18
Handbook 2016 – 2017
Handbook
2016 – 2017
Please ask for: Mrs Ailsa Fraser
Direct Dial: 01808 521246
Email:[email protected] Date: 7
th January 2016
Dear Parent/Carer I welcome your family to our school community at Farr and look forward to working with you during the forthcoming years. During your child’s time in the school we will do our best to provide your child with a happy and rewarding primary education. The school considers it very important that good relationships exist between parents and staff. We wish to work in partnership with our parents and look forward to developing positive home school links. By taking an active interest in your child’s work both in school and at home and participating in the life of the school you will help your child make the best possible progress and help them to fulfil their potential. Your child’s teacher and I will always be willing to discuss any aspects of your child’s education. The school is supported by our Parent Council who organise regular meetings and events. Your involvement in such meetings is always valued and appreciated. I hope you find this booklet useful and it provides the necessary information you require. Whilst the information in this handbook is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information.
If you require any further information please contact the school to make an appointment.
Kind Regards
Ailsa Fraser
Head Teacher
Foreword
Farr School and Nursery is situated in the village of Farr approximately 8 miles south of Inverness.
The school was opened in 1877 to replace two smaller church schools at Broomhill behind Croftcroy
and at Dalvourn. In the last century the roll has risen as high as seventy and fallen to seven. At
present thirty one children attend the primary school and seventeen three and four year old children
attend our nursery.
In 2011 an extension of three classrooms and an office was built. The old school and schoolhouse
provide a multi-purpose Assembly Room, Library, staff facilities and storage space. A purpose built
nursery extension was opened in 2001.
There are two teachers, Mrs Fraser (Head Teacher) teaching P5, 6 & 7 along with Mrs Harvey who
covers management time. Mrs Kemp and Mrs McLean teach P1,2, 3 & 4.
Parents are welcome to call in at the school or telephone on 01808 521246.
School Contact Information
Farr Primary School
Inverness
IV2 6XJ
Telephone: 01808 521246
Email: [email protected]
There are regular newsletters which are emailed to parents. If you wish a paper copy please let us
know.
Contents
1. The School Team
2. School Hours
3. Entry Arrangements
4. Educational Aims
5. Curriculum for Excellence
6. Assessment
7. Additional Support Needs
8. Wider Learning
9. Health and Well Being
10. Religious Education
11. Behaviour
12. Homework
13. Library Service
14. Schools Meals
15. School Transport
16. School Uniform
17. Equal Opportunities
18. Transfer to Secondary School
19. Parent council and FANS
20. Health and Welfare
21. Child Protection
22. Attendance and Absence
23. Complaints
24. Frequently Asked Questions
25. School Calendar
1. The School Team at Farr
Teaching staff
Primary 5-7 - Mrs Fraser (HT) & Mrs Harvey
Primary 1-4 - Mrs Kemp and Mrs McLean
Pupil Support Assistants
Mrs Logan
Mrs McInnes
Vacancy
Early Years Practitioners
Mrs Clark
Miss Martin
Mrs McInnes
Mrs Bartlett - Nursery Principal Teacher visits regularly to give support and advice.
Clerical Assistant
Miss Mitchell
Visiting Teachers and Specialists
Mrs Owen - Music
Miss Pottie - P.E.
Sarah Liebnitz – Active Schools Sports Co-ordinator
Youth Music Initiative tutors for Kodaly and Feis
Catering staff
Mrs Munro - Cook
Mrs Meiklejohn - Assistant Cook
2. School Hours
School opens 9.00 a.m.
Break 10.30 to 10.45 a.m.
Lunch 12.15 to 1.15 p.m. for P1-3 12.30 to 1.15 p.m for P4-7
School closes 3.00 p.m.
There are flashing lights, to alert traffic to a 20 mph speed limit, which operate for fifteen minutes before and after school.
3. Entry Arrangements
Parents wishing to enrol their children into school should contact the Head Teacher to organise an initial visit.
Entry to Nursery
Children are entitled to a full year of Nursery education before they start primary school. Therefore your child will begin a pre-school year in the August of the session during which he/she is four before the end of February.
Three year olds, however, have three starting dates.
Children whose third birthday falls between 1st March and 31st August begin Nursery in Term 1.
Those whose third birthday falls between 1st September and 31st December begin Nursery in Term 3.
Those whose third birthday falls between 1st January and 29th February begin Nursery in Term 4.
Parents will be invited to bring their child for taster sessions in the term before they begin to attend Nursery regularly.
