This Handbook has been prepared by the Head Teacher, and follows guidelines set out by The Moray
Council. The information contained within this Handbook is correct at the time of publication, and is
updated annually.
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Contents
1. Cover
2. Contents page
3. Welcome to Pilmuir Primary School
4. About Our School
5. Visitors, Concerns/Complaints, Absences
6. Practical Information
7. Parental Involvement Opportunities, Friends of Pilmuir
8. Information for Parents and Carers, School Improvement Plan
9. The Schools Successes Over the Year, Extra Curricular Activities
10. Enrolment/Transition
11. P7/Secondary Transition, Nursery Enrolment, Ethos
12. Rules and Discipline, Sanctions
13. Bullying, Curriculum for Excellence
14. Curricular Levels, Experiences and Outcomes
15. More About Literacy and Numeracy
16. Modern Languages in Primary School, Mathematics, Expressive Arts
17. Technologies, Health & Wellbeing
18. Varied Learning Methods, Personlisation, Choice & Achievements, Skills
19. Assessment, Reporting, Support for Learning/Additional Needs
20. Term Dates
21. Staff List
Appendices
Map of School Catchment area
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Welcome to Pilmuir Primary & Nursery School
Pilmuir Primary & Nursery School
Pilmuir Road
Forres
IV36 IHD
Acting Head Teacher : Mr Leslie Tulloch
Tel: 01309 673034
School Mobile: 07899877464
Fax: 01309 671312
E-mail: [email protected]
School Information Line 0870 054 9999*
School PIN Number 031410
School opens: 09:00 – 3:15pm (P4-7)
09:00 – 2:45 pm (P1-3)
Present Roll: 165
Denominational Status: Non-denominational
*Calls to this number will be charged a 2p per minute service charge plus your call providers access charge
Moray Council website: www.moray.gov.uk
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ABOUT OUR SCHOOL
The school opened in 1981 and is located at the west end of Forres.
It has an ‘Open Plan’ design which means it is light and airy. Pupils quickly become very considerate of the
need to work and move around quietly in order that others can operate in an environment which is conducive
to learning.
We have a dining room where meals, cooked on site, are eaten and a large well equipped gymnasium.
The school has a large playing field, a tarmac playground with games painted on it, flower beds, seating areas
and a large car park.
At the start of each session parents are given a list of holiday dates and the names of all staff in the school.
A monthly newsletter is sent home to ensure that parents are kept up to date with information about the
school.
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Visitors
We welcome visitors to the school but all visitors must only enter the school by the main door for security
reasons.
If you wish to visit the school with a view to enrolling a new pupil please telephone and make an
appointment to meet the head teacher.
Concerns/Complaints
We encourage parents to voice
concerns or ask questions about
their childrens’ time in school.
Parents and carers can make
arrangements by contacting the
school office and making an
appointment.
Absences
Absences should be reported to the school by using the school information line service, Dial 08700549999,
put in PIN 031410. Select option 2 to leave a non urgent message.
If we do not have a reason for absence we will contact you by telephone or text.
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Practical Information
Procedures for Contacting the School
Parents should contact the school by telephoning 01309 673034 in order to make enquiries or advise the
school of absence.
Alternatively use the school information line to leave messages or hear about any general school
announcements e.g. severe weather closing the school.
Family Holidays During Term Time
Advice from the Scottish Executive is that holidays taken during the school session, other than in exceptional
circumstances, should be considered as unauthorized absences. Parents should inform the school about such
holidays.
School Telephone Information Link
Parents can access an information line for the
school
 Dial 08700549999
 Enter School PIN 031410
Press 1 – severe weather information
Press 2 – to leave a non-urgent message
Press 3 – to hear general school information
Press 4 – to enter a different school PIN
Press# - to end call
NB “Calls to this number will be charged a 2p per
minute service charge plus you call providers access
charge”
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Parental Involvement Opportunities
At Pilmuir we have an ‘open door’ policy, which means you are welcome to visit the school office in order to
make an appointment to speak to staff at a mutually convenient time.
The teachers of younger children are always around at the end of the day ensuring that pupils leave the
school safely and often quick questions can be dealt with then.
We welcome parents as helpers in classes, on school trips, or sporting events. Parents who would like to help
in classrooms must be Disclosure checked.
Daily communication with school can be made by using the homework diary and we would encourage
parents to sign the diary each night to affirm that they have seen the homework their child has completed.
Friends of Pilmuir
Friends of Pilmuir is an amalgamation of the Parent Council and P.T.A. Members can be parents,
grandparents, staff or friends in the community. The group is often asked by the head teacher to consult on
new policy documents, the School Improvement plan, issues of safety etc. They also organise social events
such as Tombolas, Discos, and Beetle Drives as well as raising money through Christmas Fairs and Coffee
Mornings.
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Information For Parents and Carers
A series of leaflets has been produced by Education and Social Care for parents and carers. These
leaflets are available from the school foyer, or from Moray Council internet site.
Please see Appendix A at the rear of this handbook for information on links to The Moray Council’s
internet site web pages
School Improvement Plan
Full details are available in the School Improvement Plan in Appendix B.
At Pilmuir Primary, we aim to improve educational experiences for all our pupils. We have identified a
number of improvement priorities. These are:
1. Develop assessment and tracking throughout the school and across the curriculum. Use assessment
along with baseline assessment to track pupil progress through the experiences and outcomes of
Curriculum for Excellence
2. Continue to develop profiling throughout the school. The pupils will be able to reflect on their
learning and be able to identify what they need to do in order to make progress.
3. To further develop the Health and Wellbeing of pupils. The social experiences of pupils will be
enhanced at play times and lunch times. All pupils will be taught playground games.
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The Schools Successes Over The Year
Full details of the school’s successes and achievements are available in the ‘Standards and Quality Report’ in
Appendix C
Achievements are regularly celebrated through weekly assemblies, displays throughout the school and
celebrations of school events in the local press. This year we have continued to experience many successes
and achievements, some of these are:
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Taking part in local sporting competitions, football, rugby and Kwik Cricket
Enjoying a five day residential trip to the Abernethy Outdoor Centre
A Nativity play presented by P1-3
Taking part in the Forres flower Show, The Rotary Quiz and local library quiz
Extra Curricular Activities
.
A number of extra curricular activities are available to pupils. These include:

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Badminton
Running club
Pilmuir Walkers
Cycling proficiency
The type of activity on offer very much depends on staff expertise and parents help is always welcome
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Enrolment/Transition
Nursery/Primary One Transition
The intake of Primary 1 pupils takes place in August each year and children who will be five years of age, on
or before, the last day of February of the following year are eligible for admission.
In January a notice is placed in the local newspapers which informs parents about the enrolment dates.
Parents are welcome to contact the school in order to visit and discuss enrolment and have a tour of the
school.
Priority is given to children resident within the Forres Academy catchment area. Where the requested place
is managed by the Head teacher, children already having a sibling in attendance is given priority i.e. a 3yr old
with a sibling at primary school has priority over a 4 yr old with no sibling at the school.
From April until June we have a transition programme for pupils coming from nursery into primary one.
Pupils from Pilmuir nursery join primary 1 on a weekly basis for free flow play and ICT. Pupils who attend
other nurseries are invited to join these sessions.
Parents are invited to attend a meeting in June to hear about school routines.
New Pupils
We are always happy to welcome new pupils to Pilmuir School. Parents should make an appointment to see
the Head teacher. Families will be shown round the school and visit classes. The Head teacher will answer
any questions.
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P7/Secondary Transition
Pupils from Pilmuir Primary usually transfer to Forres Academy. There is an extensive transition programme
which begins in January with enrolment and parental consent forms being completed. In February Guidance
staff visit the school. In early June Guidance staff once again visit and pupils spend two days in June at the
Academy.
Forres Academy hold an Information for Parents evening in mid June and pupils spend a Saturday
participating in an Activities Day.
For pupils with additional support needs or for vulnerable pupils extra visits are arranged and a transition
programme runs over the summer holidays.
Nursery Enrolment
We have a nursery class in the school catering for 20 children in the Forres Academy School Group
catchment area. Children can be enrolled during the month of January for joining the nursery class at the
start of the next school session. Places are allocated according to the criteria laid down by The Moray
Council with priority being given to children in their immediate pre-school year.
The parents of children who have been allocated places are invited to attend an induction meeting during the
summer term. A separate nursery hand book is available on request.
Ethos
Full details on Pilmuir School’s ‘Visions and Values’ statement is available in Appendix D. We aim to
inspire, include and improve educational experiences for all of our pupils.
Every child in this school is an important person with particular interests and needs. To ensure that the
school is a happy, secure and successful place for our children we need the support, understanding and
interest of parents. The purpose of the school handbook is to give an overview of the school and the
education it seeks to provide.
At Pilmuir Primary School we want to enable our children to be ‘successful learners’, ‘confident individuals’,
‘responsible citizens’ and ‘effective contributors’. We do this in a variety of ways:
Successful Learners
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Plan a structured and balanced
‘Curriculum for Excellence’.
Varied teaching methods and activities.
E.g. ‘active learning’.
Encourage pupil responsibility for
self/peer assessment and target setting.
Monitor progress, record achievement
and attainment to ensure each child
reaches their potential.
Confident Individuals
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Identify the emotional, physical and
social needs of pupils and help them
develop positive attitudes, personal and
social skills.
Provide appropriate support for children
with additional needs.
Celebrating success in the classroom,
the school and in ‘out of school’ life.
Encourage a healthy and active lifestyle.
Create within the school a warm, caring
and supportive atmosphere in which
children, staff and parents feel secure
and valued.
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Responsible Citizens

