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ROWANTREE PRIMARY SCHOOL

HANDBOOK

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The School School information 3

About our school 4

Visits to school by parents 4

If your child is absent or sick 4

The complaints procedure 5

Enrolment of children 6

Placing requests 6

Parental involvement Opportunities for you to become involved 9

The parent council 10

School ethos Our values 11

Our role in the community 12

Behaviour 12

School Rules 12

The curriculum The different subjects 13

Religious observance and instruction 14

Assessment 14

Reporting 14

Transition Transition to secondary 15

Support For Pupils Support for pupils 16

Support For Learning Information 17

School Improvement School improvement 19

Our Plans for Future Improvement 20

Practical Information School policies 21

Extra curricular activities 21

Developing our children as leaders 22

The school day 22

Holiday Dates 23 and 24

CONTENTS

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Name: Rowantree Primary School

Address: 1 Birks Terrace

Dundee DD4 8EJ

Telephone: 01382 307870

Fax: 01382 307862

E-mail: rowantree.primary@dundeecity.gov.uk

Twitter account: rowantreeps

Head Teacher: Mrs Emily O’Neill

Depute Head Teacher: Mrs Sue Han

Early Years Centre Manager: Mrs Carol Storrier

Principle Teacher of Support for Learners: Mrs Karen Britten

SCHOOL INFORMATION

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Rowantree Primary School is a non denominational school with a current roll of 252 pupils catering

for both boys and girls from Primary One to Primary Seven. The school also has an Early Years

Centre. We do not provide teaching by means of the Gaelic language,

VISITS TO SCHOOL BY PARENTS If you have a concern and to ensure that the person you wish to speak to is available when you call,

please telephone or come to the reception area first to make an appointment. Class teachers are

committed to teaching your child during the school day and therefore need to know of any visit in

advance in order that cover for the class can be planned and provided. Class teachers may contact

you in the first instance and either talk to you over the telephone or invite you in for a meeting.

Bullying/ racist incidents are always taken seriously and these will be dealt with by a member of the

Senior Management Team (SMT) who will investigate further and record if necessary. If the class

teacher is unavailable a member of the Senior Management Team will contact you as soon as

possible. All telephone calls are forwarded to the managers by email.

IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT OR SICK

� It is a legal requirement for parents to ensure that their child attends school regularly

and children should only be absent from school if they are ill or have been given special

permission by the Head Teacher to be absent.

� We would hope family holidays would be arranged to coincide with school holidays so that

children do not miss any school time unnecessarily.

� Pupils who have been absent should bring a written explanation for their absence.

� If your child is to be absent you should contact the school on the first day of his/her

absence and certainly not later than the second day.

� An electronic texting system is now used by all Dundee schools. On the first day of

absence a text message is sent when there is no known reason for a child’s absence.

� If, after two days, no satisfactory reason for a child’s absence has been given, the matter

will then be put in the hands of the School Community Support Service. In certain cases

where unsatisfactory attendance has become a problem, a letter may be issued to the

parent(s) concerned detailing authorised and unauthorised attendance figures. If after six

01382 431563

01382 431563

01382 431563

01382 431563

About our School

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weeks the child’s attendance has not improved the parent(s) may be called to appear

before the Reporter to the Children’s Panel to give an explanation for the unsatisfactory

attendance.

Please telephone 307870 on first day of absence.

Good Timekeeping is important:

While we recognise that occasionally children may arrive late, we urge that children come to school

on time. The first half hour is when children are settled, registration and dinners done and children

prepared for the day ahead. If a child is late, this then means that they miss out on this vital part

of the day.

THE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE In the first instance, we suggest that you make contact directly with the school.

This will ensure that your query is dealt with as promptly as possible.

If you wish to talk to your child’s teacher or a member of the senior staff it is generally better to

make an appointment. This ensures that the member of staff is available, that classes are not

disturbed and that pupils’ lessons are not affected.

