skene square prospectus

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WELCOME TO SKENE SQUARE SCHOOL

At Skene Square School we are concerned with every aspect of your child’s development -emotional, social, physical, behavioural and academic. We sincerely hope that you willshare with us in making your child’s time spent at school both happy and successful.

The purpose of this booklet is to help you get to know more about Skene Square School.We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere and creating a safe, happy,caring and stimulating learning environment. We seek to work effectively in partnershipwith you as parents and with the wider community.

At Skene Square School we aim to encourage every child to reach their full potential. Thisis achieved through a broad and balanced curriculum combined with high quality learningand teaching.

Skene Square School61 Skene SquareAberdeen City Council AB25 2UNTelephone: 01224 630493

E-mail:[email protected]

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SKENE SQUARE SCHOOL

Skene Square School is situated in a handsome Victorian building in the Rosemount areaof Aberdeen within walking distance of the city centre. Skene Square School serves theneeds of the community with Nursery, Primary 1 to Primary 7 pupils. The main building isshared with: CLICC Breakfast, After School and Out of School Clubs and the Staff Basefor Primary Pupil Support Service for Aberdeen City centre schools.

We currently have 13 classes from Primary 1 to Primary 7. In addition, we have four part-time nursery classes, catering for a maximum of 80 children in both pre-school and antepre-school.

The school role currently stands at 401 (These figures represent the school roll as atNovember 2013).

The school comprises a three-storey granite building of closed classroom design, twonurseries and ancillary facilities that include dining area and kitchen servery. A separateannexe situated within the school playground houses the gymnasium. The school buildingfronts Rosemount Place and has extensive all-weather playgrounds to both east and west.A further play space is situated to the rear of the building. The playground has a “safeplay” surface beneath the wooden climbing frames. Further improvements to the schoolenvironment have been made in line with our Pupil Council’s chosen Enterprise Educationprojects and our bid for Health Promoting School commended status.

SCHOOL HOURS

Morning: Nursery (part-time) 8.45 a.m. – 11.15 a.m.Primaries 1, 2 & 3 9.00 a.m. – 12.15 p.m.Primaries 4, 5, 6 & 7 9.00 a.m. – 12 noon

Morning Break:.

Primaries 1 to 7 inclusive 10.30 a.m. – 10.45 a.m.

Afternoon: Nursery (part-time) 12.45 p.m. – 3.15 p.m.Primaries 1, 2 & 3 1.15 p.m. – 3.15 p.m.Primaries 4, 5, 6 & 7 1.00 p.m. – 3.15 p.m.

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ASSOCIATED SCHOOL GROUP (ASG)

Skene Square School is in the catchment area of Aberdeen Grammar School. Otherprimary schools in the Aberdeen Grammar ASG are Ashley Road, Gilcomstoun, Mile Endand St Joseph’s RC.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR SEEKING A SCHOOL PLACE

In order to access a placing request form, please come into the School Office where MrsMitchell, School Administrator, will be happy to assist you.

ENROLMENT IN PRIMARY 1

In accordance with the Admissions Policy of Aberdeen City Council all children who willattain the age of five years on or before the commencement of the new session in Augustshould start school then. Children, who will attain the age of five years after that date buton or before the last day of February, may also be enrolled in Primary School for the newsession.

INDUCTION PROGRAMME FOR NEW ENTRANTS TO PRIMARY 1

During the preceding summer term prospective Primary 1 children and their parents areinvited to school on three separate occasions to meet staff and other children. For thecommencement of the new school year in August entrants to Primary 1 are allocated intotwo groups – one to attend school for mornings only in the first week, the other group toattend for afternoons only in the first week. This arrangement is to ensure that childrenhave more individual time with their new teacher in the first few days. For weeks 2 and 3of the new term all Primary 1 children attend school for mornings only. Again this giveschildren the opportunity to become more familiar with their teacher, their surroundings andschool and class routines. Every attempt is made to introduce children to school in asensitive and thoughtful way, so that they may settle in as easily as possible. From week4 of Term 1 all Primary 1 pupils attend school fulltime 9.00 a.m. to 3.15 p.m.

CLASSES

Some children may be in a composite class. Composite classes cater for children from twoyear groups but can have no more than 25 children. In real terms, every class has anumber of ability groups and staff ably match learning experiences to prior knowledge andability. Children who are in a composite class are not disadvantaged in any way. Thesmaller class size allows the teacher to work more often in a small group or 1-1 situation.Children are given challenges that are appropriate to their needs and the direction thateach child takes in their learning is negotiated between the class teacher and the SMT. Itis crucial that pupils are given an appropriate challenge to ensure that they feel confidentin their abilities and have a strong sense of achievement. The children are taught in arange of groupings, class, small group, pairs and individually. All children have access tothe supports available in school.

TRANSFER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

The designated secondary school for Skene Square School is Aberdeen Grammar Schoolbut entry is dependent on the child’s home address. Please seek further guidance ontransfer to secondary school from the school office.

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Guidance teachers from Aberdeen Grammar School or other designated secondary schoolarrange to meet and talk with Primary 7 children prior to transfer. Primary 7 children visittheir secondary school for three days or more in June in order to become familiar with thebuilding and to meet their teachers.

Evening meetings for parents of Primary 7 pupils transferring to secondary school takeplace within the secondary schools during the summer term.

A guide to school attendance which explains parental responsibilities with regard tochildren’s attendance at school is available from the Scottish Government –

http://www.scotland.giv.uk/Publications/2009/12/04134640/0

ATTENDANCE

As you are aware, it is a legal requirement that all parents ensure their children attendschool regularly. If a child is absent the school should be informed of the reason bytelephone as early as possible and certainly before 9.30 a.m. on the day of absence.If no such telephone call is received groupcall will be used to contact parents to ascertainchild/children’s whereabouts. This is in the interests of the health and safety of allchildren.

It is appreciated that children may onoccasion be required to attendappointments during school hours.Prior notification to school would beappreciated and arrangements shouldbe made for a responsible adult tocollect the child from school.

For reasons of safety, no child willbe permitted to leave the schoolpremises on his/her own duringschool hours.

LATE ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL

Parents have an obligation to ensure that children arrive at school in good time for the startof the school day. All Primary school children should line up in the playground ready to beadmitted into school when the bell rings at 9.00 a.m.

Latecomers must sign the late register in the school office before proceeding to classes.Continual lateness is detrimental to a child’s learning and will often result in childrenmissing important instruction from class teachers. For this reason every effort should bemade to ensure that children arrive at school on time.

Continual lateness will result in the Head Teacher instructing the Home School LiaisonOfficer to visit the home to investigate the nature of the lateness. Where there is nomarked improvement the Home School Liaison Officer will take further action.

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FAMILY HOLIDAYS

The following quote is from a recent letter to parents from our Education Service:

“You have a key role to play in encouraging your chid to learn and to attend school readyto learn. You can support your child by taking an active interest in their education,attending events organised by the school and, last but not least, by ensuring that yourchild attends school regularly. For these reasons, family holidays during the school termshould be avoided. For their part, the schools are committed to working closely withparents to ensure a high quality of education and to provide a happy school experience forall children.”

Prior notification of any planned absence during the school term must be made in writingto the Head Teacher.

COLLECTING PUPILS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

Your assistance is requested in informing the school officeof any arrangement to collect your child/children during theschool day. This information will then be passed to theappropriate class teacher. Please therefore indicate inwriting, where possible, or by telephone:

a) The date and time of collection

b) The name of a responsible adult who will becollecting your child/children

It is important that the school office has this information inorder that they may know whom to expect. Pupils maythen be collected from the main

PARENTAL COMMUNICATION

Skene Square School has an open door policy and parents are welcome to visit the schoolto discuss any matter with their child’s teacher or with the Senior Management Team. Inorder to make sure of the availability of the person best served to meet your requirementsplease call into the Office to arrange a mutually suitable time.

All visitors to the school must report to the school office to sign the visitors’ book andcollect a visitors’ badge.

Newsletters/Bulletins are regularly issued in paper form and the blog –http://www.skenesquare.aberdeen.sch.uk is updated.

During the year parents/carers are invited to attend informal consultation evenings todiscuss pupils progress.There is an active Parent Council and Fundraising Committee operating in school, both ofwhich provide invaluable support to the school. They host a range of events for parentsover each school year. Further information is available through the blog -http://pcskenesquare.wordpress.com

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COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

If you have a complaint or concern regarding the school, we ask that youshare this by making an appointment to speak to either the class teacher, inthe first instance or the Depute Head Teacher, Mrs Innes, Mrs Carson and/orMiss Findlay.

