Ballumbie

Primary School

Handbook Session 2014- 2015

Ballumbie Primary School

70 Lothian Crescent

Dundee

DD4 0HU

Telephone: 01382 438617

Fax: 01382 438621

e-mail: ballumbie.primary@dundeecity.gov.uk

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Welcome To

Ballumbie Primary School

Dear Parents/Carers,

This handbook has been compiled to give information about our school to

parents of prospective pupils. It is intended as a source of information to which

you may refer throughout your child’s primary education.

In Ballumbie Primary School, we have a strong emphasis on providing our

pupils with a high quality education. We strive to meet the needs of all pupils

by:

• offering a range of stimulating and challenging learning activities;

• encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their own learning;

• providing purposeful feedback to help take learning forward;

• allowing pupils to share in planning and make personal choices about

aspects of their learning;

• encouraging creativity and enterprise;

• investing in an ethos of mutual understanding and co-operation between

home and school; and

• promoting whole school, class and individual achievements.

In doing so, we seek to create a safe, happy and stimulating environment to

develop the whole child.

Not only is it important that parents understand and support our school, but

feel part of it. Parents and carers are always welcomed and your views valued.

I hope you find it helpful and informative, but should there be any further

information you require, please feel free to contact the school.

Yours sincerely

K.J. Flynn

Head Teacher

01382 431563

01382 431563

01382 431563

01382 431563

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CONTENTS

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL 3 STAFF AT BALLUMBIE PRIMARY 5 AIMS 6 ASSESSMENT 7 CURRICULUM 8 SUPPORT FOR LEARNING AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS 12 ENROLMENT 15 TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PRIMARY SCHOOL 16 TRANSFER TO SECONDARY EDUCATION 16 SCHOOL HOURS AND CLOSURES 17 UNIFORM AND CLOTHING 18 EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 18 POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT 19 ATTENDANCE 19 SCHOOL MEALS 20 SCHOOL COMMUNITY LINKS/COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES 21 PARENT COUNCILS 22 CHILD PROTECTION 23 HEALTH CARE 24 BALLUMBIE EARLY YEARS 25

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL School Address: Ballumbie Primary 70 Lothian Crescent DUNDEE DD4 OHU. Telephone Number 438617 School Roll: 331 Early Years Roll: 70/70 Stages Covered: Primaries 1-7 including Early Years Provision age 2- 5 years The school is non-denominational. Catchment Area The catchment area of the school includes the following addresses: Aberlady Crescent Ardminish Place (Nr Peebles Drive) Ashkirk Gardens Ashkirk Place Badenoch Place (Maybole Place) Baldovie Road (46 upwards) Ballumbie Braes Ballumbie Drive Ballumbie Gardens Ballumbie Meadows Ballumbie Place Ballumbie Road Ballumbie View Berwick Drive (no houses) Beryl Street Brindled Court (Dunbar Park) Brittania Drive (Maybole Place) Brodick Walk Camberwell Court (Dunbar Park) Carberry Crescent Cardoness Walk Carradale Drive (Nr Peebles Drive) Cassidy Walk Castlecary Gardens ChalkhillCourt (Dunbar Park) Chirnside Place Clifden Blue Court (Dunbar Park) Coldstream Drive Craigievar Walk Crammond Place Culloden Court (Haddington Crescent) Dargavel Gardens Drumgeith Road Dunbar Park Dunrobin Walk Duns Crescent Earlston Avenue Fenwick Place Fithie Bank Flodden Court (Haddington Crescent) Forties Road Girvan Gardens Haddington Avenue Haddington Crescent Haddington Gardens Haddington Place Hawick Drive Heath Rustic Court (Dunbar Park) Holly Blue Court (Dunbar Park) Inveresk Gardens Kellas Road (Pitkerro Mill) Kilbride Place Kilravock Gardens Kirkerran Terrace Kilwinning Place Kingfisher Place (Maybole Place) Kirkconnel Terrace Knapdale Place (Nr Peebles Drive) Largs Court (Dunbar Park) Longhaugh Road (No houses) Lothian Crescent Luffness Walk Lulworth Court (Dunbar Park) Machrie Place (Peebles Drive)

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Maybole Place Megginch Gardens Monkton Loan Montpellier Gardens Murrayfield Drive Murrayfield Terrace Murrayfield Walk Myrtlehall Gardens Myrtlehall Place Old Drumgeith Road Old Toll Loan Old Toll Road Ormiston Crescent Peebles Drive Piper Street Pitcaple Walk Poplar Grey Court (Dunbar Park) Red Admiral Court (Dunbar Park) Roseburn Gardens Salton Crescent Selkirk Gardens Silver Link Avenue (Maybole Place) Small Copper Court (Dunbar Park) Spartleton Gardens Spartleton Place Specklewood Court (Dunbar Park) Strathaven Terrace Summerfield Avenue Summerfield Gardens Summerfield Place Summerfield Terrace Sundale Court (Nr Peebles Drive) Swallowtail Court (Dunbar Park) The Aspens The Beeches The Cedars The Elms The Hawthorns The Hazels The Larches The Maples The Pines The Poplars The Rowans The Spruces The Willows Thirlestane Place Tillycairn Place Tranent Gardens Tranent Grove Tranent Walk Traquair Gardens Whitfield Avenue Whitfield Drive Whitfield Gardens Whitfield Loan Whitfield Rise Whitfield Square Whitfield Terrace Willow Beauty Court (Dunbar Park)

