St Joseph's RC Primary

Section 1

General School Information

WELCOME TO ST. JOSEPH’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

Welcome to our school handbook. We hope you will find it an informative guide to the educational provision at St.Joseph’s RC Primary School. We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere and creating a safe, happy, caring and stimulating learning environment.

We are concerned with every aspect of your child’s development - emotional, social, physical, behavioural and academic. We aim to encourage every child to reach their full potential. We take pride in the fact that this is a happy, industrious school with a real sense of team spirit.

We sincerely hope that you will share with us in making your child’s time spent at school both happy and successful. The education of a child is far too important to be left to the school alone. Parents have a very important part to play too. We seek to work effectively in partnership with you as parents and with the wider community. This handbook explains what you can expect of the school and also indicates what the school expects of you in the way of partnership, help and support. We hope that you find our handbook clear and informative.

*Please note: parent includes guardian and any person who is liable to maintain or has parental responsibilities (within the section 1 (3) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995) in relation to, or has care of a child or young person.

**Whilst all information within this booklet is correct at the time of printing, it is possible that some items may change during the course of the year

HEADTEACHER'S WELCOME

Dear Parents and Carers,

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to St Joseph’s Primary We are proud of our positive ethos and aims which ensure that our pupils achieve within a caring and nurturing school community. Our school staff work hard to offer our pupils the best quality experiences both within and beyond the classroom during their school career with us.

We are also proud of the positive relationship we have with parents/carers as well as our school community and external partners of whom all have an active part to play in each child’s education. I invite and encourage you to take up these opportunities to be actively involved in the life of the school and very much look forward to working in partnership with you and your family

I hope that this school handbook provides you with information and an insight into the life of the school. We have taken care and ensure that the information provided is accurate and kept up to date. I am sure you can appreciate that life in school is ever changing and as such we will endeavour to keep lines of communication open and honest and to keep you informed of such changes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this handbook, I hope that it answers any queries/questions you may have, however, if you require any additional information then please do not hesitate to contact the school via the school office.

Mrs Sinéad Lindsay

Head Teacher

St Joseph’s Primary School

CONTACTING THE SCHOOL

Contact Address for Integrated Children’s and Family Services:

Aberdeen City Council

Marischal College

Broad Street

Aberdeen AB10 – 1AB

The school address is:

5 Queen’s Road

Aberdeen AB15 4YL

Telephone: 01224 322730

Fax: 01224 325463

Email: stjosephsprimary@aberdeencity.gov.uk

● Contact with St. Joseph’s RC Primary School School can be made, firstly by phoning – 01224 322730. Alternatively we can be contacted by email as above.

● The school website is www.stjosephsprimary.aberdeen.sch.uk

● You can follow the school on X (Twitter) - @stjosephsabn

● The school has an Information Line which is particularly useful during periods of severe weather and can be accessed through phoning 0870 054 1999 and using PIN code 011620. Please do not leave messages for the school on this line.

● School promotes close partnership working between staff and parents/carers and should you wish to talk to your child’s teacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team about matters relating to your child’s education or welfare, I would ask that you firstly phone the school and the appropriate member of staff will either call you back, at a time suitable to you both, and/or set up a meeting to discuss the matter

THE SCHOOL OFFICE

The school office is open during the following hours8.30 to 4pm - Mon – Wed 9.00 to 3.30 - Thurs 8.30 to 3.30 - Friday

THE SCHOOL AND ITS CONTEXT

St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart .It is situated in the west end of Aberdeen serving a wide city centre catchment area and an adjoining part of Aberdeenshire to the south. St Joseph's School is a denominational school and is part of Aberdeen Grammar School Associated Schools Group.

The school building consists of three Victorian houses attached by relatively modern extensions. The school grounds are extensive and feature a large nursery garden, a P1-3 playground, a walled garden with a listed greenhouse and a large senior playground with an orchard and wooded area. The school has strong links with its local and wider community and takes every opportunity to enhance children's learning experiences. The site was purchased by ACC in 2016.

The current school roll is 380 with 40 places in the nursery delivered over morning and afternoon sessions.. The nursery team consists of a Senior Early Years practitioner and two Early Years practitioners. The current management team consists of a Head Teacher, Depute Head and Principal teacher. There are 15 primary classes this session and a nursery class. Visiting teachers this session include PE and Music. Drama and Art are provided by our own staff. The school receives support from the English as an Additional language (EAL service).

Our Targeted Support Team consists of 0.8fte for Support for Learning and 6 full time PSAs. Four further Pupil Support Assistants support learning in all classes on a planned and needs basis. Together they support pupils from P1 to 7 with a range of additional support needs and manage targeted interventions for identified PEF pupils. We have appointed an Early Years Practitioner to the Primary One year group. They also supervise the playground and dinner hall. Experienced support staff assist the school in the areas of administration, janitorial, cleaning and catering provision.

The building currently allows space for 14 classes and a nursery with additional classrooms currently used for a variety of purposes including; a library, a home-economics room, an ASN room, a ‘quiet room’, and an inclusion hub.

The school benefits from after school club provision provided by Community Link Childcare. In addition to this there is a large separate dining-room and a large gym with a fully functioning stage.