If you are not satisfied that we have dealt satisfactorily with your concern,please contact the Head Teacher, Mrs Eileen Jessamine.

We will do all we can to rectify any issues that we can.If you do not feel that the Head Teacher has helped to resolve your concern,please contact the Quality Improvement Officer attached to the school, MrsHelen Cowie. Mrs Cowie will be happy to assist you.Telephone: 01224 523453Email:[email protected]

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL EDUCATION SERVICE STATEMENT OF AIMS ANDVALUES

In Aberdeen City the Education Service is committed to enabling all members of thecommunity to experience the highest quality of learning opportunities in order that theymay reach their full potential and contribute effectively in a democratic society.

It values:

Each individual in the community Everyone’s potential for learning throughout the whole of life Unique differences amongst individuals Education’s contribution to the development of society and the individual Active participation in decision making Our community’s varied cultural heritage The enjoyment of learning

It aims to:

Provide equality of access to educational opportunities Foster an effective partnership between the Education Service and the

community Promote opportunity and counter disadvantage Develop respect for all members of the community Encourage active learners Offer stimulating and creative educational opportunities Emphasise a balanced approach to education Stimulate a sense of enterprise and innovation within the community Develop skills and prepare people for worthwhile employment Adapt to the changing needs of individuals and society Use the resources including personnel, premises and finance, available to it, as

effectively as possible

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SCOTTISH PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN

Under the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002, members of the public have theright to complain to the Public Services Ombudsman about services that they receive frompublic bodies, including local authorities.

The Ombudsman has the power to investigate complaints against Aberdeen City Councilin relation to maladministration and service failure.

This includes the power to investigate maladministration in the internal organisation andmanagement of schools.

The Ombudsman does not have the power to investigate professional education mattersi.e. the giving of instruction, conduct, curriculum or discipline in any educationalestablishment under the management of Aberdeen City Council.

The Ombudsman may investigate matters only where there is a claim that a member ofthe public has sustained injustice or hardship in consequence of the maladministration,service failure or other action as appropriate.

TIME LIMIT

A complaint must be submitted within 12 months after the day in which the personaggrieved first had notice of the matter complained of, unless the Ombudsman is satisfiedthat there are special circumstances which make it appropriate to consider a complaint outwith that period.

CONTACTING THE OMBUDSMAN

Members of the public may contact the Ombudsman direct. Individuals may also givewritten authorisation to a representative to act on their behalf e.g., MSP or local councillor.Complaints should normally be made in writing to:

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman4 Melville StreetEDINBURGHEH3 7NSTel: 0870 011 5378Fax: 0870 011 5379

Email: [email protected]

COPYRIGHT

Schools are advised to include the following reference to copyright regulations:“Books borrowed from school or college libraries may not be copied by outside bodies, e.g.commercial copy shops without the written permission of the publishers. In conjunctionwith rights, owners CLA are taking legal action against copy shops that are found to beillegally copying from books for students.

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PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

PARENT COUNCILS

The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 recognises the vital role thatparents play in supporting their children’s learning. The basic principle under-pinning theAct is the desire to have children become more ‘confident learners’ through closer workingbetween each family and the school. It is anticipated that this can be done in three ways.These are:Learning at Home: direct parental involvement in the child’s learning at home and in thecommunity.

Parents can support learning at home through: Reading to and with your child Giving your child responsibility for small tasks at home – setting the table,

making a shopping list, tidying their bedroom etc Helping your child to recognise and develop their skills and to recognise the

skills of others Encouraging your child to respect diversity and be tolerant Helping them to be resilient and have a problem solving attitude Helping them to develop social skills though reinforcing the need for manners

and politeness.

Home/School Partnership:The home/school partnership is essential to ensure that the child gets maximum benefitfrom its school experiences.

You can support this by:

Helping with any homework your child may be tasked with and remember tosign the completed work (see Parentzone for further information on helpingyour child at home.) http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/index.asp

Coming and volunteer with an aspect of school life.

We are fortunate in having the interest and support of our parents and appreciate the timegiven to us by volunteer helpers. Parents help in a number of ways, e.g. library, art/craft,accompanying class teachers and pupils on school outings, etc. This not only frees theteacher to concentrate on the central task of education, but enriches our children’seducation by bringing an added dimension to school life.

Parents too may benefit from gaining a deeper understanding of the aims and teachingmethods of our school thus strengthening the parent-teacher partnership.

Aberdeen City Council Education Service must balance the very valuable support given byvolunteers with the need to ensure the safety of children. To this end all adult/volunteerhelpers in school must gain a PVG (Similar to the previous ‘check’ accessed throughDisclosure Scotland.) We trust that this necessary and worthwhile procedure does not inany way discourage you from offering help with school activities. PVG forms are availablefrom the school office. Office staff will be happy to assist with completion.

Supporting the school in upholding its discipline and school values Completing audits that are sent to you seeking your views and opinions on how

the school operates

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Parental

Parents are always welcome in school to discuss any matters of interest or concern witheither Head Teacher or any member of staff. A number of opportunities are offeredthroughout the session for parents to join us both formally and informally but parentsshould not hesitate to contact school at any time in order that a suitable appointment maybe arranged.

We strive to achieve a positive, satisfying partnership between home and school whichcan only benefit the children in our care.

The Scottish Parliament passed the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 toencourage and support more parents to become more involved in their own child’seducation and in their child’s school. Under this legislation all parents who have childrenin the school are automatically part of the Parent Forum for the school. The Parent Forumelected the Parent Council to represent them and act on their behalf.

The role of the Parent Council is to:

support the school in its work with pupils represent the views of all parents encourage links between the school, parents, pupils, pre-school groups and the

wider community report back to the Parent forum

SKENE SQUARE PARENT COUNCIL

Currently Skene Square Parent Council holds regular meetings in school to discuss arange of issues connected with the school itself and with wider educational concerns too.

Chairperson Mrs M DavidsonSecretary VacancyTreasurer VacancyStaff Members Mrs E Jessamine

Miss B FindlayLocal Councillors Mr B Cormie

Mr J CorallMs J Laing

PARENT COUNCIL FUNDRAISING SUB-COMMITTEE

Currently all parents and teachers are automatically members of our very active andsupportive PC Fundraising Committee and are eligible and, indeed welcome, to attend allmeetings. The committee is made up of a number of parents and staff who provideinvaluable support in organising and helping out at fundraising activities. The activities,both social and fundraising, are many and varied, for example Pupils’ Discos, ChristmasFayre, May Fayre, Beetle Drive, Family Bingo Night, and Ladies’ Night.

The parent members of the committee are currently elected at the Annual General Meetingof the Parent Council and all interested parents are welcome to stand for election.

For more information on Parent Forum/Parent Council please visitwww.parentzonescotland.gov.uk or contact the Head Teacher.

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SCHOOL ETHOS

At Skene Square School our primary objective is to ensure that every child benefits fromthe highest quality learning opportunities.

We aim to enable all children to develop their capabilities as:

Successful Learners

Confident Individuals

Responsible Citizens

Effective Contributors

We promote inclusion and equality and in so doing aim to:

create an attractive, welcoming, safe and secure environment for all schoolusers be they pupils, staff, parents or visitors

cultivate an ethos of achievement where pupils and staff are highly motivated,where hard work and commitment are valued and praised and where everyoneis challenged to be the best they can be

employ a variety of teaching methods supported by a wide range of high qualityresources to provide well planned learning opportunities that meet the needs ofall pupils across all areas of the curriculum

develop and nurture a strong and effective partnership with parents throughregular communication and contact both informally and formally

promote and encourage positive behaviour within an atmosphere of mutualrespect where everyone exhibits a sense of pride in the school andacknowledges its role within the wider community

foster good relationships amongst staff members encouraging and promoting acollegiate approach whilst recognising and valuing individual strengths,opinions and ideas

demonstrate the highest degree of professionalism and encourage continuingstaff development opportunities

utilise monitoring and self-evaluation procedures to reflect on our practice toensure continuous improvement in all that we do

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Be safe

Be politeto all

Consider & respectothers

Care& share

Choosewisely

Be alistener

Be the best we can be

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SKENE SQUARE NURSERY STATEMENT OF AIMS

At Skene Square Nursery our primary objective is to enrich thelearning experiences of every child within a dynamic and stimulatingenvironment. We welcome and encourage the active participation ofparents and carers as partners in this important stage of theirchildren’s development.

