Contact Details

Mrs Gemma Houston

Head Teacher
Hermitage Primary School
East Argyle Street
Helensburgh
G84 8QR

01436 672949

hermitageprimary.co.uk

Enquiries-hermitageprimary@argyll-bute.gov.uk

School roll and Stages

Present Roll: 365

Class Stages: P1 – P7

Non-Denominational Status

School Staff

Management Team

Mrs Gemma Houston                  Head Teacher

Mrs Lynda McMurdo                    Depute Head Teacher

Mr Paul Mulvenna                       Depute Head Teacher

Class Teachers

P1A    –         Mrs Fiona Paul & Mrs Fiona Mulvenna

P1B    –         Mrs Amy Tolland-MacEachran

P1C    –         Mrs Jennifer Forrester

P2A    –         Mrs Wendy Mitchell & Mrs Rosalind Philips

P2B    –         Mrs Pauline Rae

P3A    –         Mrs Anne Millar

P3B    –         Mrs Kirsty Todd

P4A    –         Mr Diego Osorio

P4B    –         Mrs Carol Brown

P5A    –         Mrs Laura Johnstone & Mrs Lyndsay Carmichael

P5B    –         Mrs Emma Stevenson & Mrs Wendy Mitchell

P6A    –         Mr Simon Henry

P6B    –         Mrs Rachel Morrison

P7A    –         Mrs Jessica Coleman

P7B    –         Mrs Nicola Guthrie

Music Teacher                 –         Mrs Morag Ridland

Pupil Support Teachers   –         Mrs Colette Lafferty McGaw & Mrs Dawn MacBride

Other School Staff

Janitor                                       Mr Brian Tracey

Catering Supervisor                            Mrs Heather Brown

Cleaning Supervisor                  Mr Robert Campbell

Clerical Assistants                    Mrs Margaret Blair, Mrs Victoria Harvey-Cartmell &

Mrs Yvonne Smiles

Classroom Support Assistants Mrs Donna Bradbury, Mrs Sue Cox, Mrs Clare McVey,

Mrs Kristy Muir, Miss Caroline George, Mrs Lucy Impey, Mrs Alison Carmichael, Mrs Arlene McNeilage, Mrs Claire Walker, Mrs Alison MacFarlane, Mrs Natalie Sharp, Mrs Madeline Paton.

School Day

School Commences – 9 a.m.

Interval –  10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Lunch – 12:15 – 13:00 p.m.

Dismissal –  3:00 p.m.

School Terms and Holidays

Holiday dates for the current and subsequent academic years, where already set, may be found via https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-holidays

Early Learning and Childcare Provision

All eligible two, three and four year olds are entitled to 1140 hours (pro rata) of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC).  1140 hours ELC is intended to support child development, help close the attainment gap through the provision of high quality services, and support parents to work, train or study.  ELC can be accessed through local authority settings, partner provider nurseries and childminders.  Parents can also choose to have a blended placement using more than one setting and/or childminder.  

Further ELC Information for parents is available via: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/registering-your-child-nursery#documents 

Please see Early Years and childcare | Argyll and Bute Council (argyll-bute.gov.uk) or call our Early Years Helpline on 01369 708503 for further information and for details of the nearest establishment/s offering early learning and childcare.   

Information about snack and meal provision within ELC settings can be found later in this document.

Visits of Prospective Parents/Carers

If you wish to visit the school prior to your child joining, please contact the school office.

Once your child has been allocated a place you will be invited along to meet the staff and children, to find out more about the curriculum and to share information about your child.

Please see www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/placing-your-child-school for further information.

School Uniform

The Education Committee recommended at its meeting of 21 August 1997 that – ‘the adoption of a distinctive dress code chosen to enhance the ethos of the school should be encouraged in all schools’.  Given that there is substantial parental and public approval of uniform, schools in Argyll and Bute are free to encourage the wearing of school uniform. 

In Hermitage Primary School, the suggested uniform is as follows:

BOYS: mid grey trousers, white shirt & school tie or white polo shirt, red sweatshirt and plain black shoes (all marked with child’s name).

GIRLS: mid grey skirt/ trousers, black tights/ white socks, white shirt & school tie or a white polo, red sweatshirt / cardigan, a red checked summer dress or a tartan pinafore/ skirt and plain black shoes (all marked with child’s name).

Parents wishing to purchase sweatshirts and polo shirts with a school badge embroidered onto them will find then online at www.schoolwearmadeeasy.com. Currently school ties are available from the school office at a cost of £7.

PE KIT: Plain t-shirt, shorts/ tracksuit bottoms and gym shoes/ trainers.

OUTDOOR KIT: Waterproof jacket, trousers and wellies or sturdy boots.

Please note that school uniform is not compulsory and it is not policy to insist on pupils wearing uniform or having specialist items of clothing in order to engage in all of the activities of the curriculum.  As such, pupils will not be deprived of any educational benefit as a result of not wearing uniform. 

However, there are forms of dress which are unacceptable in school, such as items of clothing which:

• potentially encourage faction (such as football colours);
• could cause offence (such as anti-religious symbolism or political slogans);
• could cause health and safety difficulties (such as loose fitting clothing, dangling earrings);
• are made from a flammable material, for example shell suits in practical classes;
• could cause damage to flooring;
• carry advertising, particularly for alcohol or tobacco; and
• could be used to inflict damage on other pupils or be used by others to do so.

All clothing brought to school should be labelled or marked in some way, as it is difficult for children to distinguish their own clothing from others.

School Clothing Grants

For information about School Clothing Grants, including the eligibility criteria, and to complete an online application form please visit Childcare, School and Education Grants | Argyll and Bute Council (argyll-bute.gov.uk).   Alternatively, please contact Customer Services: Education on 01369 708548 or your local benefit enquiry office.

Parental Concerns

If you have any concerns relating to your child, please contact the school office in the first instance.

Promoted staff also have a pastoral responsibility for different year groups. Mrs McMurdo looks after primary 1 – 3 and Mrs Mulvenna Primary 4 – 7 and because they are timetabled to work with these stages they develop a good knowledge of the children. Anyone who wishes to discuss any concerns or confidential matters with the Senior Leadership Team should contact the school office to arrange an appointment. 

Pupil Absence Procedures

Parents are required to contact the school every day for any absence other than holiday. Council policy is that we will contact a parent if a child is absent and no communication has been forthcoming from the parent.  We may do this by phone or text message.

If your child is absent you should text the school absence line on 07860 029895 – or call the school office before 9:30 a.m. to report this absence. It is also important that you provide a reason for the absence for monitoring purposes and, where possible, give details of expected length of absence. Any parent who has not reported their child’s absence will receive a text message asking them to call the school office. Phone calls may also be made to your home to establish the whereabouts of your child to ensure your child is safe.

School Attendance

Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that their children attend school regularly and arrive on time.  They are also responsible for ensuring the safety of their children on their journeys to and from school. 

Regular and punctual attendance is linked closely to achievement and school staff wish to work with parents/carers to ensure that children can reach their full potential.  The school is required by law to maintain an accurate record of the attendance and absence of each pupil and parents/carers are requested to assist in this process by keeping the school informed if their child is to be absent for any reason. Your child’s school will contact you and offer support if your child’s attendance falls below 90%.  The school will continue to work with you until your child’s attendance improves.  The school may identify further support and seek advice from other professionals to ensure your child’s needs are met.

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 individual child.  In order to avoid causing unnecessary concern for staff and parents/carers, the importance of good communication between home and school cannot be over-emphasised.

Parents/carers are asked to assist school staff in the manner detailed below:

If your child is to be absent, please alert the Attendance Text Line on 078600 29895 stating the reason for the absence and the likely date for return.

*Please note a period of 48 hours from an occurrence of sickness or diarrhoea should be adhered to before sending a child back to school. 

Any children who arrive after the 9am bell need to access via the main school door and should report in with the attending Office staff.

We also ask that you use the Attendance Text Line to notify us of any appointments or events that require your child to be out of school during a day (e.g. competitions, exams, medical appointments etc.)  This enables Admin staff to keep the necessary track of our pupils at all times.                                 

Planned Absence

• Parents/carers are encouraged not to arrange family holidays during term time but it is realised that, in exceptional circumstances, this is unavoidable. In such cases, parents/carers are asked to seek permission from the Head Teacher and provide information of the dates when the child is to be absent from the school in good time.

• Except in cases of emergency, planned appointments for children to attend the dentist or doctor should be made out with the school day.

Parent / Carer Contact Details

Parents/carers are asked to ensure that telephone contact numbers – home, work and emergency contact(s) are kept up-to-date and are numbers at which a response can be obtained in all normal circumstances.

