Welco Me to Foyers School

2022

Foyers Primary School

2021 Welcome to Welcome Foyers School

Highland Schools Foyers Primary School 01456 486612 foyers.primary@highland.gov.uk

Welcome to Foyers Primary School

Welcome!

The current pandemic has affected the normal running of schools in many ways. This Handbook reflects the way the school usually runs but does not cover all of the changes that we have made because of the pandemic. Our arrangements have changed in many ways this session, and may well change again, depending on how the pandemic develops. For the most up-to-date information about any aspect of the work of the school, please make contact and we will be able to tell you about our current arrangements. For the latest information about how the pandemic affects children, young people and families across Scotland, please visit the Scottish Government website, which has helpful information about Coronavirus and its impact on education and children.

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

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

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

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

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

Mrs Louise Robertson Cluster Head teacher Foyers Primary School Foyers IV2 6XU Tel. 01456 486612 E-mail [email protected]

The School

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

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

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

Our roll is at present standing at 9 children.

School Hours for Pupils

Primary 1 – 7 9.00am – 3.00pm

Morning Interval (all) 10.40am – 10.55am

Lunch Break 12.30-1.10pm

Admission to School

We have to follow certain procedures when children begin school. Children may be admitted into the school, each August, provided they will be five years old before the end of the following February. Enrolment week usually commences week during January and will be advertised in the local press. Admission forms can be obtained from the school or by completing them electronically from the Highland Council website. https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/878/schools/887/enrol_your_child_for_school

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

In May/June we will invite newly enrolled children to spend one afternoon a week over four weeks with us. They will be able to mix with other children, and to become acquainted with the school, the teachers, other members of staff, as well as start to familiarise themselves with some of the daily routines. If you have any questions, do feel free to email or telephone and arrange a mutually convenient time.

School placing requests- Parental Choice. Each school serves its own particular catchment area. Pupils whose homes are located in that area will have priority in being allocated a place in the school. However, parents have the right to specify the school in which they wish to place their child. Application must be made to the Area Education Manager, Mrs Fiona Shearer placing request forms can be obtained from https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/878/schools/887/enrol_your_child_for_school

Transportation to and from school, for placing request pupils, is a parental responsibility.

Parents of children with additional support needs, (including those that have Coordinated Support Plans) can make placing requests to any school in Scotland including schools outside of the local authority area they live in.

Our Staff

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

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

For staff list see Appendix I. Parental Involvement

The current pandemic has affected the way in which we are able to engage with parents, and this may change further depending on how the pandemic progresses. For the latest information, please contact the school.

In Foyers, the staff lay great emphasis on teamwork and we believe that this should include parents, wherever possible. School can do a great deal for your child, but you are the most decisive influence of all. We should all be working together in the interests of your child’s education. To this end we will conduct two yearly anonymous surveys of the parents to gather parental opinion and to share their views. This will help us to gauge how well we are doing and to highlight areas that we need to look at in more detail. The last survey was in March 2019 when we had our last HMI inspection.

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

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

The support of parents in their children’s education is key to the success of young people. Taking time with them, discussing work, practicing language, helping them manage their homework and encouraging responsibility are important ways of supporting children’s learning. The school always seek to involve parents in any key decisions about their child’s education and keep parents informed about progress.

Parent Council

Parent Council is a group of parents selected to represent all parents of children at the school. Any parent who wishes to raise an issue for the Parent Council to consider can do so by contacting any of the members below. We are fortunate to have an active parent council and would encourage any new parents to become involved in the great work that they do. Much of this work is centred on fundraising, organising and supporting social activities and most importantly supporting the school with improvement and family engagement in learning.

For further information, please contact any of the parents below.

Chairperson: Ms Carol-Ann Steiner

Secretary: Vacant

Treasurer: Mrs Corinne Moffat

Useful information for parents and how to get involved in your child’s education, how to support the school, information on curriculum developments can all be found at Parentzone: https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/

COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR SERVICE It is important that parents come to see us whenever they are concerned about an issue and to this end we operate an “open door” policy and can be contacted any time. If we cannot see you straight away, e.g. because of teaching engagements, we will organise an appointment then so that any concerns are dealt with, within 24 hours where possible.

If a parent has any concerns they should contact their child’s Named Person in the first instance, this will usually be the Head Teacher in a primary school.

The school will always endeavour to resolve issues by listening to parents and seeking solutions in partnership. Should a situation not be resolved, parents can contact the Area Education Manager, Mrs Fiona Shearer.

Please note that transport is not a school responsibility and any queries should be addressed to the Transport Development Officer, Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX, or [email protected].

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

Complaints Procedure see appendix 2

Further help or advice can be sought through the link below. https://www.children1st.org.uk/help-for-families/parentline-scotland/

Attendance

Good attendance is vital if pupils are to achieve their full potential. But if a pupil is absent from school, a parent or guardian should phone the school on the first day of absence, on the school number 01456 486612. When returning to school after an absence, the parent or guardian must give written reason for the time absent.

Permission to leave during the school day: If a pupil needs to leave during the school day for an appointment etc, pupils need to bring with them a note from parent or guardian. Pupils must report to the school reception and ‘sign out’, if returning the same day, they must report again to the reception and sign in. Where at all possible, medical and dental appointments should be made out with school hours. If pupils fall ill during the day, parents are contacted for them to collect their child, therefore it is essential that we have up to date day time contact numbers and emergency contact numbers for all pupils. Schools are required to keep an attendance register by law. We have a responsibility for the care and welfare of all pupils during the school day therefore we need to know the whereabouts of absent pupils. When parents are considering whether or not to remove their children from school for a family holiday, they should be aware that such a decision: • will result in a significant loss in classroom experience; • will result in a pressure to ‘catch up’ on missed work by pupils; • could result in pupils missing assessments with consequential impact on pupils and teachers; • could result in the loss of curricular activities; • will affect school attendance records and efforts to raise standards of attendance; • under the guidance issued at a national level, most family holidays will be coded as unauthorised absence, only in exceptional cases will the absence be recorded as authorised.