Through our aims we endeavour to support, encourage and enable all children to be:

Successful Learners

Confident Individuals

Responsible Citizens

Effective Contributors

Our aims are to:

provide a safe, secure and happy environment in which children develop apositive self image

develop good relationships with children and parents within a friendly,supportive environment

respect and where appropriate act upon parents’ knowledge and views of theirchild’s development, interests and personality

value each child as an individual and in so doing endeavour to address theirsocial, emotional, cognitive and physical needs

develop co-operative skills, encouraging respect for each other, for adults innursery and for nursery property

develop independence

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SKENE SQUARE SCHOOL STAFF

Teaching Staff

Head Teacher Mrs Eileen Jessamine

Depute Head Teacher Miss Belinda Findlay (Middle/Upper Stages)

Depute Head Teachers Mrs Suzanne Carson (Early Stages)(Job Share) Mrs Vivienne Innes (Nursery)

Principal Teacher Mr Adrian Anderson

Nursery Mrs Frances CraibNursery VacancyP1b Mrs Fiona Kennedy/Mrs Isla LaingP1p Mrs Adele ClarkP1r Mrs Pamela Burney MrsP2 Miss Rebecca DuffieldP2/3 Mrs Lyndsey FyfeP3 Mrs Joanne BertramP3/4 Mrs Lorna McWilliamP4 Mrs Linda HendersonP5 Miss Daniell Paterson/Mrs Sandra ColesP5/6 Mrs Rucksana HussainP6 Mrs Marc AitchisonP7F Miss Lynne FalconerP7A Mr Adrian Anderson

Enhanced Provision Mrs Mellissa Hewitt

Support for Learning Mrs Elizabeth Urquhart

Drama Specialist Miss Wendy SmithPE Specialist Miss Nicola GravenerArt Specialist Mrs Gillian Clunas

Woodwind Tutor Miss Amy DowCello Tutor Mrs Hilary CromarPiano Tutor Mr Ian LovegroveBrass Tutor Mr Alan MacDonaldViolin Tutor Mr Ewing Lauder

Support Staff

School Administrator Mrs Valerie MitchellSchool Support Assistants Mrs Jennifer CopeNursery Nurses Mrs Fiona Mennie

Mrs Michelle McLeanMrs Isabella RowberryMrs Andrea Ross

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Pupil Support Assistants Ms Sandra AndersonMrs Alison CampbellMiss Eve FraserMrs Angela GrayMrs Joanne Shewan

Janitor Mr Albert Stewart

School Educational Psychologist Miss Emma PowellSchool Doctor Dr CharletonSchool Nurse Ms Ruth DuguidSchool Chaplain Mr Chuck Freeland, City ChurchSchool Children’s Pastors Mrs Jude McBean, City Church

Mr Archie McBean, City Church

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ADDRESSES/TELEPHONE NUMBERS

SCHOOL POSTAL ADDRESS Skene Square School61 Skene SquareAberdeenAB25 2UNTel: 01224 630493Fax: 01224 620788Email: [email protected]

CLICC BREAKFAST, AFTER-SCHOOL AND OUT OF SCHOOLCLUBS

The club provides before and after school care andalso holiday/in service day care for pupils attendingSkene Square School.Please contact CLICC Co-ordinator for furtherinformationTel: 07804811518.

PRIMARY PUPIL SUPPORTSERVICE

The Primary Pupil Support Service is part ofAberdeen City Council’s Education, Culture and SportDirectorate. The service provides support forvulnerable pupils attending primary schools within thecity centre. The service operates mostly on anoutreach basis with staff working with children in theirown school and class setting. The Primary PupilSupport Service Staff Base is located on the top floorof the school building.For further information contact Isobel Alexander,Principal TeacherTel: 01224 634186

EDUCATION SERVICE Education Culture and Sport DirectorateAberdeen City CouncilMarischal CollegeBroad StreetAberdeenAB10 1FYTel: 01224 522000

SCHOOL QUALITY IMPROVEMENTOFFICER

Mrs Helen CowieEducation, Culture and Sport DirectorateMarischal CollegeBroad StreetAberdeenAB10 1FYTel: 01224 522294

HEAD OF SERVICE Mr Charlie PenmanEducation, Culture and Sport DirectorateMarischal CollegeBroad StreetAberdeenAB10 1FYTel: 01224 523517

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STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR

At Skene Square School we combine high expectations of positive behaviour with asympathetic yet firm approach. Discipline is a joint responsibility for both home and schooland a whole-school Positive Behaviour Policy continues to be further developed by schoolstaff in consultation with pupils and parents. It is an important part of the school’s approachto help our pupils develop self-discipline and good manners in an atmosphere of mutualrespect between staff and pupils.

We have playground rules, school rules and classroom rules. It is essential that childrenunderstand rules, many of which are concerned with their own safety and that of others.

Any sudden changes or upset at home can cause children to behave differently at school,just as worry over school work or a falling out with friends can affect behaviour at home.

Referral with parental approval may be made to an Educational Psychologist who can co-ordinate and direct the efforts of home and school to tackle a problem. If you suspect thatyour child is involved in bullying please contact the school to discuss the problem as soonas possible.

FAMILY POINTS

All Skene Square School pupils are part of a ‘Family’ with each family named after a localstreet. (Ashgrove, Denburn, Forbes, Hutcheon, Maberly and Westburn)As part of developing our Positive Behaviour Policy, pupils at Assembly have beeninvolved in answering “What Makes a Skene Square pupil?” A range of values have beengathered together including working hard, having a positive attitude, being helpful andpolite and generally being everything we expect from a Skene Square Pupil! To rewardpupils who show these values a ‘Family Point’ will be given. These points are basedaround the four capacities: Successful Learner, Confident Individual, Responsible Citizenand Effective Contributor. The points are recorded across the ‘Families’ per class andweekly totals read out in the weekly Whole School Sharing Achievement Assembly whenthe winning ‘Family’ is presented with a trophy displaying the winning family colouredribbons.

PLAYGROUND ZONES

To meet the challenges of the small playground space at Skene Square School the pupilsand staff have agreed to pilot “play zones” for 30 minutes of the lunch break. Areas of theplayground are split into 6 designated areas with a different range of activities in eachzone. The pupils access the zone in “Family groups” where a set of activities are availablein rotation across the week. The pupils provided the ideas for each zone which includeactivities such as football skills a goal shooting area, basketball, skipping, music anddance areas as well as quieter activities including reading, drawing and small world play.

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RESTORATIVE APPROACHES

Whilst many believe that children who bully must be punished for their behavior,It is widely accepted that this type of response can at times be ineffective, dangerous,breeds resentment and can make the situation worse. Punishment can make a personresentful instead of reflective. Children who bully must be given the opportunity to hearabout and face up to the pain, hurt, distress and anger they have caused to others.Punishment does not help to restore relationships and can result in further retaliation.Aberdeen City Council has a responsibility to protect those being bullied but also toprovide an education for all pupils including children who bully or those with behavioralproblems. Whilst appropriate action will be taken by the school, it is also important that allparents involved, work with the school to resolve the problems in the best interests of theirchild or young person.

SANCTIONS

Although it is necessary to look carefully at every incident involving unacceptablebehaviour and to react appropriately to each set of circumstances, the following are someof the sanctions available to members of staff.

A few words from the Pupil Support Assistant, class teacher with repeatbehaviour gaining a ‘yellow card’ and further repetition a ‘red card’ and ‘TimeOut’

A few words from a member of Senior Management Team A verbal apology to another pupil(s) where required Written letter of apology (signed by parents when it is deemed necessary for

them to be made aware of the incident) Withdrawal of privileges Exclusion from playground In extreme cases of indiscipline, usually over a lengthy period, a child may be

excluded from school

EXCLUSION

Where pupils who repeatedly display behaviours which compromise the good order of theschool i.e. disruption of learning and teaching, unsafe practices, bullying and other formsof abuse and where other forms of support and sanctions have proved unsuccessful, theauthority exclusion policy will apply.

SCHOOL POLICIES

School and authority policies are currently being reviewed and updated to reflectCurriculum for Excellence requirements. Please contact the school office if you would likemore information about current school or authority policies.

