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Perth Grammar
School Handbook
Academic Session 2014/2015
Contents
Section
Contents
Page(s)
1.
Introduction
2
2.
Delineated Area
3
3.
Contact Details
4-8
4.
School Ethos
9-12
5.
Parental Involvement
13
6.
Transitions
14-15
7.
The Curriculum
16-24
8.
Assessment & Reporting
25-26
9.
Support for Pupils
27-28
10.
School Improvement
29-30
11.
School Policies and Practical Information
31-36
12.
Name of Child Protection Officer
37
1
Introduction
I warmly welcome you, as prospective parents, to Perth Grammar School. The move from
primary to secondary is undoubtedly one of life’s milestones and an event that is looked
forward to with much excitement and no little trepidation by children and their parents. This
handbook is designed to give you as much information as possible about our school, its aims
and the opportunities that it offers. I hope it will give you an insight into Perth Grammar and
answer many of the questions that you have.
At Perth Grammar, through our core values of ‘Pride, Respect, Ambition’, we aim to
encourage and support our young people to flourish as young global citizens with the skills,
knowledge, values and attitudes that will enable them to adapt and thrive in the 21st Century.
Everything we do is geared towards this aim – our ethos, our curriculum, the opportunities
we offer for qualifications and other achievements, the types of learning approaches we
encourage, the activities we offer out of school and beyond the normal school day and the
improvements we make to the buildings and grounds. As a school community of young
people, parents, staff and partners, we work tirelessly to improve the education we offer,
create a positive learning environment and help all learners to achieve their full potential.
We offer all our young people a very wide range of opportunities to succeed in national
qualifications and build up a portfolio of other achievements. We encourage them to become:
•
open, outward-looking and optimistic
•
committed and willing to participate to make a difference in their local, national and
global community
•
secure in their own identity, with an appreciation of the diversity of the globalised
world we live in.
•
creative and critical thinkers who can make connections in their learning across
different contexts.
We have achieved the prestigious Eco Schools Green Flag for the past 5 years
demonstrating our commitment to education for a sustainable future and encouraging young
people to find solutions to the local and global environmental challenges we face. Part of this
work is developing global awareness through international education. We have links with
schools in Bangladesh and we are exploring a new link with a school in Tanzania, in
partnership with the Vine Trust. After our successful World Challenge trip to Kenya in 2010, a
new group of World Challengers will be heading for Malaysia in 2014.
Perth Grammar is also a sport comprehensive, in partnership with our neighbouring
secondary, St John’s Academy. This has allowed us to develop a strong emphasis on health,
well-being, sport and outdoor education. We have excellent sports facilities including a
sports stadium and running track and our new spectacular state-of-the-art climbing wall.
The key to developing a successful school is the quality of the relationships that exist
between pupils, staff and parents. We believe “nothing is more important than the way we
treat one another” and we do our best to ensure this happens in practice.
This is not just your children’s school – it is also yours! Please take the opportunity to join in
and play an active part in affecting what goes on here. Our active Parent Council strongly
supports the school and its commitment to developing home-school links. You will always be
most welcome to visit the school to see for yourself what we try to do and how successful we
are in achieving our aims. Should you have any questions or concerns whatsoever, please
do not hesitate to contact me – I will be only too happy to help in any way I can.
Kindest regards
Barry Millar
Headteacher
2
Delineated Area or Catchment
Perth Grammar School is one of the three six-year all-ability non-denominational schools that
serve Perth City and District. The organisation of secondary education in this area is based
on the transfer of all pupils from certain associated primary schools to a designated
secondary school. The list of associated primary schools for Perth Grammar School is as
follows.
Perth City
1
Balhousie Primary School
2
North Muirton Primary School
3
Tulloch Primary School
4
St Ninian’s Primary School*
Rural area
5
Methven Primary School
6
Logiealmond Primary School
7
Luncarty Primary School
8
Ruthvenfield Primary School
9
Pitcairn Primary School
10
Auchtergaven Primary School
11
Stanley Primary School
12
Murthly Primary School
13
Glendelvine Primary School +
14
Royal School of Dunkeld +
14
*
For those pupils who live in the catchment area of associated schools of Perth
Grammar School.
+
For those pupils for whom it is more convenient to travel to Perth.
Each year a significant number of students who live beyond our catchment area also seek
entry to the school through placing requests.
A complete list of catchment streets in Perth is available from the school or Perth & Kinross
Education & Children’s Services, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD
3
Contact Details
Address
Perth Grammar School,
Gowans Terrace Perth
PH1 5AZ
Telephone number
Fax
01738 472800
01738 620073
Email
Website
Twitter
[email protected]
www.perthgrammar.org.uk
@PerthGrammar
School Accommodation
Perth Grammar opened in 1970 and is situated in North East Perth close to the North Inch of
the River Tay. The main 3-storey teaching and administration block accommodates English,
Mathematics, Modern Languages, Social Subjects, Religious & Moral Education, Computing
and Business Studies and our dining centre, assembly hall, library & fully-functioning theatre.
This is augmented by extensions housing Expressive Arts (Drama, Dance & Music), Home
Economics, Technical Education, Science and Physical Education (PE).
The PE
accommodation includes a dance and fitness studio, gym hall and large games hall with its
new state-of-the-art climbing wall opened in session 2012-13. The school also benefits from
an excellent athletics centre within its grounds, the George Duncan Arena. This was opened
in 2005 and is available for use by the public outwith school hours. Our proximity to St
John’s Academy, our sports comprehensive partner school, enables us to share their new
campus facilities including astro turf, 2 games halls, a fitness suite and dance studio. The
school grounds provide extensive opportunities for outdoor learning and sustainability
education including a well-maintained science garden and a polytunnel and raised beds area
for the development of rural skills.
Our dining service is well-equipped with a main dining hall and sandwich bar providing hot
meals, snacks or bespoke sandwiches together with an outdoor kiosk in the school grounds
and a pre-order service for ordering meals that can then be collected at lunchtime to avoid
queuing.
Plans are currently in place for a major upgrading programme of the main building together
with completion of upgrades to Science, Home Economics and Technical Education. This is
due to be completed over sessions 2014-15 and 2015-16 with the majority of building work
taking place during the holidays.
Current & Predicted School Roll
Current School Roll
Year
Number
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
177
194
193
194
154
79
Total
991
The roll for
2014-15 is
Predicted
School Roll
expected to
The
roll
for
2014-15 is expected to be 1040 with 95 in S6
be 1040 with
95 in S6
4
How We Communicate With Parents and Carers
Contacting the school
You are welcome to contact us at any time. In an emergency or serious situation you can, of
course, call at the School Office without an appointment. In most cases however, it is best to
make an appointment by contacting us by telephone or email. In the first instance, please
ask to see the Guidance Teacher or Head of House.
IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT ABOUT WHAT TO DO, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL
Group Call - Text Messages for Parents
We have a system called Group Call which enables us to send text messages to parents’
mobile phones. This means we can pass a message to groups of parents quickly and easily.
Text messaging will only be used in appropriate situations for example:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Unreported absence from school
Lateness to school
Parent Nights
School closures of any kind
Reminders for notes when pupils are absent
If a punishment exercise has been given to your child
To allow us to make best use of this facility it is important that parents keep us updated of
any changes to their mobile phone number.
Group Call – Email System
We also communicate all letters by email and regularly send reminders/updates. This has
proven more successful than ‘pupil post’ but it requires all parents to keep us informed of any
changes to email addresses.
Letters to Parents
A newsletter containing items of information and topics of interest about school activities is
emailed to parents on a regular basis. This has replaced our termly printed newsletter. The
school endeavours to contact by post or by telephone the parent of any child where a
particular concern is felt.
Website
Please visit our school website to find out useful information on the school. The address is:
www.perthgrammar.org.uk.
This is updated on a weekly basis with the focus of the school for the week and all the latest
news which we would like parents to know about. We also ask for feedback through the
website, for example, on arrangements for parent evenings.
Twitter
The school now has a Twitter feed which you can follow to find out news of recent activities
and successes. You will find this at the following address: @PerthGrammar.
Face to Face
Perth Grammar holds Parent Contact Meetings throughout the school year for all year
groups. These are to keep parents /carers up to date at key times through your child’s
education, such as when they are choosing subjects for examinations, and to help parents /
carers understand the curriculum your child is following and the progress they are making.
The Headteacher also holds a monthly Parent Drop In evening. This is advertised on the
website and on our Twitter feed.
5
Staffing
At present the 991 pupils who attend the school are served by a teaching staff of 82.
