Munlochy Primary School

School Brochure

2013

WELCOME TOMUNLOCHY PRIMARY SCHOOL

This prospectus is intended to give you information about the school but please feel free to get in contact with us if there is anything about which you are

uncertain.Munlochy Primary School

56 Millbank RoadMunlochy

Ross-shire IV7 8EDTelephone: 01463 811489

Email: munlochy.primary@highland.gov.ukwebsite: www.munlochyprimary.wordpress.com

All the information provided is considered to be correct at the time of printing. It is possible that there may be changes affecting a matter dealt with in this document.

CONTENTS

THE SCHOOL1. School Vision, Values and Aims2. Description of the School3. Staff4. School Day5. School Session 2012/13 and 2013/146. Enrolment Procedures7. Behaviour8. Lunch in school9. Children at intervals10. School uniform11. School transport12. Attendance and illness13. Emergency contacts14. Transition into Primary 115. Transition from Primary to Secondary16. Extra curricular activities17. The school and the community18. Medicines in school19. School closure20. Visitors to the school21. School fund22. Comments and complaints

COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS

1. Liaison with Parents2. Munlochy Parent Council3. How Parents Can Help Their Children Develop as Whole People

CURRICULUM1. Introduction2. How our learning is structured3. Languages & Literacy4. Mathematics5. Expressive Arts6. Social Studies7. Religious & Moral Education8. Health & Well Being9. Technologies10. Sciences11. Assessment12. Additional support needs13. Homework

INFORMATION ON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT1. The Standards and Quality Report2. The School Improvement Plan

The School1.

School Vision, Values and Aims

In autumn 2012 the children, staff and parents worked together to create a new vision and values for the school.

MUNLOCHY SCHOOL VISION

Learning together to be the best we can be.

MUNLOCHY SCHOOL VALUES

Determination, Responsibility, Respect, Friendship, Happiness

The aims of the school were revised in December 2010.

We aim:

To provide a welcoming, happy and secure atmosphere throughout our school;

To provide each child with a broadly based relevant education, through the provision of Curriculum for Excellence with planned continuity to enable progression throughout their seven years at our school;

To meet the needs of each child; to allow for them to develop and attain intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and physically to the maximum of their potential;

To develop positive attitudes towards learning, acquiring a healthy lifestyle, the acquisition of skills and to promote each child’s self-esteem;

To provide an environment that stimulates and motivates children and staff to view the twin processes of learning and reflection as essential perequisites to achievement, success and happiness.

To develop attitudes of tolerance, inclusivity and open-mindedness towards others, to encourage self-discipline and to promote a sense of community;

To be approachable, to keep parents informed and to encourage their interest and participation in their children’s education;

As a staff, to be committed to developing ourselves both personally and professionaly, meeting staff development needs in relation to school priorities as expressed in the School Improvement Plan;

To maintain and where possible, raise our standards of attainment by creating an ethos whereby genuine achievement and success are recognised and celebrated;

To value children for themselves as unique and individual beings regardless of their race, gender, socio-economic background or creed.

2. Description of the schoolMunlochy School has for over 100 years served the village of Munlochy and the surrounding rural area. The Tarradale sandstone building with its distinctive belfry overlooks the village and Munlochy Bay.

Pupils within the delineated area normally attend Munlochy, but we have a number of families who live outwith our catchment area, who have chosen to send their children. The Parents’ Charter allows this choice so long as the request does not incur extra finance at the expense of the Council. In these circumstances, it is the responsibility of the parents to transport their children to and from school.

Recent years have seen many changes. The Victorian building and its hutted annexe have been refurbished. The school is furnished and equipped to fulfil the needs of modern day education. A large playing field is nearby.

Our families come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but at school we strive to create a ‘family’ atmosphere, where all children can feel a sense of partnership. It is our community’s school where staff and parents endeavour to provide our children with a happy secure education of high quality.

Parents who are interested in seeking a place for their child(ren) are welcome to phone to arrange a visit.

The current roll of our school is approximately 71 with the children split into three classes.