HOMEWORK - SCHOOL POLICY

At Skene Square School, homework is seen as an integral aspect of children’s learning.Homework provides opportunities for children to build upon work done in school byconsolidating, practising, preparing and developing given tasks. Additionally, children areencouraged to develop good habits of self-discipline and independence in their approachto school work.

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Through setting homework we aim to:

encourage independence and good learning habits. consolidate work taught in school and support children’s achievement. encourage parents and carers to become involved in their children’s learning. build pupil confidence through discussion of work with parents/carers.

Homework tasks set by class teachers will be relevant to the school’s curricular aims andobjectives. Parents are asked to encourage and support children where possible in thecompletion of all homework tasks. Homework jotters will be provided by class teachers.Except where otherwise directed, all homework exercises should be completed in pencil.

Homework will:

be matched to the needs and abilities of the individual child reflect a whole-school integrated approach increase in volume gradually from Primary 1 to Primary 7 take a variety of forms, including reading, writing, mathematics (revision and

consolidation of previously taught work), rehearsing and researching encourage independent learning encompass all curricular areas as appropriate be relevant and useful

P1 Homework will take the form of weekly:

Reading Phonics Numeracy

P2-7 Homework will take the form of weekly:

Reading + task Spelling words + activity Maths

Maximum Homework Timings (per school day):

P1-2 - 15mins P3-4 - 20mins P5, -P7 25/ 30mins

Topic homework will include a variety of activities and recording formats

Through the satisfactory completion of homework tasks andactivities, children are encouraged to meet the targets set forthem.

Should difficulties arise and your child regularly require longerthan these suggested timings please make contact with thecontact school in order to resolve any concerns.Homework should be signed by parent/guardian. Althoughreminder will be given it will be the child’s responsibility totake their homework home and back to school.

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SCHOOL/HOME COMMUNICATION

Parents are kept informed about school life through newsletters issued at regular intervals,Class and School Blog and are informed by letter of any special announcements whichhave to be made. To ensure that important written communications have been received athome, parents are sometimes requested to complete a return slip. Your co-operation inthis is vital in order to prevent any misunderstandings or confusion.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The school is firmly committed to the promotion and development of equal opportunities bywhich we mean the promotion of equality and fairness for all pupils and opposition todiscrimination and prejudice. Multi-cultural education is an integral part of the schoolcurriculum. We aim to provide an education for our pupils which will be relevant to theneeds of children today whilst maintaining those standards and values which havetraditionally withstood the test of time.

CLUBS AND COMMITTEES

INTERPRETERS CLUB

Skene Square School is rich in cultural diversity with 25% of the school roll not havingEnglish as their main language. To further increase communication an Interpreters Clubhas been established with the aid of EAL partners. This helps teachers and pupils alike.Particularly if a child with little understanding of English is upset, another child who canspeak the same language can explain what the difficulty may be.

ECO GROUP

Our Eco Committee works with Miss Duffield to help us all become more aware of caringfor our environment.

LIBRARY COMMITTEE

This group has recently formed and leads the children to consider the importance ofaccessing knowledge, facts and fiction and way literacy is made available in school andsuggests ways of making improvements.

FAIR TRADE GROUP

This group takes part in activities, games and teaching ideas to help pupils to learn aboutand take action on Fairtrade.

INSTRUMENTAL INSTRUCTION

Provision of instrumental tuition depends on the availability of bothtutors and instruments. Pupils are selected by the tutors followingassessment. Pupils are released from class to undertake tuition on aweekly basis. Inevitably, demand will exceed provision and pupils maybe disappointed if there is no vacancy for their chosen instrument. Anumber of Skene Square pupils are presently involved in learning toplay piano and a variety of woodwind, strings and brass instruments.

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EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

A number of extra-curricular activities are offered during the school year organised byActive Schools. More information can be obtained from Active School Co-ordinator, 1st

Floor, Inspire Building, Beach Boulevard, Aberdeen. Tel: 07920213539.Detailed information is issued as appropriate and consent of parents is always sought.

LUNCHTIME CLUBS

Skene Square School Class Teachers lead a variety of activities during lunchtime. Theseinclude a Cheerleading Club, Street Dance Club, Recorder Club and French Club

SCHOOL MEALS

School lunches are provided by School Catering Service and take theform of a two course meal. There is a choice for both courses. Menusare issued in advance. At lunchtime fruit juice, milk and water is alwaysavailable. Meals are cooked in Cornhill School kitchens and delivered toour school servery.

Tickets for school meals may be purchased in books of 10 or individually. Books oftickets, should if possible, be purchased on Monday mornings although they are availableevery day of the week. It is recommended that payment is made by cheque, payable toAberdeen City Council. Single tickets are available any day and any child who does nothave a ticket or money will always be given a meal on credit. As prices are subject tochange, parents are asked to contact the school for current costs.

Provision is also made for children bringing their own food at lunchtimes in theform of packed lunches.

PACKED LUNCHES

Packed lunches should be brought in a named lunch box and eaten in the dining hall. Inthe interest of safety, please do not allow your child to bring glass bottles to school and bemindful that although lunchboxes are kept out of direct sunlight they are not keptrefrigerated. Please bear this in mind when preparing lunch for your child.

Children are supervised at lunchtimes by our Pupil Support Assistants. A member of theschool’s senior management team is always available during lunchtime.

Please note that in the interests of safety, pupils staying in school over the lunch break arenot permitted under any circumstances to leave the school grounds.

FREE MEALS

Application forms for free school meals are available from the school office. Any parentwho considers their child may be eligible or who wishes confidential advice should contactMrs Mitchell, School Administrator.

DIET

Where children have specific dietary requirements or restrictions, parents are requested toinform the school in writing.

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FREE FRUIT FOR PRIMARIES 1 & 2

The Scottish Government encourages and supports healthy eating habits. Improvingchildren’s diet can make a major impact on the health of children with beneficial outcomes foreducational attainment and improved health in later life. To help and support this, free fruit forevery local authority school pupil in Primary 1 and 2 is available. Children will be providedwith fruit three times a week during the school term. This is usually eaten by the children inclass in the afternoon.

MILK – NURSERY & PRIMARY 1

Every child in Nursery and Primary 1 will be given a 200ml carton of milk daily. Wherechildren are milk intolerant we request that parents so advise us in writing and we suggestthat bottled water or a carton of fruit juice is provided as an alternative.

UNIFORM

Whilst wearing of school uniform cannot beenforced, many parents have expressed theirwish for the school to have a stated policy ondress. We therefore actively encourage ourpupils to wear uniform that is both comfortableand practical.

Boys Girls

White polo shirt White polo shirtGrey or black trousers Grey or black skirt or trousersMaroon sweatshirt with school crest Maroon sweatshirt with school crest

School sweatshirts, polo shirts and zipped fleece jackets with the school name and crest maybe purchased from John Lewis. Reading and Gym bags printed with the school name andcrest may be purchased from the school office.

It is vital that all school clothing is clearly named to avoid unnecessary confusion. Namedclothing can readily be returned to rightful owners.

A clothing grant is available to families in need from the school office.

GYM KIT

Gym kits comprising shorts, t-shirt/polo shirt and gym shoes arerequired for PE. In the interest of safety children are required toremove all jewellery before participating in PE lessons.

As part of our commitment as a Health Promoting School weendeavour to provide physical education lessons as often aspossible. For this reason PE kits must be available in school

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everyday. We therefore suggest that kits are delivered to school on Monday and taken homefor washing on Friday. Please support us by ensuring that your child always has access to aPE kit in school.

LOST PROPERTY

Please name all personal property e.g. clothing, footwear, lunchboxes and schoolbags. If yourchild loses any item, a member of staff should be told straight away. Lost property items maybe found in the Infant Corridor and children are encouraged to check this regularly for anymissing items. The school cannot accept responsibility for any lost item, but every effort willbe made to trace anything that goes missing. All items of clothing should be labeled to ensurethat your child can easily identify their own clothing.

NO SMOKING POLICY

Aberdeen City Council operates a strict no smoking policy in all of itsestablishments. It must be understood that the definition of “establishment”includes all playgrounds and the school car park. Parents and visitors aretherefore respectfully requested to refrain from smoking in the schoolbuilding and school grounds.

TRANSPORT

The Education Authority is required to provide transport to and from school for primary pupilsliving more than 2 miles from the school provided they live within the delineated zone for theschool. Pupils who do not live within the delineated zone are not entitled to transport.

GRANT AID

Parents in receipt of income support may make application forassistance with educational travel costs, e.g. visits and/orresidential trips. Application forms may be obtained from theschool office.Mrs Mitchell, School Administrator will be pleased to offeradvice.