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

Foyers School Aims and Values

Compassion Integrity Respect

From small seeds mighty trees grow!

Successful Learners

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

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

Confident individuals

Foyers Primary aims to provide a caring, purposeful environment by

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

Responsible citizens

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

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

Effective contributors

Foyers Primary aims to encourage our children to communicate effectively by

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

The Curriculum

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

Mathematics

Children will develop their understanding in: Number Money Time Shape Pattern Probability Measurement Data handling.

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

Exploring Shapes

English Language

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

Health and Well-being

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

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

Sciences

New discoveries and technologies fascinate children. Through learning in the sciences children will develop an interest and understanding of the living, material and physical world. They will engage in a wide range of collaborative investigative tasks around the key concepts of:  Planet Earth  Forces  Electricity and waves  Biological systems  Materials  Topical science

Social Studies

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

Technologies

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

Religious and Moral Education

Children will become aware that beliefs and values are fundamental to families and to society within their local community, Scotland and indeed the world. Children will develop an understanding of Christianity, learning from it as well as about it and consider its place in the world alongside other faiths and cultures which they will also investigate, and develop knowledge of. Special arrangements will be made for pupils whose parents do not wish them to participate in religious observance.

Expressive Arts

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

Homework

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

Time allocation for Homework

The following is a guide for time that should be spent on homework averaging out per night:  Primary 1 and 2 – up to 10 minutes a night  Primary 3 and 4 – up to 15 minutes a night  Primary 5, 6 and 7 – up to 20 minutes a night

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

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

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

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

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

Celebrating Achievements

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

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

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

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

Assessment and reporting

As a school, we seek to provide information to pupils, parents and staff to assist in the effectiveness of learning and teaching process and in raising attainment. Teachers will use the assessment process as an evaluative, diagnostic and formative tool to provide evidence of pupil attainment and progress and to inform learning and teaching approaches and pupil targets. Pupils should view the assessment process as a motivating experience which takes place within the overall context of a supportive school. Pupils should make use of feedback, in all its forms to inform next steps for the improvement of their own learning. Parents will receive feedback on their son or daughter’s progress through pupil reports, progress checks, and target setting information in the child’s learning profiles.

Pupils will reflect on their progress, achievement and best work on their learning profiles. Parents wishing to enquire about a pupil's progress are invited to get in touch with the head teacher. All staff are encouraged to use Assessment is for Learning strategies and attend the rural schools South Loch Ness Network to develop and share good practiceas well as Associated School group moderation meetings. Children will also take part in the Scottish National Standardised Assessments in P1,P4 and P7. This is an individual assessment of reading comprehension, spelling, numeracy completed on the computer. The results of these assessments help to inform the teacher of key strengths and pressures felt by the children. Information is kept in the child’s learning profile.

Further information can be sought at the link below.

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-in-scotland/assessment-and- achievement

Additional Support Needs

All children need support to help them learn. Some children require more help than others. We follow The Highland Practice Model staged approach to assessing, identifying and supporting additional support needs. In this model every child has a ‘named person’ who is responsible for making sure that the child or young person has the right help to support his/her development and well-being. If you have a concern about your child in primary school please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance or the ‘named person’, who will usually be the head teacher. Class/Subject teachers, in conjunction with Additional Support Needs Teachers monitor the progress of pupils with additional support. The needs of such pupils are generally catered for within the normal curriculum but with specialist advice and support as required. If necessary, a child’s plan may be put in place to help plan, organise, monitor and regularly review a child’s progress. Parents and pupils will be involved in these procedures and in reviews. More information can be found about the Highland Council model for support and child’s plans at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/230/highland_practice_model_- _delivering_additional_support_for_learners http://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11/co-ordinated_support_plan

Sometimes a Children’s Service Worker will be involved in supporting a child. A Children’s Service Worker is often based at the school and will generally focus on more social and emotional needs rather than issues about the curriculum or classroom learning. They:  work in collaboration with the support team in school  work to support families in their own communities  work with individual pupils and small groups - offering a further level of support

Parents/Carers will always be involved in discussions about any additional support being suggested for their child and any need that may be identified within the school.

Highland Council would seek to work in partnership with parents at all times, but sometimes you will have a concern that you don’t feel is being addressed, or will want to talk to someone out with the school. Should you have any concerns that your child’s additional needs are not being met, you should contact your child’s named person in the first instance and/or the Head Teacher. If your concerns continue, there are a number of means of resolving difficulties and disputes and information on this can be found at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/886/schools_- _additional_support_needs/1/support_for_learners

If you wish to find out more about The Highland Practice Model or the Child’s Plan you can access more information at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/supportforlearners/generalguidance/planning/

There are also Information sheets available at: www.chipplus.org.uk click on Education.

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

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

Enquire – the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning

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

Telephone Helpline: 0845 123 2303 Email Enquiry service: [email protected]

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

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

Further advice, information and support for parents of children and young people with ASN can be found in the links below.