The life and work of the school is very well supported by an enthusiastic and active Parent Council. The Parish Priest visits classes on a weekly basis and provides a great deal of support during the Sacramental preparation of the children. The school prides itself in being welcoming to parents and carers and takes every opportunity to enhance children's successes and achievements through a positive and encouraging ethos.

St Joseph’s is a Catholic school , 70% of the pupils are Catholic and almost all other faith groups are represented. The school is very multicultural and has pupils from all over the world. Although situated in the affluent West-end of Aberdeen, the

catchment area for out of zone catholic pupils stretches more widely to include some areas of social deprivation. Consequently the pupils come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and ethnic groups with 24%of our pupils living in the bottom 4 SIMD centiles and another 46% of our families living in the top two deciles. 23% of our pupils have English as an additional language.

The most recent school inspection took place in 2012 and the Care Inspectorate reported on the Nursery in March 2016. The reports are available here

Our Head Teacher Mrs Sinead Lindsay will now drive forward the school improvement priorities with revised remits in the Senior Leadership team.

WHAT MAKES US A CATHOLIC SCHOOL?

All staff appointed to a Catholic school are expected to support and promote the aims, mission, values and ethos of the school, as illustrated in this Charter

OUR SCHOOL’S HISTORY

St Joseph’s Primary School is a member of the Sacred Heart Education Network, which is a world-wide group carrying on the philosophy of the Sacred Heart Society founded by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat

The Heart of Christ was the main focus of St. Madeleine Sophie's life. She knew that each child is deeply loved by Christ In later life she said: "I would have founded the Society for the sake of one child "

She wanted every pupil to live a full life, and therefore a life responsive to God's grace She wanted every pupil's faith to deepen through the curriculum, through formation of character and through the ethos of the school.

She was convinced that education flourishes in an atmosphere of mutual trust. Best education, she held, takes place through relationships

A pioneer in educational thinking, she insisted on a vigorous intellectual formation for women

She sought also to make sure that qualities of heart and intellect developed in harmony She expected those who had received a good education to use it and not to bury their talent

In spite of the restrictions of 19th century conventions, she believed that the influence of a woman was incalculable, not only in the family, but also in the wider world, But the grinding poverty of 19th century cities also needed a response, so she started schools providing free instruction long before some national governments did so.

In 1896 the Sacred Heart Society opened a free school (St Joseph’s) and in the following two years a convent day school (Our Lady’s School) and a fee paying boarding school (St Andrew’s) were opened at Queen’s Cross The day school and the boarding school were amalgamated in 1904 and in 1907 a Teachers’ training Centre was established In 1970 the two schools amalgamated to form St Joseph’s and in 1971 the boarding school closed. In 1973 the school came under the management of the city. In 2016, the school was purchased by Aberdeen City Council

St Joseph’s RC Primary follows Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence but maintains its historical character and its commitment to the Goals of the Sacred Heart Society

St Madeleine Sophie’s philosophy is in harmony with our Curriculum for Excellence and Aberdeen City Council’s Vision for its citizens.

VISITS OF PROSPECTIVE PARENTS

After making a Placing Request prospective parents will be invited to the school to visit the school/nursery to meet with a member of the Senior Leadership Team. During this visit you will be given a tour of the school/nursery and have an opportunity to ask any questions and discuss any particular needs for your child(ren).

St Joseph’s Primary cannot provide a start date for a child without the relevant paperwork completed and submitted online. This is for the welfare of your child/ren.

ADMISSION/ENROLMENT

Nursery Admission

Every child is entitled to a free part-time education place at the start of the term following their third birthday. The Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act defines the three school terms as follows:

Autumn Term: August to December

Spring Term: January to March

Summer Term: April to July

At St. Joseph’s Nursery we have 40 places (20 am nursery and 20 pm nursery) available. Places are allocated by the Early Years Team in accordance with Aberdeen City Council Nursery Admissions Policy

Priority places may be given to ACC ELCAdmissions Policy 2024-25 .pdf children with additional needs in accordance with the Children Scotland Act.

We offer AM or PM session x 5 days (Monday - Friday) x Term Time (38 weeks) – 3 hr 10 mins per session.

Session times: Monday to Friday – morning 8.40am-11.50am or afternoon 12.30-3.40pm (approx.)

Parents/Carers may wish to use a local authority nursery such as ourselves offering 600 hours as part of a blended model – splitting their funded hours with a provider. For example, 600 hours could be used at Saint Joseph's Nursery and the remaining 540 hours used with a childminder.

Blended Placement : Parents/carers also have the choice and flexibility to split their funded hours between up to two different ELC settings (including a childminder). This is referred to as a blended model. You can split your hours between Saint Joseph's ELC/Nursery setting and a Funded Provider or Funded Childminder

If you wish your child to attend a local authority nursery class, you should apply for a place- Apply for a School ELC/Nursery place 2024/2025 | Aberdeen City Council

Parents/carers can apply for a Local Authority school Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)/Nursery place online. The application period is from 30 January 2024 to 14 February 2024.

A guide to completing the ELC/Nursery Place applications

Applications for session 2024/2025 will be available from mid January 2023. Applications received before the deadline in February will be included in the main round of allocations in March. If you miss the deadline for the first round of allocations, you may still apply for a place during the school year and this will be allocated depending on the available space.