The Complaints Procedure

A complaint is ‘an expression of dissatisfaction about the Council’s action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by or on behalf of the Council’.

Complaints can be notified in person, by phone, by email or in writing to the Head Teacher.  If parents/carers have cause for complaint they should contact the school in the first instance to make an appointment to meet with the Head Teacher or member of the management team.

If you remain dissatisfied in relation to a complaint after you have been to our school you can escalate a complaint by contacting seemis@argyll-bute.gov.uk.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

The school values the important part that parents play in their children’s education and sees partnership with parents as an effective way of enhancing children’s achievements and promoting better school ethos and communication.

Each year in August the school supplies parents with an annual planner outlining the main school events, holidays, some year group events, church services and in-service days. This planner is the ideal size for displaying on kitchen cupboards or fridges and extra dates can be added throughout the year. In addition there are newsletters throughout the year, trip letters and requests for help with topics, trips, activities etc.

Curriculum evenings are held when parents/carers have the opportunity to learn more of the learning that will take place in the year; and occasionally workshops are also held when parents /carers can try out some of the learning activities their child is involved in, or be supported in an understanding of some newer teaching methods.

On two occasions during the school year parents and carers have a more formal opportunity to discuss pupils’ work and progress with the class teacher at parent/teacher interviews.  Alternative arrangements may be made for those unable to attend on these occasions.

Parents/carers are also invited in to school at various points in the year to “end of topic” celebrations of learning. This allows you to see first-hand what the children have been doing and how it has impacted on their learning and development.

A very useful link for Parents to access additional support and information is contained here: www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/index.asp

The school’s preferred communication method is via Groupcall Xpressions App.  The app is free of charge to you and can be downloaded on your mobile phone or table.  More information regarding the app is available from the school office.  If you do not wish to download the app all information will be sent home via email.

Argyll & Bute’s Parental Engagement Strategy may be viewed at:

https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/default/files/parental_engagement_strategy_final_feb_19.pdf

Homework

In Hermitage Primary School we encourage the formation of partnerships between home and school. One of the ways in which this has been established is through homework activities. These activities have to be meaningful and interesting, as well as providing useful reinforcement of class work recently undertaken. Further details can be found on our school website http://www.hermitageprimaryschool.org/useful-documents/home-support/

There are many opportunities to visit the school and become involved in your child’s learning.  We enjoy working with parents to help their child succeed it is this partnership that drives the most successful outcomes.

Infants

There is a recognition that acquiring early and basic skills are critical in the learning development for a child and at this level activities at home will concentrate on sharing experiences of Literacy development through stories, practising reading and phonic skills and sharing numeracy through play and practise.

Staff will provide a school reading book and phonic practice alongside numeracy activities on a weekly basis.

Juniors & Seniors

Pupils are encouraged and supported to use our school library to select appropriate books to read and enjoy. Guided Reading Grids give parents and pupils prompts and activities and they increase understanding and skill level in this area of the curriculum.

Spelling words are also issued on a weekly basis and Spelling Grids provide additional activities to support this area of learning.

For Numeracy, a weekly maths focus is sent home and pupils have opportunities to practise and develop mathematical skills in this particular area. Numeracy Guides for attainment levels are available to give further to support for families.

Becoming Involved in School

All schools have a Parent Council – to get involved please contact the school.  Schools will also issue specific information related to this at the start of the school year.

The school values the important part that parents/carers play in their children’s education and sees partnership with parents/carers as an effective way of enhancing children’s achievements and promoting better school ethos and communication.

Opportunities for Parental Involvement

Examples of opportunities for parental involvement are as follows:

During the school day:

• Art/Craft activities
• Sharing knowledge and expertise in some aspect of the curriculum (e.g. topic talk), history, science, health
• Practical activities in science, maths, social subjects, health education (e.g. first aid) or technology
• Reading stories to groups of children, playing reading/phonics games
• Supervising board games
• Teaching playground games
• Golden Time activities, e.g. board games, art and craft in small groups
• Running or assisting to run a Lunch Club
• Supporting educational visits/trips
• School concerts – making costumes, props, supervision of children
• Road safety – Cycle Training

Outwith the school day:

• Fundraising events
• Trips, e.g. sporting events, concerts
• Wider-curricular activities, e.g. coaching, sports/art clubs/country dancing/school grounds – maintenance of garden/allotment areas

If you wish to be a regular parent helper, PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) checks must be completed.  Please discuss this with staff.

Parent Councils

Parent Councils are now established in all secondary schools and almost all primary schools within Argyll and Bute.  The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 recognises the vital role that parents/carers play in supporting their children’s learning.

The basic principle underpinning the Act is the desire to have children become more ‘confident learners’ through closer working between each family and school.  It is anticipated that this can be done in three ways.  These are: –

1. Learning at Home: direct parental involvement in the child’s learning at home and in the community.
2. Home/School Partnership: closer working partnerships between parents/carers and the school – such partnerships being essential to ensure that the child gets maximum benefit from their school experiences.
3. Parental Representation: Parent Councils will be parent/carer led and school supported, with all parents/carers being automatic members of the ‘Parent Forum’ and the Parent Council representing their views.

You can find out more about your Parent Council by contacting the Head Teacher or by visiting their website at www.hermitageprimarypc.co.uk

Parentzone Scotland and the National Parent Forum of Scotland

More information for parents is available from Parentzone via https://education.gov.scot/parentzone connect via https://www.connect.scot and the National Parent Forum of Scotland via https://www.npfs.org.uk. 

SCHOOL ETHOS

In our school we are committed to providing appropriate opportunities for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural values through both the ethos and the curriculum.  This will be undertaken in partnership with parents/carers and will take account of the individual needs of pupils and the views of parents/carers.

Hermitage Primary is a school which promotes mutual respect, where teamwork enables you to face new challenges together, where staff and pupils can achieve their full potential in a supportive, stimulating and creative environment that celebrates diversity and has excellent channels of communication with parents and the wider community.

As we strive to achieve this vision all members of the Hermitage Primary School community:

• Will be honest at all times
• Show responsibility in looking after our school and everyone’s property
• Demonstrate consideration, compassion and respect towards each other
• Focus on developing our skills and knowledge to be the best that we can be

Our school welcomes and encourages diversity and individuality, while emphasizing our common commitment to moral values such as honesty, respect for others, compassion and justice.  Fundamental principles of our school are that all who are involved in the life of our school have the right to be respected as individuals and carry the responsibility to act in a considerate and respectful manner towards others.  We are firmly committed to the elimination of any form of discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, gender or disability.

Our four school values were derived at through consultation with stakeholders in 2018 and form a strong basis for the excellent behaviour standards we enjoy both within school and across the community partners we work with.

                 Be Respectful         Be Kind       Be Responsible         Be the Best You Can Be

We refer to the ‘Hermi Hive’ and a strong sense of belonging exists amongst all within our school community. We enjoy further strengthening opportunities to connect together through a weekly school Assembly where we share news, teaching points and celebrate achievement and success. These are a highlight of any given week and are often created, produced, led and presented by differing groups of pupils. When we can, we also share these with parents and carers to join in too.

School and Community Links

The school plays an important part in the life of the local community.  Good links are maintained with local pre-5 groups, the local secondary school and other primaries in the area.  Close contact is made with local businesses, care homes and other community partners such as the Royal Navy, Police Scotland. Local business also support our events inside of and outside of school.

Positive Relationships

Positive relationships are essential to good learning.  The general aim of the school is to provide an atmosphere of mutual respect and collective responsibility.  Pupils, parents/carers and staff all have an important part to play in producing and sustaining this positive ethos.  The expectations of the school are of a common sense nature, bearing in mind the rights, interest and safety of all concerned.

Appropriate behaviour for pupils and the school values are discussed at the start of a session at assembly and by individual class teachers. Each of our school values are represented by a different bee character. These are further discussed at assemblies and within class discussions. Positive behaviour strategies are in operation in all classes to reinforce our school

values. Pupils are encouraged to be thoughtful and respectful towards others in the school community.

Our school values are as follows:

• Be the best you can be
• Be responsible
• Be kind
• Be respectful

These sit alongside four school ‘Golden Rules’, developed to encompass our school values, lived out in practice.

• Treat other people with kindness, care and respect
• Keep hands, feet and unkind words to yourself
• Give yourself and others the best chance to learn
• Take care of your own, others and school property

Anti-Bullying

Argyll and Bute’s Anti-Bullying Policy may be viewed at: Anti-Bullying Policy (argyll-bute.gov.uk).

A zero tolerance approach is adopted at Hermitage Primary School to bullying behaviours, we act immediately to raise awareness and prevent further bullying behaviours. Whenever bullying behaviour arises we aim to provide support and intervention to all those involved to limit the impact of bullying behaviour. Restorative approaches are taken to build future positive relationships between those involved.