3. StaffHead Teacher Mr Kevin Raistrick P5-7Class Teachers Ms Ishbel MacPhail P1-3

Mrs June Murray P3-4Management Teacher Mrs Christine FraserPupil Support Assistant Mrs Alison JackPupil Support Assistant Ms Liz DowningClerical Assistant Mrs Sheena MackenziePlayground Supervisor Mrs Alison JackCanteen Staff (Cook supervisor) Miss Fiona Kelly Mrs Hazel MacDonald

We are fortunate to be supported by the following visiting staff:

Support for Learning Mr Robert MacPhersonArt & Design Mr Adrian EatonPhysical Education Mr Muir MortonStringed Instruments Mrs Isabel GrantPipe Band Drumming Mr Drew Caldwell

School Nurse Mrs Donna MacNicolSchool Chaplains Rev F Renwick

4. The School DayChildren are asked not to arrive before 8.50am.

9.05 - 10.45 a.m. 11.00 - 12.00 (Primary 1-3)11.00 - 12.30 (Primary 4-7)1.15 - 3.05 (Primary 1-7)

5. School Session 2013-14

School Holidays for the year 2013 -14 are as follows:

School/nursery commences on Tuesday 20 August 2013 for all pupilsCloses Re-opens

Tuesday 20 August 2013Friday 4 October 2013 Tuesday 22 October 2013Friday 20 December 2013 Monday 6 January 2014Friday 14 February 2014 Monday 24 February 2014Friday 4 April 2014 Tuesday 22 April 2014Thursday 3 July 2014

Highland Council strongly encourages parents to take their holidays within these designated holiday periods but clearly this is not always possible. If you are taking a family holiday outwith these periods then please inform the school by letter.

6. Enrolment ProceduresThe parent/carer of the child wishing to enrol should come along to the school and see the Head Teacher. The child’s birth certificate should be brought along and an enrolment form completed. The Head Teacher should be alerted about any health problems from which the child is suffering. Any other information, which would be useful for the school to know, should be shared with the Head Teacher.

In line with the Data Protection Act any information you have supplied/any information gathered from or about pupils will be used only for the purpose for which it was provided and any relevant procedures following from this.

This data will be maintained in accordance with the Act and will not be passed onto any other organisation without your prior approval unless this is a legal requirement.

As a parent you have the right to ask for your child(ren) to be educated in a school other than the local school.  Information on school placing requests can be found in a leaflet entitled ‘School Placing Request’. This document along with a ‘Placing Request Form’ can be downloaded from: www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/schools/informationforparents/

Completed forms should be sent to:Area Education, Culture and Sport Office Castle Street,Dingwall, IV15 9HU Tel: 01349 863441, Fax: 01349 8639947. Behaviour

Children are expected to behave in a manner conducive to the safety and well-being of all. To achieve this, the children and staff were involved in drawing up eight simple school rules.

1) Be friendly

2) Share with others 3) Care4) Be kind5) Be polite6) Protect our environment7) Act responsibly8) Treat others in the way you like to be treated

The road to long-term good behaviour is through self-discipline. Children are encouraged to regulate their own behaviour. They are first taught to value and respect themselves and this is extended into respect for others, animals, plant life and property. When a child errs, he or she is encouraged to take responsibility for his or her action and to right the wrong. If a child requires more support to establish positive behaviour, the school, with the involvement of the parents, will set up a Behaviour Support Programme. The school will initiate investigations to ascertain the cause of the behaviour difficulties, and this may result in contact being made with the Educational Psychology Department. All these stages would take place after consultation with the parents. The school recognises the very important role parents play in promoting positive behaviour.

As a school we encourage positive behaviour in many ways. All classes have weekly “Golden Time”, which is usually on a Friday afternoon. This is a time when children who have been sticking to the rules can earn a reward by choosing from a range of activities. Inappropriate behaviour during the week results in children losing some of their Golden Time.We run a system of house points where points are awarded for appropriate behaviour and effort with work.We have a weekly recognition of achievement, whether in behaviour or work, known as Munlochy Stars. Children are awarded certificates in assembly and mentioned in the weekly newsletter.

Bullying.

Bullying is ‘a repeated wilful, concious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone else’. It is not just a problem for the victim but for families and the whole school community.

Bullying has many forms. Hitting, kicking, pushing, nipping, pulling hair Name calling or teasing Having possessions taken or vandalised Ignoring or excluding someone Rude gestures, intimidation or extortion Spreading rumours

We will not accept bullying behaviour at Munlochy School.