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STAFF AT BALLUMBIE PRIMARY SCHOOL Head Teacher: Mrs K Flynn Depute Head Teacher: Mr R Gill Teaching Staff: Miss S Anderson Miss J Barclay Miss D Clark Miss L Docherty Mr G Holder Mrs S James Mrs B Mackie Mrs P McConachie Miss E Menzies Mr G Morrison Mrs D Paterson Miss J Ramsay Miss J Sim Mrs A Smith Mrs Smith (P. T.) Miss L Watson Early Intervention Early Years Practitioner: Mrs L Houston/Mrs S Poutney Support for Learning Staff: Mr S Curran (PT SfL)

Mrs S Bissett Miss A Bremner Mrs C Pinkman (ASN)

Classroom Assistant : Ms J Connelly (Additional Support Needs) Mrs S Costello Mrs W Heenan Miss C Inglis Mrs P Monks Mrs A Murphy Mrs A Reid Mrs E Wilson Primary Support Assistants Mrs S Carrie

Miss L Godwin Mrs S Hart Mrs H Hendry Mrs T Mackie Mrs C Wilson

Admin Officer: Mrs D Colston Facilities Assistant: Mr I Cruickshank The school also has music instructors for Brass, Strings, Piano and Woodwind. Details for our Early Years are contained in a separate booklet.

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Successful Learners

We are lifelong learners.

We always try our best in

everything we do.

We give and accept praise for our

efforts.

Confident Individuals

We have the confidence to take all

opportunities given.

We are happy, safe and secure in

our school.

We set realistic goals.

We are motivated to learn.

Effective Contributors

We can work together by listening to

others and sharing ideas.

We help one and other and give

encouragement.

We value and respect our own and

others’ opinions.

Responsible Citizens

We are welcoming to all.

We show respect and good manners at

all times to all.

We are honest and truthful.

We make good choices.

Be positive about learning

Promote respect and inclusion

Share success and achievements

Ballumbie Primary School – Aims & Values

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Curriculum for Excellence

Ballumbie Primary, like all Scottish schools, is implementing Curriculum for Excellence in order to provide a broad, balanced and progressive programme across the following curricular areas:- Literacy and English

Numeracy and Mathematics Social Studies (History, Geography, and Citizenship) Expressive Arts (Art and Design, Music, Drama) Religious and Moral Education Sciences Health and Wellbeing Technologies

Planning using the Curriculum for Excellence outcomes and experiences ensures that schools enable all young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. As a school we are constantly updating our curriculum in line with national and local policy and are confident that we have the capacity to help develop in our pupils the desire to be all they can be within our supportive school ethos. All teachers plan for learning using the Curriculum for Excellence framework. Wherever possible, they plan work thematically so that our pupils experience meaningful and relevant contexts for their learning.

ASSESSMENT Throughout a child’s primary education, progress and attainment are constantly monitored using summative and formative assessment techniques. These take the form of professional observation and judgement and both class based and standardised assessments. Pupils are also actively encouraged to self and peer assess to enhance their engagement in the learning process. This information is available at any time and specifically at parental contact times held twice a year in November and March. An Annual Pupil Report is also issued in May/June. A copy of these Annual Reports is kept with the pupil's records and is sent to the appropriate secondary school at transfer time or to the next primary school if a school move is made before Primary Education is completed.

Stages of Curriculum for Excellence

Early the pre-school years and P1 or later for some

First to the end of P4, but earlier or later for some

Second to the end of P7, but earlier or later for some

Third and Fourth

S1 to S3, but earlier for some

The fourth level broadly equates to SCQF level 4

Senior phase S4 – S6 and college or other means of study

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THE CURRICULUM MATHEMATICS AND NUMERACY Being numerate is a life skill which also increases our opportunities within the world of work. Our pupils will experience a supportive learning environment in which they will develop understanding of number and mathematics concepts and skills through active learning within relevant contexts, using technology where appropriate. Through our mathematics curriculum we aim also to develop problem solving and mental agility. It emphasises the important part mathematics plays in our daily lives and the relevance it has across society. LITERACY AND ENGLISH Literacy is fundamental to all areas of learning as it unlocks access to the wider curriculum. Being literate increases opportunities for the individual in all aspects of life and lays the foundations for lifelong learning and work. Through our language curriculum we aim to promote the development of critical and creative thinking as well as competence in listening and talking, reading, writing and team working skills essential in our society. Our pupils will experience an environment rich in language enabling them to develop skills in using language and find enjoyment in the diverse heritage of our world. MODERN LANGUAGES Learning other languages enables pupils to make connections with different people and their cultures and to play a fuller part as global citizens. Its key aim is to help pupils use and enjoy a second language effectively in real life contexts. Our pupils will be offered a range of stimulating activities to help them acquire and become confident in the use of basic vocabulary orally, with some reading and writing, in French, from P6 onwards. Modern Languages can only be offered in primary schools where trained class teachers are available. We currently have three teachers qualified to teach French. EXPRESSIVE ARTS

Expressive Arts help pupils enhance their creative talent and develop their artistic skills. Pupils are provided with a wide range of activities and opportunities in art and design, music and drama. Expressive Arts have the capacity to engage and stimulate learners of all ages, interests and levels of skill and

achievement. In this school our pupils are offered a range of opportunities in both creative and expressive performance and participation through involvement in the choir, assemblies, as part of curricular work, through extra-curricular activities, concerts and whole school shows. Enjoyment is always a major aim of our Expressive Arts input. Where possible we enter into partnership provision with, for example, Dundee Rep, enabling both staff and pupils to benefit from professional input and expertise and to ensure our pupils experience professional performances – both in-school and in theatres. We do also participate in community events and the Dundee Arts Festival to allow our pupils to share their talents with others. Our in-house

