Stirling Council Children, Young People and Education Balfron Primary School Brochure 2015/2016
Stirling Council Children, Young People and Education Balfron Primary School Brochure 2015/2016 CONTENTS Page Director’s Foreword Welcome from the Headteacher Description of the School School Information School Values and Aims School Improvement Plan Curriculum Learning and Teaching Assessment Support for Learning Ethos Partnership with Parents School Uniform Secondary School Wet Weather Arrangements Attendance Child Protection Clothing Grants Complaints Enrolment Equalities Inclusion Insurance Information School Health Service School Meals Transport Unexpected Closures Holidays MyStirling 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 8 11 15 15 18 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 29 30 32 2 Stirling Council Children, Young People and Education Director’s Foreword Education is key to every child’s future and enables us to create a fairer and more inclusive society, to promote economic success and to secure positive life chances for all. The Education Service wants all children and young people growing up in Stirling to be safe and happy, to enjoy good health, to be listened to and respected, to engage in a wider range of active learning opportunities and to achieve positive outcomes. The Education Service will realise this ambition by putting children and young people first, by promoting inclusion and by delivering a high quality service. We are committed to raising standards of achievement and attainment within a context of lifelong learning. To do this requires effective teaching and learning in order to meet learners’ needs and to tackle the barriers which may prevent success. This commitment is outlined in the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Education Service Strategic Plan 2014-2017, http://www.stirling.gov.uk/ educationstrategicplan. The Education Service attaches great importance to life long learning, giving children the best possible start in life and supporting children as they progress from nursery to school and beyond. The needs of our children and young people will be best met by working effectively together with parents, partners and public services. We place a very high value on raising children’s confidence and sense of self-worth. Giving them experiences of success is critically important. This is fully consistent with Curriculum for Excellence through which we aim to support children and young people to develop as confident individuals, effective contributors, successful learners and responsible citizens. We want parents to be involved in their children’s learning. The Parental Involvement Act aims to strengthen parental involvement in education and to provide a flexible system for parental engagement and representation. Our key priority is to help all people in Stirling to succeed, especially our children and young people. We will work tirelessly to support learners, their families, staff and our wider communities to adopt high ambition and a “can do” attitude in order to realise this. David Leng Director of Children, Young People and Education Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils November 2014 3 WELCOME FROM THE HEADTEACHER Dear Parents and Carers I would like to welcome you to Balfron Primary School. It is our aim to ensure that every child in Balfron Primary is not only safe and happy, but also feels encouraged and successful. We are a school that is ambitious that excellent learning takes place for all children, within a context of developing the ‘whole child’. Children’s progress within academic, sporting, arts and social aspects of the curriculum are all important, with the aim that we help our pupils become responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society. As a former parent and pupil of the school, I understand the important role Balfron Primary School plays within the village and community. Balfron Primary therefore is fully committed to ensuring that pupils, staff, parents and members of the community work in positive partnership. Problems however do arise at times and be assured that no worry concerning your child at school is so small that it cannot be shared. We will listen carefully and then try our best to help. We hope that the following pages provide you with a clear picture of life at our school, but if any questions remain unanswered please do not hesitate to contact me. Angus Black Headteacher Balfron Primary School DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL Balfron Primary School serves the village of Balfron and the surrounding rural area. The present building was opened in 1981 to replace the old local primary school. A three classroom extension and nursery was completed in September 2003. The school is also part of the High School Campus and we are able to enjoy access to some of the facilities. Children take school dinner in the Atrium dining room of the High School, or packed lunches from home in the primary school. The grounds have been developed in the past four years in partnership with parents and children and supported by the Parent Council and the community. More recently we have developed our Planet garden with funding from Lottery Scotland Awards for All. How learning is organised We recognise that children, even of the same age, learn in many different ways and have different talents, abilities and interests. Some of the key factors that lead to good learning include good teaching, involvement of children in their own learning, confident and secure children and strong relationships between teachers, children and parents. We therefore carefully consider any planned changes of how learning is organised in the school, including the composition of classes. We annually review the way that classes and learning are organised, considering how best to meet the needs of all children, as the roll of the school goes up or 4 down. Any decisions need to take into account numbers of children in the school, children’s ages, and gender to ensure a good mix of boys and girls. Due of our need to balance the interest of all children as learners, learning is carefully planned for in consultation with Stirling Council’s guidance, The Organisation of Learning in Schools. Where we have composite classes we do provide meaningful opportunities for children to learn and work alongside their peers. This does take considerable time and effort to organise and maintain, however we recognise the value of providing this for our children. It is likely that there will be composite classes each year in Balfron as the number of entrants exceeds the required numbers for seven straight classes. Are the children supervised at lunchtimes? During both morning break and lunchtimes there are usually up to four adults in the playground from Mrs Gault, Mrs Gillies, Mrs Strang, Mrs Steel, Mrs Gifford and Mr Gillies. Mr Black, the school’s Headteacher, respectively also takes time to be in the playground regularly. Although our playground is not huge and can be a little muddy, the priority for our staff is to ensure all children are enjoying play and activity in a safe environment. Popular activities with pupils include football, climbing frame and playground music. There are also areas where children can go with friends for a quieter time, like the fruit tree area or our recently developed Planet Garden. Our senior pupils should also play an important role in supporting other children at playtimes by acting as Big Buddies and playground role models. Our senior pupils are also encouraged to be enterprising in leading lunch clubs for interested P1-7 pupils. Recently pupil run clubs have included dance and gymnastics. SCHOOL INFORMATION School Address Balfron Primary School Moor Road Balfron Glasgow G63 0PD Telephone Number 01360 440027 School Roll 216 Nursery Roll 20 am / 20 pm Headteacher Mr Angus Black Depute Headteacher Mrs Catriona Anderson Teaching Staff P1 P2/1 P2 P3 P4 Mrs Ann Rubython (Principal Teacher) Miss Lorna MacGregor Mrs Morag-Ann Girven / Mrs Catriona Anderson Mr Jamie MacKay Ms Gillian Mitchell 5 P5 P6 P7/6 P7 Mrs Hannah Hope /Mrs Janet Bridges Mrs. Kimberley Kelly (Principal Teacher) Mrs Lynn Witherspoon / Mrs Caroline Darroch Miss Shona Dunn Early Childhood Educator Miss Alex Guthrie (Senior ECE) Mrs Alison Connolly (ECE part-time) Miss Laura Douglas ( ECE part-time) Mrs Samantha Hobkirk (ECE part-time) Specialist Teachers Learning Support PE Music School Support Staff Admin Support Officer SLA SLA SLA SLA SLA SLA Janitor/Caretaker Mrs Chloe Rankin Ms Amanda McKie Mrs Sheena McLean Mrs Catherine Walker Mrs Maureen Gillies Mrs Lorna Gault Mrs Kristin Steel Mrs Sandra Strang Mrs Joyce Johnstone Mrs Michelle Gifford Mr Malcolm Gillies The School Day The school day begins at 8.55am and finishes at 3.15pm. Morning Interval Lunch 10.25 am - 10.40 am 12.10 pm – 1.15 pm Nursery 8:35am–11:45am 12.25pm – 3.35pm Stages of the School Nursery – Primary 7. SCHOOL AIMS Our existing aims reflect those found in A Curriculum for Excellence and our commitment to respond effectively to the needs of individual children. Successful Learners To provide an environment where pupils are well motivated to achieve success through engaging in working with challenging materials at an appropriate pace. To raise standards of attainment and achievement by providing an appropriate, challenging and stimulating curriculum. 