Information regarding enrolment is published in the local press during January and communicated to parents through the school bulletin/newsletter. Pupils who attend our nursery have access to a range of educational resources and experiences as part of the school and will be included in any “school experiences” which are age appropriate.

Primary Admissions

New entrants to Primary 1 are enrolled in January for entry to school in August. This is for children who will be five between 1 March and 28 February the following year Parents of children whose birthdays fall in January or February may choose to defer entry to Primary 1. Parents of children born August to December may request an additional year of publicly funded part time pre-school education, but these requests are at the discretion of the local authority. Decisions about these are made by a multi-agency panel in February each year. For more information please click here -https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/education-and-childcare/apply-school-plac e

School Zone

Aberdeen City Council has a zoning policy for all primary and secondary schools within the city All schools serve a local ‘zone’ which has been determined by the council. You can check your school zone/catchment area on this website. Alternatively this information can be obtained from the School Placements, Integrated Children and Families Services, Marischal College, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1AB, telephone 01224 522753.

Parents have the right to request admission to a school outwith their zoned area and the authority has a duty to agree to such requests depending on availability. Aberdeen City Council does however promote the attendance of children within their local/ zoned school wherever possible.

Once an enrolment application has been made through placing requests and a place is to be offered then the school will contact you to arrange a visit.

Head Teacher

Depute Head Teacher

Depute Head Teacher

Principal Teacher

SCHOOL STAFF

Mrs Sinéad Lindsay

Mrs Orla Fowler

Mrs Louise Lacaze

Miss Hazel Taylor

Class Teachers P1HS

P1C P2M

P2T P3M

P3S P4B

P4D P5B

P5N

P6W

P6B

P7MG

P7GJ

SFL MLPS / EAL

Visiting Specialists

- Physical Education - Music

School Administrator

Pupil Support Assistant

Mrs S Styles

Mrs C Carson

Miss C McIntosh

Mr J Tiley

Ms P Maley

Mrs S Scott

Mrs Judith Petrovski & Mrs Margaret Rafferty

Mrs A Dimaki (Maternity) Ms C Hammond

Mrs B Bailey

Mrs C Nwaopara

Mrs A Wilkinson

Mrs J Bryce

Mrs C Murray - George

Mrs M Gonzales Jones

Mrs Lisa Hendry / Mrs Lara Lumbard

Mrs M Malet

Miss Nicola Gravener / Mrs Sarah Skinner

Mr J Horton

Mrs Claire McHattie

Mrs Susan Skinner

Mrs N Edwards

Mrs N Edgerton

Mrs F McAllister

Mrs J McCormack

Miss A Drain

Mrs A Soutar

Mrs S Thompson

Mrs C Darlington

Mrs L Watts

Mrs A Strong

Mrs C Moran

Mrs S Dhatta

Mrs J Doel

Senior Early Years Practitioner

Early Years

Practitioners

Janitor

Dining Staff

Cleaning Staff

Morning:

Morning Break:

Afternoon:

Mrs V Sood

Mrs W Zacaria

Mrs E Ridley

Miss P Iwaszkiewicz

Miss S Pirie

Mrs K Charles

Mrs Y Dahel

Mike

Claire Rough

Angela Ewen

Adrienne Ross

Louise Donaldson

Pauline Wells

Malcolm Stewart

Pauline Porter

ORGANISATION OF SCHOOL DAY

Nursery (part-time) 8.30 am – 11.40 am

Primary 1 - 3 9.00 am – 12.00 pm

Primary 4 - 7 9.00 am – 12.15pm

Primary 1 - 3

Primary 4 - 7. 10.15am - 10.30am 10.40am - 10.55am

Nursery (part-time) 12.30 pm – 3.40 pm.

Primary 1 - 3 1.00pm - 3.15 pm

Primary 4 - 7 1.15pm - 3.15pm

This session’s term dates are attached as appendix 1.

Please be advised that prior to the school day it is a parent's responsibility to escort their child safely to school and supervise where required in the playground. There are PSAs in the playground from 8.45am to ensure the safety of our arriving bus children. Other parents are responsible for their children until 9am.

We currently do not have a School Crossing Patroller and the roads surrounding our school are extremely busy

We ask that parents adhere to the parking restrictions around our school as failure to do so is putting the safety of our pupils at great risk.

ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL AND PLAYGROUND INFORMATION

Children should not arrive at school more than 15 minutes before the start of the school day. The school gates open at 8.40am. Please note, there is limited shelter

in the playground therefore on wet days it is advised that children come to school just before the 9 am bell. For pupils to reach their potential, it is important that they arrive in time to come into school with their class ready to start the school day.

Please also make sure that your child is collected on time or knows what they are doing at the end of the school day i.e. walking home, attending an afterschool club. Arrangements with After Schools Club and or Active School Clubs are in agreement with the parent/carer and provider and are not affiliated with the school.

During lunch/break times children will be expected to play outside unless the weather is excessively icy, wet or windy Children should come to school with appropriate outerwear to suit the time of year In accordance with Aberdeen City Council’s Health and Safety Policy, children will not be allowed to make ice slides in the playground nor throw snowballs.