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productions are always extremely popular and well received by parents, relatives, friends and the wider community. INSTRUMENTAL TUITION Music tuition is free and instrument hire is £83 per year. These can be paid in two instalments or ten instalments. Children are given a three month trial period where no fee is charged. At present a number of pupils in P 5- 7 are receiving individual tuition in brass, woodwind and stringed instruments. Should your child be selected for tuition in any of these instruments no fees are payable if you are in receipt of Income Support, Income based Job Seekers Allowance, Support under Part V1 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Guaranteed Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit (with an exemption certificate PPA) or Working Tax Credit (with exemption certificate PPA) and who have an annual income of less than £15,910. ICT ICT is widely used in this school to support all curricular areas. Pupils will gain experience in the use of cameras, PCs and interactive whiteboards and the internet. All classrooms have interactive whiteboards. All our pupils are encouraged to use the INTERNET for research work and may use e-mail and other aids during their time with us. All access is filtered to block unsuitable sites. Unfortunately, it is not possible to guarantee that pupils will never come across information intended for an adult audience. On the rare occasion that this may happen we ask for your understanding about it. Pupils are taught to be responsible users and know what to do should this happen. Unless parents specifically request otherwise in writing, it is assumed that they have agreed to allow their children access to the INTERNET and e-mail as part of our normal school activities. Parents also sign on behalf of their child an Acceptable Users and Media Permission statement in which you agree to rules of safe internet use and use of school photographs and achievements being displayed in newspapers and/or school websites.

RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION Religious and Moral Education (RME) enables pupils to explore the world’s major religions and views which are independent of religious belief. It also encourages and develops responsible attitudes to others as well as providing the opportunity for pupils to develop their own beliefs and attitudes. The school holds weekly assemblies which provide opportunities for the members of the school community to celebrate those things which we value and enjoy. They also provide opportunities for pupils to reflect on spiritual and moral concerns. A range of people including Mr James Wilson, the school chaplain, are invited to take or contribute to our assemblies. Pupils are actively encouraged to participate in all assemblies and individual class assemblies on a rota basis

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throughout the year. Where appropriate the school chaplain may contribute to the development of religious topics being undertaken by a class. Parents are invited to class assemblies involving their children. Parental Rights Under the terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 “any pupils may be withdrawn by his/her parent from any instruction in religious subjects and from religious observance”. Any parent who wishes to exercise this right must first discuss the matter

with the Head Teacher. SOCIAL STUDIES Through Social Studies pupils develop an understanding of the world by learning about other people - their values in different times and places - and the environment and how it has been shaped. Over time a wide range of contexts for learning is explored through studying Scotland, Britain, Europe and the wider world in order for pupils to find out more about the world in which we live. Pupils learn about human achievements, how to make sense of changes in society and of conflicts and environmental issues. This helps ensure our pupils will develop the ability to influence events as informed and responsible citizens. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGIES Through learning in the sciences pupils develop interest in and understanding of the living, material and physical world. They engage in a wide range of collaborative, investigative tasks, allowing them to develop important skills in order to become creative, inventive and enterprising adults. This is essential to our world. Contexts within technologies provide scope for developing technological skills, knowledge and understanding through creative, practical and work related activities. This framework offers challenging activities involving research, problem solving skills and encourages creativity and innovation which are increasingly needed in the 21st century. HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Currently we have a member of staff responsible for health and wellbeing who supports and encourages healthy lifestyle choices. She also encourages our pupils to make positive food choices for lunch and helps educate our classes in eating a balanced diet outside school. In addition she organises a daily healthy tuck shop, assists our P1 pupils with the tooth brushing initiative and supports health weeks in school.

Our P1 and P2 pupils are provided with fruit, free of charge, three times a week as part of a government initiative to encourage healthy eating.

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Where parents provide a packed lunch for their child / children we ask that they take account of our healthy eating initiatives when choosing what to give their child to eat. Wherever possible pupils should help with those choices. It is our view that good health and wellbeing is central to effective learning and preparation for successful independent living. Learning in Health and Wellbeing helps pupils develop the knowledge and understanding and skills which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing, now and in the future. Learning through Health and Wellbeing promotes confidence, independent thinking and positive attitudes. Our school meets the national expectation to provide two hours of PE per week to all pupils. We aim through our curriculum, health promotion, extra-curricular activities and the everyday life and ethos of our school to help our pupils become resilient and make positive and informed lifestyle choices. Within our school, we wish our pupils to feel happy, safe, respected and included – all members of our staff work hard at promoting a positive environment in which our pupils can flourish. Every year we hold a health week when our pupils and staff celebrate, in a focused way, our excellent practice in promoting healthy lifestyles, through participating in a range of positive health sessions. CITIZENSHIP, ENTERPRISE AND ECO THEMES

Our school continues to develop a focus on citizenship, enterprise and ECO activities. We feel they are ideal for supporting and challenging our pupils towards becoming successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. The themes we undertake help our pupils develop skills in decision making, problem solving and interacting and communicating with others – all essential for functioning in a modern society. We also hope to make them fun and enjoyable. Wherever possible we work in partnership with people from the “real” world of work and the local and wider community to provide realistic contexts for our pupils to work within. We encourage this in the following ways:

• Involvement in the Whitfield Regeneration and Link Up Project

• Participation in the Christmas Tree Lights Ceremony at Longhaugh

• Whitfield Community Christmas Card Competition

• A range of educational trips to support learning in class

• Engagement in a variety of charitable events to support the local community. eg Dundee Food bank (Harvest Assembly)

We have an active Pupil Council which is selected on a yearly basis by pupil vote. While developing opportunities to extend positive citizenship roles, pupil councillors are involved regularly in discussions with SMT on key school issues as well as representing the views of all pupils.