My Rights, My Say – an advocacy and advice service for young people over 12 with additional support needs http://enquire.org.uk/myrightsmysay/

Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, an advocacy service to support parents and children Scottish Child Law Centre, an organisation providing free legal advice to young people

Extra-Curricular Activities

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

General Information

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

Unit 4/5 57 Harbour Road Inverness IV1 1UF Tel.01463 222022 For PE children are encouraged to change into shorts and tee-shirts. Children should bring gym shoes or trainers for gym.

Foyers School Sweatshirt (Above)

School Meals

Meals are cooked in the school kitchen on a daily basis with drinks and healthy snacks also sold in the canteen during break times. The lunch menus run on a four weekly cyclic menu over the summer and winter months. Meals should be paid for at the beginning of each week (£2.30 per meal), and break time snacks at the time of consumption. Free meals can be claimed in certain circumstances, for information and application form please see http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/899/schools_- _grants_and_benefits/10/free_school_meals_and_assistance_with_clothing

Parents may, of course, provide children with packed lunches, but if it is their intention to change from one to the other, it is most helpful to the cook to receive a week’s notice. Due to health and safety regulations we ask that no glass bottles or containers are used in packed lunches.

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

Adverse Weather Schools now have a dial-in service if there is risk of closure due to adverse weather. This allows parents to listen to a recorded message from the headteacher. It is an enhancement to the present service and does not replace existing methods of giving out information, such as radio broadcasts, described in the schools Adverse Weather Guidelines. You can also access the highland school closure website on: for school closure information. http://www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures

Emergencies In the case of children feeling unwell in school, parents are informed. After consultation with them, pupils may be taken home. Parents are asked to inform the school if they are working and to provide a telephone number for emergencies of a neighbour or relative who is willing to look after a child. If the school has to close in an emergency, (because of severe weather for example) children will not be sent home until teachers are satisfied that either parents or emergency contacts are available. When parents are doubtful about sending children to school in severe weather, it is best to keep them at home.

Health Medical checks are given regularly by the school nurse, particularly in the child’s first and last year of primary school. On these two occasions, parents may attend if they wish. All children are encouraged to brush their teeth each afternoon. Parental permission must be granted.

Administration of Medicines National Guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools has been issued by the Scottish Government. https://www.gov.scot/publications/supporting-children-young- people-healthcare-needs-schools/ This guidance is based on a number of common principles that will be consistently applied when identifying, supporting and reviewing the healthcare needs of children and young people in Highland schools to enable them to make the most of their learning. Under Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children have a right to the highest attainable standard of health and to health care services that help them attain this. Article 7 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that children with disabilities have the right to express their views freely on all matters affecting them. The arrangements for each individual will therefore take account of the health professionals' advice, the pupil’s views and, where appropriate, their parent's views. NHS Highland, Highland Council and school staff will work collaboratively to ensure that pupils receive the service they need in the way most appropriate to their personal circumstances. We will work with pupils and parents/carers to support the healthcare in our school, making reasonable adjustments that children and young people with healthcare needs might need and require. Where appropriate, we will make arrangements for staff providing healthcare to pupils to receive appropriate training from a health professional, or other accredited source in the care they are providing. Assistance with intimate care may be needed by children in any school and this will be provided if required to support these needs quickly and with respect for children's privacy, dignity and rights. If your child requires medication, please note that this will only be administered by staff when there is clear written guidance from a parent/carer, providing: The name of the medicine, the quantity of the medicine to be given, the time it has to be given. As far as possible prescriptive medication should be given at home by parents/carers. If it is required to be given in school, the medication should be unopen, clearly marked with the directions from the pharmacist and administered as part of an agreed medical protocol.

Minor injuries School will only deal with minor cuts and bruises, these will be cleaned and a plaster applied. If your child is injured, falls or becomes unwell during the school day you or the emergency contact you have provided, will always be contacted and you may be advised to collect your child from school.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Staff will support the emotional development and wellbeing of pupils through formal and informal curricular activities. Any concerns about a pupil’s wellbeing can be discussed with the named person. School have access to Highland Council’s Primary Mental Health Worker Service and consultation and advice may be sought if there are concerns that might require more targeted support. Parents would generally be involved in discussions beforehand, however a young person over the age of 12 can ask for support themselves.

Child Protection

From time to time incidents can occur within the school setting which cause concern and could indicate that a pupil is suffering some form of abuse. In terms of Highland Child Protection Committee Inter-agency Protection Guidelines, Education Service staff have to report such incidents to Social Work Services which can lead to a joint Social Work/Police investigation. All agencies involved in Child Protection regard the welfare of children as paramount and this will be their priority.

COPIES OF CHILD PROTECTION POLICY GUIDELINES are available from the school or online at http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1361/childcare_and_family_care/438/child_protection

More information about Child Protection Procedures within Highland can be obtained from:

Child Protection Development Officer Highland Child Protection Committee Kinmylies Building Leachkin Road Inverness IV3 8NN Telephone (01463) 703483 Fax (01463) 713237

Military Families

Our school welcomes and supports families, their children and young people from Forces families: serving, veteran and reservists.

We understand some of the challenges that mobility of service life can bring and we look forward to working with you to ensure a smooth transition for your child/young person coming into or moving on from our school. Please get in touch with us as soon as you can so we can work with you to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.

Highland Council have proudly committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and as such support our veteran and reservist families as well as those currently serving. There is a dedicated Highland Council Military Liaison Group (MLG) which has been formed to promote and ensure equality and equity for your children and young people in their education.

Visit the Highland Council Armed Forces Website for lots of helpful information and support https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/886/schools_- _additional_support_needs/833/armed_forces_-_support_for_families_and_schools Please get in touch with your child’s named person or the Head Teacher if you have any concerns.