You can contact the school directly, either

• by email rowantree.primary@dundeecity.gov.uk

• by telephone to the school office on 01382 307870

• by letter to the class teacher or a member of the management team

• by visiting the school in person

• all messages are emailed timeously to the appropriate staff member

What happens if I need further help, or I still have concerns?

If this is the case you can contact the Education Department Headquarters at Dundee

House. This can be done either by letter, e-mail or by telephone. The address is

Ms Kerry Gethins

Advice and Conciliation Officer

Dundee City Council Education Department

Floor 2

50 North Lindsay Street

Dundee City Council

DD1 1NL

If you wish to telephone , please contact Ms Kerry Gethins on 01382 433477 or email

kerry.gethins@dundeecity.gov.uk

Ms Kerry Gethins is also available as an additional contact if you wish to report a racial

incident.

•

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What can I do if I am still unhappy?

• Dundee City Council operated a Helpline which will give you further advice. It can be

contacted on 01382 434800. Leaflets about the Helpline can be obtained at any Council

Building.

ENROLMENT OF CHILDREN A notice in the local press will advise parents of future Primary 1 pupils, who reside in the school’s

catchment area, when to enrol their child in school. Parents should then contact the School Office

as soon as possible, when appropriate registration details can be taken. The child’s birth

certificate and proof of address (e.g. A recent Bank Statement or Utilities Account bill) must be

produced before registration can be completed. Parents of future Primary 1 pupils who wish their

child to commence at a school out with their local catchment area should submit a Placing Request

to the Education Department. Placing Request Application Forms may be obtained from and

returned to the school office.

You will then be contacted by the school and notified of an informal afternoon which usually takes

place in mid-June at which parents, children, class teachers, Head Teacher and Depute Head

Teacher meet. At this meeting the organisation and policies of the school, as they affect new

Primary 1 entrants, will be explained. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions and to

share in informal discussions concerning procedures for starting school.

Parents should note that Primary 1 pupils attend mornings only for the first three weeks of the

school session.

When wishing to enrol older primary children, parents are required to submit a Placing Request to

the Education Department. After clearance through the Office, admission is dealt with by the

Head Teacher or Depute Head Teacher. This usually takes the form of an informal interview

although formal details are exchanged initially. The parent then visits the class which his child is to

join and is introduced to both class teacher and the children. Parents are also welcome at this time

to see round the whole school if they wish.

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS ON PLACING REQUESTS

Education Authorities have a duty to grant placing requests wherever possible. We will

try to grant your request, provided there are places at the school you choose. Requests

for entering either primary or secondary school should be made on the appropriate form by an

agreed date. Any requests made after this date will still be considered, but it is possible that

places in certain schools may no longer be available.

1 Placing requests will be dealt with in the first instance by the Education

Department.

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2 Placing requests will be granted if there are no grounds for their refusal.

3 If a placing request is granted parents must arrange and pay for any transport to and from

school.

4 If a placing request is refused, that decision will be intimated to parents in writing along

with the reasons for it.

5 The council has the right to refuse a placing request:-

� If placing the child in the school would:-

o make it necessary for the Council to take an additional teacher into

employment

o give rise to significant expenditure on extending or otherwise altering the

accommodation at or facilities provided in connection with the school

o be seriously detrimental to the continuity of the child’s education

o be seriously detrimental to order and discipline in the school

o be likely to be seriously detrimental to the educational well-being of

pupils attending the school

� If the education normally provided at the school is not suited to the age, ability or

aptitude of the child.

� If the Council has already required the child to discontinue his attendance at the

school.

� If the school is a special school and the child does not have special

educational needs requiring the education or special facilities normally provided at that

school .

� If the school is a single sex school and the child is not of the sex admitted to the

school.

6 Criteria for Admission to School

While parents’ wishes will be met whenever possible, if the number of places

in any particular school is limited, priority for admission shall be determined on

the following basis

Priority 1 - children normally resident within the catchment area of the specified school

Priority 2- children not normally resident within the catchment area of the

specified school, but having a brother or sister (or relative

permanently living at the same address as part of an extended

family) Note 1 in attendance at that school.

