Welcome to Foyers School

2020

-2021

Foyers

Primary

School

Highland SchoolsFoyers Primary School

01456 486612foyers.primary@highland.gov.uk

Welcome to Foyers Primary School

Welcome!

In the following pages you will find information about our school. This is intended mainly for the parents of children at the school, but also for any member of the public who has an interest in our work.

A booklet, however, can only tell you so much! We strongly believe that school life is part of the life of the community, and that education is a partnership between children, parents, and teachers within that community.

Currently our school roll is 8 pupils, ranging from Primary 1 for children aged 4/5 years to Primary 7 for those aged 11/12 years.

If you wish to know more about Foyers School, remember that we welcome visits from interested parties and our door is always open. All we ask is that you try to arrange a suitable time.

You can contact the school any time, though the office is not always manned there is an answer machine that is checked daily and someone will return your call as soon as possible.

Mrs Louise RobertsonCluster Head teacher Foyers Primary SchoolFoyers IV2 6XUTel. 01456 486612E-mail foyers.primary@highland.gov.uk

The School

Our school is located in woodland about 125 metres (400 feet) above Loch Ness. Both the school and the village of Foyers afford outstanding views of the Loch and its surrounding countryside. The village itself is famous for spectacular waterfalls although they are but one remarkable feature in a district which is exceptional for its landscapes, wildlife, and historical and archaeological interest. In other words, Foyers is a rich and stimulating environment for children and the physical surroundings of the school are an important educational asset which we must surely take full account of in planning educational activities.

Established early this century as a ‘junior-secondary’ school, mainly for the children of families drawn into the area by the large-scale aluminium smelting industry, Foyers Primary was then refurbished. It is a warm and spacious little school with ample accommodation for its current complement of 8 children, and scope for considerably expanded pupil numbers in future.

There are two classrooms in use at present as well as a comparatively large hall for physical education, assemblies and other activities. The hall doubles as a dining room and has a clean, fresh kitchen attached where delicious school meals are prepared fresh every day.

Our roll is at present standing at 8 children.

School Hours for Pupils

Primary 1 – 7 9.00am – 3.00pm

Morning Interval (all) 10.40am – 10.55am

Lunch Break 12.30-1.10pm

Admission to School

We have to follow certain procedures when children begin school.

Children may be admitted into the school, each August, provided they will be five years old before the end of the following February.

Enrolment week commences week beginning Monday 26 January 2020 and will be advertised in the local press.

Admission forms can be obtained from the school or by completing them electronically from the Highland Council website.

You should bring your child’s birth certificate when enrolling him or her.

In May/June we will invite newly enrolled children to spend one afternoon a week over four weeks with us. They will be able to mix with other children, and to become acquainted with the school, the teachers, other members of staff, as well as start to familiarise themselves with some of the daily routines.

If you have any questions, do feel free to email or telephone and arrange a mutually convenient time.

Our Staff

The Head teacher is a cluster Headteacher and covers another primary school at Aldourie, by Dores. She is present in school 2/3 days per week. We have one class teachers and a part-time PSA.

We also have a cook and cleaner, and a part-time administrative assistant. Visiting janitors ensure that the school buildings and grounds are well maintained.

For staff list see Appendix I.

Parental Involvement

In Foyers, the staff lay great emphasis on teamwork and we believe that this should include parents, wherever possible. School can do a great deal for your child, but you are the most decisive influence of all. We should all be working together in the interests of your child’s education. To this end we will conduct two yearly anonymous surveys of the parents to gather parental opinion and to share their views. This will help us to gauge how well we are doing and to highlight areas that we need to look at in more detail.

We use homework diaries to communicate with parents not only about homework but as reminders for important dates e.g. trips, visitors to school and any learning landmarks that the child has achieved. We also encourage feedback from parents through the diaries about the child, their learning or any concerns that have arisen. Regular newsletters are also issued giving advance notice of trips, performances, advice.

We are keen to meet with parents too and have two formal parent interviews in the year, usually during November and March. In the summer term, May/June, we send out written reports about your child’s achievements throughout the year.Throughout the year parents will also be invited to workshops about different areas of the curriculum and performances by the children e.g. pantomimes, assemblies, St Andrews day etc.

Finally it is important that parents come to see us whenever they are concerned about an issue and to this end we operate an “open door” policy

and can be contacted any time. If we cannot see you straight away, e.g. because of teaching engagements, we will organise an appointment then so that any concerns are dealt with, within 24 hours where possible.

If you are not happy with the way we have dealt with an issue we have a complaints procedure.

Complaints Procedure see appendix 2

Attendance

Good attendance is vital if pupils are to achieve their full potential. But if a pupil is absent from school, a parent or guardian should phone the school on the first day of absence, on the school number 01463 751272. When returning to school after an absence, the parent or guardian must give written reason for the time absent.

Permission to leave during the school day: If a pupil needs to leave during the school day for an appointment etc, pupils need to bring with them a note from parent or guardian. Pupils must report to the school reception and ‘sign out’, if returning the same day, they must report again to the reception and sign in. Where at all possible, medical and dental appointments should be made out with school hours.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.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 we need to know the whereabouts of absent pupils. When parents are considering whether or not to remove their children from school for a family holiday, they should be aware that such a decision:• will result in a significant loss in classroom experience;• will result in a pressure to ‘catch up’ on missed work by pupils;• could result in pupils missing assessments with consequential impact on pupils and teachers;• could result in the loss of curricular activities;• will affect school attendance records and efforts to raise standards of attendance;

• under the guidance issued at a national level, most family holidays will be coded as unauthorised absence, only in exceptional cases will the absence be recorded as authorised.

In conclusion, we would ask parents to be aware of these considerations when making decisions on planning holidays during term time. If parents decide to make holiday arrangements during school term, this should be confirmed in writing to the Head Teacher.

Parent Council

We are fortunate to have an active parent council and would encourage any new parents to become involved in the great work that they do. Much of this work is centred on fundraising but also involves organising and supporting social activities. For further information please contact any of the parents below.

Chairperson: Ms Carol-Ann Steiner, email: carolannsteiner78@gmail.com

Secretary: Mrs Ewelina Gerhke, email : myszka207@hotmail.com

Treasurer: Mrs Susan Denoon, email: kennysautos@hotmail.com

Foyers School Aims

Successful Learners

Foyers Primary aims to bring the best out of every child’s ability by

Delivering a broad and balanced curriculum in line with “Curriculum for Excellence” Creating of an ethos of achievement By fostering positive attitudes to learning Matching the needs and abilities of individual children Encouraging independent and creative thinking while taking personal responsibility for learning Using technology to support learning Working with parents / carers, partner agencies and the wider community Ensuring Staff Development through Continued Professional Development Through close working relationships with local Primary Schools Using a variety of teaching methods which ensure appropriate pace of learning and

good quality teacher /pupil interaction

Confident individuals

Foyers Primary aims to provide a caring, purposeful environment by

Encouraging children to be kind, thoughtful and helpful Providing experiences in which our children take the initiative and lead Speaking openly and honestly Offering opportunities to assess risk and make informed decisions Encouraging responsibility for our own health Enabling all pupils to realise their own potential whether physical, psychological or

social and increase their self esteem

Responsible citizens

Foyers Primary aims to encourage high standards of personal and social responsibility by

Developing pupil’s self-discipline and self-respect Fostering concern and understanding for others Encouraging tolerance and respect for the differences in others Encouraging a sense of pride and identity with the school Making links with members of the local community Fostering a regard for the environment and understanding of citizenship Developing ability to make informed choices and develop balanced views Celebrating ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity Developing knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it

Effective contributors

Foyers Primary aims to encourage our children to communicate effectively by

Sharing our thoughts, opinions and ideas to our class, school and wider community Providing opportunities for pupils to work in partnerships and teams Providing experiences in which our children take the initiative and lead Encouraging an enterprising attitude Ensuring regular and purposeful communication with parents. Providing clear well-presented information

The Curriculum

Our curriculum is based on Curriculum for Excellence guidelines published by the Scottish Office. We try to ensure that the curriculum is broad and challenging and emphasises relationships between the different curricular areas.

