LIST OF CONTENTS
i
Addresses: information about PTA, School Board Representatives
ii
Staff List
iv
Map
1
Aims
2
Basic Information about School
3
Organisation of Staff
5
Curriculum and Assessment
12
Inclusion Policy
13
Homework Policy
16
Parents and the School
19
School Procedures
23
Attendance, Clothing
25
School Rules, Discipline and Behaviour, Exclusion
30
Bullying - School Policy
32
Transport - Complaints
34
School Health Service
36
Health and Safety Arrangements
37
Professionals Visiting Schools
39
Complaints Procedures
40
Scottish Executive Statistics
43
Attainment Levels
44
Holiday Dates 2006/2007
45
Useful Telephone Numbers
INTRODUCTION
This booklet is designed to introduce you to the school, acquaint you with
our aims, policies and curriculum and to give general information about
procedures related to the school.
I hope you will find the information useful. Please keep the booklet for
reference. When and where necessary you will be informed of any changes
through school newsletters.
The staff at Musselburgh Burgh Primary School strive to create a caring
and secure environment in which every child feels happy, confident and
valued. We can best achieve this when we work in partnership with
parents/carers and families so please take every opportunity to become
involved in your child’s life at the Burgh.
We look forward to a long and happy partnership with your family.
Karen Fleming
Head Teacher
ADDRESSES:
School
Musselburgh Burgh Primary School
Kilwinning Street
Musselburgh
East Lothian
EH21 7EE
Telephone No:
E-mail
0131-665-3407
musselburgh.burgh.ps
@musselburghburgh.elcschool.org.uk
Secretary :
Mrs Morag Aitken
Education Department Address
East Lothian Council
Department of Education & Community Services
John Muir House
HADDINGTON
EH41 3HA
SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES:
Parents
Alison Butler
(Chair)
Michael Collie
Louise McNaught
Carla Ellis
Teacher Representative
Co-opted Member
PTA COMMITTEE:
0131-665-8945
Rhona Saunders
Yvonne Atkins
Chair
Vice-Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Asst Treasurer
0131-665-3407
Fiona Robson
vacancy
Sheila Munro
Stella Smith
Gillian Robertson
Committee Gill Armstrong Andrea Baillie
Sinead Banner
Ailsa Buchanan
Anne Gilchrist
Margaret Hewat Frances Johnston Jennifer Mee
Rosemary Porteous Susan Varga Catriona Windle Aine Witts
Ex Officio Karen Fleming
School Rep Moira Gilbert
i
Staff List 2006/2007


Acting Head Teacher
Acting Depute Head Teacher

Nursery

Mrs Isla Duncan (PT)
Mrs Rhona Saunders
Ms Viv Cowie/
Mrs Heather Jordan
Mrs Susan Anderson
Mrs Joyce Parker
Nursery Nurses
(job share)
Nursery Nurse
Nursery Nurse ASN
School
P1A
P1B
P2A
P2B
P3
P3/4
P4
P5
P6A
P6B
P7B
Miss Sarah Jeavons/Mrs Moira Gilbert
Mrs Bernadette Blackie
Mrs Vikki Wilson
Miss Laura Lopez
Mrs Diane Chiole/Miss Leigh Morrison
Mr Fraser Park
Miss Sarah Robson (PT)
Miss Sam Reid/Mrs Anne Ratter
Mrs Viv Short
Mrs Caitriona Kavanagh
Mrs Marion Teasdale
Mrs Lyndsay Crawford
Mrs Valerie McLaren
Mrs Helen Bonthron

Mrs Karen Fleming
Miss Susan Hagart
Class Asst
Class Asst
Aux ASN
Mrs Gillian Hancock
P1 N Nurse
Ms Susan MacFarlane
Aux ASN
Mrs Marguerite Ruickbie Aux ASN
Mrs Elaine Russell
Aux ASN
Communication Provision
CP1
Miss Susan Hagart
Mrs Rose Anne Pryor
CP2
CP3
Miss Lorraine Hill
Mrs Aileen Higginson
CP4
Mrs Nicki Rodger
DHT (ASN) (1 day class
Teacher – relief
Mrs Janis MacLeod
Mrs Sarah O’Neill
Mrs Rena Brown
Mrs Karen Anderson
Mrs Linda McLean
ii
commitment)
N Nurse
N Nurse
Aux ASN
Aux ASN
N Nurse
Staff List 2006/2007 (cont’d)



