Welcome to Kirkbean Primary School

December 2020 Information at a Glance School Information Communication Kirkbean Primary Mail Drop Wallet: This comes home every Wednesday. Kirkbean Return the next day. Dumfries Newsletter: Emailed and displayed every Friday. DG2 8DW School Telephone number 01387 880 272 Email: Most of our letters will come via email.

Email: [email protected] Text: Sometimes, we will text information. Our system allows one mobile number per family. Parent Council Chairperson Mrs Alison Lindsay Class Dojo App: Our teachers use this app to share School Roll 16 learning and as a means of communicating with home.

Denomination Status Non-denominational Facebook: We have a public Facebook page, Status of Gaelic Non-Gaelic Kirkbean Primary What’s Going On

Head Teacher Mrs Helen Anderson Parental Involvement information: http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/schools School Staff https://www.parentclub.scot/ Teaching Staff Parentzone Scotland: Principal Teacher Mrs Pauline Lyle https://education.gov.scot/parentzone

Class Teacher Mrs Emily Edgar School term dates can be found at: Support for Learning Teacher Ms Alison Kalotka http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15239/ PE Specialist Teacher Mrs Gail Currie School-term-and-holiday-dates

Auxiliary Staff Senior Clerical Assistant Mrs Elaine Murray Learning Assistant Mrs Sarah Kemp Learning Assistant Mrs Gill Wardrop Schools Facilities Assistant Mr Robert Robbins Catering Manager Mrs Liz Richardson Cleaner Mrs Liz Richardson

The School Day 9am - 3pm Break 10.30 - 10.50am Lunch 12.20 - 1pm Welcome from the Head Teacher Our Motto Dear Parent / Carer Join Team Kirkbean!

A warm welcome from Team Kirkbean. The purpose Our Vision of this handbook is to provide you with the key Together, we will create a happy, safe, caring and information you will need as your child starts school. welcoming environment where everyone feels valued. We are proud to be a part of the Kirkbean community. We will respect and help each other. We will provide an We look forward to working in partnership with you, inspiring education that prepares our children for the to provide the best school experience and education for future. your child.

In line with the Education Bill (2015) and the National Our Values Improvement Framework the school’s aim is to ensure H.E.A.R.T. Honesty, Equity, Ambition, Respect and that all children are able to reach their full potential Teamwork through: Our Aims (how we will achieve our Vision) • Improvement in attainment, particularly in Literacy and Numeracy Successful Learners

• Closing the attainment gap between the most and • Focus on the task in hand. least disadvantaged children • Always do your best.

• Improvement in children and young people’s health • Keep looking for ways to improve. and wellbeing • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. • Ask questions. Yours sincerely,

