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, ‘Sharing the Learning’ class assemblies 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, we operate an open-door policy to encourage dialogue. 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. We are required to abide by health and safety requirements relating to visitor access to the building. It is a strict requirement that ALL visitors, including parents, report to the school office and sign in before progressing through the building. Access to the building must only be by the main entrance. Sgoil-Àraich pupils should enter and exit via the Sgoil-Àraich door.
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.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
In Sgoil Ùige, we greatly value partnership with parents and staff. We see the importance of ensuring that parents know how we teach and why we teach what we do. We encourage parents to participate in extra-curricular activities e.g. after-school clubs, sports, concerts and Mod. Many parents and members of the community have expertise and knowledge which can add to the skills and expertise of staff. We try and capitalise on this by inviting them to come into the class and talk to the children, thus enriching the children’s education.
Parents will receive a formal written report on their child’s progress once a year at the start of Term Four. 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. Seesaw is regularly updated with examples of the children’s learning to share with parents. Pupils also engage in Profiling their learning through a ‘Focus Child’ system. When your child is the ‘Focus Child’, observations, examples of work and ‘Learner Conversations’ will take place and be uploaded to Seesaw. You will be invited to comment on your child’s progress at this time.
Parents of those pupils with Child’s Plans are given the opportunity to meet 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 through these opportunities to meet and discuss learning and progress.
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. Teachers send home a Curriculum Overview each term which details the planned learning for that term. The Curriculum Overview offers suggestions on how to support your child’s learning at home and also invites parents and pupils to make further suggestions on the activities planned or to let us know of any particular areas of interest or expertise that may be relevant.
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.
The Head Teacher works closely with the Parent Council and shares in an open and transparent way the work of the school. Parents’ views are sought on a variety of issues, including an annual parental survey, with results being shared with the Parent Council. Parents are encouraged to share their views on the school, what it does well, and areas for improvement.
Education Scotland’s Parentzone website (www.education.gov.scot/parentzone) also provides parents with further information as to how they may support their children and become more involved in their education.
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
All parents of children attending Sgoil Ùige are automatically members of the Parent Council and are therefore welcome to attend its meetings. The Parent Council usually meets once per term. The current office bearers are:
Chair Murdo Buchanan
Secretary Lynne Woolley
Treasurer Mairi Buchanan
Should any parent or prospective 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.