Senior Leadership Team
The school’s senior leadership team currently comprises:
Headteacher
Deputes
Mr Barry Millar
Mrs Carol Scott
Mr Ross Hunter
Mr Michael Farrell
Mrs Fiona McPherson
Business Manager
Helen Davidson
Support for Pupils and Staff
School Improvement
School Improvement
School Improvement
Curriculum Areas
There are 10 Faculties and Departments based on Curriculum Areas and each led by a
Principal Teacher: Art, Business Education, Computing, Expressive Arts, Language, Maths,
PE, Science, Social Subjects and Technology.
These faculties & departments work hard to provide a wide variety of courses suitable for
pupils of all abilities. Each year these pupils are presented for a range of National
Qualifications and other achievements and performance in these has improved year on year.
In addition to this, there is an extensive Pupil Support Faculty.
Pupil Support Faculty
Our school is a caring community in which each pupil is supported to be all that he/ she can
be. The Support Faculty is managed by the Depute (Support for Pupils and Staff) and a
Principal Teacher of Support. Together, they oversee the work of the Support for Learning
Department, the Individual Support Department, the Guidance Department and Nurture
Team. We are also fortunate to have a Pupil Support Officer, Community Link workers who
assist young people and their families as well as Support for Learning Assistants and our
Attendance Project staff who support youngsters to attend school. Guidance, in its widest
sense, involves all teachers in the school, but it is focused by a team of teachers who have
special guidance responsibilities, the main one of which is getting to know all the pupils in
his/her group and making sure each pupil knows that there is someone who is concerned
about his/her all-round personal development.
The Pupil Support system is structured in a vertical house system. Pupils from S1 to S6 are
placed in one of three houses – Almond, Earn and Lomond. Where possible, family members
are placed in the same house. This helps to ensure continuity of communication between
school and home. Each House has a team of staff managed and led by the House Depute
and a Principal Teacher of Guidance together with a Personal Support Teacher for each
class. The House teams work together, providing on-going support to meet the needs of all
pupils and taking a close interest in their academic and personal development. The house
teams work together in the following key areas:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Day-to-day contact with pupils
Attendance
Behaviour/discipline
Checking academic progress
Communicating with parents
Links with other agencies
Writing reports
Links with associated primary schools.
6
Caseload Staff
The caseholder, normally a member of staff from Support for Learning or Individual Support
is responsible for a small number of pupils, usually identified during the transition process
(see Transition page 14) who require additional support. In such cases, the caseholder will
take on the pastoral responsibilities for these pupils.
Personal Support Teachers
Each first year pupil is placed in a Personal Support group. The pupil’s Personal Support
Teacher will have a responsibility for the same class from S1 to S6 to allow the opportunity
for the development of positive relationships and for each pupil to be well-known to an
influential and caring adult. They will take the class for Personal Support Time for 20 minutes
each day and deliver the Social Education programme to his/her class.
Non-teaching support staff
As well as the non-teaching staff mentioned in the Pupil Support section above, we benefit
from a further team of staff including a medical auxiliary, 1 administrative assistant, 6 clerical
assistants, 2 technicians, a modern apprentice technician and 3 janitors. We also work very
closely with our excellent Tayside Contracts staff who provide our school meals and cleaning
services.
7
Staff List 2013-14
SEN MANAGEMENT
Barry Millar
Ross Hunter
Carol Scott
Fiona McPherson
HT
Depute
Depute
Depute
Mike Farrell
Depute
Helen Davidson
Bus Mgr
ART
Michael Alexander PT
Rosalie Brodie
Laura Millar
Alison Mailer
Christine McIver
BUSINESS EDUC
Gail Murray PT
Susan Fergusson
Gavin Milne
COMPUTING
David Welsh Acting PT
Gavin Pyott
EXPRESSIVE ARTS
Hamish Shankland PT
Lindy Black (M)
Danielle Tyrer (Dance)
Lisa Forrest (M)
Vacancy (D)
LANGUAGE
Tess Inglis Acting PT Eng
Eleanor Moir PT (E)
Joanne Donnelly Acting PT
ML
Catherine Hutchison (E)
Janice Brough (E)
Gayle Jamieson (ML)
Catherine Lyon (ML)
Lisa McManus (E)
Jan Adriaan Venter (E)
Gillian Shenton (ML + Guid)
Zara Yusaf (E)
MATHS
Timothy Ledger PT
Ian Hunter PT Guid
Heather-Jane McCowan PT Guid
Morag Fox
Beverley Field
Jennifer Loudon
Russell Martin
Colette Muszynski
Elizabeth Paterson
Robert Sapsed
PE
Craig Martin PT
Samantha Auld
Stephen Cameron (Guid)
Russel Kesson
Andrew Lochhead
Gregor McIntosh
Donald Kinross
SCIENCE
Fiona Stewart PT
Jonathan Haine PT Guid
Jennifer Gallier
Stanley Hughes
Caroline Main
Mike Reid
Alistair Spalding
Alastair MacLeod
Sharon Watt
Cherry Elder
Anna Dickinson
ADMIN
Eileen Crawford
SECRETARIES
Wendy Davidson
Margaret Dennis
Margaret Gillespie
Hazel Jenkins
Wendy Robertson
Gillian Watson
FIRST AID/HEALTH
Deirdre Martin
LRC
Adele Stewart
SOCIAL SUBJECTS
Ruth Kaplan PT
Vacancy (MS)
Gael Cowan (RE)
Margaret Dunn (Geog)
Kristiina Fetter (RE)
Jillian Lang (Hist)
Vacancy (Geog)
Christy Stevenson PT Guid
Mark Walker (Geog)
Ashleigh Wilson (Hist)
SFL ASSISTANTS
Linda Angus
Gillian Blyth
Elaine Coghlan
Dawn Cruickshank
Margaret Graham
Susan MacLaren
Linda McFeat
Ross Munro
Elizabeth Porter
Judith Ritchie
Donna Shaw
Wendy Taylor
Catrina Lake
Katie McNamara
Gillian Reekie
SFL
PUPIL SUPPORT
Louise Hale PT
Norma Hill
Jane Hodgkinson
Hazel Jamieson
Brian Sim
David Morton
Elaine Barn
Ian McCubbin PT Guid
Lesley Castel
IS
Lucy McIntosh
Cathy Heads
TECHNOLOGY
Dawn McLeish PT
Alan Brown (Tech)
Rhona Mackinnon (Tech)
James Conn (Tech)
Dawn Cameron (Tech)
Elaine McCreanor (HE)
Beth Clark (HE)
Caroline Stewart (HE)
8
TECHNICIANS
Allen Shepherd (Sen)
Bertie Smith
Will Miller (MA)
GENERAL ASSIST
Susan Smith
Linda Radcliffe
ATTENDANCE
Scott Campbell
Allan Clyne
Jenny Main
School Ethos
School Aims
Our core values of “Pride, Respect & Ambition” are at the heart of all we do in Perth
Grammar to meet the needs of all our school community. To do this we will work in
partnership with pupils, parents and carers, our community and professional agencies.
To achieve this we will:
Develop Pride in
•
•
•
Self
School
Community
Promote Respect for
•
•
•
Self and others
The environment
The wider community
Promote Ambition by
•
•
•
Raising levels of attainment
Giving opportunities for achievement and celebrating success
Offering a breadth and depth of curriculum which will enrich and enhance learning
Partnerships, Rights & Responsibilities
Perth Grammar is committed to supporting the Children &Young People’s Bill 2014 which in
turn is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In fulfilling our aims, we seek to involve pupils, parents, school staff, the local community, the
Local Authority and the wider world in the life of the school. The most important of these
partnerships is the three-way relationship between pupils, parents and the school staff. Each
of these groups has significant expectations of the others and these are reflected in the
responsibilities set out below:
Responsibilities of Pupils
Pupils must strive to:
•
attend school regularly, on time and ready to take part in school activities
•
produce the best possible classwork and homework
•
aim at the highest standards in all aspects of school life
•
cooperate with staff and accept the authority and rules of conduct of the school
•
consider and respect the feelings and property of other people both in school and in
the wider community
•
care for the grounds, buildings, furniture, equipment and books provided by the
school
Responsibilities of Parents
We ask parents to:
•
show that they support the school in setting the highest standards
•
make sure their children come to school regularly, on time, alert and ready to work
9
•
•
•
take an active and supportive interest in all aspects of their children’s work
support the authority and discipline of the school, helping their children to achieve
maturity, self-discipline and self-control
encourage their children to make constructive and enjoyable use of both their study
time and leisure time
Responsibilities of School Staff
Members of staff must strive to
 develop each individual pupil’s talents as fully as possible to enable them to flourish
as young global citizens
 plan and teach effectively and set the highest standards in work, learning and
behaviour
 set, correct and assess classwork and homework which encourages all pupils to
attain the highest standards
 ensure that each pupil understands how to make the next steps to improve their
learning
 care for each child when at school as a good parent of a large family
 help pupils to leave school able and enthusiastic about making the best possible
contribution to their local and wider community
Attendance
Pupils must attend school unless prevented by their own illness. If a pupil is likely to be
absent through illness, parents are asked to phone the school office. Information will be
passed to the guidance teacher. Parents who wish their child excused from school for
reasons other than illness should send a note to the guidance teacher asking for permission
ahead of time. The illness of another member of the family is not a legally recognised reason
for a pupil’s absence, but sympathetic consideration will be given to genuine cases.
