Ardrossan Academy
P7 Transition Booklet
Session 2017/2018
Welcome to the P7 Transition evening. We are delighted to be welcoming you and your child here at Ardrossan Academy. We hope you find the evening informative and helpful in ensuring the smooth transition of your child from primary to secondary. Please find enclosed important information regarding Ardrossan Academy within this booklet. If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to speak to staff at the end of the evening where you are warmly invited for refreshments in the assembly hall. Or alternatively, you can contact the school at your convenience.
Thank you.
PERSONAL SUPPORT
“Every child and young person is entitled to personal support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which a Curriculum for Excellence can provide.”
Building the Curriculum 3
At Ardrossan Academy we believe it is very important that every pupil has the opportunity to regularly discuss their learning with an adult who knows them well. We also believe that the implementation of Personal Support will help to remove barriers that might restrict your child’s learning, contribute to raising achievement and ultimately help to raise your child’s attainment. That is why we have implemented Personal Support here at Ardrossan Academy. Personal Support will take the form of a daily 10 minute period with their Personal Support Tutor. Over the course of the week, pupils will work through a Learning Journal, work on specific whole school themed tasks and foster a good working relationship with their Tutor.
One of the many advantages of Personal Support is that it allows all pupils to have equal access to pupil support. The role of the Personal Support Tutor is to help identify the early signs of various problems and communicate these with your child’s Pastoral Support Teacher.
Ardrossan Academy is split into four Houses; Annick, Barra, Lomond and Nevis. Each House has a Principal Teacher of Pastoral Support and an allocated Pupil Support Teacher. They are as follows:
PERSONAL SUPPORT STAFF
House / PT Pastoral Support / Pupil Support TeacherAnnick / Mrs C Mayes / Mrs Venman
Barra / Mrs J Colville / Mrs D McTaggart
Lomond / Mrs L King / Mr L Carruth
Nevis / Mr I Carr / Mr M Smith (PT)
We also have a Area Inclusion Officer, Mrs E Floyd to help support our pupils as they progress through school.
If your child is worried or has a problem they would like to discuss, they should speak to their Pastoral Support Teacher in the first instance. Similarly, if you have any concerns about your child please do not hesitate to contact the Pastoral Support Teacher on 01294 461931. Our Pastoral Support Teachers do have a teaching commitment; however, if you leave your name, child’s name and telephone number, they will return your call as soon as possible.
TIMETABLE
Period / PS / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7Mon / 08.45-08.55 / 08.55-09.45 / 09.45-10.35 / 10.35-11.25 / 11.40-12.30 / 12.30-13.20 / 14.00-14.50 / 14.50-15.40
Tue / 08.45-08.55 / 08.55-09.45 / 09.45-10.35 / 10.35-11.25 / 11.40-12.30 / 12.30-13.20 / 14.00-14.50 / 14.50-15.40
Period / PS / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Wed / 08.45-08.55 / 08.55-09.45 / 09.45-10.35 / 10.50-11.40 / 11.40-12.30 / 13.10-14.00 / 14.00-14.50
Thurs / 08.45-08.55 / 08.55-09.45 / 09.45-10.35 / 10.50-11.40 / 11.40-12.30 / 13.10-14.00 / 14.00-14.50
Friday / 08.45-08.55 / 08.55-09.45 / 09.45-10.35 / 10.50-11.40 / 11.40-12.30 / 13.10-14.00 / 14.00-14.50
At 8.40am a warning bell will be rung to signal pupils to start making their way to their Personal Support Class.
PUPIL ABSENCE PROCEDURES
It is the responsibility of parents/carers to contact the school if their child is absent. You can do this by phoning and speaking to any member of the school office from 8.30am on the day your child is first absent. The telephone number is 01294 461931. I
If your child is off longer than you anticipated, please re-contact the school and inform the school office of the intended day of return. It is important that you continue to keep us informed of your child’s absence.
