Introduction

The information contained within this booklet is intended to give parents of new and prospective pupils a picture of West Barns School. It is hoped that it will be found both interesting and informative, and will help towards mutual understanding and co-operation between the staff of the school and the parents.

Please note that staffing is subject to change, since personnel may vary from year to year.

The present school building came into use in 1972 and serves West Barns village and its surrounding area including Belhaven, Tynefield and into the Lammermuir Hills up to the Halls, with many pupils coming from the nearby town of Dunbar.

The school building overlooks the John Muir Country Park and the Firth of Forth.

The building is on three floors; the lower ground floor housing P1-P3 in two classrooms; the ground floor containing the administration offices, staffroom, the school hall/dining area and adjoining resource area, with stage, and kitchen; the upper floor caters for P4-P7 in two classrooms, with a computer suite between.

The school is set in a large grass play area, with its own seven-a-side football pitch, and a tarmac netball pitch.

West Barns School is co-educational and non-denominational providing education for children from approximately three to twelve years old. At the present time there are 92 pupils in four composite classes i.e. P1/2, P3/4, P4/5, P5/6/7, with 11 children in the Nursery Pre-School, and 6 three year olds.

When year groups are required to be split, as in the case of e.g. P2/3/4 and P4/5, it is the policy of the school to do so by age, the older children join the year ahead, and the younger pupils join the year behind, but as in all classes, the pupils are taught at the level of attainment they have reached.

The school day begins at 8.50. There is a morning interval from 10.30 until 10.45 when the pupils play in the grounds. T

For pupils in P1-P2, their school day finishes at 14.50 Monday to Thursday and 12.25 on Friday.

For pupils in P3-P7, their school day finishes at 15.30 Monday to Thursday and 12.25 on Friday.

Pre-School Nursery begins at 08.45 until 11.55, Monday to Wednesday and 08.45 until 11.45 on Thursday.

The Nursery sessions for three year olds are 13.00 until 15.30 Monday to Thursday & 08.50 until 11.20 on a Friday.

The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 amended the definition of “parent” in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to “ Parent includes guardian and any person who is liable to maintain or has parental responsibilities in relation to, or has care of, a child or young person”.

Effective communication between school and parents is vital. This can sometimes be difficult when parents separate or divorce. If parents are separated or a divorce was granted after November 1996 both parents will retain parental responsibilities, unless the court has specifically removed those responsibilities. In relation to placing requests, appeals against certain educational decisions and access to pupils’ records both parents will normally have equal rights. Even if a divorce was granted prior to November 1996 the parent without custody may not have lost all rights to information and to be involved in decision making. The above definition may also give others rights.

Schools will therefore request the names and addresses of both parents at the time of enrolment and at the annual update of data. The parent(s) with whom the pupil resides will automatically receive all communications from the school. If the a parent lives away from the family home they will, when the school is informed of their address, receive a Recorded Delivery letter enquiring whether or not they wish to receive information about their child’s education. If no reply is received it will be assumed they do not wish to be kept informed and there will be no further communication unless a request for information is subsequently received. If they wish to be kept informed they will receive copies of all communications regarding the pupil including copies of reports and notification of Parents’ Meetings. The parent with whom the pupil resides will be informed that this happening

The school is dependent on the parent with whom the pupil resides supplying the appropriate information i.e. the address of the parent not living in the family home, details of Court proceedings prohibiting that parent’s involvement in the child’s education or any other relevant documentation.

Parents/Guardians should note that children can only be collected from school by the parent. If someone else is to collect the child the school should be informed in advance.

Education authorities and the Scottish Government Education Department (SGED) collected data about pupils on paper forms for many years. We now work together with schools to transfer data electronically through the ScotXed programme. Thus SGED has two functions: acting as a ‘hub’ for supporting data exchange within the education system in Scotland and the analysis of data for statistical purposes within the Scottish Government itself.

Data on each pupil is collected by local authorities and SGED. The data collected and transferred covers areas such as date of birth, Scottish Candidate Number (SCN), postcode, registration for free-school meals, whether a pupil is looked after by his/her local authority, additional support needs including disability and English as an Additional Language (EAL), and attendance, absence and exclusions from school. The SCN acts as the unique pupil identifier. Pupil names and addresses are not passed to SGED. Your postcode is the only part of your address that is transferred for statistical purposes, and postcodes are grouped to identify ‘localities’ rather than specific addresses. Dates of birth are passed on as ‘month and year’ only, again to ensure that individuals are never identified. Data is held securely and no information on individual pupils can or would be published by SGED.

Providing national identity and ethnic background data is entirely voluntary. You can choose the ‘not disclosed’ option if you do not want to provide this data. However, we hope that the explanations contained in this message and on our website will help you understand the importance of providing the data.

In order to make the best decisions about how to improve our education service, SGED, education authorities and other partners such as the SQA and Careers Scotland 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 exam results. Accurate and up-to-date data allows us to:

· plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of specific groups of pupils,

· better understand some of the factors that influence pupil attainment and achievement,

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 message can give only a brief description of how we use data. Fuller details of the uses of pupil data can be found on the ScotXed website (www.scotxed.net).

SGED works with a range of partners, including HM Inspectorate of Education and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. On occasion, we will make individual data available to partners and also academic institutions to carry out research and statistical analysis. In addition, we will provide our partners with information they need in order to fulfil their official responsibilities. Any sharing of data will be done under the strict control of SGED, which 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 colleagues within and outwith SGED.