Mathematics

Children will develop their understanding in:Number Money TimeShape PatternProbability Measurement Data handling.

From the early stages onwards, children should experience success and develop the confidence to take risks, ask questions and explore alternative solutions without fear of being wrong. They will enjoy exploring and applying mathematical concepts to understand and solve problems, explain their thinking and present their solutions to others in a variety of ways. Our aim is to educate the child in the critical use of the concepts in a wide range of problem-solving tasks.

Exploring ShapesEnglish Language

Children at Foyers PS should experience an environment which is rich in language and which sets high standards for literacy and the use of language. They will need to spend time with stories, poems, newspapers and other texts which will enrich their learning, develop their language skills and encourage them to find a lifelong enjoyment of reading. Spoken language has particular importance in the early years. At Foyers we will balance play-based learning with the more systematic development and learning of skills and techniques for reading, including phonics. In the early years we use Jolly Phonics to introduce the initial sounds. This approach ensures that all learning styles are included (Visual, auditory and kinaesthetic.) The school has a well-stocked library from which children are encouraged to borrow books. The mobile library van also visits on Wednesday afternoons every three weeks and children are allowed to borrow up to six books to take home. In addition to using language for practical purposes, children also need an understanding of its power to express values, develop self-expression and promote clear, logical thought.

Health and Well-being

Learning through health and well-being enables children to make informed decisions to improve their mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing. We will provide opportunities throughout the curriculum where the children will be challenged and feel enjoyment. We hope to be able to establish a pattern of health and well-being which they will sustain into secondary school and adult life. All teachers at Foyers Primary are responsible for promoting confidence, independent thinking and positive attitudes when working with the children and with each other. Eco-schools is a good motivator for providing stimulating contexts around Health and wellbeing. At lunchtimes children are encouraged to make decisions based on healthy choices.To nurture this healthy attitude the children will be involved in experiences where they will investigate:

Food and health Substance Misuse Relationships Physical Education Planning for choices and changes.

Parents will be informed about sensitive aspects of this learning e.g. Sexual Health prior to the work commencing.

Sciences

New discoveries and technologies fascinate children. Through learning in the sciences children will develop an interest and understanding of the living, material and physical world. They will engage in a wide range of collaborative investigative tasks around the key concepts of:

Planet Earth Forces Electricity and waves Biological systems Materials Topical science

Social Studies

Through social studies children will develop their understanding about other people and their values, in different times, places and circumstances; they will also develop their understanding of their environment and how it was shaped. Social Studies are organised into three main areas, People, past events and societies, People place and environment, People in society, economy and business. Children will engage in active learning opportunities where the will observe, explore, experiment and play. They will also have the opportunity to work independently and collaboratively using a wide range of technologies.

Technologies

Children will develop an understanding of the role and impact of technologies in changing societies; contribute to building a better world by taking responsible ethical action to improve their lives and the lives of others and the environment. This will be achieved in part through global citizenship activities and sustainable development activities in the Eco-schools programme.

Religious and Moral Education

Children will become aware that beliefs and values are fundamental to families and to society within their local community, Scotland and indeed the world. Children will develop an understanding of Christianity, learning from it as well as about it and consider its place in the world alongside other faiths and cultures which they will also investigate, and develop knowledge of.

Expressive Arts

Art and design, drama, music and physical education are the means by which people have always expressed their cultures and personalities. The children, through involvement in all these activities, should have the maximum opportunity to develop what is special in themselves and, at the same time, to learn to co-operate with others. They will recognise and value the great diversity of forms of communication, expression and cultures locally, nationally and globally.

Homework

The purpose in setting homework is to encourage independence and good learning habits, to consolidate work taught in school and to provide opportunities for parents to become involved in their child’s learning.

Time allocation for Homework

The following is a guide for time that should be spent on homework averaging out per night:

Primary 1 and 2 – up to 10 minutes a night Primary 3 and 4 – up to 15 minutes a night Primary 5, 6 and 7 – up to 20 minutes a night

Reading

At the early stages it is appreciated if the parents read the story, discuss the pictures, the main characters and ask the child to anticipate what might happen next. The children will usually also have sight words to learn. Sometimes, children may be asked to read the next chapter/s in a short text as they become more able readers.As children become more able readers they will have a group novel as well as a personal novel. The children may be asked to give a short resume to the class of what they have read in their personal novel as part of their listening and talking activities.

Spelling

The children are given out spelling words to learn over the week. Often they will be words with a common letter pattern but they will also learn to spell common words that may not follow a spelling rule.

Other language homework

The children may be asked to complete other language homework based on work being taught in the class e.g. aspects of grammar, crosswords or French vocabulary. Children will be asked to prepare short talks (termly) to present to classmates. Other homework given on a less regular basis may involve the child in some project based personal ‘research’ activities associated with a group book study.

Maths homework

At all stages from P1-7 there will be maths activities to complete. These tasks are directly linked to maths being taught in school and often require parents to play a game or undertake an activity with the child. Number bonds and times tables as appropriate are also given as homework to be reinforced at home. At times, problem solving activities are sent home to reinforce strategies learnt in school.

If a child begins to fall behind his/her group or does not complete given work in school then they may be given work home to catch up, but this should only be on the odd occasion and if there are any on-going problems with this, the class teacher should contact the parents to try and resolve them.

Celebrating Achievements

Celebrating achievement in school is important to us and we do this in a number of ways. Within the classroom setting we have classdojo points stickers and certificates for the children for their behaviour, school work and the effort made in class. We also celebrate achievement through learning profiles, wall displays and the children contributing their own thoughts about what they think they have done well in and how they achieved that. We also celebrate and track what the children achieve outside of school in sports and musical activities, Brownies, Cubs etc. through Show and Tell activities and collecting photographs for their achievement folders.

Community involvement is important to us and we happily invite a wide range of visitors to the school including ministers of different denominational bodies. We have also in the past supported the local coffee morning for the elderly by offering a variety of entertainment.

Living in such a beautiful part of the world with the countryside at our gates we believe in using the outdoors in a variety of ways. We make visits to our surrounding area where we investigate the habitat and creatures that live in this area. We also visit the forestry area and collect objects for art and craft activities. The playground area also offers space for large scale estimating and measuring tasks, or literacy word hunts.

Throughout all of these activities we encourage the children to be tolerant and respectful to each other and the people they meet and work with.

Assessment of Progress

Continuous assessment is used in school so that the progress of each child can be monitored. Records of children’s work are kept and parents are welcome to discuss their children’s progress at a time suitable to both parties. All staff are encouraged to use Assessment is for Learning strategies and attend the rural schools South Loch Ness Network to develop and share good practice.Children will also take part in the Scottish National Standardised Assessments in P1,P4 and P7. This is an individual assessment of reading comprehension, spelling, numeracy completed on the computer. The results of these assessments help to inform the teacher of key strengths and pressures felt by the children. Information is kept in the child’s learning profile.

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 or the ‘named person’, who will usually be the head teacher. In a secondary school, the named person will usually be the Principal Teacher Guidance/Pupil Support. 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.

