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St Andrews Primary School
Opened in December 1995, St Andrews Primary School was built as a seven class primary school with a nursery for the children of Deerness, Holm, St Mary's, Tankerness and Toab.
It was officially opened in June 1996 by Jim Wallace, MP for Orkney and Shetland.
Since extension work in 2003-04, there is a larger hall, eight class bases and two shared areas in the ground floor of the teaching area. Upstairs there is a computer room, small library area, art / craft class base and teachers' resource room.
The Nursery is well equipped with both morning and afternoon sessions for Pre-school children aged 3-5 years.
In the administration area there is a general purpose class base used for musical activities, as well as a Medical Inspection Room, Staff Room, School Office and Head Teacher's Office.
The school is surrounded by grassy and hard surfaced play areas which are being developed. At present there is a wooden Trim Track, an outside classroom / observation area, a pond and wetland area, Victoria 's Garden, a weather station and imaginative games painted on the tarmac. Bulbs, trees and bushes have been planted. A Mega Sand Pit, Bird Hide, Willow Tunnels, Pipes, Outdoor Stage and Wibbly Wobbly Wall have already been built.
Enrolling and the School Day What is the procedure for enrolling pupils? Pupils may be enrolled for the August preceding their 5th birthday, if it occurs before the end of February following enrolment. Thus pupils enrolling in August must be 5 years old by the end of the following February.
Our advice to parents is that if their child is at the young end of the age range then they should seriously consider leaving their enrolment until the following year. Younger pupils often find it very hard to settle into the ‘ways' of learning and can find the experience daunting as a result.
The catchment area of the school is Deerness, Holm, Tankerness,Toab and the village of St Mary 's. Parents living outwith may send their children to be educated with us but transportation would be at their own expense.
At present there are seven primary classes. The composition of each class is according to age ie. P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7.
What time is school? In the interests of the children's safety, it must be pointed out that the Janitor begins playground supervision of pupils' activities at 0845. Staff may be in but on their own preparation time.
Pupils 0915 Break 1045 Lunch 1235
Lunch break begins at 1250 when the janitor and playground auxiliary return from thier lunch break.
Primary 1 - 2 pupils may have a 10 minute break in the afternoon. Other classes can earn extra break time!
Home time 1530
Class Organisation and Equal Opportunities
How are the classes organised? St Andrews Primary School is a ‘single stream' school ie. there is one class per age level. The size of classes ranges from 14 - 28 pupils.
Classroom activities and teaching are organised in several ways, either individually, group wise or as a whole class. The methods used are assessed by the teacher as most appropriate for the understanding of particular concepts or topics and to match the needs of the pupils involved.
In June 1996 the pupils were divided into four Houses for the Sports Day. Children in the same family were also in the same house. This was an experiment and was used for netball and football competitions in July 2006. The trophies are the Eunson and Laird Cups which were previously contested by Holm Primary School and St Andrews Primary School. What about equality of opportunity? St Andrews ' Primary School is fully committed to the implementation of equal opportunities in education. We will endeavour to help each child reach their fullest potential in education regardless of gender, race or disability.
Every attempt is made at class and administration level to avoid discrimination in any way. We hope that you will support and reinforce this at home too. The attitudes and values which we transmit to the children now will be found to influence their thinking for years to come.
In school we have one part-time Support teacher who works with children who may be experiencing difficulties in learning or may need activities outwith class to extend their knowledge and understanding as well as children who may need to be extended more fully in their learning. Communication
Are parents welcome in school at any time?
Basically, yes, but because of security procedures, please ‘report' to the office first! If a matter requires discussion, an appointment should be arranged through the office first so that a teacher can leave her class supervised by another adult.
What do I do if I am unhappy about an aspect of school life?
As with all things in life, there may be occasions when you are unhappy with ‘things at school'.
It may be that there are aspects of your child's class work you are unsure of or confused about and in this instance the class teacher will be only too happy to clarify matters. If, on the other hand, a more serious problem has arisen, please contact the Head Teacher directly during school hours. Only then can measures be taken to solve, or alleviate the problem. The School Board exists to help and support the work of the school and should not be viewed as a channel for complaints - they have other problems and tasks to contend with!
The Headteacher must be your first port of call. When can we talk with the teacher about our child's progress?
The opportunities for parents and teachers to meet together present themselves in many ways, from the informal to the structured.