Priority 3 - children not normally resident within the delineated area of the

specified school and having no brother or sister (or relative

permanently living at the same address as part of an extended

family) Note 1 in attendance at that school.

Note 1 – provided that the member of the extended family for whom the

placing request has been made has lived within that extended

family for a period of at least 2 years.

Note 2 – Within denominational schools places in each priority category will

be allocated first to children who have been baptised into the

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Roman Catholic Church and thereafter to other children within that

category.

Note 3 – When it is necessary to refuse only some placing requests within

any one of the above categories, priorities will be determined by the

single criterion of distance from the specified school, with priority

being given to children whose normal place of residence is closest

to the specified school.

7 a) Where a parent asks for his child to be placed in a school at the

beginning of the following school year, the Council has until 30 April to

give a written decision, provided that the placing request was received on

or before 15 March.

b) In any other case, the Council has two months to give a written

decision.

8 If a parent does not receive a written decision by 30 April or within two

months as the case may be the Council are deemed to have refused the

placing request.

The parent then has a right of appeal. The parent also has a right of

appeal if a placing request is refused.

9 If a placing request is deemed to have been refused or refused, details

of the appeal procedure will be made available to the parent.

PLACING REQUESTS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING ON THE APPROPRIATE FORM

TO:

Michael Wood

Director of Education

Floor 2,

Dundee House

50 North Lindsay Street

DUNDEE

DD1 1NZ

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO BECOME INVOLVED At Rowantree we recognise the importance of the parent/carer as the prime educator of their

child. We hope that parents and carers will always inform us of important events and achievements

in their child’s home life.

We aim to develop and maintain contact with parent/carers through the following:

Parents’ Booklet - Given to all new entrants.

Newsletters/notes - Giving information re school events at least once a term.

Progress Reports - Issued yearly to parents.

Primary 1 intake - Parents come into school with their children to speak to teachers

etc.

Open Days and Evenings - Held twice yearly for parents to discuss pupils progress with

teacher.

School Assemblies - Invitation to assembly given by child’s class.

Curriculum Events - Health Week, Curriculum Afternoon, Open Afternoons, Specific

events e.g. visiting specialists.

Fund raising and social events - Bingo evenings, School Sports, School Concerts.

We have an Open Door Policy that encourages parents to come into school to discuss any concerns

or to offer parents advice on how to support their child’s learning. You are more than welcome to

attend the events throughout the year and also to make an appointment at any time to discuss

concerns/advice/share achievements.

SECTION 2 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

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THE PARENT COUNCIL

Contact : rowantree@dundeeparentcouncil.org

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

Rowantree Primary School can seek to be part of the Parent Council in line with arrangements set

out in the constitution. Our Parent Council are known as the Rowantree Buds and members wear

green badges with the word Buds engraved. The Parent Council can co-opt other members as it sees

fit.

The aims of the Parent Council are:-

� To work together with everyone involved in school life - parents, learners, teachers, school

staff and the wider community

� To make sure that all parents have a say in their children's education - and are able to

express their views and wishes

� To build links between the school, parents, pupils, nurseries and pre-school groups and the

community

Rowantree Parent Council meets approximately once each term and meetings are open to all parents.

If you would like more information about the Parent Council please contact the school or visit

www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk

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Here at Rowantree the staff are committed to providing an excellent, relevant education for all of

our pupils irrespective of race, culture, religion and ability in an encouraging, caring environment

where everyone will feel secure and valued, having their efforts and achievements recognised. The

school aims for our pupils to become successful, confident, life-long, independent learners and

thinkers, developing respect and understanding for each other and the wider world. Our overall

school is that we want –

everyone in school to be happy, safe and the very best that they can be.