We ask pupils to report any bullying behaviour to an adult, whether directly involved or witnessing this happening.

Within Hermitage Primary we have a number of pro-active strategies in place to help decrease the number of bullying incidents. These include:

• Weekly assemblies which regularly discuss positive behaviours
• Use of FAB buddies in the playground to support play
• Delivery of health & well-being experiences and outcomes to support relationship development
• Bully boxes in each open area for pupil use as required
• Posters displayed in school  e.g Respect Me & Childline
• Internet safety programmes
• Use of buddies for new pupils

We encourage and support all within our school community to work together in modelling respectful and supportive relationships, recognising bullying behaviours and in working together to sort out or move on from any given situation.

Support offered to pupils who experience bullying behaviour include:

• Being listened to
• Mediation/restorative practice
• Peer support
• Playground buddies
• Circle time
• Involvement of specialist agencies

Celebrating Achievement

Children work hardest when they know their work will be appreciated and praised.  All staff encourage pupils at all times and in all activities to give their best.  Their effort may be rewarded verbally by praise, or non-verbally by a smiley face or sticker.

The whole school celebrates achievement by giving certificates to award pupils for good work, effort or kindness shown to others.

We also encourage children to tell the rest of the school about any other wider achievements and successes that they have had – both within and out with school. Pupils are encouraged to share these with their teacher and then they are often shared at school Assemblies.

Wider-Curricular Activities

During the course of the year we work with varying community partners in offering a wide range of free extra-curricular activities across all year groups.

These are communicated to families as the opportunity arises and can include such sessions as; football, netball, multi-sports, drama, Choir, animation and tech.

In addition a local Strings teacher offers pupils from P3 upwards the chance to learn violin. Pupils from families on supported income can access funding from school to assist with participation in this.

Pupil Parliament

We have a wide variety of leadership roles for our pupils at Hermitage Primary. These exist within our Pupil Parliament with separate Committees under the main structure. Pupils are elected into all of these roles and are supported and expected to assume responsibility in each of them.

Eco Committee

Being in the Eco Committee is a big responsibility.  It involves spending some of your own time fundraising and promoting the school, but is well worth it.

Some of our duties as eco representatives include

• Attending coffee mornings to promote being eco
• Interviewing new members
• Representing the infant stages
• Ensuring our classes are keeping to the eco rules and activities we work hard to develop, encourage and promote

Though we do have to give up some of our own time, such as weekends, evenings, etc, there are opportunities we would not often find elsewhere,

Such as

• Meeting new people
• Helping the school
• Interacting with younger children
• Running for chairperson/vice chairperson (P7s only)

All reps help the school achieve its green flag, by promoting eco within the school and expressing their creativity by giving in the monthly meetings at lunchtime.  Primary seven reps get special privileges such as being able to run for chairperson or vice chairperson of the Eco Committee, interviewing potential reps and chairing meetings.

Being in the eco committee is not just a huge responsibility but an opportunity to develop skills such as leadership.  It is also a chance to help the school develop and make changes that have a positive impact on the wider environment.

House Captains

Being a house captain comes with lots of opportunities, responsibilities and many surprises along the way.  The roles are elected from pupils in P6 and P7 and they offer extensive support in our decision making.

In addition to leading their Houses, the Captains also act as Wellbeing Champs, developing and embedding the Wellbeing Indicators throughout the school and ‘looking out’ for the children in their Houses.

Every pupil in the school is allocated a house and we compete at a range of events to win the overall trophy at the end of the year.  The finale event is Sports Day which can be very exciting.

On a daily basis, pupils earn points through class golden time charts and by representing the school at outside events such as netball or choir.  We collect house points on Friday and they are counted and put on the house board on Monday.

We have developed lots of skills for life such as being organised, responsible and confident.

Pupil Council

The role of the Hermitage Primary School Pupil Council is to assist in school improvement by gathering and representing the views and opinions of pupils, evaluating the school’s success and the impact of development and raising money for charity

The democratically elected members are from Primary Four to Primary Seven and attend a meeting every month. The Primary Sevens have their own specific roles. The roles are Chair Person, Treasurer and Secretary and these roles are shared between Primary Seven members at each meeting. The Secretary takes the minutes and Chair person is in charge of the meeting. The Treasurer takes care of the money and researches what the price of events should be. Primary Four to Primary Six members are representatives for their classes and report back to their class about what we have discussed in the last meeting. They also ask for their class’s opinion on certain things.

We organise the fundraising events that are to raise money for the selected local, national and global charities. All school pupils vote to select the nominated charities.

We really enjoy our roles on the Pupil Council and feel that we have been given a great opportunity to develop our leadership and organisational skills for the future.

Rights Respecting Schools Committee

Our school has achieved the highest award status as a Gold Rights Respecting School. Our Committee is called ‘THE CORE’ which stands for ‘Champions of Rights Education’.  This committee is made up of one member from each stage as well as a selection of representatives from the other school committees including House captains, Pupil council and the Eco Committee.  It is important that all of our school committees are considering children’s rights in their work throughout the school year.

The main role of the CORE members is to help promote rights respecting behaviour across the whole school.  We were delighted to be the first Argyll and Bute school to achieve UNICEF Gold status and this reflects the commitment we have to work hard in learning about children’s rights and ensure we are always respecting the rights of others.

The CORE members attend regular meetings to come up with ideas to help take the rights respecting approach forward in our school.  They help decide on articles from the UNRC Charter to focus on throughout the school year as each ‘Right of the Month’.  The members also visit classes to deliver information, help ensure that rights respecting tasks are completed and contribute to monthly Rights Respecting Schools assemblies.

CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE (CfE)

Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is the Scottish National Curriculum which applies to all children and young people aged 2-18, wherever they are learning.  It aims to raise achievement for all, enabling children and young people to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to succeed in learning, life and work.

The Four Capacities – the curriculum aims for all children to become:

• Successful Learners
• Confident Individuals
• Responsible Citizens
• Effective Contributors

The Eight Curriculum areas are:

• Expressive Arts – including art and design, dance, drama and music
• Health and Wellbeing – mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing; PE; food and health; substance misuse; and relationships, sexual health and parenthood
• Languages – listening and talking, reading and writing in English and modern languages, plus classical languages and literacy, and Gaidhlig/Gaelic learners (where available)
• Mathematics – including analysing information, solving problems and assessing risk
• Religious and Moral Education (denominational and non-denominational) – learning about Christianity, other world religions, and developing values and beliefs
• Sciences – understanding important scientific concepts across planet Earth, forces, electricity and waves, biological systems, materials and topical science
• Social Studies – understanding people, place and society in the past and present including history, geography, modern studies and business education
• Technologies – including computing science, food, textiles, craft, design, engineering, graphics and applied technologies

Additional important themes across the curriculum are creativity, enterprise and global citizenship, which include sustainable development, international education and citizenship.

Learning Opportunities

Your child will learn in a variety of different contexts and groups including ability, co-operative and social.

Curriculum Levels

There are national levels to describe different stages of learning and progress.  For most children the expectation is:

• Early Level – early learning and childcare to the end of P1
• First Level – to the end of P4
• Second Level – to the end of P7
• Third and Fourth Levels – S1 to S3, with the fourth level broadly equivalent to SCQF level 4
• Senior Phase – S4-S6, and equivalents in other settings, where pupils/students can continue to develop the four capacities and achieve qualifications

The Senior Phase

The Broad General Education in secondary schools continues from S1 to S3.  All children will develop an S3 profile that describes their learning and achievement from S1 to S3.  During S3 (normally January or February), pupils will be asked to choose the courses that they will follow in S4.  It is these S4 choices that lead to national qualifications.

Each school will design a senior phase that best meets learners’ needs, whether that is continuing in school, learning full or part time in college, community learning or work-based learning or a combination of these.  For example, it may be possible to pick up specialist subjects and work placements that can help young people get real experience of the industry or sector that interests them.

Each young person will, in practice, have discussions with teachers and parents/carers to discuss and decide the subject choices that best suit them for the Senior Phase.

Skills for Learning, Life and Work

The development of the skills for learning, life and work are the responsibility of all practitioners and include literacy, numeracy and associated thinking skills; health and wellbeing, including personal learning planning, career management skills, working with others, leadership and physical co-ordination and movement skills; and skills for enterprise and employability.

Through Curriculum for Excellence children and young people are entitled to a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.  These skills are essential if children and young people are to gain access to continuous learning, to succeed in life and to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle.  The use of ICT underpins these overlapping and mutually supportive skills sets; ICT skills will continue to be developed in a variety of contexts and settings throughout the learner’s journey.