Staff will encourage the bully to appreciate the victim’s point of view by looking objectively at their behaviour. Where possible the victim will be encouraged to tell the bully how he/she felt and the bully will be encouraged to respond.

If punishment is involved staff will act according to normal disciplinary procedures and will explain why the punishment is being given.

Parents of bullies and victims will be informed and incidents of bullying will be recorded.

We aim to create a caring ethos in the school through Personal and Social Development, Religious and Moral Education and Health and Well-being.

8. Lunch in SchoolSchool meals are prepared, cooked and served on the premises. The current cost is £1.87 per day. It is helpful if the whole week’s money (£9.35) is paid on Monday mornings. All cheques should

be made payable to ‘The Highland Council’.

The children have a 2 course meal with a choice in both courses. A vegetarian meal is always available on request. Fresh fruit, fruit juice or milk, and bread are available at each meal. Drinking water is always provided. Please notify the school of any food allergies.

Where families are in receipt of Income Support, children are entitled to free meals. This is treated in the strictest confidence and for this reason we do not operate a ticket system.

Packed lunches may be brought and are eaten supervised in the canteen. Parents are asked to provide only what they expect their child to eat. We would ask your co-operation in encouraging children to eat healthily. Glass bottles, aluminium cans should not be taken to school.

9. Children at IntervalsThe playground is supervised during intervals. Except for those having a ‘home dinner’, all children are required to stay within school grounds during break times. Parents are asked to impress the importance of this on their own children. If the weather is considered to be very unsuitable children will be supervised carrying out quiet activities inside, however we will almost always be outside at break times and so it is important that children bring an appropriate coat.

10. School UniformThere is an expectation that all pupils will wear school uniform or at least school colours. The school colours are jade and navy. The colours were chosen as a result of parents’ and childrens’ votes.

School sweatshirts and joggers may be ordered through the school’s supplier but the colours are also available at local shops and chain stores. The sweatshirts have the school logo (designed by former pupils) embroidered on the left breast. The local supplier is Highland Embroidery Tel. No. 01549 402707.

All items of clothing must be clearly marked with the owners name. Coats should have hanging hooks. In general all children should come to school with suitable outdoor jackets especially during the winter but also in bad weather at any time in the year.

Children are expected to change into indoor shoes when in the main building or the huts.

P.E. Kit.Whenever possible P.E. will be held outdoors. To enable this our P.E. teacher wants the children to dress appropriately. This means that in cold weather they can wear jackets, hats and scarves and should bring a spare change of socks. A small towel can be brought to dry off their feet (if required).

When P.E. is in the village hall all children should have a change of clothes for gym. Shorts or track suit bottoms and T-shirts must be worn, and all children must change into indoor shoes. For safety reasons, jewellery should not be worn and all long hair should be tied back.

Clothing grantsFamilies may obtain a form from the school office for applying for a clothing grant.

11. School Transport Transport is provided for children in our catchment area who live over 3 miles from school, and for those under 8 years who live over 2 miles from school.

At present Charles Fraser and Richard Fraser have the contracts for Munlochy School. The law currently specifies one child, one seat but where there is room on transport any extra places may be allocated to children living less than the specified distance if parents request this service. Children may not travel on the conveyance unless they are on the official list. The contractors have been instructed by the Education Department to refuse requests for any informal arrangements. Children from outwith our catchment area have no entitlement to transport. Children must remain seated and wear seatbelts during their journey. The children are expected to behave sensibly and have due regard for the driver and the safety and comfort of the other passengers.

12. Attendance and illnessIf your child becomes ill at school, you will be contacted. If you are to be away from home, please ensure that your emergency contact will be available.

Parents are asked on Enrolling Day if any child has a health condition of which the school should be aware, or is attending any clinics. If any matter arises, it is important that the school should be informed.

If a child has an accident at school and you cannot be contacted, the Head Teacher will use his discretion and call the child’s doctor if it is thought necessary.

Children who are sick should not be sent to school. It is hoped that all working parents will have a contingency plan whereby they have someone to look after a sick child if they cannot stay off work.

Please phone the school before 10a.m to advise why your child is absent and update the school regularly if they will be absent for a longer period of time. Please also send a note with the reason on their return to school.