Entry to School
Children are entitled to start their formal education at the beginning of a new session if they reach the age of five between March 1st that year and February 28th of the following year. Parents are invited to visit the school to enrol their child in the last week of January each year. The children are invited to spend sessions at the school during the summer term.
Other enrolments may take place at any time of the year by appointment. Parents of children who do not reside within the catchment area of the school should write to the Area Education Manager Mr Callum MacKintosh at Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness to make a placement request.
Placing request forms can be obtained from: www.highland.gov.uk/info/878/schools/11/school_enrolment/2
4. Educational Aims
Our vision at Farr Primary School and Nursery is to provide a happy, caring and stimulating environment where all children will recognise and achieve their fullest potential, so that they can make their best contribution to society as healthy, happy and lifelong learners.
Successful Learners
We aim to encourage a progressive development of skills and learning:
using a variety of teaching methods which ensure appropriate pace of learning through an interdisciplinary approach to learning by fostering positive attitudes to learning offering opportunities to engage in wider learning
We aim to maximise standards of attainment through:
creating an ethos of achievement meeting pupils’ needs monitoring progress and achievement Working with parents and partner agencies to meet the needs of each child and enhance the
learning experience
Staff are encouraged to develop their lifelong professional learning through:
Participation in professional learning opportunities Professional review and update
Confident Individuals
We aim to provide a safe and stimulating environment in which:
our children can feel happy and secure there are equal opportunities for all they are valued as individuals within an ethos of trust and tolerance ensuring inclusion for all
children
Responsible Citizens
We aim to encourage our children to develop:
self-awareness and self -respect a tolerance and respect for the differences in others the ability to make informed choices and develop balanced views positive working relationships with staff, parents and members of the wider community
Effective Contributors
We aim to encourage our children to develop:
positive social skills an enterprising attitude in devising activities and projects the ability to apply critical thinking skills a creative, problem solving approach through collaborative working.
5. Curriculum for Excellence
The curriculum aims to develop the whole child. We strive to provide a broad and balanced
curriculum based on Curriculum for Excellence outcomes. We aim to stimulate, encourage and
challenge the learning of each individual child within a nurturing, supportive environment.
The main areas of the curriculum are:
Mathematics and numeracy
Languages and literacy Health and wellbeing Sciences Social studies Technologies Religious and moral education Expressive arts
More information about Curriculum for Excellence can be found on:
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone
Curriculum for Excellence Levels provides a very broad indication of how children progress in their learning from ages 3 to 15 in Scotland. These Levels are ‘open-ended”, allowing learners to work and progress in different ways with varying degrees of breadth, challenge and application. Below is a guide of the levels at which most children will be working.
Level Stage
Early The pre-school years and P1
First To the end of P4
Second To the end of P7
Third / Fourth S1 to S3
6. Assessment
Assessment of pupil progress forms part of our everyday interactions in the classroom. At Farr school we encourage all children to take an active part in this process by reflecting on their own learning and identifying their next steps. The children participate in standardised assessments (Assessment for Excellence) at P3, P5 and P7.
The Learning Council and Health and Well Being Group are currently reviewing how we best record learning that highlights individual’s achievements.
Parents of new entrants are welcome to come into the school early in the first term to discuss their child’s progress after the initial settling in period.
We aim to keep parents both informed and involved in their child’s education. In addition to parent’s evenings and other school events, we are happy to meet with parents to discuss progress or concerns at any time throughout the year.
7. Additional Support Needs
All 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 in primary school please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance, Mrs Fraser or the ‘named person’.
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 go to:
www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/supportforlearners/generalguidance/planning/
www.chipplus.org.uk Click on Education.
www.enquire.org.uk
8. Wider Learning
We embrace many opportunities to extend the wider learning of pupils at Farr and participate regularly in:
Inverness Music Festival South Highland Inter-schools Sports Cross country Events Swimming lessons for P5-7 at Inverness Leisure Highland Rugby Club Rugby Festival Inverness Royal Academy (IRA) Football Festival Safe Highlanders (P7) Euro Quiz (P6)
Other activities include:
P7 Residential trip Annual school sports After school multi sports School outings linked to topic work Using community woodlands to support learning Annual coffee Evening Carol Singing locally Activity days with other schools in IRA Associated School Group
All pupils have an opportunity to be part of our Citizenship Groups. These groups are the Learning Council, Eco Committee and Junior Road Safety Group. The groups meet regularly to discuss different topics and carry out various activities. We were awarded our fifth Green Flag in October 2014 to which our citizenship groups made a significant contribution.
9. Health and Well Being
As part of their Health and Well Being the children will occasionally be transported to different venues for certain aspects of their PE programme. Parental permission will be sought, and advance notice of such activities will be given.