You can contact the school at any time if you have something you wish to discuss with the class teacher or any other member of staff.
The structured parent/teacher meetings are in November and again in March. These are arranged by way of an appointment system so that both parties can be assured of a private word. The November meeting is to discuss ‘settling in' with a new teacher whereas the March meeting is for more detailed progress in the curriculum. Individual reports are distributed in June.
School's Expectations
What do we expect of parents?
As a parent you will entrust the schooling of your child to the professionals within the school. We, in turn, will expect your support.
This support is essential in the following circumstances:
School is more than a place of learning. We are concerned about the health and welfare of all the children who attend here. In the same way that a doctor would be contacted if we were concerned about a pupil's condition whilst in school, social services would be contacted if we were in any way concerned about a pupil's welfare.
Children are at the heart of St Andrews ' Primary School. They are our prime responsibility. If we failed in securing this, we would be failing you and the child.
Nursery
St Andrews School has a purpose built Nursery. The accommodation is in the main school building allowing children and their families to become familiar with the school from an early age.
From the beginning of the term after he / she is 3 years old, a child can come into the Nursery unit for up to 5 sessions per week.
The Nursery values close links with parents and there are several opportunities for parents and children to become familiar with the Nursery and its staff. During the summer term, parents and their children will be invited to attend open afternoons in the Nursery, where they will be able to meet the teacher and Nursery Nurse and spend some time playing together. At the start of the school year, (or the term your child starts if they are three) the Nursery teacher visits each family at home, by appointment, and shares information with parents and get to know your child. The nursery then opens and children spend the first week attending in small groups. The Nursery year is similar to the primary school year of 38 weeks.
The Nursery follows the Scottish Curriculum Framework for Children aged 3 to 5. There is a strong emphasis on children learning through play and first hand practical experiences. The Nursery staff plan activities to reflect each child's needs and interests. During their time at nursery, each child is encouraged to become more independent and confident. A wide range of toys and activities are available, including art activities, constructional play, role play and pretend play, sand and water, the writing table with pens and papers of all kinds, the computer and the story corner.
St Andrews School regards parents as important co-educators of their children. We welcome parents into the Nursery. There is time at the beginning and end of the session to discuss any issues with the staff. Parents are also welcome to spend the session with us, helping with an activity or sharing a skill.
The Nursery does not have a uniform, however, we do ask that your child wears comfortable, easily managed clothes that can withstand the occasional splash of paint. Several times each week we use the hall for dancing, games and drama and for these days, your child will need PE shoes or trainers.
Transport, Emergency Procedure, Meals and Milk
Will my child be eligible for school transport? The provision of bus places is made on the basis that pupils up to the age of 8 can be expected to walk up to 2 miles and children over 8 years up to 3 miles in the summer months ie. Easter until the October break. In the winter months, no child is expected to walk more than a mile and a half.
Pupils in need of transport on medical grounds are not subject to any distance limit. If there is a ‘spare seat' on the bus, a pupil, living on the bus route - but closer to the school - can become a ‘nominated' passenger ie. he/she can travel on the bus provided the space is not allocated.
All transport arrangements for pupils are made by the Education Department and any queries relating to the allocation should be made directly to Kirsty Winterburn in the Department.
It is important that the children are made aware of the importance of sensible behaviour on the buses. Children should be taken to and collected by an adult at their respective pick-up points. Older children should be made aware of relevant road safety procedures.
Emergency In the event of snow or emergency closure during the school day, transport will be provided as soon as possible. The school will contact all parents prior to the buses leaving the school.
What are the arrangements for school meals and milk? School lunches are available at a daily cost of £1.40. They are excellent value. They take the form of a two course meal or a cafeteria meal ie. sandwiches/baked potato, salad/crisps/ yoghurt or fruit. The term's menu goes home to each family and the daily menu is also posted in the entrance area. Vegetarian meals are provided on request. Payment for lunch is taken daily from 9am - 9.15am . A book of dinner tickets costing £14 can be bought in advance if preferred. Free meals are available to families in receipt of Income Support. Forms are available either from the school office or the Education Office.
Some children choose to take their own packed lunches and these are eaten in the dinner hall also. There are two ‘sittings', P1-3 at 12.05 and P4-7 at 1235.
