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School Handbook January 2020- January 2021

Welcome to

Renton Primary and Language and

Communication Unit

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Dear Parents/Carers, Can I take this opportunity to welcome you and your family to Renton Primary School. We are looking forward to working with you in the years your child will attend here. At Renton Primary School and Language and Communication Unit we aim to provide a caring, stimulating and healthy learning environment in which all pupils are given the opportunity to achieve their full potential. We strongly value our partnerships with parents and aspire to involve parents and carers in their children’s education and development. We are proud of our reputation as an inclusive, friendly and welcoming school and recognise that effective partnerships with our parents are crucial in ensuring that attending Renton Primary School is a positive experience for all of our pupils. In the following pages the aims of the school are set out in more detail along with our procedures and information about the curriculum your child will follow at Renton Primary School. Please take a little time to read over the procedures especially in relation to attendance and promoting positive behaviour. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any concerns or would like clarification on anything. Yours sincerely, Lynne Dempster Head Teacher

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CONTENTS PAGE NUMBER Statement of Commitment/Learning for Life 4

School Vision and Values Statement 5

School Information 6

Staffing 7

School Hours & The School Year 11

Enrolment & Policies for parents 11-12

School Improvement, Achievement and Curriculum Areas 12-21

Assessment Tracking and Reporting on Pupil Progress 21-22

Equal Opportunities & Social Justice 23

Additional Support Needs and Pupil Support Structure 23-26

Anti-Bully Policy 26-28

Homework and School/Community Links 28-30

Attendance at School 30

Extra Curricular Activities 31-32

Positive Relationships 32-34

Clothing and Uniform 34-36

School Meals 36-37

Meals/Transport/ Photography 37

Medical, Health Care and Emergencies 37-38

Parental Involvement and the Parent Council 39

Transfer from Primary to Secondary School/Data Protection 40-41

Pupils and Parents Quotes 42-44

Service Standards 42-43

Important Addresses 43-44

Appendix 1 Translation and Interpretation Information 45-46

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND LEISURE SERVICES STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT ‘OPPORTUNITY THROUGH LEARNING’

Every person has the right to be educated in a climate in which individuality is recognised and in which everyone feels valued. We are committed to working in partnership with you to provide education of the highest quality. LEARNING FOR LIFE We will work together to ensure that everyone in our community is valued and has the opportunity to learn for life and to achieve their potential. Vision: To enable everyone in West Dunbartonshire to become:

Successful Learners Confident Individuals Responsible Citizens Effective Contributors

To achieve our vision, we will:

Create and deliver courses, activities and events which will motivate and excite learners develop innovative ways to support learning

Value diversity, promote equal opportunities and foster inclusion Promote partnership and community participation Value achievement and celebrate success Continually reflect on and aim to improve the quality of our services

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Renton Primary School - Our Vision

We are a friendly and caring family of learners who work together to achieve our dreams

School Values Respect and Responsibility Kindness and Honesty Creativity and Teamwork We are: READY; SAFE; RESPECTFUL

School Aims To provide a safe, welcoming and nurturing environment which is built upon mutual trust and respect

To promote effective learning and supportive relationships with our children, parents and partner agencies To provide excellence and equity in learning and teaching which supports the holistic development of all children To raise attainment for all learners and narrow the poverty related attainment gap To provide an appropriate curriculum for pupils with language and communication needs To provide high quality additional support to ensure that pupils reach their full potential To actively seek to improve our service through monitoring and evaluation

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School Information Renton Primary School Main Street Renton Tel : 01389 752325 Email : Renton.SchoolOffice@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Website: www.rentonps.org.uk Head Teacher Mrs Lynne Dempster Depute Head Teacher Mrs Lynn McColl Principal Head Teacher Mr Jon Martin

Role of the Depute Head Teacher The Depute Head Teacher of Renton Primary and has responsibility for: Day to day running of the Language and Communication Unit Monitoring the effectiveness of learning and teaching Deputising for Head Teacher in the event of absence Pupil support Coordinator for P4-7 in mainstream and the LCU Transition planning for P7 Support of newly qualified and probationer teachers

Role of the Principal Teacher The Principal Teacher of Renton Primary has responsibility for: Monitoring the effectiveness of learning and teaching Pupil support Coordinator for P1-3 in mainstream and the LCU Transition planning for P1

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Our Staff

Teachers Support Staff

Miss W Douglas Miss A McBride Mrs J Smith Mrs Y McAlpine Mr J McLellan Mrs H Watt Mrs J Donald Mrs J Paterson Miss C Robertson Mrs M Anderson Miss J Dalrymple Miss J Barnfather Miss C Kelly

Mrs K Walker Mr K Crawford Mrs J Hamilton Mrs S Kennedy Mrs P Conlin Mrs K Thomson Mrs A Murray Mrs J Carr Mrs L Dorrian Mrs P Haddow Miss G Wallace Mrs D Moir Mrs A Brown Mrs J Martin Miss N McColl Mrs L Grierson (Pupil and Family Support) Mrs Y McCallum (Office) Mrs P Scammell (Office) Mrs V Cargill (Office) Mr G Temple (Facilities Assistant) Mrs A McRae (Facilities Assistant)

In addition we have a visiting brass tutor one morning a week, Mr L Cowieson. The number of teachers on the staff of the school is determined each session by the educational authority according to the school roll.

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SCHOOL INFORMATION Renton Primary School is a non-denominational, co-educational primary school situated in the village of Renton. The school serves an area of mainly local authority and housing association homes and the village is currently undergoing a regeneration programme. The present school was opened in 1975. Our school is due to be rebuilt under the WDC schools regeneration programme and is projected to be ready for August 2021 session. The school provides education for pupils within the village and pupils from across West Dunbartonshire who have language and communication needs. The school is a two storey building which contains 12 classrooms, an administration area and a central hall. Currently the school roll is 158 pupils. There are 6 mainstream classrooms and we serve 29 pupils within the Language and Communication Unit (LCU) in 5 classrooms. Opportunities for inclusion and integration are embodied in the ethos and life of the school as a community. The rooms within the school provide 11 well-resourced classrooms, a nurture room (Rainbow Room) and a staffroom. The central hall is used as a gymnasium and a dining hall. The teachers and pupils are members of 4 houses: Lennox, Leven, Lomond and Luss. All 4 houses come together at our weekly assembly to celebrate and share learning and success. The mainstream school is staffed by 8 teachers and 5 learning assistants who are deployed to provide support on a timetabled basis to individuals and groups of pupils. The LCU is staffed by 6 full-time teachers. Ten full-time learning assistants are deployed in the LCU to provide support within each class to individuals and to groups of pupils as appropriate. Our Depute Head Teacher and Principal Teacher each have Pupil Support Coordinator roles across the school. Additional support is also provided by Collaborative Support Services as appropriate. Staff from this team visit the school on a timetabled basis in order to support interventions that are in place to support our learners. The school enjoys a good relationship with various outside agencies which also provide services and support to the school and as result of our Pupil Equity Funding we have recruited a full time Pupil and Family Support worker who is an invaluable member of our school team. Renton Primary School offers a high standard of educational provision to its pupils. All members of staff are expected to provide a wide and balanced curriculum to ensure that high standards are set and maintained. Staff participate in professional review and development activities and have many opportunities through in-service to further develop their own professional and personal skills. The school improvement planning process involves staff in auditing current practice and identifying the way forward.