6 Responsible Citizens To develop skills to encourage children to take responsibility in school, the community and globally. To support children in developing confidence, positive attitudes and lifelong learning skills that will enable them to participate as active, responsible citizens. Confident Individuals To create opportunities for children, within an inclusive framework, to question, justify, make conclusions from their learning, to develop attitudes and skills that will allow them to feel confident in their ability to function in and contribute to society. Effective Contributors To provide opportunities to communicate effectively and contribute to all curriculum areas and participate in all aspects of school and community life. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN Priorities for 2014/15 Our priorities for developing and improving our children’s education during next session are organised under the following three main priorities: Target 1 Raise Attainment (better learning) Planned Outcomes 1. Revision of whole school approaches in Grammar and Handwriting 2. Progression in Maths learning and teaching – monitoring of resources and ‘Maths expectations’; focus on benchmarking assessments 3. Embedding development work in Reading and Spelling 4. Planning for pupils learning a second additional language in the future under the ‘1 plus 2 initiative’ Target 2 Tracking and Monitoring (better systems) Planned Outcomes 1. Improved tracking of learning outcomes in Social Subjects 2. A revised programme for teaching and tracking Religious and Moral Education throughout all stages P1-7 Target 3 Development of the school community (Better relationships; better behaviour) 1. Nursery – successfully increased provision of childcare and early learning; establishing improved primary class links; further developing outdoor learning opportunities; promotion of parenting project 2. Developing an improved Health and Well Being strategy supporting a whole school approach focusing on – internet safety, children’s rights, an updated School Travel Plan; sexual health and relationships, mental health; healthy eating and the introduction of a PSD core programme, ‘Cool in School’ 7 CURRICULUM LEARNING AND TEACHING Curriculum for Excellence Curriculum for Excellence guides the curriculum we offer at our school for all our pupils With the development of Curriculum for Excellence, the school aims to build the capacity within all our pupils to become: Successful Learners Confident Individuals Responsible Citizens Effective Contributors Curriculum change will be underpinned by the guiding principles of: Breadth Challenge and Enjoyment Progression Depth Personalisation and Choice Coherence and Relevance We will be engaging in ongoing review, evaluation and development of the curriculum and this process is addressed through the School Improvement Plan procedure. It is our aim to ensure that the programmes of study we offer effectively raises levels of attainment, provides children with creativity and enjoyment and enables each pupil to fulfil their potential. Curriculum for Excellence Subject Areas Expressive Arts Health & Well Being Languages and Literacy Mathematics Religious and Moral Education Sciences Social Subjects Technologies Expressive Arts Art & Design Dance Drama Music Whilst much of Art & Design and Drama are developed in the context of topic work there is also a major focus on specific skill development. Children also have many opportunities to enjoy musical activities where they develop singing, music making using percussion and experience music appreciation. Seasonal concerts and assemblies throughout the year provide additional opportunities for children to perform to audiences. 8 Health & Well Being The shared vision within Health and Well Being involves children being: nurtured - included active - safe respected - healthy responsible - achieving Our PE programme includes gymnastics, athletics, games skills, fitness and dance. Each child experiences two sessions of PE weekly. In addition the school is very well supported by Active Stirling who provides a range of sporting taster sessions throughout the year. Co-ordinated by Neil Thomson, our Active Schools Coordinator the children experience a range of taster sports led by trained coaches. P5 children also currently participate in a block of swimming lessons. Since 2013 an annual netball and football league and cup competition has been successfully held involving primary schools from Balfron, Killearn and Strathblane. Much of the children’s development in the area of Health and Well Being is however addressed through the daily ethos and culture of school. We firmly believe in developing a positive and proactive culture at Balfron Primary, leading to the success and well being of each and every member of our school community. Languages and Literacy Language is taught under four main headings: Listening Talking Reading Writing Talking skills are formally developed to enable pupils to be effective communicators, for all life situations. Children are encouraged to express their own ideas, opinions and feelings confidently and articulately. Listening is the key to all learning. The various skills required to be effective listeners are developed throughout the seven years at primary school. Reading is a fundamentally important skill. Emphasis is placed at the early stages on reading out loud i.e. decoding the printed word into spoken word. The teaching of phonics features strongly. Thereafter more sophisticated reading skills are developed e.g. research and reference skills, inference, speculation, in-depth understanding of complex passages etc. Reading for purpose, understanding and enjoyment is stressed at all stages. The school stocks a range of current group reading ‘real books’, used mainly for P4-7 stages. In addition all classes contain their own library of reading for enjoyment books. The main reading schemes which we use are: Story World Literacy World 9 Writing skills for all life purposes are developed alongside the important technical skills of spelling, handwriting and grammar. Structured teaching methodology and assessment of standards in writing, combined with ensuring opportunities for relevant cross curricular writing which offers choice, challenge and enjoyment underpins our approach. An additional opportunity for senior classes to participate in cross-curricular writing for a purpose is through our school newspaper, ‘The Balfron Times’. Twice a year one class takes responsibility for producing the paper and then sell copies within the school and the wider community. Currently French is also taught to P6-7 at Balfron Primary School. From August 2015 our new P1 pupils will also be learning French. Mathematics The mathematics experiences and outcomes within Curriculum for Excellence are structured into 3 main organisers: Number, Money and Measure Shape, Position and Movement Information Handling Problem solving is also an important element of our Maths programme and we look to teach this through cross curricular links as well as separate stand alone learning activities. Daily interactive mental maths aims to lead to the development of numeracy skills and confidence for all our pupils. A variety of resources are used as part of our approach to Maths – based on teachers’ professional judgement - including Scottish Heinemann Maths, Active Heinemann and tee Jay for P1-7 although a variety of other contexts, resources, games and computer programmes support pupil learning. As a school we have agreed the following key approaches within Maths: All children should normally have a Maths experience every day Written working should be clearly shown in a jotter and not hidden away Each class should have access to mental maths resources for daily activities Weekly homework will always include Maths Creative teacher planning should focus on how to introduce key Maths concepts and capture pupil interest and initial understanding. Practice is required for consolidation and to check whether pupils are able to transfer their understanding. Whole class teaching of the same Maths concept is to be targeted. This ensures that pupils will benefit from uninterrupted introductory teaching sessions. Keeping the class working at the same concept will require differentiated group work as follow up Professional pairings with Balfron High School will be maintained to ensure a focus on the 3-18 curriculum Meet the teacher evening each year will provide opportunities for parents to learn about how pupils are taught Maths in school. This knowledge will help parents reinforce learning more effectively at home Most importantly of all – teacher passion for the subject to instill pupil enthusiasm! 