Milk is available to all pupils for 12p daily. This is provided at break time in the hall by the kitchen staff. Payment is taken at the same time. Pupils can buy milk shake at lunch time costing 15p.
There is a healthy tuck shop at break time. Bottled water and fruit are on sale.
Dress/Homework/Swimming
What do people wear? We cannot insist that pupils wear school uniform but our one stipulation is that children wear suitable, serviceable clothing and footwear. We would prefer that jewellery, other than watches is not worn to school. The school does not accept any responsibility for loss of jewellery or personal damage to ears should a child be wearing earrings other than studs.
A dress code survey indicated that a majority of parents felt that children should wear a school outfit. We prefer children to wear a school sweatshirt with their own choice of ‘bottom half'. The sweatshirt is burgundy with a gold heron logo on it. There is also a yellow polo shirt with a burgundy heron logo; these are available to buy at John Kemp's in Kirkwall . Prices are reasonable!
We like pupils to wear sweatshirts when going on school trips and entertaining in and outwith the school premises.
Please ensure all items of clothing and footwear are named. To insist, “My jumper says ‘Aged 9-10 years'!” does not identify it from 20 others!
A clothing grant for those in need is available from the Education Department in Kirkwall . Please contact the school for further details.
How much homework is given? There is considerable research which shows that parental involvement in their children's education has a positive influence on children's learning.
From the very first days of school, there will be work which is to be completed at home. This ranges from sound recognition, number bond and reading practice in Primary 1 to more complex language and mathematical tasks as your child progresses through the stages of the school.
Working at a reasonable pace, homework should not take more than 45 minutes by Primary 7. Parents are encouraged at all times to listen to their children's reading and to check that the written work is done neatly and accurately. This interaction is most beneficial and important to the children.
Discipline and School Rules
What is the school's discipline policy?
Our prime objective is to have a happy and efficient school.
All the children in our care are made aware of the need for order and sensibility, the difference between right and wrong and the principle that we all work together for the good of the school.
It is the development in each child of a sense of shared responsibility and duty which is at the heart of the “discipline” policy here at St Andrews Primary School .
There are occasions when bad, unsociable behaviour does occur and action must be taken.
The first line of discipline is delivered by the class teacher or supervisory adult (if outside) but, in the event of a more serious incident, the child will be taken to the Head Teacher who will discuss the problem with the child and then decide on a suitable punishment; this may range in severity from a “talking to”, to withdrawal from class activities. The most severe form of disciplinary action available to us is the suspension of a pupil. This would only be considered after a full discussion with the parent and the Education Authority.
If your child's behaviour is causing us concern, we would contact you, by telephone or letter. We would encourage you to contact us if there may be problems elsewhere which could be affecting your child at school.
Remember we are only at the end of a telephone.
School Rules
The following rules were suggested and agreed by pupils and staff in September 1996. They are discussed and reviewed annually.
1 Be kind and friendly to each other 2 Keep the school clean and tidy 3 Always walk in school 4 Do not use bad language 5 Always do your best
Each class may have their own rules too. Medical What medical services are available to my child?
First, a warning! Teachers are not permitted to give any commercial medicines for headaches (eg aspirin) unless authorised, in writing, by you. We will administer any ESSENTIAL medicines prescribed by a doctor, if, again, written instructions are provided by you. Usually the Secretary looks after any medicines and administers when advised.
The local Health Centre tells us that medicines prescribed for four times a day dosage (eg penicillin) CAN be doubled up ie. twice in the morning before school, once at teatime and at bedtime. This would eliminate the need for young children to carry medicines to school, something we would not encourage in case bottles are lost or the contents mistaken for sweets. For treatments with a three times a day dose, the problem of medicines in school does not arise.
Dental inspections take place on site once a year but parental approval must be obtained before treatment is given. The Schools' Dental Service is excellent and is to be commended but parents are naturally free to make private arrangements.
All beginners and new pupils are, with their parents' approval, medically examined. Hearing and eyesight are tested at intervals throughout the child's primary career. The School Medical Service covers any immunisation programme. Any queries can be directed to them.
The Speech and Language Therapist is also a regular visitor working with children one morning a week. Parents of all new pupils will be informed when Speech and Language screening will take place and thereafter the results. As well as support from the medical community the Education Authority has both a teacher of the deaf and of the visually impaired for pupils with specific or severe difficulties. Naturally, if there is ever any concern about a pupil then testing can, and will be arranged.