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The school plays an active role in the local community and strives to forge links with the wider community and other educational establishments. We have enjoyed building links with the local care home this term. Standards of discipline within the school are high and each member of staff is expected to promote positive behaviour at all times. We are a nurturing school and our entire school team is currently participating in development work on the Principles of Nurture. This will ensure that a positive learning environment, conducive to effective learning and teaching, is promoted and actively developed. The school enjoys good relationships with parents and there is a real sense of community within the school. Our aim is to provide for pupils, staff, parents and all who interact with the school, a stimulating environment in which all feel safe, valued, welcomed and respected. We consider ourselves to be an open school and we strive to meet requests for appointments and meeting times. When this is not possible we make arrangements to meet with parents as soon as possible. The school has been adapted for disabled access. There are ramp accesses available via the main entrance and the infant department entrance as well as a hall which can be used for physical education. There are also ramps at each of the fire doors in the school. Opportunities are given regularly through our newsletters and occasionally with other forms of communication for parents/carers to comment on school routines and practices and to offer suggestions with regard to the curriculum. In order to be as eco friendly as possible we utilise our school facebook page and group text facility frequently to keep parents up to date. You can find a range of information about schools on the council website, www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION UNIT The Language and Communication Unit (LCU) provides support to primary aged children within West Dunbartonshire who experience language and communication needs often arising from Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The primary aim of our five classes is to provide a highly differentiated curriculum appropriate to pupils' individual language and communication needs within small group settings. The LCU comprises 5 classes staffed by 6 teachers and 10 learning assistants. Support is offered by Speech and Language Therapy who work collaboratively with the staff to plan and implement language and communication targets. At present the LCU has 29 children who attend on either a full time basis or on shared placements with their local mainstream primary school. Children who attend on a full time basis are registered to Renton Primary School.

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The Language and Communication Unit is an integral part of Renton Primary School with all staff dedicated to meeting the needs of individual pupils and encouraging them to reach their full potential by providing excellent teaching and learning in a welcoming, committed and fully inclusive environment. The importance of accessing local community resources is also recognised and regular use is made of local facilities within WDC such as libraries, parks, sports facilities and cafes. This enables our children to practice their developing language and communication skills in real life settings. Each pupil has an Educational Support Plan, which is devised in consultation with parents and the multi-agency team where appropriate. The support plan details long and short-term targets over the course of an academic session and is reviewed at least twice a year in consultation with parents and other professionals. Wherever possible and meaningful, pupils are offered opportunities to join their mainstream peers for different aspects of their learning. These opportunities are supported by LCU staff and can take many different forms some of which include working on shared topics with a mainstream class, being part of a mainstream class for mathematics or literacy or sharing PE lessons. All pupils who attend Renton Primary School and Language and Communication Unit enjoy sharing playtimes and lunchtimes together. Local Learning Community All educational establishments within West Dunbartonshire Council are members of a Local Learning Community (LLC). These LLC’s are made up of one secondary school and its associated primary schools and include a number of Early Education and Childcare Centres and Partnership Nurseries. Renton Primary School is a member of the Vale of Leven LLC. The five Learning Communities in West Dunbartonshire have been established as part of West Dunbartonshire’s educational improvement strategy. This strategy has a clear focus to raise educational aspirations, achievement and attainment of all pupils while improving the skills and knowledge of all staff involved in the education of children and young people. Mrs Lynne Dempster, Head Teacher, represents Renton primary school on the Vale of Leven LLC, however other members of staff may attend meetings in support of improvement work. The Vale of Leven LLC is led by Julie McGrogan, Educational Services Manager. Updates on the work of the LLC’s will be made available through parent council meetings and through Standards and Quality reporting.

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SCHOOL HOURS & THE SCHOOL YEAR Opening : 9.00am Interval : 10.30am—10.45am Lunch : 12.15pm— 1.00pm Close : 3.00pm Pupils in P1 will start full-time attendance on Monday 17th August.

2020/21

Autumn Term 2020

Teachers Return: Thursday 13 August (In-Service Day) Friday 14 August (In-Service Day) Pupils Return: Monday 17 August

September week-end: Friday 25 and Monday 28 September In-service Day: Friday 9 October Half Term: Monday 12 to Friday 16 October (inclusive) Schools close: Tuesday 22 December (2.30 p.m.) Christmas/New Year Break: Wednesday 23 December to Tuesday 5

January (inclusive)

Spring Term 2021

Teachers and Pupils return: Wednesday 6 January

Half term: Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 February In-service Day: Wednesday 10 February Schools close: Thursday 1 April (2.30 p.m.) Spring Break: Friday 2 April (Good Friday) to Friday 16 April (inclusive)

Summer Term 2021

Pupils Return: Monday 19 April May Day: Monday 3 May In-service Day: Thursday 6 May Half Term: Friday 28 and Monday 31 May (inclusive) Schools close: Monday 28 June (1.00 p.m.)

ENROLMENT During the month of January, details of registration and enrolment for children starting school in August will appear in the local press and nursery noticeboards. Enrolments in Renton will be the week commencing 13th January 2020.

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You must register your child in the school which serves your catchment area. However, you may exercise your parental right and apply for a placing request to another school at the time of registration. Placing request forms will be given at the time of registration. If you wish to enrol your child in Renton, please bring with you a copy of the child’s birth certificate. A calendar of transition visits has been arranged between Riverside Nursery and the school. These visits will continue until June. If your child does not attend Riverside Nursery then you will be given a copy of the calendar of events and your child will also be invited to participate in the visits. Your child will be allocated a buddy from the present P6 class who will continue to be buddied with them when they start Renton Primary in August. In May, the children will be invited to visit the school again to meet the P1 teacher and all other staff who will be working with them in Primary 1. Parents will be given the opportunity to participate in a pre-entrant meeting as an introduction to Renton Primary School. There will be further curriculum meetings when your child starts school. To enrol a child of any age during the term, please contact the Head Teacher. POLICIES FOR PARENTS/CARERS The local education authority has produced policies for parents which provide information for new parents at school. Copies are available from the school or can be accessed from the council website. In Renton we have produced policies for different aspects of school life. These are available from the school and are available on request. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT & ACHIEVEMENT We have had a busy year so far at Renton Primary and Language and Communication Unit. We continue to embed our school values and celebrate success by recognising the children who have been Renton Ethos Builders (REBs) at weekly assemblies. These children are nominated by their teacher when they demonstrate and promote our school values. We have also introduced a “Top Table” which children have a chance of joining every Friday at lunchtimes to celebrate their efforts in being responsible citizens and in addition children who demonstrate behaviours which are “above and beyond” are celebrated at weekly Hot Chocolate with the Head Teacher.

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Our teachers have been developing their skills in a variety of teaching methodologies including Learning Through Play and Stages of Early Arithmetical Learning (SEAL). We have also been developing our whole school approach to the active teaching of writing. A second group of our teachers have also been involved in the Teacher Excellence Model which enables time for their own professional learning to develop their expertise in the areas of pupil engagement, giving feedback to pupils and challenging pupils. As a whole school we have been developing our approaches to Nurture through our Principles of Nurture training and many of our learning assistants have had the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder by participating in Autism Reality Training. This year we are continuing to implement the SEAL model of Numeracy across Early and First Level which develops number knowledge, fluency and accuracy. SEAL stands for Stages of Early Arithmetical Learning and ensures an appropriate level of pace and challenge is maintained for all learners, while developing them as curious and motivated learners. We use the SEAL model to offer us an insight into children’s mathematical thinking and understanding and then offer a breadth of experiences around the concepts that allows the knowledge of the core strands of number to deepen and develop. There are five phases of SEAL:

Emergent Perceptual Figurative Counting On Facile

It is hoped that by the end of Early Level (P1) children are secure in the Emergent Phase and at least half of the Perceptual Phase. By the end of First Level (P4) it is hoped that children are secure in all five phases. Each of these phases are split into five key concepts/signposts:

Understanding Numbers and Numerals Number Structuring for Addition and Subtraction. Understanding Multiples and Sequences of Multiples Grouping and Sharing for Multiplication and Division

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Below is a brief guide of the expected outcomes at each stage.

Stage Indicators

Stage 0:

Emergent Counter

Cannot count visible items The child may not know the number words. The child cannot coordinate number words with

items.

Stage 1: Perceptual Counter

Can count perceived items May involve seeing, hearing or feeling items.

Stage 2: Figurative Counter

Can count the total of two collections. Counts from one

Stage 3: Initial Number Sequence

Child uses and understands counting-on rather than counting-from-one.

Uses counting on to solve addition and missing addend tasks.

May use count-down-from strategies

Stage 4: Intermediate Number Sequence

The child uses and understands count-down-from strategies and count-down-to strategies

The child can choose the most efficient strategy.