LU Outreach
Speech/Lang Therapy
Support for Learning
Miss Penny Morton, Mrs Kathleen Bannon
Miss Laura Duncan, Mrs Laura Peggie
Miss Alison Elgin (PT)





PE
Art
Music
Violin
Cello
Mrs Fiona Sellwood
Mr Alan Connell
Miss Kirsten Ireland
Ms Judith Smith
Mrs Olivia Gray








Janitor
Secretary
Clerical Assistant
School Auxiliary
Playground Supervisor
Dining Hall Supervisor
Cook
Kitchen Assistants
Mr Bob Scott
Mrs Morag Aitken
Mrs Fiona Forlow
Mrs Janice Butler
Mrs Kim Spalding
Mrs Hazel Warnock
Mrs Christine Paterson
Ms Alexandra Cuthell
Mrs Mary McMillan
iii
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
Monday
Thursday
VISION STATEMENT:
‘Everything is possible’
VALUES:
At Musselburgh Burgh Primary School we will enable all of our pupils to
become:
 successful learners
 confident individuals
 responsible citizens
 effective contributors
AIMS:
To make the school a welcoming happy place for everyone; to encourage
respect for our school environment and to foster and develop links
with parents and the local and wider community
To raise attainment by employing a range of resources to enhance and
extend pupils’ learning.
To promote high quality learning and teaching.
To promote a sense of individual worth in all members of the school
community.
To create a positive, safe and caring atmosphere where everyone is
treated with respect.
To implement regional and national guidelines through an education
which is appropriate to the needs of individuals and will raise
standards.
To make use of opportunities for staff development.
-1BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The Burgh School is a non-denominational, co-educational Local Authority School.
Musselburgh Burgh Primary School is a modern building which was constructed over 40
years ago. It is situated in the centre of the town behind the buildings on the south side
of the High Street. There is access for pedestrians at three points (see map).
A car park is situated in front of the main entrance which is for the use of staff and
visitors only. Parents are requested to use local car parking facilities. Pupils must not be
brought to school through the car park.
The school address and telephone number can be found on page (i) of this booklet.
Pupils:
The school caters for pupils from 3 - 12 years of age.
School Roll:
The current school roll is 248. There is a nursery class which caters for 40 children
in the morning and 40 in the afternoon. At present there are 11 mainstream classes
in the school, in addition to the nursery class.
The school also caters for children with communication disorders in the four
class Communication Provision. The morning nursery class contains a group of up to
6 children with communication disorders. These small, specialist classes cater
for children from all areas of East Lothian.
School Times:
Nursery
P1 & P2
Morning Session
Monday & Tuesday
Wednesday & Thursday
9.00 – 12 noon
9.00 – 12.15pm
Afternoon Session
Monday - Thursday
Friday
1.00 – 3.30pm
9.00 – 11.30am
Monday - Thursday
8.55 – 12.15pm
1.15 – 3.00 pm
8.55 – 12.20pm
Friday
P3 - P7
Monday - Thursday
Friday
8.55 - 12.30 pm
1.15 - 3.20 pm
8.55 - 12.30 pm
TEACHING STAFF
Number of teaching staff:
-2-
11 Mainstream
2 Nursery
4 Communication Provision
1 Support for Learning
This may change from year to year according to the school roll.
Head Teacher
The Head Teacher has overall responsibility for leading and managing the school and is
responsible for ensuring that the school is a safe, healthy environment in which to work
and learn. She manages the staff, plans, co-ordinates, implements and evaluates
developments and innovations to ensure that every pupil receives the best possible
educational experiences. She is also responsible for close liaison with home and the
wider community.
The Head Teacher has strategic curricular and pastoral responsibility for all pupils from
Nursery to P7. The Head Teacher’s specific remit may vary from year to year according
to the needs of the school Development Plan.
Depute Head Teacher
The Depute Head Teacher has no mainstream class commitment this session and has
pastoral responsibility for P1 – P3. She assists the HT in the management and
organisation of the school. The Depute Head Teacher has responsibility for Stage
Assessment and Intervention throughout the school.
The Depute Head Teacher also has a part-time teaching responsibility in the
