Welcome toDalry Primary School

A BOOKLET FOR PARENTS

AND

CHILDREN TO SHARE

Grant GilliesHead Teacher

Dalry Primary SchoolDalry Road,EdinburghEH11 2JB

Telephone: 0131 337 6086 Fax: 0131 337 3798

Email: admin@dalry.edin.sch.ukWebsite: www.dalry.edin.sch.uk

We see children as the true wealth of our nation. We value the partnership between home and school which puts your child, our pupil at the heart of our thinking. We believe that children deserve the very best we can all provide in order to allow them to develop to their full potential. To achieve this success, it is necessary to sustain an ethos where children can flourish in a school which values their individual needs and provides them with the tools to make a genuine success of their future lives.

SCHOOLSCHOOL INFORMATIONINFORMATION

SCHOOL MISSIONSCHOOL MISSION STATEMENTSTATEMENT

The staff at Dalry are committed to providing a caring and nurturing environment in which every child feels secure, confident and valued. We are committed to the development of an inclusive ethos in which each individual is valued and encouraged to reach their full potential emotionally, socially and intellectually. To achieve these aims the school actively promotes the partnership of school and home in order to provide a balanced educational programme that reflects the needs of our community.

We aim to create a school climate which values and celebrates improvement.

We aim to create a warm, welcoming ordered learning environment which strives to meet the needs of its members and raises their self-esteem.

We aim to have an ethos where teachers can teach and pupils can learn, where we are continually looking towards new frontiers in teaching and learning.

We aim to have a school where all staff can enjoy the benefits of a CPD scheme which gives them access to professional development.

We aim to promote a self-supporting clan which values individual diversity and makes a contribution to the enrichment of our world through multicultural links.

We aim to provide a challenging academic climate which drives up our standards of education and celebrates achievement, encourages success where individuals take responsibility and a pride in their own learning.

At Dalry we value people. We value their individuality, their differences and the contribution this makes to the richness of our country, our city, our community and our Clan. Together we want

SCHOOL AIMSSCHOOL AIMS

AIMSAIMS

VALUESVALUES

to see our Dalry Clan grow and flourish and to take strength and knowledge from each other.

At Dalry we value the relationship and partnership we have with our children. One day when we are all much older we will rely on the youth of today. We actively encourage our children to not only make decisions about their own lives but also about the life of their school. This may be informally with the adults in school suggesting improvements, recommending resources or through formal systems such as our school ECO Committee, the Pupil Council, Reading Buddies, Buddies, Health and Being Committee etc. Over the years our pupil voice has transformed our school for the better and we rely on these new ideas so that we can push on to new frontiers.

Dalry is fortunate to enjoy pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures and countries. We are proud of the multicultural nature of our school and community and actively promote an ethos which values the contribution this can make to all our lives.

Pupil Voice Pupil Voice

THE SCHOOL INTHE SCHOOL IN CONTEXTCONTEXT

The school was built circa 1876 and serves the local community of Dalry in the West of Edinburgh. We are a non-denominational co-educational Primary School catering for pupils from Primary 1 to Primary 7.

The school has twelve large primary classrooms in addition to an English as Additional Language base, Learning Support base, Art Room, Music Room, ICT Room and a School Library. In addition to this we have a Nursery which comprises of one full-time Nursery Teacher and four Early Year Practitioners, two Pupil Support Assistants and a Nursery Administrator. The nursery offers part-time places for children of 3 and 4 years old, either morning or afternoon five days per week, subject to meeting City of Edinburgh Council criteria.

We also have a large P.E. Hall and an external Dining Room that can be reached from the playground. In addition to the class teachers we also enjoy the support of a part-time Swimming Specialist, P.E. Specialist, Instrument Teacher, Music Specialist, English as Additional Language Teachers, Support for Learning Teacher, Urdu Teacher, Polish Teacher, Arabic Teacher, Bengali Teacher and Bi-lingual Support Assistants.

