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Sgoil nan Loch Handbook 2015/16 _____________________________________________________________________ 1 Sgoil nan Loch Handbook 2015-2016
Sgoil nan Loch Handbook 2015/16
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Sgoil nan Loch Handbook
2015-2016
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LETTER FROM HT
Dear Parents/Carers,
A warm welcome to Sgoil nan Loch and to an exciting learning journey!
In our school we aim to develop every child’s skills and abilities through working in
partnership with our children, parents and staff. One of the prime purposes of Scottish
education is to make our young people aware of the values on which society is based
and to allow children to develop their skills for life and work in a nurturing
environment which allows their confidence to develop and afford them opportunities
to develop. The curriculum is an important means through which this personal
development should be encouraged. Each pupil has a different personality, some are
naturally outgoing, some shy, some are leaders, others followers and children progress
at different rates. Therefore, we aim to see children as individuals and strive towards
providing a range of activities of which they can succeed. This is done through
focusing classroom practice on the child and the four capacities of A Curriculum for
Excellence, and the Four Contexts for Learning.
Mrs Patricia Anne Macleod
Headteacher
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Contents Section 1 – School Aims and Visions
Section 2 – School Information
Section 3 – Useful Information for Parents and Carers
Section 4 – Curriculum Overview and Policy Links
Section 1
School Aims and Visions
At Sgoil nan Loch we aim to develop positive attitudes to Learning and
Teaching. In order to ensure this, we: Provide a well-balanced and varied curriculum geared to the specific needs of
the individual child.
Ensure that differentiated programmes of study provide breadth, progression
and continuity in the attainment of knowledge and skills for all our pupils.
Cater for individual learning needs through a range of teaching approaches
and a wide variety of resources.
Foster thinking and problem-solving skills.
Encourage responsibility in both personal learning and group activities.
Reinforce expectations of high personal achievement.
Provide an effective system of Planning, Assessment, Recording and
Reporting to monitor and address pupil progress and attainment.
Encourage understanding of the spiritual dimension, tolerance of the beliefs of
others and mutual respect.
Our School Ethos is to: Promote cheerfulness, fairness, courtesy, equality and mutual respect and
support.
Create a welcoming, pleasant environment where pupils’ work is seen to be
valued and shared.
Encourage and appreciate positive contributions of pupils, staff, parents and
others.
Foster a sense of identity and of pride in the school.
Develop consistent, informed and consultative management.
Encourage a sense of shared values and purpose.
Promote responsibility for care of resources, property and the school
environment.
In order to encourage pupils’ personal and social development we: Promote an atmosphere of diligence, responsibility, co-operation and mutual
respect within and outwith the classroom.
Recognise the significance of preserving self-esteem.
Help pupils acknowledge their strengths and overcome their weaknesses.
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Further pupils’ ability to meet with daily demands and to be better prepared
for more responsibilities.
Recognise the value of acknowledging both pupil achievement and genuine
effort.
Support initiative, leadership skills and individual talents.
Support and encourage pupils who experience difficulties in their
circumstances or relationships.
Further the social skills of pupils through appropriate and varied contact with
people outwith the immediate school community.
Ensure that pupils feel happy, safe and secure within school and at school
related activities.
Ensure that individual pupils know that their concerns will be listened to and
addressed.
Respond to pupils concerns promptly with care, consideration and fairness.
At Sgoil nan Loch we feel strongly about the development of
communication and links with parents and the wider community.
Therefore we: Promote the direct involvement of parents, through partnership, in the process
of their children’s education by both formal and informal means.
Develop open lines of communication and have information readily available.
Ascertain parents’ views and opinions of the school and its work and respond
accordingly.
Develop the school as an integral part of the community structure & encourage
full use of its facilities.
Regard the community as a natural educational resource which should be
drawn upon to enhance the different aspects of the school
The professional development and input of all staff is important to us, and
as a result we: Recognise the need to maintain and enhance staff motivation, professional
performance, support, job satisfaction and confidence and an ethos of co-
operation and shared values.