Communication Provision. She is responsible for leading and managing the four
Communication Provision classes and the Communication Provision children in Nursery.
Principal Teachers
The 3 Principal Teachers have full-time teaching responsibility apart from 1 half day per
week. Mrs Duncan has responsibility for the Nursery and Primary 1 team and is leading
outdoor play and active learning initiatives in the Early Years. Miss Robson is responsible
for the P4 and P5 team. She is leading writing and health initiatives throughout the
school. Mrs Short has responsibility for the P6 and P7 team and is leading maths
initiatives throughout the school.
-3Class Teachers
They work with the pupils on a day-to-day basis and are responsible for organising and
implementing the curriculum at their stage. Pupils are taught individually, in groups, or
as a class where appropriate.
Support for Learning Teacher
The Support for Learning Teacher liaises with all members of staff, Speech Therapist,
Psychological Services, SfL teachers from the Musselburgh cluster schools, the SfL
Adviser and parents/carers on matters concerning the education of pupils with additional
needs. She acts as a consultant for class teachers as well as teaching pupils individually
or in groups. She is actively involved in Early Intervention in Literacy and Numeracy
programmes. She is also principal teacher for East Lothian Council with responsibility
for children with exceptional additional needs in the Musselburgh cluster.
Pupils may work with the SfL Teacher in her room or remain in the classroom when she
may be involved in co-operative teaching with the class teacher. She maintains close
contact with parents.
Visiting Specialist Teachers
The provision of specialist teachers varies from session to session. They visit the school
regularly on a specified day, and teach groups or classes of children, and work cooperatively with class teachers.
OTHER STAFF
The School Secretary
The secretary is responsible for all the clerical and administrative material related to
the running of the school.
Other Non-teaching Staff
To assist with the smooth running of the school we have a janitor, secretary, school
auxiliary, clerical assistant, nursery nurses, auxiliaries, classroom assistants, kitchen
staff and cleaners, also supervisory assistants in the dining room and playground.
-4-
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
Nursery
The Nursery aims to nurture each child and educate him/her intellectually, socially,
emotionally, physically and aesthetically and to assist him/her to attain his/her potential.
In the early years the basis of the curriculum is play which is the natural activity of
young children. The Nursery team uses this natural activity to extend and develop
children’s learning.
A prepared, structured environment is essential in the Nursery classroom. Provision
includes sand, water, paint, clay, building bricks, craft materials, small world, books,
musical instruments, house, dressing up clothes, nature corner, climbing apparatus (indoor
and outdoor), cooking and snack table.
Incidental areas, e.g. sewing and finger painting will be provided if an interest arises.
In this carefully structured environment, language is enriched and the acquisition of
skills - reading, early maths, number, writing and observation - begins. The Nursery has
close links with the main school.
As part of our Early Literacy Programme, the Nursery runs a Storybag Library. Each
Storybag contains a book, tape of the story, game relating to the story, and a soft toy.
There are hints for parents and an evaluation form for parental feedback. Nursery
children can join the scheme for £1.00 and they pay 10p each time (fortnightly) they
borrow a bag. The Storybag library is organised by Nursery staff.
The morning Nursery caters for 6 pupils with communication disorders. These children
are selected to attend by the School Admissions Panel - extra staffing has been
designated for these children.
P1 - P7
The curriculum in P1-P7 is based on the 5-14 Guidelines issued by SEED. The
Guidelines are divided into 5 main curricular areas:
1
2
3
4
5
Maths
Language
Expressive Arts
Environmental Studies
RE and Moral - Personal, Social Development
The Guidelines have been adopted by the school for all curricular areas.
-5-
The guidelines contain statements of minimum competency or attainment targets at