Another organisation that provides advice and support to parents of children and young people with ASN is Enquire. Enquire can help ensure parents are aware of arrangements to support their child in school should they need extra

support and direct them to sources of information and advice about additional support for learning.

Enquire is funded by the Scottish Government to provide information on the framework for supporting children who require additional support for learning and to encourage positive partnerships between families, schools and local authorities to ensure children get the right support.

Enquire – the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning

Enquire offers independent, confidential advice and information on additional support for learning through:

Telephone Helpline: 0845 123 2303Email Enquiry service: info@enquire.org.uk

Advice and information is also available at www.enquire.org.uk

Enquire provides a range of clear and easy-to-read guides and factsheets including The parents’ guide to additional support for learning.

Extra-Curricular Activities

We usually hold our annual school sports in June. We will also enter a team to represent the school at the Primary Inter-School Sports held at the Bught Park each year if the children at that time wish to. Our sports co-ordinator Miss Sarah Leibnitz arranges sporting events during holiday times and after school. Sking at the Nevis Range for four days over the winter has also become a regular feature of our calendar for P5-7s with P1-4 having a one day taster session every winter. Swimming instruction is offered for P1 to P7 for one term at Inverness Aquadome. The whole school undertake day trips as part of their topic work. Permission for these outings is requested from parents at the start of the session. Whenever children are going on a trip an information sheet is issued to parents. The costs of the trips are met by school budget, parents and through fundraising.P7 pupils also take part in a week long residential trip to Loch Insh along with P7s Aldourie Primary.

General InformationUniformWe have lovely bright red sweatshirts with the school logo for our school uniform and this can be worn with navy, black or dark grey trousers or skirts. These can be obtained from Gilmour Sports - Schoolwear Made Easy located at:

Unit 4/557 Harbour RoadInvernessIV1 1UFTel.01463 222022 For PE children are encouraged to change into shorts and tee-shirts. Children should bring gym shoes or trainers for gym.

Foyers School Sweatshirt (Above)

School Meals

Meals are cooked in the school kitchen on a daily basis with drinks and healthy snacks also sold in the canteen during break times. The lunch menus run on a four weekly cyclic menu over the summer and winter months. Meals should

be paid for at the beginning of each week (£2.30 per meal), and break time snacks at the time of consumption. Parents who are in receipt of Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income based) can apply for free meals for their children and application forms are obtainable from the school or from ECS Catering Service, Ruthven House, Drummond Road, Inverness, IV2 4NZParents may, of course, provide children with packed lunches, but if it is their intention to change from one to the other, it is most helpful to the cook to receive a week’s notice. Due to health and safety regulations we ask that no glass bottles or containers are used in packed lunches.

Transport

Normally children under the age of 8 who live two miles or more from school are eligible for free transport in the school taxi. Those of 8 years and over are eligible for free transport if they live three miles or more from school. At present this does not apply if you send your child to a school outside the normal catchment area. Due to safety concerns with the lack of a pavement at Foyers there is currently a taxi for children whose parents are unable to transport them to school and have to walk.Forms are available online from the Highland Council website at if you feel that you are eligible for transport.

Emergencies

In the case of children feeling unwell in school, parents are informed. After consultation with them, pupils may be taken home. Parents are asked to inform the school if they are working and to provide a telephone number for emergencies of a neighbour or relative who is willing to look after a child.

If the school has to close in an emergency, (because of severe weather for example) children will not be sent home until teachers are satisfied that either parents or emergency contacts are available. When parents are doubtful about sending children to school in severe weather, it is best to keep them at home.

Health

Medical checks are given regularly by the school nurse, particularly in the child’s first and last year of primary school. On these two occasions, parents may attend if they wish.

All children are encouraged to brush their teeth each afternoon. Parental permission must be granted.

Child Protection

From time to time incidents can occur within the school setting which cause concern and could indicate that a pupil is suffering some form of abuse.In terms of Highland Child Protection Committee Inter-agency Protection Guidelines, Education Service staff have to report such incidents 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.More information about Child Protection Procedures within Highland can be obtained from:

Child Protection Development Officer Highland Child Protection Committee Kinmylies BuildingLeachkin RoadInvernessIV3 8NN Telephone (01463) 703483 Fax (01463) 713237

Standards of Behaviour

We believe that responsibility for good behaviour must be shared equally by teachers, children and parents. School rules exist mainly to protect the child within the school environment. Courtesy to, and consideration for others, respect for property, honesty, integrity and industry are the basic elements. These create an atmosphere conducive to sound learning and the development of self-discipline. Parents will be invited to discuss any behavioural problems which occur.

Minor infringements of rules are dealt with informally by the teacher; parents will be notified of more serious or persistent bad behaviour.

Children follow these “Golden Rules” in school:

Do be gentle Do be kind and helpful

Do work hard Do look after property Do listen to people Do be honest

These “Golden Rules” are reinforced during class time and at Assembly. If children adhere to them they get 30 minutes of “Golden Time” on Friday afternoon when they have a choice of activities. Time is deducted from Golden Time for any bad behaviour throughout the week. School Fund

The School Fund operates according to Highland Council guidelines and is subject to an independent annual audit. The money helps us to buy items for the school which we otherwise could not afford. It pays for trips and outings and plays an increasingly important part in these days of financial stringency. Children and parents have been involved in raising funds and we are especially grateful to all those who have helped in this way.

Secondary School

Children from Foyers usually attend Inverness Royal Academy after completing their Primary 7 year. Free school transport is provided. Some also attend Kilchuimen Academy in Fort Augustus, although transport there is provided by parents.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 information exchange between staffs. The Royal Academy also organises meeting for parents.

For further information contact:

INVERNESS ROYAL ACADEMYCulduthel Road

InvernessIV2 6RE

Tel: 01463 222884Fax: 01463 243591

E-mail: ira@highland.gov.uk

KILCHUIMEN ACADEMYStation Road

Fort Augustus PH32 4DL

Tel: (01320) 366296Fax: (01320) 366439

Email : kilchuimen.academy@highland.gov.uk

School Improvement

Standards and Quality report can be found as Appendix 3.School Improvement Plan can be found as Appendix 4.Further information can also be found at www.educationscotland.gov.uk If this booklet does not answer all your questions about Foyers School, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be glad to try and help. There is always a teacher available between 9.00 am and 4.30 pm on weekdays.

Appendix 1 School Staff

Head teacher Louise Robertson

Class Teacher Rachel Pinkerton P1-7

Pupil Support Assistant Fiona Kirkland

Clerical Assistant Belinda Sanderson

Cook Fiona Kirkland

Cleaner Fiona Kirkland

Appendix 2 Complaints Policy

Parents in the first instance should contact Mrs Louise Robertson, the Head teacher. Complaints will be responded to within 48 hours. The complainant will be listened to and notes taken with specific details which will be agreed at the end of the meeting. The HT will then investigate the complaint which may take time depending on the nature of the complaint. Everyone who needs to know about the complaint will be informed but all discussions must remain confidential. Once evidence has been collated and the investigation is completed we will seek to resolve the issue. The HT will meet with the complainant to convey the decision and discuss options for resolving the issue. Depending on the seriousness of the complaint, the HT might ask for assistance from Highland Council managers to plan and manage this process. The school may seek feedback on the school’s handling of the complaint. A form will be sent out to get feedback with the following questions.How well did you feel we listened to you?How comfortable did you feel about approaching the Head teacher, or other school representatives?How happy did you feel with how we resolved the issue?Do you think there is anything that we can do to improve our system?Other comments?