Visits to doctors/dentists/hospital should be made outwith school hours when possible.
Where this is not possible, the pupil should bring his/her appointment card or a note from a
parent to the guidance teacher who will issue a leave of absence slip for the minimum period
of time needed for the visit.
An absence note explaining the reason for absence must be brought to the pupil’s mentor
immediately on return to school. This is necessary for school records even if there has been
contact with school during an absence.
An unexplained absence in registration will result in a text message home in the morning.
Attendance staff may also phone home. If a pupil has been off school for more than three
days and there has been no contact from parents, the guidance teacher will contact the
parent by phone or letter. Truancy is not automatically suspected, but it is important that
quick contact is made with parents over unexplained absences. A visit to the home may be
made. Further official procedures may be taken when a pupil has many unexplained or
unwarranted absences.
Placing Requests
Education Authorities have a duty to grant placing requests wherever possible. The policy of
Perth & Kinross Council Education Authority is to assign each school a defined zone known
as a catchment area. Each home address has a catchment school for both primary and
secondary education. The catchment schools are dependent on the pupil's home address.
Although we try to provide enough places for all children in the catchment area to attend the
catchment school, living within a catchment area does not guarantee a child a place at that
school.
In accordance with the provisions of the legislation, you have a right to make a request that
your child be placed in a school of your choice other than the school which normally serves
10
the catchment area in which you reside. We will try to grant your request providing there are
places at the school you choose. Requests should be made on the appropriate form by 15
March. Any requests made after this date will still be considered, but it is possible that
places in certain schools may no longer be available.
It should be noted that where a successful placing request is made, you, the parent/carer,
must accept full responsibility for the arrangement and cost of transport to and from the
school.
If the number of places in any particular school is limited, priority for admissions shall be
determined on a priority basis, full details of which can be found in the Placing Request
Guidance Booklet.
Placement may be recommended within a special school or provision when a child's
education needs cannot be met in their catchment school. This will be based upon the
assessment of the child's education needs by their parents, teacher, school medical officer
and education psychologist.
The Authority may also determine that particular pupils are to be placed in any school in
order to meet specific educational or other exceptional needs, as determined by the
Authority. These placements will take priority over any of the 3 priorities highlighted in the
Placing Request Guidance Booklet.
Placing requests will normally be granted except where there are circumstances defined in
the Act which justify the Authority's refusal of such a request. If a placing request is refused,
you can lodge an Appeal in writing which will be heard by an Appeals Committee.
How can I find out more information?
Placing Request Application Forms and the Placing Request Guidance Booklet may be
downloaded from the Perth and Kinross Council website, obtained from the Headteacher of
the school or by contacting Education & Children's Services.
Our Positive Relationships Policy
The school has a positive relationships policy for pupil behaviour. The policy reflects and
embodies the school’s ethos, aims and values. It promotes the importance of creating a
positive environment where achievement and attainment are encouraged and where
effective teaching and learning can take place.
Our policy aims to establish and maintain a school climate that is based on positive
relationships and mutual respect between teachers and pupils. Staff will encourage pupils
to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Be polite and well-behaved at all times
Develop self-discipline and a sense of personal and social responsibility
Acquire positive attitudes and values based on mutual co-operation
Develop respect for other people and their point of view
Become increasingly responsible for their own learning and behaviour
Develop the personal qualities and social skills necessary for success in life.
The policy has three important features:
1.
2.
3.
A clear and simple behaviour code
Use of praise for good behaviour
Sanctions for poor behaviour
11
The Code
The behaviour code is prominently displayed in each classroom and asks pupils to show
respect for others by:
• Following instructions given by staff
• Allowing others to learn uninterrupted
• Staying silent and listening when anyone is speaking
• Speaking politely
Show respect for yourself by:
• Coming to school equipped to work
• Preparing quickly for work; jackets off, equipment out and silence
• Being on task and working to the best of your ability
We expect high standards of everyone as they move around the school:
• Walk calmly and quietly when inside the building
• Remove hats and hoods
• Act and speak respectfully to other people
• Eat and drink only in the dining centre or outside.
Praise
Staff will give praise in a variety of ways from giving positive comments and positive referrals
to awarding merits. Merits can be awarded every lesson and will enable pupils to gain
certificates for good behaviour. We are currently looking at ways of developing other
rewards for good behaviour.
Sanctions
 Pupils are given two opportunities to change poor behaviour. If after two warnings
there has been no improvement then s/he will be removed from the classroom and
moved into another room where s/he will be asked to complete their work.
 If s/he does not comply, a lunchtime detention will be issued
 If this detention is not completed, s/he will be referred to their Head of House.
In extreme cases of poor behaviour or refusal to follow instructions and failure to attend
detention, pupils can be excluded from school. This is a last resort. We follow Perth and
Kinross Guidelines regarding all exclusions.
It is our experience that problems tend to be resolved quite easily when the school enjoys the
whole-hearted, consistent support of parents. Accordingly, we always endeavour to contact
and engage the help of parents when the behaviour of a pupil causes concern. With the
school and home working together in partnership there are few problems which cannot be
solved.
12
Parental Involvement
How can parents become involved with their school? We aspire to offer parents an open
door where we keep you informed and involved and respond to concerns.
We know from National research that children do better at school, and achieve more in life
when parents and schools work together. Parents are the first educators of a child. Only
15% of their life is spent at school, and so it is very clear that parents have the most
influential role in a child's education. We are therefore committed to working together with
parents to ensure that every child does the best they can at school and beyond.
There are three main ways in which parents can become involved in the school:
 Supporting learning at home
 Home/School Partnership through parent contact meetings and other events
 Parental Representation, for example through the Parent Council
Parent Council
Our school has always had an active and supportive Parent Council. In 2007/08 there was a
change to the National Legislation and Parent Councils were formed. An AGM will be held
every September which every parent has the right to attend.
The chairperson of the Parent Council is Mrs S Mills.
The Head Teacher is the professional adviser to the Board.
Parent Council Members
Chairperson: Mrs Sandra Mills
Vice Chairperson: Mrs Maeve Scarborough
Secretary: Mrs Helen Davidson
Parent Members:
Mrs Sally Robertson
Mrs Suzie Mackenzie
Mrs Aileen Thom
Mrs Susan Wightman
Mr Charlie Taylor
Mrs Fiona Patton
Mrs Linda Donaldson
Mrs Fiona Gartside
Mrs Jane Miller
Mrs Cordelia Menmuir
Staff Members
Mr D Welsh
Please check the school website for more information on the parent council and minutes of
previous meetings.
Further information on parental involvement in schools can be found at:
http://www.pkc.gov.uk/parentalinvolvement
13
Transitions
Joining Perth Grammar
Pupils entering the school in First Year
The vast majority of our pupils join us in this way and we make every effort to ensure that
their early experiences in school are happy ones.
•
We are in regular contact with Primary School Staff to learn as much as possible
about our new pupils before they join us
•
Perth Grammar School staff visit the pupils in their Primary school to continue the
‘getting to know you’ process
•
Pupils and parents are given the opportunity in October and June to see around the
school and to meet members of staff and senior pupils.
•
A transition day is held in May where all P7s coming to Perth Grammar School meet
in Bell’s Sports Centre
•
Where appropriate, 1st year classes are arranged to ensure that no child is isolated
from former classmates
•
Pupils know their new class before they visit Perth Grammar School for a 2-day visit
in June.
•
On these days, pupils will have a chance to sample life in secondary school and take
part in a variety of activities in their new class groups.
•
At the start of the session, particular care is taken to help new First Year pupils settle
in safely and find their way about. This involves both pupils and staff in supporting our
new First Years.
•
An interim “Settling in Report” will be sent home in early in the academic session.
Pupils entering the school at other times or stages
Parents who wish to visit the school and/or to enrol their child are asked to arrange an
interview with the school, by contacting The School Office. One of our Depute Heads will
meet with parents and the child a few days before the child is due to start attending Perth
Grammar School. This meeting will help to decide the courses most suitable for the pupil and
provides the parent with an opportunity to find out about general school procedures.