Standards of Behaviour We believe that responsibility for good behaviour must be shared equally by teachers, children and parents. School rules exist mainly to protect the child within the school environment. Courtesy to, and consideration for others, respect for property, honesty, integrity and industry are the basic elements. These create an atmosphere conducive to sound learning and the development of self-discipline. Parents will be invited to discuss any behavioural problems which occur. Minor infringements of rules are dealt with informally by the teacher; parents will be notified of more serious or persistent bad behaviour. Children follow these “Golden Rules” in school:

Do be gentle Do be kind and helpful Do work hard Do look after property Do listen to people Do be honest

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

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

Equality and Inclusion

For up-to-date information please see: http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/751/equality_diversity_and_citizenship/313/equal_oppor tunities In summary, our activities in school should ensure that we: Eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, promote good relations. Activities should not discriminate against any of the following ‘protected characteristics’ age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity.

Secondary School

Children from Foyers usually attend Inverness Royal Academy after completing their Primary 7 year. Free school transport is provided. Some also attend Kilchuimen Academy in Fort Augustus, although transport there is provided by parents. As pupils reach the end of primary 7, efforts are made to ease the transition from primary to secondary education, through exchange visits involving both pupils and staff and information exchange between staffs. The Royal Academy also organises meeting for parents.

For further information contact:

INVERNESS ROYAL ACADEMY Culduthel Road Inverness IV2 6RE Tel: 01463 222884 Fax: 01463 243591

E-mail: [email protected]

KILCHUIMEN ACADEMY Station Road Fort Augustus PH32 4DL Tel: (01320) 366296 Fax: (01320) 366439

Email: [email protected] Field Code Changed

Data Protection Legislation Information on pupils, parent and guardians is stored on a computer system and may be used for teaching, registration, assessment and other administrative duties. The information is protected by data protection legislation and may only be disclosed in accordance with the codes of practice.

Transferring Educational data about pupils The Scottish Government and its partners collect and use information about pupils through the Pupil Census to help to improve education across Scotland. This note explains why we need this information, how we use it and what we do to protect the information supplied to us. Further information can be obtained from http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/ScotXed.

Data policy Information about pupils’ education is collected through our statistical surveys in partnership between the Scottish Government and Local Authorities through the ScotXed Programme which aims to help schools and Local Authorities by supporting efficient collection, processing and dissemination of statistical information. The Scottish Government then provides analysis of the data to support research, planning, management and monitoring of education services as well as to produce National Statistics publications.

Education data within Scottish Government is managed effectively by secure systems and is exploited as a valuable corporate resource, subject to confidentiality restraints. As part of its data policy, Scottish Government will not publish or make publicly available any information that allows individual pupils to be identified, nor will data be used by Scottish Government to take any actions in respect of individuals. Data is held securely and no information on individual pupils can or would be made publicly available by Scottish Government.

The individual data collected by Scottish Government through the Pupil Census is used for statistical and research purposes only.

Information on why we collect data about pupils and who we share this data with can be found in Highland Council’s Privacy Notice which is available here: https://www.highland.gov.uk/directory_record/1095920/enrol_your_child_at_a_school

Why do we need your data? In order to make the best decisions about how to improve our education service, Scottish Government, education authorities and other partners such as the SQA and Skills Development Scotland need accurate, up-to-date data about our pupils. We are keen to help all our pupils do well in all aspects of school life and achieve better examination results. Accurate and up-to-date data allows us to:

 plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of all pupils  plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of specific groups of pupils  better understand some of the factors which influence pupil attainment and achievement  share good practice  target resources better  enhance the quality of research to improve the lives of young people in Scotland

Your data protection rights

The collection, transfer, processing and sharing of ScotXed data is done in accordance with data protection legislation. We also comply with the National Statistics Code of Practice requirements and other legislation related to safeguarding the confidentiality of data. Data protection legislation gives you the right to know how we will use your data. This note can give only a brief description of how we use data. Fuller details of each individual ScotXed survey, including the purpose of each and the published data, can be found on the ScotXed website http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/ScotXed/SchoolEducation

Scottish Government works with a range of partners including Education Scotland, Skills Development Scotland and the SQA. On occasion, in order to help meet our aim of improving the life of young people in Scotland, we may make individual data available to partners such as the National Registers of Scotland to carry out research relating to the national population census and also academic institutions and organisations to carry out additional research and statistical analysis to meet their own official responsibilities. Any sharing of data will be done under the strict control of Scottish Government, and will be consistent with our data policy. This will ensure that no individual level data will be made public as a result of the data sharing and that these data will not be used to take any actions in respect of an individual. Decisions on the sharing of data will be taken in consultation with relevant colleagues and individuals within and outwith Scottish Government. At all times pupils’ rights under the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation will be ensured.

Concerns If you have any concerns about the ScotXed data collections you can email the Head of Schools Analysis at [email protected] or write to The ScotXed Support Office, Area 2D, Victoria Quay, Leith, EH6 6QQ. Alternative versions of this page are available, on request from the ScotXed Support Office, in other languages, audio tape, Braille and large print.

School Improvement

Standards and Quality report can be found as Appendix 3. School Improvement Plan can be found as Appendix 4. Further information can also be found at www.educationscotland.gov.uk

If this booklet does not answer all your questions about Foyers School, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be glad to try and help. There is always a teacher available between 9.00 am and 4.30 pm on weekdays.

Whilst the information in this handbook is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information.

Appendix 1 School Staff

Head teacher Louise Robertson

P1-7 Class Teacher Miss Emily Thomas, fixed term contract Aug 2020-June 2021 as she is covering a maternity leave for Miss Rachel Pinkerton.