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, SGED, 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.

Parents are very welcome at all times, but a telephone call is advisable when wishing to arrange an appointment to speak to the Head Teacher or any of the staff, or in the case of new parents wishing to arrange a tour of the school.

Parents of the new August intake will be invited to visit the school in the summer term to talk to the P1 teacher and the Head Teacher.

Schools can call on professionals from a number of different agencies/services for help and advice. These include Educational Psychologists, Outreach Teachers, Officers within the Inclusion and Equality Division, School Doctor, School Nurse, Careers Advisor, Social Worker and Integration Team Worker. Formal referral to any of these agencies/services would only take place with the consent of parents/guardians. There will however be occasions when issues may be discussed in confidence without formal referral and therefore without such consent. If parents are concerned about this they should contact the school for further information.

In Secondary Schools individual pupils may be discussed at the School Liaison Group. This is attended by representatives from the school, Community Child Health, Community Development, Education Welfare Service, Psychological Services, Integration Team and Children’s Services. The meeting considers strategies to help pupils having difficulties in school. All matters discussed in these meetings are understood to be strictly confidential. Parents are not invited to these meetings in every secondary school.

There are books published by the SCCC which give parents a guide to the 5-14 Curriculum which forms the core of the work the pupils do in school. There is also a video. The books are called 'Your Child Learning 1 and 2 '. Number 1 deals with the primary school and 2 with the secondary. Both the books and the video are available to parents on loan.

Information regarding the Scottish Curriculum can be found at www.ltscotland.or.uk

to promote the highest standards of achievement, through programmes which enable all pupils to realise their full potential as individuals, and to develop the values needed to become full members of society;

to provide equality of opportunity for all pupils, regardless of gender, racial or cultural background, by identifying and removing barriers to achievement, and programmes which are appropriate to the needs of the pupils;

to provide a broad education through a balanced curriculum covering essential learning areas with high levels of competence in basic literacy and numeracy, social subjects, science and technology;

to provide a sound foundation in the early years for future learning and achievement through programmes which include support for parents in their vital role as their child’s first teacher;

to encourage pupils to become independent and life-long learners by providing programmes which will develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to be successful in the modern, ever-changing world;

· to ensure good health in all pupils through strategies which promote physical, and mental well being and self-esteem;

· to maintain and improve the quality of educational experiences for pupils through a programme of continuing professional development for all staff.

The areas in the primary school curriculum are: Language, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Religious and Moral Education, Personal and Social Development, as well as extra-curricular and recreational activities.

Learning in the school is based on a range of strategies, including investigating, problem-solving and discussion, in addition to the exposition by the teacher (or "direct teaching methods") and often involves activities using a wide variety of materials. Each child will be assessed to determine his or her level of work. Group and individual methods will form the basis of the teaching in order that the curriculum can be tailored as far as possible to fit the needs of the child.

Each year the school produces a Development Plan which details areas of development within the school curriculum.

The development of each child's language is pursued through an integrated programme of language work involving listening, speaking, reading and writing. Early reading material is based on the child's own natural language, progressing through a graded reading programme.

To this is linked the child's writing combined with speaking and listening. Later on the child pursues his/her reading through appropriate fiction and non-fiction material. He/she also learns skills of comprehension and reference to help him/her understand more of what he/she reads and to assist him/her in finding information. Along with reading will develop the necessary knowledge and skills of spelling, punctuation, language structure, and handwriting, each at a level appropriate to the child's needs.

Writing will form an important part of this development and the child will follow a programme which will start with simple stories, scribed by the teacher, and move on through different and more complex forms of writing activities.

Much emphasis will be laid on speaking and listening with a programme which will include such activities as discussion and Drama.

In West Barns School mathematics is viewed as a problem-solving activity supported by a body of knowledge, which will enable our pupils to understand the world about them, and equip them with the mathematical knowledge and understanding, and numerical skills which they will require in life and for future studies.

We aim to offer all our pupils, from the most able to the least, a mathematics curriculum which is stimulating, challenging, progressive, relevant and enjoyable.

As in other aspects of the curriculum, Mathematics follows the 5-14 guidelines to set its attainment outcomes which are reached through a structured course which includes opportunities for discussion between the pupil and teacher, and among pupils themselves; appropriate practical work; practice and consolidation of fundamental skills and routines; problem solving; the use of calculators and computers; investigational work, and the application of mathematics to everyday situations.

In order to take account of the differences in ability and attainment which can exist among children of the same age, efforts are made to match the pace and level of work to suit individual children.

Literacy and Numeracy have been designated by the Scottish Office and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate as curriculum areas in which attainment has to be improved within schools. To that end they have initiated Target Setting for Language (Reading & Writing) and Mathematics.

Performance in National Assessments is tracked within the school using a database and there is a good level of dialogue between Head Teacher, Principal Teacher and class teachers about the progress of the pupils.

Care should be taken in drawing conclusions from the raw data as the school population in relationship to class size varies from year to year, and there can be distortion to the overall trend when the class size can mean that one pupil accounts for 10% of that class.

P3, P4, P6 and P7 only are taken into account in these figures and show the percentage of children attaining or exceeding national test levels for their stage.