10 Religious and Moral Education (RME) This area of the curriculum deals with the development of the pupil in relation to self-awareness, relationships with others, the range of beliefs, values and practices that go to make a religious outlook on life. Christianity remains the core study, focusing on education and observance, rather than instruction. Our local Minister, Rev Sigrid Marten, participates in regular school assemblies. The school also takes part in Church Services at Christmas and Easter, with all parents warmly welcomed. This session the school will continue to focus on developing the global element of our curriculum, which will involve the study of the other main world religions. Children are encouraged to appreciate the common values of honesty, liberty, justice, fairness and respect for, and tolerance of others, regardless of creed, colour or religion. Any parents wishing to exclude their child from participation in religious education or observance may do so by informing the Headteacher in writing. Such pupils will be set alternative tasks by their teacher. The school is guided by Stirling Council’s guidance on Cultural Diversity and Religious Observance Guidelines for Schools on Meeting the Religious and Cultural Needs of Children and Young People. Curriculum Flexibility Flexible teaching time will be used to meet specific school needs, as appropriate, and also be used at the teacher’s discretion as appropriate to the current needs of the children. We recognise that for effective learning, children’s understanding is not always compartmentalised into separate curricular subjects. Therefore developing features of our teaching approaches involve: Interdisciplinary learning – providing a context for pupils that provides them the opportunity to make genuine cross curricular links. Active learning – encouraging children to be in the different stages of learning including planning, collaboration, problem solving and reflection. Active learning should provide pupils the chance to be cognitively as well as physically active and provide flexibility to meet the needs of individual learning styles. ASSESSMENT Our School’s approach to assessment continues to develop in line with Curriculum for Excellence. There are a variety of reasons why we assess pupils. Some of these include: Find out what pupils have learned Identify next steps Evaluate our teaching To provide feedback To involve pupils in the assessment process To motivate pupils The experiences and outcomes set out within Curriculum for Excellence describe the development of pupil learning in terms of levels. Progression through the curriculum levels for primary pupils is explained in the table below. Level Early First Second Stage The pre-school years and P1 or later for some To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some To the end of P7, but earlier or later for some 11 The breadth and variety of approaches to assessment ensures that no single finite list of assessment approaches can be made. Good teaching means that individual contexts within classes will guide which assessment approaches are applied in our school. Curriculum for Excellence lists three key stages when assessment takes place: Ongoing Transitions Periodic The different purposes and types of assessment tasks means that at Balfron Primary we are focused on building a picture of each pupil, more than can be achieved by simply administering a test. Developments in the area of assessing learning at Balfron Primary includes using a variety of formative assessment methods, including: teacher assessment photographs and videos standardised testing in line with local authority assessment approaches pupil writing assessment jotters gathered assessment evidence for each pupil across the curriculum increased moderating of assessment standards & evidence within our school’s teaching team as well as across cluster and local authority P7 pupil profiles P1-6 profiling through Sharing My Learning jotters P1-7 Snapshot jotters Class assessment trollies Parents can play a vital role in supporting the school in its approaches to assessment methods by following these important steps: Listen, talk, share and encourage – this has a big influence on children's learning Do things together – learn together and have fun together Praise effort Encourage a ‘can do’ approach – ‘give it a try, you might just like it’ Help them to respect others Talk to them about their strengths and interests, and help them make choices based on these Find out what learning is happening at school and do what you can at home to build on that Homework Policy Balfron Primary evaluated its approach to homework during session 2012/2013 in consultation with staff, pupils and parents. As a result of the consultation, the following set of homework principles were put in place from August 2013 onwards. Parents and pupils should expect the following approach to be implemented by teachers at Balfron Primary: Predictable regular homework setting. Opportunities for flexibility. Clear expectations set out at start of year by the teacher and maintained consistently. Domestic arrangements for each class may vary depending on various aspects but should be clearly explained at the start of the year. Meet the Teacher evening is a good opportunity to reinforce class homework to parents. A class newsletter in term one will also reinforce homework arrangements. All written homework will be marked. 12 The homework diary is seen as an important method of communication between school and home. Recognition of individual needs – pupils with support needs may have a differentiated homework programme. Core Homework The term ‘core homework’ will represent Maths, Reading and Spelling Core homework will be: o Consistent throughout all stages o Little and often o Predictable o Amount and timing of homework will vary dependant on stage of pupils o Usually set every week, except maybe last week of term or on special occasions Social Studies Grid Social Studies homework grids will be used in each class twice per year as additional homework. Key features of Social Studies grids will be: o Realistically set tasks – especially in relation to resource availability for parents o Specifying the amount of work to be done when appropriate o Combination of mandatory and optional tasks o Completion of practical tasks from Social Studies grid will be celebrated in school Most importantly of all School will work positively with all families in relation to homework – therefore communication to class teacher is recommended rather than periods of anxiety at home Other information that may be helpful in making homework successful – Purpose of Homework To consolidate and practise knowledge and skills To encourage independent learning and a positive work ethic To involve parents in their children’s learning Parents’ Role Parents have a crucial role in supporting the success of their children’s learning by taking an active interest in his/her work, valuing and praising achievements and remembering that only reasonable and achievable expectations can successfully be met by children. Parents can best help by: Ensuring children work in an appropriate environment Taking an active interest in work brought home (but not doing it for them) Helping children plan lengthy tasks Supporting tasks e.g. use of library, visits, suggesting sources of information Discussing errors with children – encourage them to correct errors – but not excessive rewriting Checking that your child has achieved the task Signing homework to say that they have seen the completed work and that they are satisfied with their child’s efforts Parents should not mark homework, but be aware of their child’s level of understanding so that issues can be communicated to the class teacher where necessary 13 Child’s Role Children have responsibility to: Complete their work in the allocated timescale Do their best work Discuss any difficulties with their teacher as soon as possible Ensure that parents are aware of what they are working on Ask for support from parents and teachers Ask parents to sign/comment on their homework Teacher’s Role To allocate appropriate