HOMEWORK Procedures are in place for homework which consolidates learning being undertaken in class and encourages independent study. The children also take home books to develop their own personal reading.

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The school seeks parental co-operation in ensuring that the homework is carefully completed. We would also ask that the homework jotter and homework school diary is signed on a daily basis for P1-3 and a weekly basis for P4-7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For further information on Curriculum for Excellence, the following websites may be of interest: Information about how the curriculum is structured and curriculum planning – http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/thecurriculum/ Information about the outcomes a learner can expect to experience and achieve across literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing, as well as the 8 curricular areas – http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/thecurriculum/howisthecurriculumorganised/experiencesandoutcomes/index.asp Advice, practice and resources to support the experiences and outcomes on literary, numeracy and health and wellbeing – http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/learningacrossthecurriculum/responsibilityofall/index.asp Information on Skills for learning, life and work – http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/thecurriculum/whatcanlearnersexpect/skillsforlearning.asp

GENERAL INFORMATION

LEARNING NEEDS Support for Learning staff within Ballumbie P.S. are used to support all learners whether it be for children who are finding learning more of a challenge, providing opportunities to progress particular groups of learners for attainment raising or supporting gifted pupils. Social, emotional and behavioural support is also provided by the Support for Learning staff. Most learning needs are catered for by the class teacher however parents of children who have been identified as requiring more sustained support, will be contacted by one of our Support for Learning teachers in order to discuss the necessary strategies to help your child achieve their full potential. ENHANCED PROVISION Ballumbie Enhanced Provision is an onsite additional support unit for children with a variety of severe, complex and enduring additional support needs with a wide range of conditions including: ASD ,ADHD, ODD, cerebral palsy, auditory neuropathy, verbal dyspraxia, selective mutism, gross motor skills, dyspraxia, low muscle tone as well as a variety of social, communication and behavioural issues. The enhanced provision currently supports 27 pupils. Mainstream pupils are also supported on a needs led basis with difficulties such as motor skills, social skills, English as an additional language, elective mutism and a variety of behavioural concerns.

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The pupils of the enhanced provision are all integrated within their mainstream setting to a greater or lesser extent but this is very much dependent on each child’s individual need and or ability. Ballumbie Enhanced Provision has excellent facilities. There is a main active play classroom with enclosed outdoor play area, a soft play room, sensory studio, quiet small group working room, ’ book bug’ room, resources room and life skills kitchen. Currently there are 3 ASN teachers, 7 additional support needs assistant posts and a speech and language therapist 2 days per week. We also have strong links with the physiotherapy department, hearing impairment team, English as a second language and occupational therapy department. Literacy, Numeracy, Health and Wellbeing are core skill development areas for the children and their curriculum is delivered through a combination of the responsive planning initiative and the delivery of an elaborated early level CfE programme. Long term and short term targets are set for children in their Additional Support Plans (ASPs). Discussions where relevant are undertaken with Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists to inform this process. Parents/carers play an integral role in this planning process and are consulted 3 times a year as a minimum. Multi-sensory approaches, technologies and real life learning contexts are central to the work of the enhanced provision. Children are continually encouraged to be as independent as possible in their learning and their personal and social development. SUPPORT FOR LEARNING

As a parent/carer you can access a wide range of information with regard to additional support needs. The information is available both at your local school and on the Dundee City Council website on this internet page http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/education/support/ The following are available for you at the above internet page.

• Assessing Additional Support Needs

• Attending Pupil Support Planning Meetings

• Co-ordinated Support Plan

• Dispute Resolution

• Dispute Resolution Referral Form

• Mediation - Parent to Parent leaflet

• Supporting Learning (Dundee City Council Education Department, Support for Learning Policy)

• Supporting Learning in Dundee This internet link also has many other leaflets on related topics which might be of interest to you. If you cannot access the internet, please ask the school office if you would like a copy of any of these documents. The Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended by the 2009 Act came into force on 15 November 2010. We try to keep all our documents as current as possible and ensure that procedures reflect this. 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:

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a telephone helpline - 0845 123 2303 an email enquiry service - info@enquire.org.uk an online enquiry service two websites - www.enquire.org.uk (for parents/carers and practitioners) and www.enquire.org.uk/yp (for children and young people) Enquire also provide a range of clear and easy-to-read guides and fact sheets explaining everything from 'additional support in the early years' to 'what planning should take place for moving on from school'. Take Note – National Advocacy Service for Additional Support Needs Take Note is a partnership between Barnardo’s Scotland and Scottish Child Law Centre. It is a free of charge advocacy service which provides support for parents and young people from the time they have grounds to make a reference to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland (ASNTS). Advice and information regarding this service can be obtained from the website – www.barnardos.org.uk/takenote or by enquiries to the Scottish Law Centre on 0131 667633.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Enrolment The Education Department places an advertisement in the local press in November/December informing parents of the procedure and timescale for Primary 1 enrolments. Parents seeking a place at Ballumbie P. S. for their child are welcome to visit the school to discuss what we have to offer. Parents of new intake pupils will be given the opportunity to visit the child’s classroom, meet the teacher and see the environment in which he or she will be learning and developing. Parents of children residing in the catchment area wishing to enrol their child for the annual Primary 1 intake may do so at the school office. It is necessary to produce the child’s birth certificate and proof of address. You will be contacted and notified of an informal meeting which usually takes place in May/June at which parents, Head Teacher, Depute Head Teacher and the Primary 1 class teacher, get together to discuss and find out more about the school. The children will also get to spend some time in the P1 class at an arranged time. At this time various school policies on uniform etc. are clearly outlined and parents and children have the opportunity to meet each other. All other requests for admission are dealt with by way of a placing request to the Education Office, Dundee House, North Lindsay Street, Dundee. Parents wishing information not listed here, or clarification of information, can obtain this by contacting the Head Teacher. The School The school caters for pupils from Primary 1 to Primary 7. The Authority gives priority to children resident in the catchment area (Priority 1). Thereafter any available places are given to children residing outwith the catchment area but with brothers or sisters in the school (Priority 2). Finally to other children residing outwith the area (Priority 3).