Our current School Support Staff comprises of a full-time School Administrator, part-time Clerical Assistant, Pupil Support Assistants, Playground Supervisors and a Service Support Officer.The school has one Head Teacher, one Deputy Head Teacher, one Business Manager and one Principal Teacher.

Finally we have hundreds of wonderful, curious, industrious children who with your help we will turn in to wonderful, curious, industrious adults.

INTRODUCTION /INTRODUCTION / WELCOMEWELCOME

We would like to warmly welcome you and your child to Dalry Primary School and hope that your association with the school will be a happy and profitable one for you, your child and the school.

We aim to create a happy, caring, ordered community in which each child can achieve their full potential. We want your child to enjoy the best opportunities possible so that they not only cope but also thrive during their years with us and that they are well prepared for life beyond these walls. Central to this aim is the promotion of a caring ethos in which your child feels valued and is encouraged to develop their intellectual and social skills in a community which is friendly and secure.

In pursuit of these aims we value the effective partnership of school and home. We welcome your active involvement in the life of our little community where you can achieve the best for your child and we can achieve the best for our pupils. We look forward to getting to know you and your child and please remember that our door is always open when you call into school.

The school day begins at 8.50am. Please help us to help your child by remembering that. It’s important that your son or daughter arrives on time so that he/she doesn’t miss instructions or information about the work in his/her group. On wet or cold days it is best not to arrive until a few minutes before bell time to avoid being wet or chilled. We have a free breakfast club which opens at 7:50am where ALL children are welcome. Please also be on time when you collect your child at the end of the day. Children often worry and become upset when they think they’ve been left behind. If you are unavoidably late then please telephone the school so that your child will not worry. Our Library is open to all parents who collect their child from school and borrow a book until 4.00pm.

THE SCHOOL DAYTHE SCHOOL DAY

If your child is not attending school then please let us know. If your child has not turned up for school we will text or call you until we get an answer.

The normal school hours for our children are as follows:-Days Classes Time

Monday-Friday

Nursery Morning OnlyNursery Afternoon Only

8:30am – 11:40am12:20pm – 3:30pm

Days Classes Morning AfternoonMonday-Thursday

Primary 1 & Primary 2 8:50am-12:00 noon

1:15pm-3:07pm

Monday-Thursday

Primary 3-Primary 7 8:50am-12:30pm 1:15pm-3:15pm

FRIDAY AM ONLY

Primary 1 – Primary 7 8:50am -12:27pm CLOSED PM

Morning playtime is from 10:35am - 10:50am each day.

Our playground is currently split into three areas:-

Cathcart Playground Primary 2 – Primary 7children

Quiet gardenplayground

Springwell Playground

Primary 4 – Primary 7 children

Football playground

Front Playground Primary 1 and Nursery children

These playgrounds are supported by all our Playground Supervisors, Pupil Support Assistants, approved students, approved volunteers, Miss Kelly and Mr Gillies who are on duty and will deal with minor worries, first aid and security.

PLAYTIMES PLAYTIMES

On very wet days children are supervised in class where they can watch TV or play quiet board games supervised by staff.

School uniform is expected. It is essential that children are sent to school suitably dressed, taking into account the weather conditions. We also hope that children are smartly dressed in comfortable clothing. School uniform is expected, and consists of a warm waterproof jacket, black/grey/blue skirt or trousers, white or blue shirt/blouse, black/blue/grey pullover, school sweatshirt and polo shirt. Our school colours are blue and we have a full range of school clothes with our traditional school badge. School uniform order forms will be sent out to all parents termly.

The City of Edinburgh Council can provide children from low income families with assistance towards the purchase of school clothing subject to certain criteria. Forms can be obtained from the School Office or alternatively from School Grants, Awards and Placements Waverley Court, Level 1/1, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel: 0131 469 3471

Please make sure all your child’s clothing has their name clearly marked on it - especially gym kit! Children often find difficulty

UNIFORMUNIFORM

Name

recognising their own clothing and gym shoes- we can easily help when clothing is named. P.E. is an essential and enjoyable part of the curriculum for children. Please provide shorts, tee shirt and soft-shoes (elastic sided are easier for children to manage initially). Please remember to take these home every week to wash.