homework To ensure that tasks are fully understood To support children in completing the tasks To provide feedback to pupils To display children’s work Keeping in Touch Homework will be recorded in a jotter or Homework Diary and teachers and parents may use this diary or jotter to keep in touch, making comments or asking questions. Incomplete Class Work As a rule class work should not be sent home to be completed unless: An agreement has been made with the teacher/parents beforehand *The teacher feels the work has not been completed due to lack of application on the child’s part * This should not be an ongoing experience for any child. If so this will require further investigation. Parents should be informed if class work is being sent home in these circumstances. Care will always be taken to ensure that incomplete tasks are not due to overstretching the child. House System Our school operates a House System, whereby all children are members of a house. The house names are Burns, Wallace and Bruce. The purpose of the House System is to further develop the community spirit of the school, whereby ‘houses’ will be recognised for making an effort to make our school a good place to be. House points are awarded to pupils to reward good social skills and caring and thoughtful behaviour towards others and our school environment. Children now sit together in Houses during weekly assemblies for P1-4 and P5-7. Whole school monthly assemblies are also held. House Captains are selected by staff using ‘role model’ as a guiding criteria. House Captain Captain Burns Wallace Bruce Lucy Malloch James Doherty Kate Nicolson Elspeth Ross Lewis Lees Jon Bell Pupil Council Our School places a high priority on listening to our children’s views and to this end we have established a Pupil Council. This year pupils in P4 –P7 were elected by a combination of secret ballot and application forms. 14 The pupils meet with a member of the school’s Senior Management Team (Mrs Kelly during 2014/15) on a regular basis, providing a focused opportunity to consult pupils, as appropriate, on issues relating to making our school the best it can be. Equally, it is an opportunity for pupils to raise matters of concern or make suggestions for improvement and development. This year’s Pupil Council members are: P4 P5 P6 P7/6 P7 Rohan Marwaha, Nuala Cullen, Euan Cooper Lachlann Mitchell, Celie Duncan, Harry Baines, Ada Osinska Louise Carroll, Kirsty Stewart, Harry Brown Carla Paterson, Dan Callan, Millie Shaw Lewis Mackinlay, Evie Hylands, Honor Hennessy Our school runs a variety of extra-curricular clubs, organised and delivered by a variety of ways including teachers, pupils, parents and in partnership with Active Stirling. In the recent past teachers run extra-curricular clubs have included dance, art, quiz, guitar, choir, football, Junior Road Safety Officer among others. Mrs Rubython supports our pupils who are keen to organise and deliver lunch time clubs, often to younger pupils. This has included dance and gymnastics and very often the pupil clubs perform to the whole school at an assembly. Parents continue to make important contributions to our approach to extra-curricular clubs with netball, farming, cross-country, choir and even orienteering benefitting greatly from parental expertise and enthusiasm. SUPPORT FOR LEARNING Sometimes children have additional learning needs. We endeavour to support such pupils by employing Stirling Council’s Children’s Services Staged Intervention process. Learning and teaching is managed and organised in a way that will maximise children’s learning. However, although children are taught literacy and maths in ability groups some children do experience difficulties. The class teacher would deal with this by adjusting the child’s programme of work and if difficulties persist, the Support for Learning Teacher will advise and support the child and the teacher. Parents will be informed and involved in the review of progress. Children who are failing to progress after receiving such support may in consultation with parents be referred to the Educational Psychologist, Speech & Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist. ETHOS Positive Behaviour approaches We will address behaviour issues with our values at the centre of our decision making. We all aim to: Co-operate, and ensure others rights and property are protected Take responsibility for our actions and words, and expect to be accountable to our community Be honest with others and with ourselves Treat others kindly Be just and fair and look at all perspectives Trust each other to do what is right, or to apologise and make amends when we have been wrong. 15 At Balfron Primary we recognise the significant impact that a positive ethos has on our school; we therefore devote considerable time, energy and effort to further developing this aspect of school life. We aim to help every child to be the best that he/she can be. The development of the whole child is paramount. To achieve this it is crucial that the environment and relationships within our school community contribute positively to an ethos of achievement. Promoting high standards and high expectations of behaviour and a commitment to a positive school community is central to the success of our school and our children. Managing Behaviour Good behaviour is an integral part of a good ethos. Our philosophy to behaviour is we believe that children learn best in a positive environment where they are supported, happy and free from tension and anxiety based upon our core school values of Trust, Responsibility, Honesty, Kindness, Fairness and Co-operation. As such, all staff will seek to promote good behaviour, not only in the classroom, but also in the playground, dining room and throughout the school generally. Consistency and fairness in approach to all will be important to the success of our policy. In fostering a positive ethos it will be important that rules and expectations are clear, understood and shared. To ensure this: recognition and rewarding of positive behaviour will be celebrated children will have many opportunities to be familiar with our school values and expectations, specifically: o full class discussion at the beginning of each session o discussions during PSD type class activities and school assembly In effect, all that we do in school will promote and reinforce positive behaviour. Recognition of positive behaviour and achievements will have high profile in our school. All staff will use a wide variety of positive behaviour strategies to praise, encourage and reward children. In addition, children will have opportunities to praise and reward their peers. What are some of the recently developed ways in which positive behaviour is encouraged at whole school level? Monthly Headteacher Awards – recognising individuals who impress throughout the school for any reason During this session our school will be launching our new agreed values as well as using a new PSD resource called ‘Cool in School’ Earning Fabby Friday All classes will have freedom to develop their own visual system e.g. Traffic Lights, clouds, rockets etc., explained through traffic lights: 1. All children start the week off on GREEN for good 2. If a child needs to be spoken to several times over the same behaviour, their name card moves to AMBER. This means a final warning, although pupils still on amber by Friday may face the consequence of spending some of their Fabby Friday to complete unfinished work. 3. If child ignores amber final warning, then name card moves to RED. 4. Children can earn their Fabby Friday back by moving from Red to Amber to Green. Behaviour must show a significant improvement before children move back ‘up’ the chart. 5. All children start the new day from the same position on the chart as they ended the previous day, except at the start of the week when all pupils are placed on green. 16 6. Fabby Friday is only lost if a child remains at Red on a Friday. This will be entered into the Headteacher school log book by the teacher each Friday by 2:00pm 7. It is highly likely that Mr Black will hear about children who have been placed on Red between Mondays – Thursdays (although this will not be recorded or treated as a loss of Fabby Friday) and is therefore an informal consequence for poor behaviour during the first part of the week. 8. Occasionally a child may go straight to Red if behaviour is completely unacceptable e.g. fighting. Headteacher or Depute Headteacher should always be informed of more serious incidents. Children involved in incidents that result in moving directly from Green to Red, can only win back 15 minutes of Fabby Friday. 