Parent may also wish to use this link to Parentline:

https://www.children1st.org.uk/help-for-families/parentline-scotland/

Appendix 3: Standards and Quality Report 2018-2019 leading into School Improvement Plan 2019-2020

SCHOOL STANDARDS AND QUALITY REPORT

2018/19

Standards and Quality Report

Context of the school: Foyers PS is a small rural school which has an expected school roll of 11 P1-7 pupils in August 2019. Pupils will be taught in one class of P1-7 pupils. Foyers sits 18miles from

School: Foyers Primary School

Head Teacher: Louise Robertson

Date submitted: 19.06.19

the edge of Inverness and serves the village of Foyers and the surrounding area. Due to the rural nature of the school we have a wide demographic ranging from those in high socio-economic bands to those experiencing the challenges of rural deprivation. Transport links to Inverness are along a single track road with the local bus running to Inverness 3 times a day. The village of Foyers is itself divided into two distinct areas of Lower and Upper Foyers which are on the side of a steep hill, causing links between the two parts of Foyers to be challenging and maintaining relationships difficult.

We have one full time teacher and PSA 13 hours a week. For session 2018-2019 we were appointed an ASN teacher (0.2). This post was not advertised due to HC financial cut backs but was maintained with HC agreement through SAL 6s. We also have a PE teacher to cover CCR for 2 hours per week.

Foyers PS is part of a cluster pairing with Aldourie PS, twelve miles along the shores of Loch Ness and the two schools have regular activities together covering Health and Wellbeing and also sharing opportunities for wider engagement. A South Loch Ness Schools Network has been established with Aldourie PS, Stratherrick PS and Farr PS. This network will hopefully be supportive for the IRA rural schools to collaborate together as there is now consistency of head teachers who have built up supportive relationships. Moderation activities are planned across the IRA ASG.

HMIE visited the school in April 2019 through a short model inspection. They recognised the positive relationships between teachers and children which lead to a purposeful, inclusive learning climate characterised by mutual respect. It was also noticed that children were hardworking, courteous, well behaved and enjoy coming to school. They recognised a well-organised learning environment which was enhanced by the quality of teaching. Children experienced direct teaching in appropriate groupings and there were regular check in’s with groups of children as each lesson progressed. Teachers’ use of skilled questioning was encouraging children to learn. Effective use of digital technology was also engaging and enhancing children’s learning.

Areas for improvement were identified including

• Ensuring that all assessment strategies provide the reliable evidence needed to report on children’s progress and attainment.

• Raise attainment with a particular focus on numeracy and mathematics. The school needs to introduce more rigorous approaches to tracking over time to ensure children are making progress as they move through the school.

School Vision, Values and Aims:“Working together to inspire learning and achievement in Highland

Communities”

“From small seeds mighty trees grow!”

Successful Learners

Foyers Primary aims to maximise every child’s attainment by

• Delivering a broad and balanced curriculum in line with “Curriculum for Excellence”

• Creating an ethos of achievement

• Fostering positive attitudes to learning

• Matching learning to the needs and abilities of individual children

• Encouraging independent and creative thinking while taking personal responsibility for learning

• Using technology to support learning

• Working with parents / carers, partner agencies and the wider community

• Ensuring Staff Development through Continued Professional Development

• Through close working relationships with local Primary Schools

• Using a variety of teaching methods which ensure appropriate pace of learning and

good quality teacher /pupil interaction

Confident individuals

Foyers Primary aims to provide a caring, purposeful environment where children flourish by

• Encouraging children to be kind, thoughtful and helpful

• Providing experiences in which our children take the initiative and lead

• Speaking openly and honestly

• Offering opportunities to assess risk and make informed decisions

• Encouraging responsibility for our own health

• Enabling all pupils to realise their own potential whether physical, psychological or social and increase their self esteem

Responsible citizens

Foyers Primary aims to encourage high standards of personal and social responsibility by

• Developing pupil’s self-discipline and self-respect

• Fostering concern and understanding for others

• Encouraging tolerance and respect for the differences in others

• Encouraging a sense of pride and identity with the school

• Making links with members of the local community

• Fostering a regard for the environment and understanding of citizenship

• Developing ability to make informed choices and develop balanced views

• Celebrating ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity

• Developing knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it

Effective contributors

Foyers Primary aims to encourage our children to make effective contributions by

• Sharing thoughts, opinions and ideas to our class, school and wider community

• Providing opportunities for pupils to work in partnerships and teams

• Providing experiences in which our children take the initiative and lead

• Encouraging an enterprising attitude

• Engaging in creative, problem solving approaches through collaborative working

• Ensuring regular and purposeful communication with parents.

• Providing clear well-presented information

Summary of Standards and Quality Report/School Improvement Plan engagement process:Participants Engagement detailsTeachers and other staff

Inset Day:17/08/2019 HGIOS 4 QI 2.3 Key Assessments tasks18/09/2019 HGIOS 4 QI 3.2 and Profiling01/06/2019 SIP Discussion on identified priorities for 2019-2020CAT session on :29/01/2019 KATS moderation12/02/2019 School self-evaulation towards SIP07/05/2019 HGIOS 4 Self-evaluation QI 2.3/3.2 and review of HMIE visit to Foyers14/05/2019 – HGIOS 4 Self-evaluation QI 1.3/3.1

Parents SIP shared with Parents on Open Afternoon 05/09/2018Parent Council Meeting on 01/04/2019End of term assembly 03/07/2019HMIE Parent questionnaire April 2019

Pupils Pupil Council Meetings: Sept/Nov/Feb/MayHMIE Pupil questionnaire April 2019Pupil Assembly 12.06.2019End of term assembly 03/07/2019

Volunteers working in school (such as parents taking after-school activities, 3rd

sector engagement etc.)Other partners

Associated Schools Group

05/06/2019 ASG Meeting to discuss shared priorities for 2019-2020, also set dates for moderation meetings with all staff

Review of School Improvement Work against the National Improvement Framework PrioritiesWhat have we done to close the attainment gap?Relevant Improvement Priority title/ Pupil Equity Funding project/ Scottish Attainment Challenge additional funding project: :

Developing the use of assessment to inform learning and teaching

Impact and data

KATs have become a useful planning tool for class teachers. Evidence of their use across the curriculum can be seen in teachers planning folder. Progression across CfE levels can be more clearly seen. Teachers planning folders also demonstrate a wider breadth of learning which has required the learner to draw on a range of learning from a number of Es and Os across the different organisers. Planned assessments are starting to demonstrate challenge which promote higher order thinking skills and application of learning in new and unfamiliar situations. Self and Peer assessment is becoming more prevalent in classroom observations this is helping pupils understand what is considered good work. It is also offering support through modelling. Pupils are also more able to discuss their learning and take responsibility for it through the use of learning conversations to support continuous dialogue. Teachers are starting to feel more confident in making judgements of which children are attaining Early/First/Second Levels within CfE and also progress through the levels.Parental engagement has been encouraged and parents are more aware of where their child is within CfE levels of attainment. The school open door policy is a major strength allowing most concerns to be responded to early. Through questionnaires parents feel supported and that their input is valued.