5 broad levels of development through primary and early secondary education. In
other words they give a broad indication of what children are likely to achieve at
various stages in their school career. The levels are: Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E -
should be attainable in the course of P1-P3 by almost all pupils
should be attainable by some pupils in P3 or even earlier, but
certainly by most in P4
should be attainable in the course of P4-P6 by most pupils
should be attainable by some pupils in P5-P6 or even earlier
but certainly by most in P7
should be attainable by some pupils in P7/S1 but certainly by
most in S2
Composite Classes
It may be necessary to form composite classes in the school at certain stages. The
policy for formation of composite classes in the school would be to follow East Lothian
Council Guidelines which stipulate that in normal circumstances this must be according to
age, for example, when forming a P4/5 composite class this would comprise the youngest
P5 pupils and the oldest P4 pupils. Maximum size of class would be 25 pupils.
Maths
Skills in mathematics are important throughout everyday lives whether it be for working
out total costs of shopping, calculating a pay rise, measuring carpets or converting from
imperial to metric measurements.
The maths curriculum is divided into 3 main areas: 1
2
3
Information Handling
Number, Money and Measurement.
Shape, Position and Movement.
These areas are developed throughout the school. In the early stages pupils are
encouraged to sort, match and see patterns in numbers - they build and fit shapes
together and use sand and water to develop their understanding of shape and
measurement.
Pupils are taught to use the correct materials/apparatus for all mathematical activities
and use computers and calculators in a wide variety of mathematical contexts.
-6New Scottish Heinemann is used for teaching and learning up to level A. When pupils
attain level A they use Teejay Maths resources. Where appropriate, Maths is taught
within the context of what the children are studying e.g. projects.
A variety of resources are used to present this including games and puzzles. Children
work in individual groups, or as a class depending on the context of the learning
experience and the attainment level of the task. Throughout their school career children
also follow a progressive programme where they are introduced to problem-solving
activities.
Language
Early Literacy
The school has adopted an Early Literacy programme which begins in P1 and take place 4
days per week, for an hour in P1 and P2. Teachers, Nursery Nurses, Classroom
Assistants, Senior Management and Support for Learning staff use the programme to
teach initial sounds and blends, rhyme and analogy and early reading skills. This
programme aims to develop early literacy skills. The programme is progressive and
differentiated according to need and ability. Resources include Alphabet Magic and Jolly
Phonics.
The 5 - 14 Guidelines separate Language into 4 main components: 1
2
3
4
Reading
Writing
Talking
Listening
1 Reading
The school aims to develop understanding of reading and skills in adopting the
appropriate reading strategy to the given reading task. We also aim to develop a love and
enjoyment of reading.
We use a wide variety of reading material to develop all the reading skills needed in life.
In the Infant Department a core reading scheme is used. The Oxford Reading Tree is
bright, motivating and encompasses all aspects of language. This is supplemented by a
variety of story, poetry and reference books.
-7Graded sets of fiction are extensively used to extend and enrich the children’s reading
experiences throughout the school. Initiatives in reading such as Book Detectives and
Question Quest have been introduced to raise attainment in this crucial area of the
curriculum.
2 Writing
The school has recently developed its own Extended Writing programme to ensure a
cohesive, progressive development throughout the school. Children have writing targets
within each activity and become aware of their strengths and development needs through
regular feedback.
The North Lanarkshire Writing Programme, Scholastic Writing Workshops and ‘A Case
for Writing’ are resources used for developing skills in the many fields of writing. Pupils’
work is tracked on a regular basis throughout the session to ensure appropriate pace and
challenge.

