From mountain to sea Aberchirder School Handbook 2020/21 2 | Contents Introduction to Aberchirder School 4 Our Vision, Values and School Ethos 6 Curriculum 7 Assessment and Reporting 16 Transitions (Moving On) 18 1 Admissions 20 2 Placing requests & School Zones 20 Support for Children and Young People 22 3 Getting it Right for Every Child 22 4 Wellbeing 22 5 Children’s Rights 23 6 The Named Person 23 7 Educational Psychology 24 8 Enhanced Provision & Community Resource Hubs 25 9 Support for Learning 25 10 The Child’s Plan 26 11 Child Protection 26 12 Further Information on Support for Children and Young People 27 Parent & Carer Involvement and Engagement 28 13 Parental Engagement 28 14 Communication 28 15 Learning at Home 29 16 Parent Forum and Parent Council 29 17 ParentsPortal.scot 29 18 Parents and School Improvement 30 19 Volunteering in school 30 20 Collaborating with the Community 30 21 Addressing Concerns & Complaints 31 School Policies and Useful Information 32 22 Attendance 32 23 Holidays during term time. 34 24 Dress Code 35 | 3 25 Clothing Grants 35 26 Transport 35 27 Privilege Transport 36 28 Early Learning & Childcare Transport 37 29 Special Schools and Enhanced Provision 37 30 School Closure & Other Emergencies 37 31 Storm Addresses 38 32 Change of address and Parental Contact Details 38 33 Anti-bullying Guidance 39 34 School Meals 40 35 Healthcare & Medical 41 36 School and Childcare – Coronavirus 42 37 Exclusion 43 38 Educational Visits 43 39 Instrumental Tuition 43 40 Public Liability Insurance 43 41 School Off Site Excursion Insurance 44 42 Data we hold and what we do with it. 44 43 The information we collect from you 45 44 Your Data, Your Rights 45 45 Parental Access to Records 46 46 Information Sharing 46 47 ScotXed 46 Further Information 48 4 |Introduction to Aberchirder School Introduction to Aberchirder School Welcome to Aberchirder Primary School. Dear Parent, Welcome to Aberchirder Primary School. As Head Teacher, I hope that the partnership between home and school will be productive and enjoyable and that your child settles and enjoys his/her time with us. We take pride in the fact that this is a happy and industrious school with a real sense of team spirit and we value that the education of their child/children is shared with parents, who have a very important role to play. This handbook aims to explain how that partnership develops successfully through help, support and expectations. Early communication from parent or school will help to promote this partnership also. This Aberdeenshire Council handbook is designed to inform parents of as many aspects of life at Aberchirder School as possible and has been written in response to School Handbook Guidance (Scotland) Regulations 2012.The coloured sections in this handbook will be updated annually with current information. School Contact Details Lisa Campbell 01466 405920 Aberchirder Primary School 01466 405922 Smith Crescent Aberchirder.aberdeenshire.sch.uk ABERCHIRDER AB54 7TW [email protected] #Aberchirderschool Parent Council Email [email protected] Parent Council Social Media fb Aberchirder Parent Council Adverse weather and emergency closure https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/Apps/schools-closures/ Information Line 0370 054 4999 021160 (Please do not use this line to leave messages for the school.) Aberchirder School is a non-denominational school with a role of 141. The school serves Banff catchment area. Introduction to Aberchirder School | 5 Devolved budgets are managed in accordance with authority guidelines in order to support planned improvements in the school. Aberchirder School Staff Head Teacher Lisa Campbell (4 days) Acting Head Teacher Mrs Astridge (1 day) Primary 1 Mrs Evans/Mrs Bowie Primary 2 Miss Strathdee Primary 3/4 Mr Anderson Primary 4/5 Mrs Prise Porter Primary 6/7 Miss Smith (NQT) Primary 7M Mrs Astridge Additional Support for Learning Teacher Mrs Hay School Administrator Mrs Reid Clerical Assistant Mrs Reid Pupil Support Assistants Mrs Duncan Mrs Donald Mrs Allan Mrs Scott Miss MacKay Intervention and Prevention Teacher Mr McKay Cook Mrs Coutts Kitchen Assistants Mrs Williamson, Mrs Hay, Mrs McKenzie Janitor Mr Bain Caretaker Mrs Reid Caretakers/Cleaners Miss Porter, Mrs Wight 6 |Our Vision, Values and School Ethos Our Vision, Values and School Ethos School Ethos Aberchirder’s School Aims and Statement of Values communicate our philosophy and beliefs for Aberchirder School Community. Vision Statement Yes We Can Values • Respect • Responsibility • Determination • Team Work • Empathy • Aspiration Our Aims • To foster a mutual respect for the rights of all pupils and staff, ensuring inclusion for all. (ARTICLE 4 and 28) • To encourage everyone to take responsibility for their actions, choices