13. Emergency contacts

It is important that parents provide emergency contact details for their child(ren) in the event of illness etc. during parents’ absence from home. Parents should explain alternative arrangements to their child(ren).

This information will be updated every August, but please inform the school immediately in the event of any changes.

14. Transition into Primary 1

Children coming into Class 1 in August are invited in to school for three visits during the previous May. This helps ensure a confident, happy start after the summer as they will know the teacher, other children and be familiar with their

classroom.

There is an emphasis on oracy. Children are encouraged to talk meaningfully about their play and to communicate with the teacher and their class mates.

Play is an important part of the beginnings of learning as it allows children to explore and express their ideas about their world. Children learn to co-operate and share with one another. Some toys encourage good hand control and co-ordination, some are creative. Others introduce children to colour and shape and comparisons of size, and counting activities. Construction is always a worthwhile game, beit Lego, junk modelling or with other materials. Children are encouraged to draw and paint – their first means of recording and expressing themselves on paper.

As the teacher deems children ‘ready’, they are introduced to the Reading Scheme and its pre-reading activities. Our current scheme is, ‘The Oxford Reading Tree’. This encourages a great deal of talk and games as the children become familiar with the characters and their ploys – leading to the lovely colourful books which the children will take home once the stage has been taught and while the next stage is being prepared. The contribution of parents in the best use of this scheme is valued and parents will be invited in individually to be shown how they can share in this activity.

Children are taught the sounds of letters not their names, and the correct formation of all the letters is insisted on. Once the sounds are known, the children are taught to blend the sounds, enabling them to tackle simple words from an early stage.

For school, children should have:o A good sized schoolbag o All clothes clearly namedo A draw string bag containing gym shoeso A painting T-shirt (large)o P.E. clothes, slip-on gym shoes, T-shirt and shorts

To support your child’s preparation for school, encourage your child to be as independent as possible, e.g. to be able to dress him/herself, to be responsible for their belongings, going to the toilet and learning to tidy up their toys and games.

Activities like reading stories and nursery rhymes, encouraging your child to tell about things he/she has done or seen will all support your child’s learning at school. Construction toys, jigsaws, drawing with large crayons, cutting with scissors are all worthwhile activities.

Opportunities for your child to spend time with a friend away from you could enable them to settle down in school more quickly. It is much easier for your child if school is not the first parting from you.

The importance of finding time to talk and play with your child can never be overstated.

15. Transition from Primary to Secondary SchoolChildren from Munlochy School normally transfer to Fortrose Academy for their secondary education. There is an on-going liaison between our Primary and the Secondary School. Children will meet staff and will attend the Academy for a week in June prior to transferring. We do our utmost to make this transfer as comfortable as possible.

Fortrose AcademyAcademy StreetFortrose IV10 8TWTel. 01381 620310

Rector : Mr D. Mackenzie

16. Extra Curricular Activities.What we can offer will depend on staff and parents’ interests and talents.

Older children frequently compete in inter-school events in a variety of sports.

Current activities include:

Badminton Football Choir Board games Multi-sports club

The range of activities on offer can vary throughout the session.

If you would like to take a group or assist with an extra-curricular activity or club please contact the head teacher.

17. The School and Community.The school makes use of the Village Hall for P.E., social events and extra curricular activities.

Entertainments and fund raising events will be held throughout the session. The Christmas Concert, the Annual Sale, the School Sports bring the wider community into school.

Each year a party of children go carol singing at Marine House in Rosemarkie. Throughout the year the children are involved in charity fund raising events.

We encourage visits into school from local organisation to extend the children’s learning, such as the community Police, the Ambulance Service, the Coastguard, RSPB, Guidedogs for the Blind.

18. Medicines in school

Children occasionally need to take medicine for a short period of time (e.g. a course of antibiotics). If it is necessary that the medicine is taken during school hours, parents should complete a form available from the school office and any medicines given to the school should have the original pharmacy or dispensed label on it.

If a child requires to take medication on an ongoing basis, or may need access to medication in an emergency situation (for example an allergic reaction), then this should be discussed with the Head Teacher and the school will draw up an Individual Health Care Plan in collaboration with parents and relevant healthcare professionals.19. School ClosureAfter October, details of adverse weather plans are issued.

If school cannot open, it will be announced on the Highland Council Website, Moray Firth Radio from about 7.30am and also on the school dial in-service.