Handwriting
Early handwriting skills are taught as part of our Literacy programme. The Nelson
handwriting scheme develops handwriting throughout the school. Children are
taught to write quickly and legibly. The school has a policy for presentation of
work.

Spelling
This is taught using the school’s newly developed Interactive Spelling programme.
3 Talking
Children are encouraged to talk about their own experiences and to communicate
effectively in a variety of situations.
4 Listening
In the early stages children are helped to acquire the necessary skills which make
effective listeners. This can be through stories, poems and also sessions where they are
encouraged to listen carefully for instructions. They are taught to value others
contributions to a discussion.
-8Environmental Studies
Observation skills are developed in and through a variety of activities. Children are given
opportunities, e.g. visiting the seaside, river, farm, to become aware of their
surroundings. The teacher develops the interest through classroom studies, using
reference books and the children’s creative work. The school has a structured,
progressive programme which builds on children’s own experiences. The teaching of
mapping skills is incorporated into topics in P1 - P7.
Science is taught as a separate subject throughout the school using the Renfrewshire
Science 5-14 programme.
Information and Communication Technology
Teaching staff have undertaken intensive ICT training funded by the Government. They
are now able to use ICT to effectively develop pupils’ learning, including access to the
Internet.
Every classroom now has at least one Apple Mac or PC for pupils’ use. In addition to
these resources there are 30 i-books which are lap-tops for use with all ages and stages
in the school.
This session our ICT co-ordinator is working in classes to further develop the ICT
curriculum.
Expressive Arts
Music, Art and Design, Drama and Physical Education are an integral part of the
curriculum at this stage.
Music
Emphasis is placed on the child making music. The specialist music teacher is a valuable
resource in this area. Pupils are encouraged to listen, compose and perform.
Violin and cello instructors visit the school each week to teach small groups of pupils.
The specialist music teacher teaches recorders to groups of interested pupils. There is
a school choir.
Art
Pupils explore the techniques of painting, drawing, working with natural materials and
model making
-9Drama
Through drama pupils can explore relationships in a real or imaginary situations.
The school uses some broadcasts to support the teaching of drama. Some, but by no
means all, drama lessons develop pupils’ performance skills.
Physical Education
The aim is to make the pupils aware of their physical environment, the potential of their
own bodies and to enjoy movement and sport for its own sake.
It is a very important part of the curriculum for developing both self reliance and an
awareness of responsibility of oneself to the group. Parents are asked to provide Tshirt, shorts and gym shoes for PE lessons.
Swimming lessons are provided for P4 pupils by the local authority.
RE and Moral
The RE programme in the school follows the 5 -14 Guidelines and deals with the
development of the person in relation to self awareness, relationships with others,
beliefs and values.
Pupils will study Christianity, Other Religions and engage in Personal Search in a carefully
structured programme appropriate to their age and level of understanding.
The Secretary of State has issued regulatory advice (Circular 6/91) which makes clear
that religious education has a fundamental place in the normal school curriculum.
Religious observance is seen as complementing religious education. Parents, however,
have a statutory right to withdraw their children from religious education and religious
observance.
EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS
These are planned to enrich pupils’ experiences of their environment and are linked to
work in the classroom. You will be informed of the visit by letter and asked to make a
contribution towards the cost.
Outdoor Education
The school is supported by the East Lothian Outdoor Education Service, which offers a
variety of activities including sailing and orienteering. The Ranger Service also plays a
valuable contribution to environmental studies programmes.
-10ASSESSMENT
As part of the current School Development Plan, the assessment policy is being reviewed
and updated. Pupils are assessed for a variety of reasons, to measure progress, evaluate
understanding and mastery of a skill, diagnose difficulties and assess strengths. The
school assesses all aspects of the curriculum. A variety of strategies are used by staff
to assess the children.
The class teacher is the person who is most closely involved with the child and who, on a
day-to-day basis, assesses and evaluates their work. Marking completed assignments,
observing children involved in a variety of activities and talking to them about their work
are all valuable ways of evaluating children and their progress.
More formalised assessment is used for example in the form of spelling tests and maths
progress sheets.
The Support for Learning teacher assesses her pupils’ work at the end of each session
using a variety of standardised tests. She is also responsible for assessing new pupils
and any pupils whose progress is causing concern.
The HT and other promoted staff are involved in assessing children as and where
appropriate.
They and the SfL teacher advise staff on appropriate teaching strategies and resources
to use.
National Assessment
Pupils are assessed when they are ready to move to the next level in Language and Maths.
This will be when, in the teachers judgement, the child can comfortably progress to the
next level, eg. from Level A to Level B. Progress is measured through Tracking Sheets.
Recording Progress
Each pupil has a writing folder. Examples of imaginative, functional and personal writing
are stored in the folder each term. At the end of the school year the pupil and teacher
select one example of each type of writing to remain in the folder. This is passed on to
the next class. In addition, each pupil’s writing is tracked up to 6 times in a school year.
Reading and Maths
Checklists of progress are kept by each teacher. Each teacher’s forward plan details
work in each curricular area. Maths, Reading and Writing progress is tracked by the
class teacher to ensure appropriate pace and challenge.
-11-
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Football Teams
Basic Moves
-
P4 – P7
P2
PUPILS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS / INCLUSION POLICY
The philosophy of education in East Lothian encompasses the view that all children should
be educated locally wherever possible.
The council has a policy of promoting the inclusion of pupils including pupils with
Additional Support Needs. Additional resources may be given to the school to enable it
to support the needs of pupils with significant ASNs.
Support Bases are situated in some of the cluster areas of East Lothian. Pinkie, Loretto
and Campie Support Bases are the local area resources for pupils with significant ASNs.
The Burgh Primary School operates a nursery group of 6 children and has 4 other classes
supporting children with communication difficulties. Each group has a teacher and
nursery nurse. The Depute Head Teacher (ASN) is responsible for the day-to-day
running of these units and works collaboratively with the Speech and Language
Therapists. These bases serve children from all areas in East Lothian.
Placement into all special classes is made following assessment by Psychological Services
and relevant professionals in co-operation with parents.
-12HOMEWORK
What is Homework for?
Homework is a very important part of school work at Musselburgh Burgh Primary School.