and daily lives. (ARTICLE 12 and 19) • To encourage a passion for learning. (ARTICLE 5 and 29) • To create opportunities to work together, in partnership with our community and our families. (ARTICLE 2, 15 and 29) • To value our thoughts and the thoughts and feelings of others. (ARTICLE 3, 5, 6 and 12) • To embrace challenges and conquer difficulties. (ARTICLE 28 and 29) Curriculum | 7 Curriculum Within our school, we aim to provide a curriculum that is both inclusive and ambitious for all – a curriculum which is both academically challenging and also provides opportunities to develop skills for learning, life and work. Our curriculum will be based around the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence – to ensure our pupils are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. Our curriculum will also reflect the principles of curriculum design to ensure breadth, depth, personalisation & choice, challenge & enjoyment, progression, coherence and relevance. We will, therefore have a curriculum which we will adapt continuously over time to meet the needs of our pupils. Following the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, achievement of children and young people is celebrated in its broadest sense. This means looking beyond formally assessed learning, to recognise activities like volunteering and participation in arts, sports and community-based programmes. This approach complements the nurturing and aspirational outcomes of Getting It Right for Every Child, and our aim in Aberdeenshire to overcome inequality by Raising Attainment for All, promoting Equity and Excellence in schools, and Closing the Gap. Further information on the schools approach to Curriculum for Excellence including information for parents, can be found on the school website at: Aberchirder.aberdeenshire.sch.uk Curricular Areas • Literacy and English Language: Listening, Talking Reading and Writing. • Numeracy and Mathematics: Number, Money and Measure, Information Handling, Shape, Position and Movement. • Health & Wellbeing: Mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing, Physical education, activity and sport, Food and health, Substance misuse, Relationships, sexual health and parenthood. • Social Studies: People, past events and societies, People, place and environment, People, society, economy and business. • Sciences: Planet Earth, Forces, electricity and waves, Biological Systems, Materials, Topical Sciences. • Technologies: Technological developments in society, Business technology skills and knowledge, Computing science, Food and textiles, Craft, design, engineering and graphics. • Expressive Arts: Music, Drama, Art and Design and Dance. • Religious and Moral Education: Christianity, World Religions, Development of beliefs and values. • Modern Languages: French Curriculum Design Our curriculum is designed on the basis of the following 7 principles: • Challenge and enjoyment 8 |Curriculum • Breadth • Progression • Depth • Personalisation and choice • Coherence • Relevance Developing Young Workforce As part of the curriculum, pupils will develop skills for learning, life and work. More detail about these key skills can be found using the link below: https://www.npfs.org.uk/skills-in-a-nutshell/ Throughout their time in school, from Early Years onwards, all pupils will have an opportunity to engage with employers, through experiences like workplace visits, career talks, employability events and courses, work experience and curriculum based activities. They will also have the opportunity to learn about further and higher education, and the work done by training providers, as well as different career pathways into employment. In S4-6, pupils will be given the opportunity to study for vocational qualifications, including Foundation Apprenticeships, alongside the more traditional qualifications. Further information for parents on Foundation Apprenticeships can be found at https://www.apprenticeships.scot Further information for parents can be found on the Aberdeenshire DYW website: http://dywaberdeenshire.org/parents/ Curricular Levels Early The pre-school years and P1, or later for some. First To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some. Second To the end of P7, but earlier or later for some. Third and Fourth S1 to S3, but earlier for some. The fourth level broadly equates to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 4.The fourth level experiences and outcomes are intended to provide possibilities for choice and young people's programmes will not include all of the fourth level outcomes. Curriculum | 9 We believe in active learning for all pupils at all stages with children fully engaged in thinking. In promoting active learning, we recognise the importance of ensuring