If the weather is doubtful, please ensure that your emergency contact will be available if you are not at home. (If the electricity or water goes off, we have to close the school.)

In the event of early closing, we will endeavour to contact all parents. The buses will be sent for and all children will be sent home when we can ensure that no child will arrive at an empty house.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOL KNOWS WHERE YOUR CHILD HAS TO GO IF YOU WILL NOT BE AT HOME.

The school has a dial-in service if there is a risk of closure due to bad weather or other unforeseen events.

20. Visitors to the SchoolIn the interests of security all visitors to the school must report first to the secretary’s office, which is situated next to the main entrance. At anytime a visitor may be asked to identify themselves by a member of staff. We are sure parents will be aware of the need for such measures.

21. School Fund

Records of our funds are kept in the School Office and may be viewed by Parents. Fund-raising events are held throughout the year. All proceeds find their way back to the children in a wide variety of ways – excursions, books, parties, equipment, sport transportation and swimming transportation.

22. Comments and ComplaintsWe hope you will enjoy your child’s time at Munlochy and we welcome comments or suggestions, which could help us to improve our service.

School Closures Tel. No. 0870 054 6999

Munlochy School PIN 04 2690

However, we are aware that difficulties can occur from time to time and if you feel you have reason to complain, then please follow the procedure outlined below.

You should contact the school by letter or telephone outlining the concern. If you prefer, you can make an appointment to speak to the Head Teacher. Your concern will be investigated and the head teacher will get back to you as soon as possible.

From here, if necessary, the matter will be brought to the attention of the Area Education Manager who will decide what the next steps should be. Parents will be kept fully informed at each stage and will be invited to attend any meetings being held.

Should you feel unable to speak to the head teacher you are entitled to contact the Area Education Culture & Sport ManagerArea Education, Culture and Sport Office Castle Street,Dingwall, IV15 9HU Tel: 01349 863441, Fax: 01349 863994

Communicating

with

Parents

1. Liaison with ParentsWe firmly believe that the teachers and parents are partners in helping each child to achieve his/her potential. It is recognised that parents play a huge part in the education of the child and in school we hope to build further on what each child has learned.

The school holds parents’ afternoon/evening sessions twice a year, when parents can discuss their child’s progress with the class teacher, on an appointment basis.

However, should any parent wish to discuss their child’s progress out with these times, they should contact the school to arrange a suitable time with the teacher and/or the Head Teacher. Such discussions are always welcome.

If the class teacher is concerned about some aspect of a child’s progress he/she will contact the parents to arrange a convenient time for a discussion to take place.

These discussions are informal and are designed to find out how school and home can work together to help the child.

Towards the end of each session (usually June) each child will be given a report as to how well they have progressed during the year.

From time to time the school will hold afternoon/evening meetings to explain various aspects of school work to which all parents are invited to attend. This is to help parents to understand what we are doing with the children in school.

There is a weekly newsletter informing parents of issues connected with the school.

2. Munlochy Parent Council.Parent Councils were introduced for all schools in Scotland by an Act of Scottish Parliament in 2006. Information about this and a great deal else can be found at www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk or by contacting the headteacher who will put you in touch with current members. In broad terms the role of the Parent Council is to –

Support the school in its work with pupils Represent the views of all parents Encourage links between the school, parents, pupils, pre-school groups and

the wider community Report back to all the parents in the school (called the Parent Forum) Play a role in the appointment of headteachers and depute headteachers Support the school and pupils during school inspections

Members of the Parent Council are elected annually by parents of pupils at the school. In practice an election is only called when there are more volunteers than there are places available. The Parent Council meets once a term in the evening, and all parents are welcome to attend. A note of each meeting is circulated to all parents in order to keep everyone informed whether or not they are able to attend. In between meetings parents often organise voluntary events and activities in support of the school, and these make an important contribution in all sorts of ways.

If you would like to get involved in the work of Parent Council please come to the next meeting or contact the headteacher. In

a small school like Munlochy, parental involvement is particularly important in ensuring that pupils get the very best education possible.

3. How Parents can help their Children Develop as Whole People

Let him/her know how much you love them even when they are not achieving all that you wish. This is really important as it helps to develop security and stability in later life.

Spend time with your child talking about a range of issues and playing various games as this lets the child know that you think he/she is really important to you.