SAFETY

A number of parents drive or escort their children to andfrom school.

In order that the safety of all pupils is ensured your co-operation is requested on a number of points:

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Please do not walk or encourage children to walk across the school car park. The school car park is out of bounds to all pedestrians with the exception of

staff car users. Please refrain from parking in the school car park Please refrain from parking on the yellow zig-zag markings outside the school gate Please encourage children to use only the paths leading to and from the school Please close all school gates behind you

SCHOOL CROSSING PATROL SERVICE

School Crossing Patrol Officers, “Lollipop Persons”, are located outside themain school entrance on Rosemount Place from;

8.25 a.m. – 9.05 a.m. 11.55 a.m. – 1.20 p.m. 2.40 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.

We are very fortunate to have this provision which we hope will remain. Children and parentsare therefore encouraged to use this service fully. I would however draw your attention to thefollowing extract from Aberdeen City Council’s Patrol Service:

“Parental Responsibility

Even where a School Crossing Patrol is provided, parents remain responsible for ensuringtheir children’s safety, just as they do when a zebra crossing or a pelican crossing is provided.

Some parents, however, may regard the provision of a School Crossing Patrol as anindication that the “Appropriate Authority” is prepared to assume responsibility for the safetyof their children on their whole journey to and from school. This is a misconception thatshould be countered perhaps by conducting a local “awareness-raising” campaign to reinforcethe message of parental responsibility every time a new Patroller is appointed.

When considering the issue of parental responsibility it is ironic to note that in some casesparents themselves may be the cause of traffic levels that necessitate the provision of a SCP.At some school sites, much of the vehicular traffic is created by parents driving their childrento and from school.

The issue of parental responsibility also needs to be clearly understood by Elected Members,and officially enshrined in policy statements, road safety plans and guidelines. Theresponsibility for ensuring the safety of children travelling to and from school is, and mustremain, a parental one.”

ROAD SAFETY

All pupils are encouraged to follow the Green Cross Code. Parents are requested to ensurethat younger pupils are always accompanied by a responsible adult. Our school is situated ina particularly busy location and it is imperative that all pupils are aware of road safety rulesand regulations.

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Children are encouraged to wear reflective armbands and high visibility colours, particularlyduring winter months. In addition all children are required to wear high visibility reflectivevests on all school walking trips within the local area. High visibility vests are supplied inschool.

DOMESTIC PETS

The following quote from our Education Service is brought to your attention:

“…it is the Authority’s policy that no pets owned by any member of staff,parent or guardian should be allowed into any part of the establishment. Itmust be understood that any part of the establishment includesplaygrounds, car parks and playing fields.”

PROPERTY

All items of clothing should be clearly named and should be checked regularly to ensure thatnames are still legible. Any loss of property should be reported without delay to a member ofstaff.

Normally valuables or large sums of money should not be taken to school. If, for somespecial purpose, such items are brought to school they should be handed to the teacher forsafe-keeping. Money should NEVER be left in cloakroom areas, schoolbags or tote trays.

MOBILE TELEPHONES

At Skene Square School we believe that during school hours, pupils have noneed to carry a mobile phone. In the case of an emergency, parents and pupilscan make contact through the school office. Children are encouraged to leavetheir phones at home.

In special circumstances, if parents feel strongly that a mobile phone is necessary for use onthe way to or from school; arrangements may be made with the Senior Management Team forthe phone to be handed in to the Office or to class teacher first thing in the morning andcollected at the end of the School day. This helps minimise disruption and lowers the risk ofdamage or theft.

Unless special arrangements have been made, any child found with a mobile phone will beasked to hand it in to the Office for safekeeping until the end of the School day. Should thishappen three times, parents will be asked to collect it on their child’s behalf.

SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE

Regular inspections are made by the school doctor, dentist and nurse. When furthertreatment is required parents will be informed.

The School Nurse, Ruth Duguid, makes regular visits to school and is always happy todiscuss concerns with parents. She may be contacted on: Aberdeen 310184.

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ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

Should a child become ill or have an accident during the school day, minor first aid will beprovided. Parents or emergency contacts will be informed as soon as possible should a childneed to be taken home or require medical attention.

It is ESSENTIAL therefore that parents keep school informed of any changes to home, workor emergency contact details. Please advise the school office in writing of any changeswithout delay.

If a pupil is unwell due to a stomach upset they must refrain from school for at least 48hours.

MEDICINES IN SCHOOL

In exceptional situations administration of medicines may be required during the school day.In such cases, parents must report to the Head Teacher in person to complete the necessaryMedical Authorisation forms. These detail precise instructions with regard to amount,frequency and timing of dosage.

PARENTS MUST BRING AND COLLECT ALL SUCH MEDICATION TO AND FROMSCHOOL. CHILDREN MUST NOT BRING MEDICATION TO SCHOOL - THE ONLYEXCEPTION BEING PUPILS WHO CARRY THEIR OWN INHALER FOR ASTHMA.

HEAD LICE

It would be appreciated if parents informed the school of an infection of head lice in order thatNHS Grampian Healthcare’s procedures may be put into operation. It is important that allparents check for signs of infection regularly.

JEWELLERY

Recent years have seen a substantial increase in the number of pupils wearing personalitems of jewellery to school. In certain circumstances, such as physical activity, this canconstitute a hazard to both themselves and others. All items of jewellery worn includingearrings are discouraged. If pupils do wear jewellery the item must be removed by pupilsprior to participation in PE lessons/activities.

Where a personal adornment cannot reasonably be removed, in the interests of safety, pupilsmust supply tape or sticking plasters to cover the items during physical activities.

GENERAL SAFETY

All pupils have been instructed that only adults wearing identification badges should be incontact with them in school or in the playground. Your co-operation in this matter is vital inorder to ensure strict adherence to these measures which are in place for the safety andsecurity of all children.

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Pupils are not permitted to leave the school grounds within the school day unless taking ahome lunch.

Our Pupil Support Assistants provide a caring presence in and around the playground for thechildren at morning interval and lunchtime. Each of them carries a basic First Aid kit to attendto any minor injuries.

EMERGENCY CONTACT

All parents are asked to complete an emergency contact form for each child. It is importantthat you provide the school with a daytime contact number and the telephone number of afriend or relative, within walking distance of the school, whom we can contact should you beunavailable. Please help us by keeping this information up to date.

INFORMATION LINE

Aberdeen City schools provide a telephone information service for parents/carers. This iscalled the Schools Information Line. The National Rate number is 08700 541999. PIN codefor Skene Square School is 011590. Any important information will be recorded on this lineand updated regularly by the Head Teacher.

We make use of Groupcall which sends a text message directly to all registered parents.Please note that only one number can be recorded per family and it is crucial that contactnumbers are kept up to date.

EMERGENCY CLOSURE PROCEDURES

Head Teachers have total discretion as to the closure of schools when they anticipate stormconditions that would put children at risk. In the event of such conditions the schoolinformation line will be updated and Northsound, the local radio station will be notified. In theevent that the school is closed in the course of the school day parents will be contacted andasked to collect their children or informed that they will be coming home early. Children willonly be allowed to walk home with a parent’s agreement. If parents cannot be contacted,Emergency Contacts will be telephoned and appropriate arrangements made.

FIRE DRILL

Regular practice fire drills are held termly throughout the session. Fire safety assembly pointsare clearly identified.

SCHOOL EVACUATION PROCEDURES

In the unlikely event of a major incident requiring an evacuation of the school being required,e.g. fire; all children will be escorted by school staff to Rosemount Community Centre fromwhere emergency closure procedures will be put into operation.

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INSURANCE

No insurance cover is held by Aberdeen City Council to provide automatic compensation inthe event of personal accident or death. It is your responsibility as a parent to insure yourchild for personal accident or death if you feel this to be appropriate. Aberdeen City Councildoes hold third party liability insurance which indemnifies the Council for claims from thirdparties e.g. parents of pupils who have suffered injury, illness, loss or damage arising fromthe negligence of the Council or its employees. However, if there were no negligenceestablished, no claim would be accepted by the Council.

