DEAN PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

HEADTEACHER COMMUNICATION 2016-17.

Welcome to our end of year newsletter.

I cannot thank the parent population enough for their support and the effort they have put

into helping the school make progress this session. Notable mentions include our new PTA

Chair Nati Smith, Vice Chair Chrissy MacLennan and our new PC Chair Fiona Scott Bell, all of

whom have worked constantly with the school in self-evaluation and delivery of service since

December.

Our school website continues to share lots of good news and galleries of the children’s work.

Please sign up so that you receive these updates outwith Parentmail.

https://deanparkschool.org.uk/

STAFFING

Our staffing complement is remaining the same for next session of 17 classes. We have 23.3

class teachers appointed to the school including the SMT, Nursery Teacher, Support for

Pupils Teacher and covers for non-contact arrangements.

Mrs Harris has been promoted to Bonaly Primary School as Principal Teacher, we are very

excited for Sarah in her new role and are looking forward to working collaboratively with her

in her new school.

Mrs Welsh and Mr Weech are retiring from post at Dean Park and we wish them both a very

long and happy retirement. We hope we can persuade both to work occasionally with us on

supply.

Mrs Martin will be taking up post at Currie High School after the summer and we will miss her

greatly but she has promised to help support our wonderful school choir still on a Thursday.

We thank all of our staff for their hard work this session and wish then all a very happy

summer.

There are no other changes to staff. Miss Milne will carry on in Mrs Thomson cover until she

is well enough to return to service. We hope for this to be January 2018.

The Management Structure for the school next session: -

SMT

2017-18

HT

Rehana Shanks

Whole school strategic

leadership

Community

DHT

Brian Speedie

Learning & Teachinhg

Curriculum

Acting PT

(0.6 fte)

Caroline Hartley

Efficiency

Developmental

PT

Mairi Lawrie

SEAL Champion

Dean Park Counts

Developmental

PT

Mhairi Thomson

P5-7 Lead

Teacher Leadership

Developmental

PT

Janey Ross

P1&2 Lead

Literacy Rich

Developmental

PT

Matt Grieve

Nursery

Eco

Acting PT

(0.6 fte)

Vicky Smith

Health & Wellbeing

Transitions

DHT

Kathryn Wright

ASN & Pastoral

Business

Manager

Pauline Wingate

(T,T)

Business

Manager

Amy Buchanan

(W)

Staff Rep

Lindsay Coull

Substantive PT

Clare Thomson

Pupil Leadership / Voice Leads for 2017-18.

Curriculum Leaders (CLs)

Curriculum Leads

ASL Caroline Hartley

Numeracy Coordinator Austin Lowe

Literacy Coordinator Kathryn Foley

ICT Coordinator Alex Parsley

SEAL Champion Mairi Lawrie

Creativity Sally Gartside

Science Roslyn Campbell

Social Studies TBC

Health & Wellbeing Vicky Smith

1+2 Languages Brian Speedie

Art Torquil Barker

Drama Rehana Shanks

Music Sally Gartside

Fair Trade Sandra Donnan Cluster Literacy Moderation Brian Speedie Cluster Numeracy Moderation Brian Speedie

Faculty Heads

&

Pupil Voice

Eco

Lindsay

Coull

Enterprise

Jackie Sinclair

Pupil Council

Brian Speedie

JRSO

Mairi Lawrie

Health

Vicky Smith

RRSA

Roslyn Campbell

CLASS TEACHERS & CLASS ALLOCATION 2017-18.