Encourage open discussion and shared responsibility for enhancing the school
ethos and the quality of education.
Ensure consultation and involvement in all aspects of school life, thereby
creating a sense of ownership.
Encourage personal and professional development.
At Sgoil nan Loch we encourage concern for the local and wider
environment. In order to achieve this, we: Encourage environmental responsibility amongst pupils and the school
community.
Provide a friendly and welcoming environment for school visitors.
Ensure efficient use of resources.
Provide an exciting teaching and learning environment within the building and
school grounds.
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School Improvement Plan 2015/2016
Our School Improvement Plan (SIP) sets out local authority and school priorities. The
school then draws up an annual action plan to implement the priorities for each year.
At Sgoil nan Loch our main priorities focussed the development of numeracy,
languages 1+ 2 and the development of leadership in children. A copy of Sgoil nan
Loch’s ‘Standards and Quality’ report that highlights our strengths and areas for
development and can be obtained on request from the school office.
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Contact Details
Sgoil nan Loch
Cameron Terrace
Leurbost
Lochs
Isle of Lewis
HS2 9PE
Tel: 01851 705187
e-mail: [email protected]
Headteacher – Mrs Patricia Macleod
School Admin: Mrs Joan Boyd
Staff
Luchd-Obrach aig Sgoil nan Loch Staff at Sgoil nan Loch
GME= Gaelic Medium Education
EME= English Medium Education
P= Peripatetic
Headteacher Patricia Macleod
Principal Teacher & Class 6-7 (EME) Joan Anne Smith
Principal Teacher & Class 1-3 (EME) Margaret Martin
Class Teacher: P1-2 (GME) Ann Macdonald
Class Teacher: P4-5 (EME) David Gray
Class Teacher: P3-7 (GME) Jennifer Kearns
Class Teacher: P1-3 & NCCT Margaret Joan Macleod
Class Teacher: EP Support Kate Barber
Class Teacher: Support for Learning Dawn Spark
Class Teacher: NCCT (GME) (P) Chriselle Bain
Nursery Playleader & (GME) Sandra Macdonald
Nursery Key Worker (GME) Christine Matheson
Nursery Key Worker (EME) Dina Mackenzie
Nursery Key Worker (EME) Donna Stoddart
Itinerant: Art (P) Maggie Smith
Itinerant: Music (P) Heiko Rank
Itinerant: PE (P) DJ Smith
Instructor: Gaelic Singing (P) Iain Maciver
Instructor: YMI (P) David Maclennan
Instructor: Brass (P) Gavin Woods
Instructor: Chanter (P) Nick Gordon
Auxiliary Anna Buchanan
Auxiliary Etta Campbell
Auxiliary Fiona Coutts
Auxiliary Kathleen MacRitchie
Classroom Assistant Patricia France
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Auxiliary Lesley Graham
Auxiliary Julie Mackenzie
Auxiliary Margaret Macdonald
Relief Auxiliary & Classroom Assistant Anna M Macleod
Relief Auxiliary Christina MacKay
School Assistant Joan Boyd
Janitor Willie Morrison
Cook Supervisor Jackie Macleod
Kitchen Assistant Nan Mackenzie
Head Cleaner Peter Fairclough
Cleaner Jan Fairclough
Cleaner Cathy Anne Ettles
School Roll
Pre-
School
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 Total
English 17 6 8 9 15 7 11 13 69
Gaelic 10 8 3 4 1 3 2 1 22
Total 27 14 11 13 16 10 13 14 91
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SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
2016 – 2017 MON 15 AUG 2016 - School Opens for Staff
THU 18 AUG 2016 - School Opens for Pupils
THU 13 OCT 2016 - School Closes
TUE 25 OCT 2016 - School Opens for Staff
WED 26 OCT 2016 - School Opens for Pupils
FRI 25 NOV 2016 - School Closed
MON 28 NOV 2016 - School Closed
WED 21 DEC 2016 - School Closes
THU 5 JAN 2017 - School Opens for Staff and Pupils
WED 8 FEB 2017 - Inservice – School Closed to Pupils
THU 9 FEB 2017 - School Closed
FRI 10 FEB 2017 - School Closed
MON 13 FEB 2017 - School Closed
FRI 31 MAR 2017 - School Closes
TUE 18 APR 2017 - School Opens for Staff and Pupils
FRI 28 APR 2017 - School Closed
MON 1 MAY 2017 - School Closed
FRI 30 JUN 2017 - School Closes
House System We have three houses:
Scalabhal (Yellow)
Beinne Mhor (Red)
Mobhal (Blue)
Various activities and sporting events are organised on a house basis. Captains and
Vice-Captains are selected each year. Captains are P7 pupils and Vice-Captains are
P5 pupils. These pupils help to organise teams and spread information about
forthcoming events. They lead in the life and work of the school.