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Transfer to another Primary School When a child is transferring to another primary school it is necessary for the parent to make a placing request to the Education Office.

Transfer to Secondary Education Primary 7 Ballumbie Primary School pupils transfer to Braeview Academy Berwick Drive Dundee DD4 0NL The Head Teacher is Mrs Brenda Hadcroft. Parents who have a preference for a secondary school other than the one proposed by the authority should make their placing request in writing to the Director of Education, Dundee House, North Lindsay Street, Dundee. A pupil’s school record is forwarded to the secondary school at which a place is allocated.

Visits for Prospective Parents Parents who are considering an application for enrolment at Ballumbie Primary School and would like information about the school, are welcome to telephone the school office on 438617 to arrange an appointment with the Head or Depute Head Teacher. We would be delighted to give you a tour of the school and share our achievements.

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0 Office Hours: The school office is open from 8.45am – 3.30pm. Please help us by making routine calls within office hours. The answering machine is switched on for your convenience when the school office is unmanned, please do leave a message and we will return your call as quickly as possible. Pupil Hours: 9.00am – 12.15pm and 1.15pm – 3.15pm N.B. Primary 1 pupils attend for the morning session for the first three weeks and for the school day after that. At lunchtime pupils are able to come into school for toilets or in an emergency when the help of an adult is required. In extreme weather circumstances the pupils are supervised indoors during the lunchtime period. Planned Closure If for any reason the school has to close the following procedures will be followed: Holidays, In-Service Days Parents will be informed of the holiday dates and in-service closures along with the first newsletter of the session. You will also receive reminders throughout the session. Unplanned Closure Should the school need to be closed due to unforeseen circumstances such

as a heating breakdown or inclement weather Pupils will be allowed home on a controlled basis once it has been established that a responsible adult is present to receive them. In order to help us make any emergency arrangements, it is vital that emergency contact forms are kept up to date as parents will be informed through text messaging. NOTE: Only in extreme circumstances will pupils be dismissed early

without prior notification. If your child is ill every effort will be made to contact you as soon as possible. It is important that you keep the school informed of any medical problem which needs to be brought to the school’s attention. Wet Weather Provision Unfortunately children cannot be allowed into the school building before 9am for health and safety reasons. There is also no-one to supervise children at this time. During inclement weather, children should leave their arrival at school until as close to 9am as possible. During wet intervals, children are supervised indoors and play quiet games or read books and comics provided for them. If the weather is particularly wet at lunchtime the children are supervised in their classrooms. Please note that for security reasons the external doors of the school cannot be opened from the

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outside therefore children cannot be admitted to the building over the lunch period. On these occasions, children going home for lunch should only return at 1.10pm. Uniform and Clothing There is an expectation for all pupils to wear the correct school uniform. This helps us in our aim of encouraging children to take a pride in their appearance and to have respect for their school. School uniform puts every child on an equal footing, no matter what the home circumstances may be. To avoid unnecessary expense, an anorak/jacket is an acceptable alternative to a blazer. School uniforms including ties, jumpers, cardigans and coats are available for purchase from the school office.

BOYS GIRLS

White shirt and school tie (must be worn together) White polo shirt (only on gym days) Blue jumper or sweatshirt Dark grey trousers Blazer or jacket Black shoes/trainers PE - Shorts, T-Shirt, Gym Shoes (white trainers are not permitted)

White shirt and school tie (must be worn together) White polo shirt (only on gym days) Blue jumper, cardigan or sweatshirt Dark grey skirt, pinafore or trousers Blazer or jacket Black shoes/trainers PE - Shorts, T-Shirt, Gym Shoes (white trainers are not permitted)

Please note that football strips are not to be worn.

All items of clothing should be labelled. This assists greatly in recovering lost property. Information on Clothing Grants is available in Appendix 1. Extra Curricular Activities

The school runs a number of sports-based clubs at lunchtimes and after school such as gymnastics, hockey, netball, basketball, athletics and football. A number of teams are chosen from these to represent the school at matches and festivals. In addition we have a wide range of additional clubs such as dance, board games, homework, computer and storytelling clubs.

There is a school choir which performs at school assemblies and shows and community events.

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Positive Behaviour Management Pupils are encouraged to adhere to our agreed school rules in order to promote high standards of behaviour and support a positive school ethos. These are as follows:

- the right to LEARN and the responsibility to TRY OUR BEST - the right to be RESPECTED and the responsibility to SHOW

RESPECT to EVERYONE and EVERYTHING - the right to be SAFE and the responsibility to LOOK AFTER

OTHERS The school’s policy for Positive Behaviour Management is available to parent on request but is also shared regularly through school newsletters. Good behaviour, achievements, effort and enthusiasm are rewarded through regularly praise, a range of certificates and Head Teacher treats. They are also shared regularly at assemblies. Behaviour concerns are dealt with through a range of consequences as detailed in the above policy. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on poor behaviour and supported to make more positive choices in the future. When persistent discipline problem are encountered, parents will be involved in an effort to resolve the matter.