9. Some pupils who are models of consistently excellent behaviour will move to GOLD. 10. The seriousness of losing Fabby Friday should be kept in proportion – it is an opportunity to learn, reflect and improve. This point should be stressed to all pupils. Normally details will not be entered by the teacher into homework diaries for individual losses of Fabby Friday. 11. Where pupils do not learn from a loss of Fabby Friday and have their name entered in the school log book 3 times – then a letter is sent home to that child’s family. 12. Fabby Friday is not lost in chunks of 5 or 10 minutes. Children still on Red by Friday lunchtime will lose 30 minutes of Fabby Friday. What Do Our Children Think of Our School? Some of our P6 pupils have compiled the following, written especially to give new pupils and their parents a flavour of our school. The school has an amazing football team as well as netball team for P7 and P6, which is cool. There are also some organisations, like Pupil Council and peer mediation. Sometimes pupils run clubs for different classes. The Pupil Council help organise big events for the school. We have an amazing playground and football pitch. Our school is great. Luke P6 Clubs – I help run drama club which is really fun to do and run. Everyone takes turns and tries their hardest to remember their part. Teachers – the teachers are really supportive towards everyone and are always willing to help. I am proud to be in Balfron Primary. Aoife P6 Music – every so often the school hires a music teacher so each class gets a chance to learn some music. You might get it once or twice a week for 45 minutes to an hour. As well as that you can learn a musical instrument. The fiddle is possible as well as the cello and to be honest you can learn almost every instrument you can think of, thanks to Stirling Council. Once you feel good and brave enough you can ask Mr Black if you can play at assembly and almost always he says yes. As well as that you can take your grade 1, 2, 3. Iris P6 When I was in Primary 4 there was no peer mediation but when I went into Primary 5 it started. Peer mediation really helped me out about 5 times. Peer mediation is a group of P6’s and P7’s that talk and help you out if you have a problem with a friend or if you are hurt or even if someone has said something not nice to you. Liam P6 When I first came to school I was quite shy, so I didn’t have many friends but Balfron Primary brought me out of my shell. Now I have lots of friends and not even slightly shy. It wasn’t just the pupils, though, the teachers were kind to me which made me the lovely person I am today. Everybody in the school treats each other like family and it is one of the best places I know because it is safe, everybody is treated equally and most of all its educational and tries to make sure you learn something new every day. Louise P6 17 Support for Learning/Special Educational Needs Children with special educational needs are taught in the classroom situation and may work with the SLANT teacher, with the class teacher or with an SLA. Where there are sound education reasons for doing so a few pupils may be withdrawn for short tutorial sessions. We operate a support system called Staged Intervention. This process is implemented throughout Stirling Council schools and provides us with structured planning for, and recording of, the needs of individual children. Children may be placed on Staged Intervention for a number of reasons: learning, emotional, health and welfare needs. Parents and children will be part of the planning and decision making process. More information is available in school or from the Headteacher. PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS Parent Forums Balfron Primary Parent Council was formed in October 2007 and exists to give the parents and carers a voice, forming a strong partnership with the school to benefit our children. Specifically, we wish to encourage: Partnership between the school, its pupils and all its parents. Working with the school to create a welcoming, inclusive environment. Fundraising for the school, which support the education and welfare of the pupils. Representation of the views of all parents on all matters affecting the education and welfare of the pupils. We are very pleased to see new members involved in the Committee this year. The Parent Council members for session 2014 /2015 are: Chair Vice Chair Treasurer Secretary Committee Members Paul Holst Andrew Cardie Dominic McCafferty Viv Maclean John McLean Iain Mitchell Tricia Nicholas Ray Power The Parent Council will meet at least once every term. Other meetings may be held throughout the session if the need arises. Dates will be announced in the School Newsletter and publicised on the Facebook page. All meetings are open to the wider parent body and new attendees will be very welcome. Copies of the minutes of the meetings are posted on the notice board, the Parent Council Facebook page and will be included with the Newsletter. The Fundraising and Event Planning group will meet separately to plan its many activities for the year and again parents are encouraged to come along and get involved. Again activities of the fundraising and event planning group will be included in the Newsletter and on the Facebook page. We will also endeavour to post useful reminders for parents so please visit the page regularly and share these updates. Paul Holst (October 2014) Parent Helpers We are keen to use parental help within the life of our school. Parents can contribute effectively by supporting with homework, helping on class trips and attending special events. This year we also have parents who use their knowledge and skills to help in a variety of specific ways including French, cross country, cycling proficiency, choir, netball, farming group and the launch of a new school newspaper. 18 At times parents are keen to volunteer more formally in the school on a regular basis. If the needs of the school would be met by facilitating such a volunteering arrangement, the parent/adult is firstly required to pay for a PVG Children safety check to be carried out through Stirling Council, before any further arrangements are put in place. Parents Evening /School Reports Parents Evenings are held twice during the session, usually November and February/March. We encourage you to bring your children along to the meeting to plan their next steps together. Written reports are sent home in June and parents have the opportunity to discuss the reports in June, if necessary. Communication with Parents Good communication is vital for schools to work in positive partnership with parents. Balfron Primary is guided by and fully committed to Stirling Education Services’ Code for Communicating with Parents. The aims for the code are to foster high quality communication by: Being respectful, honest and courteous and expecting similar behaviours in return Being clear about the balance of rights and responsibilities between Education Services and parents in all our communications Promoting a culture of openness and honesty Seeking parents’ views and taking them into consideration when making decisions Valuing parents’ expertise and knowledge Providing timely, appropriate and accessible information Avoiding information overload Seeking to overcome any barriers to communication Complaints Procedures In Balfron Primary the Headteacher will investigate any complaint raised by a parent. This will be done in line with Stirling’s Education Parental Complaints Scheme (August 2012). School Security We strive to ensure Balfron Primary School is a welcoming friendly school, where children, staff and parents are relaxed and secure. However we are aware that there is a need to be vigilant in preventing access to unwelcome visitors, and those without appropriate intention. All visitors, including parents, are asked to report to the office and they will be asked to sign in, and be given a badge. Please do not enter the school by the rear doors. All staff have been advised to direct any visitor without a badge to go to the office to sign in. Support for Learning assistants and the janitor supervise the playground at morning and lunch break. The only adults who are allowed in the playground at these times are school staff. We have 24hour CCTV cameras in operation in the playground at all times. Help us keep your child safe and follow these procedures at all times. 