Stage 5: Facile Number Sequence (to 20) (to 100)

The child uses a range of non-count by one strategies:

Compensation Using known results Adding to ten Commutativity Subtraction as the inverse of addition Awareness of ten as a teen number

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Suggestions for parents to support the work of SEAL:

Use and talk about numbers in real-life situations Cards and dominoes Bingo Dice games – Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Monopoly Strategy games – Chess, Draughts, Darts, Yahtzee, Mastermind,

Scrabble, Sudoku, Dot to dot puzzles Read and discuss number stories Encourage your child to talk about the strategies that they are using to

count and calculate As a staff we continue to develop our skills in teaching Reciprocal Reading. We use strategies that help the children understand the text they are reading and learn skills in predicting, summarising, clarifying and questioning that they can use in a variety of situations. They children are challenged to think deeply and share their thoughts with others. We have recently implemented a new reading resource across the school – Project X – to support the development and progression of reading skills. We strive to give our pupils the opportunity to have their voice heard and consequently we run a Pupil Council and Sports Committee. We have recently implemented Skills Academies which run every Friday and offer opportunities for children to think about and develop the skills they need for learning, life and work. Examples of skills academies include Archaeology, Photography, Football and Food Technology. Our Renton Skills Framework supports the planning and delivery of Skills Academies. Our pupils represented the school successfully in a variety of events. In Sports we participated in the Balloch Cross Country Running Race. We also participated in the Dodgeball, Athletics, Rugby, Golf, Netball and Football festivals with appearances at the Dodgeball and Tennis Finals. Our P6 and P7s participated in the WDC Public Speaking Competition and the P6 pupils participated in the Knex Challenge winning the regional heats and progressing to

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the final. We are always proud of our pupils’ sportsmanship when participating in competitive events. Further information on our achievements and the school improvement agenda can be found in our Standards and Quality report for this session. A copy of this is available in the school reception area.

THE CURRICULUM At the heart of Curriculum for Excellence lies the aspiration that all children should develop their capacities as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. West Dunbartonshire Council’s priority for Curriculum for Excellence is to ensure effective teaching and learning. The Curriculum for Excellence challenges us to

look at innovative and exciting ways to deliver the curriculum to our children. While there are specific programmes for each area of the curriculum much of it can now be delivered through cross-cutting themes and interdisciplinary studies and projects. Curriculum for Excellence enables professionals to teach in a creative way, to work together, plan together and to create shared learning experiences. It balances the importance of knowledge and of skills. It ensures that pupils have opportunities for choice and that they are active participants in their own learning. There will be new ways of assessing progress and ensuring children achieve their potential. Interdisciplinary Learning

Interdisciplinary learning is when different curricular areas are taught through one context such as The Romans or Healthy Eating. We have divided the year into 5 blocks to allow us to focus on different curricular areas during interdisciplinary learning. Each class will work on a topic based around the focus in each block and within broad, coherent, whole school themes such as Our Historical World different contexts will be studied. During some blocks classes may work together on the same topic allowing pupils to share their learning across different stages. In 2020-21 we will be working on Year 2 of the 3 year cycle described

below.

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Our blocks of learning are:

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Term 1 Community Building We Are……..

Community Building We Are……..

Community Building We Are……..

Our Historical World

Our Historical World

Our Historical World

Term 2 Citizens of the World Enterprise

Citizens of the World Enterprise

Citizens of the World Enterprise

Term 3 Our Imaginative World: Scotland and Our Place In It STEM

Our Imaginative World: Novel Study STEM

Our Imaginative World: Novel Study STEM

Term 4 Our Scientific World: Global Goals Our Healthy World

Our Scientific World: Global Goals Our Healthy World

Our Scientific World: Global Goals Our Healthy World

Please note that we are currently reviewing our IDL curriculum and some of these blocks may change. CURRICULUM AREAS HEALTH & WELLBEING We are a health promoting school and encourage children to develop and apply their knowledge to make informed decisions and choices in order to improve their physical, emotional and social wellbeing and pursue healthy lifestyles. Each term we have a specific health focus which is taken from our annual HWB Framework across all stages e.g. personal safety; anti-bullying; drugs awareness and physical fitness. These are often linked to a particular event or issues in the wider world. There are opportunities for pupils to develop a sense of responsibility towards health promotion and a commitment to looking after their own health. In interdisciplinary themes each term health and wellbeing is always given importance and learner’s experiences are planned carefully including assessment of skills development in this area of the curriculum. Through teaching Health and Wellbeing we often work in partnership with other agencies such as Active Choices for healthy eating and fitness, Childline or the Dental Hygienist. We also commit one afternoon per week to health and wellbeing during which time we use the PAThS programme. PAThS stands for Promoting Alternative Thinking Skills and aims to support children in developing ability to problem solve in a social context.

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Children are offered two hours of PE/fitness per week with their class teacher. Where appropriate additional activities take place matched to themes such as Commonwealth and Olympic Games etc. Every May we have a Health and Wellbeing fortnight where we focus on physical fitness and healthy lifestyles. Using our Pupil Equity Fund we have been able to increase the number of after school sports clubs available and we have offered dodgeball, football, basketball, netball and multi-sports. We also have plans to offer a dance club and more dodgeball in the spring term. There are programmes of work covering health, personal and social development and physical education to ensure a suitable breadth of study is undertaken across the stages. We have committed one afternoon per week to our Health and Wellbeing programmes. We follow the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) Programme across the school. Teachers plan collaboratively with colleagues to ensure that there is a progression of skills developed as well as a good variety and range of activities or learning experiences. We also offer a range of targeted experiences such Seasons for Growth, Forest Schools and Social Skills groups. In the LCU our Health and Wellbeing curriculum is delivered at a pace that is appropriate to our learners’ age and stage of development. There is a high focus on the development of skills for social communication and interaction and learning targets in this areas are personalised. We also take great account of children’s sensory needs and deliver programmes of work and learning experiences in support of this. ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERACY

Literacy offers children an essential passport to learning across the curriculum and prepares children to take a full and active role in society and work. Learning through language develops children’s ability to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Children develop skills in listening, talking, reading and writing which are all essential for learning, work and life. In Renton we have reading, writing and a talking and listening programmes which are informed by our WDC progression frameworks and are supported by core resources. The programmes have been developed in accordance with the Curriculum for Excellence for each of the levels and allows for a specific focus on skills development within each aspect of literacy. Pupils are given the opportunity to work individually, in pairs and in cooperative groups. Where necessary, programmes of work are differentiated to meet the needs of pupils. To develop skills in reading in the infant stages the children learn to read through a reading resource called Project X alongside the Jolly Phonics Programme. In the upper school the pupils develop higher order reading skills through a variety of text; novels, plays and non-fiction text alongside their core resource, also Project X. All pupils are encouraged to read for enjoyment. We also use

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Reciprocal Reading strategies to support our children in developing their comprehension skills. For writing children are encouraged to engage in creative, functional and personal writing experiences. Writing is usually linked to a theme, often within their interdisciplinary topic and pupils are knowledgeable of their targets in writing. They engage in self and peer assessment experiences. All classes actively teach the process of writing throughout the week using text talk, text analysis, planning, creation and review processed. Infant spelling is taught through the Jolly Phonics Programme and in the upper school the children learn spelling patterns and rules and will receive homework to practice and improve. For talking and listening pupils learn the common skills of listening and talking and are given opportunities develop skills in presenting information individually to an audience and developing skills in talking and listening in a group. Form P1-7 the children learn French. The learning is part of the normal day with children learning to speak conversationally. P5-7 are introduced to German. MATHEMATICS & NUMERACY

Through the study of mathematics children develop essential numeracy and mathematical skills which they can apply in different contexts and in the world of work. Mathematics is a key element in engineering, science, technology and business. We use Scottish Heinemann Active Maths and SEAL as our core maths schemes for P1-7. However other resources and approaches are used depending on the individual needs of each child. We try to ensure that maths lessons have an appropriate balance of oral maths, practical/active experiences; consolidation and practice. Great emphasis is placed on interactive and active leaning as well as focussing on ensuring children are confident in their number bonds (4+5=9) and their times tables (4x5=20). Some of the mathematics curriculum is delivered through our interdisciplinary learning themes and some is delivered through our core programme. We ensure that there is progression of skills through planning learning experiences and assessments collaboratively with colleagues and referring to WDC progression pathways. SOCIAL STUDIES

Engaging in social studies allows children to develop an understanding of their world by learning about other people, their values and cultures, in different times, places and circumstances and how their environment has been shaped. Children learn about human achievements, conflicts and environmental issues, both in a local and global context. In Renton we engage in social studies within our inter-disciplinary themes. Each

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year the children will have the opportunity to enjoy a “People, past events and societies” (History) topic and a “People, place and the environment” topic (Geography) or a “People in society, economy and business” topic. We try to give pupils opportunities to be active in their learning by extending their learning outwith the school through excursions and by having experts visit the school.