Our approaches to health and wellbeing endeavour to raise the pupils’ self-esteem and create a positive atmosphere. These initiatives help pupils understand the concept of self-esteem and its relevance to behaviour, learning and relationships.

Bullying

The school does not tolerate bullying of any form. The school’s Anti-Bullying Policy, which is reflective of Dundee City Council’s policy, encourages pupils to tell an adult when they are being bullied. Parental support for this policy is essential. Parents should tell their child NOT TO RETALIATE either verbally or physically, but to report any threatening behaviour to an adult. A policy for positive playground behaviour devised by the Senior Management Team and the playground supervisors has been put into action on a similar basis to the classroom management model. Attendance Parents are reminded that they are legally required to ensure that their child attends school regularly. Educationally it is unwise for parents to keep pupils off for any reason other than illness. Unsatisfactory attendance must be investigated to the satisfaction of the Education Department. Parents are asked to indicate as soon as possible the reason for absence either by telephone, personal contact or letter preferably before 9.30am on the first day of absence. If we are not given a reason for absence by any of these methods, we are obliged to record it as unauthorised and information is passed on to the School Community Support Service. Text messaging is used to communicate an

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absence to parents. Parents can reply to this text explaining the reason for the pupil’s absence.

The attendance figures are appended at the end of this booklet. (See appendix 5) It is also important that your child arrives at school on time. If we are concerned about continued lateness a letter will be sent out notifying you of how often your child has been late and the amount of teaching time lost. If late entry to school continues to be an issue the School Community Support Service will be notified and support will be offered. Appointments during school day If your child has to attend an appointment during the school day, e.g. dentist or doctor, the teacher should be informed beforehand. All pupils must be collected from school by an adult and are expected only to be off school for the duration of the appointment. School Meals Meals are cooked daily on the premises. Children wishing a school meal are requested to pay for the week on a Monday, indicating which day or days they wish meals to be provided. Packed lunches may be brought to school. These must be brought in suitable containers and no hot liquids should be carried. Pupils are not permitted to leave the school grounds at lunchtime to go to the shops as we cannot ensure their safety or be responsible for their behaviour. The cost of a school meal is £2.00. Pre-ordering Ballumbie Primary School operates a pre-ordering system where children order their choice of meal in the morning. Pre-orders are collated by 9.30am and therefore children arriving late to school will unfortunately not be able to have a choice of meal. Entitlement to free school meals is detailed in Appendix 1 and application forms are available from the school or the Education Office. These forms should be completed and submitted to the Education Office, Dundee House, North Lindsay Street, Dundee. Soft drinks - Only small plastic bottles should be brought into school. Quenchy cups and other flimsy containers are not suitable as they often leak and may cause damage to clothing, books or school equipment. Please ensure your child’s name is written on the lunch box as many of these boxes are of the same design. There are lunch time supervisors responsible for the children who attend school lunches. During inclement weather children remain in the school building. The Authority does not provide free milk for pupils in any of its schools except where such provision is authorised by medical certificate.

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School and Community Links It is very important that school and parents work together for the benefit of the children, and parents are encouraged to take an interest in all aspects of school. The school maintains contact with parents through such formats as Newsletters, Open Days, Assemblies, Parents Evenings, Primary 1 intake meetings, School Sports and fund raising social events. We have an active Twitter site and share information through the Ballumbie Blog. Our website also provides links to the school Twitter site and the Blog. A Standards and Quality Report is completed annually to provide all stakeholders with a record of our schools progress, achievements and next steps. This gives detailed information on how the school has improved standards for pupils in relation to literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. This is available on request from our school office. The School Improvement Plan currently covers the period 2012 – 2015 and includes the following key priorities:

• Approaches to Learning and Teaching and Assessment

• Developing the Curriculum

• Meeting Pupil Needs

• Leadership

Embedded in these priorities are how we plan to further involve parents in future improvements. Both the pupil and parent councils have an input into this process. Information is also shared through school newsletters. Every child has a diary to aid communication between home and school. The children use the diary to record weekly events and targets. Parents should ensure that they look at it and sign it on a daily basis. All pupils have a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) which allows them to contribute to planning and setting targets for their own learning. Evidence is collated within the PLP to demonstrate pupil progress throughout the year. This is shared with parents four times a year to give them the necessary information in order to support learning at home. Parents are invited to give their child written feedback on progress and achievements. Ballumbie Primary aims to foster positive links between home and school through effective communication and partnership working. We have an open door policy and actively seek the views of parents on the life and work of the school. Should a parent have a concern or complaint, in the first instance they should contact a member of the senior management team at the school in the hope of getting it resolved quickly. We value complaints and use this information learned from them to help improve our service. Should a parent wish to take this further then formal complaints should be put in writing to our Customer Service Team at Dundee House or emailed to customerservices@dundeecity.gov.uk The school has a Parent Council who warmly welcome and encourage parents to participate actively both as members of the Council and helping with events they organise.

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Statement to Parents on Insurance ‘The Authority insures against its legal liability for:

a) Accidental personal injury or b) Loss or damage to property of third parties.

Parents are advised that no insurance is maintained for circumstances in which the Council does not have a legal liability. Parents may wish to consider their own insurance arrangements.’

Parent Council The Parent Council is a group of parents who have been selected in accordance with the Parent Council constitution to represent all the parents of children at our school. Parents of any child at Ballumbie Primary School can seek to be part of the Parent Council. The Parent Council welcome new members at all times. Your support would be appreciated. The aims of the Parent Council are:

• To work in partnership with the school to create a welcoming school which is inclusive to all parents/carers;

• To promote partnership between the school, its pupils and all parents/carers;

• To develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of the pupils;

• To identify and represent the views of parents/carers on the education provided by the school and other matters affecting the education and welfare of the pupils.

