where appropriate.This policy is an example of our school working in partnership with parents and pupils.Where children’s behaviour gives cause for concern it is anticipated that we would enter into a joint problem solving approach with parents as early as possible – with both parties listening to concerns and mutually agreeing strategies for progress.Parental support of the child and the school will make a significant impact on the development of a positive school ethos.
Role of Children
We will seek to actively involve our children in defining and evaluation expectations, rules, rewards and sanctions.This will foster a greater sense of ownership and commitment to our school community.All children will be expected to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and contribute positively to the ethos of the school.
Role of School
All staff members are committed to developing positive relationships within the school community.Implementation, by all staff, of our agreed Managing Behaviour Policy will contribute effectively to the ethos of our school.It must be recognised that young children will make mistakes from time to time and that these should be considered as learning opportunities.However, some children may experience difficulty in modifying their behaviour and will require much support in managing this effectively.Consequently, staff must take time to listen to and investigate concerns, in order that:
§All children learn that inappropriate behaviour will be exposed
§Incidents require to be reported honestly and without bias
§Children are reminded often of acceptable codes of conduct
§All children are afforded the opportunity to develop positive behaviour
§All children can live harmoniously together.
PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS
The Gargunnock Primary School Parent Council has been in operation for 18 months now and it was formed in August 2007 to replace the school board and the PTA. The team consists of: -
·Marshall Dallas – Chairman
·Wendy Pizey – Secretary
·Graham Dingley – Treasurer
·Jo Dallas – Fundraising
Each class is represented by parents: -
·P1 – Billy Mitchell
·P2/3 – Marshall Dallas & Iain Gulland
·P4/5 – Wendy Pizey
·P6/7 – Graham Dingley
The aims of the Parent Council are: -
1.To promote partnership between the school, its pupils and all its parents.
2.To develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of the pupils.
3.To work in partnership with the school to create a welcoming school which is inclusive for all parents.
4.To raise funds for the school which support the education and welfare of the pupils.
5.To identify and represent the views of parents on the education provided by the school and other matters affecting the education and welfare of the pupils.
Since our inception in August 2007 the Parent Council have created, organised and executed a number of fundraising events such as a village treasure hunt and ceilidh, a Nearly New Sale and the creation by the school pupils of a school tea towel, which has raised in the region of £4000. I am delighted to report that by the summer of 2008 we had achieved our main fund raising objective with the purchase of a new school computerised white board which is used daily by the pupils.
In 2009 the Parent Council has committed to raise funds for a “Celebration of Science” which will include a school outing to the Science Centre in Glasgow.A family fundraiser, similar to the ceilidh in April 2008, is planned for the Spring of 2009.
In 2008 the parent council has promoted a strong partnership between the school, its pupils and its parents and I look forward to ensuring that continues into 2009 and beyond.
On behalf of the Parent Council I would like to express our thanks to all parents, pupils and staff that have contributed and worked so hard in supporting all of our events this lastyear. This has given us great encouragement and motivation to continue our efforts in achieving the aims and objectives of the Parent Council.
Many thanks
Marshall C. Dallas
Chairman
GargunnockPrimary School Parent Council.
Continues on Handbook-Part 2
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