What have we done to raise attainment, particularly in Literacy and Numeracy?Relevant Improvement Priority title:

Audit teaching and learning in numeracyImpact and data

Pupils are now able to articulate where they are in CfE levels of numeracy and to describe the different ways that they are learning in numeracy. Some children are also able to offer a preference in how they are learning. Using key assessment tasks at the planning stage shows a wider range of numeracy skills being reflected within different contexts. The use of HNP diagnostic tests support staff to be more aware of here the children are in their numeracy and then track the progress children are making. Staff have shared each learner’s progress with the learner and their families through Foyers Learning Ladders. Through teachers plans and classroom visits numeracy teaching and learning is appropriately differentiated and challenging. SNSA data has also provided class teachers with information about children’s learning and is being used to support planning and teachers judgement of a level. Regular CAT meetings for all staff from the two cluster schools ensure good practice is shared and staff are supported. Teachers are providing clearer and more consistent numeracy LI/SC through KATs which have developed to offer a more holistic task to assess progress. Pupils have developed a better understanding of their learning and what they need to do to improve within numeracy in particular. Information about pupils’ learning and achievements in numeracy are more effectively shared ensuring continuity in learning across the curriculum from class to class and at key transition times primary-secondary.Further work to aid staff having a greater understanding of the HC numeracy

progressions is needed. Moderation activities across a wider forum would aid consistency in judgement of achievement of a level, which would be beneficial to all staff to build confidence. Greater rigor during termly review of children’s progress in attainment through standardised tests and KATs should be made through identifying patterns in school attainment grid.

What have we done to improve children and young people’s health and wellbeing?Relevant Improvement Priority title/ school project:

Tracking attainment and achievement to deliver a continuous Profile and ReportImpact and data

PEF funding of the breakfast club has ensured that all children have had the opportunity to have something to eat before school or if they are hungry throughout the day.Pupils as learners have developed a profile which demonstrates ‘Who I am in my learning?’, ‘Where I am in my learning?’ and ‘Where do I want to get to?’ This is being shared with parents through learner’s assemblies, parent’s interviews, Foyers Learning Ladders and school reports.Staff have supported this through building KATS some of which have been shared with parents. Learner’s conversations are providing effective feedback but need more time towards them particularly in the P1-3 stages. Children through questionnaires are feeling more engaged with their learning and motivated to improve and move up their Learning Ladders. Helping students understand what is considered good work and why has increased their ability to achieve and also offered a sense of wellbeing.Through having our ASN teacher one day a week we have supported many children struggling with their emotions through Emotionwork activities. Parents have been involved with this too and have welcomed the support that this has offered as it has also challenged them in how they react to issues at home. This has had a positive effect on the children as they feel empowered.

What have we done to improve employability skills and help our children and young people achieve sustained, positive school leaver destinations?Relevant Improvement Priority title/ school project:

Tracking attainment and achievement to deliver a continuous Profile and Report

Impact and data

Teachers have included a wide breadth of learning which has required the learner to draw on a range of learning from a number of Es and Os across different organisers towards a variety of KATs. In these tasks there has been a number of transferrable skills employed that will support them in the future. Pupils are starting to make links for themselves about where they can demonstrate application of learning in new or unfamiliar situations.Through self and peer assessment pupils appear to be more actively engaged with their learning and value the increased amount of feedback they have received. This has supported their talking and listening skills as peer feedback has required them to explain

and justify their thinking a skill that is needed throughout life. Helping students understand what is considered good work and why has increased their ability to achieve and also offered a sense of wellbeing. Taking responsibility for their actions through self and peer assessment is a useful tool for employment and children are showing greater confidence with this.

Our overall evaluation of the school’s capacity for continuous improvement:

* We are confident in our capacity for continuous improvement ☒

* We have some concerns about our capacity for continuous improvement ☐Comment:We know we have areas that need improvement and this was agreed in our HMIE visit in April so we feeling confident in our direction of travel.

QI 1.3Leadership of change

Themes Developing a shared vision, values and

aims relevant to the school and its community

Strategic planning for continuous improvement

Implementing improvement and changeQuestion 1How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?Developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community.

a) Children, staff and parents were involved in reviewing the school vision and values in 2016. Children created a school motto “From small seeds mighty trees grow” this past year. This vision underpins a nurturing ethos across the school and is supporting a positive climate for learning.

b) All staff work hard to create learning environments that enhance children’s experiences. Children enjoy learning at school and feel they are getting along well with their school work and refer to their Learning Ladders, they also talk positively about their learning through their learning profiles. Teachers make appropriate and effective use of praise to build children’s self-esteem and confidence.

Strategic planning for continuous improvementc) The headteacher recognises the need for greater strategic leadership in order to support

whole school improvement.d) Staff across the cluster schools work well together as a team and provide strong support

to each other.e) Through formal and informal opportunities, moderation of Literacy and Numeracy across

the ASG and KATs and Learning Profiles across the rural schools network, have supported teachers in developing confidence in their professional judgements of attainment within a CfE level and shared good practice.

Implementing improvement and changef) Children are supported in identifying their strengths and next steps in learning through

learning conversations with their teachers. Variability exists in learners knowing their strengths and next steps in learning. There are good examples of individualised learning profiles of each child which should be shared more widely across the cluster and rural schools network.

g) Overall, teachers have worked hard to create an environment that is positive and supports children’s learning. There are positive relationships across the school where children feel valued and supported to achieve.

Question 2How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?

Developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community.

a) The values are visible in the interactions between children and adults across the school.b) Children value the opportunities and speak enthusiastically about the opportunities they

get to lead school events, such as learning assemblies and fundraising initiatives. This is reflected in their learning profiles.

Strategic planning for continuous improvementa) The priorities within the current improvement plan focus on continuing to improve

Learner’s profiles as evidence of progress in attainment in writing and numeracy shows greater impact on improvement is needed. Further development work in the use of Key assessment tasks in planning for assessment is needed to ensure that children are confidently able to articulate where they are in their learning using a wider set of language skills and vocabulary.

b) An audit of numeracy has identified a range of interventions to raise attainment. Staff have themselves identified the need to develop further the approaches to teaching numeracy. Also we need to develop a more skills based approach to wider achievements.

c) Developing national benchmarks for all other curricular areas in a systematic way is also an area of development that needs to be addressed.

d) There is an effective Professional Review and Development (PRD) process within the school. It is clearly linked to the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) professional standards. Teachers’ targets take account of school priorities and their individual development needs. They are committed to their own development and engage in a range of professional learning.

Implementing improvement and changee) The Headteacher’s leadership style is welcomed by staff who feel valued and supported.f) Staff across the school use their knowledge of children’s social, economic and cultural

backgrounds very well to plan interventions.g) All staff participate in the planning process, contributing to reviewing and setting the

school’s improvement priorities.h) Evidence from class observations show that most children are keen to learn and

participate well in learning activities.i) The headteacher has introduced a new, rigorous approach to tracking children’s

attainment and achievement through Learning Ladders. As a result, staff are becoming increasingly confident in making accurate judgements about the standards of children’s learning.

j) Teachers use How Good is Our School? (4th edition) to reflect on the work of the school.k) The headteacher undertakes observations of classroom practice and sampling children’s

work, to monitor the quality of children’s experiences. As the school moves forward, staff should continue to develop ways to monitor and track children’s progress across the wider curriculum.

l) The school is using its Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) to support children. This is having a positive impact on children's engagement with school. Children are supported by PEF through a range of initiatives including a ‘Breakfast Club’ and extra PSA hours which impact positively on the pupils, encouraging and supporting their attendance and readiness for learning.

Question 3What could we do now? What actions would move us forward?

Developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community.

a) Current plans to further review the vision and values across the school community will include regular opportunities for children to explore the vision and values through a well-planned assembly programme. This will provide a strong platform for underpinning future development work and embed the vision in the life and ethos of the wider school community.