Pupil Support Assistant Fiona Kirkland

Clerical Assistant Belinda Sanderson

Cook Fiona Kirkland

Cleaner Fiona Kirkland

Appendix 2 Complaints Policy

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

Parent may also wish to use this link to Parentline:

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

Appendix 3: Standards and Quality Report 2019-2020 leading into School Improvement Plan 2020-2021 SCHOOL STANDARDS AND QUALITY REPORT 2019/20

Standards and Quality Report

School(s): Aldourie PS

Head Teacher: Louise Robertson

Date submitted: 13.11.2020

Context of the school: Foyers Primary

Foyers PS is a small rural school which has a current school roll of 9 P1-7 pupils (Nov 2020). Foyers sits 18miles from the edge of Inverness and serves the village of Foyers and the surrounding area. Due to the rural nature of the school we have a wide demographic ranging from those in high socio-economic bands to those experiencing the challenges of rural deprivation. Transport links to Inverness are along a single track road with the local bus running to Inverness 3 times a day. The village of Foyers is itself divided into two distinct areas of Lower and Upper Foyers which are on the side of a steep hill, causing links between the two parts of Foyers to be challenging and maintaining relationships difficult.

We have one full time teacher and PSA 13 hours a week. For session 2020--2021 we were appointed an ASN teacher (0.1) who comes from Inverness Royal Academy which supports helpful links with our local secondary school. We also have a PE teacher to cover CCR for 2 hours per week.

Foyers PS is part of a cluster with Aldourie PS, twelve miles along the shores of Loch Ness and the two schools have regular activities together covering Health and Wellbeing and also sharing opportunities for wider engagement. A South Loch Ness Schools Network has been established with Aldourie PS, Stratherrick PS and Farr PS. Moderation activities are planned across the IRA ASG.

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

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

Compassion. Respect. Integrity.

Successful Learners

Foyers Primary aims to maximise every child’s attainment by

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

• Creating an ethos of achievement

• Fostering positive attitudes to learning

• Matching learning to the needs and abilities of individual children

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

• Using technology to support learning

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

• Ensuring Staff Development through Continued Professional Development

• Through close working relationships with local Primary Schools

• Using a variety of teaching methods which ensure appropriate pace of learning and good quality teacher /pupil interaction

Confident individuals

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

• Encouraging children to be kind, thoughtful and helpful

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

• Speaking openly and honestly

• Offering opportunities to assess risk and make informed decisions

• Encouraging responsibility for our own health

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

Responsible citizens

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

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

• Fostering concern and understanding for others

• Encouraging tolerance and respect for the differences in others

• Encouraging a sense of pride and identity with the school

• Making links with members of the local community

• Fostering a regard for the environment and understanding of citizenship

• Developing ability to make informed choices and develop balanced views

• Celebrating ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity

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

Effective contributors

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

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

• Providing opportunities for pupils to work in partnerships and teams

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

• Encouraging an enterprising attitude

• Engaging in creative, problem solving approaches through collaborative working

• Ensuring regular and purposeful communication with parents.

• Providing clear well-presented information “From small seeds mighty trees grow!”

Summary of Standards and Quality Report/School Improvement Plan engagement process: The process of engaging with the whole school community when we are developing our Standards and Quality Report and School Improvement Plan involves seeking the views of a wide range of people. Usually, we would discuss these documents with, for example:  Teachers and other school staff  Parents  Pupils  Partners that work with and support the school  Other schools with which we link.

Session 19/20 has been extremely unusual, with the closure of schools taking effect from Monday 23 March and extending into the summer term. This is exactly the time when we would be engaging with our school community about our Standards and Quality Report and School Improvement Plan, and we have had to put most of that activity on hold for this session. As a result, for this year only, we will be developing our documents with less consultation than is usually the case.

Our overall evaluation of the school’s capacity for continuous improvement: Our school’s capacity for continuous improvement, like that of every school in the country, has been affected by the school closures caused by the Covid-19 situation. This has restricted our ability to complete planned improvements and to evaluate the effectiveness of changes we have made. Much of our work once the school re-opens will be to rebuild our capacity for improvement.

Review of School Improvement Work against the National Improvement Framework Priorities What we have done to close the attainment gap, to raise attainment, to improve health and wellbeing and to improve employability skills:

Plan 1) Raising attainment in numeracy through focussed interventions, closer tracking to national benchmarks and encouraging parental engagement in learning.

Plan 2) Develop a skills framework that promotes a shared understanding and language around skills for learning, life and work within and across schools and the wider community through Key Assessment Tasks and Learner’s Profiles.

Plan 3) Ensuring engagement and progression through Health and Wellbeing, with a focus on emotional wellbeing.

In the past year we have worked on improvement projects designed to help us to address the priorities listed above. Our School Improvement Plan for session 2019/20 contains details of what we planned to do. This included the way that we used resources such as the Pupil Equity Fund to close the deprivation-linked attainment gap. Our plans were well underway, and some were nearing completion, but the school closures in response to Covid-19 means that we have been unable to complete all of our projects, or to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of outcomes for our school community. In session 20/21, our main focus will be on three key areas, in response to the extended school closures: 1) Health and wellbeing 2) Recovery of learning, teaching and assessment 3) Attainment in session 20/21 (focusing on identifying new or widened gaps caused by the Covid-19 situation)

We will carry forward incomplete aspects of our 2019/20 Improvement Plan into our 2020/21 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so and next session we will be able to state more clearly what difference we have made with our projects.

