Tag Archives: Bernera School Partnership

Parents Welcome

Our school welcomes parental involvement as research has shown that when parents are involved children do better in school. 

The school encourages parents to be involved in their children’s education by encouraging active involvement in school activities through attendance at parents evenings, curriculum evenings, open days and school events such as concerts etc. Parents are given formal Parent-Teacher appointments twice a year – usually in November and May. Parent-Teacher appointments allow class teachers to meet with parents to discuss their child’s progress and all parents are encouraged to attend at these times.  In addition to these scheduled  evenings, parents are welcome to telephone the Head Teacher to arrange a suitable time to visit the school to discuss any matter which is causing them concern. 

Parents are encouraged to discuss their child’s report with them as children benefit from and are supported by the ongoing dialogue about their progress, both from school and from home.  Such dialogue encourages children as they seek to take the next steps in their learning. 

In addition, the parents of those pupils with Support for Learning Action Plans, Individualised Educational Plans or Co-ordinated Support Plans are given the opportunity to meet much more regularly with teaching and Support for Learning staff in order to review progress, share information and work in partnership with the school. School staff value very much the good relationships that are fostered with parents, and recognise that good working relationships can also be fostered when opinions between staff and parents differ, providing there is mutual respect between parents and staff. 

Parents are encouraged to discuss with the Head Teacher and teaching staff any concerns they have regarding their child’s schooling. The school has an active and committed Parent Council which works  enthusiastically and successfully to organise fund raising events and assists the school in its organisation of events throughout the school year, taking into account  events which are ongoing within the local community, The  Parent Council welcomes parent members to its meetings and encourages parents of all new pupils to the school to get involved. 

The school staff also welcome contact with parents of prospective pupils. 

The school seeks to be open with its parents about learning and teaching activities and staff members are always happy to meet with parents at a mutually convenient time outside of more formal arrangements to discuss their children’s education with them. 

Further information relating to the Comhairle’s Parental Involvement Strategy can be found here: 

http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/education/policiesprocedures/documents/policy/Parental%20Involvement%20Strategy.pdf

Education Scotland’s Parentzone website also provides parents with further information as to how they may support their children and become more involved in their education.

The website can be viewed at:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/index.asp

Parental Involvement

Parents are encouraged to become involved in the life of the school. Though this is principally done through  involvement with the Parent Council, parents have in the past been welcomed in to speak to children about  particular areas of the curriculum where they may have an expertise or skill to share. 

All parents are encouraged to support their children’s learning at home and supporting children with homework tasks. Advice on this is often given at Parent-Teacher interviews and via Pupil Reports. Teaching staff welcome approaches from parents who wish to know how else they may support their  children in their learning.

The Head Teacher works closely with the Parent Council and shares in an open and transparent way the work of the school. Parents are encouraged to share their views and to attend parent forum groups within the Learning Community. The Head Teacher also seeks parents views on the life and work of the school by means of a Whole School Evaluation Exercise which is usually conducted once every two years. The results of the Whole School Evaluation which includes the views of pupils, parents and staff are shared with the Parent Council and are used to inform the school’s Improvement Planning process. 

As key stages of a child’s education approach e.g. transitions between Pre-School and Primary 1 and Primary 7 and Secondary 1, teaching staff work with pupils and parents to prepare them for pupils’ next stages of    learning. Further details can be accessed within The Parental Involvement Strategy which is located at:- 

http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/education/policiesprocedures/documents/policy/Parental%20Involvement%20Strategy.pdf

Formal Parent Representation

The role of the Parent Council is to: 

¨ Support the school in its work with parents

¨ Represent the views of all parents

¨ Encourage links between the school, parents, pupils, pre school groups and the wider community

¨ Report back to the Parent Forum (all parents are members of the Parent Forum).

All Parents/Carers of pupils within Bernera School are members of the Parent Council and are therefore welcome at Parent Council Meetings. The Parent Council meets at least once a term and approximately six times per school session.  All meetings are open and all parents are welcome to attend. 

The Parent Council is called Bernera School Partnership and all parents of children attending Bernera School and Sgoil Àraich Bheàrnaraigh are automatically members of the Parent Council and are  therefore welcome to attend its meetings. If you wish to discuss any matter regarding the school, you can contact any of the Bernera School Partnership office bearers/members listed below:  

Names Role Telephone No
Kirsteen J Maclean Head Teacher 01851 822 892
Mairi Smith Chairperson  
Janet Cameron Joint Vice Chairperson  
June Macinnes Treasurer  
Angela Macdonald Clerk  

Should any parent wish to contact any of the Office Bearers but not have their telephone number, please   contact the school in the first instance and we shall arrange for them to be in contact with you directly.

Director Meets With Bernera School Partnership

 The last meeting of Bernera School Partnership met on Tuesday 8th October and the Partnership was delighted to welcome Mr Peter Carpenter, our recently appointed Director of Education and Children’s Services. Mr Carpenter is taking time to visit all Parent Councils in the Western Isles over the course of this session and spoke with those present about the current and future priorities of the Department, participated in discussion relating to agenda items and answered a range of questions presented to him.

The next meeting of the Bernera School Partnership will be on Tuesday 26th November at 6:30pm.in Bernera School. It is pleasing that we regularly have about half the families in the school represented at Parent Council Meetings, but it is a concern of the Parent Council that as the school roll drops, Bernera School Partnership requires to be strengthened. To that end we would sincerely encourage parents to attend—mums and dads—and to become involved more fully in the life of the school. It should be stressed that Partnership meetings cover a range of topics including the Curriculum and the School’s Improvement Agenda as well as taking a lead in the organisation of fundraising and other events.We look forward to seeing you there if you can make it.

Cafe Night Fundraiser – Postponed till the New Year

It was hoped to hold a Cafe Night in Bernera Hall on Saturday 26th October 2013 in order to raise funds for the residential school trip for P5-7 in June 2014. Maureen had very kindly agreed to help us with this event. However, this date clashed with the annual Guising and so the Partnership have decided to postpone the Cafe Night till some time in January 2014. A new date will be posted when it has been arranged.