Tag Archives: Bernera School Handbook

Welcome from the Head Teacher

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

Dear Parents,

The staff and I would like to welcome all parents and their children, particularly those who are new to the school. We hope that this handbook will offer an introduction to our school and a general overview of the education your child will be getting at school.

We do value the contribution parents make to support their children’s education and we look forward to working in partnership with all of you during your child’s time here.

The purpose of the School Handbook is to provide parents with some basic information about the school and to provide a point of reference for many of the common questions that arise throughout the school year.

We welcome all our parents into the school and are happy to meet with you to discuss any issues or concerns you may have regarding your child. We hope that your child will be happy during their time in Bernera School and similarly we hope that you will be keen to actively join in with the school community during that time also.

Along with my staff, I look forward to meeting with you at various points throughout the course of the year.

If you have any questions, or would like any further information on any aspect of this handbook or the education of your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

To make our handbook easy to use, we have divided the information up into five different sections.

SECTION ONE – PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This section provides you with some background information on our school. It deals with the practical aspects of your child’s attendance at our school. It provides details on such things as:

¨ the school day and school year

¨ how to contact the school if your child is ill

¨ travelling to and from school

¨ school meals

¨ financial assistance with school clothing, transport and school meals

¨ school closures in an emergency or unexpectedly for any reason

¨ general supervision available for your child in the morning and at lunch time

¨ wet weather details

¨ how the school communicates with parents

¨ how to complain if you are not happy about something

¨ an overview of school policies.

SECTION TWO – PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOL

This section contains information about how parents can be involved in supporting learning at home as part of a home – school partnership.

You can also find out more about the ethos of the school, what our values are and our aspirations for our pupils including how we celebrate pupil success, links we have with partner organisations and the wider local, national and international community.

Lastly, it includes information on our Parent Council, how to contact them and how parents can get involved in the life and work of the school.

SECTION THREE – SCHOOL CURRICULUM

This section describes how the curriculum is planned and delivered in the school including the range of subjects and subjects your child will be learning. It also includes information on how pupils develop skills for learning, life and work including literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing in and out of the classroom.

As well as giving you information about the statutory curriculum requirements we have included details on sports and outdoor activities available to pupils and the range of facilities available within the school.

Details of how parents will be informed about sensitive aspects of learning e.g. relationships, sexual health, parenthood and drugs awareness are included as well as information about religious education and observance and arrangements for parents who wish to exercise their right to withdraw their child.

This handbook also tells you how we will report on your child’s progress and what written reports may be sent out to parents.

SECTION FOUR – SUPPORT FOR PUPILS

This section gives information about how pupils’ additional support needs will be identified and addressed and the types of specialist services provided within our school. This handbook also explains who to contact for more information if you think your child has additional support needs.

This section also gives information about transition – from primary school to secondary school – what the arrangements are and contact details of the secondary high school to which our pupils normally transfer. There are also details about making a placing request to another school.

SECTION FIVE – SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

This section gives you an overview of the main achievements of the school within the last twelve months and performance information relating to literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.

While Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is happy to provide this information, we do have some reservations that the publication of raw statistics, without any kind of informed qualification, can be misleading to the reader. In particular, they should not be construed as offering an indication of the quality of education provided in any of our schools.

We have also shown where you can get further information about our plans for the next three years to improve our performance and how the school will involve parents in that improvement.

We hope you find all of the information helpful and self explanatory. If you have any queries about any of the information contained in this handbook, or indeed about any aspect of our school, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

I would like to make it clear that all information contained within this School Handbook was considered to be correct at the time of publication in December 2013. It may be that if you are viewing this Handbook at a later date that some information may have changed and that some inaccuracies are included. If you are in any doubt about the veracity of information contained within the Handbook, please do not hesitate to contact the school to speak to myself or a member of my staff who will be happy to provide you with up-to-date and accurate information

Your sincerely

Kirsteen J. Maclean

Head Teacher

Bernera School

Section 4 - Support for Pupils

Transfer from Nursery to Primary

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

Before leaving nursery, a profile and transition record for each child will be prepared by Sgoil Àraich staff to hand over to Primary School staff to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of education for the child transferring to Primary. There will also be a number of visits to the Primary Class in the lead up to the child commencing in Primary 1.

Section 4 - Support for Pupils

Primary School Admissions

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

Children who will be four years of age by 28^th February 2013 are eligible for infant enrolment in August 2013. Enrolment takes place at the beginning of February, on a date specified by press advertisement.

In our school, pupils can be taught through the Medium of Gaelic or English and parents should indicate their preference on the enrolment form. At the time of enrolment, parents should bring their child’s Birth Certificate and should inform the school of any medical problems or special needs which their child may have. New entrants are invited into the school in June prior to entry to sample some typical Primary 1 activities.

Other children, whose families have just moved into our catchment area, should be accompanied by a parent or guardian on their first day of reporting to school if they have not already been in contact with the school.

Parents who wish to apply for a place at a school other than the local Primary School for new enrolments should apply in writing to:

Mr Bernard Chisholm

Head of Education and Resources,

Education and Children’s Services Department,

Sandwick Road,

Stornoway,

HS1 2BW

Section 4 - Support for Pupils

Primary to Secondary Transfer

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

During the Summer term each session, Primary 7 pupils have the opportunity to attend their chosen secondary schools for an induction period.