We will be setting targets in Language and Mathematics over a three-year period which takes account of the performance over time. This, we hope, will have the effect of giving a more realistic picture of attainment by flattening the peaks and troughs of differing abilities in year groups.

Environmental Studies sets out to develop in the child an awareness and understanding of his/her environment in terms of himself/herself, the part he/she plays, can and will play as a member of society.

The work, which the child will undertake, is split into the five components of Science, Social Subjects, Technology, Health Education and Information Technology, which is balanced to give historical, geographical and scientific perspectives.

Much of the work which is done is based on first-hand experience, involves activity and experiment, and is designed to promote understanding rather than merely remembering.

In order that the child has first-hand experience of as many varied environments as possible from which to draw to aid him/her in his/her interpretation of the wider world, parts of this course may involve study outwith school.

Parents are asked to sign a consent form at the beginning of the session for educational visits but will be notified when these are to take place. East Lothian Council insures the children. School policy in regard to transport costs on these occasions is one half from school funds, and one half from the parents. Should a parent feel that he/she cannot meet their part of the cost, a visit or phone call to the Head Teacher will allow for some accommodation to be made.

The school utilises Information Technology to a great extent. There are computers and an interactive whiteboard in each classroom, with P5-P7 sharing a computer suite containing a range of computers and facilities.

The school has been connected to the ‘Internet’ for the past nine years and has its own website, which is constantly updated with children’s work. Each of the Infant classrooms has at least two computers, as does the Nursery.

As well as the provision of computers the children have access to a digital camera, digital video camera, scanner, desktop word processors, listening centres, video camera, programmable toys, tape and CD players.

All components of the curriculum have software backup in the forms of tapes (e.g. Oxford Reading Tree Stories), Floppy discs (e.g. Heinemann mathematics, Letterland ), CD Rom (e.g. Oxford Reading Tree Talking Books, Vikings, Encarta) which the pupils are able to use to enhance the learning experience.

The term Expressive Arts covers the areas of Art, Drama, Music and Physical Education.

Mostly these subjects are catered for by the class teacher, but we have at the moment visiting specialists in Music, Physical Education and Brass Instruction, and each session there will be swimming instruction for children in P4 at Dunbar Leisure Pool under the guidance of a swimming instructor.

The purpose of the Expressive Arts is to further the child's knowledge or skills in each of the main areas, but much of the work will be integrated into other areas of the curriculum e.g. scenery, costume, music, dance for a Drama production; puppets or gymnastics or music within a language theme.

Drama will include voice production, body movement, use of space, mime, role-play, etc.

Music will include listening, using tuned and untuned percussion, composition, singing, etc.

In Religious Education we aim to help the child develop fully as an individual; to be aware of the significance of religion to the individual and to society, and to have some knowledge and understanding of some of the religious beliefs and practices which they will encounter during their lives, e.g. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.

By the end of their primary schooling we hope that our pupils will have a framework which will help them appreciate what religion is, and some understanding of what it involves.

During Religious Education, and in other areas of the school curriculum, we have the opportunity to explore with the child the different attitudes, standards and values which they themselves hold, and are held by others.

Our school chaplain is a regular visitor to the school and visits the classrooms to talk to the children as well as taking some assemblies throughout the session.

At no time do we expect a commitment from any child, and parents are free to withdraw their children from religious and moral education, and religious observance if they so wish.

As the society in which our children are growing up in is increasingly multicultural, we endeavour to give them some awareness and appreciation of the enrichment of the culture and traditions of British society introduced by the many different nationalities who have settled in the United Kingdom.

Our aim is to foster and encourage positive attitudes and good relations between people of differing ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and to actively discourage negative and adverse attitudes and activities.

It is the normal practice that an assembly for the Nursery to P3 children, and one for the pupils of P4-P7 are held each week when Stars of the Week certificates, Maths Challenge certificates, etc. are handed out and the children are able to share with their teachers positive aspects of their week and reinforce the ethos of their school.

At other times assemblies are occasions when all the pupils and staff come together to enjoy a sense of community, to worship, to explore further religious, social or moral matters, and to discuss school business, and at special times e.g. Christmas, Easter or end of term, parents, relatives and friends are invited to attend. Assemblies are taken by the School Chaplain, the Head Teacher or Principal Teacher, or by pupils and staff in showing the rest of the school work on which they have been recently engaged.

Outdoor Education is included in the curriculum of the senior pupils, and a very successful addition to our programme is the October visit to Dounans Outdoor Education Centre near Aberfoyle for P7, which now forms the first part of the transfer to secondary school programme, where the children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor activities.

All cluster primary schools participate in the week which gives the pupils the opportunity to work with and socialise with pupils from other schools with whom they will be attending Dunbar Grammar.

Around June both P6 and P7 pupils have the opportunity to participate in either canoeing or dinghy sailing on the pond near to the school.

All activities undertaken by the pupils (outwith the Dounans week) are provided by East Lothian Council and are under the instruction of East Lothian Council Staff.

Swimming - As part of the pupils Physical Education programme P4 pupils are taken to Dunbar Leisure Centre to receive instruction in swimming.

Music - In addition to the normal Music curriculum some of the senior pupils, who show an aptitude, receive instruction in brass once a week. The instruments are provided by the school ( purchased by the PTA ) for the time that the child is at school, although parents can, and do, choose to purchase instruments. There are 12 children receiving brass instruction this session.