What medical information does the school need to know? We obviously need to be aware of any condition which is likely to affect your child during school time. This may be, for example, asthma where inhalers are required and may affect performance in P.E. Allergies are common and we need to be made aware of these, especially if the child is allergic to elastoplast.
Cuts and bruises are a common occurrence in any school. If there is any condition we need to be aware of in order to protect your child then please let us know . Knowledge of any problems, especially those relating to sight or hearing are obviously central to the child's ability to settle into the routines of school. Please inform us of any ‘headlice finds' so that we can remind other families to check.
Moving on to KGS
What happens when my child finishes Primary School?
Pupils are transferred to Kirkwall Grammar School at the end of their primary careers. P7 pupils celebrate completion of primary school by having a week of fun and outdoor activity at Lagganlia. This trip is organised by the school but funded by parents. There is no compulsion to attend although arrangements are available for those in need of financial support. Our experience so far has been very good!
A member of the guidance staff at the KGS comes to the school and talks to the primary seven pupils about life and work in the secondary stage. It is usual after this talk for the pupils to spend one or two days in KGS getting to know the ‘lie of the land' and for parents to be invited to an introductory evening with secondary staff. Any children with Additional Support Needs may have an extra visit to ensure the layout of the building is familiar and adults, important for their welfare, are known.
Starting School
What happens before my child starts school? Most of our P1 pupils will already be attending the nursery five times a week and will be familiar with the school building, some of the adults and also have made friends in their own age group.
In the Summer term, several familiarisation activities will take place. At different times of the week, the next year`s P1 teacher will visit the nursery observing and participating in group activities. She will also set aside discussion time with the Nursery staff. The specialist Art, Music and P E teachers may pop in.
Experiencing school lunches will be organised (on a rota basis!) for nursery pupils and parents.
During the summer term the Nursery staff will help the children to become familiar with the school building, eg take them to use the toilets (separate for boys and girls) as they may be of an unfamiliar format for the boys.
In June there will be an evening meeting for new P1 parents with the receiving Primary One teacher. A playing and learning profile will be distributed, to be completed and shared with the P1 teacher in the afternoons of the first two weeks after the beginning of term in August.
Depending on the number of pupils, there may be a staggered intake. Primary 1 pupils will come to school, mornings only, until the 3rd week when they will stay all day. P 1 pupils do stay for school lunch from day one.
The Rumbold Report states that:
“Parents can significantly influence their children's learning”
and at St Andrews we believe that parental involvement does not only contribute, but is essential if early education is to be successful. To this end we encourage parents to join in class activities when possible, participate in homework activities and encourage parents and teachers to share information eg. through the notebook which each child brings to and from school every day.
During the first part of a P1 pupil`s school career, they will be given a speech, medical and dental assessment.
More detailed information will be given at the evening meeting in June. This will include classroom, school, transport and lunch procedures.
If in any doubt about your child's readiness to start school, our nursery and infant staff will be glad to advise.
Policy Statement for Children with Additional Support Needs
Aims
St Andrews Primary School is committed to the principle of addressing individual learning needs by attempting to remove any barriers to learning that a pupil may experience.
With SEED guidance on special educational needs within the 5-14 curriculum in `Support for Learning`, St Andrews has set out procedures to meet the needs of those children identified as having Additional Support Needs.
Initially, class teachers will address the needs of children with Additional Support Needs by:
- varying the pace of learning - modifying teaching materials or - building confidence.
The class teacher will consult the support teacher or the speech and language specialist to help assess the particular learning needs of a pupil and also to provide additional individual support either in actual teaching time or provision of teaching material.
After consultation with the Head Teacher and the parents, external support may be required. There is a range of support services in Orkney; specialist teachers of the visually and auditory impaired, language unit teachers, educational psychologists, an autistic spectrum advisor and behavioural support specialist. After assessment by the appropriate external agency, a learning programme will be agreed for the school to follow.
It may, however, be more beneficial, if the difficulty is language development based, for the pupil to attend the Language Unit at Papdale Primary School for two or three sessions per week. The parents, the school and the external agencies regularly meet to review the provision being provided and the progress being made.