All children and young people are entitled to opportunities for developing skills for learning, life and work.  These skills are relevant from the early years right through to the senior phase of learning and beyond.

16+ Learning Choices

16+ Learning Choices is a guaranteed offer of a place in post-16 learning for every young person who wants it. This is the Scottish Government’s model for helping young people to stay in learning after the age of 16.

16+ Learning Choices looks to help reduce youth unemployment in Scotland and to contribute towards economic growth. 16+ Learning Choices seeks to equip all young people in Scotland with the skills and knowledge they need post-school to achieve their full potential and find a positive destination in further education, training or employment. 16+ Learning Choices is seen as an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence.

The Pupils’ and Parents’ Voice

Personalisation and choice is one of the seven principles of curriculum design and children and young people throughout their education will have the opportunity to discuss with their teacher the context in which they learn and how they will approach the learning.  Staff will discuss new learning with the children at the beginning of a new topic and plan together the areas of specific focus, e.g. World War 2 – The Battle of Britain.  This will be shared with parents/carers through SeeSaw (P1-P4) and Google Classroom (P5-P7) and parents/carers will be invited to support the learning by sharing resources from home, e.g. a ration book, or by visiting the school to deliver a talk.

Parents/carers will be invited to share comment regarding the planned work for their child at various points throughout the year and are encouraged to feedback comment at any time.

The Curriculum at School, Local and National Level

Information regarding the curriculum which is relevant to your child will be shared by the class teacher at parent teacher consultations. Information will also be uploaded onto seesaw and or google classroom, they could also be sent home as a paper copy.  This builds up a rich Log of learning and achievement for your child.  More detailed information regarding outcomes and experiences alongside the national benchmarks staff use in determining pupil attainment can also be found on the school website.

http://www.hermitageprimaryschool.org/useful-documents/home-support/

Further information at a national level can be found on the Education Scotland Website.

Careers Information Advice and Guidance

Through partnership working, schools plan with a variety of organisations to ensure that career information, advice and guidance are an integral part of the curriculum.  This provides children and young people with real and relevant learning opportunities that can be applied both in and beyond the classroom.

Financial Education

Financial education is taught through the context of the numeracy curriculum and PSE.

Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education

Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) Education is part of the Health and Wellbeing curriculum.  This is a national curriculum and resources can be found via the following link: Home – RSHP

The main themes covered are:

• Bodily autonomy, consent and protection from harm
• Emotional wellbeing and help-seeking behaviour
• Equalities and inclusion
• Gender equality, discrimination and gender based violence
• Parenthood and families
• Relationships and friendships
• Sexual health and reproduction

These areas are recommended by Scottish Government and are age and stage appropriate.

An effective programme of education about Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood is best built on parents/carers and schools working in partnership and assuming shared responsibilities.  We aim to keep parents/carers informed about the nature and purpose of the learning programme their children will follow, and to seek parents’/carers’ views at appropriate times.  Any parents/carers who do have any questions or concerns should contact the Head Teacher directly.

Drugs Education

In accordance with the Scottish Government guidelines and Argyll & Bute Council Education Department policy and practice, and in common with all Argyll & Bute schools, this school has in place procedures for dealing safely and effectively with drug-related incidents.

Drug Education in Hermitage Primary School is covered within the Health and wellbeing organiser –Substance Misuse as part of the curriculum.

At early and first levels, pupils are taught about the safety and risks around medicines.  The Interdisciplinary Learning (IDL) topic at P3 consolidates this theme within the context of ‘The Hospital’.

At early second level our pupils learn about the risks of smoking and alcohol abuse to their physical and mental wellbeing. 

To consolidate our drug education programme, pupils at end of second level and early third are given the opportunity to participate in the ‘Smoke Free Me ‘ programme and also ‘Choices For Life’ which is now available online using Glow network.

Further information can be obtained by contacting the Head Teacher or via www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/argyll-and-bute-addiction-team-abat.

Religious and Moral Education

The programme for Religious Education in our school aims to help pupils learn about major world religions and to recognise religion as an important part of human experience.  Pupils will also be encouraged to learn from religions and helped to develop their own beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through a process of personal search, discovery and critical evaluation.

Religious and Moral Education plays a very important part in each child’s personal development.  It explores the relationships, which the child builds up, his attitude to other people, to right, wrong, justice, fairness and concern for others.  Each child is encouraged to develop an understanding of what religion means, both to himself and to other people around the world.  The children are encouraged to express their own feelings and to listen, with respect, to alternative viewpoints.

We currently have a programme for religious education which has been developed in four areas of stories with meaning, celebrations, special people and places of worship. 

Please note that parents/carers have the right to withdraw from religious observance / education. If a parent /carer wishes to withdraw their child from Religious and Moral Education classes or attendance at school assembly or church services they should contact the school and discuss their concerns with the Head Teacher.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is crucial to tracking progress, planning next steps, reporting, and involving parents/carers and learners in learning.  Evidence of progress can be gathered by learners themselves and by fellow pupils (peers), parents/carers, teachers and other professionals.

A number of approaches are employed including the following:

• Self-assessment – learners will be encouraged and supported to look at and revisit their own work to develop a better understanding of what they have learned and what they need to work on
• Peer assessment – learners will be encouraged and supported to work together to help others assess what is good about their work and what needs to be worked on
• Personal learning planning – children, teachers and parents/carers will work together to develop planning for next steps in learning
• Profiles – a statement of achievements both within and out with school, to be introduced at P7 and S3.

Your child’s progress is not only based on ‘tests’ but on the learning that takes place within the classroom and in different settings out with the classroom.

Evidence of children and young people’s progress and achievements will come from day to day learning and through the things they may write, say, make or do.  For example, evidence may emerge as a result of children and young people taking part in a presentation, discussion, performance, or practical investigation.  Evidence may be captured as a photograph, video or audio clip as part of a particular learning experience.

Assessment takes place as part of ongoing learning and teaching, periodically and at key transitions.

The Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSA)

From August 2017 the Scottish Government has introduced a single, nationally developed set of standardised assessments, designed to reflect the way we deliver education in Scotland, through Curriculum for Excellence.  These assessments are expected to replace the variety of existing standardised assessments that local authorities and schools use at the moment.

Ongoing and informal assessment is, and will continue to be, a central part of everyday assessment.  Teachers will continue to draw on all of the assessment information available to them, when considering children’s progress and planning the next steps in their learning.

SNSA focus on aspects of reading, writing and numeracy and children in P1, P4, P7 and S3 will be assessed.  P1 children will take two SNSA assessments: one in literacy and one in numeracy.  P4 children will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy.  P7 children will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy.  S3 young people will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy.  Please note that some pupils will not access SNSA due to their specific additional support needs. 

The online assessment system will produce feedback information about where your child did well and where further support is required.  Your child’s teacher will use this feedback to help plan next steps and provide further support as appropriate.  Providing the right support at the right time will help to ensure your child can reach his or her potential.

REPORTING

Reporting informs parents/carers of progress in learning and achievement.  This will be through a range of approaches including meetings at parents’ evenings or in written form.

Parents will get regular information about their children’s strengths, progress and achievements.  This will take account of their achievements in key areas of learning such as literacy and numeracy and in different contexts and settings including across curriculum areas, the life and ethos of the school, and learning outwith the school, including the wider community.  At key points this will include information on the curriculum level children are working within and progress towards qualifications in the senior phase.  Parents will be informed of what their children need to do to continue making progress and ways that they can help.

At P7 and S3, teachers will work with children and young people to prepare profiles which will highlight their achievements over a period of time and summarise their learning journey at key points of transition.

At Hermitage Primary School our reporting processes include the following:

• Formal Parent meetings twice a year
• Reports by staff, parents and pupils three times annually
• Weekly comments by pupils, parents and staff on SeeSaw (P1- P4) or Google Classroom (P5-P7)

TRANSITIONS

Transitions are the moves children and young people make from home to nursery, from nursery to primary, from primary to secondary, from secondary to further education and beyond.

Requesting an Additional Year of ELC

From August 2023, national entitlement began for all parents to receive an additional year of ELC funding, should it be decided that it is in your child’s best interests to enter P1 the following august instead. 

The decision whether to send your child to school or request an additional year of ELC is individual to each child.  In keeping with GIRFEC policy principles, staff within your child’s ELC and prospective school will support you in making this decision.

If you are considering an application for an additional year of ELC for your child, please speak to your child’s Key Worker within their ELC to advise them of this.  Please note, you should apply through the P1 school registration form in January.  If you decide to request an additional year of ELC, the Early Years team will work in collaboration with your child’s ELC and yourself to support you.  If you have any queries about the application process please contact earlyyears@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Starting Primary One

Children in Scotland who reach the age of five years between 1^st March 2025 and 28^th February 2026 should start school in August 2025.  This generally means that children start school when they are aged between four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half.  For academic session 2025/2026 online registration will begin mid-January 2025; further information will be available on the council website and in the local press.