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Encourage children to enrich the school
and its community by acting responsibly
and by valuing the unique culture and
traditions of its past.
Ensure that individual differences of race,
culture and belief will be respected and
celebrated as an enriching factor in the
school community. Equal opportunities
will exist for all.
Enable children to take part in decision
making in the school through the pupil
council and class circle time activities.
Effective Contributors


Promote attitudes of enterprise and selfreliance.
Encourage pupils to work on their own,
and in teams to apply their thinking skills,
to create and develop ideas, and to solve
problems.
These values are also apparent in our Positive Care, Welfare and Discipline policy.
Rules and Discipline
To achieve our aim of promoting good
working attitudes, self discipline and effective
learning, a calm and purposeful atmosphere
in and around the school is essential.
We expect children to observe the following:
 Politeness to each other, members of
staff and visitors is the first step
towards becoming acceptable
members of society.
 Care of, and respect for school
property and materials ensures that
everyone benefits fully from school
resources.
 Following instructions and behaving responsibly in rooms, corridors and the playground are
necessary to ensure the safety of everyone.
 It is reasonable to expect children to walk at all times within the building and to behave in such a way
that they are not interfering with or distracting others.
 Bullying, kicking, throwing stones and any other kinds of anti-social behaviour which may cause
injury, are dangerous and unacceptable. The school operates a zero tolerance policy for
inappropriate behaviour, including bullying.
Our policy is to encourage children to be honest about their role in any situation and we emphasise that if
we withhold the truth we can only make a bad situation worse for everyone involved.
We believe in a positive approach towards behaviour management but where this fails sanctions will be
enforced.
When a child’s attitude or behaviour is giving cause for concern parents will be contacted at an early stage
to discuss possible strategies to support the pupil.
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Sanctions
Children are expected to follow the school rules. Generally, children are made aware that they are
responsible for their own actions and that breaking rules will lead to sanctions, or may in serious cases of
indiscipline, lead to exclusion.
Sanctions:
 warnings and strikes for persistent misbehaviour
 reported to the head teacher or depute head teacher
 punishment exercises
 withdrawal of privileges
 parents / carers asked to discuss behaviour and agree next steps
 support in school and from other agencies
 exclusion from school
You should also note that any incidents involving violence, dangerous weapons, drugs or alcohol are
reported immediately to education and social care services, and the police.
Bullying
Incidences of potential bullying will be taken very seriously. We will try to help children to resolve any issues
that arise. Please contact us if there is a matter causing your child concern.
Leaflets and fuller information on Bullying, Disability Discrimination and Race Relations is available from
The Moray Council by telephoning the respective number, emailing or accessing the web page on the
council website. (See Appendix A for these contact details.)
Curriculum For Excellence
Curriculum for Excellence (often shortened to CfE) is the curriculum in Scotland which applies to all
children and young people aged 3-18, wherever they are learning. It aims to raise achievement for all,
enabling young people to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to succeed in learning,
life and work. It aims to raise standards, prepare our children for a future they do not yet know and equip
them for jobs of tomorrow in a fast changing world. All children and young people have an entitlement to
provision of an excellent education so that they develop skills for learning, life and work.
Curriculum for Excellence is not a 'one size fits all' curriculum. It provides greater personalisation and choice
so that learning is more challenging, enjoyable and relevant to each child’s needs, strengths and interests.
Curriculum for Excellence enables professionals to teach subjects creatively, to work together across the
school and with other schools, to share best practice and explore learning together.
A fact file about the ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ for parents/carers which provides a more comprehensive
overview of CfE (and an explanation of the terms used) is available from the office. You can also access
further information about the curriculum and supporting your child on:
http://www.LTScotland.org.uk/Parentzone
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http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/cfe/index.asp
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/resources/index.asp
Curriculum for Excellence develops skills for learning, life and work to help young people go on to further
study, secure work and navigate life. It brings real life into the classroom, making learning relevant and
helps young people apply lessons to their life beyond the classroom. It links knowledge in one subject area
to another, helping children understand the world and make connections. It develops skills so that children
can think for themselves, make sound judgements, challenge, enquire and find solutions.
Curriculum Levels
These
years.

