At Port Ellen Primary, we believe that strong partnerships between home and school make the biggest difference to children’s learning and wellbeing. This page brings together all the key information families need to help their children feel confident, supported, and ready to learn every day.
Below you’ll find details about enrolment, attendance, transport, uniforms, school meals, holidays, homework and more. We hope this helps make school life easier to navigate — but if you ever have a question, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help.
School Handbook
Our School Handbook provides a full overview of school life, policies, curriculum, and our community. It’s updated each year and available to view or download here.
Uniform
At Port Ellen Primary, we want every child to feel comfortable, confident and part of our school community. Wearing school colours helps everyone feel a sense of belonging and pride, while keeping things simple and fair for families.
Our school uniform colours are:
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Trousers / Skirt: Grey or black
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Sweater / Cardigan: Grey
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Shirt / Blouse: White
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School Tie: Maroon and silver (available from the school office – Velcro tie £9, traditional tie £6, prices as of September 2024)
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Footwear: Black shoes or other sensible footwear suitable for school activities.
Black jogging bottoms or leggings may be worn as a comfortable alternative to trousers. In the interests of safety, we ask that children wear practical shoes (no high heels or backless shoes, please).
For PE children should keep in school joggers, leggings or shorts, a T-shirt, and gym shoes in a bag with pupil’s name on it. The school provides waterproof jackets and trousers for outdoor learning, please can you provide your child with a pair of wellies as well.
It’s also a big help if every item of clothing, including footwear, is clearly labelled with your child’s name — this makes it much easier to return lost items!
We understand that circumstances differ for every family — if you need any support with school uniform or have questions about what’s suitable, please speak to us in confidence. You may be entitled to Free School Meals and a Clothing Grant of £120 per child when attending Primary School. Applications for the Clothing Grants for Academic Year 2026/27 must be submitted by 31st March 2027.
Attendance and Absence
At Port Ellen Primary, we use an electronic registration system to record attendance. Registration takes place twice each day — once in the morning and again just after lunch.
If your child is going to be absent, please let us know by 9:30am on the first day of absence. You can contact the school by phone or email to explain the reason for your child’s absence.
When your child returns to school, please also provide a short written note or email confirmation so we can update our records.
If we haven’t heard from you by 9:30am, we will contact you to check on your child’s wellbeing, as part of our commitment to keeping all pupils safe.
Regular attendance is vital for children’s progress, confidence, and sense of belonging. It’s also one of Education Scotland’s key national priorities, as attending school every day helps children build strong learning habits, friendships, and resilience.
Thank you for your support in helping us maintain accurate records and promote positive attendance for every learner.
School Transport
Free school transport is provided by Argyll & Bute Council for all primary pupils who live more than two miles from their catchment area school (by the recognised shortest safe walking route). Arrangements for free transport may be made for children with additional support needs. Information about eligibility, pick-up points, and how to apply can be found on the council website or by contacting the school office.
Please let us know of any changes to your child’s usual travel arrangements on the day so we can keep everyone safe.
School Holidays and Term Dates
You can find up-to-date term dates and school holidays on the Argyll & Bute Council calendar. We also share any local closures or in-service days on our school website and newsletters.
Enrolment and Starting School
Children normally start school in August, and this year the dates for P1 registration are confirmed as 17th November to 21st November. Information and forms are available through the Argyll & Bute Council website, or directly from the school office. Your child will be eligible to attend the primary school in August if their fifth birthday falls between 1 March of that year and the last day of February of the following year. We’re also delighted to welcome new families — please get in touch to arrange a visit or ask questions about starting at Port Ellen.
School Meals and Payments
We are committed to providing healthy, nutritious, good value meal options to pupils. Our Primary school lunch offer is a two course menu with a choice of main meal, and will be either a starter and a main course, or a main course and a dessert. The menu runs on a three week cycle. You can see an example menu here. If the school is making any menu substitutions, they will let you know in advance wherever possible. Water and milk are available as part of the 2 course meal for primary pupils. If your child has an allergy, please contact their school office. For allergen information on any of the meals, please contact catering@argyll-bute.gov.uk.
The current cost for a Primary school meal is £2.30.
All P1–P5 pupils are entitled to free school meals, and payment information for P6–P7 pupils can be found through IPay. Menus are updated termly and cater for a range of dietary needs.
Homework
Homework reinforces classroom learning and encourages independence. Each stage has its own flexible approach — tasks may include reading, spelling, number work, or creative projects. Our policy aims to keep home learning enjoyable and manageable for families. Teachers will let you know via Seesaw what the homework expectations are each term. If you need extra support with homework do not hesitate to contact us
Communication
We keep in touch with families through Seesaw, newsletters, emails, and our school website. Parents can also contact us by phone-01496302141- or email through the school office, or arrange a meeting with staff if needed. We value your ideas and feedback — working together helps every child succeed.
The Complaints Procedure
A complaint is ‘an expression of dissatisfaction about the Council’s action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by or on behalf of the Council’.
Complaints can be notified in person, by phone, by email or in writing to the Head Teacher. If parents/carers have cause for complaint they should contact the school in the first instance to make an appointment to meet with the Head Teacher or member of the management team.
If you remain dissatisfied in relation to a complaint after you have been to our school you can escalate a complaint by contacting seemis@argyll-bute.gov.uk.