If your child has an accident in the playground, he/she will be treated by a first aider. Your child will be given a pink slip, which will inform you of the nature of the accident and the treatment given. We will attempt to notify you by telephone of any serious injuries. (Please ensure that you keep the school updated of any change in your emergency contact details/new mobile phone number).

For Health and Safety reasons, dogs are not permitted in the school grounds.

PARKING

We have no parking facilities for parents and limited spaces for visitors at St. Joseph’s Primary School. We would also advise that for safety and legal reasons cars should not park on single yellow lines, double yellow lines or zig zag lines at any time.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

The wearing of school uniform is strongly encouraged at St. Joseph’s RC Primary We believe that school uniform gives pupils a strong sense of identity creating a united school community There is an expectation that children in P1 to P7 wear the items listed below

Girls: Green polo shirt, navy blue skirt, pinafore or trousers; blue cardigan/jumper

Boys: Green polo shirt; navy blue trousers or shorts; navy blue jumper

Gym kit - Green polo shirt, blue or white shorts. jogging bottoms can be included for outside gym.

School sweatshirts, polo-shirts, fleeces, book bags can all be purchased from our Parent Council via the school website. An overall (old shirt) is recommended for art. All children should be provided with indoor footwear, which the children can change into, in order to be more comfortable during the school day

PE KIT

Gym kit - Green polo shirt, blue or white shorts. jogging bottoms can be included for outside gym.

Children should remove all jewellery before taking part in PE activities. If your child has pierced ears, please make certain they can remove and insert the jewellery themselves. If they cannot, please ensure earrings are left at home on PE days. Teachers may look after jewellery for a child, but the school accepts no responsibility for such items.

PLEASE LABEL ALL BELONGINGS

PUPIL BELONGINGS, VALUABLES AND JEWELLERY

Valuable possessions (including toys) should not be brought to school unless parents are prepared to accept the risk of damage or loss as the school is not insured for this purpose. Pupils are discouraged from wearing jewellery for health and safety reasons. Stud earrings are permitted but any other form of jewellery is not advisable. It is stressed that these measures are taken to ensure the safety of children in our care.

SCHOOL/HOME COMMUNICATION

GROUPCALL

We use the Groupcall system which provides a system of text messages for parent communications. This system gives the school the ability to send text messages (SMS) and emails to your mobile phone.

If you change your mobile number/email , please provide the updated number to the school office to ensure you receive all messages.

School Website - https://stjosephsprimary.aberdeen.sch.uk/

X (Formerly Twitter) - Follow us @stjosephsabn

SCHOOL MEALS

It is the authority’s policy to provide meals and facilities for the consumption of packed lunches in all schools where these are required.

A school meal costs £2.20 in primary schools.We use the Parent Pay app to pay for school meals.

All pupils in Primary 1 to 5 are entitled to Free School Meals.

You can find information about school dinners, free school meals and the menu at: http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/schoolmeals/

Some pupils in P4 to7 may also be entitled to free school meals if in receipt of certain benefits.

Free school meals are available to children whose parents are in receipt of Income Support, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance/Incapacity Benefit, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance, Child Tax Credit where no award of Working Tax Credit has been made and income is less the £15,860; and both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with income below the threshold for receipt of Working Tax Credit set by the UK Government, currently £6420.

If you believe your child should receive free school meals, please contact the school office. We will of course treat any queries and applications with confidentiality.

You can pay for school meals:

1. Online at

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/school-meals-parentpay

A varied menu with vegetarian choices is provided. We send menus home to enable parents to discuss choices with children at home and plan ahead what they might like to eat. The menu is also available on the school website.

Parents can request a special diet for children if there are medical or religious reasons for doing so.

Children who require medically prescribed or modified diets should be identified during the admission process.

Pupils may also bring a packed lunch to school. We are a Health Promoting School and encourage parents to provide packed lunches with a balanced content. Like you, we want our pupils to be happy and healthy and the food they eat plays a major part in their future health and well-being.

Children are encouraged to eat all of their lunch, but not forced. Where children bring a packed lunch to school, parents are responsible for ensuring that lunch box contents are stored at the correct temperature by including an ice pack where necessary.

We currently have pupils in attendance at school who have allergies and ask that you do not include any nut items within your child’s snack and/or lunch.

Should a child forget his/her dinner money or their packed lunch, they will be provided with a school meal which you can pay for the next day

BREAKTIME SNACK

Children can bring a snack to school for break time. As a Health Promoting School we encourage healthy options. Children should not share their snack with others in the playground as they may inadvertently cause another child to have an allergic reaction (e.g. nut allergy – resulting in anaphylaxis).

PUPIL ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE PROCEDURES

In recent years increasing attention has been paid to issues of child protection and safety due to reported occasions where children have been seriously or fatally injured because of the inappropriate or criminal behaviours of adults. It is important that staff and parents continue to work together to develop and improve existing arrangements for monitoring the care and welfare of all children and young people. Aberdeen City Council has asked all schools to implement a series of standard procedures to monitor pupil’s attendance and absence from school and to invite the cooperation of parents in making these changes work. All parents are asked to assist the staff in schools which their children attend in the manner described below:

In accordance with the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 parents are required to ensure that their children receive a suitable education from the time they are five. This is normally provided through attendance at school and parents have a duty to ensure regular attendance and that children arrive on time.