EXPRESSIVE ARTS

Expressive Arts includes art & design, drama, dance & music. Through the expressive arts curriculum children are given a variety of opportunities to enjoy creative and imaginative activities and to express themselves in different ways. Expressive arts can also be a forum for children to bring enjoyment and entertainment to others through shows, concerts and assemblies. P1-3 always perform a Nativity at Christmas and P4-7 perform in a Christmas Carol Service. In February we prepare a Scottish Celebration where the pupils perform Scottish songs and poems. Throughout the year children in Renton are given opportunities to perform before their peers and parents. Classes make presentations to assemblies and each class take responsibility to plan special assemblies such as Harvest or Easter. Involvement in the Expressive Arts is core to developing our children’s self-confidence and self-esteem. SCIENCES Sciences include study in biological, chemical, physical and environmental contexts. We are currently developing our core programme in science matched to a curriculum for excellence. Learning through science enables children to investigate their environment, develop an understanding of scientific contexts and achievements as well as recognise the impact science makes on our lives. As well as the core programme of Science we focus on the teaching and learning of scientific knowledge through our interdisciplinary themes. TECHNOLOGIES The use of ICT is an integral part of education. All classes have a range of software covering many of the curricular areas and are used to enhance teaching and learning. Most classes have an interactive whiteboard fitted which can be used throughout the day and across the curriculum. We also have Chromebook stations situated around to school to ensure all children have regular access to technology in order to enhance their learning and develop their digital skills across the curriculum. To participate fully in modern society children need to be skilled and knowledgeable users of technology as well as be able to assess their impact in society. Pupils in primary 6 participate in the Knex challenge each year. All

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pupils have access to a variety of building and construction materials. Each year the classes participate in a Technology Challenge where they work in their House groups to develop skills from the Technologies. RME & RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Religious Education is part of the school curriculum and programmes of work include Christianity, other World religions and Personal Research. Our aim is to provide pupils with opportunities to recognise religion as an important expression of human experiences, reflect on and respond to the values, beliefs and practices of religious traditions within our community and beyond and evaluate their own understanding of the meaning, value and purpose of life. Regular assemblies are held in the hall throughout the year such as Harvest and Easter services. Our summer service is held at Renton Trinity Church. Parents are warmly invited to these services. Parents who wish to withdraw their child from Religious Observance should contact the Head Teacher so that their wishes may be respected. The Council's adopted policies have regard to national advice set out in SOED Circular 6/91 and the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 Parents from ethnic minority religious communities may request that their children be permitted to be absent from school in order to celebrate recognised religious events. Only written requests detailing the proposed arrangements will be considered. Appropriate requests will be granted on not more than three occasions in any one school session and the pupil noted as an authorised absentee in the register. ASSESSMENT Continual assessment of the curriculum is carried out by the Head Teacher and staff. Each teacher is constantly monitoring and assessing the progress of the pupils. This is done through: a) observation b) oral feedback c) written feedback d) class progress records e) standardised tests A key feature of assessment is formative assessment. Formative assessment is the teacher and child working together to support progression in learning. It is about teachers giving effective feedback to pupils and the active involvement of children in their learning. Oral progress reports are given to each parent at the parent-teacher interviews. However, parents are most welcome to call at the school or to telephone the Head Teacher at any time to arrange an appointment

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to discuss their child’s assessment information/ progress. TRACKING/TARGET SETTING Self evaluation is a key feature in teaching and learning. Both staff and children engage in self and peer evaluations to continually inform and improve standards across the school. Pupil performance is tracked regularly by the class teacher and Head Teacher. Teachers meet with the Head Teacher to ensure pupils are on track with their learning. Pupils are encouraged to have a knowledge of the level that they are working on. Class teachers and the Head Teacher keep records of pupil progress within levels. Pupils talk about their learning journey and have knowledge of their personal targets. REPORTING

There are two official parent/carer evenings in Renton Primary School, one in November and the other in March. An annual written report is issued in May. In the LCU parents also have two opportunities to meet formally with the class teacher – one in September and one in June and central to these meetings are consultation and review of the children’s educational support plans. Curriculum for Excellence is organised into different levels and your child’s report will tell you about their progress in the levels throughout the year. The written report will include information and teacher comments about: (a) the breadth of learning your child has experienced within curricular areas (b) the level of challenge planned for your child to ensure he/she is achieving his/her full potential and being supported appropriately (c) how well your child can apply learning in new and unfamiliar contexts

Level Stage

Early The pre-school years and P1 or later for some

First To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some

Second To the end of P7, but earlier for some

Third & Fourth

S1 to S3, but earlier for some. The fourth level broadly equates to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Level 4. The fourth level experiences and outcomes are intended to provide possibilities for choice and young people’s programmes will not include all of the fourth level outcomes.

Senior Phase S4—S6 and college or other means of study

Progress within a curriculum level will be described as developing, consolidating or secure.

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

All members of the School Community are treated equally and given equal opportunity to access teaching and learning to each person’s potential. All staff have a responsibility to ensure the council’s Equal Opportunities Policy is adhered to. Inclusion and Integration Renton Primary School prides itself in striving to achieve high standards of inclusion and integration for all of its pupils. Pupil’s individual needs are regularly reviewed to ensure strategies are in place to allow pupils to access the opportunities equally. Rights Respecting Schools Renton Primary School and Language and Communication Unit respects the children’s rights. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers/adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils. This provides a clear link for pupils between building up their rights-respecting school, understanding their rights and the need for the children’s rights to be realised everywhere. Children and young people in rights-respecting schools develop a stronger sense of the need to act for global justice. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS

Schools are required by law to ensure they are providing appropriate support for children and young people who require additional help with their learning. The Additional Support for Learning Act (ASL) 2009 requires that from 14 November 2010 schools improve on how we communicate with parents/carers on all aspects of the ASL Act. Detailed information on the changes resulting from the legislation is available to all parents and recent publications on supporting learning needs are available in the school foyer. Supporting learners requiring additional support

Staff monitor the progress of children requiring support and provide learning materials suitable to their level of development. All schools in West Dunbartonshire have a staged intervention process for identifying pupils with support needs. Some pupils have support plans to help them with particular

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aspects of their learning. Parents will always be informed about this and will be invited to discuss support needs and plans with the head or depute head teacher at key times during the year. Any parent/carer concerned about their child’s learning is welcome to visit the school to discuss their concerns. Information is available about additional support on the council website and is also available in the school reception area. Schools also have the support of Psychological Services. The role of the educational psychologist is to lend support by interviewing, testing and suggesting suitable work and materials for children whose learning or behaviour is causing concern. Parents will always be consulted if a referral to the psychologist is being considered. We aim to ensure that the learning experiences for all our pupils are appropriate. Our approach to embrace the national policy of Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) is to ensure that we work effectively, and communicate successfully with parents and different agencies to ensure maximum benefits for pupils. Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is the Scottish Government’s approach

to promoting and safeguarding the wellbeing of children in Scotland. Duties

attached to the Children and Young People Act 2014 means there will be a single

planning framework for children who need support from services (called a Child’s

Plan). The Named Person will continue to be offered in West Dunbartonshire on

a policy basis. In most cases the families around each child will be able to offer

all the help and support that is needed. However, there are times when a child

may need a bit of extra help. The GIRFEC approach is there to make it as easy

as possible to get that help when it is needed and wanted by families.