Themes QI 1.3  Developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community Leadership of change  Strategic planning for continuous improvement

 Implementing improvement and change Question 1 How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school? Usually in this section of the Standards and Quality Report we would be writing about what parts of our Improvement Plan have led to better outcomes for our learners. Because of the school closure it is difficult for us to do that. Here are some key features of our work that describe what we do well in “Leadership of Change”.  Parents and pupils agreed that our schools are welcoming and staff throughout the schools are approachable and on contacting the school, we would respond helpfully to questions and comments.  Parents and pupils agreed that the school was well led and that the HT had developed good relationships with pupils, parents and the community.  Parents agreed that their views were taken into account.  Parents and pupils felt that their children were enjoying being at school.  An assessment overview is in place and staff know when these should be completed to help set attainment targets and measure progress.  Staff across the cluster schools work well together as a team and provide strong support to each other.  The head teacher undertakes observations of classroom practice, monitors teachers plans, collates assessment information and samples children’s work to monitor the quality of children’s experiences.  Most children enjoy their learning experiences and outdoor learning is a regular feature of their school experiences.

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

 Parent questionnaires and discussions with parents, including Parent Council.  Attainment results  Learning Profiles  Pupil Questionnaire

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

 This year we are going to focus on recovery from the extended school closure (see above) and will carry forward incomplete projects from our 2019/20 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so.  We will have a strong focus on learning and teaching skills to ensure that quality teaching is available across the school.  We will share what the children will be learning with parents through termly plans from teachers detailing the focus for the term in literacy/numeracy and Health and Wellbeing from Jan 2021.  Digital learning workshops in literacy and numeracy for parents will be offered to show parents how pupils can be supported in their homework and ongoing school work.  Written feedback from classroom observations to teachers to maintain focus on developing effective teaching.  Our current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale – based on an incomplete analysis of our progress satisfactory (because of the school closure). Foyers PS

Themes QI 2.3  Learning and engagement  Quality of teaching Learning, teaching and  Effective use of assessment assessment  Planning, tracking and monitoring

Question 1 How are we doing? What’s working well for our learners? What are the features of effective practice in our school?  Usually in this section of the Standards and Quality Report we would be writing about what parts of our Improvement Plan have led to better outcomes for our learners. Because of the school closure it is difficult for us to do that. Here are some key features of our work that describe what we do well in “Learning, teaching and assessment”.  Parents and pupils agreed or strongly agree that is welcoming and all staff throughout the school are approachable and on contacting the school, we would respond helpfully to questions and comments.  Parents and pupils felt that their children were enjoying being at school.  Parents felt that staff knew their child as an individual.  Staff make appropriate and effective use of praise to build children’s self-esteem and confidence.  Use of technology is increasing due to the roll out of 1-1 devices for P6/7 and engagement from pupils has improved.  Pupils have opportunities for leadership through, Eco Committee, Friday Cluster days (pre-Covid) playground activities and class group classwork.  Children know that all staff listen to their views and they will be acted upon.  Learning environments have been established across the school and cluster with pupils and teachers working effectively together to share good practice, particularly on Friday Cluster days.  We work hard to ensure that the learning environment provides variety in teaching approaches.  We use a growing range of evidence, from standardised testing through to day to day activities, to track pupils’ progress and plan for next steps. KATs have supported staff to plan assessments which enhance learning.

Question 2 How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners? Classroom observations  Pupil Questionnaires/discussion  Attainment data  Cluster/ASG CAT Calendar shows joint sessions of moderation and assessment resulting in more reliable judgements and shared expectations for learners.  Some staff are collating assessment data and identifying where children are in their learning and able to address gaps in attainment.  Children are encouraged to record success through their learner’s profiles and share with parents.

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

 This year we are going to focus on recovery from the extended school closure (see above) and will carry forward incomplete projects from our 2019/20 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so.  Monitoring learning in each class and fed back at staff meetings to increase  Learning Profiles need to be audited and improved through moderation and verification practices. Also use of KATS.  Learning Ladders should be implemented at Aldourie PS to share attainment information with parents from term 3 and at Foyers PS should continue to be shared with parents.  Focused parent sessions for IT and literacy/numeracy support.  Review of literacy and numeracy policies  Support pupils and parents’ engagement in learning, to understand where the child is in their learning and what they need to do to improve by using child friendly benchmarks in literacy and numeracy to support learning conversations and share progress information with parents through the Learning Ladders once staff are confident with them.  Covid 19 intervention teacher will be used to allow class teachers to make interventions to improve attainment and bridge any attainment gap. Our current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale – based on an incomplete analysis of our progress good (because of the school closure). Foyers PS

Themes QI 3.1  Wellbeing  Fulfilment of statutory duties Ensuring wellbeing,  Inclusion and equality equality and inclusion

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

 Parent Questionnaires  Pupil questionnaires  Discussion at staff meetings  The head teacher monitors attendance and punctuality regularly.