FOOTBALL TOPS - We are opposed to these being worn in school and remind families to keep these for out of school activities. Thanks.

If your child should become ill or have an accident we will get in touch with you as soon as we can. If you are unavailable we will use your emergency contact. Please help by letting us know when these telephone numbers change.

If your child is not attending school then please let us know. If your child has not turned up for school we will text or call you until we get an answer.

Please don’t send a child who may be sick to school - even if “they want to come”. Our resources for looking after ill children are very limited.

If you are taking your child out of school during term time please state clearly in writing the timings and reasons. We actively discourage time out of school unless the purpose is for education, culture or a family emergency.

ILLNESS &ILLNESS & ACCIDENTSACCIDENTS

While we love to see your child’s favourite storybook, drawings and ‘works of art’ they’ve made at home, please discourage them from bringing precious or valuable playthings to school. In a busy classroom it’s impossible to keep track of special, expensive toys which may end up lost or broken

We often take children on outings that link with their work in school. You will receive a letter with details of the planned visit in advance and may be asked to contribute to the costs in order to enable your child to take part however we always try our best to keep the costs low.

Meetings are held twice yearly usually in Autumn and January and you’ll be able to meet your child’s teacher to discuss their progress. Of course, if you have a concern don’t wait until then – contact the school to make an appointment.

There will also be opportunities to find out about the school’s curriculum, which concentrates on specific areas, e.g. Maths and Reading

BelongingsBelongings

EDUCATIONALEDUCATIONAL OUTINGS OUTINGS

PARENTS’ MEETINGSPARENTS’ MEETINGS

Paid lunches are available in school at a cost of £1.95 per day (subject to review) which must be paid for by Thursday morning. Unfortunately if you miss the Thursday deadline then you cannot order a lunch for the following week and you must provide your child with a packed lunch or make arrangements for a home lunch. P1 – P3 pupils all get a free lunch. Lunch menus are given to children to make their choices for the following week. Menu choices should also be returned to school every Thursday morning.

Please help us by putting the exact money in an envelope marked with your child’s name and class and the days that they intend to have school lunch. Lunch consists of a two course cooked meal or a packed lunch - a choice is normally available. Lots of children however bring their own packed lunch to eat in our Dinner Hall.

Milk is available at a current cost of 15p per carton (subject to review). We operate a system where milk is ordered and paid for in advance however we will let you know when these dates are. The Council can provide children from low income families with free school meals and milk subject to certain criteria. Forms can be obtained from the School Office or alternatively from:

School Grants, Awards and Placements,Waverley Court,

Level 1/1, 4 East Market Street,Edinburgh EH8 8BGTel: 0131 469 3471

LUNCHESLUNCHES

We have a Parent Council called “Friends of Dalry” who meet regularly. We are always encouraging new members to join……..if

you are interested please speak with Mrs Howden in the School Office.

Reading must be a fun activity; we want our children to have a life long love affair with Literature. Sharing stories should always be a happy, warm experience. Through it you are introducing your child to the world of books. Find somewhere nice to sit together away from distractions and enjoy.

Talking to them about the story and pictures, encouraging them to turn the pages carefully, showing them how words go from left to right, helping them to recognise their names all help them feel at home with the printed word and encourage them to care for books.If you are anxious about any aspect of your child’s reading then please, please don’t let them know, talk to the teacher first. Confidence in reading is a delicate bloom that needs careful nurturing in order to blossom to its fullness and any cold wind of criticism can easily destroy the early shoots of promise.

We have a super wee booklet on how to do “Paired Reading” which is available from the school and takes the worry out of “hearing” reading at h

ParentParent Council/Friends ofCouncil/Friends of

DalryDalry

Reading

How we teachHow we teach

“Assessment is for Learning” is about “HOW do we teach in Scotland”. All schools have had to change in order to help children meet the challenges of a modern world economy. Central to this is the aim for children to be prepared to take more responsibility for the decision making in their lives. In the future it is predicted that children on average will have twenty three different jobs in their working life. The old certainties of employment have gone forever, there are no jobs for life. Your child, our pupil, will compete for jobs and money in a global market. In order for us to prepare the children we need them to be independent, critical, reflective learners. Then they can look at their own skills, knowledge and experience in order to adapt to the changing needs of a market driven economy.