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Section 3
Useful Information for Parents/Carers
Organisation of the school day School begins for all primary pupils at 9.10am.
English Nursery begins at 8.45am. Gaelic Nursery begins at 9.00am.
There is a morning break from 11.00am – 11.15am.
Lunch is staggered from 12.15pm to 1.30pm. P1-3 pupils have lunch from 12.15pm – 1.30pm,
P4-5 children from 12.20pm – 1.30pm and P6/7 children from 12.25pm – 1.30pm.
All primary children finish at 3.25pm.
Discipline on School Transport: Code of Conduct Relative to Pupils’
Behaviour Children are expected to behave appropriately on all forms of school transport. It is the parent’s
responsibility that their children behave on the bus and act responsibly and appropriately. The
driver will outline his expectations of good conduct of pupils. In the event of misbehaviour by
any pupils the driver has the right to take the names of pupils and report the behaviour to the
Headteacher. The safety of all children when travelling to and from school is paramount.
Therefore, the school has the right to refuse transport to children who persistently ignore safety
advice.
Car Parking We need to ensure that each and every one of our children is safe. As far as is possible, please be
responsible drivers and park sensibly at the school with consideration for both other road users
and children’s safety in mind. Please drive around the roundabout and enter the carpark through
the appropriate entrance. During key times please do not park in the bay outside the school.
School Dinners Provision is made for packed lunches to be eaten in the dining hall. We request that parents
ensure that packed lunches are well-balanced and healthy as we are an Eco and Health Promoting
school.
We have a cash system operating in the dining hall. Parents are requested to pay for lunches on
a daily basis. Menus and price lists are sent home on a weekly cycle to all children in P1-3.
Pupils in P4-7 can be given a menu on request, but are encouraged to look at the noticeboard in
the canteen each day, taking responsibility for their own choices and money. Applications for
free school meals can be obtained from the school office. Free meals are normally awarded on a
yearly basis. Since January 2015, all pupils in P1-3 will be entitled to free school meals.
Uniform Sgoil nan Loch’s school colours are maroon and light blue. School sweatshirts, fleeces, hoodies,
cardigans and polo shirts with the school badge, may be ordered online. Please see the link on
the website. Children are expected to wear black shoes or black trainers. Black or grey trousers
or skirts are preferable.
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The wearing of the school uniform is very strongly encouraged as it not only promotes equality
and contributes to our school identity and ethos.
For special occasions, such as school shows, performances and photographs, children are
strongly encouraged to wear a white shirt and school tie.
The use of nail varnish and make-up is not permitted.
Personal Property Children frequently lose articles of clothing at school. All clothing including jackets, sweatshirts,
footwear, PE kit, etc - should be clearly marked with the child's name. It is also helpful to have
names on packed lunches and other personal items. Unclaimed property is cleared out at the end
of each term and donated to charity.
Children are discouraged from taking expensive electronic gadgets or toys into school as the
school cannot accept responsibility for any damage or loss. The use of mobile phones is not
permitted.