Transfer from primary to secondary school
From September onwards, the Support Faculty Team prepares for a smooth transition from
primary to secondary school.
They:
•
visit every associated primary school to gather information about each child and to
speak to pupils about the move
•
are involved in the two-day visit to Perth Grammar School in June
•
invite primary staff to come into Perth Grammar School to discuss transition
•
supervise the timetable for these two days
•
give out a handbook especially for S1 pupils
•
answer any questions that may be causing anxiety.
•
carefully organise register/mentor groups
NB Parents can help by telling guidance staff about any problems (health, behaviour,
emotional) that may affect a child’s school performance.
14
Two parents’ evenings are also arranged during the P7 year.
Meetings with guidance staff can be arranged by phoning the school office.
Mrs C Scott, Depute Support for Pupils & Staff, is responsible for the management of
guidance. In addition, she oversees the work of guidance staff in:
•
•
•
•
Careers education
Course choice in S2, S4 and S5
Personal/social education
Classwork containing a programme of social education.
If you wish to withdraw your child from any part of the programme, e.g. the sex education
component of health education, please inform the guidance teacher at the start of the
session.
Enhanced Transition
Transition meetings, reports from Primary schools and attendance at additional support
needs meetings help provide detailed knowledge about individual pupils for the transition to
S1. Some pupils require an enhanced transition with extra visits and careful planning. This is
done in full consultation with the primary school staff and parents and also the Community
Link Workers
15
The Curriculum
What can young people expect at Perth Grammar?
Curriculum for Excellence
Since 2006, changes have been taking place in Scottish Education to transform learning
through Curriculum for Excellence. In 2010, the first group of S1 pupils began their new
Curriculum for Excellence courses and they are the first group to sit the new National
Qualifications in session 2013-14. New S1 pupils arriving in August 2014 will be well-placed
to benefit from the changes which will have been in place for several years by the time they
get to S4.
From age 3-18, Curriculum for Excellence aims to develop all young people as successful
learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. At Perth
Grammar School, this means offering inspiring learning opportunities to explore new
courses, subjects and ways of learning, kindle ambition, extend talents and interests and
encourage pride in our young people and their community.
In designing the school curriculum our aim is to encourage and support our young people to
flourish as young global citizens with the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes that will
enable them to adapt and thrive in the 21st Century.
At all levels of the curriculum equal opportunities are offered with no pupil being denied entry
to any course on grounds of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnic background.
As well as the curriculum information provided in this handbook you can find details on the
school website. In addition we will keep you informed and involved at different stages of your
child’s school career through a range of other means including information evenings,
parental letters, text messaging and Twitter. Information can also be obtained from your
child’s Mentor, Guidance Teacher or Head of House.
At the time of going to press, our Curriculum structure is being developed further. By August
2014, a copy of our revised Curriculum Rationale will be available on our website or by
request via the school office.
At present, our Curriculum is currently:
S1-S3 – The Broad General Education
All learners are offered a broad, deep, general education from S1-S3, building on previous
learning. They will experience a wide range of subjects across eight curriculum areas:
• Expressive Arts (Music, Drama and Art),
• Languages and Literacy (including English, French & Spanish),
• Health and well-being (including Home Economics, Physical Education and Social
Education)
• Mathematics and Numeracy,
• Religious and Moral Education,
• Sciences (including Physics, Chemistry and Biology)
• Social Studies (including Geography, History, Modern Studies and Business
Education)
• Technologies (including IT and Computing Science as well as a range of practical
and design activities in the Technical Faculty)
This provides a good foundation for moving on to specialise and to study for qualifications, at
the right level for the pupil, in the Senior Phase (S4-6).
The curriculum in S1-S3 will continue to change over the coming years to ensure that we
make improvements in line with national expectations and really are transforming learning to
equip our young people with the resilience and skills for a rapidly changing world. A key
element of this in S1-S3 will be developing new ways to offer choices to allow pupils some
16
personalization and enable them to study an area or subject of interest in more depth. As
your child progresses through the curriculum we will keep you informed about, and involved
in, changes to curriculum structure and assessment procedures.
S4-S6 – The Senior Phase
There are three different levels of course within the National Qualifications framework for S4
pupils – National 3, National 4 and National 5. There are also courses at National 1 and 2 but
these are courses which would be arranged, in exceptional circumstances, through advice
from the Support for Pupils faculty. In S5 and S6, Higher and Advanced Higher courses are
added to this suite.
Pupils in Perth Grammar currently have two main periods of choice when they begin to
narrow their curriculum and specialize in particular subjects for national qualifications. The
first is towards the end of S2 when they choose the 8 subjects that they will be presented for
at National 3 – National 5 levels. The second is towards the end of S4 when they choose up
to 5 subjects for study at the next appropriate level. This is done in full consultation with
parents & pupils.
Planning and development of Curriculum for Excellence will continue over the next few years
as the full national suite of examination courses, up to Advanced Higher, comes into effect.
The curriculum we offer at Perth Grammar will therefore evolve to reflect these changes.
National Courses Awarded by SQA
National 3
National 4
National 5
New Higher
Advanced Higher
Assessment Level
No examination – assessed internally in school
No examination – assessed internally in school
Assessed in school and by External Examination
Assessed in school and by External Examination
Assessed in school and by External Examination
Perth City Campus
During session 2013 – 2014, Perth Grammar joined with the three other Perth city schools
and Perth College to offer pupils access to the City Campus. This offers pupils the
opportunity to take a wider range of courses than would normally be available in a single
school and also allows courses to run which would not otherwise be viable. Pupils will travel
between schools (as appropriate) to attend classes in selected subjects and return to their
base school once the teaching period is over. The City Campus also offers pupils the
opportunity to meet with a wider cohort of pupils and to share ideas, contacts and
experiences.
Comprehensive information on curricular changes at a national level can be obtained from:
The Parentzone website at: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/index.asp
This provides information about Curriculum for Excellence, how to support your child’s
learning at home and information on additional support needs.
The Scottish Qualifications (SQA) website at
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/41292.html
This provides information about the examination system, past papers and other very useful
help and advice for students and parents.
Our own website also provides a large amount of helpful information regarding courses
available at both Perth College and the other secondary schools:
www.perthgrammar.org.uk
17
Improvements in Literacy, Numeracy and Health and well-being
Literacy, Numeracy and Health and well-being are of key importance to our pupils’
development and underpin all aspects of learning. In Curriculum for Excellence these are
considered the responsibility of all teachers and this is increasingly reflected in learners’
experiences in the classroom on an everyday basis – and not just in subjects that have
traditionally been the focus for these skills: English, Maths and PE or HE.
Literacy
Across all areas of the curriculum, teachers promote the development of our young people’s
Literacy skills, encouraging them to improve their grammar, spelling and use of the spoken
word. Recently we have been encouraging pupils to become more aware of different types
of thinking skills from the ‘lower order’ skills of remembering and understanding to higher
order ones like analyzing, evaluating and creating. Teachers make use of ‘skills walls’ and
‘skills placemats to help pupils become more aware of when they are using them and enable
them to apply them in different contexts.
Numeracy
In the same way, pupils are encouraged to practise their Numeracy skills across all areas of
the curriculum to look at money, time and measurement, to help investigate and solve
problems and use data e.g. to present information in graphs and charts or make decisions.
The fact that this is addressed across the curriculum makes it easier to develop and apply
numeracy skills in real and relevant subject contexts.
Health and well-being
As a Sports Comprehensive, in partnership with our neighbouring RC secondary, St John’s
Academy, we have a strong focus on health and wellbeing, promoting healthy lifestyles
through physical activity and healthy eating. However, teachers have a much broader
understanding of health and wellbeing which now includes developing positive attitudes,
taking on challenges, approaching change with confidence, being motivated and recognising
their own and others’ strengths. Our interdisciplinary ‘Fit to Eat’ project involves all S1 in
investigating all aspects of health and wellbeing in different subject contexts and culminating
in a healthy picnic and sports day on the South Inch.
All three of these skill areas are developed during Personal Support Time. Here pupils are
encouraged to reflect on and take pride in their achievements while also identifying the areas
they need to improve and the steps they need to take to make this happen. We regularly use
the themes of literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing as a focus for Personal Support
Time and this is reinforced through assemblies.
18
Course Choice
Guidelines for S3 Course Choice
In making choices for S3 we recommend that pupils ensure that they cover a broad range of
curriculum areas. The subjects within each curriculum area are shown in the table below. You can
use the table to cross check that you have chosen a broad curriculum:
Pupils must choose one subject from each column (A-H). All pupils will study Maths and English.
They must then choose:

French/Spanish or Skills for Work course

A Social Subject

A Science
There are then 3 further choices.