To help your child prepare for a good start you can:

• Listen and talk to your child about this change in their lives
• Involve your child in getting ready for school by helping choose the things they will need, e.g. their uniform, lunchbox, school bag
• Keep in touch with the school about anything which may affect your child’s learning
• Attend induction events or introductory sessions

Transfer to Secondary School

Primary school pupils normally transfer to their catchment area secondary school in August following completion of their P7 year. 

Parent/Carers will be notified by email and on social media that the online registration form for registering your child for secondary education is open. This will usually take place in November for the following academic session. Parent/carers can also use this form to notify us of their decision to home educate, request a placing request and apply for school transport.

Secondary staff visit P7 pupils to discuss aspects of their transfer with them and in June the pupils will spend an agreed length of time at their prospective secondary school.

The catchment area secondary school for Hermitage Primary School is:

Hermitage Academy

Cardross Road

Helensburgh

G84 7LA

01436 672145

www.hermitageacademy.argyll-bute.sch.uk

You will be contacted by letter and offered a place for your child at Hermitage Academy, which you may either accept or decline.  Secondary schools have their own arrangements for meetings with prospective parents/carers, and you will be given details of these meetings.

Should you prefer your child to attend a school other than the designated catchment area school then a Placing Request must be made.  Forms are available from the Head Teacher, or by contacting School Support by email to argyllhousereception@argyll-bute.gov.uk or by ‘phoning 01369 704000.

Moving from Stage to Stage

Your child will be involved in an induction programme every year in school. Prior to the summer holiday your child will meet their teacher/s for the following session and visit their new classroom/s.  Teachers work closely and share information about your child’s learning and achievements.  Staff will also share other information which will help the teacher support your child’s learning, e.g. friendship groups, preferred ways of working, etc.

Moving Between Schools

When a child moves to a new school their class teacher will normally telephone the new school to share information on academic achievement and personal likes/dislikes with their new teacher.  Parents/carers are encouraged to organise a visit to the new school (if possible) in advance to support the child feel secure in the move.

It should be noted that opportunities for enhanced transitions are available for children as required.

Liaison with Local Schools

Our school maintains close links with other primary schools within our local geographical area and our link secondary school, which is Hermitage Academy. Our teachers, and in some cases our pupils, visit other schools and establishments and other teachers and pupils visit us.  This process is important for the professional development of staff, reciprocal understanding and the establishment of curricular consistency.

Leaving School

The first eligible school leaving date for most young people is 31 May at the end of S4.  This applies to young people whose fifth birthday fell between 1 March and 30 September in the year they entered P1.  Younger pupils in a year group are required to stay on until December in S5.  Older pupils are eligible to leave as early as December in S4.

Opportunities for All is the Scottish Government’s commitment to offer all 16-19 year olds a place in education, training, employment or other planned learning from when they leave school up to their 20^th birthday.  All young people should receive the right amount rather than the same amount of information, advice and support in order to help them enter and sustain a positive destination.  For young people who do not immediately enter a positive destination on leaving school, support will continue until they find a suitable opportunity.

Transitions are particularly critical for young people with additional support needs and require additional preparation and planning.  Whenever a young person with additional support needs is approaching a transition, other agencies are involved in transition planning, the young person’s views are sought and parents/carers will be part of the planning process.  In all cases, early consultation will take place with the post-school learning provider to ensure that any support necessary is in place.

SUPPORT FOR PUPILS

Support Arrangements for All Pupils

Providing personal support for learners 2-18 is the responsibility of all staff.  In the early learning and childcare and primary setting the early years practitioner or class teacher is the key adult who knows every child or young person in their care well, taking an avid interest in their welfare and progress.

In the secondary setting it is Guidance staff who play an active role in promoting learners’ personal, social and academic welfare; this is supported by Pupil Care and Support staff who offer help, support and advice as required, safeguarding the health and wellbeing of learners.

Identifying and Addressing Additional Support Needs

The Argyll & Bute Staged Intervention Framework is used to identify and meet pupils’ needs and to manage and review provision.  This follows the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) practice model.   GIRFEC is a national framework to help all children and young people grow, develop and reach their full potential.  Its focus is to improve outcomes for children and their families based on a shared understanding of their wellbeing.

Every child in school will have a Named Person.  In primary school this will usually be the head teacher and usually a principal teacher of pupil support or depute head teacher in a secondary school.  The Named Person will usually be the first point of contact for parents if they have any concerns about their child at school.  The Named Person will work with parents to provide support to meet a child’s needs or resolve concerns.  If there is a need to involve more than one agency to work together to provide support then a Lead Professional will be appointed to coordinate that support.

Where support is being provided by a single agency then a Planning meeting may be held and a Child’s Plan opened.  Where two or more agencies are involved in supporting a child’s needs, then a Child’s Plan will definitely be opened.  The Plan will include an assessment of the child’s needs using the My World Triangle assessment tool and a note of the agreed outcomes based on that assessment recorded on the Well Being App within SEEMIS.  Parents and children are an integral part of this meeting and the Plan includes an opportunity to have their views recorded within it.  Plans will be reviewed at appropriate intervals, again with parents and children as partners in these meetings.  

More information on GIRFEC in Argyll and Bute can be found at Getting it right for every child | Argyll and Bute Council (argyll-bute.gov.uk).

Staged Intervention

The key principles underpinning Staged Intervention, as outlined in the Education Scotland website (Support for all | Programmes | Learning in Scotland | Education Scotland) are as follows:

What is staged intervention?

• Staged intervention is used as a means of identification, assessment, planning, recording and review to meet the learning needs of children and young people.

• It provides a solution-focused approach to meeting needs at the earliest opportunity and with the least intrusive level of intervention. The process involves the child, parents/carers, school staff and, at some levels, other professionals, working in partnership to get it right for every child.

• Staged intervention is designed to be flexible and allows for movement between stages depending on progress.

Argyll and Bute Staged Intervention: The Stages at a Glance

Universal Support Entitlements: All learners have an entitlement to support.  All children and young people should have frequent and regular opportunities to discuss their learning with an adult who knows them well and can act as a mentor, helping them to set appropriate goals for the next stages in learning.  Young people themselves should be at the centre of this planning, as active participants in their learning and development.  Robust systems for assessing, monitoring and tracking are key within this stage.

Stage 1 – In-class or in-group.

The class teacher or key worker (Early Years) identifies a need for some additional support.  The Named Person is notified and the teacher /key worker makes some changes to the normal routine or gives some extra attention so that the child can get the best out of the work of the group or class.

Stage 2 –Targeted intervention.

There is an identified need for targeted planning and intervention to address additional support needs.

A Child’s Plan may be in place outlining the specific targeted interventions required and detailing long- and short-term outcomes and timescales. Timescales for review of the interventions will be built in to the plan. There are likely to be termly reviews of short-term targets and annual reviews of long-term targets.

Additional support at this level may include (in addition to supports available at Stage 1):

• new resources being accessed for use by the whole class/group;
• small groups being created for additional tuition;
• an individual programme of work being introduced;
• a short term programme of individual support being put in place.

Classroom or Pupil Support Assistants may be deployed to help deliver these supports.

Stage 3 – Specialist input.

There is an identified need for more targeted intervention and/or specialist provision and interventions including:

• a high degree of individualisation of learning and/or
• access to a different learning environment
• substantial adaptation to the curriculum and/or
• substantial adaptation to the learning environment.

A Universal Child’s Plan will be in place outlining the specific targeted interventions required and detailing long- and short-term outcomes and timescales.  Where there is multi-agency involvement, a Lead Professional will co-ordinate this support. There may also be a Co-ordinated Support Plan in place.

Further Information about Additional Support Needs

Local, direct support is usually the best way to meet pupils’ needs.  If parents/carers have any questions about their child’s progress or well-being at school, they should discuss these first with the class teacher. Please contact the school office to arrange an appointment. 

Through our staged support system we include specific approaches implemented by the class teacher, advice and guidance from support teachers, support within a small group or individual assessment and intervention.  Any support will be reviewed and monitored on a regular basis to ensure it is appropriate and effective. Three times annually staff meet with the Head Teacher to discuss each pupil in terms of academic and social progress, medical needs, pastoral issues and the level of support required if any.

Most children who have additional support needs will have these needs planned for by the school through a profile of their needs or a support plan and we are now using GIRFEC planning.  In both cases, these documents should be available to parents and there should be ongoing opportunities for parents to comment on and contribute to their development.

Mrs Colette Lafferty-McGaw is our member of the Area Network Support Service.