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

 This year we are going to focus on recovery from the extended school closure (see above) and will carry forward incomplete projects from our 2019/20 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so.  Review anti bullying policy/positive relationships policy.  Continue with how to promote healthy lifestyles and Emotion works.  Staff should continue to develop approaches to planning, target setting, tracking and assessing the progress of children to monitor the effectiveness of the support provided.  The head teacher should ensure Safeguarding Policy includes mention of national guidance of FGM/Prevent and CSE. Our current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale – based on an incomplete analysis of our progress good (because of the school closure). Foyers PS

Themes QI 3.2  Attainment in literacy and numeracy  Attainment over time Raising attainment and  Overall quality of learners’ achievement achievement  Equity for all learners

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

 Usually in this section of the Standards and Quality Report we would be writing about what parts of our Improvement Plan have led to better outcomes for our learners. Because of the school closure it is difficult for us to do that. Here are some key features of our work that describe what we do well in “Raising attainment and achievement”.  The school is aware that attainment in literacy, especially writing and numeracy needs improvement. Individual targeted interventions are being used to meet needs of children e.g. Toe by Toe, emotional supports.  Learning Profiles are in place but need greater focus on targets and how these will be taken forward.  KATS being developed more confidently by staff.  Moderation activities involve staff taking part in professional learning across the cluster, rural schools network and at ASG level. This has increased staff confidence using the benchmarks to support professional judgement in literacy and numeracy. This is not possible at the moment due to current restrictions  Whole school participation in class talks, school shows and Inverness Music Festival is increasing children’s confidence.  Children are involved in a range of activities with their cluster school (prior to Covid 19) including annual health and wellbeing days and skiing.  Children have the opportunity to access wider learning opportunities through both lunchtime and afterschool club. Due to the rural nature of the area and the reliance on school transport, staff organise transport to support families facing transport poverty.  Staff offer sensitive support to children and their families who experience difficult life experiences.  PEF funded PSA support has also been used to target particular learning needs.

Question 2 How do we know? What evidence do we have of positive impact on our learners?  Assessment overview in place but more focused approach to timing of completed assessments and input data.  The class teachers welcome engagement with other school in cluster, across rural schools’ network and within ASG to broaden her experience and share good practice.  Children are happy to discuss where they are in their learning through their learner’s profiles which gives them a greater understanding and ownership of learning and desire to improve and supported parental engagement in learning.

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

 This year we are going to focus on recovery from the extended school closure (see above) and will carry forward incomplete projects from our 2019/20 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so.  School data to be shared with staff to develop understanding of attainment progress in school.  Learning ladders to be shared with parents and simplified for children to aid understanding of where children are within CfE levels.  Learning Conversations with children need to have greater focus on target setting and review of these termly.  Develop greater use of SNSA data alongside school’s own assessment data to provide insight into children’s learning and identify strengths and weaknesses to support greater pace in progress.

Our current evaluation of this QI using the How good is our school? (4th edition) six-point scale – based on an incomplete analysis of our progress satisfactory (because of the school closure). Foyers PS

Theme 3 KEY THEME from QI 2.2  Learning pathways Curriculum

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

 Usually in this section of the Standards and Quality Report we would be writing about what parts of our Improvement Plan have led to better outcomes for our learners. Because of the school closure it is difficult for us to do that. Here are some key features of our work that describe what we do well in “Learning pathways”.  Children enjoy a wide range of experiences at school.  Children enjoy personalization and choice in their experiences at school. They have a say in classes about how they may show their learning.  Older children, in particular enjoy using digital literacy across the curriculum.  All staff take responsibility for teaching literacy and numeracy and HWB across the curriculum.  Outdoor learning is a regular feature in all classes.  On cluster days (pre-Covid 19) our curriculum had a weekly focus on developing the skills our pupils would need in the world of work.  The school uses Highland Council progression pathways, aligned with the National Benchmarks, across literacy and English and numeracy and mathematics. These are supporting staff in planning and delivering appropriate programmes.  The school is also using Highland Council progression pathways for all other curriculum areas. 

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

 Staff Discussion  Pupil Feedback  Learning Profiles are supporting pupils and parents in understanding their progress in the learning across literacy and numeracy in particular.  Key assessment tasks are being developed by teachers to plan interdisciplinary learning in new contexts. These are shared with parents who feedback to pupils in a range of ways.

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

 This year we are going to focus on recovery from the extended school closure (see above) and will carry forward incomplete projects from our 2019/20 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so.  Greater focus on tying in wider experiences to Experiences and Outcomes is needed.  The school should continue to use HC progression pathways in Literacy, Numeracy and HWB with the National Benchmarks but this should widen and start to align them with the National Benchmarks for other curricular areas also.  There is scope to develop further leadership roles for all children, whilst developing their understanding of how the skills that are required to carry out these roles are linked to the world of work.

Theme 3 KEY THEME from QI 2.7  Impact on learners (focus on parental engagement) Partnerships

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

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

 All children use learning profiles which are shared and commented on by parents. This is providing a useful tool to engaging parents more regularly in supporting their children’s learning.  The Parent Council is supportive of the work of the school. They raise funds to enhance children’s learning experiences and after school clubs. They have also been encouraged to volunteer in the school running of afterschool clubs. A number of parents have PVG checks to support these initiatives. 

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

 This year we are going to focus on recovery from the extended school closure (see above) and will carry forward incomplete projects from our 2019/20 Improvement Plan if we have capacity to do so.  There is scope to involve parents more fully in identifying improvement priorities and other important decisions, such as the use of the school’s allocation of the PEF.  The impact for children in participating in their range of experiences needs to be tracked systematically in order to measure the value this adds. This should include tracking the skills for learning, work and life that children develop through these experiences.