Regular and punctual attendance is linked closely to achievement. The school is required by law to maintain an accurate record of the attendance and absence of each pupil. Parents are requested to assist in this process by keeping the school informed if their child is to be absent for any reason.

UNPLANNED ABSENCE

It is important to note that if a child does not arrive at school and there is no reasonable explanation provided for his/her absence then members of staff will be required to ascertain the whereabouts and safety of the child. In order to avoid causing unnecessary concern for staff and parents the importance of good communication between home and school cannot be overemphasised.

If your child is going to be absent please telephone the school absence line (01224 327423) before 9.30 am (if there is no answer please leave a message). If your child is home for lunch and becomes unwell making them unable to return in the afternoon please call the school office. When you contact the school it would be helpful if an indication could be given as to the child’s expected length of absence from school.

If we have not received a call to notify us of the reasons for absence then you will receive a groupcall from our school office asking you to give us a call to provide an explanation. If an explanation of the absence is not provided, the period will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Should the child not return to school within three school days without explanation then ‘Missing from Education’ policy and procedures will come into effect.

PLANNED ABSENCE

As part of Government Regulations we are required to record all absences as “authorised” or “unauthorised”. Authorised absences are due to illness or family bereavement and can also include time off to attend, e.g. sporting events and music exams.

The Scottish Government has deemed that holidays taken during term time should be recorded as unauthorised absence unless there are special exceptional circumstances. Should you wish to remove your child from school to attend a family holiday you must request permission from the Head Teacher. Parents are asked to limit the number of holidays taken during term time. This is to minimise disruption to the children’s education. For annual holiday dates for Aberdeen City schools please see the section at the back of this book or on Aberdeen City Council’s website. We do not provide work for children who are on holiday during term time.

For medical or dental appointments, the School Office should be informed. Children should always be collected and returned by an adult on these occasions. As far as possible such appointments should take place out with the school day

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, HEAD LICE AND ASTHMA

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

When pupils are off school because of sickness or diarrhoea, they should not be sent back to school until 48 hours after symptoms have passed. Pupils must also be kept off school for a period of time where they have an infectious or contagious disease. These include common ailments such as impetigo, conjunctivitis, chicken pox etc. Please contact your GP or local health centre for up to date advice if you believe your child may have a communicable disease. For further information regarding how long children need to be kept at home and not sent to school either contact the school office or go to www.nhs grampian.co.uk

HEAD LICE

Please check your child’s head regularly (we recommend weekly) and notify the school if you find head lice. Current advice on the treatment of head lice is available from the pharmacist. If your child has recurrent head lice or that it is difficult to clear then our School Nurse is available to offer support and advice.

ASTHMA INHALERS

Parents of children who carry their own inhalers should supply a spare named inhaler just in case your child’s inhaler is lost or misplaced. Parents of children with asthma should complete an asthma card which will be provided to you by the school office.

FIRST AID

Pupil Support Assistants have a full qualification in first aid. Clearly where there is any doubt over injury or illness, we will contact you immediately and in an emergency, contact the appropriate emergency services. Where basic First Aid has been given in school we will send home a letter to let you know about the treatment given. Head bump letters and stickers are also issued when appropriate and you will receive a phone call or groupcall giving details of the incident.

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION

There is no legal duty that requires education staff to administer pupil medication; this is an entirely voluntary role and decisions may differ from school to school.

Parents/ Carers have prime responsibility for their child’s health. During your child’s enrolment process you as a parent/carer have a responsibility to inform the school leadership team and/or office with your child’s pre-diagnosed conditions. There may be certain cases in which school staff require medical training prior to your child starting with us. In some cases an appropriate Health Care Plan will be written in partnership with both you as parents, school staff and health care professionals.

We do not routinely administer medication in school. If your child has received a prescription from the doctor where possible it should be arranged for this to be administered outwith the school day

In cases where a child requires medication to be given during the school day a medication form should be completed, which can be acquired from the school office or downloaded from the website.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS

When you enrol your child at school, you are asked to give us an emergency contact number. We will ask you to update this each year. Please ensure that you inform the school office if the contact details change as out of date contact numbers can cause both you and your child unnecessary upset in an emergency or illness.

If your child is ill at school, we will try to contact parents or carers in the first instance. If we are unable to do this we will then use the emergency contact number given by you.

If your child has an accident at school, it will be dealt with in the first instance by our trained first aid personnel. It may be necessary to take a child to a doctor or hospital. We will always try to contact you in this situation, however if we are unable to make contact and it is in the child’s interest to have medical attention, a member of the school staff will accompany the pupil to a doctor or hospital and remain with them until you can be contacted.

GUIDANCE ON EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSURES/ ADVERSE WEATHER

School Closure Due to Bad Weather or Other Emergency

We want to work in partnership with parents and carers to ensure the safety of children at all times. These guidelines outline the procedures for dealing with school closures during bad weather or other emergencies.