Explain to your child why you have taken certain courses of action – both rewards and punishments. This helps the child to understand why he/she should do or should not do certain things, and should lead to fewer problems in later life.

Read to your child regularly (daily if possible) and encourage him/her to read for pleasure. This will help to develop a love of literature, which will help the child both socially and educationally.

Take your child to a variety of places to develop their interests eg. castles, museums, the beach, the theatre, the library, country walks, places of interest etc.

Encourage your child to keep fit and healthy by taking regular exercise eating healthy foods and drinking water.

Show an interest in what the children are doing in school as this lets them know that you value education.

Check that your child is doing any homework, which has been set.

Curriculum

1. IntroductionThe Curriculum for Excellence encourages a wide learning experience to enable children to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.There are eight curriculum areas which are all carefully planned for—expressive arts, health and wellbeing, languages, mathematics, religious and moral education, sciences, social studies, technologies. In addition, the Curriculum for Excellence is about ensuring children’s wider

development, and as such teaching and learning in schools has changed dramatically over the last few years. 2. How our learning is structuredOur learning at Munlochy Primary School enables children to develop into well rounded young people. Learning can take many forms and may involve a child working on their own writing at a desk, working in a group for a joint outcome, performing in a concert, representing the school at a sporting event, working with others to improve the school garden, and many other varied experiences which allow a child to reach their full potential.At Munlochy our learning time is split into six broad categories: a) Learning projectsThis happens where two or more subjects are linked together, helping children see connections between subjects and be more engaged in their learning. These projects may last anywhere from one day to 6 weeks. They may be planned a long way in advance (e.g. “The Vikings”) or they may be in response to a worldwide or local event (e.g. a recent natural disaster). b) “Stand alone” lessonsThere are times when subjects are taught on their own and not as a part of a learning project. This is known as a “stand alone” lesson. This may involve any subject in the curriculum. c) Being a good citizenTime is spent teaching school behaviour routines, respect for self, others and our community. We also give time to discussing and developing informed views, opinions and values regarding personal, local, national or international issues. This time also includes Golden Time which supports positive behaviour in the school. d) Helping to improve our school and communityThis includes time spent taking part in school groups (e.g. pupil council, eco group, junior road safety officers), working in smaller groups to solve challenges, attending assemblies and contributing to whole school performances  e) Thinking and reflectingIt is very important that children have the time to reflect on their work and think about their next steps. This may for example include discussing their understanding in mathematics, assessing their own and each other’s writing, or thinking about what they have learned that week.

 f) Opportunities for personal achievementThis may for example include enabling attendance at sporting or music events. The following information is detail about the 8 areas of the curriculum:

3. Languages and Literacy

In Language the children are offered a range of activities which will help to develop skills in Listening, Talking, Reading and Writing.

In the early years (Pr. 1-3) the children will be involved in a lot of "play" activities such as:- the home corner; water; sand; jigsaws; junk modelling; plasticene; construction etc. All of these activities are designed to help the children develop a variety of skills in language (as well as the other areas of the curriculum) particularly talking and listening. The teacher will also encourage the children to read by showing them a variety of words and writing them underneath their paintings. In fact, it is often the children's own paintings and drawings which are used as their first books. When the teacher feels that the child is

ready, a printed book will be discussed with the child and sent home to be shared with the parents. This will not happen straight away nor will it happen every night. The teacher will be developing reading in other ways during the school day. As the child progresses through the school, the reading will be more challenging and greater use of novels will be encouraged. The children will be encouraged to read a range of books, fact and fiction, and discuss them with the teacher and each other.

Once the reading has been discussed with the teacher it will be sent home for the child to practise his/her skills.

In writing, the child at Pr. 1 will be encouraged to express ideas in simple drawings where the teacher writes what the child says. This continues until the child can control the pencil and write each letter correctly.

As the child gets older he/she is asked to write stories, poems, accounts of visits, reports, notes etc. Very often he/she will work on one piece of writing for a week trying to improve upon it after discussion with the teacher.

As well as the content of the children's writing the teachers will be developing the handwriting, spelling and grammar.

At early stages much of the time will be taken up by talking and listening but even at Pr. 7 the child is expected to spend a lot of time in this area of language as it is considered vital for modern day living.