When pupils complete P7 they will normally transfer to: The Nicolson Institute

Springfield Road

Stornoway

Isle of Lewis

Telephone Number: 01851 707000

On induction days, pupils travel on the school bus, meet secondary teachers and sample part of their future weekly timetable. Each year a member of the secondary Guidance Team will travel to the school to meet P7 pupils prior to their transfer to secondary. In addition, a member of the School Management Team will hold discussions with the Head Teacher each year to ensure that all aspects of a pupil’s work and personality are known in order to assist with a smooth transfer from Primary to Secondary. Every second year a member of the Secondary School Management Team will also visit the Primary School to meet pupils and staff.

The Principal Teacher for Learning Support visits our school in October/November of each year in order to meet those Primary 7 pupils with additional support needs and participate in review meetings with parents and staff. Such pupils may also be offered the opportunity of additional induction days which will be based in the Support for Learning Base. These induction days would follow a similar pattern with time also spent in the Support for Learning Base getting to know the staff.

Over the last number of years a transition event has been held within the Learning Community for all Primary 7 pupils. This has proved to be most beneficial and has allowed Primary 7 pupils from smaller schools in the surrounding area an opportunity to meet and engage in learning activities with one another.

When possible, pupils in Bernera School meet with pupils in Uig and Breasclete Schools for a variety of sporting and other events. The purpose of this is to give our pupils greater opportunities to meet and engage in learning activities with one another prior to moving to secondary.

Section 4 - Support for Pupils

Placing Requests

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

As a parent, you have the right to make a Placing Request to be educated in a school other than the local school. Every effort will be made to try to meet parental wishes but you should note that it is not always possible to grant every Placing Request to a particular school.

If you wish to make a Placing Request, you should complete the appropriate form (available from school) and return it to:

Louise Smith,

Principal Officer,

Education and Children’s Services,

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar,

Sandwick Road,

Stornoway

HS1 2BW.

If a Placing Request is successful, parents will be responsible for the safety and transportation costs of their child to and from their chosen school.

Section 5 - School Improvement

Standards and Quality Report

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

Each year the school publishes a Standards and Quality Report which highlights the school’s major achievements in the previous year.

Some of the main achievements over the last 12 months include:

¨ Staff members undertook a raft of specialist training including Resucitation training led by Ospadal nan Eilean’s Resuscitation Officer and Makaton training led by the Speech and Language Therapy Service.

¨ P7 pupils participated in and benefited greatly from both enhanced and regular transition days at the Nicolson Institute in preparation for their move into S1 and also additional transition events with pupils from Uig and Breasclete Schools.

¨ P6-7 pupils attended the Global Citizenship Showcase Day which was held at Sgoil nan Loch for pupils in Areas 2, 3 and 4. Pupils gave presentations and ran stalls highlighting different aspects of the work they had been doing in class relating to Climate Change.

¨ Primary 7 pupils engaged in learning activities and subsequently sat and passed their Young Leadership Awards.

¨ P5-7 pupils participated in a variety of sporting competitions throughout the session under the auspices of the Lewis and Harris Sports Festival.

¨ P6 and P7 pupils participated in Childline’s school’s seminar and Assembly and welcomed pupils from Uig and Breasclete School in joining with them.

¨ Pupils experienced first hand the music of an African Gospel Choir who visited the school with the School Chaplain.

¨ School staff and pupils held a number of charitable events to raise money for charities such as Children in Need, Blythswood, Unicef, Bethesda Hospice and Sport Relief

¨ The school held its annual Christmas Concert in December, performing “Sheik, Rattle and Roll” Once again this was organised as an Enterprise project and was held in the Community Centre in order to allow the wider community to attend. The concert was a resounding success, with superb performances from the pupils and an excellent attendance from the local community.

¨ Pupils hosted a visit from Mr Tim Gorrod, a Curriculum Development Officer from New South Wales, Australia who was Premier’s Xstrata Coal Rural and Remote Education Scholarship Holder for 2013. Pupils shared the work they were doing on their E-portfolio’s and Blogs with Mr Gorrod who was very impressed at the level of their ICT skills.

¨ All P4-7 pupils participated in and completed the Jumpstart programme run by the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Ospadal nan Eilean.

¨ The school hosted a number of visitors throughout the school year, many of whom addressed the pupils at Assembly times.

¨ Pupils rowed the Minch and in doing so raised the magnificent sum of £566 by holding a Sponsored Rowathon in order to kick start the fundraising effort to raise money for the 2014 Residential School Trip to Fairburn Outdoor Centre.

The Standards and Quality Report for the School can be obtained by clicking on the link on the menu on the right hand side. You will find the Standards and Quality Report for 2012-13 there. Should any parent wish to receive a hard copy of the Standards and Quality Report for Session 2012-13 in Bernera School they may request one from the school office.

Section 5 - School Improvement

School Improvement Plan

December 9, 2013 Miss Maclean Leave a comment

The School Improvement Plan details the Improvement Agenda for the school on an annual basis. All projects which are included in the Improvement Plan are discussed with the Parent Council and the Head Teacher also updates the Parent Council regularly on progress with specific projects throughout the session.

The table below demonstrates the intentions of the School with respect to its Improvement Agenda for the next three years. The Three Year Plan, whilst not fixed, does give cognisance to the Business Plan of the Education and Children’s Services Department and also indicates which areas the school will likely focus on in order to make improvements in coming sessions.

Should any parent wish to receive a copy of the School Improvement Plan for Session 2013-14 in Bernera School they may request one from the school office.

THE THREE YEAR PLAN

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16