To ensure that a broad curriculum is chosen it is recommended that pupils choose a maximum of 2
Sciences, Social Subjects or Expressive Arts subjects (this will be discussed in class with Mentors and
Guidance teachers).
Curriculum Area
Subjects
Language and Literacy
English, Individual Study Skills
Modern Languages
French/ Spanish
Maths & Numeracy
Maths
Science
Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Social Subjects
Geography, History, Modern Studies, People and Society
Expressive Arts
Art, Dance, Drama, Music
Technologies
Graphic Communication, Design and Manufacture, Engineering Science, Practical Craft
Skills
Hospitality/ Practical Cookery, Health & Food Technology, Practical Fashion and Textile
Technology
Administration and IT, Business Management, Computing and Information Science
Health and Well being
Physical Education (PE), Supported Duke of Edinburgh
Religious & Moral Education
Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies (RMPS)
Skills for Work Courses
Hairdressing, Early Education and Childcare, Rural Skills, Sport & Recreation, Motor Vehicle
Engineering
ASDAN Award, Personal Achievement Award
19
PERTH GRAMMAR SCHOOL – S3 COURSE CHOICE SHEET 2014/15
NAME
CLASS
Pupils must choose one subject from each column (A-H). All pupils will study Maths and English. They must
then choose:
 French/Spanish or Skills for Work course
 A Social Subject
 A Science
There are then 3 further choices. We recommend that pupil choices cover a broad range of curriculum areas.
To ensure that this happens it is recommended that pupils choose a maximum of 2 Sciences, Social Subjects or
Expressive Arts subjects (this will be discussed in class with Mentors and Guidance teachers).
A
B
English
Maths
C
French
Spanish
NATIONAL
COURSES
SKILLS FOR
WORK
COURSES
ENHANCED
COURSES
D
E
F
G
Geography
History
Modern
Studies
People &
Society
RMPS
Art
Dance
Drama
Practical
Craft
Art
Biology
Business
Management
Chemistry
Computing
Design &
Manufacture
Health &
Food Tech
Hospitality
Music
Geography
Modern
Studies
History
Art
Admin & IT
Biology
Engineering
Science
Music
PE
French
Spanish
Art
Biology
Dance
Drama
Graph
Comm
Hospitality
Physics
Practical
Craft
Admin & IT
Biology
Chemistry
Computing
Dance
Drama
Fashion &
Textile
Graph
Comm
PE
Physics
Supported
Duke of
Edinburgh
Award
ASDAN
Individual
Study
Skills
Personal
Achievement
Award
*Childcare
*Motor
Vehicle
Engineering
*Hairdressing
*Rural Skills
*Sport & Rec
Individual
Study Skills
Choice
Amendments
PARENT SIGNATURE
CHECKED BY PT
GUIDANCE /
PT
SUPPORT
PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR CHILD’S REGISTER TEACHER BY FRIDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2014
20
H
Out of school and extra curricular activities
In Curriculum for Excellence, learning at school is not just about subjects in classrooms. It is
also about the many different contexts for learning which help young people to make
connections to real life. From time to time pupils are taken or allowed out of school to pursue
curricular work. These occasions are an integral part of the on-going courses of study and
while a substantial part of this work can be carried out within the school, this can be
enhanced considerably by participation in out of school activities of this type.
Such activities are carefully monitored but by their nature involve pupils in situations where
they cannot be supervised directly at all times. On these occasions the teacher in charge
emphasizes to pupils their responsibility for safety and good conduct and that failure to
maintain appropriate standards in these respects could jeopardize participation in
subsequent out of school activities. Perth Grammar pupils have an excellent reputation in the
community for their behaviour on out of school activities and are regularly complimented by
external organisations and the public in general. You will be sent a consent form for such
activities early in the session. All such activities are carried out in accordance with Perth &
Kinross Council’s policy on Extra Curricular Activities.
Eco Schools
Perth Grammar has retained the prestigious Eco Schools Green Flag since 2008 making us
the only secondary school in Perth and Kinross to hold the award currently and one of only a
few secondary schools in Scotland that have ever achieved it. We have a very active Eco
Committee of staff and pupils who over the course of the past few years have led a very wide
range of projects to help us reduce our impact on the environment and create a sustainable
future for our young people. A link on the school website will take you to information on all of
this work. We are committed to continuing this work by building Education for Sustainable
Development into our curriculum at all levels. We also continue to promote waste
minimisation, recycling, anti-litter campaigns, energy saving, healthy living and school
grounds improvements. If you have an interest in this work and would like to help, please let
us know. Please encourage your child to take part in the Eco Schools Group and other
related activities.
Fundraising
Perth Grammar has a strong tradition of generous fundraising and we have managed to
exceed our target amount year on year. Each year we support particular charities as well as
raising funds for school causes. In session 2012-13 we raised over £6318 for local and
national charities as well as for school programs like World Challenge and the school fund.
This session we are supporting MacMillan, Mary’s Meals, Lepra, Children in Need, Perth
Foodbank, Vine Trust, British Heart Foundation and Rachel House Children’s Hospice. We
aim this year to generate more money for school funds and to encourage pupils, parents and
staff to get involved in fundraising activities organised by the Parent Council and the pupils.
We happily accept donations to any of these causes!
International Links
We strive to encourage our pupils to become active global citizens who make a contribution
to their local and wider community. In June 2008, together with Luncarty and Auchtergaven
Primary Schools, we established a link with a group of schools in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
This exciting project called ‘Connecting Classrooms’ was supported by the British Council
with funding of £36 000 over 3 years. This has become a long-lasting link enabling us to
learn from each other and give pupils a real connection across the globe. In January 2013, 4
pupils and 2 staff visited our link schools and we have secured further funding to continue the
link.
21
We were also successful in our application to be part of the London 2012 ‘International
Inspirations’ programme with Turkey. Turkish schools do not offer PE and want help from
successful role models like Perth Grammar School who won the Scottish Education Award
for Getting Scotland Active. Along with 14 other Scottish Schools we have linked up with
schools from 3 areas of Turkey to develop a partnership. Like Bangladesh, this involved
some staff and visiting our partner school. The development is supported by the Youth
Sports Trust Scotland & The British Council. Through this partnership we are sharing
experiences and developing sports leadership in pupils. Over the next 2 years we will see
another World Challenge group travel to Malaysia and a new group visit Tanzania with the
Aid organisation The Vine Trust. In this way Perth Grammar will be contributing to the legacy
aims of Glasgow 2014 to foster new and rich international links across the Commonwealth.
Extra-curricular activities
As a school we value extra-curricular activities. Last year we ran 45 sporting based activities
in addition to a wide range of other opportunities.
Several clubs are available each day either at lunchtime or after school. The following clubs
are a sample of the activities that are organized by staff at lunchtime or after school:
badminton
basketball
table-tennis
climbing
fundraising
dance
football
computing
chess
science club
trampolining
rugby
debating club
hockey
athletics
hockey
drama
cheer leading
scripture union
netball
dance
In addition, there is a very wide range of musical activities including rehearsals for choirs and
instrumental groups.
Over the past few years we have staged spectacular musical shows including ‘Joseph’ and
‘Annie’ to great acclaim and sell-out audiences.
We are keen to support fundraising activities and have regular concerts and other events to
raise money for charity. Trips to theatre productions and the Cinema are offered by the
English and Expressive Arts departments.
In addition we have our own Sports Trust which is a registered charity. Through the Trust we
offer “sport for all” to pupils within our catchment from Primary 5 upwards. Through the trust
we aim to increase participation in sport and identify talented individuals to develop their
skills and support their progress into elite sport.
22
The careers service
Careers officers visit the school every week in support of the Authority Careers Education
Policy and provide the following services:
•
assistance with subject choice during the second year
•
class sessions during the 3rd year culminating in the issue of a questionnaire to
identify interests and priorities for guidance in the 4th year
•
individual interviews and advice for 4th Year pupils initially targeting those at risk of
not achieving a positive destination but also available for others on request.
•
assistance with placing into employment and training
•
careers information for pupils at lunchtime clinics
•
careers information for parents, by appointment
•
support for the school careers library
•
attendance at S2–S6 parents’ evenings.
All pupils can access high quality careers information and advice through a new website
www.myworldofwork.co.uk
Child protection
Given on-going public concern on the subject of child abuse, and recent changes in the law,
schools are now required to report if we think any child has come to harm as a consequence
of possible abuse. A member of staff in each school has been appointed to be responsible
for Child Protection matters. In our school we have two Child Protection Officers, Miss
Stevenson and Mrs Castel. Should you wish to talk further about Child Protection and the
safety of children please feel free to contact either of them. We have good contacts with
Community Medical Officers, Social Workers and Police, any or all of whom may become
involved if abuse is suspected. We shall always ensure that you are informed and participate
in any action that we may initiate regarding your child.