Mrs Helen Anderson Responsible Citizens Head Teacher • Be a good friend to everyone. • Always be honest and kind. Ethos, Vision, Values and Aims • Try to be helpful. Kirkbean Primary School is situated in the centre of the • Look after each other and yourself. picturesque village of Kirkbean. It is approximately 12 • Respect and improve our environment. miles from Dumfries and 2 miles inland from the Solway Firth. One of the school’s most famous former pupils Confident Individuals was a boy called John Paul, who later became known • Never give up – persevere! as John Paul Jones, founder of the American Navy. • Think before you act. In January 2014, Kirkbean and New Abbey Primary • Be ambitious – go, ‘over and above’. Schools became Partnership Primaries sharing one Head Teacher and the opportunity to work together • Be happy being you! and learn together. Last year, we worked together as a school community, to review our Vision, Values and Effective Contributors Aims. Pupils, parents, staff and partners were involved • Work as a team, co-operating with each other. throughout the process. We are delighted with the • Listen carefully to each other’s views. results and are working hard to embed them in all • Be brave – share your ideas. aspects of school. Contact Us How the School Works The school welcomes suggestions and enquiries from Class Organisation parents and carers. We have two classrooms, a General Purpose (GP) Room If you need to find out something and a large hall in which we eat lunch and do PE. We have one, P1-7 composite class. Our fantastic playground We can be contacted by e-mail, telephone, group call includes our own woodland, called The Sandy. text messages or face to face. Where it is not possible to resolve enquiries straight away, we will make Positive Behaviour and Celebrating Success arrangements to follow up as necessary with the most We have the highest expectations of behaviour at appropriate member of staff. Kirkbean Primary. These expectations are reinforced in class and at assembly. Our children are encouraged If you have a comment or concern to be supportive of each other, showing kindness A comment might be some brief feedback about how and consideration. If issues arise, they are dealt with we have handled a situation or delivered a service. It is promptly and fairly. Pupils, parents and staff created best to pass a comment straight to the school so that a Positive Behaviour Agreement which includes anti- we can take any necessary action. bullying guidelines and is linked to our Vision, Values If you are not happy with the response you receive and Aims. We have a House System and encourage our or a decision that has been made, you can Ask children to earn House Points. Each week, the winning us to Look Again. You can do this by contacting House (Maxwell or Oswald) gets a slightly longer break and to line up first for lunch! We use the Class Dojo [email protected]. At this point an app to let parents know when points have been won. Officer will contact you and discuss the issue and share Certificates can be earned when children demonstrate directly with you the outcome of this work. our Vision, Values and Aims. We have a Celebration Remember you can also access Dumfries & Galloway Wall which displays those who have won certificates. Have Your Say at http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/ Each week, we celebrate success at assembly. Children article/17349/Have-your-say are encouraged to share and reflect on the skills they learn in and out of school.

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Detailed information on school meals is available at https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/schoolmenus

Pre-ordering lunch All menus are nutritionally analysed, offering a fantastic choice and flexibility. Primary schools have introduced an advanced pre order system for lunch. Pre order forms are handed out to all pupils.

Special dietary requirements School uniform For food allergy and intolerances; medically prescribed All Dumfries and Galloway schools have a dress code diets; or diets for religious or cultural reasons specific which encourages pupils to dress in a way appropriate meals for children of different ethnic origin may be to attendance at school. www.dumgal.gov.uk catered for. Ask the school for a registration form or call 030 33 33 3000 and ask for Facilities Operations At Kirkbean Primary we have a very smart basic uniform (Catering) which consists of:

• dark trousers or skirt Free School Meals Free School Meals are provided for all pupils in Primary • yellow polo shirt 1, 2 and 3. Younger children at nursery or older pupils • blue school sweatshirt/cardigan or plain blue at primary may also be eligible for free school meals in sweatshirt/cardigan certain situations as well as those families on qualifying benefits. • outdoor jacket For more information on free school meal entitlement • sensible shoes visit http:// www.dumgal.gov.uk/schoolmeals or • a PE kit which includes trainers contact Education Support Services on 01387 260 493

• You will also be asked to provide outdoor shoes or wellies, as the children learn outside in all weathers. School Transport Free school transport is available for some school The sweatshirts featuring the school badge can be children attending primary or secondary school if they bought at the school office any time throughout the live within the school catchment area and if they meet year. We purchase directly from Rostrum in Lockerbie. certain criteria. For more information and guidance visit http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15245/Free- School Clothing grants school-transport The award of clothing grants is to assist with the cost of school clothing for families who are on a qualifying benefit or on low income. The current award is £134 Attendance per child. Guidance and more information is available It is your responsibility as parents to ensure that your at http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15246/School- child/children attend school regularly. For the safety of all clothing-grants children it is important for you to telephone the school office prior to/at the beginning of the absence. Absences are recorded in class registers and frequent or irregular absences not supported by a reasonable excuse, will be notified to parents and the matter may be referred to the Opportunities for All Service. If possible please, try to make dental/medical appointments outwith school hours. However, if this is not possible please inform us in writing or by telephone of the appointment and arrange to collect your child from class.