Strategic planning for continuous improvementb) The headteacher and staff recognise the need to make more effective use of robust,

focused approaches to self-evaluation to inform school improvement with wider self-evaluation evidence from parents and partners being gathered.

Implementing improvement and changec) The headteacher should continue to support staff to use assessment information to

support professional dialogue to plan learning and teaching. The use of KAT has been warmly welcomed by staff and a review of the schools own planning and tracking formats needs considered alongside the KAT structure.

What is your current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale? satisfactory

QI 2.3Learning, teaching and assessment

Themes Learning and engagement Quality of teaching Effective use of assessment Planning, tracking and monitoring

Question 1How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?Learning and Engagement

a) Positive learning environments have been established across the school and cluster with pupils and teachers working effectively together.

b) Children are engaged, motivated and can work independently and on group tasks.c) Differentiated tasks are matched to level of needs, ensuring appropriate challenge is

provided for pupils.d) Pupils experience a wide range of opportunity for choice within their learning including

guided choice in reading novels, spelling games to reinforce spelling patterns, planning their Classdojo rewards, how to show their learning in topic work and within Eco work.

e) Pupils have opportunities for leadership through Pupil Council roles/ digital leaders/, Emotion works leaders, leading Golden Time Groups.

f) Our learners are growing in confidence in the use of digital technology through Chromebooks and using the school camera to film interviews and role plays.

g) Learning Intentions are clear, and success criteria are being shared with children with growing effectiveness especially when KATs have been used to plan the assesment. Children respond well to the question “how are you going to show me you know this?”

h) Learners have opportunities to contribute to the local community and school through well planned activities.

i) Through the whole school pupil council, children know that all staff listen to their views and they will be acted upon.

Quality of teachingj) Teaching approaches are underpinned by the schools values of compassion, respect and

integrity.k) We work hard to ensure that the learning environment provides variety in teaching

approaches and supports children to engage and take responsibility for their learning.l) The class teacher works diligently to plan and implement creative teaching strategies to

meet the needs of children across all CfE levels including a significant number of children with additional support needs.

m) We work effectively with our colleagues across the cluster schools sharing CAT activities and teaching and learning strategies.

Effective use of assessmentn) We use a growing range of evidence, from standardised testing through to day to day

activities, to track pupils’ progress and plan for next steps using the benchmarks in literacy and numeracy. KATs have supported staff to plan assessments which enhance learning and are starting to support pupils in taking responsibility for their learning.

o) A wider number of approaches to the teaching of literacy have been implemented: wraparound spelling, precision teaching of phonics, early stages writing and the purchase of reading materials for the early stages and for children with additional support needs.

p) Big Writing supports self and peer evaluation.q) The South Loch Ness Schools Network (SLNSN) meets to discuss and moderate Key

Assessment Tasks (KAT).r) A shared Google drive for the cluster schools and one for SLNSN has been set up.

Sharing KAT allows staff to see good practice and moderate within the SLNSN drive and within the cluster drive strategies/resources for supporting teachers to meet the needs

of additional support needs are shared. The class teacher makes good use of this resource and is an active contributor to the KAT drive for the SLNSN.

s) With our Associated Schools Group we have shared Collegiate Activity Time together where samples of KATs across all levels of Reading, Writing and Numeracy were discussed.

t) Class teacher is a regular attender at the Emerging Literacy twilight group.u) Motivated learners who are involved in self-evaluation and learning conversations

through their learners profiles, where they reflect upon their learning and wider achievements. They are at the early stages of target setting in literacy and numeracy.

Planning Tracking and Monitoringv) A clear system of how the school tracks and records attainment and achievement has

been developed with a whole school overview in place.w) All children have an understanding of how they are getting along with their school work

through the use of the child friendly learning ladder which supports learning conversations.

x) We use planners to support appropriate progression across all areas of the curriculum.y) Learners have opportunities to be involved in the planning of learning.eg children make

suggestions as to how they can show their learning, guided choice in choosing novels, Classdojo rewards.

z) We review our data to support decisions about planning to meet the needs of all children and whole school messages.

A1) KATS are an integral part of planning and are well used by the class teacher to plan

Question 2How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?

a) Classroom visits demonstrate happy, motivated learners who can work effectively and understand the purpose of their learning.

b) Success is rewarded and celebrated in class primarily through Class dojos (with all parents), Golden time and assemblies. Stickers/tokens/verbal feedback is all used and we see an increasing engagement with pupils.

c) A variety of creative strategies are used within the class to hear pupil views and concerns e.g. Pupil tins, monster toy.

d) Differentiation is evident in teachers planning and learners’ needs are well met.e) Children report that they are enjoying and becoming more confident in using digital

technologies.f) Learners are very positive about our planned activities which include a wide range of

partners from the community e.g. community tea/coffee afternoons, wild flower planting for Riverside Project, SSE, articles in the Stratherrick and Foyers Newsletters.

g) Positive relationships between all pupils and staff are evident.h) Planning and progress meetings with HT and CT ensure that there is balance and variety

in teaching, resulting in motivated learners.i) Cluster/ASG CAT Calendar shows joint sessions of moderation and assessment resulting

in more reliable judgements and shared expectations for learners.j) Individual Tracking Folders, Learning Profiles and children’s jotters provide evidence to

show progress and wider achievements.k) A learning ladder for tracking attainment in literacy and numeracy has been developed.

Staff are using these to identify progress and address gaps in attainment.l) Parents’ survey feedback on learning ladders reported that they found them valuable.m) Children are encouraged to record success through their learner’s profiles and share with

parents and are able to discuss their next steps.n) Through HC Emerging Literacy, phonological assessments to inform teaching are used.

Packs are set up with support material for each merging literacy area. Literacy packs for P1 entrants were used to support transition into P1.

o) From Literacy twilight sessions attended by class teacher new teaching strategies have

been implemented to raise attainment in spelling/writing, though it is too early yet to prove this through our assessment data.

p) New reading materials which support greater engagement for children who were struggling in reading activities have been purchased.

Question 3What could we do now? What actions would move us forward? .

a) Develop analysis of school attainment and SNSA data to increase staff confidence in making consistent, well moderated judgements on pupils’ learning and support predictions of teacher’s judgement of attainment within a CfE level. This will also support CTs to develop suitable attainment targets and inform targeted interventions with PSAs.

b) Support pupils and parents engagement in learning, to understand where the child is in their learning and what they need to do to improve by using child friendly benchmarks in literacy and numeracy to support learning conversations and share progress information with parents through the Learning Ladders.

c) Further work to develop pupil self and peer assessment in a wider variety of contexts through KATs would be beneficial as it will augment learning as they would have to explain and justify their reasoning.

What is your current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale? good

QI 3.1Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion

Themes Wellbeing Fulfilment of statutory duties Inclusion and equality

Question 1How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?

Wellbeinga) The headteacher, and all staff have established positive relationships with all children.

They show high levels of respect to each child and this supports trusting and caring relationships across the school. Children know they are valued and cared for. As a result children learn in a caring and supportive environment.

b) All staff work well to establish positive relationships with parents. They take good account of each individual family’s circumstances. The headteacher is highly visible throughout the school and makes herself readily available to parents. This results in parents being comfortable in approaching the school and other members of staff with any concerns they may have regarding their child’s progress in school.

c) Pupil support assistants provide valuable interventions to children requiring additional support in their learning. They are helping children to improve their social skills, emotional wellbeing and to develop their literacy.

Fulfilment of statutory dutiesd) All staff within the school undertake annual child protection training. Pastoral notes are

kept securely within the school’s SEEMiS recording system and are monitored by the headteacher.

e) Classteachers use the Leuven’s Scale to track children’s emotional wellbeing and engagement in learning.

f) The school has effective procedures using the HC staged intervention model for identifying and supporting children who may require additional support.