4. MathematicsDuring their time in primary school we hope that our children will be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. However, mathematics is much more than that. The children will work with shapes, graphs, money, measurement etc.

We teach the children using a lot of practical materials such as blocks, counters, protractors, metre sticks, money etc. This is to help the children understand what they are doing. Where possible the maths is related to the local environment and the children's lifestyles.

The children will be encouraged to memorise multiplication tables but only once they have understood what they are being asked to do. Teachers will spend about 10 minutes a day on mental maths.

The teachers will encourage the children to discover mathematical rules for themselves as this will help the children to retain the information. Often they will be set problems which they must try to solve on their own and with other children. Use will be made of calculators to aid the children in solving various problems.

5. Expressive Arts

The Expressive Arts involves the children in Art and Design, Drama, Dance and Music. These subjects are very important for a child’s whole development. Through these subjects the children can express their feeling and emotions by using a range of skills. They will learn, also, to appreciate their own work and that of experts.

6. Social Studies

Social Studies is a combination of history, geography, and modern studies. In primary school we teach these subjects through a theme or project e.g. World War 11, Scotland, Toys and Games, Houses and Homes, etc.

We hope that the children will learn to appreciate and respect their environment by having a greater understanding of it.

This means that the child will work on a theme and find out as much as they can by using a range of skills such as listening, observing, reading, experimenting, recording etc.

In fact, the emphasis will be on developing these skills as opposed to gaining a lot of knowledge as the child can use these skills in a variety of situations to acquire more knowledge and greater understanding.

It would be usual to start with what the child knows and work from there using the local environment as much as possible.

7. Religious and Moral Education

In Religious and Moral Education we aim to offer the children opportunities to: develop a knowledge and understanding of various religions; investigate and understand the questions and answers that religions can offer about the nature and meaning of life; develop their own beliefs, attitudes and moral values.

As the culture and heritage of our society is traditionally Christian a major part of this area of the curriculum is the study of Bible stories not with a view to making the children Christian but providing them with experiences upon which they can make informed choices.

To fulfil our aims further we spend time studying some of the World’s other religions. This has the added value of preparing our children for life in a multi-cultural society by helping them to understand why different peoples do different things. By adopting this approach we hope that children will form their own beliefs but be tolerant of others.

Running alongside this the children are engaged in a range of activities which help them to appreciate moral values such as honesty, liberty, justice, fairness and concern for others.

Children attend assemblies regularly in order that we can meet together as a whole school and consider various religious and moral issues. Occasionally we sing a hymn.

In addition the school also has visits from the school chaplains, where they discuss issues relating to Christianity with the children.

Parents who do not wish their child to participate in religious observance are asked to let the school know. That child will be given other work during this time which will be supervised by an adult.

8. Health and Wellbeing

Through our health education and PE programmes we will encourage children to think about their physical, emotional and social health. The children will study a range of issues e.g. diet, fitness,

hygiene, dental health, personal and interpersonal skills, sex education, drug education, road safety, etc.

Our aim is to develop knowledge and understanding of the issues so that each child will be able to make informed decisions about the various issues connected with health. Parents will be informed when children are going to be studying sex and relationships education and will be given an opportunity to look at the resources used to support the topic.

Schools have a responsibility to help each child to develop personally and socially. This is an aspect of education which we believe to be extremely important.We hope that the children will: have a positive regard for the needs of self and others; develop skills to enable them to participate effectively and safely in society; take increasing responsibility for their own lives; identify and evaluate the values they and society hold and recognise that these affect thoughts and actions.

We try to develop a high self-esteem in each child which is so important if pupils are to benefit fully from their time in school. We attempt to achieve this by being positive with the children and praising their efforts and achievements.

The children are encouraged to take a pride in themselves and their work as this helps them to develop in other ways.

Along with the development of high self-esteem we try and help the children to form good relationships with each other as it is so important in the society of which they are part.

The children are given increasing responsibility as they progress through the school such as getting various pieces of equipment for themselves, helping with the younger children, etc.

9. TechnologiesThe technologies curriculum offers challenging activities which involve research, problem solving, exploration of new and unfamiliar concepts, skills and materials, and the rewarding learning which often results from creating products which have real applications. Children will develop their creativity and entrepreneurial skills and be encouraged to become innovative and critical designers of the future. These attributes are essential if, in the future, our children are to play a major part in the global economy and embrace technological developments in the 21st

century.