DATA PROTECTION

Local Authorities and Scottish Executive Education Department collect data on each child.The data collected and transferred covers areas such as entitlement to free school meals,whether a pupil is looked after by his/her local authority, date of birth, postcode etc. Pupilnames and addresses are collected by local authority but are not passed on the SEED. Yourpostcode is the only part of your address that is transferred. Data is held securely and noinformation on individual pupils can or would be published by SEED. It is used for researchand statistical purposes only. Providing national identity and ethnic background data isentirely voluntary. You can choose the ‘not disclosed’ option if you do not want to provide thisdata. The collection, transfer, processing and sharing of data is done in accordance with theData Protection Act (1998). We also comply with National Statistics Code of Practicerequirements and other legislation related to safeguarding the confidentiality of data.

CHILD PROTECTION

“All children and young people in Scotland have the right to be cared for and protected fromharm and to grow up in a safe environment in which their rights and needs are respected. Thewelfare of children is paramount”. Protecting Children and Young People: Framework forStandards, Scottish Executive 2004.

It is everyone’s job to ensure that children are kept safe.

Schools are required to report any suspected child abuse to appropriate services such aspolice or social work.

‘Child protection means protecting a child from abuse or neglect. Abuse or neglect need nothave taken place; it is sufficient for a risk assessment to have identified a likelihood or risk ofsignificant harm from abuse or neglect.’

From National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2012Categories of abuse include:

Physical Physical neglect Emotional

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Sexual Non Organic Failure to Thrive

A comprehensive set of guidelines provide all staff and volunteers who come into contact withchildren the essential information about protecting children from harm. Where parents haveconcerns about the safety or protection of any child they can contact the National ChildProtection Line on 0800 022 3222 at any time. For further information go to North East ChildProtection Committee website on www.nescpc.org.uk

Each school has a named senior member of staff appointed to be responsible for ChildProtection matters. In Skene Square School that person is Mrs Eileen Jessamine, HeadTeacher.

As a school we have good contacts with Medical Officers, Social Workers and the Police –any or all of whom may become involved if abuse is suspected.

We must make you aware that in situations where there is a possibility that a child could be atrisk of abuse or neglect the school has an obligation to refer the child to Social Work, thePolice or the Children’s Reporter and that under these circumstances parents would notnormally be consulted first. This is to safeguard the interests of the child.

Should you wish to talk further about Child Protection and the safety of children, please feelfree to contact the Head Teacher.

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)

Taking care of our children’s well-being and making sure they arealright – even before they are born - help us ensure the most positiveoutcomes for them later in life. It gives them the potential to grow upready to succeed and play their part in society.

Getting it right for every child is a programme that aims to improve outcomes for all childrenand young people. It promotes a shared approach that:

Builds solutions with and around children and families Enables children to get the help they need when they need it Supports a positive shift in culture, systems and practice Involves working together to make things better

Getting it right for every child is the foundation for work with all children and young people,including adult services where parents are involved. It builds on universal health andeducation services, and is embedded in the developing early years and youth frameworks.Developments in the universal services of health and education, such as Better Health BetterCare and Curriculum for Excellence, are identifying what needs to be done in those particularareas to improve outcomes for children.

The Getting it Right approach looks at eight areas of ‘well-being’. These are recognised asareas in which children and young people need to progress in order to do well now and in thefuture. They allow those responsible for the care and support of children - including members

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of their own families - to look at a situation in a structured way that will help them identify anyneeds and concerns and plan with the child and family any action they need to take.

The eight wellbeing indicators are:

Safe Healthy Achieving Nurtured Active Responsible Respected Included

The approach gives them a common language and a way to gather information about achild’s world, making sure the child is growing and developing, and has everything they needfrom the people who look after them both at home and in the wider community. It alsoencourages practitioners to think about who else might need to be involved (for example, ateacher might need to contact other professionals to make sure that an educationimprovement plan with the child and family was meeting all the child’s needs).

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS

The majority of children and young people are able to access the curriculum without the needof additional help other than that which would ordinarily be available in the classroom.

A child or young person requiring planned extra support to allow them to better engage intheir learning has 'additional support needs'.

A need for additional support does not imply that a child or young person lacks abilities orskills.

Additional support needs can be long or short term and may arise through any of thefollowing:

Learning Environment Family Circumstance Disability and Health Social and Emotional Factors

Additional support may take a number of forms and come from health, social work or somevoluntary organisations as well as from education. Aberdeen City Council has a policy ofInclusion. Our definition of inclusion is:

"..the process of developing flexible systems to support the needs of all children and youngpeople through collaborative partnership working."

The main aim of inclusion is to ensure that children and young people with additional supportneeds (ASN) receive adequate and efficient provision as stated in the Education (Additional

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Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and in line with The Education (Additional Supportfor Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 (the 2009 Act).

In Aberdeen, as part of our strategy for learning, we are in the process of moving towardsthree tiers or levels of provision for 3-18 year olds;

Tier 1: Mainstream primary and secondary schools with on-site support/provisionTier 2: Mainstream primary and secondary schools with extended facilities/resourcesTier 3: Free-standing specialist school

Aberdeen City Council also has an Accessibility Strategy which aims to provide a routetowards equality in education for all children and young people with disabilities.

SUPPORT FOR LEARNERS

Support for Learning staff offer advice to class teachers and provide suitable materials for usewith children of all ranges of ability. Most of their work in supporting children takes placewithin the class environment in a co-operative teaching situation, but it may occasionally beadvantageous to withdraw a child/children to work on a one-to-one or small group basis.Pupils, parents and staff are involved in developing support plans, helping to identify specificneeds and what might be done to help overcome areas of difficulty. A multi-agency approachis adopted to support pupils with additional needs. Some of the people we meet with regularlyinclude; Educational Psychologist, school nurse and doctor, family support workers, speechand language therapists, pupil support workers and police liaison officers. Similar processesmay also be put into place for pupils who have been assessed as being able or gifted asthese children might also need additional support to reach their full potential.

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE

Educational Psychologists contribute to the development of high quality education andimproving outcomes for all children and young people in many different ways:

Improving life chances for children, young people and families at risk; Working to ensure Aberdeen’s children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed; Supporting Aberdeen’s young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens; Contributing to the implementation of a curriculum for excellence; Supporting Aberdeen City to develop more and better employment opportunities

for all.WHAT DO PSYCHOLOGISTS DO?

The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) works at three levels: child and family,establishment and authority. Within each level of work, Educational Psychologists (EPs) havefive core functions:

1. Consultation involves working collaboratively with the people most closely involved with aparticular issue. The aim is to explore the issue(s) and to collectively generate workablesolutions;

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2. Assessment may involve direct or indirect work with the child/young person. Directassessment tools include observation, analysis of work, questionnaires, curriculum basedassessment, dynamic assessment, checklists and scales. Indirect assessment is based on ananalysis of information gathered in consultation with those most directly involved with theindividual or issue (e.g. parents, school staff, other professionals);

3. The purpose of an assessment is to inform future intervention. An intervention is astrategy designed to overcome barriers to learning. A group, class or whole-schoolintervention may stem from work originating at an individual level. Planning interventions is animportant part of consultation. In some cases the psychologist may be involved in theimplementation of an intervention;

4. Psychologists provide training for children and young people, parents, teaching staff andother professionals on a variety of topics. They also identify training needs within theeducation authority, provide advice on training content and delivery, and evaluate trainingprogrammes. Training can take the form of workshops, presentations and ongoingprofessional development dialogue;

5. Psychologists carry out research projects. This may involve action research, evaluationsand literature reviews on issues related to learning and teaching. Research findings aredisseminated to relevant stakeholders (e.g. other Educational Psychologists, parents,teachers, other professionals).

HOW DO EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS BECOME INVOLVED?

During planned visits to schools, the Educational Psychologist meets with staff to discusswhole-school and class issues and how best to meet the needs of children and young people.These informal consultations aim to develop strategies the teacher can use to bring aboutpositive change. The Educational Psychologist may support teachers in assessing howdifferent circumstances and teaching approaches affect learning and behaviour. Dependingon individual needs it may be agreed that a Formal Educational Psychology Consultationwould be helpful to discuss an individual child or young person’s needs. The school will askthe parents’ or carers’ permission to hold a consultation meeting. This is a problem solvingdiscussion led by the Educational Psychologist, with parents or carers, school staff andsometimes other people who can helpfully contribute. The child or young person can also besupported to attend the meeting or contribute in some other way if appropriate. The aim is toagree a plan of action to bring about positive changes for the child or young person, theagreed action may or may not include direct involvement from the Educational Psychologist.A follow-up consultation meeting will be held to review progress and decide whether anyfurther actions are needed. The need for ongoing involvement from the EducationalPsychologist will be regularly reviewed.