The GIRFEC policy approach is to ensure that every child and young person and

their family have access to help and support from a key member of staff in order

to support the wellbeing and additional support needs of children and young

people. The role of the Named Person is integrated into the current role of key

promoted members of staff in schools and serves to strengthen the support they

currently provide as a central point of contact for children, parents and other

people working with them.

On our school website you will find the names of the members of staff who have

been given key supporting roles for each age group of children along with the

arrangements for cover in the event of absence.

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It is our intention to support the wellbeing and safeguarding of all our young

people. Parents are reminded that the Named Person will only offer advice or

support in response to a request from a child or parent, or when a wellbeing

need has been identified. There is no obligation to accept the offer of advice or

support from a Named Person.

Holiday Cover

The GIRFEC policy also recommends the local authorities provide continuity of

support signposting during school holiday periods. At these times coordination

will be provided by suitably qualified staff from the Central Named Person

Service at the Council Offices. See contact details below.

Central Services Named Person Service:

Joanne Scott (Education Support Officer) 01389 737000

@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

Tracy King (Education Support Officer) 01389 737000

@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

Claire Cusick (Senior Education Officer) 01389 737000

@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

Below, you will find the names of the members of staff with key support

responsibilities for each age group of children along with the arrangements for

cover in the event of absence.

It is our intention to support the wellbeing and safeguarding of all of our young

people to ensure that they have access to positive outcomes, choices and

destinations; however, parents are reminded that the Named Person will only

offer advice or support in response to a request from a child or parent, or when a

wellbeing need has been identified. There is no obligation to accept the offer of

advice or support from a Named Person.

At Renton Primary School and Language Unit your child’s Named Person can be

contacted on 01389 712345 and the allocation will be as follows;

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Class Named Person HT & Named Person Absence Cover

P.1/2 Mr J Martin Mrs L Dempster

P.2/3 Mr J Martin Mrs L Dempster

P.3/4 Mrs L McColl Mrs L Dempster

P.4/5 Mrs L McColl Mrs L Dempster

P.6/7 Mrs L McColl Mrs L Dempster

P7 Mrs L McColl Mrs L Dempster

LU1, 2 & 3 Mrs L McColl Mrs L Dempster

LU4 & 5 Mr J Martin Mrs L Dempster

If your child has a support plan the above is still unchanged.

PUPIL SUPPORT STRUCTURE

All staff in the school are required to be aware of child protection issues and are provided with regular information on child protection policy and procedures. The school maintains close working relationships with all other relevant agencies to ensure appropriate information is shared and that professionals from various agencies work collaboratively for the wellbeing of the children and young people. All staff have a responsibility to report concerns regarding the welfare or safety of a child or young person to the Head Teacher. If the Head Teacher or the Depute Head is of the view that there may be grounds for concern they will immediately contact the duty senior social worker and advise them of the circumstances. In Renton we aim to get it right for every child (GIRFEC). Our policy is to support pupils with all aspects of their learning and to ensure that parents and pupils access support from different agencies out with education such as health, social work and the wider community groups associated with supporting vulnerable pupils. We try to ensure that our pupils are safe, healthy, achieving, attaining, nurtured, included and fulfilling their potential. We work in partnership with parents and carers and ensure that our pupils have an identified person that they can speak to, relate to and be supported by. We try to remove barriers to learning and at all times consider how we can best include and support individual pupils so that they continue to achieve. ANTI-BULLYING POLICY In Renton Primary we aspire to keep pupils feeling happy and safe at school. We aim to cooperate, help and support each other.

Aims of our anti-bullying policy

- That all staff, pupils and parents understand what bullying is and know exactly what action to take if an incident of bullying takes place in school.

- That all staff, pupils and parents know that bullying will not be tolerated in any form in Renton Primary School.

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- That pupils and parents know they are encouraged to speak up about incidents of bullying and not permit bullying to exist through secrecy and silence.

- That all staff, pupils and parents know that any incidents of bullying will be dealt with quickly and effectively when reported.

- That our anti-bullying policy is recognised as part of a wider policy on ethos which encompasses promoting positive behaviour, equal opportunities, child protection, promoting a healthy school and anti-racism.

- That our anti-bullying ethos can be highlighted in a number of curricular areas e.g. R.E., Health and Wellbeing, Drama, Art, Language

- That the bully him/herself knows that he/she will be accountable for his/her behaviour.

What is Bullying?

Bullying is both behaviour and impact; what someone does and the impact it has on the other person’s capacity to feel in control of themselves. We call this their sense of ‘agency’. Bullying takes place in the context of relationships. It is behaviour that can make people feel hurt, threatened, frightened and left out and it can happen face to face and online. Bullying behaviour can harm people physically or emotionally and, although the actual behaviour might not be repeated, the threat that it might can be sustained over time, typically by actions: looks, messages, confrontations, physical interventions, or the fear of these. Forms of Bullying

Children may feel bullied if they have experienced behaviours such as:

Being called names, teased, put down or threatened face to face and/or online

Being hit, tripped, pushed or kicked

Having belongings taken or damaged

Being ignored, left out or having rumours spread about you (face to face and/or online)

Sending abusive messages, pictures or images on social media, online gaming platforms or phone

Behaviour which makes people feel like they are not in control of themselves or their lives

Being targeted because of who you are or who you are perceived to be (face to face and/or online).

Procedures to Deal Effectively with Bullying

Regular talks and updates on bullying and its effects at weekly school assemblies

Focus on bullying and its effects as integral part of HWB

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The display of anti-bullying posters with in the school

Parent updates on school policy in newsletters

Setting up of a central bullying box where complaints can be posted

Continuation of building up promoting positive behaviour within school, including all reward systems already in place

Encouraging children to speak to an adult in school In Renton we adopt a Solution Orientated and Restorative approach when managing conflict and use a TRUST conversation with everyone concerned. TELL YOUR STORY

Tell an adult when you need help to resolve conflict. They will listen to your story RESPECT Listen to other people’s point of view respectfully UNDERSTAND Let the adult help you to understand the problem and the other people involved points of view STRATEGISE Think about what you can and others do to resolve the conflict. Move forward – try not to revisit the problem but look for solutions. Listen to and value other people’s ideas. Little changes can make a big difference TAKE RESPONSIBILTY Did you make a mistake? Take responsibility. Should you shake hands, say sorry or face a consequence? HOMEWORK Parents, carers and other family members can and do make a real difference to children’s education. When parents and schools work together, children do better. Children learn a great deal at school and you can add to that learning by supporting them at home. With support and encouragement, children find it easier to get into the homework habit. Homework helps you child to: - Learn how to organise and manage their time - Take more responsibility for their own learning

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- Practise and build on what they have learned at school - Develop confidence to deal with frustrations, overcome difficulties and solve

problems

- Learn and work independently in the future Homework is detailed in the children’s Home-School diary. We encourage parents to check their children's homework once completed, give encouragement, help with mistakes and if not fully understood, let the teacher know of the difficulty. Homework might be set as follows: - phonics, spelling , wordlists; - practice in mathematical processes; - reading of novels/short stories; - practice in language conventions; - home reading book; - research/information collection; - practice in skills of physical education; - practice in musical activities; - voluntary work, i.e. writing stories, poems, sketching, etc. Class teachers may offer our children personlisation and choice through providing them with a menu of homework choices to be completed over a series of weeks. As homework is for the benefit of your child you are asked to cooperate by seeing that the work is completed and the homework signed. Pupils are encouraged to find a quiet place to complete homework away from distractions such as the television. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to insist that homework is completed. Parents/pupils have this responsibility. Concerns about homework should be communicated to the Head or Depute Head Teacher and an appointment with the class teacher will be organised. Pupils who do not complete homework at home may be asked to complete it at school. SCHOOL/COMMUNITY LINKS The school is an integral part of the community and we encourage the children to realise that they are members of that community and have a duty towards it. The school is an important part of the wider community and as such we take every opportunity to make our contribution to the good of the village. We participate in entertaining our Senior Citizens, to raise funds for charity and take part, wherever possible, in any activity involving the village. We ensure that we develop our practices as a school community. We support each other in school and encourage pupils to support each other. Pupils have opportunities to join different groups and are encouraged to develop leadership skills and voice their opinions, leading to change and new initiatives e.g. the Eco-