More information: www.dumgal.gov.uk Absence from School Voice is in our school. They are involved in decision Pupils who need to leave school during the school day making about their learning and about the running of ie doctor /dentist appointments, must be collected by a the school. We regularly talk to the children about the named contact confirmed with the school office. They importance of their ‘Pupil Voice’. They know they have must also report to the school office on their return to a say about what happens in their school. We have two school. House Captains, a Fire Warden and a Junior Road Safety Officer.

Curriculum for Excellence Home/School Partnership/Parental Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is bringing learning to life in the way education is delivered for all 3-18year Involvement and Engagement olds – in nursery, primary, secondary, at college, Parent Council and Parent Forum workplace or community learning. It aims to raise Every parent who has a child at our school is a member standards, improve knowledge and develop skills, of the Parent Forum. The parent council is a group closing the gap between the lowest and highest of parents who have chosen to represent the parent performers. Ultimately it aims to nurture children forum. As a member of the Parent Forum, each parent and young people as successful learners, confident can expect to: individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. • Receive information about the school and its activities Broad General Education • Hear about what partnership with parents means in Children and young people work their way through our school Experiences and Outcomes in each of the five Curriculum Levels (Early, First, Second, Third, Fourth) • Be invited to be involved in ways and times that suit and in each of the eight Curricular Areas. The five you Curricular Levels span pre-school to the end of S3. • Identify issues you want the parent council to work This is the Broad General Education. Pupils progress on with the school at their own pace, working through the Experiences and Outcomes of the most appropriate level for them. • Be asked your opinion by the parent council on Pupils will be supported in collecting evidence of their issues relating to the school and education it achievements, with a profile of these being produced in provides P7 and S3. • Work in partnership with staff Our curriculum is defined as the ‘totality of all that is • Enjoy taking part in school life in whatever way planned for children and young people throughout possible their education’. That totality can be planned for and experienced by learners across four contexts: 1) eight More information is available at http://www.dumgal. curriculum areas and subjects; 2) Inter-Disciplinary gov.uk/article/17608/Parental-Involvement Learning (IDL) which allows curricular areas to be linked More information and support for Parents/ Parent together; 3) opportunities for personal achievement Councils is available at https://connect.scot/ and 4) being involved in the ethos and life of the school community.

Our children are in a multi-composite class, so all learning is differentiated according to age, stage and ability. We make regular use of our fantastic grounds and the surrounding area, for Outdoor Learning. We provide opportunities for children to learn skills for life and work. We encourage our children to be ambitious, challenging them to try different activities. School staff, Active Schools and parents/friends of the school give generously of their time and talents to provide pupils with the opportunity to take part in a variety of extra-curricular activities during and after school. We promote, celebrate and track Wider Achievement. The children are fully aware of how important their Support for All Support for Learners Dumfries and Galloway Council is committed to the well-being and educational development of all learners. The process of inclusion requires all involved in the business of learning and teaching to demonstrate commitment, innovation and flexibility to ensure that all children and young people have access to quality learning opportunities and experiences.

More information is available at https://www.dumgal. gov.uk/article/16163/Support-for-Learners

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) Homework/Family Learning * You are the expert on your child and what you think Aims of Homework: matters. Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) means • To continue to build on prior learning that has taken that the School will always seek to involve you, to listen place in school to your opinions and take them seriously.

• To provide an opportunity for parents to become More information is available at more involved in their child’s learning www.dumgal.gov.uk/girfec