Pupils may work in small groups or as individuals.  Support is usually provided within the class. Liaison with the child’s class teacher is vital and this is timetabled into the programme.  Help is also available from our visiting educational psychologist in diagnosing and providing resources for pupils with additional support needs.

More able pupils require extra materials to broaden and extend their knowledge as well as challenge them intellectually.  Staff are skilled in providing children with differentiated activities as and when required.

Children who have English as an additional language do on occasions require extra support and this also comes from the Area Network Support Team.  A number of children at some time in their school career find that they have difficulty in an area of the curriculum and this can be addressed by appropriate support materials and/or assistance from the Area Network Support Teacher and Educational Psychologist to diagnose and advice on appropriate support.  Materials for their use are held in school and augmented annually.

This school values partnership working with parents/carers and will do everything possible to help resolve concerns or differences of opinion at an early stage.  If you have any queries about your child’s additional needs, or about the support being provided to meet those needs, please contact the Head teacher.

Parents/carers and young people have the right to ask the Education Authority to establish if a pupil has Additional Support Needs (ASN) and consider if a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) is needed.  This should be raised with school staff in the first instance or can be sent in writing by emailing the Educational Psychology Service to educational.psychology@argyll-bute.gov.uk describing the type of assessment and why it may be necessary.  Alternatively, please call 01369 708537 for more information.  Requests are acknowledged promptly and usually agreed unless the request is considered to be ‘unreasonable’.

Parents/carers can also arrange an assessment privately and ask the Education Authority to take the assessment report into account.

Parents/carers and young people have the right to:

• Independent Mediation Services
  This service is free and involves an independent third party who helps to resolve disagreements between the Education Authority and parents/carers or young people.

• Independent Advocacy
  Take Note is the National Advocacy Service for Additional Support Needs, established by the Scottish Government and provided jointly by Barnardo’s Scotland and the Scottish Child Law Centre. It offers independent professional or legal advocacy to families and young people who have grounds to make a referral to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal Scotland.  More information is available by telephoning 0131 667 6333 or by email to enquiries@sclc.org.uk.

• Free Dispute Resolution
  Some disagreements, such as about the assessment of additional support needs or the level of support, can be referred for written review by an adjudicator independent of the council. Requests for Dispute Resolution should be made to Jennifer Crocket, Head of Education – Lifelong Learning and Support/Chief Education Officer via Crocket@argyll-bute.gov.uk.  If you do not have access to email, please contact Jennifer Crocket by phone on 01546 604288.

• Referral to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal Scotland (ASNTS)
  Parents/carers and young people can appeal to the ASNTS about decisions involving a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) http://www.asntscotland.gov.uk (0845 120 2906).

A new national advocacy service provides advice to parents/carers and young people about grounds for a referral. Contact Barnardo’s, 235 Corstorphine Rd, Edinburgh EH12 7AR www.barnardos.org.uk.

Independent advice and information is available from Enquire, the Scottish Advice Service for ASL http://enquire.org.uk/ (0845 123 2303).

The Govan Law Centre Education Law Unit works in partnership to support pupils’ and parents’/carers’ rights in education.  Contact Govan Law Centre, 47 Burleigh Street, Govan, Glasgow G51 3LB. 0141 445 1955 https://govanlawcentre.org/education-law-unit/

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance safeguards people who are vulnerable.  Contact Melrose House, 69a George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2JG. 0131 260 5380 http://www.siaa.org.uk

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Main Achievements

The main achievements are contained within the school improvement plan which can be found on the school website www.hermitageprimaryschool.org . The improvement plan is within the Our School section and the information regarding achievements can be found in the Interim Summary of Progress.

Improving Standards

Please refer to our Standards and Quality Report via www.hermitageprimaryschool.org/our-school/improvement-plan/

School Improvement Plan

Hermitage Primary staff always strive to provide the very best possible education for all pupils in our care. We constantly reflect, review and amend our practice in all areas of school life from communication to events organisation and learning and teaching. We produce an annual summary of improvement which can be found on the school website in the school section. In addition we create a two year improvement plan which incorporates our quality and standards report outlining our self-evaluation and progress. This can also be found on the school website again in the school section.

A copy of our full Improvement Plan can be found on our website and this plan includes a standards and quality section which outlines our progress.

Work over the next three years focuses on Curriculum refresh and attainment.

Parents and carers are regularly consulted on aspects of improvement through surveys and Focus Groups coordinated alongside our Parent Council.

Parents and carers are always invited to work alongside us in our Development Groups ensuring improvements are based on wider stakeholder input and collaboration.

Please refer to our School Improvement Plan via www.hermitageprimaryschool.org/our-school/improvement-plan/

SCHOOL POLICIES AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Early Learning and Childcare Meals

Health and Wellbeing is a large part of the ELC experience, and includes access to milk, a healthy snack and meal time provision.  We are committed to providing healthy, nutritious, good value meal options to children in our Early Learning and Childcare Settings.  If your child is in ELC for more than four hours and over a lunch period they are entitled to a funded nursery lunch.

Our ELC lunch offer is a two course menu with a main meal, and will be either a starter and a main course, or a main course and a dessert.  The menu runs on a three week cycle so that there is plenty of choice for children.

Our ELC menus comply with the Scottish Government’s guidance, Setting the Table.  In this document there is guidance on healthy snack options, meal planners and foods that are not acceptable for inclusion in provision, as well as other helpful guidance.  The link to this document is:

http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/30341-Setting%20the%20Table.pdf

Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (SMHSS)

The SMHSS funds a daily portion of plain fresh cow’s milk (or specified alternative) and a healthy snack (fruit or vegetables) for all pre-school children spending two hours or more in the care of a regulated day care provider and/or childminders that have registered for the SMHSS.  SMHSS will replace the current UK Nursery Milk Scheme from 1 August 2021.

The link to this guidance is:

Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2021: children’s rights and wellbeing impact assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

School Meals

Argyll and Bute Council is committed to providing healthy, nutritious, good value meal options to pupils in our primary and secondary schools and a school meal is available in almost all of our schools, with the exception of Iona and Ulva primaries.  We encourage healthy eating and school lunches are planned so that children can choose a well-balanced meal and a good selection of vegetables, salad, fresh fruit, and milk are available daily.  All of our menus comply with the Scottish Government’s Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations 2020

 and the The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

As part of Scottish Government legislation, from January 2022 all pupils in P1-P5 became entitled to a free school meal.  Parents do not have to register for this; all pupils will receive this meal automatically.  Please see the section on free school meals for information for pupils from P6 and beyond.

Allergy information for our school menus is available online and in each school kitchen. Information on school meals are available via https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/primary-school-meals-menu. If your child has a food allergy, please contact the school office in the first instance so that any necessary arrangements can be put in place.

A vegetarian meal option is available every day, and many dishes can be altered to accommodate other special diets where this is required.  Where possible, other non-medical special diets may be accommodated; please contact the Catering service for more information. 

Primary Schools:

Our primary school lunch offer is a two course menu with a choice of main meal, and will be either a starter and a main course, or a main course and a dessert. The menu runs on a three week cycle so that there is plenty of choice for pupils.  The cost for a primary school meal is £2.30.  Salad selections, vegetables and fruit are available every day. Water or milk is available as a drink.

You can view our current primary school lunch menu at https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/primary-school-meals-menu.

An online income management and online payment solution has been introduced to assist parents to pay for all school purchases, including school meals.  Parents can pre-order childrens’ meals online and in advance.  For further information and to register please visit https://www.ipayimpact.co.uk

Packed Lunches

Some pupils prefer a packed lunch and it is the Authority’s policy to provide facilities for the consumption of packed lunches in all schools where these are required.

We believe a well-balanced packed lunch with a tasty alternative to chocolate biscuits and sweets is very important, although one small treat per day does no harm!  Dates, raisins, sultanas, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and seasonal fruit could provide healthy alternatives.  Unflavoured milk and water are the ideal drinks for teeth and a pure fruit drink or mineral water is better than drinks with high sugar content.

Sandwiches often form a major part of a packed lunch.  Fillings for sandwiches should be chosen with care because the packed lunch will be stored in a warm classroom for a number of hours.  It is therefore advisable to use a cool bag and ice pack and choose fillings that are less likely to be affected, e.g. cheese and tomato, salad, egg and tomato.  An alternative to sandwiches could be cooked pasta with a variety of fruit or vegetables and a suitable dressing.  Occasionally a piece of quiche or pizza could be included.

The school aims to encourage children to enjoy food which is both attractive to them and nutritionally sound, whether this is a school meal, a packed lunch or a snack.  We would appreciate your support in achieving this aim.