Parental Role

We would like you to:

● Ensure your child wears appropriate outdoor clothes throughout the winter

● Decide whether it is safe for your child to travel to school in bad weather

● Provided the school with information about emergency contacts to whom your child can be sent at short notice if you are not available. Also tell the school about any changes to this information and to your daytime contact details.

● Provide school with a bad weather address within safe walking distance of the school.

When will schools be closed?

Head Teachers decide if and when schools should close due to bad weather or another emergency In bad weather they will decide this after receiving information about local weather conditions. This decision can be made during any time, day or night.

If you are concerned about local weather conditions please contact the school. You may wish to collect your child yourself and are free to do so provided you make arrangements with the school.

If the school or nursery is to close early, the school will contact you by telephone. If this is not possible the school will contact your named “emergency contact”. No child will be released from school without contact being made.

Information on School Closures

We will use School Twitter, Groupcall and Class Dojo to update parents with information about school closures.

Your local radio station is also a good place to find information on school closures. The following radio stations receive updated information every 15 mins from the Aberdeen City Council website.

It is important contact details are current and the people named are available –particularly during bad weather.

SECURITY

All schools across Aberdeen City are fitted with security systems. Parents are asked to cooperate fully with security arrangements at each school. Parents are also asked to be vigilant and to warn their children about “stranger danger”. This includes sharing with your child/ren who they should expect to be present at 3.15pm to collect them from school. Parents should reinforce the arrangement that children report to the school office when there is no one to collect them at 3.15pm. On these occasions contact with parents/carers and if necessary emergency contacts or duty social work will be made.

Any worries about unknown or suspect strangers on or near a school site should always be reported to a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

At St. Joseph’s we ask parents to enter by the main entrance and check in at reception. Parents must not enter via any other door apart from when dropping off and collecting children to and from Nursery when they should enter the Nursery entrance only

CHILD PROTECTION

Every school has a named senior member of staff appointed as responsible for Child Protection and Safeguarding matters. At St Joseph’s, that person is Mrs Sinéad Lindsay Any parent who wishes to discuss Child Protection should contact the Head Teacher Staff at St Joseph’s have a duty to report concerns related to child protection to the Head Teacher Parents should be aware that whilst every effort will be made to discuss concerns with them in the first instance, outside agencies may be contacted in an emergency where the welfare of a child is believed to be at risk.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

We are always keen to offer extra-curricular activities to pupils at St Joseph’s. Our clubs are run in collaboration with parents, partners, Active Schools and school staff. We are very grateful for the input and expertise of those willing to give up time for our pupils.

Active Schools also offer a range of activities within the local area for our pupils. For more information please look at their website

http://www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/activities/active-schools

PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS AS HELPERS BOTH WITHIN AND OUTWITH SCHOOL

Parents and family members are encouraged to support the life of the school in a variety of ways, both formally and informally, in the classroom to support the delivery of the curriculum, through after school and lunchtime activities and accompanying classes on school trips. We appreciate and value the contribution parents and families can make to the experiences and learning opportunities for our pupils. Any parent who volunteers on either a regular or occasional basis is asked to contact the school office in order to complete a PVG Disclosure form.

PARENTS AND CARERS AS PARTNERS

At St. Joseph’s Primary , we value and promote the importance of parents/carers being involved in their own child’s learning and also in the wider life of the school. Induction Days and Presentations/Workshops for parents/carers also provide useful information on how best you can support your child’s learning.

St Joseph’s Parent Council are always looking for more support from parents. The fundraising sub-group organise a range of social opportunities for pupils and parents and the wider community and provides valuable funding for educational items, outings etc. The Parent Council work in partnership with the school, supporting school projects and improvements. Our Parent Council meet termly They also work in partnership with the school to benefit our pupils, parents and the wider community, representing the parents. To find out more about the work of the group, please contact school and we will inform you of meeting dates. Further information on both groups can be found on their website - https://sites.google.com/view/stjopc

PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR

The general aim of the school is to provide an atmosphere of mutual respect and collective responsibility, as per our school values. Pupils, parents and teachers all have an important role to play in achieving this. We try to teach children to be responsible citizens and make good choices. As a staff we lead by example and use praise and encouragement to support pupils.

All pupils respond well to praise and recognition. At St. Joseph’s Primary staff will recognise and praise pupil’s efforts daily All pupils belong to a school ‘family’ and win family points when they display attributes associated with our values. The behaviours expected at St. Joseph’s Primary were decided and agreed upon through our Pupil Voice Forum.

St. Joseph’s Primary has a clear Behaviour Management Strategy Discipline is essential to good learning situations. At St. Joseph’s Primary we do not tolerate negative behaviour and we aim to work in partnership with parents if pupils are struggling in school to follow the expected standards of behaviour. Through delivery of our Health and Wellbeing curriculum and through the positive relationships across and within the school, our pupils are encouraged to share with an adult if they feel they are being bullied. This will be dealt with in accordance with Aberdeen City Council’s Anti- Bullying Policy

A copy of our Relationships Policy and our Anti-bullying Policy can be requested through the school office and is available on our school website.