Games - Throughout the school year pupils will have the opportunity to take part in, and receive instruction in the skills of particular games, football, netball, volleyball, hockey, mini-

After School Clubs – There is an After School Club funded by Study Support. The club is targeted at children whom staff have identified may gain in the areas of self-esteem, motor control, social skills, etc. This will operate in blocks of time.

In common with other primary schools throughout Scotland, we aim to assess pupils in all curricular areas and report to the pupils and their parents on each child's strengths, development needs and attainment in those areas, including National Assessments where applicable.

With the introduction of a Curriculum for Excellence, and move to a form of assessment (Formative Assessment ) which is more interactive, involving the pupil directly in decisions about their learning.

Pupil progress is assessed continuously and recorded by the teacher. Samples of pupil’s work are stored throughout the session in the Alpha File Folio. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with the class teacher, and where appropriate the Learning Support teacher, to discuss their child's progress at least twice a year at Parents' Evenings, although parents are welcome at any time to make an appointment to see the class teacher, or Head Teacher, about any matter to do with their child which may be causing concern.

Towards the end of the first term parents will receive an interim report highlighting their child’s progress, and at the end of the school year pupil progress will be recorded in the form of a written report which parents will then have the opportunity to discuss with their child's teacher at a parental consultation meeting, if they so wish.

The timetable is: Interim Report ( November ), Parent’s Consultation ( November) Parental Consultation ( Feb/March ), Final Report ( May/June ) with Parental Consultation for those parents who wish it.

Records of pupil progress are kept within the school and are passed on to the secondary school when the pupil moves on or to another school if the pupil should transfer. These records are discussed with secondary staff who will have a clear picture of the pupil before they arrive in S1.

This session it is planned to continue with Personal Learning Planning for P5/6/7, which will involve pupil, parent and teacher.

In the early stages all parents are asked to assist in pre-reading skills and thereafter in the process of learning to read. Some pupils may require a degree of support throughout school and this will be discussed with parents if that need arises. Workshops to explain the methods of teaching reading used by the school will be available to parents of P1 and P2, (and Nursery), early in the session.

Most pupils will receive homework at some time which may include spelling, or tables, or number processes, or a piece of research, or to finish a piece of classwork, and parents can help by assisting, or reinforcing, or by simply supporting their child in the work.

Parents will receive a copy of the school homework policy at the beginning of each school session.

If parents are in any doubt about methods used by the school in Maths, or Language, etc they are most welcome to contact the school, or attend workshops, or meetings in which these will be explained in order to help them in effectively assisting their child.

Each child will have a homework diary which should be checked by the parent daily.

Parental help and co-operation, and interest in homework can be of immense value to the child, and the school.

Parental help is greatly appreciated by the staff of the school, whether it be coming along on a school outing to assist in supervision, or painting a piece of scenery, sewing or baking, etc.

Helping in the school can be an excellent method whereby parents can familiarise themselves with the work of the school.

If you have a particular skill or talent, or you simply want to be a part of what goes on in school and are willing to offer your services, we will be delighted to hear from you.

West Barns Primary School is committed to creating an ethos where bullying is eliminated. To that end the school has a policy which states the aims and procedures to which the school adheres in order to fulfil our aims. The policy of the school forms a part of east Lothian Council’s policy and procedures.

The school employs pro-active strategies such as buddying, conflict council, Golden Rules, Playground Rules, monitors, Circle Time, etc. which are designed to educate pupils and eradicate bullying.

If any pupil persistently breaks the school rules with regard to bullying, the child's parents will

be informed, and in certain circumstances requested to come to school to discuss their child's behaviour in order that they are made fully aware of the situation, and are able to join with the school in working towards a solution of the problem.

The school is always happy to work with parents who express concerns and the principal Teacher is the school’s Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator.

ABEL ( Anti-Bullying East Lothian) East Lothian Council’s Anti-Bullying agency is located at the Brunton Hall in Musselburgh and is more than willing to become involved with families who are experiencing problems of bullying.

For a number of years East Lothian Council have made successful developments in including children with additional support needs into mainstream schools. The Council’s Policy document “Learning and Teaching for All” provides a framework for full and effective inclusion of pupils with additional support needs.

All East Lothian schools offer a range of supports for children and young people with additional support needs. There are a number of additional services within the Authority that offer enhanced support to pupils with additional support needs.

Provision and resources are accessed through the local authority’s processes of resource allocation and Staged Assessment and Intervention, in consultation with professionals, the child or young person and their family.

Pupils with Additional Support Needs are those who have a physical disability, or learning difficulties, or those who may have a special aptitude in a curricular area.

Pupils who are deemed to have learning difficulties may be, after consultation with their parent(s), referred to Support for Learning staff who may advise on an individual programme of learning which will be implemented by the School’s Learning Support Teacher, and the pupil's class teacher.

Pupils who are considered to have a special aptitude in a particular area are catered for with enrichment materials, which are designed to offer challenges, suited to their ability.

Pupils with a physical disability and/or learning difficulties may receive assistance with the provision of a Special Needs Auxiliary.

There are Cluster Support Bases throughout the county to support young people with the most significant additional support needs; a Language Unit at Musselburgh Burgh Primary School, which supports severely autistic children, and a unit at Pencaitland Primary for children with severe social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

A range of provision is available within Musselburgh Burgh Primary School to meet the learning and development needs of children with significant language and / or communication difficulties.