Schools are trying to achieve a place where everybody is learning together. To do this we are all involved in the Assessment of Learning, the Assessment for learning and the Assessment as Learning.

The ultimate aim for all Scottish Schools is to encourage the development of well rounded human beings who can make a valued contribution to our society. We are clear that we are on a journey towards producing successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

Where we are teaching towardsWhere we are teaching towards

““Where are we Going?" – the EducationWhere are we Going?" – the Education JourneyJourney

Our pupils follow a carefully planned curriculum based on the Curriculum for Excellence and tailored to the needs of our children. The main areas of the curriculum are Health and Well Being (including PE); Languages (including Modern Languages and Gaelic); Mathematics; Social Subjects; Science; Technologies: The Expressive Arts (including Modern languages and Gaelic); Religious and Moral Education.

Aspects of the curriculum will be reported to parents annually and if you would like to discuss your child’s progress or their attainment please feel free to make an appointment to talk to their teacher.We are always seeking to challenge our pupil’s achievement and to push on to new frontiers of success.

As stated in our school values, we aim to achieve an ethos of tolerance, harmony in an atmosphere where pupils can learn and teachers can teach.

To promote these aims the school has adopted a positive attitude towards discipline. Throughout the school we have an agreed set of rules which are reinforced by the staff through praise, awards and by recognising and rewarding good behaviour. These rules also have a hierarchy of consequences which are implemented when a pupil chooses not to follow our agreed rules. When your child starts at Dalry the Teacher will talk over our set of rules and we have enclosed a copy of our golden rules so you can discuss them with your child.

Again the children will be aware of the agreed rules, rewards and consequences which we are convinced will create an atmosphere in which students self \esteem can flourish. We aim to have a school where teachers can teach and pupils can learn in an atmosphere free for disruption.

“What do we“What do we Teach?”Teach?”

Each classroom has a copy of our Golden Set of Rules with the rewards and consequences. At the beginning of each year the teacher and the class will talk over our set of rules, which helps promote good order and discipline. These rules will be posted on the classroom walls for all to see. We seek your help in supporting these aims and we actively support the partnership between home and school as we know this is the best foundation for your child to succeed at school.

DALRY WHOLE SCHOOL GOLDEN RULES

Do be kind and helpful Do not hurt people’s feelingsDo work hard Do not waste your or other people’s

timeDo look after property Do not waste or damage thingsDo listen to people Do not interruptDo be honest Do not cover up the truth

The whole school positive behaviour policy is very important to us and it will be reviewed this year as a part of the whole school

Clan system. As families we work together and we can make sure Dalry continues to be a happy and safe school.

SCHOOL GOLDENSCHOOL GOLDEN RULESRULES

Clan!Clan!

We always hope to resolve any complaints locally here in school however if you wish to raise a concern with the Education Service, the first person to approach will normally be the Head Teacher of your school. If however you remain dissatisfied, you can make a complaint through the Advice and Conciliation Service.

The Advice and Conciliation Service provides a Helpline during office hours to advise you on how to take further action. You may be asked to put your complaint in writing addressed to: -

Principal OfficerAdvice and Conciliation Service

City of Edinburgh CouncilWaverley Court, Level 1/2,

4 East Market StreetEdinburgh EH8 8BGTel: 0131 469 3233Fax: 0131 529 6212

A written acknowledgement will be sent promptly if your complaint has been received in writing. Following the investigation of your complaint, a full reply will be sent as quickly as possible. This will tell you the outcome of your complaint.

It will explain the conclusion, the reasons for it, any action taken or proposed, and any further action you may take if you remain dissatisfied.

ACCURACY OF INFORMATION

The information contained in this Booklet is accurate at the time of compilation, but it is subject to changes in roll, staffing and resources in future years.

COMPLAINTS