Where a pupil`s difficulties are seen to be long-term and complex, a full inter-disciplinary assessment will be made. This may lead to the setting up of a Co-ordinated Support Plan - possibly requiring the employment of a classroom assistant to ensure that the pupil`s needs are being fully addressed. Policy Statement in Relation to Pupils` Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Values
Religious and Moral Education deals with the development of the whole person in relation to self-awareness, relationships with others, and the realm of beliefs, values and practices which go to make up a religious outlook on life. As such it makes an important contribution to the personal and social development of pupils. SOED Religious and Moral Education 5-1 ( Edinburgh HMSO 1993)
Personal and Social development is a fundamental aspect of the education of the whole child. It is essentially concerned with the development of life skills. All aspects of a child`s experience at home, in school and outwith school contribute to personal and social development. SOED Personal and Social Development 5-14 ( Edinburgh HMSO 1993)
The Expressive Arts . . . encourage exploration of values, foster imagination and creativity. . . SOED Expressive Arts 5-14 ( Edinburgh 1993)
Aims - to promote the development of the whole child - to develop a sense of personal value - to develop empathy to the needs, wishes, beliefs and values held by others - to engender a sense of openness - to encourage the valuing of heritage: spiritual and physical
Strategies St Andrews Primary School is committed to meeting the needs of all pupils within its confines. Through continuous assessment of pupils` work and the evaluation of classroom programmes and activities, teachers strive to help pupils to achieve as highly as possible in all areas of the curriculum.
Praise and encouragement are used to mark achievement, thought for others and care for belongings and their surroundings.
Doing one`s best always, thinking of others, being aware of the holistic nature of the school community, valuing others` contributions to discussions and activities are essentials elements of the open and stimulating educational environment at St Andrews Primary School. Evaluation of the above issues is included in monitoring procedures in PSD as well as the curricular areas. Communication
What do I do if my child is ill, or if we have to take our holidays during school time?
In the event of your child falling ill and missing school PLEASE either phone the school after 9.00am in the morning or send an explanatory letter on their return.
We ask this of you for two main reasons. The first is so that we can monitor the child's progress in respect of the ailment, and the second so that we may build a picture of any recurring problems your child might be suffering from and deal with them accordingly.
It is often the case that the family holiday break cannot be arranged to coincide with the school holidays. When this happens it is important that you let us know well in advance. However, the Scottish Office now deem this absence unauthorised.
The first weeks of the school year are, as you can well imagine, the least suitable for special holiday arrangements and we would ask that you take this into consideration when you make your plans.
It must be said that the accumulation of absences, be they planned holidays or persistent illness, do have an effect on a pupil's in-school performance.
Please consider carefully whether your holidays can cross the school break, or at least only part of it.
We're moving away from Orkney, what should we do?
Change is unsettling for children so as soon as plans are made and dates are set, please keep the school informed. We can make sure pupil profiles are sent to the children's new school.
How do we know what's going on in school?
Letters are given out at school to all families. These are distributed fairly regularly. Please ask or check schoolbags daily!
What is the School`s Curriculum?
The Primary Curriculum has many features, not all of them concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Learning to read, to count, to write are the basic essentials for children. The fostering of positive attitudes within the school whereby there is a clear understanding of the need to be able to work and play together, to value the contributions of others and to respect all that the school stands for, is an equally important aspect of the work that we do. Our aim is to provide a caring atmosphere in which the children can be helped to develop a wide range of skills through a carefully developed programme.
A very important aspect is the development in pupils of a sense of self worth, the idea that we, each of us, have a responsibility for the school and what we do in it; that, above all, we know the difference between right and wrong. Children need, and look for, a structure and order. The children, themselves, have suggested and agreed 5 golden rules for the whole school. Teachers reinforce these through the personal and social development of the pupils in their care, encouraging good behaviour and manners to match.
This is a two-way process however; we do what we can but the ultimate responsibility and groundwork rests with you!
The school is for children. It is a place of security, somewhere they can escape to where there are familiar routines and people who can guide them through their learning.
The children also need to have a stimulus for their learning! This is done by providing an attractive environment in which to experience a wide range of materials and activities.
Above all, we have the commitment of the staff, without whose energies and inventiveness, school would be a much less attractive place!
The 5 - 14 Programme in Scotland provides the national basis for what is taught in schools and prescribes a curriculum of the central areas:
ICT permeates all areas Within these areas, we attempt to provide a wide range of experiences, making full use of the technologies available to us.
The Curriculum is in the process of change to A Curriculum for Excellence 3-18.
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