P1A Miss Lawrie P1B Mrs Ahmed

P1/2 Ms Ross

P2A Miss Carey P2B Mrs Donnan

P3A Miss Campbell P3B Miss Coull

P4A Miss Milne

P4B Miss Collins P5A Miss Rae

P5B Miss Thomson P5/6 Mrs Foley

P6A Mr Lowe P6B Mrs Gartside

P7A Mr Parsley

P7B Mrs Sinclair P7C Miss McKenna

4A

4B

CLASS ROOMS 2017-18

2A 2B

5/6

1/2 1A

1B 3A

7A

7B 7C

3B

5B

5A

6A

6B

DEAN PARK PS CALENDAR 2017 – 2018 DRAFT DATES

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Term1 (9 weeks)

14 Aug In-service 1 15 Aug In-service 2 16 Aug Pupils Resume 17 Aug 18 Aug

21 Aug P1 Full Time 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug

28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Aug 1 Sept

4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept

11 Sept 12 Sept 13 Sept 14 Sept 15 Sept Targets out

18 Sept Holiday 19 Sept 20 Sept 21 Sept 22 Sept

25 Sept 26 Sept 27 Sept 28 Sept 29 Sept

2 Oct* 3 Oct 4 Oct 5 Oct 6 Oct

9 Oct 10 Oct 11 Oct 12 Oct 13 Oct

Holiday Mon 16 – Fri 20 Oct

Term2 (9 weeks)

23 Oct In-service 3 24 Oct Pupils Resume 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct

30 Oct 31 Oct 1 Nov 2 Nov 3 Nov

K

6 Nov 7 Nov 8 Nov 9 Nov 10 Nov

13 Nov 14 Nov 15 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov

20 Nov* 21 Nov 22 Nov 23 Nov 24 Nov Report 1 Out

27 Nov 28 Nov 29 Nov P evening 30 Nov P twilight 1 Dec

4 Dec* 5 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec

11 Dec 12 Dec 13 Dec

14 Dec 15 Dec Nativity

18 Dec P7 party pm

19 Dec P5 am P6pm 20 Dec P3am P4pm 21 Dec P2am P1pm 22 Dec Church Service End term

Holiday Mon 25 Dec – Fri 5 Jan

Term 3 (11 Weeks)

8 Jan In-service 4 9 Jan Pupils Resume 10 Jan 11 Jan 12 Jan

15 Jan 16 Jan 17 Jan 18 Jan 19 Jan

22 Jan* 23 Jan 24 Jan 25 Jan P1/2 Burns 26 Jan P3/4Burns

29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Jan 1 Feb 2 Feb P5-7 Burns

5 Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9 Feb Burns I&S

Holiday Mon 12 Feb – Fri 16 Feb

19 Feb All Resume 20 Feb 21 Feb 22 Feb 23 Feb

26 Feb* 27 Feb 28 Feb 1 Mar 2 Mar

5 Mar 6 Mar 7 Mar 8 Mar 9 Mar Report 2

12 Mar 13 Mar 14 Mar 15 Mar 16 Mar

19 Mar* 20 Mar 21 Mar 22 Mar 23 Mar

26 Mar 27 Mar 28 Mar 29 Mar End of term 30 Mar

Holiday 30 Mar – 13 April

Term4 (11 weeks)

16 Apr

17 Apr All Resume 18 Apr 19 Apr 20 Apr

23 Apr 24 Apr

HT NIF

25 Apr 26 Apr 27 Apr

30 April P6 Camp 1 May P6 Camp 2 May P6 Camp 3 May P6 Camp 4 May P6 Camp

7 May Holiday 8 May In-service 5

WSM7

9 May Pupils Resume 10 May 11 May

14 May 15 May 16 May P evening 17 May P twilight 18 May P3/4Sports

21 May Holiday 22 May All Resume 23 May 24 May 25 May P5-7 Sports

28 May* 29 May 30 May 31 June 1 June P1/2 Sports

4 June 5 June

e

6 June

7 June

8 June

11 June* 12 June 13 June 14 June

15 June Report3

18 June 19 June P7 trans

20 June P7 trans

21 June P7 trans

22 June

25 June*

26 June 27 June 28 June 29 June End of term

In June 2017 the Head Girl and Head Boy, Zoe Ward and Robert Barker, were asked to

prepare and deliver a short presentation to new P1 parents. The presentation, which they

prepared without any help from their teachers was insightful, articulate and engaging.

Robert and Zoe gave this definition of what the 4 capacities of CfE means to them:

• Effective Contributors

The requirements of this are working well and

including other members in your team or group.