PE Kit Class teachers will inform parents on a termly basis of the days that require a PE kit. For indoor
lessons, the practice will be for children to wear shorts, a change of t-shirt and non-marking
plimsolls or trainers. The wearing of football tops is not permitted. For younger children it would
be much appreciated if the shoes could be elasticated or fastened with Velcro rather than lace-up
gym shoes. Outdoor trainers should not be used for indoor PE. For health and safety reasons,
long hair must be tied back and all jewellery removed when taking part in P.E. lessons. Older
children are encouraged to use deodorant in the changing rooms.
Communication Sgoil nan Loch pride ourselves on an open door policy where, by appointment, parents can
contact relevant members of staff. We also have parents’ meetings twice a year, a pupil-led
parent afternoon and regular informal times for parents to meet with their child’s teacher e.g.
open mornings.
Our website has been updated but we will continue to send letters home regularly so please check
your child’s bag daily for these. Usually the youngest child in the family will receive any
correspondence.
Parents are encouraged to use the Homework Diary to liaise with the class teacher, where wider,
out-of-school achievements can also be recorded.
Reporting to Parents In line with Curriculum for Excellence, continuous assessment is carried out to monitor the
children’s progress throughout the session. We have a display in the foyer which reports to
parents the experiences and outcomes covered by the learning in the classroom.
A written report is sent home in June. Parents are welcome at any time to make an appointment
through the school office to discuss their child’s progress with staff or to ask for information,
support or advice on how best to support your child’s learning.
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Parental Involvement Parents are encouraged and very welcome to participate in school life, e.g. by coming and
sharing their talents/interests, helping in the library, etc. Please let us know if you are interested
in becoming involved. All parents working regularly with children are required to undertake
checks by Disclosure Scotland.
We gather parents’ opinions through questionnaires, focus groups, comments boxes, ‘post its’ for
comments at various school events.
Parent Council Sgoil nan Loch has an active Parent Partnership. Parent Council Meetings are open to all parents
and meetings are usually held termly. Minutes of each meeting can be accessed on the school
website. The aim of the Parent Council is to further enhance the education of the children by
organising fundraising and social events and help build a stronger relationship between the
school and community. The Parent Council, as a statutory body, has the right to information and
advice on matters which affect children’s education.
Emergency/Early Closure Procedure Parents will normally be notified if a departure from normal school hours is to occur. This is
usually done via Groupcall text, whereby parents are required to confirm they are aware of the
situation. Our general policy will be to remain open where possible. However, before the onset
of winter, parents will receive a letter from the school detailing the early school closure
procedure for extreme circumstances.
At any time of severe weather, the final decision on whether a pupil attends school when we
are open rests with their parent/carer. Fire drills are held at regular intervals throughout the session.
Absences/Attendances In the event of a child being absent from school, it is essential that parents/carers inform the
school by phone early in the morning of the day of absence. The school will contact home if a
child is absent without previous notice. Thereafter, other emergency numbers will be contacted
if no explanation is found. Parents MUST keep the school informed of any changes of address
or telephone numbers, both their own and those of the emergency contacts.
Other agencies may be contacted if no contact with the child’s family can be achieved and if
there are continuing or emerging concerns about a pupil’s safety or well-being.
If the child has an appointment outwith school it is also necessary to put this in writing to the
office or class teacher prior to the appointment.
If attendance is unsatisfactory, parents will be contacted. Continued unexplained absences will
need to be referred to the Local Education Office.
It is our main focus to encourage parents and children to recognise the value of learning and the
pitfalls of disrupting learning for the children, the rest of the class and the teacher. Parents are
discouraged from taking holidays during term time. However, parents should put any requests
for leave of absence, family or personal days, during term time, to the Headteacher in writing by
using the Pupil Leave of Absence form.
Any absence for wider achievement, (eg dancing competitions, swimming galas, musical events
etc) and family occasions (eg graduations, birthdays, anniversaries and weddings etc) will be
marked as an Authorised Absence.
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Any absence due to unforeseen circumstances (eg domestic emergency, death, accidents, family
incidents whereby the children have to stay elsewhere etc) will be marked as Exceptional
Domestic Circumstances.