A range of provision is available from outreach staff who work with pupils with literacy difficulties, English as an additional language, who have long term absence due to illness, visual or hearing impairment and pre-school pupils with additional support needs.

For Primary Schools, each cluster has a Principal Teacher available to offer advice regarding the teaching of pupils considered who have exceptional needs and three Cluster Team Co-ordinators (each one operating across two clusters) can provide information, advice or support to individual schools/ teachers in respect of Support for Learning issues. Each of the six secondary schools in East Lothian offers enhanced provision for young people with significant additional support needs. East Lothian Inclusion Service (ELIS) offers a range of provision for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Placements into special needs classes are made following a multi-agency review at stage 5 of the staged assessment and intervention process and in consultation with parents.

The ASL Act 2004 promotes, through a Code of Practice, the involvement of children with additional support needs in the decision making process which enable their active involvement in their education with their views recorded in the Co-ordinated Support Plan.

The Code of Practice supports the key part which a child should play and expects attendance by the child, with a supporter available, at tribunals in order that their views be heard.

It is now the policy of East Lothian Council Education and Social Services that schools should follow a dress code and that pupils should attend school in the style adopted by their school.

The vast majority of West Barns parents have supported the adoption of a school uniform and we expect to see all children wearing it. The uniform, however, remains the same as the formerly expected ‘dress code‘ i.e. white shirt or blouse, or polo shirt; grey or black trousers or skirt, and school sweatshirt. Sweatshirts and polo shirts can be obtained through the school and are very good quality and value.

For Physical Education the pupils require a t -shirt, shorts and gym shoes or trainers, which can be kept in school. Good quality gym bags can be obtained from the school.

All clothing worn in school, including gym shoes and outdoor shoes, should be clearly marked with the child's name.

It is the policy of the school that children should wear soft shoes in school. This avoids mud and dirt being trailed through the building, and affords comfort and safety to the child.

The Council operates a scheme of provision to ensure that a pupil is sufficiently and suitably clad to take full advantage of the education provided. Families in receipt of Income Support or Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance will qualify for such a scheme. Other cases will be considered in the case of exceptional personal circumstances. Parents who wish to apply for the scheme should complete an application form which is available from the school or the Education & Children's Services, Pupil Support, John Muir House, Haddington, EH41 3 HA .

When pupils are at school, the responsibility for their safety rests with the Authority. The Head Teacher and staff (including playground supervisors) undertake this responsibility as the Authority's representatives. This means that reasonable steps will be taken to prevent any pupils suffering injury and to ensure that accidents or difficulties can be reported to a responsible adult and appropriate action taken.

As part of Personal & Social Development and Health West Barns Primary has been actively involved in promoting a healthy lifestyle for pupils. Staff, pupils, parents and outside agencies have been involved in the process which has included diet, exercise, drug and sex education.

The PTA contributed to the purchase of outdoor play equipment and outdoor tables.

The school has been awarded the Stage 1 Health Promoting School from Lothian Council in partnership with NHS Lothians.

The school expects all pupils to behave in accordance with the school rules, which were formulated by the pupils themselves in consultation with the staff namely:

All pupils have had the opportunity to formulate ‘ Golden Rules ’ for the school:

To help reinforce the school rules and to develop children’s self-esteem, self awareness and social responsibility the school employs a positive behaviour management scheme called ‘Circle Time’ which is undertaken at least once a week in each class.

A monitor system has recently been introduced into the school whereby the older pupils (generally P7) take some responsibility for the behaviour of pupils within the school i.e. cloakrooms, corridors, and in the playground. The Pupil Council represents the views of the pupils in the running of the school. The Council members are elected by the pupils and there are representatives from all classes except P1.

There is a ‘Conflict Council’ of senior pupils which is specifically designed to educate pupils on methods of avoiding and handling situations which could lead to bullying, either verbally or physically.

[ Although extremely rare the Headteacher has powers devolved to him from the Local Authority to temporarily exclude a child from school for up to 5 working days in cases of severe indiscipline. This action would only be taken after exhaustive attempts to remedy the situation by negotiation with the pupil, and with the involvement of the child’s parent (s). The re-admittance of the pupil to the school would be decided at a meeting of parents and professionals involved e.g. Educational Psychologist, Child Welfare Officer, Class Teacher, etc.]

Involvement in the life of the local community, and the involvement of the community in the life of the school is of paramount importance to the school.

To that end parents, relatives and other interested parties are encouraged to participate whenever possible in the school i.e as a parent helper, supervisor or to bring some expertise into the school.

The Parent Council and school run joint ventures whereby the local community have an opportunity to be involved e.g. Christmas Fayre.

The school runs workshops for interested parents and local adults on various aspects of the curriculum, and are more than welcome to use the computer suite to try their hand from computerised mathematics to ‘surfing the net’.

There is a space on the school website for Local Organisations and we are very keen to have these organisations e.g. playgroup, Bowling Club, Football Club, etc. take an active part on the website. Anyone interested in using this facility should contact the school.

As well as various enterprises by the school which involve the local community, the school hall is available for hire. Anyone wishing to avail themselves of this service should contact the school for further information.

West Barns Primary, along with Innerwick, Dunbar, Stenton, and East Linton Primaries and Dunbar Grammar School, are what is designated as a Community School.