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committee, Pupil Council, Junior Road Safety Officer or Playleaders. A wide range of support agencies, local businesses and other visitors help to support teaching and learning within the school. In addition children visit local attractions to enhance their experience of the curriculum. The children are encouraged to use community centres and other local facilities. Throughout the year we provide after school clubs such as sports clubs and gardening clubs. We have a primary/ nursery liaison group to facilitate the transition from nursery to primary school and to discuss issues important to education or community. The group has representatives from Renton Primary, St Martin's Primary and Riverside Nursery and meets once a term. Renton Primary and the Vale of Leven Academy also have regular liaison meetings to work together to deliver the Curriculum for Excellence. Parents are regularly informed by newsletter of the latest school news and activities along with invitations to attend concerts, open afternoons and other events. ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL Section 30 of the 1980 Education Act lays a duty on every parent of a child of ‘school age’ to ensure that their child attends school regularly. The Policies for Parents document “Achievement Through Attendance”, available to all parents from their children’s school, outlines the importance of good attendance. Parents are asked to inform the school by letter or telephone on the first day of absence and then every three days after. If your child does not arrive at school in the morning, and we have not received a phone call explaining the absence, you will receive a phone call to yourself or next point of contact. If no contact is made then a pupil and family support worker will be sent to the family home. The reasons for this are to ensure pupil welfare. The Scottish Government has now issued guidance to all local authorities indicating that family holidays taken during term time should be categorised as unauthorised absence (curricular no. 5/03). Clearly with no explanation from the parent the absence is unauthorised. Only in very exceptional circumstances will it be possible for the Head Teacher, with the approval of the local authority, to authorise a family holiday during term time. No child is allowed to leave school during school hours without the permission of the Head Teacher. Therefore, if it is essential for a child to leave class, for example for a doctor, hospital or dental appointment, an explanatory letter or the appointment card should be sent in to enable a pass-out to be issued. Your child should then be collected from school office. In the interests of safety no child will be allowed to leave the school

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unaccompanied to keep an appointment or to meet a parent. The parent or guardian must come to the school for the child. It is the policy of Renton Primary School that all pupils in P1, P2 and P3 should be collected from school by an adult. No child will be allowed to be sent home in a taxi within the

school day for any reason. Punctuality is very important to support your child in fulfilling their potential at school. Regular late-coming can lead to your child missing out of vital teaching and learning experiences. The school will monitor children’s absences and late-coming, telephone parents to ask for explanation of absence or send pupil and family support workers if a child not at school and when necessary i.e. when absences are below an acceptable level without reasonable explanation, will employ steps outlined in the Attendance Policy. Parents/Carers will receive a letter from the school raising concerns if a pupil’s attendance falls below 90%. It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure the school is kept informed of the reason why children absent from school. Any unexplained absence will be marked as unauthorised. Where there is no improvement in a pupil’s attendance or punctuality the child/family will be referred to the local education authority Attendance Review Committee. EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Extra curricular activities are available at different times in the school year, mostly during the summer term. Examples of after-school clubs that have been offered are netball, football, multi-sports, gardening, knitting, dodgeball, coding and art clubs. We strive to offer at least one club to each age group each year. This year we have also successfully run and a lunchtime choir club which has proven to be a hit with our children. Our P7 pupils have the opportunity to participate in a residential trip at an Outdoor Education Centre where they can experience kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking and abseiling. We work in partnership with Active Schools, Sport Development and local sports clubs to provide pupils with sporting activities. For instance coaches from the local rugby and judo clubs come into the school to offer pupils taster sessions. We encourage pupils to join local sports clubs and share their achievements at weekly assemblies. Last session we had particularly successful experiences with the Vale of Leven Cricket Club and a local Aikido club as well as weekly sessions run by a Taikwondo coach. Children are given opportunities to visit the local library. Often they are given the opportunity to listen to an author on a visit to the library. A mobile library comes to the school once a month.

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All of our children continue to help develop our school grounds. Classes have been involved in gardening in our school garden and tree planting within the school grounds and in supporting community projects. We have recently acquired an area of land near the school which will become our regular Forest School site and we are looking forward to implementing this for more children across the school. All classes will have the opportunity to take part in a number of visits and outings related to themed learning. Some of these visits will be within local or wider community. At the beginning of the year parents will be asked to give written consent for all outings within the local area. For each trip outwith the local areas parents will be asked to give written consent. We ask that you return these consent forms promptly to allow for excursions to be organised efficiently. At the end of the year the winning house is given a reward trip. Recent trips have seen us visit Clydebank Leisure Centre of the cinema in Helensburgh. POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS

Ready; Safe; Respectful

In our school the relationship between the pupils and the staff is similar to that between his/her own parent/guardian. As in the home, self discipline and self control are emphasised throughout the school. We strive to lead the children to an understanding of social interaction, co-operation and resolution of conflict. We employ solution oriented and restorative approaches after disagreements. We try hard to be inclusive in our approach, ensuring that pupils are treated fairly. In the playground supervising staff are vigilant and strive to resolve conflict. If a child is not following the playground rules then they will be given a “Time Out”. If they continue to not follow the rules then they will be sent in to see a member of the Management Team where there behaviour will be discussed and resolutions sought. Serious infractions in the playground will be reported to parents. The school takes a positive attitude towards behaviour, encouraging pupils to develop responsible social attitudes, self-control, honesty and consideration for others. We encourage pupils to be a credit to their families, their school and their community. We give positive recognition to pupils who are working hard and behaving responsibly through our Renton Ethos Builders (REBs), Pupil of the Week and Top Table awards. At Renton Primary we run a House System. When pupils join the school they are given a House, either Luss, Leven, Lennox or Lomond. Pupils are awarded House Points in recognition of responsible behaviour and effort. There are elections to select Vice Captains and Captains from the P6s and P7s to represent their House at the Pupil Council. At the end of the year a trophy is awarded to the winning house and they are rewarded with a trip such as a visit to the Meadow Centre. Each week the winning house receives an extra play and at the end of each term a house reward party is organized for the winning house.

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Each week each class teacher selects a pupil to be awarded a “Pupil of the Week” certificate. Teachers also select a pupil as a “Renton Ethos Builder”. This is a pupil who been a role model to all and exemplified our school values by their actions. Teachers regularly give out merit awards to pupils who have shown excellent effort or achievement. Breeches of school rules are recorded with serious incidents referred to parents who may be called to the school with the aim that both the school and the parents are working together to find a solution. All the children have carefully thought out the School Charter:

Be kind, friendly and mannerly at all times.

Use language suitable for school.

Keep our school clean and tidy.

Respect your teachers.

Treat the grass and trees with respect.