Parents are asked to provide shorts, T-shirts and gym shoes for P.E. and suitable clothing when the children are visiting various places.
The children require indoor shoes (e.g. black slip-on gym shoes, indoor trainers, etc). We kindly request that every item of clothing is named as this can avoid loss of property and staff time.
10. Religious Education
Religious Education is an integral part of the curriculum and seeks to encourage a Christian approach to everyday living. Pupils study Christianity, World Religions and Personal Search. We have regular Assemblies. The school has links with local churches.
Special arrangements will be made for pupils whose parents do not wish them to participate in religious observance.
11. Behaviour
We promote positive behaviour at all times. Research shows that better behaviour brings about better learning.
We follow the Golden Rules of:
Do be gentle Do not hurt anybody
Do be kind and helpful Do not hurt people’s feelings
Do work hard Do not waste your or other people’s time
Do look after property Do not waste or damage things
Do listen to people Do not interrupt
Do be honest Do not cover up the truth
Pupils are rewarded for keeping the Golden Rules with Golden time once a fortnight. If pupils break the Golden Rules they will lose some Golden Time. Parents will be informed of any time lost and asked to support their child to reflect on their behaviour.
These “Golden Rules” are reinforced during class time and at Assembly.
We work hard to build good relationships between all at Farr School which helps to reduce negative behaviour. Some of our pupils in the older class are trained Anti Bullying Ambassadors. Regular activities are organised to promote anti bullying awareness.
12. Homework
We encourage children to complete a variety of homework activities that reinforce and consolidate learning at home. The Learning Council is currently reviewing our homework guidelines in consultation with pupils, staff and parents.
13. Library Service
The mobile library visits the school every third Monday. Children are encouraged to take home books from the school library. Books may be kept for a maximum of three weeks though they may be returned earlier if desired.
14. School Meals
A healthy snack is provided each day to allow all children to share a healthy social occasion.
Our school meals are cooked on the premises. Each meal costs £2.10. A summer and winter menu is issued and sent home. Parents are asked to co-operate by ensuring that dinner money and choice leaflets are returned to school by Friday before the following week.
P1, 2 and 3 children are eligible for free school meals.
Children in P4, 5 6 & 7 are eligible if the family receive Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income based)
Forms are available from school or Area Education Office, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NT.
www.highland.gov.uk/info/878/schools/9/school_meals/
Children are able to eat packed lunches in school. It should be noted that under Health & Safety regulations, glass bottles or containers are not permitted.
15. School Transport
Children under the age of eight who live more than two miles from the school are entitled to free transport. Children aged eight and over are entitled to free transport if they live over three miles from school.
Forms are available in school if you are eligible for transport or on the Highland Council website.
16. School Uniform
School uniform is obtainable from:
Schoolwear Made Easy,
Unit 4, 5 Harbour Road
Inverness IV1 1UF Tel: 01463 222022
17. Equal Opportunities
Farr School is an equal opportunities school. We value all people equally and celebrate the differences between all members of our school community and uphold the principles of inclusive education.
18. Transfer to Secondary School
Pupils from Farr School transfer to Inverness Royal Academy for secondary education. As pupils reach the end of primary 7, efforts are made to ease the transition from primary to secondary education, through exchange visits involving both pupils and staff and the sharing of information between staff. The Royal Academy also organises meetings for parents in January and June.
For further information contact:
Mr Nigel Engstrand Rector
Inverness Royal Academy Culduthel Road, Inverness IV2 6RE
TEL: 01463 222884
19. Parent Council and FANS
Our school is supported by our Parent Council and Farr School And Nursery Supporters. Parent Council is a group of parents selected to represent all parents of children at the school.
There are regular meetings where topics are discussed and actions taken, including fund raising events. Ultimately the children benefit greatly from this input and all staff appreciate this contact with parents. We wish to stress we hope you feel you are able to make a contribution whether it is big or small.
We also welcome parents and friends of the school to share their skills and expertise with us in other ways too, for example our pupils enjoy learning about gardening from our regular help at golden time.
Any parent who wishes to raise an issue for the Parent Council to consider can do so by contacting:
Members
Parent Council FANS
Philine Van der Heide Chair Carol Smith Chair
Denise Hardie Vice Chair Donna Haldane Treasurer
Rebecca Read Secretary Mairianne Nairn Secretary
20. Health and Welfare
The school nurse Mrs MacBeath carries out a variety of short assessments with all new entrants during their first year to which parents are invited to attend. She also visits the school at regular intervals and is always happy to discuss any matters of children’s health and welfare with parents.