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


describe the progression in learning and development of children and young people from age 3-18
In brief, these are:
Early Level - pre-school through to end of Primary 1.
First Level - through to the end of Primary 4.
Second Level - through to the end of Primary 7.
Third and Fourth Levels - Secondary 1 - 3.
Senior Phase - Secondary 4 - 6.
As a very general guide, children are expected to be at Second Level, and beginning to learn and develop at
Third Level, as they make the transition from Primary into Secondary Education.
Children and young people progress through these levels at their own pace; and naturally some do so more
quickly, or a little later than expected, dependant on individual circumstances and needs.
Experiences and Outcomes (Es and Os)
Each learning experience will provide the opportunity for children to learn a number of outcomes throughout a range of
curriculum areas. We use detailed planning to deliver inter-disciplinary learning opportunities using interesting topics
e.g. Vikings, Countryside and Pollution, Fairytales etc. Not only do children learn more about the topic, but they are
continuously developing their literacy, numeracy and team working skills.
The ability to transfer knowledge and skills over a wide range of learning experiences from the different curriculum
areas is desired.
Key areas of Education
Literacy across learning,
Numeracy across learning and
Health and Wellbeing across learning
Experience - describes the learning activity taking place.
Outcome - describes what the learning will achieve.
E.g. Knowledge, understanding, skills, awareness and attitudes.
Curriculum for Excellence is all about bringing real life into the classroom and taking lessons beyond it. Learning and
teaching will still focus on subjects and knowledge in addition to developing skills and understanding. The following
website page has more information on other subjects and knowledge covered by the curriculum:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/cfe/subjectsandknowledge/index.asp
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The Seven Principles -
The Eight Curriculum Areas –
all learning must take account of these principles:
 Challenge and Enjoyment
 Breadth
 Progression
 Depth
 Personalisation and Choice
 Coherence
 Relevance
containing a range of subjects:
 Expressive Arts
Art, Drama, Music and Dance
 Health & Wellbeing
Personal, social and emotional health. Also P.E.
 Literacy and English
Communicating with others. Reading, Writing and Modern
Languages
 Numeracy and Mathematics
Number work, Problem Solving
 Religious and Moral Education
Religions, values and beliefs.
 Sciences
Understanding our planet
 Social Studies
Scotland and the World; past, present and future.
 Technologies
Food, Design and Computing.
This is to ensure children's development is useful and
meaningful
More about Literacy and Numeracy
Language
The skills required for communication are fundamental to the curriculum and to the needs of our society. The
best teaching and learning results from the integration of the four elements of the language curriculum.
1. Listening - Children need to be taught to listen well, especially to the opinions of others if they are to fit
in socially. We help children to increase their concentration span.
2. Reading - The ability to read is one of the basic requirements of an education for life. There is a high
emphasis placed on developing good reading and comprehension skills
3. Writing - The conventions of written language – punctuation, spelling, handwriting – are best taught
from the children’s own work so that the mistakes they make become the teaching points. It is also
important for children to produce written work that is relevant, effective, functional and imaginative. This
will come through theme work in the class and will be from first hand, imagined or created experiences.
4. Talking - We aim to encourage good articulation skills so that the children have the ability and
confidence to express appropriately their ideas, opinions, questions and answers in any situation or
company.
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Modern Languages in the Primary
School
We offer German to senior pupils.
Mathematics
Mathematics is about solving problems not just ‘doing sums’. The ability to calculate quickly is essential.
Children need to develop a high level of competence in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division so
that they can apply these skills in real life situations.
In Pilmuir the practical activities, necessary for children to fully understand computation, will come first.
Children need to practice orally and in written form to ensure that they can access mathematical facts quickly
and accurately. Mental maths is given a high priority in our school.
Expressive Arts
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Art and Design
Drama
Music
Dance
Through the expressive arts we allow children to explore, express and create aesthetically in ways that
are satisfying to the individual.
We encourage children to achieve high standards by displaying work around the school and by holding
public performances, which allow the children to demonstrate their skills, abilities and talents.
We have visiting specialist teachers who come to Pilmuir weekly. Primary 4-7 children benefit from
specialised teaching in Art, Music and P.E.
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Technologies
Learning in the technologies enables children and young people to be informed, skilled, thoughtful, adaptable
and enterprising citizens. The technologies framework has been organised to offer opportunities for
personalisation and choice using diverse contexts for learning. These are:
• Technological development in society
• ICT to enhance learning
• Business
• Computing science
• Food and textiles
• Craft, design, engineering and graphics
Health and Wellbeing
Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and young people develop the knowledge and understanding,
skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and
in the future. Learning through health and wellbeing enables children and young people to:






Make informed decisions in order to improve their mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing
experience challenge and enjoyment
experience positive aspects of healthy living and activity for themselves
apply their mental, emotional, social and physical skills to pursue a healthy lifestyle
make a successful move to the next stage of education or work
establish a pattern of health and wellbeing which will be sustained into adult life, and which will help to
promote the next generation of healthy children.
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Varied Learning Methods
There are a variety of ways in which learning opportunities may be presented to children.
The CfE represents a different approach to learning in schools intended to help learners develop skills, knowledge and
understanding in more depth.
Examples of how children will learn differently are:
 Using technologies
Find, research, communicate, create and present.
 Active Learning
Being actively engaged in the learning task, whether mentally or
physically
 Cooperative Learning
Encouraging thinking and talking together to discuss ideas and solve
problems. Learning from each other.
 Interdisciplinary Learning
Using links between different areas of learning to develop, reinforce and
deepen understanding.
 Outdoor Learning
Making use of the outdoor environment and surrounding community.
Personalisation, Choice and Achievement.
Planning of learning contexts and methods may be personalised according to an individual's learning and development
priorities. Thus, there may be different expectations of learning achieved for different children.
It is not only the academic achievements of children that are recognised. We celebrate a range of achievements
reached by children in and out of the school community e.g. Progress in personal development, participation in events,
extra-curricular and personal interest activities.
Skills
The CfE emphasises the development of skills for learning, life and work. These are wide ranging and include:
 Higher order thinking skills - thinking about complex issues, problem solving, analysis and evaluation and
creativity.
 Critical skills - making judgements and decisions, communicating, co-operating with others, self organisation.
Important themes are Enterprise, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development.
Pupils can also become involved in the school’s ‘Pupil Council’ ‘Health Committee’ and ‘Eco Committee’. Some
choose to become ‘road safety officers’.
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Assessment
Assessment is the cornerstone of good teaching practice and it is important that information about children’s progress
is collected systematically and used for appropriate action. Regular tracking of all childrens’ progress takes place.
PIPS testing of Primary1 pupils takes place at the start and end of the school year. Primary 3 and 6 pupils complete
INCAS tests in Reading and Maths. These diagnostic assessments are used as an internal tool in the school to confirm
the teacher’s assessment of the childrens’ learning needs. It also checks the child’s progress over the year.
Assessment is crucial to tracking progress and planning next steps to enable quality learning to take place. Learners are
greatly involved in this process so that they can take ownership of learning progression.
 Self assessment - what has been successful and what needs improvement
 Peer assessment - help others appreciate what is good about their work and what needs developing
 Personal learning planning - pupils, teachers and parents will work together to develop planning for the child's
next steps in learning.
Reporting
Reporting informs parents/carers of their child's progress. This can be in the form of written reports and parent
appointments. Parent appointments are held in September and March. The written report in May will advise how much
progress has been made against targets set during the initial parent appointment in September. Pupils also demonstrate
their learning through Assemblies and Exhibitions. P7 profiles are also sent home.
Teaching staff and school management may also get in touch with parents/carers to discuss any learning, personal or
behaviour matter as issues arise.
Support For Learning / Additional Needs
Children do not all progress at the same rate and provision is made within the school for children who, for a variety of
reasons, are experiencing any difficulties. When a child has been identified as requiring additional support, parents will
be notified and invited to come in to school to discuss the matter with the class teacher and/or the Support for Learning
teacher.
A programme of work may be initiated to help to overcome the difficulties being experienced by the child and this