Community Schools are intended to have a Multi-Agency approach with a special emphasis ( in East Lothian ) on vulnerable children. This multi-agency approach, involving Health, Welfare, Social Work, Pyschological Services, Education, et al, should benefit all pupils within the cluster and make targeting provision easier.

More information about Community Schools can be found by going to our website at: www.westbarnsprimaryschool.com, Contents Page…Local Organisations.

Cultural Services provided by East Lothian Council can facilitate enhanced learning opportunities for children through provision of and support for:

Cultural Services are committed to facilitating access to the widest range of creative and learning opportunities, and supports a broad range of information services and access.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that their child attends school regularly. In cases of

unsatisfactory attendance, the Head Teacher will ask an Child & Family Support Worker (Attendance) to visit the home to discuss the problem with the parents. If such unsatisfactory attendance persists, the Head Teacher, following discussions with the Child & Family Support Worker (Attendance) and other agencies, will decide whether the case should be referred to the local Area Attendance Advisory Group.

This Group has been formed to make recommendations to the Director on the statutory

Regular attendance and punctuality is extremely important to the education of pupils and cannot be over stressed.

If children, through illness, or some other permissible cause, are unable to attend school, it would be appreciated if parents/guardians would inform the school by telephone before 9.15 a.m. In the event the parent/guardian does not inform the school of their child’s absence the school the school will phone the parent/guardian. This procedure is to safeguard the well-being of the child. The child, on their return to school, should bring a note from the parents indicating the cause of the absence.

In the interests of continuity of education parents are encouraged, wherever possible, to take holidays outwith term time.

Parental co-operation is sought and appreciated in all aspects of behaviour and attendance.

The figures below, supplied by the Local Authority, and the Scottish Office Education Department, show the attendance figures and budgeted running costs for the school for the session 2004/5 They are calculated in pupil half-days, and included are the average figures for East Lothian and Scotland as a whole for your information.

*Budgeted Running Costs For Financial Year 2006-07*
School Roll at September 2006	93
Total School Running Costs at April 2007 (£)	362,539
Cost per Pupil (£)	3,898

*Attendance And Absence For School Year 2006/2007*
	Stage
	P1	P2	P3	P4	P5	P6	P7	P1-7
Total Number of Possible Attendances(Pupil Half Days)	3,517	6,137	5,115	5,797	4,433	2,046	4,558	31,603
Percentage Authorised Absences	3	4	3	4	2	5	4	3
Percentage Unauthorised Absences	3	2	1	1	2	3	2	2

*Minimising Overall Absence*
	Absence recorded (2005/2006) Average number of half days absence per pupil	Absence recorded (2006/2007) Average number of half days absence per pupil
Absence	18	20

Where schools have 9 openings per week, please note that all local authority and national figures are based on 10 openings per week, and so are not directly comparable.

Arrangements for days when there are to be planned early closures parents will be notified by letter several days in advance.

In the event of an unplanned closure, e.g. heating failure in winter, parents will be telephoned. However, no child will be sent home if it is known that there is no adult there to receive them, and the school is unable to get in touch with the emergency contact.

Parents are reminded that up to date information regarding emergency contacts is important, and any change should be notified to the school as soon as possible.

The current policy of the Authority is to pay travelling expenses for pupils attending the district school who live more than two miles from that school.

Bus passes are issued where public transport exists, and contract transport is arranged where there is no suitable public transport. Where there are vacant seats on contract buses, these may be made available to pupils not normally entitled to free transport.

Travelling expenses are also met in the case of any pupil whom the Authority requires to attend a school other than the district school, if that pupil meets the distance qualification. Where appropriate, free travel is provided for pupils receiving Special Education. Consideration may be given to requests for assistance with travel in exceptional circumstances, e.g. where the Authority deems the road between home and school dangerous, and where there is no public transport available.

In East Lothian there are currently almost 14,500 Nursery, Primary and Secondary school pupils. In 2002, 40 school age children were injured on East Lothian roads, eight seriously. On average 9 pupils are injured annually on journeys to and from school. Nearly 44% of all pedestrian casualties occurred (2002) to children in the 5-15 year age group. East Lothian Council working with Lothian and Borders Police and other agencies are committed to reducing the numbers and severity of road casualties. They have identified a number of important initiatives to help reduce the number of road casualties. These will require a notable change of behaviour by everybody, particularly from drivers in built-up areas.

These initiatives aim to reduce the number of car journeys to and from school by pupils, parents and staff to:

· Encourage children top walk or cycle to school, thereby improving the safety for the pupil on the journey to school;

· Provide pupils and parents with appropriate training to allow them and their children to journey safely to from school;

· Raise awareness amongst pupils, parents and staff of the wider health and environmental problems associated with increased car use;

· Improve the local environment for everyone by reducing pollution, congestion and addressing safety issues around the school.

The school asks parents to review their current or intended mode of travel to and from school and consider whether or not it could be changed or modified to help the school, pupils, staff and other parents to achieve our aims and reduce the number of child casualties.

Meals are provided by Elite Catering Services and are brought in from Dunbar Primary School Kitchen. There is a choice each day of a hot or cold meal. The Catering Supervisor provides a weekly menu and a copy is provided to parents. Folding dining tables are set out in the hall. For those who bring packed lunches benches are set out in the hall, and on fine days in the Summer term the benches are set just outside the hall in the fresh air.