19 SCHOOL UNIFORM Our uniform is navy and white with Black Watch tartan tie and turquoise sweatshirt with school emblem. Pupils may choose dress shirt or polo shirt. Sweatshirts and ties and other uniform items are available on line from Border Embroideries www.border-embroideries.co.uk. SECONDARY SCHOOL At the end of P7 pupils normally transfer to: Balfron High School Roman Road Balfron G63 0PW Tel. No. 01360-440469 WET WEATHER ARRANGEMENTS In very wet weather children are allowed access to the school building before 8.55am at the discretion of the Headteacher. They are not sent out to play during very wet intervals, however please ensure your child has a warm and waterproof jacket when the weather is poor, as we try to allow access to outdoor play even for a very short period of time. Parents are asked to co-operate by not sending children to school too early in wet weather, as teachers are working on preparation, planning and marking at this time, and full supervision cannot be guaranteed. 20 ATTENDANCE It is important that the school and parents work together to achieve good attendance as there is a strong link between good attendance and achievement. The school aims to encourage attendance by creating a welcoming and supporting ethos. If there are difficulties with your child’s attendance, the school will contact you to discuss ways of resolving this. If your child is unable to attend school due to illness or for any other reason, we ask that parents should notify the school as early as possible in the school day. Parents should also give careful consideration to the impact on a child’s education of taking holidays during term time. All schools are required to record attendance and absence of pupils and report on these figures to parents, the Council and the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government’s guidance – Included, Engaged and Involved: Attendance in Scottish Schools - issued to all local authorities in December 2007 provides guidance on how attendance and absence at school is recorded. This document clarifies that the majority of family holidays taken during term time will be categorised as unauthorised absence and that schools may only authorise a family holiday during term time under very exceptional circumstances. Regular attendance scans are undertaken by the management team. When a child’s attendance drops below 90%, parents will be notified by letter and asked to come in to talk to the Headteacher about how best to support your child’s progress. Persistent latecoming also causes regular interruptions for some classes. teaching not only for the latecomer but for the whole class. It disrupts learning and At no time during the school day should a child be removed by a parent from the school without informing the staff of the school. This includes lunchtime “disappearances”. If a child is reported missing we will try to contact the parents or we will ask for help from the emergency contact or neighbours. If we fail to locate the child the Police will be informed. Please help us to keep your child safe. Poor attendance falls into the Council’s Staged Intervention Framework and action will be taken to address patterns of poor attendance. CHILD PROTECTION The safety of children is everyone’s responsibility. If staff have any concerns for a child or young person’s wellbeing, they have a duty to pass on information that will help keep that child safe. All school staff receive child protection training at the beginning of a new academic year. CLOTHING GRANTS Some families may be eligible for clothing grants. Application forms can be obtained from Stirling Council, telephone 01786 233210 or downloaded from the Council website at http://my.stirling.gov.uk/services/education-and-learning/parental-support/parental-support-benefits-andgrants/schools-clothing-grants-and-vouchers. Please take your completed application form, along with the documents requested, to your nearest local office, or Customer First, Port Street, Stirling or post to Stirling Council, Teith House, Kerse Road, Stirling, FK7 7QA. 21 COMPLAINTS You can complain in person, by phone, email or by letter. We regard a complaint as any expression or dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by us or on our behalf. Who can complain? Anyone can complain who is the parent or legal guardian of a child or a person authorised to complain on his/her behalf. For example, a child’s grandparent who is not the legal guardian needs authority from the child’s parent or guardian. This would normally mean a note to show that the person responsible for the child had agreed. What can’t I complain about? Here are some things we can’t deal with through our complaints procedure: A routine first time request for a service or action – e.g. informing the school that your child told you she is being bullied and asking them to resolve this. Requests for compensation from the Council. Things that are covered by a right of appeal, e.g. Exclusion from school which has its own statutory process. In these cases we will give you information and advice to help you. You have 6 months to make a complaint after the event that you want to complain about takes place. If you first learn of the issue about which you want to complain after this point, you have a further 6 months to complain. In exceptional circumstances the Service may investigate matters more than a year old, but it is not obliged to do so. We have a 2 stage complaints procedure. Stage One - Frontline resolution In the first instance please complain to your child’s school or nursery, telling them as much as you can about the complaint, what has gone wrong and what you want them to do to resolve the matter. A senior member of staff, either the headteacher or depute head, will be responsible for looking into complaints. Heads are senior managers with a high level of responsibility for your child’s learning and welfare and able to look into most matters. However, the headteacher may refer the Stage One complaint to Education Services centrally, e.g. if it is about the conduct of the headteacher or too complex to be dealt with at front-line service level. The school or nursery will give you our decision at Stage One within 5 working days or fewer unless there are exceptional circumstances. If we need further time we will ask you to agree an extension of up to 5 further days. If the Stage One complaint has been referred to Education centrally your response will come from there. Stage Two – Investigation If you are dissatisfied with your Stage One response you can move to Stage Two. Stage Two deals with 2 types of complaints: those not resolved at Stage One and those not appropriate for Stage One, for example the conduct of a headteacher or too complex for a headteacher to deal with. 22 To move to Stage Two, you should contact the Director of Children, Young People and Education and ask for a formal investigation under Stage Two. You can do this by e-mail ([email protected]), phone (01786 442680), letter (Stirling Council Education, Teith House, Stirling FK7 7QA) or in person. Or you can ask the headteacher of the school or nursery to move the complaint to Stage Two on your behalf. When using Stage Two: We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 workings days. You will be contacted by the Investigating Officer for your complaint, who will usually meet you to confirm: the detail of your complaint, what you want to achieve, and if your expectations are achievable. In some cases, e.g. your complaint has been made in writing and is clear, there may be no need to meet. It is helpful if you present any evidence that you can offer in support of your complaint, e.g. contact details for witnesses, reports from other professionals etc. if appropriate. We will write to you confirming the details of your complaint, what you want to achieve, and what the investigation can cover. We will give you a full, written response to the complaint as soon as possible and within 20 working days. If our investigation takes longer than 20 working days we will agree revised time limits with you and keep you updated on progress. After we have fully investigated your Stage Two complaint, if you are still dissatisfied with our decision or the way we dealt with your complaint you can ask the Scottish Public Services Obudsman (SPSO) to look at it. The SPSO cannot normally look at: A complaint that has not completed our complaints procedure Events that happened or you became aware of, more than a year ago. 23 24 EQUALITIES Stirling Council has developed Council-wide policies for diversity, race, disability and gender equality. In all of our educational establishments we provide an environment that follows the principles of ‘Getting It Right For Every Child’ (GIRFEC) and ensures every child and young person is Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Included, Active, Respected and Responsible. This includes promoting and supporting diversity in our educational communities. INCLUSION The 2009 Act strengthens the duties placed on Stirling Council Education to identify and meet the additional support needs of children and young people. We continue to do this through the Staged Intervention process. The 2009 Act