If no explanation for a child’s absence is given by parents/carers the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. A text message will be sent home seeking an explanation. On day two of an absence and at regular intervals thereafter, a personal call will be made by the Pastoral Support Teacher along with a follow-up text message.
When your child returns to school, he or she should bring a note stating the dates and reason for your child’s absence.
Please make every effort to avoid family holidays during term time as this disrupts pupils’ education. If your child does go on holiday during term time, please inform the school of the unplanned dates before the holiday takes place. This absence will be recorded as unauthorised unless certain very specific circumstances exist.
In extreme cases of continued unexplained absences, the authority does have the power to prosecute parents or refer them to the Children’s panel.
LATECOMING
We take late-coming very seriously at Ardrossan Academy. Every time your child is late to school they are missing part of their education and when he/she enters the classroom late, they disrupt teaching and learning. It is very important that your child arrives to school on time and travels between classes promptly to ensure that he/she is not late.
However, we do realise that there are occasions, due to special circumstances, pupils will be late. Therefore, if you know your child is going to be late please contact the school absence line and inform the School Office of the expected time your child will arrive at school.
Once your child arrives to school, they must report to the main office to sign in. Your child should then return to class immediately. Late-coming will be monitored by the Principal Teachers of Pastoral Support and the Depute Head Teachers. Pupils who are continually late for school or class will be sanctioned.
UNIFORM
Establishing a school dress code has many benefits. These include improvement in equality, safety, security, discipline, school and community spirit and a decrease in bullying and expense for parents.
The authority will support schools in encouraging and helping pupils to conform to the chosen dress code and will support schools taking disciplinary procedures against pupils in serious or persistent cases.
Our dress code was decided upon by a committee of pupils, parents and staff. It is as follows:
Black jumper or cardigan
Black trousers or skirt
Black or White shirt with school tie
Black footwear
Blazers (optional although preferred) can be ordered via the school office.
Senior Pupils must wear a white shirt and tie.
PE UNIFORM
Black or Navy shorts or tracksuit trousers
White, black or blue t-shirts (Vest tops are not suitable)
Suitable footwear to offer support during physical activity
Sweatshirts may be worn for outdoor activities
Ardrossan Academy polo shirts and t-shirts can be purchased from the school office to be worn during PE.
It should be noted that the following items are NOT permitted
Combat trousers
¾ length trousers
Track suit trousers
Hoodies
Leggings
Jeans of any colour
Parents receiving benefits will normally be entitled to grants for footwear and clothing for their children. Information may be obtained from the office or from the Education and Youth Employment department, Cunninghame House Irvine, KA12 8EE.
It is appreciated that parents and pupils can become distressed over the occasional loss of pupils’ clothing and/or personal belongings. Parents are asked to assist in this area by ensuring that valuable items of clothing or personal belongings are not brought to school. Parents should note that the authority does not carry insurance to cover the loss. It would be helpful if you could label your child’s clothes with their full name.
CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
There are many clubs and activities that your child can become involved in. These will be advertised on the school website, notice boards and through the daily bulletin which is read out during Personal Support. Please encourage your child to take part.
PARENTAL VOLUNTEERS
If you would like to get involved in our school community we would love to hear from you. We are always looking for parent helpers to get involved by helping to run activities or even drive our mini bus. All volunteers would require to be PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Group) checked. However, the school would pay for the cost of this. So if you have some spare time and would like to contribute to our school community, please fill in our Parental Volunteer form. Thank-you!
PLACING REQUESTS
You have the right to submit a placing request for your child to attend a school outside your ‘catchment area’. As long as there’s space, this request is usually granted.
You will be able to find your school catchment area by using the Localview systemon North Ayrshire Council’s website. In order to find your local school you just enter your postcode.
How do I submit a placing request?
You cansubmit a placing request online at The Hubor complete aplacing request formand return it to North Ayrshire Council. The web address for this is
Remember:
- it’s very important that you still enrol your child at your local school as there’s no guarantee your placing request will be successful
- you can only apply for a placing request for one school at a time
What if there’s high demand?