If parents or carers have concerns about their child’s education it is best to share them withschool staff first, as most problems can be solved in school. It is possible for parents/carers torequest the involvement of an Educational Psychologist by contacting the Service directlyalthough most usually school staff will contact the Educational Psychologist (with parentalpermission) if they feel that he/she would be able to help.

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Further information about the Educational Psychology Service is available from the school orAberdeen City Council website www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/eps

Parents and young people have the right to:

Supporters - Parents can bring a supporter to any meeting about their child.Supporters can take notes, provide clarification and give advice to parents.

Advocacy - These people can provide relevant information to the parent, canspeak on behalf of the parent and support them to access their rights.

For more information on Support and Advocacy contact:Enquire, Princess House5 Shandwick PlaceEdinburgh EH2 4RGHelpline: 0845 123 23 03Email: [email protected]: www.enquire.org.uk

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Our teaching methods recognise and reflect that each child is anindividual with their own aspirations and aptitudes. We aim todevelop each child to their full potential. We use a variety ofteaching methods to cater for a range of learning styles.We believe in active learning for all pupils at all stages withchildren fully engaged in thinking. In promoting active learning, werecognise the importance of ensuring that learning experiencesare stimulating and challenging.

We make full use of the local environment. Our aim is to make learning relevant andmeaningful and to promote enthusiasm for life-long learning.

Our classes are made up of pupils of mixed ability with children so grouped within each classthat each may progress according to his or her own stage of development.

Much of a child’s learning is developed through practical activity and personal involvement.Teaching methods must, therefore, be sufficiently flexible to take account of this and will varyfrom class to group to individual.

To promote self-discipline and foster working as a team, children may on occasion be out withthe direct supervision of the teacher – working out with the class area in the adjoiningcorridor.

Educational visits outside school play an important part in our curriculum and vary from usingthe immediate locality to day trips to places of local and national interest. When appropriate,guests are invited into school to share their particular expertise with children. Parents arealways given prior written notice of excursions taking place out with school.

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THE CURRICULUM

The aspiration for the development of the Curriculum for Excellence has been to enable allchildren and young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsiblecitizens and effective contributors to society and at work.

Curriculum for Excellence provides a single 3-18 framework designed to improve the learning,attainment and achievement of children and young people in Scotland. Curriculum forExcellence aims to ensure that they will enjoy greater choice and opportunity to help realisetheir individual talents.

With this in mind Skene Square School aims to provide a safe, secure, friendly andstimulating environment in which children experience high quality learning experiences with adeveloped knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding across a wide ranging curriculum.Planning for all areas of the curriculum is based on the Scottish Office EducationDepartment’s “Curriculum for Excellence”.

MATHEMATICS AND NUMERACY

Mathematical activities help children acquire and develop knowledge, skillsand understanding in numeracy and thinking. Concepts are developedthrough practical work, using a variety of materials and equipment. In allmathematical activities, children will be developing mental maths skills andstrategies, as well as problem tackling and enquiry skills.

Learning through mathematics enables children and young people to:

develop essential numeracy skills, including arithmetical skills which allow them toparticipate fully in society

develop a secure understanding of the concepts, principles and processes ofmathematics and apply these in different contexts, including the world of work

have an understanding of the application of mathematics, its impact on our societypast and present, and its potential for the future

establish firm foundations for further specialist learning, including for those who willbe the mathematicians of the future

LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

The ability to communicate effectively in a variety of ways is a vital skill for later life.Language consists of Reading, Writing, Listening and Talking. At all stages children will begiven as many opportunities as possible to develop these skills. We encourage children notonly to acquire the necessary reading skills but also to discover the life-long pleasure derivedfrom recreational reading.

All forms of writing based on discussion, are developed often within the context of a SocialSubjects theme. Language activities help children become confident and precise in self-expression. We believe that it is important that children learn to present their work in a readilyunderstandable way. Therefore, the necessary competencies of spelling, handwriting andgrammar are developed alongside self-expression.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Children and young people need to experience what it feels like to develop, enjoy and live ahealthy lifestyle. They also need to learn ways of dealing with the many new and challengingsituations they will experience throughout their lives. A healthy lifestyle supports physical,social and emotional wellbeing, and underpins successful learning.

Learning through health and wellbeing enables children and young people to:

experience positive aspects of healthy living and activity for themselves develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, abilities and attitudes necessary

for their physical, emotional and social wellbeing now and in their future lives make informed decisions in order to improve their physical, emotional and social

wellbeing apply their physical, emotional and social skills to pursue a healthy lifestyle make a successful move to the next stage of education or work for some, open up opportunities to excel in sport or to pursue careers in health and

leisure industries

SCIENCESYoung children have a natural sense of wonder and curiosity and are activeand eager learners trying to make sense of the world. They develop ideasthrough play, investigation, first-hand experience and discussion. As theygrow older children ask searching questions based on their everydayobservations and experiences of living things, the environment and thematerials, objects and devices they interact with. Young people are

fascinated by new discoveries and technologies and become increasingly aware of, andpassionate about, the impact of science on their own health and wellbeing, the health ofsociety and of the environment.

Learning through the sciences enables children and young people to:

investigate their environment by observing, exploring, investigating and recording demonstrate a secure understanding of the big ideas and concepts of science make sense of evidence collected and presented in a scientific manner recognise the impact science makes on their lives, on the lives of others, on the

environment and on culture express opinions and make decisions on social, moral, ethical, economic and

environmental issues informed by their knowledge and understanding of science establish the foundation where appropriate, for more advanced learning and future

careers in the sciences and technologies

TECHNOLOGIES

To participate fully in modern life, children and young people need to be skilled andknowledgeable users of technologies and be ready to embrace further developments in thefuture. The technologies consider how knowledge can be applied for practical purposes.They provide exciting opportunities to develop children’s creativity and the enterprisingattitudes which Scotland needs, not least to compete in a global economy. Technologies are

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developing at an unprecedented rate. Such dramatic change brings risks as well as benefits,and children and young people need to be able to assess the impact of technologies so thatthey can take action in an informed way.

Learning through technologies enables children and young people to:

develop an understanding of technologies and their impact on society - in the past,present and future

apply knowledge, understanding and practical skills to design and create products,processes and solutions that meet needs in play, work and daily life

gain the confidence and skills to embrace and use technologies now and in thefuture

evaluate technological processes and products critically and constructively, takingaccount of cultural, ethical, environmental and economic factors

experience work-related learning and for some, establish the foundation for moreadvanced learning and careers in the technologies

SOCIAL STUDIES

It is important for children and young people to understand the placewhere they live and the heritage of their family and community. Throughthe study of social subjects, children and young people develop theirunderstanding of the world by learning about other people and theirvalues, in different times, places and circumstances, and how theirenvironment has been shaped. They learn about human achievementsand to make sense of changes in society, conflicts and environmentalissues. With greater understanding comes the opportunity to influenceevents by exercising informed and responsible citizenship.

Learning through social studies enables children and young people to:

broaden their understanding of the world by learning about human activities andachievements in the past and present, political, social and environmental issues,and the values underpinning their own society and other societies

develop the capacity for critical thinking, through accessing, analysing and usinginformation

form their own beliefs and view of the world and develop their understanding ofdifferent values, beliefs and cultures

establish firm foundations for lifelong learning and, for some, for further specialisedstudy and careers

EXPRESSIVE ARTS

Through the expressive arts, children and young people can have richopportunities to be creative and imaginative and to experience inspirationand enjoyment. They can come to understand the important roles of the artsin describing and changing society. Through their experience of theexpressive arts, children and young people can appreciate the contributionsof the arts in the lives of individuals and communities.

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Learning through the expressive arts enables children and young people to:

express themselves in different ways and be creative experience enjoyment (and contribute to other people’s enjoyment) through

creative and expressive performance and presentation develop important skills specific to expressive arts and also transferable skills develop an appreciation of aesthetic and cultural values and ideas for some, prepare for advanced learning and future careers by building foundations

for excellence in the expressive arts

RELIGIOUS & MORAL EDUCATION

Scotland is now a nation which reflects a wide range of beliefs, values and traditions.Religious and moral education enables children and young people to explore the world’smajor religions and approaches to living which are independent of religious belief, and bechallenged by these different beliefs and values. It supports children and young people indeveloping responsible attitudes to other people, their values and their capacity for moraljudgment. The study of Christianity, which has shaped the history and traditions of Scotlandand continues to exert an influence on national life, is an essential feature of religious andmoral education for all children and young people.