Free School Meals

From January 2022, all pupils in P1-P5 became entitled to a free school meal, which they receive automatically.  Whilst P1-P5 parents do not need to register because of the universal entitlement, it can be beneficial to register if you meet the eligibility criteria as you could be entitled to additional benefits.

For information about Free School Meals, including the eligibility criteria, and to complete an online application form please visit Free School Meals and Clothing Grant | Argyll and Bute Council (argyll-bute.gov.uk).  Alternatively, please contact Customer Services: Education on 01369 708548 or your local benefit enquiry office.

When ordering school meals staff are aware of the need to ensure anonymity for pupils receiving free school meals.  All children order their meal and are provided with a coloured band relevant to their choice.  This system exists for all pupils

Special Dietary Requirements

Health Care

You can contact your school health staff at: –

School Nurse Team

Jeanie Deans Centre

93 East Clyde Street

Helensburgh

G84 7BU

Telephone: 01436 655012

Administration of Medicines

Many pupils will, at some time in their school careers, need to take medication.  For the vast majority this will be a short-term requirement, with pupils simply finishing a course of medication which has been prescribed for them by their family doctor.  Wherever possible, parents/carers are requested to ask for GP prescriptions which can be administered outwith the school day, i.e. in the morning and evening.

However, pupils may have medical conditions such as asthma or diabetes which may require long-term support and, if their conditions are not properly managed by taking regular medication in school, their access to education could be limited.  In addition, some children have conditions which may require occasional staff intervention, e.g. severe allergic conditions such as anaphylaxis.  Pupils with such conditions are regarded as having health care needs but, notwithstanding these, the vast majority of children with such needs are able to attend school regularly and, with some support from the school staff, are able to take part in most normal school activities.

In any of these circumstances parents/carers (or young people themselves if they are over the age of 16) should discuss the matter with school staff and agree the arrangements which will be made to provide support for the pupil.  A written request form must be completed in advance when any medication is to be administered or taken in school.

Skin Protection

Your child’s skin may be affected by exposure to the sun, especially over the lunchtime period and other outdoor activities.  It is a good idea for your child to wear a sun hat.  If they have one, please put it in their school bag. 

You should ensure your child has sunblock applied prior to arriving at school in periods of hot weather and if you wish them to have further applications at lunchtime then you should send in sun-cream/block and we can help your child apply it.

Face painting is occasionally carried out within schools.  Parents will be informed when this activity is being planned.

Transport

Transport to and from school is available for pupils who live more than:-

• 2 miles away from their catchment primary School
• 3 miles away from their catchment secondary School

Pupils may still be required to walk to a school transport pick up point.  Primary school pupils will not be required to walk more than two miles and secondary pupils will not be required to walk more than three miles from their home to the pick-up point.

Pupils will not be picked up or dropped off at any point other than the designated location without written authorisation from a parent or carer.

Please see www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-transport for further information on school transport.

Exceptional Requests

Consideration will be given in exceptional circumstances for school transportation where your child attends their catchment school but would not normally be entitled to transport.

Where parents/carers believe that there may be grounds for an exceptional transport request, an application form should be completed and submitted to the Integrated Transport Section.  Applications will then be referred for further assessment as appropriate.

Exceptional transport requests can be made when:-

• Your child has been recommended on health grounds by a designated medical officer.

• Your child has requirements based on educational grounds / additional educational needs.

• Your child has to walk a route which, after an assessment, is considered to be unsafe for children even when accompanied by a responsible adult.

Application forms are available from the school office or you may apply on-line on the Council website at www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-transport.

Free Bus Travel Scheme

A national new free bus travel scheme for children and young people aged from 5 to under 22 came into effect at the end of January 2022.  Further information can found on the Transport Scotland website: https://www.transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel/young-persons-free-bus-travel-scheme/.  Parents can apply online or request an application form from the school office. 

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

EMA is a weekly payment of £30, paid fortnightly in arrears, for eligible students aged 16 to 19 who are continuing in post-compulsory education.  The allowance is means-tested based on household income and is payable fortnightly in arrears during term time.  Payments will be made direct to the student’s own bank account.

Further information and full eligibility criteria can be found at https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/education-maintenance-allowance or by emailing ema@argyll-bute.gov.uk or telephoning 01369 708548. 

Insurance

The Authority insures against its legal liability for:-

1. accidental personal injury and,
2. accidental damage to property not belonging to the school or Council.

This means that if an injury is sustained or personal property is damaged/broken/lost due to negligence or omission on the part of the school or its staff, claim costs will be met by the Council’s public liability policy.  There is no automatic right to compensation.  It is the responsibility of the person making the claim to prove that the Council has been negligent in their actions leading to the loss.

Parents/carers may wish to consider their own insurance arrangements in terms of appropriate extensions to their household insurance or arranging their own separate covers.

Music Services

Hermitage Primary School enjoys the services of a number of peripatetic music instructors, teaching brass and bagpipes.  Brass instruction commences at Primary 5, with bagpipes commencing in Primary 6.

Parental Access to Records

The School Pupil Records (Scotland) Regulations 1990

Details of the regulations and process for obtaining information specific to pupils are available by contacting the school directly.   See management circular 3.11 https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-circulars

Subject Access Requests

GDPR legislation includes the right to request information we hold about you.  If you wish to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you, this is known as a Subject Access Request.  Further information and a Subject Access Request form may be accessed via: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/data-protection

Child Protection

Given on-going public concern on the subject of child abuse, and recent changes in the law, schools are now required to report if they think any child may have come to harm as a consequence of possible abuse.

A member of staff in each school has been appointed to be responsible for Child Protection matters and special training has been given to these people.  Should you wish further advice about Child Protection and the safety of children, please feel free to contact the school.

The school has good liaison contact with the School Medical Officers, Social Workers, and the Police, any or all of whom may become involved if abuse is suspected.

Please see www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/abcpc for more information on child protection.

Weapons Incidents in Educational Establishments

A joint protocol has been agreed between Police Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council and West Dunbartonshire Council for dealing with any weapons incidents in schools.  It is therefore important to make parents aware of rules and expectations in relation to weapons and the response to allegations of weapons possession.  Weapons must in no circumstances be brought to school and pupils will be encouraged to share any knowledge of weapons with teaching staff.

The purpose of the protocol is to maximise the safety of children and young people and to safeguard the welfare of all persons involved in any weapons-related incident, including any alleged perpetrator, through an effective multi-agency response.  All incidents involving weapons at any educational establishment where a person under the age of 18 is educated, and any incident involving a child less than 18 years being in possession of a weapon, will trigger the operational response summarised below.  Every incident will be thoroughly investigated and recorded.

• In response to an incident involving possession, or suspected possession, of a weapon in an educational establishment, the Senior Management Team will react with a proportionate response.  Police Scotland will be contacted immediately and will coordinate any emergency response. In the event of a serious incident, appropriate medical attention will be sought and designated First Aiders at the establishment will treat those affected as far as their training and experience allows, provided it is safe to do so.  The emotional needs of those involved in, or witnessing, the incident will also be considered. 

• If any person who is a pupil or a student in an educational establishment in Argyll and Bute is found in possession of a weapon out-with an educational establishment, Police Scotland will alert the authority of the incident.

• No release to the media regarding a weapons-related incident will be made without consultation with the Communications departments of both Police Scotland and Argyll and Bute Council.

Please contact the school if you require a copy of the full weapons protocol document, which includes a summary of police powers and duties of search in relation to weapons. Please note that that unless parents/guardians contact the school to indicate a concern, they are giving their implied consent to the policy. 

Acceptable Use of Internet Enabled Devices / Using the Internet, Email and Glow

All children and young people will have access to various forms of technology and will use the internet, email (secondary pupils) and Glow.  When accessing the Internet in school pupils must abide by the following rules:

All users should:

• access Internet pages which are directly related to the current task as identified by the member of staff in charge;
• save/download information related to the current task as identified by the member of staff in charge;
• report instances of misuse to the member of staff in charge;
• report suspicious sites or emails to the member of staff in charge;
• choose a strong password – preferably a phrase that you can easily remember;
• ‘logout’ at the end of each Internet or Glow session;
• treat all equipment and other users with respect.

Users should not:

• tell anyone their login ID or password;
• use portable storage devices brought from out with the school;
• attempt to circumvent the IT security systems and antivirus;
• send illegal or defamatory material; receive illegal material or material which is offensive or defamatory without informing the member of staff in charge;
• read emails intended for others;
• create rude or abusive emails about other people.