Where there are more placing requests for a secondary school than places available, priority will be given to:
- children who would benefit medically from attending the specified school - this benefit must be supported by the family doctor and community medicine specialist
- thereafter, children who have older brothers or sisters at the school
Where these situations don’t apply, places are then decided by drawing lots. This is done by a member of the Educational Services Directorate and a North Ayrshire councillor.
When will I know if my request is successful?
If you apply before 15 March for the following school session, we’ll write to you by 30 April to tell you whether your placement request was successful. We’ll make decisions on midsession applications within 28 days of receiving them.
What happens if my request is unsuccessful?
If your request is unsuccessful, you can appeal by writing to the Principal Registrars within 28 days of receiving our letter of refusal. We’ll then set up an appeal committee to consider your request. More information on this process is available inourAppeal Guidance for Parents, which can be found on North Ayrshire Council website.
Please note: waiting lists are not kept for placing requests.
Transferring to Secondary School
Your local primary school will be able to tell you which secondary school your child will transfer to after Primary 7.
Pupils who attend a primary school outside their ‘catchment area’ may need to submit anotherplacing request formif they want to attend a non-denominational secondary school also outside their catchment area.
The denominational secondary school serving North Ayrshire isSt Matthew's Academy. Children attending a denominational primary school in North Ayrshire will automatically transfer to St Matthew’s Academy. Children attending a non-denominational primary school must make a placing request if they want to attend St Matthew's Academy.
PROPOSED P7-S1 TRANSITION PROGRAMME
2016-17
Month / Activity / Information / PersonnelWB 26th September / 29th September / P7 Open Evening / SLT
PTs Pastoral
Departments
WB 3rd October / How we are settling in? / S1 write letters to P7 / English Dept.
WB 19th December / 19th of December
Christmas Concert / 7pm / Music and Drama Department
WB 23rdJanuary / 23rd of January
Rabbie Burns Event Poetry recital / 7pm / S6 pupils
Miss Cruickshank
English Dept.
WB 20th of February / P7 Enterprise Event-Thursday 23rd of February / STEM enterprise day / STEM group
WB 13thMarch / Visits to P7 classes by Year Head and Guidance staff / Dates and times TBC. / M. Futamata & PTPS
WB 17th & 24th April / Visit by Pupil Support Dept. / Information gathering / Mr Smith & Pupil Support staff.
WB 2nd of May / Dates and times TBC / Enhanced Transition Programme begins for 5 weeks / Ms Floyd
Mrs McTaggart
WB 2nd May / Visit by Modern Languages Dept
Visit by Maths Dept / Dates and times to be arranged by FHs of Modern Languages and Maths / Mr G Reid
Mrs Harkin
WB 8th of May / 12thMay / P7 provisional class lists finalised / MrsColville
WB 15th May / 18th and 19thMay P7 Induction visits / Mrs Futamata
WB 29th May / 1st June P3- P6 / Enhanced Transition Programme FINAL DAY. Invite parents in for coffee. / Ms Floyd
Mrs McTaggart
WB 29th May / 2nd June / Transition-Internal Support Team Meeting / Mrs Futamata/ Primary Colleagues/Educational Psychologist
WB 5th June / CfE Levels / Transition information. CfE Levels and enhanced numeracy/literacy information. / Primary Colleagues
WB 12th June / 14th June / Transition-Internal Support Team Meeting / Mrs Futamata/ Primary Colleagues/Educational Psychologist
WB 19th June / 19th June / Summer Concert 7pm / Drama and Music Dept.
WB 19th June / 21st June / P7 Parents’ Coffee Morning, drop-in 10-11am. / Mrs Futamata, Pastoral Staff and Pupil Support staff.
WB 14th August / Thursday 17th of August / S1 pupils arrive at Ardrossan Academy / M. Futamata, Pastoral Staff and Pupil Support staff.
AMBITIONRESPECTEXCELLENCE