At the very heart of this are our school values which are

R - Respect, everyone is treated with respect

O- Opportunities, we will provide different opportunities for our community

W- Well-being, we will look after everyone’s well being

A - Achieving, we want everyone to reach their full potential

N – Nurtured – we want everyone to feel safe and looked after

T- Trust – we value telling the truth at all times

R- Responsible - to look after each other, our things and take responsibility for our own

actions.

E- Equality - everyone will be treated the same regardless of race, colour and ability.

E – Everyone, our values and rules apply to everyone in our school community, the staff, the

pupils, parents and any visitors.

Getting it right for every child is a national programme to improve outcomes for children and young people in Scotland. It aims to ensure that all children and young people get the help they need when

they need it. This is a significant challenge to education authorities. Getting it right is at the centre of Scottish Government policy for children and young people and is important for our children here at

Rowantree.

Getting it right for every child promotes a shared approach that:

H Builds solutions with and around children and families

Section 3 – School Ethos

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H Enables children to get the help they need when they need it H Supports a positive shift in culture, systems and practice H Involves working together to make things better This can only be achieved through working in partnerships with parents, the community and other

services, an approach which the school fully embraces.

In Rowantree Primary School we endeavour to raise standards and create an ethos of achievement.

It is our policy to reward the positive efforts of children with praise, stickers, certificates etc on

every possible occasion. To aid this process we set small achievable goals so that children can

attain and succeed.

We celebrate achievements throughout the whole school. We have weekly assemblies where pupils

are presented with special certificates for playground behaviour and PE. We have termly assemblies

to recognise good behaviour though our Good To Be Green system where again children are

presented with special certificates and small prizes. The Head Teacher Award is a special

certificate which is sent through the post and is unannounced. This award is for special

achievements both in and out of school. We always want to recognise out of school achievements so

please keep us informed.

OUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY It is essential that the school and the parents work together helping each other to ensure the best

start in life for our children. We would encourage parents to take an interest in all aspects of

school life not just concerning the behaviour of their children but including the children’s school

work, extra -curricular activities such as concerts, fund raising etc., sporting activities such as

netball, football and swimming and so on.

We have active links with the church, the Hub, the Midlin Centre, the Cherry Drop Club, Morrisons,

Asda’s and Dundee College.

Certain standards of behaviour are required for the benefit of all pupils and we are

confident that you will continue to support the school in the maintenance of such standards, which

help to ensure your children make the most of their time in school. We recognise that the majority

of our children are well behaved and this is recognised and rewarded through our ‘Good to Be

Green’ behaviour policy. You will be provided with a separate information leaflet when your child

comes to school. Your child will also sign our Code of Conduct agreeing to abide by our school rules

which are

1. Be kind and polite and always show respect.

2. Take care of each other

3. Take care of everything in our school

4. Always do and be the best because we are the best !

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The class teacher is responsible for the maintenance of discipline in the classroom but he/she can

refer more serious cases to the Head Teacher/Depute Head Teacher if necessary. In any event

parents will be involved at an early stage when particular problems arise and we would urge you to

co-operate fully with us in those circumstances for the benefit of your child. A copy of the school’s

discipline policy is available for inspection.

Class rules

Each class also negotiates their own class rules (within an agreed whole school context), which are

published and prominently displayed within each classroom alongside the school rules. There are also

agreed consequences that apply to class members who do not keep to the agreed rules.

It is our policy to encourage play as a positive discipline tool. To this end we have similarly

negotiated rules for acceptable playground behaviour and agreed consequences if these are not

kept. We also have Playground Super Star Awards for pupils who play nicely and abide by the rules.

In line with the aims of A Curriculum for Excellence, we at Rowantree aim to make our pupils:

Successful learners Confident individuals

Responsible citizens Effective contributors

CFE continues to be developed throughout the school ensuring that the children experience a

relevant and coherent curriculum. The children are taking more responsibility and are becoming

more confident in discussions as staff begin to have a clearer focus on skills progression. The

children engage in a broad range of opportunities to develop these skills for learning, life and work

with a continuous focus on Literacy, Numeracy and Health& Wellbeing.