Social Education
The aims of this programme are to offer every pupil an opportunity to:
•
develop understanding of the growing up process
•
explore the opportunities available for development, and their own responsibilities, at
home, in school, and in the wider community
•
make informed choices about the world of work, training and further education
•
understand the demands of society in terms of work, leisure and responsibility
•
develop self-esteem and self-awareness
•
take a responsible attitude to their personal health
•
develop their social and communication skills
•
engage in a continuous process of ACTION PLANNING by setting and reviewing
personal targets
23
Religious and moral education
Pupils follow ‘core’ Religious Education courses from S1 to S4. In first and second year
these courses follow the guidelines laid down in the national programme for Religious and
Moral Education. The school also holds assemblies conducted by our Chaplain or visiting
guest speakers. In addition, moral issues are discussed as part of pupils’ social education
classes.
Parents have the right to withdraw their child from attending Religious Education. Those who
wish to exercise this right should write to the Head Teacher explaining both their wishes and
the reason for these wishes. Alternative arrangements will then be made.
24
Assessment & Reporting
The purpose of assessment includes
•
•
•
•
supporting learning
helping to plan next steps
informing learners and their parents of their progress
summarising achievements e.g. through qualifications
Teachers use a variety of methods to assess learners’ progress and will give them regular
verbal and/or written feedback on aspects of
•
•
•
course work
homework
formal assessments
Reporting to parents provides a summary of progress to date on all of these aspects.
Reports will describe progress and achievement against standards and expectations
(targets) which are set for each individual.
The content and style of reports is developing in line with Curriculum for Excellence and
parents will be informed of these changes as they are implemented.
Curriculum for Excellence provides opportunities for schools to report on learners’ progress
in “subject” areas as well as their achievements in other aspects of learning e.g. citizenship,
learning for life and work, health and wellbeing.
Monitoring and Tracking
Monitoring and tracking the progress of all our pupils is part of the core business of the
school and enables staff to work effectively in partnership with parents and young people as
they work towards achieving their targets.
As we move into the new curriculum with Nationals being offered to all our young people
from S4 onwards, Perth Grammar School is developing rigorous procedures to track the
progress of all senior pupils as they work towards success in SQA certificate examinations.
S1-S3 Assessment in The Broad General Education
When your child joins us in S1, they will continue with their broad general education building
on the knowledge, skills and experiences that they have been developing throughout primary
school. We receive transition information for the vast majority of our young people from the
primary school that they most recently attended. This information allows us to identify the
strengths of our pupils and where appropriate put in additional support arrangements. A
‘settling in’ report is issued for all S1 pupils in September and provides parents with early
information about the progress of their child.
As pupils move through their broad general education, their progression within each of the
curriculum areas is carefully monitored through departments. Teachers will use a range of
stragies to assess their pupils including observation, coursework and tests to see how a child
is progressing and identify the next steps in their learning. This information is shared with
parents through reports, parents’ evenings and contact with guidance staff.
S4, S5 and S6 Assessment in the Senior Phase
In consultation with pupils, staff negotiate target grades for each pupil within each subject
area studied based upon the prior attainment of the pupil and assessment evidence. These
targets are carefully monitored at key points throughout the session to ensure that pupils are
achieving their potential. Appropriate subject specific support is provided though departments
to ensure that pupils are successful learners and this might include additional homework,
25
study support sessions or individual support.
Subject Principal teachers, senior managers and Guidance staff monitor progress and
identify strengths and aspects for improvement within the learning for individual pupils. . This
information is shared with parents through tracking reports and full reports and the Reporting
Calendar is available to view on the school website. Parents are invited to contact the school
if they have any concerns about the progression of their child within a subject area and
Parent Contact nights provide the opportunity to explore any issues relating to the
progression of their child.
Assessment and Reporting
An important feature of our pupils' learning experience is the regular assessment of their
progress. School-based assessment is designed to:
•
encourage pupils to learn and engage in their learning
•
identify pupils' strengths and how to improve
•
help the teacher to examine critically the quality of the learning process
Methods of assessment include:
•
continuous assessment through discussion
•
classwork and homework
•
unit assessments
•
formal examinations
Our school reports provide parents with information about their child’s effort, behaviour,
homework and attainment in each subject studied. Each report indicates strengths and
provides clear guidance for both parents and pupils about the next steps in their learning.
.
For First, Second and Third Year pupil’s reports are based upon progression within
Curriculum for Excellence. Courses focus on exploring a range of Experiences and
Outcomes and teachers’ reports will reflect how much progress an individual child has made
within each curricula area. In S1 – 3 the majority of pupils in Perth Grammar School will be
working within the Third or Fourth Curricular levels. Some pupils will have personalised
learning plans which reflect their own particular learning needs and these will be developed
in partnership with parents, staff and the child and reviewed regularly. The level of courses
pupils enter in S4 will build upon the attainment of the child by the end of S3.
For Fourth, Fifth and Sixth year pupils reports are based upon progression within the
National, Higher and Advanced Higher curriculum which form the senior phase. Parents and
pupils will receive target grades which indicate the expected level of attainment in an SQA
course. In addition, pupils and parents will be provided with a working grade which reflects
the attainment of the child based upon the most recent assessment information. Teachers
will provide pupils with clear, focused guidance about how to achieve their target grade if
their current working grade does not indicate this standard of attainment.
Full reports and Interim progress reports are issued annually for all pupils. In addition, a
formal Parents' Evening is arranged for each year at which parents can make appointments
to discuss their child's progress with her/his class teachers. We encourage pupils to attend
these appointments with their parents in order to emphasise that the learning journey for
each child is a three way partnership between parent, school and young person.
Parents’ Evening and reporting dates for each stage are shown on the school calendar which
is available to view on the school website.
Nurturing close and effective partnerships with home and school is crucial in supporting the
achievement of all our young people and parents are encouraged to contact their child’s
guidance teacher or Head of House if they wish to raise any issues about the progression of
their child or any aspect that may impact upon the emotional health and well-being of their
child.
26
Support for Pupils
Entitlement to support
All pupils need support to help them learn and develop. The needs of the pupils are central to
the identification, planning and provision of support at Perth Grammar School. We aim to
ensure that support provided is appropriate, proportionate and timely.
Universal Support
All staff at Perth Grammar School take a child-centered approach which promotes and
supports wellbeing, inclusion, equality and fairness. All pupils are given planning
opportunities to provide them with the right support to allow them to realise their potential for
achievement. This support occurs within each classroom and is enhanced through the work
undertaken as part of the daily personal support structure.
Targeted Support
Targeted support is any additional focused support which pupils may require for short or
longer periods of time to help them overcome barriers to their learning.
For example, a pupil who;
•
is particularly gifted
•
is bereaved
•
is being bullied
•
has behavioural, learning or social communication difficulties
•
has a hearing, visual or physical impairment
•
is a looked after child
•
does not attend school regularly
Very often, the necessary support will be provided by the subject teacher in the class,
mentors and guidance teachers. The Principal Teacher of Pupil Support (Learning) works
with all the house groups and class teachers and is responsible for the deployment of
support teachers and pupil support assistants. Pupil support assistants support staff and
pupils to meet learner’s needs within mainstream classes or through various targeted support
strategies.
Perth Grammar School offer enhanced pastoral support for pupils experiencing significant
barriers to their learning. These pupils will be allocated to a member of the support for
learning department who is given the title of being a pupil’s Caseload Teacher. The caseload
teacher co-ordinates the required support and liaises with teaching staff, other professionals
whilst maintaining close home-school links. The decision to caseload a pupil will be identified
as an action within an Additional Support Need meeting.
Support is tailored to the individual needs of each person and varies from one to one
support, small group work and specialist teaching, customised literacy and numeracy
programmes, outdoor learning, nurture and life-skills programmes. Support for learning staff
also work with pupil, parents and teachers at the time of assessments to ensure that pupil’s
assessment needs are met without compromising SQA competence standards.
At all times, the capabilities of the child are kept foremost while catering for needs, and
teaching resources are utilised to encourage the greatest degree of independence in
learning, personal management and social activity.
Support for learning staff liaise closely with colleagues in all departments of the school and
with agencies outwith school in attempting to meet the needs of pupils. Members of the
department have acquired considerable experience of specific learning difficulties and place
great value on working with parents to support young people at school and in planning the
transition to college or university, and the world of independent living and work.
The emphasis throughout the department is in ensuring that all young people receive a
broad, holistic, education that helps them to become more resilient learners, and more active
27
and involved citizens in their respective communities. Progress is measured by
improvements in self-esteem, confidence, and the capacity of young people to establish,
build and repair relationships as well as increased skill levels in core areas of the curriculum
and academic attainment.