Personal safety

• Never tell anyone you meet on the Internet your home address or your telephone number.
• Never tell anyone you meet on the Internet your school’s name or phone number, unless your teacher specifically gives you permission.
• Never send anyone your picture, credit card or bank details.
• Never give your password to anyone – even a best friend.
• Never arrange by email to meet anyone you don’t know in person.
• Never respond to nasty, suggestive or rude emails.
• Always tell a member of staff in charge if you see bad language or distasteful pictures while you are online.
• Always be yourself and do not pretend to be anyone or anything you are not.
• Always remember if someone makes you an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Always delete attachments from strangers without opening them; they may contain viruses that can damage your machine.
• Never open an email if you are suspicious of its source or content – and report these to a member of staff.
• Never click on links in emails unless you are certain they are safe (hover over the link to see what it really connects to)

Please note:

Privacy of electronic mail (email) is guaranteed.  However, those who administer the system on behalf of the education service have access to all mail messages and have the right under legislation to investigate any user activities where suspicious use of the system is identified.

Glow

Glow is Scotland’s nationally available digital environment and can support learning across the whole curriculum. Glow is not just one place or platform, instead it offers a username and password that gives access to a number of different web services.

Funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Education Scotland, Glow provides a safe, online environment for educators, learners and parents to communicate and collaborate using services such as Glow Blogs, Microsoft Office 365, Google Workspace and Glow RM Unify Launch Pad. 

For further information please refer to Education Management Circular 1.18 – https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-circulars.      

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Updated legislation introduced in May 2018 and requires all businesses to protect and properly manage all customers’ privacy data – this includes Local Authorities.  The main changes under GDPR are:

• GDPR give people more rights to know how their personal data is being used.
• It gives them the right to be ‘forgotten’ and their personal data deleted if they wish.
• It enables people to see what personal data is being held about them and to make sure their personal data is correct.
• It gives increased importance for the protection of children
• It creates increased importance for not allowing people without permission to see or use others’ personal data
• If someone’s personal data has been used by people without permission, they have to be told what happened.

The full detail of the new legislation can be found at www.ico.org.uk    

A link to the general privacy notice for education can be found at www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/privacy/education-general.   This privacy notice outlines the information that we require to provide Education for Children and Young People, who we will share that information with, why we need the information, what we will do with the information and how long we will keep the information.

General information:

Pupil’s work on display

Children’s work is often displayed in the classroom and school corridors.  In addition, work is often displayed in other Council buildings as part of exhibitions. This may include their name.

Short Visits

During the pupil’s school life, teachers may organise some activities which will take pupils out of school for up to an hour at short notice.  These visits will be very local to the school (in general no greater than half a mile).  Pupils will be supervised by their class teacher during these visits. 

For any longer, pre-arranged school trips and all trips that require transport, official permission will be sought and Management Circular 3.25 will be adhered to – https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-circulars.     

If you have any concerns regarding any of the above you should contact your school directly to discuss individual circumstances. 

Emergency Closures

In the event of the school having to close due to an emergency, e.g. adverse weather conditions putting pupils at risk, heating failure, etc., the procedure is as follows: –

In the event of an emergency closure outwith school hours updated postings will be made on www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/service-disruptions.  You can also keep up to date with the latest information by calling 01369 704000.

In case of an emergency, if effective arrangements are to be made, it is essential that the school has up-to-date information from parents/carers regarding such things as changes in employer, telephone number, new emergency contact, etc.  Where possible, a text messaging system alerting parents/carers to arrangements will be used if mobile phone numbers have been submitted.

In whole school emergency situations, updated information will be posted on our own school website and/or www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/service-disruptions website or the use of text messaging may be utilised.

USEFUL LINKS AND CONTACT DETAILS

The following hyperlinks are correct as at 24 May 2025:

General

Contact details for all Argyll and Bute Schools –

https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools

Choosing a School: A Guide for Parents – information on choosing a school and the placing request system – http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/11/10093528/0

A guide for parents/carers about school attendance explains parental responsibilities with regard to children’s attendance at school http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/04134640/0

The Scottish Government guide Principles of Inclusive Communications provides information on communications and a self-assessment tool for public authorities 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/09/14082209/0

Educational Psychology Resources Website (Scan QR Code) 

Parental Involvement

Guidance on the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 provides guidance on the act for education authorities, Parent Councils and others http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/08094112/0

Parentzone provide information and resource for parents/carers and Parent Councils  https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/

Education Scotland’s toolkit for parental engagement and family learning 

https://education.gov.scot/resources/engaging-parents-and-families-a-toolkit-for-practitioners/

School Ethos

Developing a positive whole school ethos and culture 

https://www.gov.scot/publications/developing-positive-whole-school-ethos-culture-relationships-learning-behaviour/pages/1/

Health and wellbeing guidance on healthy living for local authorities and schools http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi

Building Curriculum for Excellence through Positive Behaviour and Relationships outlines the Scottish Government’s priority actions around positive behaviour in schools and is also a source of support  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/25112828/0

Scottish Catholic Education Service’s resource ‘This is Our Faith’ which supports the teaching and learning of Catholic religious education –

http://www.sces.uk.com/this-is-our-faith.html

Curriculum

Information about Curriculum for Excellence  https://education.gov.scot/curriculum-for-excellence/

and

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum

Information on assessment  http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/assessment

Broad General Education (general) 

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/broad-general-education/

Broad General Education in the Secondary School – CfE Briefing 1 – Broad general education in the secondary school (ioe.ac.uk)

Information on the Senior Phase  https://education.gov.scot/curriculum-for-excellence/about-curriculum-for-excellence/curriculum-stages/senior-phase-and-beyond/senior-phase/

Information on Skills for learning, life and work 

http://education.gov.scot/media/tcnk33qn/btc4.pdf

Information around the Scottish Government’s ‘Opportunities for All’ programme 

https://www.gov.scot/publications/opportunities-supporting-young-people-participate-post-16-learning-training-work/#:~:text=To%20make%20access%20to%20Opportunities%20for%20All%20as,Opportunities%20for%20All%20by%20phoning%200800%20917%208000.

Information for organisations responsible for the planning, management and delivery of career information, advice and guidance services 

http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/

The Skills Development Scotland website ‘My World of Work’ offers a number of tools to support career planning 

http://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/

Assessment and Reporting

Building the Curriculum 5: a framework for assessment provides guidance around the assessment framework  https://education.gov.scot/media/bwxg5wma/btc5-framework.pdf

Information about how progress is assessed 

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-in-scotland/assessment-and-achievement/What%20is%20assessment,%20and%20when%20and%20how%20does%20it%20take%20place  

Curriculum for Excellence factfile – Assessment and qualifications  https://education.gov.scot/media/0g2cthxv/cfefactfileoverview.pdf

Information on assessment and achievement 

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/assessment-and-achievement/

Transitions

Curriculum for Excellence factfile – 2-18 Transitions – provides information on the transitions children and young people will face throughout their education and beyond 

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/ACE/cfeinaction/transitionsfactfile

Career Information, Advice and Guidance in Scotland – A Framework for Service Redesign and Improvement provides guidance on career information, advice and guidance strategy  https://education.gov.scot/Documents/CareerInformationAdviceGuidanceScotland.pdf#:~:text=This%20strategy%20provides%20a%20framework%20for%20the%20redesign,young%20people%E2%80%99s%20skills%20for%20learning%2C%20life%20and%20work.

Planning for choices and changes provides information about choices made at various stages of learning          https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-at-home/supporting-health-and-wellbeing/planning-for-choices-and-changes

Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice includes specific requirements on education authorities and others under the new legislation in relation to transition http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/04/04090720/21

Support for Pupils

The Additional support for learning page provides links to relevant legislation and guidance, including the arrangements that should be in place to support pupils with additional support needs http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/welfare/ASL

Enquire is the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning –http://enquire.org.uk/

Parenting across Scotland offers support to children and families in Scotland http://www.parentingacrossscotland.org/

Equality and Inclusion – https://education.gov.scot/about-education-scotland/what-we-do/embedding-inclusion-wellbeing-and-equality/

Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice (Revised edition) – provides Statutory guidance relating to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/04/04090720/21

Getting It Right For Every Child and Young Person, is essential reading for anyone involved or working with children and young people, including practitioners working in adult services with parents and carers 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/gettingitright

School Improvement

Education Scotland’s Inspection and review page provides information on the inspection process 

https://education.gov.scot/

Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) 

http://www.scqf.org.uk/

Scottish Qualifications Authority provides information for teachers, parents/carers, employers and young people on qualifications 

http://www.sqa.org.uk/

Amazing Things – information about youth awards in Scotland http://www.awardsnetwork.org/index.php

Information on how to access statistics relating to School Education 

School education statistics – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

School Policies and Practical Information

National policies, information and guidance can be accessed through the following sites:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People

Children (Scotland) Act 1995  http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/36/contents

Standards in Scotland’s Schools (Scotland) Act 2000 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2000/6/contents