Any absence due to holidays (eg a long weekend, a few days added on to a holiday, a term time
holiday) will be marked as an Unauthorised Absence.
ECO School Committee A committee of pupils and interested parties has been formed in Sgoil nan Loch for the purpose
to encourage pupils to think of ways in which they can help take care of their immediate school
environment. They are also encouraged to become more aware of issues which can have a
beneficial or otherwise effect on our planet.
Pupil Council We have an active pupil council this year with all classes from P3-P7 represented. Their views
and opinions are sought through regular meetings and help make a difference to various areas
within the school. They are the important pupil voice and bring to the table views and ideas of
the children. They are also leaders in learning.
Extra-Curricular Activities These are activities that children can be involved in after school. The types of activities vary
depending on the expertise available, staffing, parent involvement and the time of year. At
present we have a variety of groups that run at different times throughout the year, covering a
wide range of interests. These include P2-4 Multi-Sports Club, P5-7 Shinty, P5-7 Girls’ Netball,
and Scripture Union (Oct-Mar).
If any parent has a special interest or expertise and would like to help with the organisation of an
activity, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Transitions – Primary to Secondary On completion of Primary Education, Sgoil nan Loch children normally transfer to The Nicolson
Institute for their Secondary Education. Primary 7 children visit The Nicolson Institute on a
number of occasions prior to transferring there in August and there is a well-established
transition programme in place. The following are the contact details for The Nicolson Institute:
Mrs Fiona Cunningham, Deputy Rector, The Nicolson Institute, Springfield Road, Stornoway.
Tel: 01851 707000.
An Enhanced Transition programme is undertaken for some children who have additional
support needs or who may find the transition process challenging.
Transitions – Nursery to Primary Before leaving nursery, a report for each child will be prepared by nursery staff to hand over
to Primary School staff to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of education for the child
transferring to Primary. There will also be a number of visits to the Primary class in the lead up
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to the child commencing in P1. Both Nursery and P1 pupils share the same plans and topics. An
Enhanced Transition programme is undertaken for some children who have additional support
needs or who may find the transition process challenging.
Pupils outwith the school’s catchment area. Each school serves its own particular catchment area. Pupils whose homes are located in that
area will have priority in being allocated a place in the school. However, parents have the right
to specify the school in which they wish to place their child. Application for placing request
should be made via the Education department at the local authority.
Transportation to and from school, for placing request pupils, is a parental responsibility.
This procedure does not apply for nursery children however, if nursery pupils live outwith the
catchment area on their entry to Primary 1 a placing request would have to be completed.
There is no guarantee that your placing request will be granted.
Please note that you should still enrol your child at the local primary school for the area in which
you live. You should do this well before your child’s entry to the school in August.
Mutually convenient arrangements to visit the school can be made through the school office.
Homework The school views homework as an introduction to a regular period of private study and a valuable
discipline for the future. It provides an opportunity for reinforcement of work covered in school
time, provides structured opportunities for parental involvement and trains pupils to plan and
organise their time. Homework will involve skills that have not been previously taught in class
and will be graded to match individual abilities and requirements.
Homework should take up to 10-20 minutes a night for P1-P3; about 15 minutes to 30 minutes
for P4-P5 and up to 30-40 minutes for P4-P7 to complete. Homework will be tasks that are
revision and practise of learning and skills learned in school.
Class teachers will inform parents about the type and amount of homework their child will
receive through school/home correspondence.
P6/7 Residential Trip Each year we invite all P6/7 pupils to partake in a residential trip. We believe strongly that it
helps the children in their transition to secondary school as well as helping them appreciate the
importance of both personal responsibilities, self reliance as well as working together in teams to
develop social cohesion and awareness of one another’s differences and diversity. Children take
part in fundraising activities to develop their life and work skills and enhance their financial
education. Notice to parents in respect of cost is given at the beginning of each academic year
and the trip is usually run in Term 4. The value of the experience cannot be over stated as far as
the school is concerned and we encourage every child to attend wherever possible regardless of
ability or disability.