programme may involve a request for additional home support. Some children will have an IEP (Individualised
Educational Programme) devised for them. This will be devised by the class teacher and support for learning staff. The
IEP will be shared with parents and the programme will be monitored and updated on a regular basis. Staff also work
in partnership with other agencies. E.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology Department.
Support for Learning teachers may work with a child, or group of children, in the classroom and sometimes children
are withdrawn for specific tasks. Some children may only need additional help for a short period of time whereas
others may have a longer term requirement. Extra help can be provided for literacy, numeracy, personal, social and
emotional, and behavioural needs.
Parents who have concerns about their child’s progress should make an appointment to discuss the matter with the
class teacher in the first instance.
The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 came into force on 14 November 2010. More
information can be found on The Moray Council’s website regarding this and the council’s provision for additional
support needs in Moray. There are also internet links to other potentially useful organisations via The Moray Council’s
website. Please refer to Appendix A for how to access this.
Information on GIRFEC (“Getting it Right for Every Child”) is available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/gettingitright
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Term Dates 2016/2017
Tuesday 5 January 2016
Friday 12 February
Monday 15 February
Thursday 24 March
Spring term begins
Mid term break
Mid term break
Spring term ends
Monday 11 April
Friday 29 April
Monday 2 May
Thursday 19 May
Friday 20 May
Thursday 30 June
Summer term begins
Occasional Day school closed
May Day holiday
In-service day School closed
In-service day School closed
Summer term ends
Tuesday 16 August
Friday 7 October
Autumn term begins
Autumn term ends
Monday 24 October
Monday 14 November
Tuesday 15 November
Thursday 22 December
Winter term begins
In-service day School closed
In-service day School closed
Winter term ends
Monday 9 January 2017
Friday 10 February
Monday 13 February
Friday 31 March
Spring term begins
Mid term break
Mid term break
Spring term ends
Monday 17 April
Monday 1 May
Thursday 18 May
Friday 19 May
Friday 30 June
Summer term begins
May Day holiday
In-service day School closed
In-service day School closed
Summer term ends
School Term dates are available on the internet -www.moray.gov.uk and the "Notes for Parents and
Carers" booklet.
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Pilmuir Primary & Nursery School
Staff List
Head Teacher:
Mr Leslie Tulloch
Class Teacher:
Mrs Dawn Lyon
Class Teacher:
Mr T MacAri
Class Teacher:
Mrs Susan Dean
Class Teacher:
Miss Patricia Keil
Class Teacher:
Miss Kathryn Turner
Class Teacher:
Mrs Aleta Shaw
Class Teacher:
Miss Caroline Hambly
Class Teacher:
Miss Lynn Masson
Class Teacher:
Mrs Anne Clegg
Teacher:
Mrs Mary Ramsay
Classroom Assistant:
Mrs Kelly Kinlin, Mrs Michelle Fyfe,
Nursery Nurses:
Mrs Sandra McGarry, Mrs Fiona Brown
Auxiliaries:
Miss Ellen Kinlin, Mrs Linsey Murray, Mrs Jill Nicol
Children’s Supervisor:
Mrs Margaret Shand
Lunchtime Auxiliary:
Mrs Carol Harper
Primary School Administrator:
Mrs Phyllis Bradley
Kitchen Staff:
Mrs Meg McIvor (cook)
Mrs Catriona McKenzie Mrs Amanda Stewart
School Crossing Person:
Mrs Ann Strachan
School Cleaners:
Mrs Hazel Kerr, Mrs Lisa Ross
Visiting Specialists:
Art Music P.E. SfL Violin Brass -
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Mrs Jackie Stewart,
Mrs Erin Carroll,
Mrs Geraldine Sircus
Ms Cath Casburn
Mrs Rachael Lewtas
Mr Glenn Munro
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SCHOOL HANDBOOK: APPENDIX A
Contact: The Moray Council, Education and Social Care
Telephone: 01343 563374
Fax: 01343 563990
Address: Council Office, High Street, Elgin IV30 1BX
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.moray.gov.uk
Hours: 8.45am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Revised 19/11/2015
Moray Council A-Z
Active Schools
Telephone:
01343 563890
Web page address:
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SCHOOL STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN
SCHOOL: Pilmuir Primary School
At Pilmuir we work as a team to promote participation, perseverance and progression to
ensure all pupils can reach their full potential.
VISION & VALUES:
IMPROVEMENT PRIORITY
1.
OUTCOMES
TIMESCALE
STRATEGIES FOR MEASURING
SUCCESS
All
Staff
Learning and Teaching
Develop the use of progression
pathways across all curricular areas.