There are also numerous opportunities for pupils to develop skills for learning, life and work

through our partnership working and within the classroom itself. Through careful consideration of

skills progression, children are involved in planning the context of topic work. You will be informed

of the key learning skills and the topic through your child’s daily planner. You will also be able to

look at some of your child’s work through the Learning Log which is sent home three times a year.

You can find out more about Curriculum for Excellence from Learning and Teaching Scotland

website

www.educationscotland.gov.uk/index.asp

SECTION 3 THE CURRICULUM

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If a class teacher raises a concern about your child’s learning needs, this will be discussed with our

Support For Learning Team and if intervention is required ,you will be invited to a meeting to

discuss the way forward.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION AND OBSERVANCE FOR PUPILS The programme for Religious Education in our school aims to help pupils learn about Christianity and

other major world religions and to recognise religion as an important expression of human

experience. Pupils will also be encouraged to learn from religions by helping them develop their own

beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through a process of personal search, discovery and

critical evaluation.

Parental Rights"Every public school and every grant-aided school shall be open to pupils of all

denominations and any pupil may be withdrawn by his parents from any instruction in religious

subjects and from any religious observance in any such school; and no pupil shall in any such

school be placed at any disadvantage with respect to the secular instruction given therein by

reason of the denomination to which such pupil or his parents belong, or by reason of his being

withdrawn from any instruction in religious subjects."

Education Scotland Act 1980 Part 1 Section 9

Please note that requests to withdraw a child must be in writing.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE The school holds weekly assemblies which provide opportunities for pupils to share together and

celebrate as a school community those things which we value. They also provide opportunities for

our pupils to reflect on spiritual and moral concerns. Through this, pupils can increase their

understanding of religious practices and the experience which underlies them. Our school chaplain is

Fay Lamont who regularly joins us throughout the year for assemblies and also provides a

programme of study for all of our classes.

ASSESSMENT At present each pupil’s progress is monitored throughout his or her school career by a process of

continuous assessment. Pupils are involved in the assessment process and are encouraged to make

decisions about their own performance and progress. The school also uses standardised testing

called PIPs at Primary 1 stage and Incas at Primary 4 and Primary 6 stages These results are

analysed by staff and help to plan future learning

REPORTING Each child's achievement is communicated to parents through parent interviews and a school report

in the summer term. Children also keep Learning Logs to share their learning with you throughout

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the year. E portfolios are currently being developed for the Primary 7’s which will follow your child

onto secondary.

A copy of his or her own annual report is put into each pupil’s “Pupil’s Progress Record” folder. One

of these folders is kept for each pupil in the school from the time they enter in Primary 1 until the

time they leave school. The other copy of the report is given to you to keep. When a pupil leaves to

go to another primary school or to secondary school their folder goes with them.

THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT AR E IN PLACE TO SUPPORT PUPILS MAKING TRANSITIONS

AND WHAT ROLE THEIR PARENTS CAN PLAY

TRANSFER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

Children who attend Rowantree Primary transfer to:

Craigie High School

Garnet Terrace

DUNDEE

DD4 7QD

Telephone 01382 431111

Fax: 01382 431130

E-mail: craigie@dundeecity.gov.uk

If you wish your child to attend a secondary school other than the one allocated, it will be

necessary for you to make a placing request to the Director of Education and appropriate action will

be taken.

Throughout the year, Primary 7 pupils are visited by staff and pupils from Craigie High School who

provide information relating to secondary school life. At the same time, there is an opportunity

for staff to exchange information regarding pupil performance and needs. A two-day visit to

Craigie High is arranged at a later date. This enables our pupils to become a little acquainted with

their future environment.

SECTION 4 TRANSITIONS

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Since November 2005, there has been a new way of supporting children and young people who are

having difficulties making progress at school. Most children make satisfactory progress in school

and their education can be fully supported by their class teacher.