The school dentist visits the school annually to examine P1 and P7 children’s teeth. Individual results are reported back to parents.
Sometimes a child becomes ill at school. In such cases the parent or emergency contact will be informed and, if necessary asked to collect the child. Accidents may happen and if small,l e.g. grazed knee, will be dealt with in school.
If a child has a head injury then parents are always contacted and an adult will observe the child to ensure they do not become unwell.
If a child has a more serious injury appropriate medical interventions should take place and the parents informed as soon as possible. We ask for your cooperation with this by ensuring your contact details are kept up to date.
21. Child Protection
From time to time pupils may disclose information to staff within the school setting which cause concern. Such disclosures could indicate that a pupil is suffering some form of abuse. In terms of Highland Council Child Protection Guidelines, Education Service staff must report such disclosures immediately and without parental consent to Social Work Services. This in turn can lead to a joint Social Work/Police investigation.
All agencies involved in Child Protection are obliged to make the welfare of children their paramount consideration and this will be the priority for Education Service staff.
More information about Child Protection Procedures within Highland can be obtained from the
Child Protection Officer, Eliz MacIntosh, Tel: 07917596598
22. Attendance and Absence
Good attendance is vital if pupils are to achieve their full potential. Schools are required to keep an
attendance register by law. We have a responsibility for the care and welfare of all pupils during the
school day therefore need to know the whereabouts of absent pupils.
If a pupil is absent from school, parents should phone the school on the first day of absence. When
returning to school after an absence, the parent must give written reason for the time absent.
If a pupil needs to leave during the school day for an appointment please let us know beforehand by
letter, phone or email.
If pupils fall ill during the day, parents are contacted for them to collect their child, therefore it is
essential that we have up to date day time contact numbers and emergency contact numbers for all
pupils.
23. Complaints
If a parent has any concerns they should contact their child’s teacher or Mrs Fraser in the first
instance.
We will always endeavour to resolve issues by listening to parents and seeking solutions in
partnership. Should a situation not be resolved, parents can contact:
Mr Callum MacKintosh
Area Education Manager
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NT
Please note that transport is not a school responsibility and any queries should be addressed to the
Local Transport Officer, Transport Office:
http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/878/schools/12/school_transport
24. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What should my child wear to school?
A. Children should wear our school uniform so that they are comfortable and smart. We expect children to come to school appropriately dressed for the weather.
Q. What if my child has trouble settling in?
A. Your child will be invited to join classes prior to starting P1 in August. Should there be any issues settling in the class teacher will discuss this with you to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.
Q. How do I drop off and pick up my child?
A. If your child is coming to school by bus they will be dropped off in the nursery car park and will enter the school via the gate. If you are dropping your child off by car, our preference is that you park in the Community School Wood car park and walk through the woods with your child who will enter the playground via the back gate.
Q. How will I know how my child is progressing?
A. We believe in regular and open communication and will invite you to attend parent’s evenings and open afternoons throughout the year to discuss progress.
Q. How can I help my child get ready for school?
A. At this stage in their development your child is learning and developing quickly. The most important way you can help your child, at any stage of their development, is to spend time with them and be part of their day listening and talking about what is happening in their lives and having fun together. If your child brings homework to be completed please return this to school with any comments when it is due.
Q. What if my child is ill?
A. If your child becomes ill during school then we will contact you. If your child is ill then please inform us by telephone. It is important that your child is fit to attend school so that the health and well-being of others is not compromised.
Q. What if my child needs to take medicine at school.
A. Medicine cannot be administered unless parents bring the medicine into school with clearly labelled guidance for dosage/administration by the doctor/pharmacist. Staff must see this information before they can be responsible for administering the medicine.
Q. What if the school has to close unexpectedly?
A. if we have to close at short notice for any reason we will contact you or your emergency contact. We will not let children leave school or nursery unless they are in the care of a designated adult.
Adverse Weather Guidance is sent home.
25. School Calendar 2016 - 2017
Autumn term starts - 16 August 2016
Autumn term ends - 7 October 2016
Winter term starts - 24 October 2016
Winter term ends – 23 December 2016
Spring term starts - 9 January 2017
Mid-term break – 20 and 21 February 2017
Spring term ends – 5 April 2017
Summer term begins – 24 April 2017
Summer term ends – 30 June 2017
Public holidays
Good Friday – 14 April 2017
Easter Monday – 17 April 2017
May Day – 1 May 2017
In-service days
Monday 15 August 2016
Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd September 2016
Wednesday 22 February 2017
Monday 5 June 2017