Our Parent Council meets approximately once each term and meetings are open to all parents. Should you require more information, please do not hesitate to contact the school or send an email to the Parent Council Chairperson at ballumbie@dundeeparentcouncil.org. Access to Pupil Records ‘The School Pupil Records (Scotland) Regulations 1990 These regulations make provision for granting access by parents and pupils over 16 to manually maintained records held on pupils. Parents and pupils wishing to avail themselves of this service must submit their request in writing to the Head Teacher.

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Child Protection As a school we have a responsibility to act in the best interests of our pupils.

This may mean using our city wide child protection procedures which will involve communicating with other agencies, taking immediate action and recording sensitive information in order to keep your children safe.

If at any time you have child protection concerns about your child or any other child who attends this school, you are encouraged to talk about your concerns with a member of the school staff.

It will also be useful for you to know that in every school, there is a specially trained member of staff who is the school's Designated Child Protection Officer. This person takes a co-ordinating role whenever a child protection concern for a child is reported. In our school, the Designated Child Protection Officers are Mrs Flynn and Mr Gill (tel 438617).

Alternatively, if you do not want to speak to school staff, the number of Dundee City’s child protection line is 307999.

Health Care Ballumbie Primary School is a caring place. If a child becomes ill or has an accident, parents are contacted as soon as possible. (We have emergency contact forms, and these are updated once a session). It is the duty of parents consequently to inform the school if there are changes of address or circumstances. Parents should also inform the school of any specific medical conditions of their child so that a satisfactory standard of care is maintained. The School Health Service provides the support of a school health nurse. Pupils in Primary 1 are seen by the nurse and if necessary she will make referrals to the doctor. In preparation for the move to secondary school a questionnaire from the School Health Trust is sent home for pupils in Primary 7. If it is thought necessary, pupils will be seen by the nurse and any necessary referrals made. Health reviews may also be necessary for children with problems which may affect their education. The school nurse also assists teachers with health promotion at various stages throughout the school year, in line with the curriculum. The school nurse for Ballumbie Primary is based at Whitfield Clinic, Tele: 511105, and is readily available to discuss any aspect of your child’s health. If a child has to attend a clinic or keep a dentist’s/doctor’s appointment during school hours, for safety he/she should be collected from and returned to school. Where possible prior notice should be given to the class teachers.

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Medicines in School Schools are required to operate within Dundee City Council’s framework of guidance with regard to medicines in schools. There is no obligation on school staff to administer medication of any kind to any pupil, and parents are asked to note that routine medicine will not be administered by the school. Parents should as far as possible make arrangements for children to take this medication such as antibiotics, cough bottles, creams/drops etc when at home and should not send them to school. On occasions where pupils require medication to be administered or self administered during the school day, parents should complete the relevant Request Form 4 or 5 at the school office. You must include written guidance from a medical professional (your GP or Specialist). The written guidance on the medication will generally be sufficient. Some pupils carry inhalers for asthma and related illnesses which they self administer at school. It is necessary that parents of pupils who carry inhalers complete form 4 so that an up-to-date record is held for each child carrying an inhaler to school. If a pupil suffers from a chronic illness requiring long term medication or where medication may be required in an emergency situation, parents must be in touch with the school Head Teacher to discuss the situation. On no account should medication be sent to school with a pupil unless this has been agreed in advance with the Head Teacher. Head Lice Head lice infection is a condition which can occur when a person who has head lice has sustained head to head contact with another person. It may be discovered in schools but it is not restricted to children, nor is it necessarily spread by them. It is a problem which is as much a social issue in the community as a health matter, and it can only be controlled by vigilance and appropriate action. You are asked to remember that even if every precaution is taken, it is possible that your child may at some time be infected. You can help by ensuring that you inspect your child’s head at least once every week. Advice about inspection and treatment may be obtained from clinics, doctors and pharmacists. Head Teachers have guidelines about how to manage infection discovered in school. If you are advised that your child is infected, please follow the guidance given by the school. It is important that you do not treat children or other family members unless live head lice (not eggs) are found. Our school nurse is based at Whitfield Clinic and she may be contacted for further advice at Tel: 511105

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BALLUMBIE EARLY YEARS

Location and Description of Premises Two purpose built playrooms which incorporate an outdoor play area. Session times available – 2 year olds – session times are under review and

may change for August 2014 10 morning places – 9.00am – 11.30am 10 afternoon places – 12.45pm – 3.15pm (full time places may be available on application) Session times available – 3-5 year olds - session times are under review and

may change for August 2014 60 morning places - 9.00am - 11.30am 60 afternoon places - 12.45pm- 3.15pm (full time places may be available on application) Staffing: Centre Manager Miss Morag Wilson Assistant Centre Manager Miss Shona Menzies Nursery Teacher Mrs Carly Craig Early Years Practitioners Mrs Dorothy Barclay Mrs June Menzies

Miss Linda Glen Mrs Angie Blacklaw

Miss Lesley Barrett Mrs Louise McMenemy Mrs Vicki Laing Mrs Val Hughes Mrs Michelle Clark

Aims: To provide a structured and stimulating environment where

children learn through play about themselves, other people and the world. We are responsive to children’s needs by providing a child centred curriculum. We encourage parents to actively engage in the life of the nursery.