Identification of support needs
A thorough transition process occurs for pupils with identified needs before they start at Perth
Grammar School. The pupil’s previous school will invite a relevant staff member of Perth
Grammar School to an additional support needs meeting to plan for the transition and to
ensure relevant information about individual pupils are shared with staff and any targeted
support is put in place.
Should parents have concerns about their child facing any barrier to learning they are
encouraged to contact their guidance teacher, caseload teacher or principal teacher of pupil
support (learning) to highlight and discuss these concerns. Parents can contact the relevant
person by telephone, email or speaking to a member of the support for learning department
during parents evening.
Perth Grammar School has a robust internal process which allows any staff to raise concerns
about a pupil. Parents will be contacted by guidance or principal teacher of pupil support
(learning) to discuss and share any specific concern that may require targeted support.
Pupil progress is continually tracked and monitored and reported to parents. Where required,
pupils will have an Individual Education Plan or Co-ordinated Support Plan and these will be
reviewed at an additional support need meeting.
Information on The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 is
provided by Enquire – the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning.
Operated by Children in Scotland, Enquire offers independent, confidential advice and
information on additional support for learning through:
•
•
•
A telephone helpline – 0845 1232303
An email enquiry service – [email protected]
Two websites - www.enquire.org.uk (for parents/carers
www.enquire.org.uk/yp (for children and young people)
and
practitioners)
Enquire also provide a range of clear and easy to read guides and factsheets explaining
everything from ‘additional support in the early years’ to ‘what planning should take place for
moving on from school’. The Scottish Government have a duty to provide an advocacy
service to parents and young people following a reference being made to the Additional
Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland (ASNTS). Ministers have also agreed that the advocacy
service should also provide support for parents and young people from the time they have
grounds to make a reference to the ASNTS. It will be a national service and available to
parents and young people on request and free of charge.
This service will be provided through a partnership between Barnardo’s and the Scottish
Child Law Centre. The two organisations will work together to deliver lay and legal advocacy
for parents and young people. The service will focus on non-legal representation, but where
appropriate in complex cases, legal representation will be available. For further information
on this National Advocacy service please contact the Scottish Child Law Centre:
Telephone: 0131 6676333
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sclc.org.uk
28
School Improvement
Main achievements and trends in school performance
Pupils in Perth Grammar achieve across a very wide range of qualifications and activities.
Table 1 shows the official results for Perth Grammar for key national qualifications over the
last 3 years. These are the ‘Key Performance Indicators’ used nationally to show how
schools are performing. They use the ‘Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework’. Table
2 shows the levels used in this framework. From August 2014 a new system called ‘Insight’
will be in place. This will help to identify not just exam performance but achievements across
a wide range of other activities.
Table 1
Examination Results (within Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework)
Percentage of the relevant September S4 roll achieving:
By end
of S4
5+ @ level 3 or better
Perth
Grammar
5+ @ level 4 or better
5+ @ level 5 or better
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
91
90
91
73
74
80
32
26
37
Percentage of the relevant September S4 roll achieving:
By end
of S5
1+ @ level 6 or better
Perth
Grammar
3+ @ level 6 or better
5+ @ level 6 or better
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
30
37
32
17
20
18
5
10
7
Percentage of the relevant September S4 roll achieving:
By end
of S6
3+ @ level 6 or better
Perth
Grammar
5+ @ level 6 or better
1+ @ level 7
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
28
23
30
18
14
19
17
13
16
Table 2 – The Qualifications Framework
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels:
Level 7
CSYS at A-C; Advanced Higher at A-C
Level 6
Higher at A-C
Level 5
Intermediate 2 at A-C; Standard Grade at 1-2
Level 4
Intermediate 1 at A-C; Standard Grade at 3-4
Level 3
Access 3 Cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6
We were very pleased with the positive levels of attainment shown by our pupils in session
2012-13. There were particularly strong performances from pupils in S4 and S6, resulting in
the best ever attainment in some measures. This included 5 Qualifications at Level 5 in S4
(37% - Credit level Standard Grades & Intermediate 2) and 5 qualifications at Level 6 in S6
(19% -Highers). S5 did not have as many pupils likely to achieve 5 Highers. However, 32%
still managed to achieve at least 1 Higher.
29
As well as this strong and improving academic attainment, we offer pupils a very wide range
of other opportunities for personal achievement including through award schemes such as
Duke of Edinburgh (DoE), ASDAN, leadership awards and the John Muir Trust. In session
2013-14 14 pupils had achieved their Silver DoE award, 33 the bronze and new groups were
signed up with 8 going for gold, 14 for silver and 40 for bronze. Over 80 pupils have also
achieved Saltire Awards for volunteering by providing service to the school and community.
Over 50 pupils also received awards in dance, drama or sports leadership and a further 20
received Dynamic Youth Awards through peer education programmes such as Tobacco and
Safe Choices and Show Racism the Red Card.
Leaver Destinations
In offering this wide range of opportunities for personal achievement we aim to ensure that all
pupils leave school with the right blend of skills, qualifications and attributes that will enable
them to take their next step into higher or further education, employment or training. Table 3
below shows the Perth Grammar leaver destinations for session 2012-13.
Table 3 – Leaver Destinations
Leaver Destinations
Total Leavers
Higher Education
Further Education
Training
Employment
Other Known
Not Known
Number
191
48
60
15
47
20
1
%
100.0
25.1
31.4
7.8
24.6
10.5
0.6
Plans for Improvement
At Perth Grammar we are committed to improving the experiences and opportunities offered
to all our young people so that they achieve their full potential and are equipped with the
skills, knowledge and attributes that they will need to flourish as young global citizens in the
21st Century. Over the next 3 years we will have a very strong focus on raising attainment
and achievement. This will mean a full review of our curriculum, improvements to our
systems of tracking and monitoring, and further development of our recently introduced
system of personal support.
We welcome the input of parents, pupils and others in the community in helping to shape this
change and improvement. This happens in a range of ways including through the Parent
Council, the Pupil Council, involvement in working groups, focus group discussions and
through regular requests for feedback e.g. questionnaires.
30
School Policies & Practical Information
Homework Policy
Our aim at Perth Grammar School is to inspire pupils with high quality learning experiences
which raise their aspirations and motivate them to achieve their full potential.
Our Homework Policy aims to develop a strong ethos of personal study so that pupils can
maximise their learning during their school years and are committed to learning for the rest of
their lives.
We make homework successful by working in partnership with parents and pupils – the
power of three! Each of us has a responsibility to make sure that homework is completed and
that it enhances learning.
The following are in place to support the policy:
•
A pupil planner to note down homework tasks
•
Information about homework for pupils in their planner
•
Posters in every classroom
•
Additional information about homework on the school website:
www.perthgrammar.org.uk/HomeworkPolicy.html
We hope that you find this helpful and do not hesitate to contact the school for further
information if required.
Pupil Dress & Personal Property
Parents are asked to ensure that their children follow our dress code.
We have reviewed our policy on pupil dress at school. We have consulted with parents,
pupils and staff. The findings have been very clear. There is strong support for a dress code
policy in the school. The details of the dress code are shown below:
Black blazer & badge or black jacket
White shirt/blouse
School tie
Black trousers/skirt
Black shoes
Approximate prices would be as follows:
School tie £4.50 (approx): School badge
£5.00:
Black blazer
£25-£35 (approx)
depending on size:
These prices are from Aitken & Niven in Perth High Street. School ties can also be bought
from J Ferguson in County Place.
We wish to emphasize that sports clothes, designer tops, jackets with logos are not part of
the dress code.
We greatly appreciate the support we have received from parents regarding the dress code.
PE kit
Black shorts
Plain white T-shirt
Trainers
31
The above kit is worn indoors at all times and outdoors from August to October and April to
June. During the winter months from October to March black tracksuit bottoms and a warm
jumper are also required for outdoor work only.
Depending on the PE activities being taught pupils would also benefit from having studded
boots, shin guards and mouth guards for their own safety. The PE department can offer
advice on what to buy.
It may be that parents find it difficult to afford some items of uniform. If there is a problem
of cost, the Authority may make provision for a clothing allowance to assist in certain
circumstances. Further details may be obtained from the school or the Education
Department.
Insurance & Personal Property
Perth & Kinross Council insures against its legal liability for (a) accidental personal injury or
(b) loss or damage to property of third parties. Parents are advised that no insurance cover
is maintained for circumstances in which the Council does not have legal liability. Parents
are advised to establish whether they are entitled to some compensation through their own
House or Contents Insurance.
The school can take no responsibility for personal property.
1.