The charge for lunch at the time of writing is £6.00 per week, or £1.50 per day. It is preferred that children bring the money to school in an envelope or purse on Monday mornings. This does not preclude a pupil having a lunch by bringing money on a particular day.

Milk is made available for all pupils for consumption at the mid morning break.. The charge for milk is 15p per 200ml tetrapack. The total charge for the year is £28.50, which can be split into annual, or termly payments. A timetable for payment is available from the school. The charge to parents is reduced by the School Milk Subsidy which is received by East Lothian Council from the European Community.

Under the Council Committee for Education policy, children in attendance at schools under the management of the Council are entitled to free school meals if their parents are in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Job Seekers Allowance or Child Tax Credit (but NOT Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of less than £14,495 from the Department of Social Security. No other children are eligible for free school meals.

Further information and an application form can be obtained from the school, or from the Department of Education and Children’s Services, Inclusion & Equality, John Muir House, Haddington EH41 3HA.

Free milk will be available to all children in nursery education and to those children of primary school age who are entitled to free meals.

Parents are advised of routine medical and dental examinations. Regular inspections are carried out by the school nurse and any problem, e.g. head lice infestation, are notified to the parent.

Should a child feel unwell, or be sick during the school day, the parent or emergency contact will be telephoned and asked to collect the pupil. Parents should endeavour to keep emergency contact numbers up to date, and should inform the school if there is a change.

The school staff will deal with any minor playground or classroom injuries, but should a more serious accident occur, the parent will be telephoned and asked to take the child to their own doctor. In the event that neither the parent nor the emergency contact can be reached the Head Teacher will take the pupil to the local surgery and act on the advice of the doctor.

Any medicines brought into school must be given to the Head Teacher or class teacher, along with clear instructions for administration.

Parents should inform the school of any special medical condition or requirements, and of the arrangement (by the school or parent) if it should prove necessary to take a child home.

Edinburgh and Lothian, including East Lothian Council, have reviewed and re-issued the “Inter-Agency Child Protection Guidelines”. The guidelines promote a high level of inter-agency co-operation when working with children who may be in need of protection. Training is available for all staff in East Lothian Council to ensure that their skill and commitment is used effectively in identifying and protecting children who have been abused or may be at risk of abuse. The Guidelines will further encourage the partnership that exists between Social Work, Education, Health and the Police in East Lothian and will help towards buildings a partnership with parents in carrying out our duties and responsibilities to East Lothian children and young people.

The Education and Children’s Services Department has prepared statements of safety policy for all areas of its responsibility in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. School staff are fully instructed in their responsibilities in this respect, and safety regulations apply to aspects of school life, both on and off the premises. It is expected that pupils will behave responsibly and comply with all safety requirements. The support of parents in promoting good practice in health and safety matters is of great importance to the school.

Throughout your child's years at primary and secondary school, a team of specialist Health Service and Education staff will be seeing him or her from time to time to make sure that he or she benefits as much as possible from all that the school has to offer, and to help prepare him or her for life after leaving school.

The School Health Service is part of the Community Child Health Service and has direct links with those who carry out health checks on children before they start school.

Many different services are provided. The staff involved makes every effort to work closely with parents and with others who are caring for your child, both at school and in other branches of the Health Service. Some of the services, e.g. testing for vision, hearing or speech, are provided to all children on a routine basis to discover which children may need further tests or treatment. Parents are notified of these screening tests and any parent who does not want their child to be included should notify the school at the beginning of the session. Naturally, if treatment is thought to be required, the child's parents will be informed and consent requested.

The Health Visitor or School Nurse carries out regular inspections of groups of children, gives advice on health and hygiene, tests eyesight from time to time, and works with the School Doctor. The attention of the doctor is drawn to any possible problems, and parents and the family doctor are informed if further action is considered necessary.

A hygiene aide or nursing auxiliary may help the Health Visitor or School Nurse. The Health Visitor and School Nurse also act as an important link between home and school.

The School Doctor visits the school regularly and meets with the School Nurse or Health Visitor and with teachers to find out whether any pupils need medical attention. In addition, the doctor reviews the medical notes of all children in P1, P7 and at secondary school level.

Parents are also asked to complete a health questionnaire about their child at these ages and asked if they would like their child to have a full medical examination. In addition, the doctor may ask for your consent to examine your child if his or her medical records are incomplete, or if the doctor particularly wishes to check on his or her progress. You will be invited to be present at any medical examination, and kept informed if the school doctor wishes to see your child again, or thinks that your family doctor or a specialist should see him or her. You can, if you wish, arrange for your own family doctor to undertake the examinations instead of the school doctor, but you may be charged a fee for this. In secondary schools, the school doctor may consider if any special information should be provided for the Careers Advisory Service.

The school doctor will be pleased to see you and your child at any time if you are concerned about his or her health, or general progress at school.

With your consent the School Doctor also carries out immunisations to protect against various diseases:

Age 4-5: immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus, polio and MMR (measles,
mumps, rubella), if these have not been given before starting school.

Age 12-14:       testing for resistance to tuberculosis and immunisation (BGG) where
                        required. Girls only - testing for resistance to rubella (German measles),
                        and immunisations where required.

The audiometry team checks children's hearing on at least three occasions before the age of 13/14 years. The school doctor will be told if your child seems to have a hearing problem. The doctor will then examine the child and let your own doctor know the result.