Some children with significant additional support needs may need the support of an SPI

A very small number of children with significant and long-term additional support needs may need a

Co-ordinated Support Plan as well as an Additional Support Plan. These will be children who also

receive support from people outside education; for example, from health or social work staff.

We have 5 Support for Learning Staff. This means that we have 2 full time teaching staff working

within the enhanced provision and two mainstream support for learning teachers. The staff work as

a team under the guidance of the school’s principal support for learning teacher, Mrs. Karen

Britten.

The school’s policy is to support as much as possible the education of pupils with additional support

needs along with their peer group, in the normal classroom situation. Individually targeted work, at

a level accessible to the child and designed to support learning progress, is normally provided by the

class teacher and SFL staff advise. Progress is monitored from day to day and is regularly

reported to parents who are also consulted if any change in the programme of support is being

considered.

Although Support for Learning staff are regularly deployed as necessary, the aim must always be to

promote the maximum degree of independence in learning, personal management and social activity,

of which the child is capable.

To cater for children’s needs, our school building has been specially designed to allow access for

children in wheelchairs or for those whose mobility is restricted. In cases where specialised

equipment is identified as being necessary to facilitate a child’s progress within the peer group, the

school and Education Authority will take action to provide it where possible.

SECTION 5 SUPPORT FOR PUPILS

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SUPPORT FOR LEARNING INFORMATION

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 page 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. They are in

the process of being revised to reflect the amendments brought in by the 2009 Act to ensure the

information is as up-to-date as possible.

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Information on additional support needs is also available to you from outside Dundee City Council.

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:

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'.

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance Ltd

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance Ltd 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). This service will be

operational from 14 November 2010.

Advice and information regarding this service can be obtained from their website - www.siaa.org.uk

The school focuses on Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) outcomes and related these to

Health and Wellbeing CFE outcomes The staff in school ensure that health and well –being, along

with pastoral care, has a high profile in their learning and teaching. Children take on responsibilities

and achieve well in a range of volunteering and leadership activities. We have developed our Heads

and Prefect system on a more formalised basis with children developing interview and leadership

skills through the process.

A system has been established to identify children who require additional support at times

throughout their school career. The nature of support can vary from academic support to pastoral

support especially for more vulnerable children. We work collaboratively with parents to ensure

that the child’s needs are fully met and that parents and the child are fully consulted. We work in

partnership with various agencies from educational psychologists, school nurse, home school support

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, NHS and social work to ensure a holistic approach to meeting the child’s needs. Your child may

have a key worker within school appointed and you will be informed of who this person is. You may

contact the school office for an appointment with the designated key worker or with either the

class teacher or sfl teacher.

We have provided school based training opportunities on assessment and behaviour management

which are on-going throughout the year and staff also identify their own needs and continue to

develop professionally through professional reading and attending other courses out-with school.

Staff are leaders of learning and have responsibility for projects and working groups within the

school. Leadership for pupils has been developed through Living in Our School Society Project and

pupils further develop leadership skills through the responsibilities they assume as Heads, Prefects

and members of the Pupil Council. A cluster working group has been set up this session to look at

assessment and an Assessment Champion, is, now in place within our school. The staff went through

a rigorous process of self-evaluation as part of an extended review and action plans devised and

implemented.

This session we have concentrated on promoting Positive Behaviour Management through our Good

to Be Green strategy with a reward to the cinema for those children who achieved their Ruby red

award. The strategy was presented and discussed with parents at our open ‘Meet the Teacher’

events at the start of the session. Another strategy that has been rolled out across the school is

the introduction of Soft Start giving pupils an opportunity to settle in to school before starting

formal lessons. In November we had a very successful Open Evening for parents to look around the

school and meet with staff. Chris Scott, our lead Educational Psychologist also presented at this

event in which over 100 parents participated in his workshop on Developing Motivation and Confidence focusing on behaviour. Parents gave very positive feedback and this open event was followed by another workshop presented by Chris Scott and the more formal individual parents /

teacher evenings in February. The school of course, welcomes parents at any time and individual

appointments can be given to suit parents. We continue to work hard on improving communication

and promoting partnerships and have a twitter account for parents and staff :

rowantreeps@twitter. We are also establishing better links with the community, especially with the

Hub, Dundee College , the Cherry Drop and the local library.