Inclusion and equalityg) Staff undertake professional learning, which supports them to understand children’s

individual needs.h) The headteacher monitors attendance and punctuality regularly.i) Children, including those requiring additional support and those who are vulnerable, are

included appropriately in all aspects of the school’s work.

Question 2How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?

Wellbeinga) Teachers use the wellbeing indicators to reflect, and report on, children’s progress when

making referrals for children requiring additional support.b) Children requiring additional support are helped to prepare for their move onto

secondary school through enhanced transition arrangements. These visits to familiarise them with the new school and meet staff are helping to prepare them for a new learning environment.

Fulfilment of statutory dutiesc) Staff should continue to develop approaches to planning, target setting, tracking and

assessing the progress of children to monitor the effectiveness of the support provided.

Inclusion and equalityd) Children say they have an adult in school with whom they can talk about any concerns or

issues they may be experiencing. Staff support children to speak openly about their feelings and to resolve any disagreements when they occur. This is supporting them well to develop their citizenship skills and helps the school playground to be a calm, enjoyable place to play and to spend time with their friends.

Question 3What could we do now? What actions would move us forward?

Wellbeinga) Staff should now use the language of the wellbeing indicators more fully through

their daily interactions. This will support children to develop further their understanding of the wellbeing indicators and what actions they can take to improve their own wellbeing, particularly within emotional wellbeing.

Fulfilment of statutory dutiesb) The headteacher should ensure Safeguarding Policy includes mention of national

guidance of FGM/Prevent and CSE.

Inclusion and equalityc) The school should develop plans for the school’s curriculum to support children to

learn about equalities and inclusion in a more progressive way.

What is your current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale? good

QI 3.2Raising attainment and achievement

Themes Attainment in literacy and numeracy Attainment over time Overall quality of learners’ achievement Equity for all learners

Question 1How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy

a) A clear system of how the school tracks and records attainment and achievement has been developed through a range of standardised assessments and teacher designed Key Assessment Tasks. A school assessment overview is now in place and has been shared with staff.

b) Staff make use of assessments to support teacher’s professional judgement of attainment and progress.

c) The school is aware that attainment in literacy, especially writing and numeracy needs improvement. Individual targeted interventions are being used to meet needs of children e.g. Toe by Toe, emotional supports.

d) Moderation activities involve staff taking part in professional learning across the cluster, rural schools network and at ASG level. This has increased staff confidence using the benchmarks to support professional judgement in literacy and numeracy.

e) Staff with the HT have started to look at how SNSA data relates to the standardised assessments from P1-7 to track and plan interventions.

f) Parents are positive about the school’s new Learning Ladders which provide a clearer picture of where their children are within Curriculum for Excellence Levels in literacy and numeracy.

g) Children are starting to understand where they are in their learning and are encouraged to set their own targets using child friendly Learning Ladders.

Attainment over timeh) Data informs progress and planning meetings. Staff welcome this dialogue with the

HT. Interventions are becoming more focused on meeting the needs of learners.i) Engagement in moderation activities with cluster school, across the SLNSN and at

ASG is developing staff confidence in assessing children’s progress through Key Assessment tasks.

Overall quality of learners’ achievementj) Children are involved in a range of opportunities within the school and wider

community which allow them to take on leaderships roles e.g. Pupil Council, Emotion works, Golden Time activities.

k) Achievements are celebrated through a range of strategies that are reviewed regularly to keep them motivated. Classdojos, assemblies, and in the Learners Profiles.

l) The head teacher tracks and monitors wider achievements.m) Children are encouraged to use their Learning Profiles to celebrate their

achievements both within school and the wider community.n) Whole school participation in class talks, school shows and Inverness Music Festival is

increasing children’s confidence.o) School staff have developed a child friendly Learning Ladder which support learning

conversations.p) Children are involved in setting targets on literacy and numeracy from this Learning

Ladder.q) P7 are offered a wide range of opportunities to support transition to secondary

school.r) Children are involved in a range of activities with their cluster school including annual

health and wellbeing days and skiing.

Equity for all learnerss) Children have the opportunity to access wider learning opportunities through both

lunchtime and afterschool club. Due to the rural nature of the area and the reliance on school transport, staff organise transport to support families facing transport poverty.

t) Staff have a clear understanding of the children who face barriers to learning through their socio-economic background and plan interventions around this.

u) Targeted interventions are in place to support children with additional support needs to make progress.

v) Staff offer sensitive support to children and their families who experience difficult life experiences.

w) PEF funding has been targeted to support children coming into school ready to learn through a breakfast club. PEF funded PSA support has also been used to target particular learning needs.

Question 2How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?

a) An assessment spreadsheet allows the HT a whole school overview of progress and plan interventions to support learning and teaching.

b) Foyers Learning Ladders and the teacher’s planning support class teachers to keep track of children’s learning through CfE levels and identify learning needs.

c) The class teacher welcomes engagement with other school in cluster, across rural schools network and within ASG to broaden her experience and share good practice.

d) The class teacher is active in finding opportunities to access training to widen her teaching strategies which will support learners to progress and so increase attainment.

e) Cluster/ASG CAT calendar shows joint sessions of moderation and assessment resulting in more reliable judgements and shared expectations of learners.

f) Planning and progress meetings between head teacher and class teacher support understanding of a CfE level and the planning of interventions to raise attainment.

g) Parents’ survey of Foyers Learning Ladder shows that parents have found them useful. This will impact on parental engagement to support children in learning and so raise attainment.

h) Children are happy to discuss where they are in their learning through their Learning Ladder which gives them a greater understanding and ownership of learning and desire to improve.

i) Through classroom visits children are seen to be excited and engaged in their learning and can work effectively on tasks.

j) Pupils are excited to share their learning with their parents through their Learning Profiles which has supported parental engagement in learning.

k) Big Writing is being used in class to encourage self/peer evaluation which supports children to set targets through two stars and a wish.

Question 3What could we do now? What actions would move us forward?

a) Develop further interventions in numeracy to support all children and raise attainment.

b) Using our assessment data, gaps in learning, support strategies and next steps have been identified. Build up evidence to record progress over time. Ensure that when the next stage of data is available strategies and next steps are reviewed and their effectiveness is evaluated to ensure attainment rises for all learners, ensuring progress in learning.

c) Develop greater use of SNSA data alongside school’s own assessment data to provide insight into children’s learning and identify strengths and weaknesses to

support greater pace in progress.d) Support children to further develop their awareness of where they are in their

learning and what they need to do to improve through continued use of their learning ladder and the development of child friendly literacy and numeracy benchmarks in learners’ profiles.

e) Develop a skills approach to tracking wider achievements so that these transferrable skills are more visible to learners and parents.

What is your current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale? satisfactory

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

SESSION 2019/20

Summary: Key School Improvement Priorities Improvement Priority Title

What exactly are we going to do?

Raising attainment in numeracy through focussed interventions, closer tracking to national benchmarks and encouraging parental engagement in learning.

PEF money will be used to allow a cover teacher to release class teachers to allow them to focus on: completing assessments, devising and implementing targeted teaching strategies to address identified areas.

Raise attainment in numeracy with an emphasis on supporting understanding through the use of concrete materials and pictorial representations in :

Term 1 -Grouping, Place Value and Basic Facts

Term 2 - Addition and Subtraction Term 3 - Multiplication and Division Term 4 - Fractions, Decimals and

Percentages Share Learning Ladders with parents to

show progress within CfE levels Through peer and HT classroom

observations, share good practice of classroom teaching.