• To encourage each child to develop his/ her skills in Child Protection various contexts out-with the classroom All children have the right to be protected from harm, • To foster good home/school relations which benefit abuse and neglect. The vision for all children and young each child’s development people in Dumfries and Galloway is that they should be: safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected At the start of P1, children are provided with a blue, and responsible and included. Schools and front-line Kirkbean Primary homework folder. This should be education and child care services will play an important checked every evening and returned to school each day. role in ensuring all children and young people are safe It will usually contain phonics homework. The amount and well. Further information can be found at http:// and frequency of home learning will vary throughout www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/16640/Support-for- the year, and will be managed by the teacher, with children-and-families regard to the needs of the children and home setting. Parents, carers and pupils have a key role in keeping Parents are encouraged to seize this opportunity to the school community safe. We would therefore urge work alongside their children and learn more about parents to share any information which would keep their child’s knowledge, skills and abilities. Effective everyone safe, and to support and encourage their two-way communication is essential; please make use child(ren) to do the same. of the homework diary or Class Dojo. We will provide guidance so that you feel confidently able to support your child with their learning. * Home Learning may be subject to change in light of Health and Safety/Covid 19.

How is my child doing? There will be several opportunities for you to discuss your child’s progress. This may be through informal discussion with the teacher or at Parents’ Nights/ Learning Conversations, formal reports or for some it may be through more formal, focussed meetings with other agencies.

Helping the School There are many things which as a parent you can do to support your child’s learning in school: www.dumgal. gov.uk/article/17608/Parental-Involvement Enrolment in Schools and Transitions Health and Safety Information on enrolment in school and catchment Emergency Procedures areas is available at http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/ If your child feels ill during the school day and we feel article/15241/School-places Information regarding that he/she would be better at home, we will telephone catchment areas can be found on the Council’s website you or your emergency contact. Minor accidents, e.g. by accessing “Find My Nearest”. cuts, bruises, are dealt with by the school staff. Serious accidents are few, but should one occur your child School Improvements will be immediately taken either to your doctor or In May/June of each year, the school publishes a to hospital, if necessary, and you or your emergency Standards & Quality Report providing all stakeholders contact will be notified. We cannot stress enough the with a comprehensive summary of the school’s work importance of supplying the school with the relevant and learners’ achievements over the last year. The first information we require in such a situation, i.e. your part of this report provides an overview of the school’s own home and work number and a telephone number progress in addressing its key priorities, while the of an emergency contact. Please remember that if second part gives information about, for example, how your child stays in more than one home setting contact well pupils are learning and achieving; how well the details should take account of this. school is supporting children/young people to develop Severe Weather and School Closure and learn. In June, we publish a School Improvement Arrangements Plan which outlines the key priorities for the school during the year ahead, following engagement with Headteachers are authorised to make an emergency staff, pupils and parents. closure when the state of the weather or any other exceptional circumstance make it necessary in the Our School Improvement is planned in collaboration best interests of the pupils. In these circumstances with our partner school, New Abbey Primary. Parents parents will be communicated with in a variety of ways are given the opportunity to view and give feedback on including text messages/ phone calls and emergency our School Improvement Plan. A pupil-friendly version contact arrangements. All school closures will be is on display in each school. Staff Development sessions notified on the Council Website. are planned for the year and relate directly to the Plan. This is also on display and is highlighted in green as http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15240/ we progress through the year. Next steps will include Emergency-school-closures involving the children in school improvement using Education Scotland’s How Good is OUR School. Data Protection Information on how the Council uses personal Session 2020/21 priorities include: data is available at https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/ 1. Literacy: Reviewing our programmes of learning: article/15129/Data-protection and https://www. Talking & Listening, Reading and Writing. dumgal.gov.uk/privacy

2. Skills Development: Improve how we track the skills ICT in Schools children are learning in school and at home. For more information on ICT in school please see page 3. Health and Wellbeing: Launch our new HWB 19 of the Education Authority Handbook programme of learning, introduce Relationships and Sexual Health Partnership learning experiences Use of the Internet, Social Networking Sites and formally begin our Rights Respecting Schools As part of the process of learning we allow our journey. children supervised access to the Internet and e-mail. The authority runs its own filter system to ensure that young people are not at risk from exposure to inappropriate material. This filtering system is regularly being upgraded. We have a policy for use of the Internet and a contract for responsible use, which we ask parents and young people to sign up to.

Safe Digital Learning and Social Media