Improvements in pupils performance is based on the teachers’ on-going assessment of their pupil’s

knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and capabilities as described in the experiences and

outcomes across the curriculum. Our planning is based on the principles of CFE, promoting greater

breadth and depth of learning with a clear focus on developing skills and knowledge. Learning

SECTION 6 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

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intentions and success criteria support the pupil who is encouraged to reflect and set next steps.

Through the use of Learning Logs, staff have gathered evidence of pupil progress. Teachers use

both formative and summative assessments to show where the children are and to plan next steps.

Class teachers moderate pupils work and cross mark across stages. This is to be developed further

into whole school and cluster moderation.

The cluster CFE Assessment Project established an Assessment Champion for each school who

offers advice on moderation and the use of NAR to staff. The project looked at the standardised

tests of PIPs and Incas and developed staff knowledge and understanding of analysis through CPD

activities for staff. The group also devised a range of strategies to support the current ABLE

framework and staff assessment techniques. Professional dialogue is encouraged throughout the

school in staff meetings, workshop activities and through professional support visits.

The school focused on Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) outcomes and related these to

Health and Wellbeing CFE outcomes. The school had an HMIE inspection which focused only on

GIRFEC and the feedback was very positive. The staff in school ensure that health and well –being,

along with pastoral care, has a high profile in their learning and teaching.

The school uses standardised testing called PIPs at Primary 1 stage and Incas at Primary 4 and

Primary 6 stages. Analysis of the Pips results in primary one show that although both classes

started below both local and national averages for their age group, by the end of the year the

majority of primary one pupils had made average progress with some making good progress. At P4

stage Incas results show some pupils are not achieving their potential whilst others are working

above their potential and making good progress. Through careful analysis of Incas results for P6

pupils, the results reflect that some of our pupils are achieving their potential and that the literacy

results are better than numeracy.

We gained the Silver Award for Health Promoting School which was presented to the school by our

pupil members of the Health & Well Being Committee in August 2011. We are now working towards

our Gold Award. We also submitted a draft portfolio in June 2012 to Tayside Health Board for

recognition as a Healthy Working Lives Organisation and have been awarded the Bronze Award.

OUR PLANS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT

We have 4 main projects in our plan

1, Developing the curriculum

2. Learning, Teaching and Assessment.

3. Quality Assurance and Leadership

4. Partnership Working

We want to continue developing curriculum for excellence, improving your child’s learning. We want

to introduce skills days to improve your child’s concentration and keep him or her interested in

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learning. We want to develop your child’s independence skills ensuring your child in becoming more

involved in his/her own learning. We want to raise the standards of achievement making sure that

we all work together to make sure that your child reaches his her potential. We are currently

reviewing how children learn to read and will be introducing reading skills to promote the

development of critical literacy.

We want to make learning fun. Staff are currently training in cooperative learning methodology and

using the approach in the classroom. We want to make sure that our lessons meet your child’s needs

and will use responsive planning where appropriate.

We want to develop leadership skills across the school with staff leading working groups and pupils

taking responsibility for leading their own learning We want to improve our systems of gathering

and recording evidence. Staff will undertake mandatory training e.g. Fire Safety and Asthma

training, this keeps the staff and children in our care safe.

In partnership, we want to build a community around both Rowantree and our neighbour St Vincents.

We want to do this by reviving the community festival in 2013 and work with other agencies. We

want to involve you in the life of our school, keeping you informed and giving you opportunities to

come into school and see what we are doing.