To develop the skills necessary for
lifelong learning


ASN – Staged intervention.


QI
5.1 – the curriculum
5.2 – teaching for effective learning
5.3 – meeting learners needs
RESP

Enhanced understanding of significant
aspects of learning. A range of progressions/
pathways available for individuals, groups and
classes.
A progression of skills is developed.
A new approach to IDL is developed so
children understand why they are studying
various topics.
Regular liaison time built in to school
calendar.
A system is devised to aid identification of
support required by ASN.
Further resources are provided.

Pupils will show a deepened
understanding through dialogue and
transferring of skills across curricular
areas.

Involvement of parents – visits to
classes so pupils can share their
learning.
IMPROVEMENT PRIORITY
OUTCOMES
2. Assessment and Reporting
To develop continuous assessment
strategies to track progress.
To provide regular information to
parents about the progress their
children are making and how they
are progressing on their learning
journey.
QI
5.2 – Teaching for effective learning
5.3 – meeting learners needs
5.4 – Assessment for learning
5.9 – Improvement through self
evaluation

Teachers will moderate and track the
development of pupils’ core skills

Children will become more confident at
contributing towards the reporting process,
Profiles will be developed for all pupils
Pupils engage in regular learning
conversations about their learning
Reports and information will be issued at
regular intervals during the session.



RESP
All
teaching
staff
TIMESCALE
STRATEGIES FOR MEASURING
SUCCESS
Working groups will evaluate progress and
provide feedback .
Dialogue with pupils – sample groups, pupil
reflective journals, pupils feedback.
Dialogue with staff – forward plans, HT/peer
learning visits, staff feedback.
Dialogue with parents about children’s
reflections and discussions at home.
IMPROVEMENT PRIORITY
OUTCOMES
RESP
TIMESCALE
STRATEGIES FOR MEASURING
SUCCESS
3. Partnerships with learners
and parents
Reporting and communication with
parents as an ongoing, all year process





Rights Respecting School (ASG)
QI
5.3 – meeting learners needs
5.4 – Assessment for learning
5.7 – Partnerships with learners and
parents.
5.8 – Care, welfare and development
JtE
1 – Learning
2 – Success for all learners
6 – Working with parents to improve
learning.
Parents will be better informed on how to
support their children at home
Pupils will become more expert about the
how and why of their learning.
Teachers/pupils will have clearer assessment
and next step discussion
Parents and pupils have a voice in their
learning.
Pupils will not see getting it wrong as a
failure’ but a learning opportunity to develop
and move forward.
All
teaching
staff