School Assemblies & Religious Observance We hold regular assemblies, some of which have a religious input and some of which are non-
denominational with many of them placing a large emphasis on supporting the moral values and
ethos of the school. Assemblies are conducted on a “whole-school” basis where all pupils and
staff gather together at the same time. Religious Observance will take place once a month,
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whereby a class or the Headteacher will lead the assembly but this will be supported by the local
Minister. Parents who wish to execute their right to withdraw their child from RME or Religious
Observance should put their request in writing to the Headteacher.
Medical Information It is expected that parents or carers will inform the Headteacher of any relevant information
relating to the need to administer medication to their child.
Parents should inform the school if there are any changes to medical records. Where children
have medical conditions that require specific treatment or emergency first aid, medical protocols
and specifically trained staff will be in place to support that child. Should a child require to take
medicine during the school day, parents will be asked to complete a form giving permission for
this to take place. Staff will not administer adhoc medication for minor complaints. No
medication will be administered without written permission from parents.
Information about Head Lice Head Lice are a common problem in school aged children. They can’t be prevented, but regular
checking ensures early detection and treatment if necessary. Parents and carers should check their
children’s head once a week during hair washing using your usual shampoo, conditioner, and a
detection comb – ask your local pharmacist to recommend a suitable one.
If you find a living louse, ask your local pharmacist, school nurse, health visitor or GP for advice
regarding treatment.
Parents should advise the school of all cases of 'head lice' and pupils should not be returned to
school until their hair has been treated (confidentiality is retained).
Bullying Bullying is unacceptable in all schools and when it arises we have procedures for dealing with it.
We try to be proactive and discuss effects of bullying with the children through class discussions
and at school assemblies. Parents and carers should make their children aware of cyber-bullying
which is becoming more prevalent through social networking sites which many children access
from home.
The task of staff is to identify bullying and to take action to remedy the situation. There are
regular discussions with children of the effects of bullying and inappropriate behaviour. Should
you feel worried about bullying affecting your child please phone the Headteacher to discuss.
Child Protection
From time to time incidents occur within the school setting which cause concern and could
indicate that a pupil is suffering some form of abuse. In terms of CNES Child Protection Policy
Education staff have a duty to report any such incidents or child disclosures to Social Work
Services which can lead to a joint Social Work/Police investigation.
All agencies involved in Child Protection regard the welfare of children as paramount and this
will be their priority. All staff are trained in Child Protection Procedures.
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Additional Support Needs All children need support to help them learn. Some children require more help than others.
Effective arrangements are in place to support pupils with additional needs to make successful
transitions between classes/stages/schools.
If you have a concern about your child in the primary school please contact your child’s class
teacher in the first instance or the Headteacher.
Sometimes an Action Plan or Individualised Education Programme (IEP)/Child’s Plan may be
put in place to help organise, monitor and regularly review your child’s progress.
The main source of support in early years and in schools are the staff who, through their normal
practice, are able to meet a diverse range of needs. With good quality teaching and learning and
an appropriate curriculum most children are able to benefit appropriately from education without
the need for additional support. Every teacher has the responsibility to support the learning of all
pupils in their class but some children will require short or long term additional support from our
Additional Support team. The type of support offered will vary according to the needs of pupils.
It is the aim of the school to ensure that all children reach their full potential in all areas of the
school curriculum. Considerable time and resources are given to achieving this aim and at an
early stage parents are involved should a learning difficulty be identified. If a parent considers
that his or her child has additional support needs and wishes to make enquiries about this they
should contact the Headteacher.
Enhanced Provision In Sgoil nan Loch we can provide an enhanced provision to allow children with severe and
complex needs to access the curriculum through mainstream education.
The organisation, structure and content of the day creates early childhood conditions and
developmentally relevant experiences which facilitate cognitive growth.
The adults support the children closely by:
•verbalising in detail objects, events, expectations;
•modelling what is expected and verbalising examples of peers doing this;
•maintaining routines, time intervals, sequence and order;
•using visual timetables for support;
•emphasising attention giving, looking, listening and remembering;
•repeating experiences in order to consolidate.
