Category Archives: School Information

Validated Self Evaluation

As you will know a team of Education Officers and Head Teachers visited our school this session to look closely at three quality indicators from How Good is Our School. During this time they observed learning; spoke to pupils, parents, staff and partners. From this focused visit the school has updated its self-evaluation summary.

You can read the full report here:

Self evaluation summary

 

Welcome to Mid Calder Nursery & Primary School

Welcome to Mid Calder Nursery and Primary School blog.

 Our school vision creates a very positive ethos within our school; all members of our learning community Believe in themselves and thus Achieve the best they can which will ultimately enable them to Succeed in all they do.

Our nursery vision is ‘Playing to Learn, Learning to play‘.

We aim to prepare all our young people for the challenges of the future. Our learning environment aims to stimulate, challenge, support and provide opportunities to develop life skills. We celebrate attainment and achievement gained not only  in school but within the children’s personal lives  through our ‘Living our Values’ certificates and  iAchieve Gold, Silver and Bronze awards.

We take positive steps to promote effective partnerships between home, school and the wider community. We have an open door policy and you will, as parents, be made most welcome at all times. We hope you enjoy looking at ‘life’ within our school and nursery and we would welcome comments under any blog posting.

Mary McKenzie

Head Teacher

House System

At Mid Calder Primary we have 4 houses;   Almondell, Calderwood, Cunigar, and Linhouse.

Each pupil and member of staff are assigned to a house and each house has a Primary Seven House Captain and Vice Captain. Using Class Dojo (an online class points system) pupils can receive house points by demonstrating the school values, displaying positive behaviour and for personal successes. Around the school and in the playground pupils can also receive catch me cards from members of staff which will have one house point, these points are added to their Class Dojo. On a Friday pupils total their points; within each class, each house have a top scorer, the top scorers names are submitted to a house raffle that will happen once a term, the winner for each house will receive a prize. Individual points will also be added to the house points and these totals will be shared at assembly. (Primary Sevens have the responsibility of collecting the house points and top scorers). Each term the winning house can negotiate a reward for their success.

School Values

  • Enthusiastic – I am passionate and excited by learning.
  • Friendly – I show compassion towards others and am considerate of their feelings.
  • Inclusive – I accept others and appreciate diversity.
  • Respectful – I am considerate and courteous to others.
  • Responsible – I am accountable for my learning and my actions.
  • Successful – I try my best individually and as a team member.

Staff

Acting Head Teacher: Mrs McKenzie

Depute Head Teacher: Miss Burton

Principal Teacher: Mrs Ross

Nursery: Mrs Diamond; Mrs Murray

Primary 1a: Mrs Smith

Primary 2/1: Mrs Walker

Primary 3/2: Ms Brolls

Primary 3: Miss Clark

Primary 4a: Ms Richmond

Primary 4b: Miss Prior

Primary 5a: Mrs Stewart

Primary 5b: Miss Sherlow

Primary 6: Mr Renshaw

Primary 7/6: Miss Anderson

Primary 7: Miss Ross

Support for Learning: Mrs Kellner

Reduced Class Contact Cover:  Mrs Redmond

Nursery Nurses: Mrs Findlay; Mrs Aikman

Pupil Support Workers: Mrs Brown; Mrs McCormack; Mrs Coombe; Mrs Findlay; Miss Robertson

Brass Instructor: Mr Traynor

 

Admin Staff: Mrs Bokhari; Mrs S Findlay

Business Support Manager: Mrs Deerness

Facilities Management Staff: Mr King;  Mr Sommerville;  Mr Hopper

Our Catchment Area

The school’s catchment area consists of the village of Mid Calder, both the conservation village itself and the new housing estates to the west of the village.

The Parents’ Charter gives parents the right to request a place for their child at a school of their choice and, if places are available, children from outside the catchment may also be enrolled. A significant number of children enrolled at the school are from outwith the school’s catchment area, as a result of parental choice. Mid Calder Primary School admits pupils of both sexes.
In the case of children transferring from another school, it is advisable, where possible, that parents visit the school prior to the transfer. It is helpful to make an appointment to ensure that the visit is as satisfactory as possible. Admissions of this type can be made at any time by arrangement with the school secretary. West Lothian is divided into catchment areas for primary and secondary schools. Each home address has a catchment denominational school and a catchment non-denominational school, for both primary and secondary education. Although the Council aims to provide enough places for all children in the catchment area at a catchment school, living within a catchment area does not guarantee a child a place at a catchment school.Parents can request a school other than one of their catchment schools. This is known as a ‘placing request’. Parents can request that their child go to any primary school in West Lothian regardless of their religion. The council must grant these requests unless there is a legal reason not to.
Further details of the policy and procedure for admission to primary and secondary schools, and pre-school education can be found here:-