Information sharing meetings
Open afternoons
Pupil reflective journals.
Drop-in sessions, questionnaires,
working groups
Pupil interviews
Assessment evidence including PIPS
and InCAS
Service
Balance
Respect
Trust
Standards and Quality
Commitment
Introduction
The following report provides a brief summary of the school’s strengths and achievements for the session 2013/2014
and outlines the plans we have for 2014/2015. Evaluations of developments and performance take place during the year
to provide information for this report. Any parent/ carer wishing to express opinions or be involved in the life of the
school should contact the Headteacher.
The school roll remains steady and most pupils live in close proximity to the school. There are 160 pupils in P1-7 and
20 attend the nursery for a morning session. There has been a change of Head teacher this session. Mrs Elder was
seconded in October. Mr Tulloch is in post as the Acting Head teacher until July 2015.
Successes and achievements
The school continues to maintain high standards of achievement. Most children are enthusiastic and well behaved.
Teachers have provided a wide range of experiences, both in class and by using visitors or visits out, to help the
children appreciate the skills they are learning. Pupils` achievements throughout the year are many and varied. Different
age groups took part in a variety of activities. P7 took part in a maths challenge, a rugby tournament, Scottish country
dancing and speech making (at Moray Music festival). They were also involved in the Gordonstoun Highland Games
which tested their physical skills and showed the importance of team spirit. P6 pupils took part in a basketball and
kwik cricket tournament and P5 enjoyed golf lessons. As part of a cross curricular project on Scotland P6 experienced
tree planting and P4 spent eight mornings working in a local woodland and gained their John Muir awards. All pupils
were involved in our enterprise project to raise funds for the PTA at the Christmas Fair where they made and sold
Christmas items. As part of a national campaign on cycling space the Riderz visited school. Pupils in P5 – P7 took part
in workshops on bicycles and the whole school enjoyed a display from the Riderz team. The eco committee organized a
Walk to School week which culminated in a Walk to School day. Children commented that it will make them think
about walking more often as it was enjoyable.
Life and Work of the School
We continue to develop our approach to delivering an effective Curriculum for Excellence. Interdisciplinary Learning
includes aspects of Enterprise, International Education, Citizenship, Creativity and Sustainability. This approach
ensures that the best use is made of the pupils` time in school and learning is linked across different elements of the
curriculum. A number of classes have invited parents to see the type of learning their children have been involved in.
P1/2 and P1 performed a circus act and showcased all their work to parents/carers and friends. P2 held a Pirate day to
share their learning, P3 put on a Burns` supper which demonstrated how links across the curriculum and school can be
successful, P4 had a Viking feast and P5 shared information about war.
In the nursery class staff and parents have worked hard to improve the outdoor play area with the introduction of a
number of new activities for pupils. Staff plan a broad range of learning opportunities which support most areas of the
children’s learning and development. They take children’s ideas and interests into account in planning learning
activities. Nursery staff support and develop children’s thinking skills effectively.
In primary classes, staff know children well and provide a caring environment. In most lessons staff plan tasks and
activities suitable to children’s learning needs. Staff explain things clearly to children and in most lessons the pace is
appropriate for learners.
Children in the nursery class enjoy learning. They are settled and take part happily in the learning experience which
staff provide. Children enjoy making their own choices for play.
In all primary classes children are eager to learn and they behave very responsibly and work well together. Children
enjoy talking about their learning and are beginning to develop skills in evaluating their own learning. This helps them
to understand where they are at in their learning journey.
In the nursery class children achieve successfully in most areas of their learning. They are learning through themed
work and imaginative play activities. They are continuing to gain understanding of how they are doing and are
building a profile of their own learning journey.
Staff have strong links with a wide range of agencies who help them to support children’s learning, including the
authority officer, the school nursing team, social workers and childsmile. The Active Schools Co-ordinator is
successful in encouraging children to participate in a wide range of sports.
The Friends of Pilmuir works well with school staff to support children’s learning. In the nursery parents help with
daily routines and in school they assist in classrooms, on school trips, at sporting events and organise social activities
for pupils. Almost all parents are happy with the school. They feel that staff look after their children well and that
issues are dealt with effectively.
Continuous Improvement
Plans for session 2014/2015
The school improvement priorities for 14/15 are:




To involve children more fully in their learning and give them more opportunities for independent learning.
To plan and develop improvements to the curriculum to ensure that learning experiences meet the needs of all
children.
To extend approaches for monitoring and evaluating children’s learning in the nursery and primary classes to
improve the consistency and challenge of learning experiences.
To build partnerships with learners and parents
Progress with the school improvement plan for 2013/2014
Our first improvement priority was to continue to develop assessment and tracking of progress through the use of On
track With Learning. Staff completed training on the tool. Planning using this tool has not taken place. The plan for the
coming session is to use it to track one curricular aspect. Other forms of planning are used and a numeracy checklist is
now in place to plan and track numeracy.
Our second improvement priority was to develop profiling throughout P4-7 through the use of e portfolios. This has not
happened due to technical difficulties with the programme. The children keep their own paper profile to show their
progress. P7 complete a detailed statement as part of their transition programme to the Academy.
The third development priority was to further develop health and wellbeing by establishing playground games and to
provide parenting groups. The pupil council has thought up a Playground code. A class teacher led a development to
promote positive playtimes. Sets of instructions and equipment were organised and all classes were taught the
playground games. This helped give children a focus at break times. This now needs to be revisited to see how best to
sustain this worthwhile development. Information about parenting events is circulated to parents and the school nursing
team regularly meets children and individual parents in the school. A questionnaire to gather information about the
needs of parents has been devised.
Finally we have worked on involving pupils more in evaluating their learning and the work of the school. Further work
will be completed on this area and a variety of focus groups will be asked about the progress the school is making in
various areas.
Pilmuir Primary and Nursery School Values
We are committed to supporting the emotional and physical well being of
our pupils.
We will create an environment where effective learning and teaching takes
place, which enables each pupil to achieve his or her potential and we will
celebrate their success.
We will foster close cooperation between home and school, amongst staff
as a team and with the wider community around the school.
We will develop positive attitudes to learning; perseverance, diligence,
concentration in order to raise attainment and promote and encourage
confidence.
We will encourage high standards of moral and social behaviour, including
citizenship.
We will take responsibility for our learning.