As a school, with a newly formed senior management team we are currently revising and updating

school policies and will inform parents when completed. We endorse the authority policies which

can be accessed via

www.dundeecity.gov.uk

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Currently this session we have the following on offer for children

• Hockey Club

• Football

• Basketball

• Book club

• Pets protectors

• Healthy Eating

• Art and craft

• Dance

• Glee

SECTION 7 SCHOOL POLICIES AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION

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• Choir

And various sporting activities as offered by Sports Development

DEVELOPING OUR CHILDREN AS LEADERS Children take on responsibilities and achieve well in a range of volunteering and leadership

activities.

Children from Primary 2 upwards can be elected as pupil council members for the session. Their

classmates vote for who they wish to represent them. As members of the council, the children work

in partnership with the SMT to develop the school and take forward new initiatives.

We have developed our Heads and Prefect system on a more formalised basis with children

developing interview and leadership skills through the process. The Primary 7’s run an election

campaign during the first term of session and the whole school community votes for who they wish

to be Head Boy, Head Girl, Depute Head Girl and Boy. The remaining primary 7 pupils then complete

and application form and submit with references to be interviewed by the Heads and the SMT for

the position of prefect. The prefects and the Heads take on additional responsibilities throughout

the school from helping to supervise the little ones during wet intervals to helping lead at

assemblies. They play a vital part in school providing good role models to all pupils.

THE SCHOOL DAY

9.00am – 10.30am

Infant break - 10.45am – 11am

Upper break – 10.30am – 10.45am

10.45am/11am – 12.15pm (lunch 12.15pm – 1.15pm)

1.15pm – 3.15pm

� Severe Weather Conditions - for example, the school being closed through bad weather.

This would be communicated to you through Radio Tay Snowline which operates on

frequencies 1161 AM and 102.8 FM in time for you to make alternative arrangements.

� Emergency involving individual children, in the first instance we would try and contact you

or the person designated as your emergency contact. It is therefore essential that you

keep us informed of any change of address or phone number of yourself or your emergency

contact.

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The school has a safety plan and an evacuation policy, which is available for inspection.

SCHOOL DATES SESSION DECEMBER 2012- JUNE 2013

Christmas Holiday Start Mon 24 Dec 2012

End Fri 4 Jan 2013

Spring Term Start Mon 7 Jan 2013

Thurs 7 Feb 2013 In Service Day (4)

Fri 8 Feb 2013 Mid Term

Holiday

Mon 11 Feb 2013 Mid Term Holiday

End Thurs 28 March 2013

Fri 29 March 2013 Good Fri Holiday

Spring Holiday Start Mon 1 April 2013

End Fri 12 April 2013

Summer Term Start Mon 15 April 2013

Mon 6 May 2013 May Day Holiday

Fri 24 May 2013 In Service Day

(5)

Mon 27 May 2013 Victoria Day

Holiday

End Fri 28 June 2013

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SCHOOL DATES SESSION AUGUST 2013-JUNE 2014

Autumn Term Start Staff Mon 12 Aug 2013 In Service Day (1)

Start Pupils Tues 13 Aug 2013

End Fri 4 Oct 2013

Autumn Holiday Start Mon 7 Oct 2013

End Fri 18 Oct 2013

Winter Term Start Mon 21 Oct 2013

Thurs 14 Nov 2013 and

Friday 15the Nov 2013

In Service Days

(2 and 3)

End Fri 20 Dec 2013

Christmas Holiday Start Mon 23 Dec 2013

End Fri 3 Jan 2014

Spring Term Start Mon 6 Jan 2014

Thurs 13 Feb 2014 In Service Day (4)

Fri 14 Feb 2014 and

Mon 17th Feb 2014

Mid Term

Holidays

End Fri 28 March 2014

Spring Holiday Start Mon 31 March 2014

End Fri 11 April 2014

Summer Term Start Mon 14 April 2014

Fri 18 April 2014 Good Friday holiday

Mon 5 May 2014 May Day

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Fri 23 May 2014 In Service Day (5)

Mon 26 May 2014 Victoria Day

End Fri 27 June 2014