Always walk in corridors and classrooms

An adult presence is provided in playgrounds at break times in terms of the Schools (Safety and Supervision of Pupils) (Scotland) Regulations, 1990. However, as in the home, children may need to be disciplined on occasions within the school and demonstrate the skill of being able to repair a situation. Sanctions include :

o non-verbal cues, silences, disapproving gestures o verbal reprimands to individuals, group, class o threat of movement to another seat in class o movement of seat o withdrawal of privileges o additional work at interval and lunchtime o staying inside at playtime o after repeated warnings staff will begin to record incidents. o after three recorded incidents or sooner if the teacher is concerned,

there will be discussion of the child’s behaviour between the class teacher and the head teacher

o loss of privileges such as Happy Half Hour o intervention by head teacher and oral warning of parental

involvement o parental involvement through visit to the school to discuss the

child’s behaviour o contract drawn up between the home, child and the school when

appropriate o if there is a serious incident of misconduct an exclusion may be

considered

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We believe that through good home-school relationships good discipline can be established and maintained. Pupils are encouraged to show respect for self and others. Staff model good relationships and positive interactions with others. Pupils are treated fairly and with respect and pupils are encouraged to treat adults and others with respect. Staff seek and utilise different approaches to encourage pupils to behave positively, show high levels of motivation and a positive work ethic. CLOTHING AND UNIFORM

Pupils attending schools within West Dunbartonshire Council are strongly encouraged to wear a school uniform. Our contact with parents in recent years has also made us aware that the vast majority are in favour of uniform. The wearing of school uniform helps promote the identity of the school in the local community and helps create an ethos of sharing and pride in the school. Most people tend to form opinions about a school by the appearance and behaviour of the pupils. West Dunbartonshire Council supports the wearing of school uniform in all of its schools because it: - improves school security by making it easier to identify intruders

- builds a sense of identity and belonging to the school - gives pupils an equality of appearance thereby discouraging competition - is cheaper to buy than other clothing which pupils may wish to wear - encourages school discipline and a work ethic amongst pupils The forms of dress which are unacceptable in school are items of clothing which:

- potentially encourage faction (such as football colours) - could cause offence (such as anti-religious or political symbolism) - could cause health and safety difficulties, such as loose fitting clothing,

sportswear made of flammable material, and body piercings/jewellery for PE and sport

- could cause damage to flooring

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- carry advertising, particularly for alcohol or tobacco - could be used to inflict damage on other pupils or be used by others to do - are valuable or expensive items of clothing or jewellery which present a

security issue for the school

Some pupils may be eligible for a clothing grant. Parents can ask at the school office or they can access information on the council website. The agreed school uniform for Renton Primary is Grey trousers/pinafore/skirt White shirt/blouse School tie Maroon sweatshirt Gold poloshirt Maroon sweatshirts, gold polo shirts and school ties as well as school jackets bearing the school badge can be purchased via order forms available from school office. The school sends out orders to the suppliers 3 to 4 times a year. You will be informed of order deadlines via the school newsletter and you will be given an order from to complete. We ask that all items of uniform be clearly marked/labelled with your child’s name and class to ensure that is does not get lost. PE Kit Pupils should be provided with shorts (or tracksuit bottoms), t-shirt/poloshirt and gym shoes for PE. At the beginning of the year you will be informed of the days your child shall have PE but we recommend that your child takes their PE kit with them to school every day to ensure they can participate in any physical activities. We encourage our pupils to be active wherever possible. PE kits can be left in school if they are kept in a labelled bag and hung on the child’s coat peg. To ensure their dignity pupils should not wear vest tops or high cut t-shirts and as with school uniform any t-shirts with football colours or offensive slogans should be avoided. For Health and Safety reasons all jewellery should be removed before PE. We recommend that if you are considering allowing your child to have a piercing to do this during the summer holidays to allow time for them to heal. Staff cannot remove piercings for pupils. If piercings cannot be removed or taped before school then an adult will have to come to the school to remove the piercing. If the piercing cannot be removed then the child will be unable to participate in PE and will be given alternative work to complete.

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SCHOOL MEALS School Meals As part of “The Hungry for Success” initiative on school meals the Scottish Government set up an expert panel to report on the provision of meals within all Scottish schools and to advise on a revitalised school meals service in Scotland, which was aimed at improving the health of pupils. We in Renton Primary and LCU have implemented the recommendations of the expert panel. Guidance has been provided for caterers to ensure that all school meals are nutrient based and that children will receive the best nutrition from their school meal. Children in are given the opportunity to have a two course meal each day. The serving of this two course meal is the best way to ensure each child gets the correct nutrients from their school . For all children school meals currently cost £2.45. Parents are required to send £2.45 each day for the school meal. (We are unable to offer a system where meals are paid for in bulk.) This is collected and organised by school staff. For this you can be assured that your child will receive a fully balanced two course meal. West Dunbartonshire Council’s menus, which operate on a four week basis, include the choice of a starter or dessert, hot meal, a salad bar, potatoes and vegetables, side dish, plus fresh fruit or yoghurt each day. Bread, water or milk are supplied at no extra cost as part of the meal. Menus are available on the council website. Throughout the week children are offered cartons of milk. We encourage all parents to support this by encouraging their children to drink milk. From January 2015, all P1 – P3 are entitled to a free school meal. There are facilities for children who bring a packed lunch. Children of parents receiving income support, job seekers allowance (income based) or child tax credit only (but not working tax credit) with income less than £16,500 are also entitled to a free midday meal. Information and application forms for free school meals may be obtained from the benefits section within the council offices at Church Street, Dumbarton. Their contact number is 01389 737000. Further information can be accessed from https://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-and-educational-grants/free-school-meals-and-clothing-grant/ Should any child require a special diet, please contact the head teacher to discuss this matter. Children may bring a packed lunch to school. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, CANS AND GLASS BOTTLES MAY NOT BE

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BROUGHT INTO SCHOOL. Due to the allergies that some of our children have Renton Primary and LCU is a NUT FREE ZONE. We ask that children do not bring nut products or snacks containing nuts to school, including chocolate spread in order to avoid dangerous allergic reactions. Children who wish a drink with their lunch can either bring one in a plastic container or purchase one in school. We have two water coolers in school which enable all children to access chilled drinking water every day. Each day our facilities staff sell a range of items at the healthy tuck. TRANSPORT If you live more than one mile from the school you may be able to apply for assistance with transport costs. Application forms and information on transport are available on the council website and must be submitted by the end of February each year to enable the appropriate arrangements to be made. PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO

In line with Council Policy no photography of individuals is permitted on council premises where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy without their consent or in the case of children under 12 years, the consent of their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians will be asked to give written permission on an annual basis (January) for their child to be photographed or videoed for specific purposes related to the life and work of the school and the education service. From time to time we will upload photos to our school website and school Facebook Page in order to keep parents and families informed of the life of the school. MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE West Dunbartonshire Council has strict guidelines and policy on administration of medicines. Parents are asked to inform the school of any medical requirements of their child. Consent/information must be given if medicine is to be administered in school. School staff cannot administer any medicine without written consent from parents. If you wish school staff to administer prescribed or non-prescribed medicine please bring the medicine into the school, labelled with your child’s name and complete the appropriate paperwork. If your child needs an inhaler you will be asked to complete the appropriate

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consent form. All inhalers are kept in the child’s classroom in a sealed box. Parents should ensure that there is an inhaler for their child kept in the school at all times. In our school all learning assistants are trained to deal with minor first aid incidents. We have two members of staff with full First Aid training. . While the school provides minor first aid treatment, parents should provide the school with an emergency contact so that children can be taken home if illness or injury occurs. The school should be notified immediately if the emergency contact changes. Minor accidents will be dealt with in school by staff members. In the event of a serious accident the child will be taken directly to Vale of Leven Hospital or Royal Alexandria Hospital, Paisley. Parents will be notified immediately.

Minor injuries will be noted in our accident log book and a note of this will be given to the child to take home. In the event of more serious injuries and all head injuries, parents will be contacted by telephone. The school nursing service is involved with all aspects of health screening and health education. If your child has complex medical needs then please contact the school and we will draw up a Care Plan in partnership with you and the appropriate health care professional. Where appropriate the school nurse is also available to help, advise and guide parents/carers with individual concerns over pupils health and wellbeing. Please contact the Head Teacher if you would like to have an appointment with the school nurse. Hearing, vision and dental checks are also carried out throughout the year. Primaries 1 and 2 take part in daily tooth-brushing. Pupils in P1– P4 engage in the fluoride varnish project. INFORMATION IN EMERGENCIES

We make every effort to maintain a full educational service, but on some occasions circumstances arise which lead to disruption. Schools may be affected by, for example, severe weather, temporary interruption of transport, power failures or difficulties of fuel supply. In such cases we shall do all we can to let you know about the details of closure or re-opening. We shall keep you in touch by using phone calls, s, letters, facebook and announcements in the press and on local radio. You will also be able to access up to date information from the West Dunbartonshire Council website. This can be located at www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk It is normal practice within West Dunbartonshire Council to operate a helpline when emergencies arise. Details will be made available when an occasion arises.