The school has a very good up to date range of ICT equipment. From P1 onwards the children are given regular opportunities to work on computers. The children will use the computers in a range of situations.

To undertake a piece of word processing To handle and display information To use the internet and CD’s to access information for various curricular areas

We believe that it is important that children develop a range of ICT skills as it has become such an important “tool” at work and at home. It enhances the quality of learning and teaching as it offers

teachers and pupils the opportunity to communicate and research locally and across the world.

10. SciencesScience is an important part of our heritage and we use its applications every day in our lives at work, at leisure and in the home. Science and the application of science are central to our economic future and to our health and wellbeing as individuals and as a society.

Through learning in the sciences, children and young people develop their interest in, and understanding of, the living, material and physical world. They engage in a wide range of collaborative investigative tasks, which allows them to develop important skills to become creative, inventive and enterprising adults in a world where the skills and knowledge of the sciences are needed across all sectors of the economy. 11. AssessmentTo make sure that our children are being challenged and are progressing, it is important to check on their development. This is known as assessment.Assessment enables us to:

plan suitable next steps for learning support learning effectively track progress recognise and celebrate achievement.

At Munlochy this takes many forms, including children assessing themselves and each other and assessment being carried out by teachers. This happens on a daily basis, as well as marking key points in the children’s learning. A recent development in Highland is the introduction of computer based assessment in P3, P5, P7 and S2. This is low key and undertaken by almost all young people in Highland. It gives teachers extra information about abilities in reading and mathematics to match against what they know from ongoing everyday assessment. This helps to build up a ‘whole picture’ of the young person and what he or she can do.

When you receive your child’s end of year report, this will contain information regarding your child’s progress.

12. Additional Support NeedsAll children need support to help them learn. Some children require more help than others. We follow The Highland Practice Model staged approach to assessing, identifying and supporting additional support needs. In this model every child has a ‘named person’ who is responsible for making sure that the child or young person has the right help to support his/her development and well-being.

If you have a concern about your child please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance or the ‘named person’, who is the head teacher.   

Sometimes a Child’s Plan may be put in place to help organise, monitor and regularly review your child’s progress.

If you wish to find out more about The Highland Practice Model or the Child’s Plan you can access more information  at :

http://www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/supportforlearners/generalguidance/planning/   

There are also Information sheets available at: www.chipplus.org.uk  click on Education.

Scottish Ministers have asked us to draw your attention to these organisations which provide advice, further information and support to parents of children and young people with ASN. These organisations are identified under The Additional Support for Learning (Sources of Information) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2011 as:

(a) Children in Scotland: Working for Children and Their Families, trading as “Enquire – the Scottish advice and information service for additional support for learning”, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC003527;(b) Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC033576; and(c) Scottish Child Law Centre, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SCO12741.”

13. HomeworkThe aims of homework at Munlochy are to:

To extend and practise work covered in school. To consolidate work where the child is having difficulty.To encourage personal research designed to collect information for school topic work.To afford parents the opportunity of seeing the work being studied in school.

For children in Primary 1-3 a small amount of homework is usually given every night. For children in Primary 4-7 homework is given once a week, with several days to complete it, and so encouraging independence and organisational skills.To assist home – school communication, the children have a homework diary in which the details of the homework are written. This can also be used for parents to communicate to school. For children in Primary 1-3 the diary will be checked every day by the teacher for any notes. Older children are given the responsibility of showing the teacher if there is communication.

Should a child experience difficulty in completing any aspect of their homework, it should be left unfinished and the child should be reassured that the problem will be resolved back at school. Although it is very tempting for a parent to complete a homework task when the child is experiencing a problem, the school advises against this as it gives an inaccurate picture of the child’s understanding. If a child is taking an excessive amount of time to complete his or her homework, the school should be advised so that the problem may be addressed.

Information on

School

Improvement

1. The Standards and Quality Report

The School’s Standards and Quality Report can be found on the school website. This report outlines the main achievements of the school over the last 12 months. It is also available in paper copy from the school office.

2. The School Improvement PlanThe School Improvement Plan is a 3 year plan of development projects. This can be found on the school website and is also available in paper copy from the school office.