clarifies the definition of additional support needs and increases the rights of parents and young people in respect of requesting assessments, making placing requests as well as access to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland (ASNTS). The Act also places a duty on Stirling Council to provide access to mediation and dispute resolution services free of charge to parents who have made a successful placing request from another Authority. The Act now deems all Looked After children to have additional support needs unless the education authority determines otherwise. Stirling Council have procedures in place to assess these needs through the Staged Intervention process, as with all children and young people who may require additional support. We have produced a series of leaflets for parents, carers and young people and these are available from school and other council establishments. The series includes guides to: Additional Support for Learning in Stirling CEAT – Community Early Assessment Team Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs) Enhanced Transition for Leaving School Getting Help and Resolving Disagreements Going to Meetings Individualised Educational Programmes (IEPs) Pre-school Children with Additional Support Needs Psychological Services Staged Intervention More 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 and practitioners) www.enquire.org.uk/yp (for children and young people) 25 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 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.sclc.org.uk Stirling Council Education is committed to working in partnership with all parents and carers of children and young people with additional support needs and seeking their views on all aspects of the support provided in educational establishments. We encourage parents to contact the school/establishment in the first instance if there are any queries or concerns, and we will always try to resolve any difficulties as soon as possible. Further information on how support for learning is organised in Stirling is available by contacting either the school, or the ASN team at Teith House: telephone 01786 233179 or e-mail [email protected]. INSURANCE INFORMATION 1 Public Liability Stirling Council has Public Liability Insurance in respect of claims against the Council for bodily injury to any person or for loss or damage to any person’s property for which the Council is legally liable. Negligence or failure to fulfil a statutory obligation on the part of the Council or its employees resulting in injury, loss or damage must be established. Pupils’ Property Each session, unfortunately but inevitably, pupils’ property is lost, damaged or stolen in school. Parents should be aware of the following points: a) Parents’ house contents policy may give some measure of cover for personal effects of family members. b) It is suggested that parents may wish to consider taking out additional individual personal cover. c) Pupils should be encouraged not to bring valuables to school. The general rule is that pupils bring property to school at their own risk. There may be situations where the school accepts responsibility for pupils’ property, but otherwise the council is not responsible if property is lost, damaged or stolen in school. 26 2 Personal Accident/Travel Cover – Educational Excursions The Council has arranged insurance cover for Educational Excursions organised by the Council. A brief summary of the cover is as follows: Persons Covered: Organisers, participants, members, employees and others on excursions or trips organised by or under the auspices of the Council. When Covered: While participating in any activity organised by or on behalf of the Council beyond the limit of the school grounds. If you require further information please contact the Council’s Insurance Team on 01786 233437. SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE The Forth Valley NHS has a statutory obligation to provide a health service for all school-age children in the Stirling Council area. The aim of the service is to make sure that all children are in the best possible health to benefit from their education and to provide the education service with advice and support about the spread of infections and the promotion of good health. Parents/carers will be given the opportunity to meet the named nurse for the school when their child starts school in Primary 1. This will involve parents completing a health questionnaire for their child. The nurse may make contact with parents/carers based on the information provided by them. At other times, routine checks of height and weight may be carried out for all children. Teachers and parents/carers are encouraged to report any concern about hearing, especially in primary one pupils. Hearing is no longer part of the routine checks done in school. If you have any concerns with your child’s health which may affect their education, an appointment can be arranged with your named nurse (contact details below). School staff, with parents’ permission, can request an appointment with the named nurse at any time. The named nurse will also liaise closely with the Public Health Nurse who has overall responsibility for primary school children. The named nurse for the school may also offer health promotion sessions within the school setting at agreed times with the school. If you wish further details about the content of any health promotion sessions you should speak to the headteacher. If requested, the named nurse and the doctor from the Combined Child Health Service will see children at their clinic who have additional support needs or who have any significant ongoing medical or developmental conditions affecting their education to do so. School staff and parents can contact the named nurse if they have any health concerns regarding children which may affect their educational needs. The nurse will then decide the best way to deal with their concerns in discussion with the child’s Public Health Nurse. All children within P1 will receive a toothbrush, toothpaste and leaflet- "Make your smile count" A dentist from the Salaried Dental Service will carry out a dental inspection of your child in P1 and again in P7. Dental treatment can be offered to those children unable to register with a general dental practitioner through the Salaried Dental Service. 27 The School Health Service can be contacted at: Area Community Child Health Department Stirling Royal Infirmary Livilands Stirling FK8 2AU Telephone: 01786 434150 Infectious Diseases Colds, flu and gastro-enteritis are the most common infections affecting children of school age. It is important that you keep your child off school in the early stages of flu and while they still have diarrhoea. It is also important that your child understands how to prevent picking up and spreading such infections. You will be able to get further advice about good health from your named school nurse or staff in your Health Centre or GP Practice. For advice about early detection and treatment for other infectious diseases e.g. chickenpox and mumps please consult your GP or Public Health Nurse. Head Lice Head lice are spread through head to head contact. This can happen at home, in the community, or in school. Regular combing of your child’s hair using a head lice detection comb is the best way to catch this possible problem at an early stage. The only way to be sure that your child has head lice is to find a live louse. If you find live lice, you need to get the correct lotion from your doctor, health visitor or pharmacist. The instructions need to be followed carefully. If this is not done then re-infection is likely. If lice are found, all family members and close friends of your child should be checked. Treatment should only happen if live lice are found. You should advise others of this possible problem in the same way as you would tell family and friends about other infections which might affect them. Further advice can be obtained from the Health Board. A head lice leaflet is available in all schools and health centres. SCHOOL MEALS Lunches are provided every day for children and young people in all schools. All food and drink provided meets national requirements for nutritional standards as well as guidance aimed at encouraging uptake and removing the stigma attached to free school meals. Meals are provided by the Council’s catering service and menus are changed regularly. All recipes are analysed to make sure that they provide a healthy and well-balanced meal. The catering service tries to suit the majority of tastes by offering choices which include a daily vegetarian option as well as a range of packed lunches. Children having packed lunches are supervised. We encourage parents to ensure home packed lunches are healthy and do not contain fizzy drinks, sweets and Nuts. Pupils and their parents have opportunities to provide feedback and have a say about the content of future menus and the catering service is committed to introducing new products and to promoting healthy food choices. 