Who is entitled to use the facilities:

• 2 year old provision

• 3 to 5 year olds, with priority given to those in their pre-school year

• 5 to 12 year olds – after schools provision is available on application How are parents involved? :Parents are expected to stay and settle their child in

initially. Thereafter, there will be regular opportunities throughout each session for parents to join in the fun e.g. Storytelling, Come and Play Days, etc.

Charges: A charge of £2.00 weekly is asked to pay for children’s snacks and gymnastics tuition. Enrolment: Parents wishing to enrol their children for the Nursery Class should contact the school office.

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Please note that the information in this booklet is correct at the time of publication in December 2013. Any changes will be notified to parents in our regular school newsletters

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL Appendix 1

Education Department

To all Parents Basic Information on Benefits Available to School Pupils This leaflet gives brief details of benefits etc, available to pupils. Further details may be obtained from the school office or at the Education Offices whose address is given below. Free School Meals and Milk Nursery - Meals are available for full-time pupils only. Where School snacks are provided in nursery schools and classes, Head Teachers should give details of these including the provision of milk. Parents must clearly understand that such snacks are provided on self financing basis and to cover such costs, a small charge is made to the parent. Free school meals are available to all pupils whose parents are in receipt of Income Support, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Support under Part V1 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Guaranteed Pension Credit, or in receipt of Child Tax Credit only, and have an annual income of less than £15,910 or Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) of below £6420. School Clothing Grants If parents are in receipt of Income Support, Income based Job Seekers Allowance, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Guaranteed Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit and an annual income of less than £15,910, the Authority will consider one application per year for a grant towards the cost of purchasing essential clothing to enable their children, up to the age of 16, to attend school. The school clothing grant payment will be made through BACS transfer into a nominated bank account or paid by cheque. Application forms may be obtained from your child’s school, Main Reception, Dundee House or download from the Council website. Instrumental Tuition Pupils are entitled to free instrumental tuition of their parents are in receipt of a clothing grant and/or free school meals. Alternatively, pupils are exempt from instrumental tuition fees if their parents are in receipt of Income Support, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Income based Job Seekers allowance, support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Guaranteed Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit and an annual income of less than £15,910. Transport The Authority will provide transport for all primary school pupils living over two miles and secondary school pupils living over three miles from their delineated area schools. Where a parent resides less than two miles from the delineated area primary school or

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three miles from the delineated secondary school considers that on grounds of safety the journey to school is unreasonable for his child to undertake, he may apply to the Director of Education for consideration to be given to the provision of transport. This applies only where no suitable public transport is available. Where a pupil is, at the parents’ request, granted a place at a school other than the school proposed by Dundee City Council, the parents have to make their own transport arrangements. Application forms for transport may be had from the school office or the Education Department. ----------------------------------------------------

The Director of Education Dundee City Council Dundee House 50 North Lindsay Street Dundee DD1 1NL Tele: Dundee 434000

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Appendix 2

Transferring Educational Data About Pupils

The Scottish Government and its partners collect and use information about pupils to help to improve education across Scotland. This note explains why we need this information, how we use it and what we do to protect the information supplied to us. Why do we need your data? In order to make the best decisions about how to improve our education service, Scottish Government, education authorities and other partners such as the SQA need accurate, up-to-date data about our pupils. We are keen to help all our pupils do well in all aspects of school life and achieve better examination results. Accurate and up-to-date data allows us to:

• plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of all pupils, • plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of specific groups of pupils, • better understand some of the factors which influence pupil attainment

and achievement, • share good practice, • target resources better.

Data policy Information about pupils’ education is collected through our statistical surveys in partnership between the Scottish Government and Local Authorities through the ScotXed Programme which aims to help schools and Local Authorities by supporting efficient collection, processing and dissemination of statistical information. The Scottish Government then provides analysis of the data to support research, planning, management and monitoring of education services as well as to produce National Statistics publications. Education data within Scottish Government is managed effectively by secure systems and is exploited as a valuable corporate resource, subject to confidentiality restraints. As part of its data policy, Scottish Government will not publish or make publicly available any information that allows individual pupils to be identified, nor will data be used by Scottish Government to take any actions in respect of individuals. Data is held securely and no information on individual pupils can or would be made publicly available by Scottish Government. The individual data collected by Scottish Government is used for statistical and research purposes only. Your data protection rights The collection, transfer, processing and sharing of ScotXed data is done in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). We also comply with the National Statistics Code of Practice requirements and other legislation related to safeguarding the confidentiality of data. The Data Protection Act gives you the right to know how we will use your data. This note can give only a brief description of how we use data. Fuller details of each individual ScotXed survey, including the purpose of each and the published data, can be found on the ScotXed website (www.scotxed.net).

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Scottish Government works with a range of partners including HM Inspectorate of Education, Skills Development Scotland and the SQA. On occasion, , in order to help meet our aim of improving our education system, we may make individual data available to partners and also academic institutions and organisations to carry out additional research and statistical analysis to meet their own official responsibilities. Any sharing of data will be done under the strict control of Scottish Government, and will be consistent with our data policy. This will ensure that no individual level data will be made public as a result of the data sharing and that these data will not be used to take any actions in respect of an individual. Decisions on the sharing of data will be taken in consultation with relevant colleagues and individuals within and outwith Scottish Government. At all times pupils’ rights under the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation will be ensured. Concerns If you have any concerns about the ScotXed data collections you can email the Senior Statistician, Peter Whitehouse, at Peter.Whitehouse@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or write to The ScotXed Support Office, Area 1B, Victoria Quay, Leith, EH6 6QQ. Alternative versions of this page are available, on request from the ScotXed Support Office, in other languages, audio tape, Braille and large print.