Shetland Islands Council Aith Junior High School School Handbook 2019-2020 CONTACT DETAILS ........................................................................................................................ 3 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 4 ABSENCE ...................................................................................................................................... 5 VISITING THE SCHOOL .................................................................................................................. 6 COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................................................... 6 COMPLAINTS ............................................................................................................................... 6 EMERGENCY CLOSURE OF SCHOOL ............................................................................................... 7 PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT ............................................................................................................. 7 SCHOOL ETHOS ............................................................................................................................ 8 HEALTH PROMOTION ................................................................................................................... 9 BEHAVIOUR ............................................................................................................................... 10 MOBILE PHONES ........................................................................................................................ 10 CURRICULUM - OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................... 11 CURRICULUM ............................................................................................................................. 12 QUALIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 14 ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING ................................................................................................... 15 PUPIL REPORTS & PARENTS’ EVENINGS DATES ........................................................................................... 15 PUPIL PROFILES .......................................................................................................................... 16 TRANSITIONS ............................................................................................................................. 17 PLACING REQUESTS ................................................................................................................... 18 SUPPORT FOR PUPILS ................................................................................................................. 19 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS INFORMATION AND GIRFEC ......................................................... 20 CHILD PROTECTION .................................................................................................................... 22 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND QUALITY & STANDARDS REPORT .................................................. 22 ATTAINMENT AND EXAM RESULTS ............................................................................................. 23 OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES ........................................................................................................... 25 SCHOOL POLICIES AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION ...................................................................... 25 CLUBS ................................................................................................................................................. 25 INSTRUMENTAL TUITION ........................................................................................................................ 25 PRIMARY TASK FORCE ............................................................................................................................ 25 PUPIL COUNCIL ..................................................................................................................................... 25 SCHOOL MEALS .................................................................................................................................... 25 FINANCIAL HELP FOR PARENTS ................................................................................................................ 26 THE SCHOOL DAY ....................................................................................................................... 26 HOLIDAY AND TERM DATES ........................................................................................................ 27 Page 2 Contact Details Name: Aith Junior High School Address: Aith Junior High School Aith Bixter Shetland ZE2 9NB Telephone: 01595 807400 Website: www.aith.shetland.sch.uk Email: [email protected] Stages of education: Early Years/Primary/Secondary 1 - 4 Roll: 224 Denominational status: non-denominational Headteacher: Michael Spence Parent Council website: www.aith.shetland.sch.uk/parents/PARENTCOUNCIL.shtml Page 3 Introduction Aith Junior High School provides an education facility for the West Mainland of Shetland. It is a non-denominational school catering for pupils from Early Years to S4 and supports equal access to educational and social opportunities for all our learning community. The Primary department enrols pupils from the local catchment area. A map showing the catchment areas of Shetland can be found following this link: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/documents/SchoolCatchmentAreas.pdf Primary pupils move into the secondary department at the end of P7 along with the pupils from our associated schools of Happyhansel, Sandness and Skeld. At the end of secondary four pupils may transfer to the Anderson High School for S5/6, go to college, training or employment. For further information or clarification, please contact the school and/or look at our school website. www.aith.shetland.sch.uk Throughout this handbook, links to websites are provided for further information. Free access to these pages can be gained at the Shetland Library Learning Centre and at Islesburgh Community Centre. Hard copies and different formats of the handbook (for example in Braille or large print) will be made available by request to the school. Handbooks for all Shetland Islands Council’s schools can be found on the council’s website. The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/SchoolHandbooks.asp Page 4 The staff at Aith Junior High school work closely with parents to make sure that every pupil has a positive school experience. However, issues do happen from time to time and parents are encouraged to contact the school to discuss any concerns as soon as they arise. Pupil Absence If your child is ill or if you think it is necessary for your child to be absent from school for any other reason, please contact the school with the details, as soon as possible. When an absence is known about in advance, parents should contact the school beforehand, either by note/telephone call or e-mail. When a pupil is not able to attend school on a particular day, but this has not been anticipated, please phone the school between 0830 and 0930 giving the reason for absence. If a pupil is not present at school, on any day and no contact is received by 0930, school office staff will contact the home to ensure the pupil is there and to ascertain the reason for absence. If no contact can be made with the home, further calls may have to be made to ensure the safety of the child. If you expect your child to be absent from school during term time (other than dentist/doctor appointments etc.) please ask the School Office for an Absence Form or you can download one from the school website on the following link: http://www.aith.shetland.sch.uk/parents/HOLIDAYANDTERMDATES.shtml The Scottish Executive has revised its guidance to authorities on attendance and absence. Within this circular it states that family holidays are to be classified as ‘unauthorised absence’ from school, unless under exceptional circumstances. Request forms for absences other than illness are available from the school office. For further information on school attendance, a guide for parents can be found on the Scottish Government’s website. The direct link is: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/04134640/0 Page 5 Visiting the School You may wish to visit the school if your child has been offered a place or if you are seeking a place for your child. Please contact the school to make arrangements. Communication We do try as far as possible to keep parents informed about what is happening in school. The school communicates with parents using phone calls, letters, emails and written notes, as well as teachers writing in pupil homework diaries. We are trialling a Facebook page alongside the school Blogs. These will update parents with activities taking place in the school. Our website, www.aith.shetland.sch.uk, also contains useful information. Please contact the school office if you wish to receive your correspondence by e-mail or if you have made changes to your e-mail address or other contact details. Complaints Please direct a complaint to the Head teacher in the first instance. The School Complaints Procedure can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website. The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/hpc_complaints_procedure.asp