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PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Co-operation between the home and the school is essential for the wellbeing of the child. Parents are very welcome in school to discuss any aspect of their child’s development or progress. It is advisable to telephone first to make an appointment. There are various opportunities throughout the year when parents can discuss their child’s progress with the class teacher and view children’s work. Information on these and other activities is communicated to parents in newsletters or by a note taken home by the children. We have an Open afternoon in October and an additional “Meet the Teacher” afternoon for P1 parents in early September. Alternative arrangements can be made for parents who are not available to attend on the agreed parent information evening. Parental opinion or comments will be sought and we welcome responses from parents. Please try to respond so that your feedback can be part of any changes introduced. Throughout the year, parents are invited to take part in different activities or attend school functions. This year there has been Easter Assembly, Remembrance Service, Book Week Activities, Christmas Fayre, Carol Service and Infant Nativity. Parents are also informed on aspects of school life in every newsletter as well as consulted through an annual audit on our service standards. Accessible and readily available information on local clubs, events and school events, etc. is contained on the notice boards within the school and at the front door. We have an active parent council who meet every term to support the life and work of the school. THE PARENT COUNCIL

Renton Primary and LCU has a supportive Parent Council which is committed to supporting the life and work of the school. As a new parent you will be invited to join the Parent Council. Our Parent Council members give generously of their time for a meeting each term to discuss how they can best support the school with different projects. They plan and organise specific fund raisers and we have had success this session so far with a Halloween Disco and a Christmas Snow Ball. Parents on the Parent Council represent the wider parent group and often represent viewpoints leading to changes in procedures and routines in the school. New members are very welcome.

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Please see https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010704916630 for more information. TRANSFER FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

Pupils are normally transferred between the ages of 11½ and 12½ so that they will have the opportunity to complete at least four years of secondary education. Parents will be informed of the arrangements no later than December of the year preceding the date of transfer at the start of the new session. Children from Renton Primary School normally transfer to Vale of Leven Academy Vale of Leven Academy Main Street Alexandria G83 0BH Tel: 01389 777000 We maintain close links with Vale of Leven Academy. We have regular liaison meeting with the Academy and the pupils experience a variety of transitional events beginning in P6. These include visits to the Vale of Leven Academy, visits from Vale of Leven staff to Renton Primary and parent/carer information events. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION How we use your personal information:

It is important for the school to hold personal information about pupils as it allows us to contact a suitable adult in cases of emergency. The information held also helps West Dunbartonshire Council to provide education services now and to plan for the future. Information provided to us in relation to children's disability, language, religion, ethnic background or national identity is used to ensure that children’s legal rights in school are recognised. Children's general legal rights are listed in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, the Equality Act 2010 and in the European Convention on Human Rights. Information held on pupils is strictly controlled by law, and can only be passed onto other services within the Council and other organisations in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection 2018 Act (DPA). As a local authority, our schools and early years establishments process information about children and young people in order to provide education and care. All personal data is treated as confidential. The information may be passed to other services and other organisations that will use it for a number of purposes connected to education services, for example, child protection, delivery of National Entitlement Cards and cashless catering, organising school transport, Active Schools

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Programme, the NHS School Nursing, Dental Health and Immunisation Programmes, collection of information by the Scottish Government and provision of national exams, we may also use any information for research purposes. We may use information held for the purposes of a public task (one of the recognised functions of a Scottish Local Authority) and may share information where necessary with other public bodies or where otherwise required to do so by law. In terms of Section 94 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Right of Access / Subject Access Request), a requester is entitled to know what personal information West Dunbartonshire Council holds about them and their children. They are also entitled to access their children's education records in terms of the Pupil's Education Records (Scotland) Regulations 2003. Applications for Subject Access Requests should be made either to the Head Teacher or to The Data Protection/Information Protection Officer, Municipal Buildings Dumbarton, G82 1NR or dataprotection@west-dunbarton.gov.uk You can find out more about the Subject Access Request procedure by visiting the following web address: http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/council/data-protection-ripsa-and-freedom-of-information/data-protection/ If you would like further information on how your information is used and how we keep your information safe please contact: Data Protection/Information Protection Officer at the above address.

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What do our pupils think? We asked are pupils what they like about Renton Primary and here is what they said: The lessons are fun, I like how the teachers make it fun The teachers make PE fun and sometimes challenging The school is a welcoming place where the pupils want to learn I like it because it is a safe and productive environment It is a very kind and respectful school It is friendly because of all the pupils, learning assistants and teachers I think it is a good place because all the teachers When asked what we are doing well parents commented: Communication is always good regarding what is going on at school Good pupil staff relationships, enjoys coming to school I like that the school is part of a close knit community. I also like the different topics that are on offer to the children. You are doing well by having a caring approach towards the children Very happy with everything Looking after my child and making her feel happy to learn Renton Primary — Our Service Standards

The following Standards of Service are in place in Renton:

Monitor your child’s performance and report to you annually

Hold two parent’s meetings annually

Offer additional meetings with staff if necessary and appropriate

All primary 1 classes will have no more than 25 pupils

All primary 2 and 3 classes will have no more than 30 pupils

Composite classes will have a maximum of 25 pupils

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Newsletters to be sent home six times per year

Parents will have the opportunity to comment on school affairs in every

newsletter

Parents will have access to the school handbook

Parents will have access to the full Standards & Quality Report

Parents will be sent home a summary account of the Standards & Quality

Report every August Parents will be given the opportunity to take part in a school

audit annually

If there is a serious problem with your child we will contact you immediately

If your child is unwell we will contact you immediately

All letters will be answered within five working days

You will be seen within ten minutes of a pre-arranged meeting

Phone calls will be answered within six rings

All school staff will be polite and courteous at all times

School staff will wear a name badge

All complaints will be dealt with in line with complaints procedure

IMPORTANT ADDRESSES

Ms Laura Mason Strategic Lead – Education, Learning and Attainment West Dunbartonshire Council Church Street Dumbarton G82 Tel 01389 737000 National Parental Involvement Coordinator Curriculum Division Learning Directorate Scottish Government Tel 07825 175247 www.engageforeducation.org.uk Community Learning & Development

Unit 6, Leven Valley Enterprise Centre Castlehill Road Dumbarton G82 5BN Tel 01389 608072 Fax 01389 608073 Renton Primary Parent Council

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Chairperson: Mrs Eilish Neill Although this information is correct at time of printing, there could be changes affecting any of the matters dealt with in the document: (a) before the commencement or during the course of the school year in question; (b) in relation to subsequent school year

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Appendix 1

Information on translation services Translation and Interpretation The Council provides interpreters and translated materials on request. Further details on the services provided are detailed below. Telephone Interpreting The Council provides a 24 hour telephone interpreting service, the current provider is Language Line. We are currently reviewing out translation and interpretation services. The telephone interpreting service is simple and easy to use and the supporting material makes it easy to identify language requirements in face to face situations. A is available from Community Planning and Policy or can be downloaded from here Face to Face Interpretation Where services need to provide information in community languages guidance is provided within 'Communicating Effectively'. This includes a list of approved contracts and is available on the Council's website or from Community Planning and Policy. Interpreters can be engaged to assist at meetings or in other situations as required. Translated Text All council publications must be offered in alternative formats or community languages. It may not be cost effective to translate a large publication, and in these instances a summary version of the document should be offered, or a meeting, supported by an interpreter, could be arranged to explain the key issues. Download examples of the standard phrase in community languages. We are currently reviewing our translated materials and the languages they are provided in and working with relevant community groups on this.

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For further information on where to access translation services or for any of the items mentioned above please contact: Policy Development Officer Community Planning and Policy, Council Offices 16 Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 Tel: 01389 737000 or at: community.planning@west-dunbarton.gov.uk C:\Documents and

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