• Responsible Citizens

Taking responsibility for your actions, respecting others

and participating.

• Successful Learners

Determination to achieve, to be able to use Maths and

English skills and apply them to everyday life and to use

technology as a source of learning.

• Confident Individuals

Self-respect, as sense of mental and physical wellbeing,

secure values and beliefs and ambition to do well.

A Pupils’ View of the 4 Capacities

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Parents are asked to co-operate with the school in encouraging the wearing of the school

uniform. It incorporates a range of popular items of dress, e.g. sweatshirts and polo -shirts.

Wearing school uniform contributes to a positive school ethos and helps avoid discrimination

and reduces peer pressure to wear expensive designer clothing. It encourages our children to

be proud of their school and develops a strong sense of belonging.

A school’s reputation can also be enhanced in the local community by the wearing of school

uniform and school security will be improved as it will be easier to identify intruders.

School trousers and skirts should be grey, summer dresses are blue, shoes should be

preferably black. No children should wear makeup or nail polish, jewellery is limited to stud

earrings, watches and removable rings. We do not encourage any jewellery for health and

safety reasons. Long hair should be tied back at school for health and safety reasons.

School Uniform Ordering

Orders for new school uniform with the Dean Park logo may be placed using the Online

Ordering System, via the school website. For those who do not have internet access, a

Uniform Order Form can be obtained from the school office. Orders usually take two to three

weeks to be despatched, however this may increase during traditional busy periods. New

school ties, blazer badges and water bottles can be purchased from the Dean Park Thrift Shop.

https://deanpark.imagescotland.com/

Thrift Shop

Good quality second hand uniform and accessories such as jackets, sportswear and school

bags, can be purchased from the Dean Park Thrift Shop. Details of opening hours are on the

school website. The Thrift shop will be open on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th August 2018.

https://deanparkschool.org.uk/pta/school-uniform/uniform-thrift-shop/

PE and Active Wednesday/Friday

All pupils are required to change for PE and the appropriate clothing and footwear for PE

should be worn. These are necessary for health and safety reasons and your co-operation is

requested to ensure that pupils are equipped to participate in the PE lessons.

The children take part in Active Wednesday and Active Friday. On these days the children are

permitted to attend school in dark jogging bottoms and trainers. They are still expected to

wear their school sweatshirt and polo shirt.

Please help us by ensuring that pupils do not bring valuable or expensive items of clothing to

school and that clothes are labelled. Thank you.

Classes celebrating success 2016-17, some highlights:

We say good-bye to our P7s and wish them well on their on-going educational journey on

Friday 30th June 2017. They will be missed and P6 do have big shoes to fill but after watching

their enterprise with their own fundraising project in the community for Sick Kids, I am sure

they will raise the bar even higher. I look forward to them leading the school.

I will continue to offer morning surgeries each morning from 8:30am to 9:00am if you wish

to discuss anything please drop in. You will be more than welcome. If I can’t see you then

one of my Senior Team Colleagues will be more than happy to help.

The school will be a building site this summer with new windows in B and A blocks (infant

end of the school) and Toilets being refurbished in P2. Also the Playground Self Evaluation

which the PTA did of the playground, the works will hopefully be undertaken but are

dependent on the building works. The PC continue to work with City of Edinburgh Council

on the Local Development Plans, please look to their future newsletters for details of this

work. Additional classrooms are planned to be built at DPPS and a consultative group with

parents is in existence. We will update with information once we have it.

There will be a breakfast club in the school starting the first Wednesday back to school.

Parents who have expressed an interest will hear directly about this via Parentmail.

Our key focuses for improvement continue to be in line with the National Improvement

Framework: Literacy and Numeracy attainment and Health and Wellbeing. I will expand

more fully in August in our parents Standards Quality and Improvement Plan.

I hope you have a restful summer and look forward to welcoming all children back to

school on Wednesday 16th August.

Yours with every kind wish, Rehana Shanks - Headteacher.