EARLY YEARS PROVISION

At St Joseph’s Primary School our nursery provision is an integral part of the school. The nursery has two part-time classes ( morning and afternoon classes), each catering for 20 children. Children can be offered a part time nursery place in the term following their 3rd birthday

During each of the nursery sessions children help to prepare a healthy snack. The cost of a snack is £2.50 per week, per child. Snack money can be handed in either weekly or termly in a clearly marked envelope with the child's name and how much money is enclosed. Under the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme we are happy to provide a healthy snack - a portion of fruit or vegetables and a drink of milk to each child during the session.

We encourage outdoor play in all weathers and we are pleased to be able to offer this as part of our provision.

THE CURRICULUM

Within our nursery we aim to build on the natural curiosity and previous learning that children bring with them. Children engage in all curricular areas across the Early Level of Curriculum for Excellence in line with our whole school curriculum ( given in detail in Section 2 of this handbook).

At St Joseph’s Primary we are committed to developing children’s knowledge and understanding of curricular areas through a wide variety of play opportunities, both free play and more structured.

UNIFORM/ CLOTHING

At St Joseph’s Nursery we do not have a set uniform for children to wear however they are more than welcome to purchase a school jumper from our Parent Council. Parents should be aware that children are asked to wear aprons for art and design activities. They will be allowed and encouraged to play, learn and explore without worrying about their clothing. Pupils should therefore come to nursery in clothing which they can get ‘messy’ in.

Nursery pupils will require the following items of clothing:

- A pair of soft indoor shoes with non-slip soles

- A change of clothing

- Outdoor shoes, wellies

Children should dress appropriately for the weather conditions. In winter months we recommend children to have ‘all in one’ waterproof suits. During summer months, please ensure that you have applied sun cream to your child before nursery and that they wear a sun hat.

Please ensure all clothing and footwear is clearly marked with your child’s name.

Section 2

Curriculum and Assessment

St Joseph’s School Vision, Values & Aims

Our School Values

The school aims were reviewed during session: 2018/2019

THE CURRICULUM

Curriculum for Excellence is the national curriculum for Scottish schools for learners from the ages 3-18 year olds. Its purpose is to improve our children’s chances, to nurture successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens, with the child or young person at the centre of the learning.

Our curriculum is based upon shared values. It is designed to promote challenge, enjoyment, breadth and depth, progression, relevance, coherence, personalisation and choice in learning for all pupils. For further information www.educationscotland.gov.uk

The curriculum is organised around experiences and outcomes in eight curricular areas:

Expressive Art (including Art and Design, Dance, Drama and Music) Health and Wellbeing (including Mental Emotional, Social and Physical Wellbeing, P.E., Food and Health)

Languages (Literacy)

Mathematics (Numeracy)

Religious and Moral Education

Sciences

Social Studies (Understanding People, Place and Society in the past and present including history and geography)

Technologies

The curriculum areas are the organisers for ensuring that learning takes place across a broad range of contexts and offer a way of grouping experiences and outcomes under recognisable headings.

The experiences and outcomes describe the national expectations for learning and progression in all areas of the curriculum. Progression is indicated through curriculum levels which are explained in the table below. The core to everything will be literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing and all staff at Skene Square Primary School have a responsibility for delivering these core curricular areas.

The curriculum aims to recognise children’s achievements both in and out of school. At Skene Square we celebrate children’s achievement through celebratory assemblies and achievement wall and therefore we would appreciate it if you could please keep us up to date of achievements out of school.

Level Stage

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

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

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

Third and Fourth S1 to S3, but earlier for some. The fourth level broadly equates

Senior Phase S4-S6 and college or other means of study

LANGUAGES AND LITERACY, INCLUDING MODERN LANGUAGES

At St Joseph’s Primary School we take a developmental approach to Literacy This approach ensures that our pupils develop the foundation skills they require for the four organisers of Literacy: Reading, Writing, Listening and Talking.

More information about Emerging Literacy can be found at: https://highlandliteracy.com/emerging-literacy/

Across our school we have a termly focus on specific genres of writing in order to develop specific skills required. Please see the table below for this session's plan.

MATHS AND NUMERACY

At St Joseph’s Primary School we aim to equip our pupils with a sound grasp of numeracy and mathematics concepts, many of which they will require for life, learning and work.

Within numeracy and mathematics there are three organisers: Number, Money and measure, Shape, position and movement and Information Handling.

With an aim of developing fluency and confidence in maths and numeracy, all of our pupils participate in Number Talks as part of maths lessons. The focus during number talks is not necessarily about gaining the correct answer but it provides the teacher with an opportunity to listen to and follow their pupil’s thinking and therefore adapt their teaching. At the same time pupils are deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts and processes.

Numicon is a resource which is used widely across the school and nursery and supports children’s ability to visualise numbers and number patterns.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

At St Joseph’s Primary we are very proud of the positive ethos that collectively the school community has created. Our school values help to ensure that everyone involved with the life of the school has an understanding and shared responsibility in order to maintain this nurturing learning environment.