Appendix 4 School Improvement Plan 2020-2021 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SESSION 2020/21

Summary: Key School Improvement Priorities Improvement Priority Title What exactly are we going to do? Recovery from Covid-19 School Closures: Health and wellbeing 1) Health and wellbeing  Initial HWB screening (SHANARRI 2) Recovery of learning, teaching and wheel) to set targets for pupils. assessment Repeat termly and review through 3) Attainment in session 20/21 learning Conversations (focusing on identifying new or  Continue work with Emotion Works widened gaps caused by the Covid- programme to support children in 19 situation) identifying, discussing and managing their emotions, embedding this as part of the curriculum rather than stand alone.  Update staff Emotionworks training Recovery of learning, teaching and assessment  Collegiate discussion on recovery curriculum focus and assessments to be used by school.  Development of teaching and learning skills in literacy through help of LDO  Targeted numeracy and literacy support groups utilising PEF and Intervention C-19 teachers. Attainment in session 20/21  Formative assessment ongoing in class and summative assessments to establish new baselines and gaps – Salford reading, P3-7 Schonell Spelling, P1-2 Polaar, P1-2 Reading sight words, All pupils HNP Numeracy diagnostics. P7 SNSA to be completed following October break as a diagnostic. Also PM benchmarks assessment for reading with specific children.  Learning conversations and learning reviews with pupils including target setting using Learning Ladders as part of profiling process to develop understanding of attainment within a CfE level. Share with parents.  Continued termly moderation in school and across ASG as current restrictions allow.

In-depth action plan – common to all Highland schools Improvement Priority Title Recovery from Covid-19 School Closures

Linked to QIs/Themes

Linked to National Improvement Framework Priority

 Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy ☒  Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children ☒  Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing ☒  Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people ☒

Linked to National Improvement Drivers School Leadership ☒ Teacher Professionalism ☒ Parental Engagement ☒ Assessment of Children’s Progress ☒ School Improvement  Performance Information  Linked to Highland Council’s 4 Key Priorities Aspiration, attainment and performance ☒ Integration, inclusion and partnerships ☒ Curriculum and pedagogy ☒ Leadership and career-long professional learning ☒ What do we aim to improve for learners?

1) Health and wellbeing post-Covid-19 2) Recovery of learning, teaching and assessment (including new opportunities with digital learning revealed by the Covid-19 situation/school closure) 3) Attainment in session 20/21 (focusing on identifying new or widened gaps caused by the Covid-19 situation) Measurable targets for success

1) Establish targets for improvement of HWB based on initial surveys of children regarding how they are feeling, using the SHANAARI wellbeing indicators wheels. Through discussion with children set targets on what appear to be their most vulnerable aspects of their wellbeing wheel. Revisit termly in learning conversations. 2) Use Emotion Works assessment of emotive language to show an increase in vocabulary from start of session to end of recovery programme. 3) Establish targets for adjusting classroom practice based on discussion with staff, children/young people and families about the efficacy of online learning conducted during the Covid-19 situation. Use of lockdown experience questionnaire/ pupil discussions/ Parent Council discussions. 4) Learning needs identified through formative and summative assessments in literacy and numeracy, with interventions agreed following discussion of this data and evidence gathered. Evaluated termly to identify progress and re-adjust interventions for impact. Continue to place results in a Learning ladder to be shared with parents with a simplified one for pupils. 5) Staff report increased confidence in measuring achievement of a level 6) Interventions show progress for identified pupils 7) Staff confident in planning and assessment process

What actions will we undertake Who will lead this? Health and Wellbeing  Continue work with Emotion Works programme to

support children in identifying, discussing and managing their emotions, embedding Emotionworks November 2020. P1-7 pupils, CTs and school staff into the curriculum.  December 2020- HT collate and amend tracking  Further training for staff as over 50% of staff are new and monitoring in post at Aug 2020.  Review December 2020, Feb 2021, May 2021  Emotion works walls in every class. Recovery of learning, teaching and assessment  Training and collegiate discussion on recovery  Oct 2020 -ASG Bid for Additional Covid Staff to curriculum, with focus on assessments to be used by provide support to specific pupils’ groups school termly. Update school assessment policy for the year.  Ongoing – staff will use Recovery Curriculum  Literacy and numeracy activities as tied in with materials to plan, deliver and assess learning Literacy and Numeracy recovery curriculum.

 Work with LDO to develop literacy teaching and

reading skills.  HT alongside LDO  Staff literacy training  Audit literacy  Develop the teaching of comprehension strategies within reading activities.  All – ongoing  Targeted numeracy support groups utilising PEF and C-19 intervention teacher.

 Targeted literacy support groups utilising PEF and C-  CT alongside Intervention teacher/ASNT/PSAs 19 intervention teacher

 Timely planned interventions leading to progress

Attainment in session 20/21  Formative assessment ongoing in class and summative assessments to establish new baselines and gaps – P2-6 (any requiring in P7) Salford reading, Common words, P3-7 Blackwell Spelling, P1-2 Polaar,  All - ongoing P1-2 Reading sight words, All Numeracy diagnostics,

SNSA to be completed early following October

break as a diagnostic.  Able to demonstrate ability to apply their learning in different contexts through use of KATS.  Consistent engagement through learning conversations, with ongoing target setting and review as part of profiling process.  Pupils and parents developing an understanding of child’s attainment in terms of CfE levels across numeracy and literacy through use of Learning Ladders.  CTs to continue to engage in moderation across ASG as current restrictions allow.  Continued use of Benchmarks and Moderation Cycle to inform professional judgements about attainment of a CFE level.  Share termly plans with parents to support the ongoing work of pupils in the classroom.

Expected resource needs CT Supply costs

PSA costs

Emotions works

Numicon Online Subscriptions

Monitoring and evaluation procedures for the School Improvement Plan

How will we know if our measurable targets for success have been met and what evidence will we have to inform our next annual School Improvement Plan Report? How will the evidence be gathered? a) Termly Monitoring of planning, teaching, learning and assessment b) Termly Monitoring of HWB screening c) Termly Monitoring of Learning Profiles. d) Ongoing use of data to track progress and attainment

Who will lead this monitoring and evaluation? a) HT b) HT c) HT, CTs d) HT, CTs