28 Stirling Council achieved the Silver Food for Life Catering Mark in March 2014. This guarantees that all menus are prepared using non GM ingredients, are 75% freshly prepared, use only free range eggs, avoid additives and trans fats with meat and poultry sourced in a way that ensures animal welfare is taken care of. All milk provided to the children to drink or within their meals is organic. More information about the standard can be found at http://www.sacert.org/catering. Menus and current prices can be viewed on the Council’s website at: http://www.stirling.gov.uk/services/education-and-learning/schools/schools-general-information/schoolscatering. Special diets can be catered for and parents should contact the headteacher to discuss any special dietary requirements. In primary schools, it is very helpful if meals are paid on a Monday morning for the coming week. This means support staff can be timetabled efficiently for the collection and banking of monies and allows more time for direct support for children. Payments can be made by cash or cheque, although cheque is preferred. Secondary school pupils are able to pay on a daily basis. Children who stay for lunch in school must remain within the school grounds where supervision is provided. The Catering Service can also provide a healthy packed lunch for school trips. Some families may be eligible for free school meals. An application form is available from the school or can be printed from the Council’s website, http://www.stirling.gov.uk/services/education-andlearning/parental-support/parental-support-schools-and-education/free-school-meals. This form should be completed and returned to Customer First, Port Street, Stirling or post to Stirling Council, Teith House, Kerse Road, Stirling FK7 7QA. The service understands that parents’ circumstances can change throughout the year and if this happens, forms can be sent in at the appropriate time. TRANSPORT In general Stirling Council provides free transport to children who live more than two miles from their catchment school. Further information is available on the Stirling Council website at: http://www.stirling.gov.uk/services/education-and-learning/schools/schools-travel-and-trips/schoolstransport. UNEXPECTED CLOSURES While schools have contingency planning in place to cope with a number of circumstances, sometimes it is necessary to close schools or amend the normal school day. e.g., storm damage, power cut. In the event of this happening, we have to ensure school record of parents place of employment and childcare arrangements are up to date. Please make sure we have an emergency contact telephone number and address. We will issue an annual update form to check the accuracy of contact details and other information held by the school. Please make sure your child knows who to go to if you are not at home. 29 STIRLING COUNCIL – EDUCATION 2014-15 School Dates Autumn Term Starts Ends Monday 18th August 2014 Tuesday 19th August 2014 Friday 10th October 2014 October Holiday Starts Ends Monday 13th October 2014 Friday 17th October 2014 Winter Term Starts Monday 20th October 2014 Staff Development Day Staff Development Day Staff Development Day Wednesday 26 November 2014 Thursday 27th November 2014 Friday 28th November 2014 Winter Term Ends Friday 19th December 2014 Christmas Holiday Starts Ends Monday 22nd December 2014 Friday 2nd January 2015 Spring Term Starts Monday 5th January 2015 Staff Development Day Staff Development Day Local Holiday Local Holiday Local Holiday Monday 9th February 2015 Tuesday 10th February 2015 Wednesday 11th February 2015 Thursday 12th February 2015 Friday 13th February 2015 Spring Term Ends Thursday 2nd April 2015 Spring Holiday Starts Ends Friday 3rd April 2015 Friday 17th April 2015 Summer Term Starts Monday 20th April 2015 Local Holiday Monday 4th May 2015 Summer Term Ends Friday 26th June 2015 Summer Holiday Starts Ends Monday 29th June 2015 Friday 14 August 2015 Monday 17th August 2015 Tuesday 18th August 2015 Teachers return Pupils return Good Friday Teachers return Pupils return Schools Closed 30 STIRLING COUNCIL – EDUCATION 2015-16 School Dates Autumn Term Starts Ends Monday 17th August 2015 Tuesday 18th August 2015 Friday 9th October 2015 October Holiday Starts Ends Monday 12th October 2015 Friday 16th October 2015 Winter Term Starts Monday 19th October 2015 Staff Development Day Staff Development Day Thursday 26th November 2015 Friday 27th November 2015 Winter Term Ends Tuesday 22nd December 2015 Christmas Holiday Starts Ends Wednesday 23rd December 2015 Wednesday 6th January 2016 Spring Term Starts Thursday 7th January 2016 Staff Development Day Staff Development Day Local Holiday Local Holiday Local Holiday Monday 8th February 2016 Tuesday 9th February 2016 Wednesday 10th February 2016 Thursday 11th February 2016 Friday 12th February 2016 Good Friday Easter Monday Friday 25th March Monday 28th March Spring Term Ends Friday 1st April 2016 Spring Holiday Starts Ends Monday 4th April 2016 Friday 15th April 2016 Summer Term Starts Monday 18th April 2016 Local Holiday Monday 2nd May 2016 Summer Term Ends Tuesday 28th June 2016 Summer Holiday Starts Ends Wednesday 29th June 2016 Friday 12 August 2016 * Schools closed To be confirmed Monday 15th August 2016 * Tuesday 16th August 2016 * Teachers return Pupils return Teachers return Pupils return 31 MYSTIRLING myStirling is a free online service available to Stirling Council residents and businesses. This service offers the customers access to self serve on-line and out of normal working hours. Customers can report faults, make payments, subscribe to events and councillor information on surgeries, find out about bin collection days and more. You can register to have a myStirling account by going to the Stirling Council website, www.stirling.gov.uk and above the search box choose the register option. From here you will be directed to a page where you will be asked for name, e-mail and to create a password. You will be sent and activation e-mail to confirm that you are the owner of the email address. Getting Started You only need to register once. Thereafter login with your username and password. Things to do with your account: Fill in a form online fill in forms to report pest control, pot holes, street lighting, bin replacement, noisy or fouling dog, abandoned vehicles, and much more Subscribe to alerts Register to receive e-mail - latest council news, what’s on at the Tolbooth, Albert Halls, Macrobert, Councillor surgeries, Countryside events Subscribe to Emergency alerts via text messaging – School and facility closures, road works or closures, service disruption, severe weather alerts and more Features: Text Alerts: school closure, service disruptions, road works, severe weather News Alerts: council news in e-mail format Bin collections: what day your bin will be collected and if there are any disruptions, what to put in coloured bins Councillors: what ward you are in, who your councillor is and where and when surgeries are held Events: Tolbooth, Albert Halls, Countryside, Libraries, Pubs, Macrobert, Theatre, Exhibitions, Museums and more Job vacancies latest council jobs Pay it: Council Tax, Rent, Rates, Sundries and more Report it: Dog fouling, mice, ants, street lighting, potholes, and more Tracking: You can track all your own online forms and find out status of tasks Business Directory: add your business to Stirling Council’s online directory Replacement Certificates for Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnership 32 My Nearest and Interactive Maps: Bus stops (nearest bus stop and directions, with links to times and fares), car parks, high schools (school catchments areas), libraries, local offices, primary schools (school catchments areas), recycling centres (what you can recycle where), public conveniences Tracking of online forms: every time you sign in you can view any online forms you have filled in and see the status of the issue and the completion dates. You will always have an audit trail of previous forms and can see exactly the same information as the advisors in the Contact Centre and One Stop Shop Enquiries We continually look at what other councils offer and regularly update and add to our existing list of online services. Currently we have around 10,000 users registered with a myStirling account and as we add more services we hope this will increase allowing more services to be accessed online. 33
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