This enables the children to gain:
•a sense of security;
•an ordered acquisition of skills and concepts enriched by the adults’ use of language and
strengthened by the adults’personal involvement with them sharing their experiences
and providing support and purposeful direction;
•a sense of relationships of events and how they link with other events and at what time of the
day they happen;
•a sense of their own identity;
•an idea of their place in school;
•a sense of time;
•an experience of changes to routines with support;
•an idea of cause and effect relationships.
All experiences are enjoyable and engage and hold the children’s attention and satisfy an
emotional need. This enables personal, social and cognitive development.
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Promoting Positive Behaviour The aim of the school is to foster respect for each other and build positive relationships. We also
actively promote a sense of responsibility, honesty, confidence and a caring attitude.
When behaviour problems arise we deal with them in a respectful and reflective manner, whilst
helping children to take responsibility for their actions. It is important that parents/carers and
teachers work together to solve problems.
Sensitive Aspects of Learning As part of the pupil’s health and well-being curriculum there are instances where pupils will
be learning about matters of a more sensitive nature, for example, puberty, etc. In these
circumstances it will be age-related and parents will be informed prior to the particular
lessons and will be offered the opportunity to withdraw their child.
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Section 4
Curriculum Overview
The curriculum is the totality of experiences which are planned for children and young
people throughout their education. It includes the ethos and life of the school as a
community; curriculum areas and subjects; interdisciplinary learning; and opportunities for
personal achievement. The curriculum in Scottish schools is Curriculum for Excellence. There
are eight areas:
• Numeracy and Mathematics
• Literacy and English (Gàidhlig)
• Health and Wellbeing
• Expressive Arts
• Social Studies
• Sciences
• Religious and Moral Education
• Technologies
The purpose of the curriculum is to help children and young people to become:
• Successful Learners.
• Confident Individuals.
• Responsible Citizens.
• Effective Contributors.
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The curriculum puts the child at the centre and describes the experiences and outcomes for
learning and its progression. It supports learners in developing their values and beliefs and
enables them to:
• achieve the highest possible levels of literacy and numeracy and cognitive skills;
• develop skills for life and work;
• develop knowledge and understanding of society, the world and Scotland’s place in it;
• experience challenge and success so that they can develop well-informed views and
act responsibly. It will encourage them to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle.
Levels and structure We're used to following children's progress through school based on what year they are in. This
can be mapped out as shown below.
.
Early level: Nursery and Primary 1 (P1)
1st level: Primary 2-4 (P2, P3, P4)
2nd level: Primary 5-7 (P5, P6, P7)
3rd/4th level: First year – Third year (S1, S2, S3)
Senior phase: Fourth year – Sixth year (S4, S5, S6)
This is a simplified guide as children will move through the levels (and different subjects) at their
own pace. For example, a child can be in Primary 4 but progressing quickly, so would perhaps
move on to a higher level ahead of other classmates. Likewise, a child may be in P7 and find a
particular subject more challenging, and therefore not progress so quickly.
Assessment Assessment of attainment is ongoing. This may be observations; formal tests; dialogue with
pupils; evidence from written work; photographs; audio or video presentations.
Assessment is an important part of the teaching and learning process and evaluates a child’s
progress. It is carried out in a variety of ways for different purposes. It could be a daily and
ongoing observational assessment by the teacher or a summative assessment at the end of a block
of work. It may be to provide information on pupil progress, to diagnose an area of difficulty or
to communicate to parents and pupils their areas of strength or concern.
We involve children in what is to be learned and in how to achieve it. Meaningful feedback to
children from teachers helps them to self/peer assess their work and improve. The school has
differentiated Presentation and Marking Codes, which are used across all the classes.
Sgoil nan Loch Handbook 2015/16
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Sgoil nan Loch, along with all other local authority schools, also undertakes some computer
based assessments in P3, P5 and P7 in reading and maths. These give teachers extra information
to match against what the children know from their own on-going assessment.