Across the whole school a programme called ICE PACK is delivered with the aim of equipping our pupils with the skills they require to develop and maintain healthy relationships and to build resilience. At St Joseph’s this programme is planned so that key concepts/themes are taught with age and stage progression so that there is a shared language/ vocabulary across the school. This way of delivering the programme also supports our positive behaviour policy

HOMEWORK

Our homework policy is in the process of being reviewed by all stakeholders with the process being led by our P7s.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is an integral part of learning and teaching and it allows teachers, pupils and parents to make valued judgements about a pupil’s progress. Informal assessment takes place continuously in the day to day interactions between staff and pupils and between pupils and pupils. This assessment information is used to support teachers planning to ensure that the learning opportunities and next steps for each pupil are well planned for and are appropriate in terms of support and challenge. Curriculum for Excellence Benchmarks provide clarity for staff on the national standards within each curricular area and at each level.

National assessments in reading, writing and numeracy (SNSA) are completed by P1, P4 and P7 pupils. This information provides a further form of assessment data which allows professional discussion around a child’s progress.

REPORTING AND SHARING THE LEARNING

As well as these formal opportunities to discuss learner progress with parents and carers throughout the year there are opportunities for children to share their learning. Class teachers also try to share learning via Class Dojo, Class blogs and our school twitter page in order that we can also share the learning with the wider school community.

Whilst the written progress report is issued to parents in Term 4 of the session parents are able to request a meeting to discuss their child’s progress or any concerns they may have at any point during the school year Appointments can be made by contacting the school office.

TRANSITION

NURSERY- P1

Children who attend Nursery sessions at St Joseph’s Primary are already familiar with the school and its staff before they enter Primary 1. To help ease the transition further nursery children will make many planned visits in Term 4. More informal opportunities to visit and to play and learn alongside primary 1 happen throughout the year The nursery is very much part of the school and nursery pupils have many opportunities to be involved in either departmental or whole school events throughout the year

Following feedback from this session's transition, we plan to hold an increased number of opportunities for pupils who do not attend our nursery to visit St Joseph’s prior to starting Primary 1. Our teaching staff will also, where possible, visit children in their current setting to begin to build relationships.

P7-SECONDARY

The designated secondary school for all pupils who attend St. Joseph’s is based on your place of residence. More information can be found here -

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/education-and-childcare/starting-secondary -school

St Joseph’s Primary has excellent links with both Aberdeen Grammar School and its associated primary schools. This allows for a well structured transition programme with visits for our pupils zoned for Aberdeen Grammar. Pupils will transition to the secondary school near their home address - please check the link above to find your zoned secondary. We work closely with all secondaries which our pupils feed into.

Parents/ carers are invited to Information Evenings prior to the formal visits starting when they can meet staff and learn about the work and life of the secondary school.

For those parents/carers who wish their child to attend a secondary school outwith their zoned school ( according to residence not primary school attended), a Placing Request form should be completed at the appropriate time of the school year

Arrangements for pupils attending other Secondary Schools within Aberdeen City are similar with opportunities to visit the school and participate in the transition programme.

For those pupils with Additional Support needs an extended transition is planned for with the secondary school and with liaison with pupil, parents/carers. For those pupils with an additional pastoral need an extended transition programme will be supported by the Youth Development Team.

COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS

All staff at St Joseph’s Primary are fully committed to providing the best educational experience for your child/ren. We are proud of our positive relationships with working in partnership with parents, carers, families and partner agencies however we are human and from time to time mistakes can be made, or be perceived to be made.

If you feel dissatisfied with any aspect of the school’s provision I would urge you to get in touch with the Head Teacher or a member of the Senior Management Team in order that your concern can be dealt with in a timely and efficient manner.

No matter how strong the relationships we hold with our school community are, there may be occasions when parents wish to express dissatisfaction with Council Services, policies or staff behaviour. In these instances if the complaint cannot be resolved within school then it can be lodged by accessing http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/complaints On this website you will find how your complaint will be handled in accordance with the Complaints Handling Procedure.

If your concern is pertinent to the nursery provision we provide, again I would urge you in the first instance to contact a member of the Senior Management Team and follow the same complaints procedure as above. Following these procedures if you feel that the concern has not been resolved effectively by the school then they should be raised with: The Care Inspectorate, North Region, Johnstone House, Rose Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1UD.

Appendix 1:

Term 1

21 August 2023 to 13 October 2023

● In-service day - Monday 21 August 2023

● Term starts - Tuesday 22 August 2023

● September holiday - Friday 22 September to Monday 25 September 2023

● Term ends - Friday 13 October 2023

● October holiday - Monday 16 October to Friday 27 October 2023

Term 2

30 October 2023 to 21 December 2023

● Term starts - Monday 30 October 2023

● In-service day - Friday 17 November 2023

● Term ends - Thursday 21 December 2023*

● Christmas holiday - Friday 22 December 2023 to Friday 5 January 2024*

* Subject to change

Term 3

8 January 2024 to 31 March 2024

● Term starts - Monday 8 January 2024

● Mid term holiday - Monday 12 February 2024

● In-service day - Tuesday 13 February 2024

● In-service day - Wednesday 14 February 2024

● Term ends - Friday 29 March 2024

● Spring holiday - Monday 1 April to Friday 12 April 2024

Term 4

15 April 2024 to 5 July 2024

● Term starts - Monday 15 April 2024

● May Day holiday - Monday 6 May 2024

● In-service day - Tuesday 7 May 2024

● Term ends - Friday 5 July 2024