Learning through religious and moral education enables children and young people to:

explore moral values such as wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity

develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religionsand recognise religion as an important expression of human experience

investigate and understand the responses which religions can offer to questionsabout the nature and meaning of life

develop the skills of reflection, discernment, critical thinking, and deciding how toact when making moral decisions

develop their beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through personalsearch, discovery and critical evaluation, and make a positive difference to theworld by putting their beliefs and values into action

ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING

Each child learns and develops at his or her own pace and progress is continuouslymonitored and assessed using a variety of formative and summative assessment procedures.Evidence to support teacher’s judgement is gathered from a variety of sources – child’swritten work, observation, discussion with the child and specialist teachers input. Writtenreports based on these assessments are issued to parents annually. Regular Parent-teacherconsultations are arranged with parents always welcome to make an appointment to discusstheir child’s progress with the class teacher, Depute or Head Teacher.

Teachers carry out continuous assessment as part of their daily practice to ensure thatlearning activities are meeting the needs of their pupils and extending and developinglearning. Assessment information is used to track pupils’ progress, inform planning, directfuture learning and teaching activities and for reporting purposes.

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The overall purpose of assessment is to support learning. Staff at Skene Square School use avariety of formative assessment techniques in teaching the children how they can improveupon their current standards of work. This applies to all pupils and ensures that opportunitiesto progress and achieve are fair and inclusive.

Formative Assessment includes:

Sharing learning intentions, success criteria, ideas and expectations Promoting creative thinking skills by using quality questioning techniques Giving constructive feedback to pupils which is focused on improvement Assessing what children Make, Say, Write and Do and planning teaching activities

to support next steps and future learning

National advice outlines that for learners to demonstrate that their progress is secure and thatthey have achieved a level, they will need opportunities to show that they:

Have achieved a breadth of learning across the experiences and outcomes for an aspect of the curriculum Can respond to the level of challenge set out in the experiences and outcomes and are moving forward to more challenging learning in some aspects Can effectively apply what they have learned in new and unfamiliar situations

Reports will reflect their progress within and through the level. The focus is no longer on howfast learners progress and achieve the levels since this can lead to superficial approaches tolearning. Reflecting the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, progress is now defined interms of ‘how much’ and ‘how well’ learning takes place, as well as a learner’s rate ofprogress. This approach will promote greater breadth and depth of learning including agreater focus on the secure development of skills and knowledge. It acknowledges thatchildren and young people progress and achieve in different ways and at different rates.

Children are also encouraged to self and peer assess, and recognise their own strengths andlearning needs. Once next steps in learning are identified, children are involved in planningtheir own future learning. In addition to this, teachers set realistically challenging targets fortheir pupils, helping to ensure that the pace of children’s learning is appropriate.

Parents receive information about their children’s progress and achievements throughout theyear in a number of ways e.g. through homework diaries, Learning Journals and samples ofwork sent home, through visits to school for open days and through visits to school for moreformal parent interviews. During parent interviews, information will be shared about children’sstrengths, development needs and next steps in learning.

Pupils are developing skills to identify and record their best work and achievements in and outof school. This process, known as profiling, will involve on-going dialogue with the classteacher.

Formal profiles are produced in Primary in P7 and in Secondary in S3 and may be eitherelectronic or paper based.

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QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS

Through an on-going process of self-evaluation the school strives to assure quality in theprovision of a broad and balanced education appropriate to the needs of the children. Manyapproaches are used to determine areas of good practice and areas to be developedincluding:

Monitoring classroom practice Teachers visiting other classes at Mile End and beyond Monitoring forward plans and records of work Asking parents to comment via survey/consultation Sampling jotters and having focused conversations with pupils and staff Quality assurance visits by the local authority Quality assurance visits by Education Scotland Quality assurance visits by Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland

The school completes detailed audits on a yearly basis. The results of the audits feed into theschool improvement planning process. The priorities that are identified in school are sharedwith the school community. Parents, community and pupils are given the opportunity to alsofeed into the improvement planning process to make sure that our priorities reflect the needsof the entire school community. The Parent Council and Pupil Forum have opportunity to beactive partners in the process of improvement planning.

STAFF IN-SERVICE AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

A great deal of planning and preparation is needed to develop a sound learning environment.To this end schools have been allowed time every session for the purpose of holding Staff In-Service training. Parents will be notified of dates for In-Service in advance so that they canmake arrangements for the children. This In-Service time is invaluable in affording Staff theopportunity to develop the curriculum and to keep abreast of educational publications, andrecent developments in the educational field. There may also be times during the school yearwhen members of staff will attend CPD Courses or be engaged in CPD in school and asupply teacher will take the class.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We have built on opportunities for pupils to work with a variety of partner organisations –Reading Bus, Central Library, and local companies - Belvidere Art Gallery, L & M Kilminster,Sainsbury’s and recently Fabricom. Local community members are invited to school eventsand recently, we have submitted articles to the local magazine, Midstocket Matters.

This allows pupils to experience success in a variety of contexts and pupils self-esteem andconfidence continues to develop through these associations.

Pupils and staff have been involved with intergenerational work in the local communitythrough celebrations and reflections of Skene Square School 150 year anniversary -Memories Day, Victorian Day. Pupils produced a short film with Paul Foy from BelmontCinema and a photographic display. A Civic Reception recognising the 150 years of SkeneSquare School took place in November 2013.

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ACHIEVEMENTS

This year as a school we have engaged strongly with the community through a range of 150years anniversary celebrations:-Creating our own school song

P1-3 worked with Central Library Staff to produce booklets of ‘Games Through theAges’.

School mural Bulb planting

Primary 5 gained 1st Prize of £150 for their performance of Rencontres Theatrales 2013.A P7 group gained 3rd place in Aberdeen City Schools Junior Enterprise Game. P1-7 pupilsjoined in a competition with Belvidere Gallery and had their winning entries displayed in theshop window.

Skene Square School, as the only establishment in Scotland and one of six schools in theUK, piloted, as part of interdisciplinary learning and community engagement, a MusicalTheatre script and successfully performed its completion to the school community with the P6pupils.

There is an ethos of collegiality in the school and there is a clear commitment to schoolimprovement. Pupils have positive relationships with Staff and are treated with fairness andrespect. Children play an active part in school life.

TRENDS

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(PIPS - Performance Indicators in Primary Schools, is a standardised assessment system.PIPS provide an annual assessment of attainment in the core curriculum areas of reading andmathematics.)

Reading PIPS P1

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

1997/98

1998/99

1999/00

2000/01

2001/02

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

AveragePIPSScore

School Start P1 School End P1Aberdeen Start P1 Aberdeen End P1

Mathematics PIPS P1

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

1997/98

1998/99

1999/00

2000/01

2001/02

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

AveragePIPSScore

School Start P1 School End P1Aberdeen Start P1 Aberdeen End P1

PIPS School StartP1

Aberdeen StartP1

School EndP1

Aberdeen EndP1

Reading 52.3 48.4 49.4 50.0Mathematics 51.8 49.5 46.5 49.5

PIPS School P3 Aberdeen P3Reading 48.8 48.3

Mathematics 48.1 50.0





PIPs numeracy and reading grade frequencies for P1/3/5/7 2012/13 show a generalmaintenance of result.

HOLIDAY AND IN-SERVICE DATESSESSION 2012/2013

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In Service (Staff Only) Monday 19th August 2012

Session Begins Tuesday 20th August 2012

September Holiday Friday 21st and Monday 24th September 2012

Term 1 Ends Friday 12th October 2012

October Holiday Monday 15th to Friday 26th October 2012

Term 2 Begins Monday 29th October 2012

In Service (Staff Only) Monday 12th November 2012

Term 2 Ends Friday 21st December 2012

Christmas Holiday Monday 24th December 2012 to Friday 4th January 2013

Term 3 Begins Monday 7th January 2013

Mid-Term Monday 11th February 2013

In Service (Staff Only) Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th February 2013

Term 3 Ends Thursday 28th March 2013

Easter Holiday Friday 29th March to Friday 12th April 2013(Good Friday 29th March 2013)

Term 4 Begins Monday 15th April 2013

May Day Holiday Monday 6th May 2013

In Service Day (Staff Only) Tuesday 7th May 2013

Term Ends Friday 5th July 2013

skene square prospectus

Documents

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school administrator

school hoursmorning

school roll

school role

school office

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