All personal property should be named. We advise pupils not to bring valuable
personal property such as electronic equipment to school. Money, calculators etc.,
should not be left unattended. Enquiries about lost property should be pursued with
the Janitor or the office.
2.
Pupils should not leave any valuable possessions unattended in PE changing rooms.
3.
Pupils are expected to provide their own pens, pencils, rubbers and rulers and bring
them to school every day.
Mobile Phones and electronic devices
We understand that mobile phones, including smart phones and other personal electronic
devices, are now commonplace. However, if brought to school they must be used in
accordance with the school’s ‘Acceptable Use’ policy for Information and Communications
Technology. This now includes a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) policy. The general rule
for classrooms is that phones and other personal electronic devices such as tablets and
laptops should be ‘off and away’ unless a member of staff specifically encourages pupils to
use them as part of their learning in the classroom. Pupils who disrupt lessons with mobile
phones or use them inappropriately will have them temporarily confiscated
Action against bullying
There is a risk of bullying in every school. Our anti-bullying policy is based on the views of
parents, pupils and staff. The following is an excerpt from our vision:
“In Perth Grammar School we aim to create a safe and purposeful environment which
encourages successful learning and allows pupils and staff to feel free from fear and good
about themselves as individuals.”
Our expectations are that:
•
All members of the school community will work together to develop positive
relationships.
•
Pupils will be encouraged to speak out about bullying whether a victim or witness.
•
Parents will have the opportunity to discuss any worries about bullying.
•
Any incident or concern will be reported to any adult and will be dealt with promptly
32
•
and appropriately.
Parents, pupils and school staff will be kept informed about action taken.
Transport
As an Eco School, Perth Grammar is committed to encouraging pupils to use the most
environmentally-friendly methods of transport to school, especially walking and cycling, using
safe routes. Currently only around 5% of pupils travel to school by car and we hope that we
can reduce this further so that safety issues outside the school at the start and end of the day
are minimised. We would ask parents to avoid parking in the street directly outside the
school or bringing cars into the school grounds as buses are entering and leaving. Pupils
should be dropped off at a safe distance from the school. Secure cycle lockers are available
at school. Through the School Travel Plan, we are continually working with the local authority
to improve school travel by upgrading paths and cycle-ways and addressing any safety
issues on main routes. If you would like to be involved in this work, please do not hesitate to
contact us.
Arrangements for the provision of free transport are organised by Perth Grammar School
Office and the Authority Transport Unit in March each year. Primary 7 pupils who will
transfer in the next session are issued with these forms at their primary school. Forms are
available in Perth Grammar School Office for new entrants. All forms should be returned to
the Education and Children’s Services in Pullar House, Perth before the start of the next
school year.
Contract transport is organised by the Education Authority. In cases of misbehaviour pupils
will be subject to the normal disciplinary procedures of the school, however parents are
ultimately responsible for the behaviour of their child whilst travelling on the transport. Bad
behaviour will be investigated and may result in the withdrawal of bus passes or other
sanctions such as detention, or in serious cases exclusion from school. In such cases,
parents will be required to provide transport themselves. Parents of pupils travelling on
school transport are asked to impress upon their children the need for a good standard of
behaviour both while waiting for and entering buses in the car park and while travelling on
the buses.
Parents should make arrangements for the care of their children should school transport not
arrive in a particular area.
The cost of a replacement bus pass is now £4.00. This amount should be paid by cheque
and made payable to Perth and Kinross Council.
School Catering
Lunch is provided in the school dining hall, which uses a cafeteria system. Packed lunches
can be brought into the dining centre. Parents should inform guidance teachers if a special
diet is required.
We have a cashless system in the dining centre. Pupils are issued with personal swipecards
to buy food. Pupils ‘top up’ their cards by putting money in the Credit Machines in school.
This then credits pupils’ individual cards. We have found that this system reduced queues
and means pupils do not have to bring money to school each day.
We also have an outdoor catering facility called “The House of Munch” which sells
sandwiches, rolls (hot and cold) and drinks. This facility only takes cash.
Our catering service offers:
33
•
•
•
•
•
A wide variety of filled rolls, baked potatoes and sandwiches
A range of salads
Tasty and nutritious homemade soup
A range of main meal options
A range of fruit, drinks and other items Snacks are also on sale at morning interval.
Free meals are provided for eligible pupils. Parents who feel that the level of their income
may entitle their children to free meals should seek further information and an application
form is available from the school office.
Arrangements for emergency closures
If weather conditions deteriorate rapidly, we will close the school. We will arrange for pupils
using school transport to depart early.
Parents of pupils in outlying areas who think that school transport may not reach them should
try to make arrangements for their child to be uplifted directly from school. If possible,
telephone us beforehand.
When conditions are bad, especially in the outlying areas, parents should not send their
children to school if they are in doubt. Please inform us if that is the situation.
If the school transport does not reach you due to road conditions, do not send your child to
school unless you are prepared to arrange transport to home.
For information about whether the school is to be closed or, if closed, when it is to re-open,
the most reliable method of communication is for you to phone the school during working
hours (01738 472800). The best time would be during the early afternoon.
If the school is closed, a text message will be sent to all parents informing them of this. It is
essential that parents keep us updated with mobile numbers.
Radio Tay FM96.4/AM1584 (AM1584 often gives more information) may be used to
broadcast information from time to time, particularly between 7 am and 8 am.
Tay Connect – telephone information 08700 500 232 Option 4
Heartland FM – FM 97.5
Perth & Kinross Council Information Line – 0845 3011100, but this may not be
operational before 8.45am. This is also charged at the local rate.
Perth Grammar School website – www.perthgrammar.org.uk
34
Organisation of the School Day
In August 2013 we introduced a new structure for the school day. This enables us to provide
Personal Support Time (see page 28). Lessons now begin at 8.50am.
08.50
9.41
Period 1
9.41
10.33
Period 2
10.33
10.53
Personal Support
10.53
11.08
INTERVAL
11.08
12.00
Period 3
12.00
12.52
Period 4
12.52
1.52
LUNCH
1.52
2.44
Period 5
2.44
3.35
Period 6
We ask all parents to ensure that pupils arrive in good time each day for the start of the
morning and afternoon sessions.
NB Pupils are not allowed outwith the school grounds at morning interval or during periods
unless they have written permission from a member of the senior management team or the
guidance team.
35
School Term and Holiday Dates
No of
School
Days Pupils
School term and holiday dates 2014 - 2015
Autumn
Term
StartStaff
Start Pupil
Monday 18 August 2014
Winter
Term
Christmas
Holiday
Spring
Term
Spring
Holiday
Summer
Term
End
Friday 10 October 2014
Start
Monday 13 October 2014
End
Friday 24 October 2014
Start
Monday 27 October 2014
Friday 14 November 2014
End
Friday 19 December 2014
Start
Monday 22 December 2014
End
Friday 2 January 2015
Start
Monday 5 January 2015
In-Service Day (3)
In-Service Day (4)
Thursday 19 February 2015
Occasional Holiday (1)
Friday 20 February 2015
Occasional Holiday (2)
Thursday 2 April 2015
Start
Friday 3 April 2015
End
Friday 17 April 2015
Start –
Staff
Monday 20 April 2015
StartPupils
Tuesday 21 April 2015
Monday 4 May 2015
38
40
10
10
39
40
10
10
61
62
11
11
52
53
190
195
In-Service Day (2)
Wednesday 18 February 2015
End
End
In-Service Day (1)
Tuesday 19 August 2014
Friday 26 September 2014
Autumn
Holiday
No of School
Days - Staff
In-Service (5)
May Day Holiday (to be confirmed)
Thursday 2 July 2015
Total
Notes:
In-Service Day (26 September 2014) has been re-timed to support the Ryder Cup travel
arrangements.
Easter Sunday - 5 April 2015
School Session 2015/16 will commence on Monday 17 August 2015 for Staff and Tuesday
18 August 2015 for Pupils
The Scottish Government announced a further INSET day for session 14-15 in August 2014.
This date has yet to be confirmed and will be publicised on our website as soon as possible.
36
Name of Child Protection Officer
Child protection
Given on-going public concern on the subject of child abuse, and recent
changes in the law, schools are now required to report if we think any child has
come to harm as a consequence of possible abuse. A member of staff in each
school has been appointed to be responsible for Child Protection matters. Our
Child Protection Officers are Miss Stevenson and Mrs Castel. Should you wish
to talk further about Child Protection and the safety of children please feel free
to contact her. We have good contacts with Community Medical Officers,
Social Workers and Police, any or all of whom may become involved if abuse is
suspected. We shall always ensure that you are informed and participate in
any action that we may initiate regarding your child.
37
Notes
38
Notes
39