The speech therapist can provide assessment and if necessary, treatment, if you, a teacher, or the school doctor feels that your child may have a speech or language problem.

Any enquiries concerning the provision of dental services should be made to the Director of the Community Dental Service, Lothian Trust, 16 Duncan Street, Edinburgh EH9 1SR (Tel 0131 667 7114).

We hope that the School Health Service can, together with yourselves, contribute to your child's overall well being and development. Please do not hesitate to arrange through the Head Teacher to see the school doctor, school nurse or health visitor if you want any further information.

All members of staff who have agreed to be trained in the administration of specific drugs to pupils suffering from epileptic seizure or severe allergic reaction and who are required to apply specific drugs to those pupils will be covered by East Lothian Council’s Public Liability Policy.

The Scottish Parliament has passed a new law called the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 to encourage and support more parents to become involved in their children’s education.

· Help parents become more involved with their child’s education and learning

To help achieve these aims, all parents will automatically be members of the Parent Forum at their child’s school and will be entitled to have a say in what happens at the school. As a member of the Parent Forum parents will have a say in selecting the Parent Council (the representative body) to work on behalf of all parents at the school.

· Encourage links between the school, parents, pupils, pre-school groups and the wider community

The new Parent Council will be recognised in law from August 2007. For more information on the Parental Involvement Act or to find out about parents as partners in their children’s learning please contact the school or Val McIntyre at the Department of Education & Children’s Services on 01620 827228 or vmcintyre@eastlothian.gov.uk or visit the parentzone website on www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk or East Lothian Council website on www.eastlothian.gov.uk.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS –

Information from Scottish Parent Teacher Council

The Scottish Parent Teacher Council is the national organisation for PTA’s and PA’s in Scotland and runs an independent helpline service for all parents. You can contact the Scottish Parent Teacher Council by phone/fax on 0131-226-4378, by e-mail on sptc@sol.co.uk or write to SPTC, 53 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2HT.

There is a Nursery class in the school each morning for pre-school children and an afternoon session for 3 year olds. Pre-school children attending this nursery make up the bulk of the August intake and are able to be involved in the life of the school, and visit the infant class to meet with the teacher, and have the opportunity familiarise themselves with the equipment and pupils. There is close liaison between Infant and Nursery staff regarding the pupils.

Parents who send their child to the nursery in West Barns from outwith the catchment are not guaranteed a place in the P1 class, as priority is given to children from the school's catchment area.

Enrolment of district children normally takes place in late November/early December. Parents are notified through the nurseries, press and notices placed in the district by the school.

Parents of non-district children must apply to the Education Authority for a place at the school, which will normally be allocated providing there is a place.

If the number of out of district children applying for a place at West Barns Primary exceeds the number of places the allocation follows the criteria:

The pupils of West Barns normally transfer to Dunbar Grammar School. (Tel 01368 863339)

The normal procedure is for pupils to transfer to the secondary school after seven years of primary education i.e. at the end of P7. Parents are informed of the transfer arrangements by December of the pupil's last year in primary school.

Pupil’s Personal Records containing all reports are transferred with the pupil.

Pupils record of attainment are sent to the secondary before the end of their final term, and discussions take place between the primary and secondary staff in order that the secondary school has a picture of each pupil before they arrive in August.

If a child is outwith the district for the attached secondary school ( i.e. Dunbar Grammar) attendance at West Barns does not mean automatic transfer to DGS. The parent will have to apply to the local authority for a place.

Children under the statutory leaving age can only be employed within the terms of the byelaws on the Employment of Children. These regulations do not permit the employment of children under 13 years of age.

Further details can be obtained from the Department of Education and Children’s Services, Inclusion & Equality, Haddington.

A Local Answer - Most problems are resolved at school level. If you have cause for concern, the first person to approach will normally be the Head Teacher of your school, or the Community Education Worker at your local Area Office or Community Education Centre, or the Office staff dealing with such matters as free meals, transport or bursaries at Department of Education and Children's Services, Council Buildings, Haddington, EH41 3HA.

He/she will try to resolve the difficulty or provide an explanation for you within ten working days.

If you remain dissatisfied, you can make a complaint by telephone or writing to one of the Service Managers:

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

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

The information contained within this booklet is accurate at the time of writing, but it may be subject to variation in future years due to changes in policy, roll, staff or resources.

All based at Education & Children's Services, John Muir House, Haddington EH41 3HA.

Good Friday: 21 March; Easter Monday 24 March

The start date for session 2008/09 for pupils has been provisionally identified as 20 August 2008

Attainment in Reading, Writing, Mathematics 2006/7

	2006/7		2006/7	2006/7

	Reading		Writing	Mathematics

Primary 3	80.00%		60.00%	100%

Primary 4	83.30%		56%	89%

Primary 6	100.00%		66.60%	100.00%

Primary 7	53.80%		60.90%	84.61%

Average	79.20%		60.80%	93.40%

3yr Ave.	78.70%		65.30%	87.06%

Overall Attainment =		77.80%

Overall 3yr attainment = 77.02%

West Barns Primary School

National Priority 1

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS –

Information from Scottish Parent Teacher Council

Good Friday: 21 March; Easter Monday 24 March

Good Friday: 10 April; Easter Monday 13 April