Develop parental engagement with learning of numeracy through parent workshops/open afternoons on how to support their children in their numerical learning.

Develop a skills framework that

Develop a skills progression that supports learner’s in their profiles to become more

promotes a shared understanding andlanguage around skills for learning, life and work within and across schools and the wider community through Key Assessment Tasks and Learner’s Profiles.

aware of the skills they are already using in their learning, life and work, and how this will support them into their future.

Highlight skills focus in all learning activities, including beyond the classroom and share with parents and wider community as appropriate. Monitor and track range and progress of skills through a school wider achievement overview.

Support learners to understand how skills can be transferred to other aspects of their learning within and beyond school, gathering a range of evidence of how skills have been acquired/applied and assessed.

Staff to provide appropriate challenge to pupils and practice their skills in a new context.

Provide opportunities for self and peer assessment in skills progression.

Develop greater parental engagement in learning through blank praise postcards being sent home each term so that parents can share what skills children have been using at home.

Create a celebration wall where a photo of each child is up and wider achievements and skills are celebrated. Termly celebration assemblies with parents where new learning is highlighted.

Provide opportunities to incorporate practical and real-life contexts to learning activities

Including real people stories and videos, which relate directly to learners’ experiences, and serve to enhance their motivation and engagement;

Provide a more skill orientated approach to opportunities to pupils for leadership eg Digital leaders, Eco Schools, Pupil Council, House groups, JRSO, Enterprise. Involve parents as mentors.

Ensuring engagement and progression through Health and Wellbeing, with a focus on emotional wellbeing.

Use How good is OUR school Part 2, theme 4 ‘Our health and Wellbeing’ to support learner participation in self-evaluation and school improvement of HWB.

Hold some focus group discussions to find out about how children’s learning supports wellbeing. Using the wellbeing wheel select one or two of the wellbeing indicators each

term as the theme for our discussions. Analyse the displays in your school

corridors and social areas to see how well they are used to promote wellbeing, inclusion and equality.

Find out how well our school engages with partners across our community to extend opportunities to increase children’s wellbeing.

Use expertise of school sports co-ordinator to develop further after school clubs and encourage discussion between providers and pupils how these activities impact on our HWB, particularly on mental health.

Opportunities for discussion, review and reflection by all members of the school community will be planned throughout the year to include parents and partners, and inform future plans for health and wellbeing. This will be through use of a parents “You said, we did” board and through a standing item HWB on Parents Council agenda. When partners are involved in the life the school staff to ensure that opportunities are taken to record within Learner’s Profiles how it will impact HWB knowledge and skills.

Develop pupil councils to be more effective in gathering and responding to children’s views through the use of a ‘You said, we did” noticeboard.

Develop a more consistent and progressive approach to outdoor learning.

Continue to offer well-planned after school clubs which provide key opportunities for children at all stages to enhance skills, confidence and achievement and create a sense of belonging.

KEY THEMEfrom QI 2.2Curriculum

Theme 3

Learning pathways

Question 1How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?

Learning Pathwaysa) A curriculum rationale based on the school’s vision and aims is in place.b) The school uses Highland Council progression pathways, aligned with the National

Benchmarks, across literacy and English and numeracy and mathematics. These are supporting staff in planning and delivering appropriate programmes and targeted interventions for children. Staff make good use of benchmarks in literacy and numeracy to predict and measure pupil progress.

c) The school is also using Highland Council progression pathways for all other curriculum areas.

d) French is being taught across all stages.e) Staff are developing children’s understanding of the world of work in different ways.

Good use is made of partners and parents to support this. Children have explored a range of jobs to identify the necessary knowledge and skills required. They have also visited local resources such as the hotel to meet and engage with staff to support this. Learning profiles are well used to support children to reflect on these experiences.

Question 2How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?

Learning Pathwaysa) Older children are designated as ‘digital leaders’. The school is beginning to use

them to develop the skills and confidence of children and staff in using information technology (IT). For example, they are learning how to use word processing, and construct spreadsheets and powerpoints. Whilst children are using digital technologies to enhance their learning in a few curriculum areas, this is not yet consistent across the school.

b) In writing, clear targets support children’s understanding of their strengths and next steps very well.

c) Learning Profiles have been a key are of development this year and are supporting pupils and parents in understanding their progress in the learning across literacy and numeracy in particular.

d) Due to the rurality of the area, the school is proactive in bringing in a variety of resources and specialists in to the school to support children’s learning across the curriculum. This includes Celedh Rocks, birds of prey handlers and local community champions.

e) Growing use is made of the outdoor area and local community, to provide motivating experiences for children.

f) Key assessment tasks are used very well by teachers to plan interdisciplinary learning in new contexts. These are shared with parents who feedback to pupils in a range of ways.

Question 3What could we do now? What actions would move us forward?

Learning Pathways

a) Staff should ensure that the uniqueness of the school’s context is reflected within the curriculum rationale.

b) The school should continue to use HC progression pathways but align them with the National Benchmarks, for Health and Wellbeing and other curricular areas.

c) The use of a progressive skills framework could help teachers plan and evaluate the development of children’s skills across the four contexts for learning and the cross-cutting themes, such as enterprise and creativity. There is scope for learners to be actively involved in identifying creative new contexts for future learning.

d) There is scope to develop further leadership roles for all children, whilst developing their understanding of how the skills that are required to carry out these roles are linked to the world of work.

e) Curriculum progression pathways need revisited to support a P1-7 class , to help ensure coherence and progression for learners as they move through the school.

KEY THEMEfrom QI 2.7Partnerships

Theme 3

Impact on learners (focus on parental engagement)

Question 1How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?

Impact on learners (focus on parental engagement)

a) The school recognises that parents and families are key partners in their drive to raise attainment and achievement, improving life chances for all children. Parents value the information on their child’s progress in learning that they receive termly through the Learning ladders and Learning Profiles. Children enjoy sharing their learning with parents regularly through their child friendly Learning Ladders and their profiles where parents are encouraged to comment. Parents and the wider community are also invited into school to celebrate pupils learning through topic afternoons where children share their learning.

b) The school makes use of social media platforms to communicate with parents and celebrate achievements in particular.

c) Parents praise the inclusive approach that all staff take to including families within the life and work of the school.

Question 2How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?

a) Almost all parents value the school’s efforts to work with them to improve experiences and outcomes for their children. Almost all parents say they receive helpful, regular feedback about how their child is learning and developing, and the school gives them advice on how to support their child’s learning at home. Almost all parents say the school takes their views into account when making changes.

b) All children use learning profiles which are shared and commented on by parents. This is providing a useful tool to engaging parents more regularly in supporting their children’s learning.

c) The Parent Council is very supportive of the work of the school. They raise funds and apply for a range of grants to enhance children’s learning experiences and after school clubs. They have also been encouraged to volunteer in the school running of afterschool clubs. A number of parents have PVG checks to support these initiatives.

d) The school plays an active role in the local community. Children participate in a range of community events. The children visit and use local businesses to apply their skills in real life, such as budgeting.

Question 3What could we do now? What actions would move us forward?

a) There is scope to involve parents more fully in identifying improvement priorities and other important decisions, such as the use of the school’s allocation of the PEF.

b) The impact for children in participating in their range of experiences needs to be

tracked systematically in order to measure the value this adds. This should include tracking the skills for learning, work and life that children develop through these experiences. This would in turn allow them to provide more appropriate support and consolidation for their child’s learning in the home environment.