It allows for practice and consolidation of work done in the class;
It prepares your child for future classwork;
It provides training for pupils in planning and organising time;
It helps to develop good habits, self-discipline and promotes self-confidence
and understanding;
It encourages your child to take responsibility for learning;
It provides information for you as parents/guardians;
It provides opportunities for you and your child to work together to enjoy
learning experiences;
By P7 it helps children prepare for Secondary transfer.
Types of Homework
There are various types of work your child may be asked to do outwith the
formal classroom. Homework will be varied, manageable and challenging but not
too difficult. Activities include 





Reading
Spelling
Written exercises or mathematical problems
Project work
Research - where information requires to be gathered
Finishing uncompleted classwork will not be given as homework except by special
arrangement.
It will only be prescribed when it is going to be put to use in classwork or when it can be
followed by feedback from teacher to pupils. It will be appropriate to the needs and
interests of pupils.
-13-
Where should children do their Homework ?
Individual children have their preferences, but, in general, the following conditions are
thought best, if possible:




In a warm and comfortable part of the house;
On a flat surface, preferably a table/desk;
In a well lit area;
Away from distractions such as television, computer games and brothers and sisters.
When should Homework be done ?
Again, at what ever time suits the individual, but it is certainly advantageous to
quickly establish a routine. Some pointers to sensible homework management include:
 Plan homework or study at regular times.
 Several shorter sessions are better than working late on a Sunday night but try to
leave time throughout the week for other activities.
 Check your child’s Homework Jotter so that you can plan the work that needs to be
done each night.
 Avoid leaving everything until the last moment.
What happens if Homework is not completed ?




A second opportunity is given.
Support and help will be given.
A letter will be sent home if homework is persistently not completed.
Homework will not be given as a punishment.
How much time should your child spend on Homework ?
Guidelines for each stage ~
Nursery
Children will take Nursery experiences home and discuss. They will bring experiences
gained at home and outwith to their Nursery and develop them through play
and discussion.
-14P1 - P2
Frequency
Length of time taken
Possible type of homework
P3 - P5
Frequency
Length of time taken
Possible type of homework
Deadline
P6 - P7
Frequency
Length of time taken
Possible type of homework
Deadline
- every night
- 10 minutes per night
- Early Literacy/reading/maths
- 3-4 times weekly
- 15 minutes per session
- Reading, Maths, Art, Problem-solving, Research,
Media - TV, radio, newspaper, spelling
- 2 days
- usually twice weekly but work to be completed over
2 sessions
- 20 minutes per session
- Reading, Maths, Research, Art, Written Language,
Media, Problem-solving.
- 3-4 days
The above policy has been the subject of wide-ranging consultation.
Support for Learning P3 - P4
Pupils attending SfL Teacher will receive homework assignments - either reading (nightly)
or spelling (one or two sessions).
What can you as parents do to help ?
The most important thing you can do is simply take an interest in your child’s work. Apart
from trying to provide the correct time and place for homework completion you could:
 Ask what work has to be done and check the homework jotter.
 You will sometimes be asked to check and sign the homework - don’t be afraid to point
out the odd mistake and ask your child to correct it.
 If your child does not understand the homework reassure your child that it is not a
problem and contact the school so that the work can be retaught.
 Failure to complete homework should be accompanied by a note.
 Avoid saying “I used to do it this way ..........” - methods can change.
 Above all offer encouragement at all times.
-15PARENTS AND THE SCHOOL
Communication with Parents
The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 amended the definition of “parent” in the Education
(Scotland) Act 1980 to “Parent includes guardian and any person who is liable to maintain
or has parental responsibilities in relation to, or has care of, a child or young person”.
Effective communication between school and parents is vital. This can sometimes be
difficult when parents separate or divorce. If parents are separated or a divorce was
granted after November 1996, both parents will retain parental responsibilities, unless
the court has specifically removed those responsibilities. In relation to placing requests,
appeals against certain educational decisions and access to pupils’ records, both parents
will normally have equal rights. Even if a divorce was granted prior to November 1996,
the parent without custody may not have lost all rights to information and to be involved
in decision making. The above definition may also give others rights.
Schools will therefore request the names and addresses of both parents at the time of
enrolment and at the annual update of data. The parent(s) with whom the pupil resides
will automatically receive all communications from the school. If a parent lives away from
the family home they will, when the school is first informed of their address, receive a
Recorded Delivery letter enquiring whether or not they wish to receive information about
their child’s education. If no reply is received it will be assumed they do not wish to be
kept informed and there will be no further communication unless a request for
information is subsequently received. If they wish to be kept informed they will receive
copies of all communications regarding the pupil including copies of reports and
notification of Parents’ Meetings. The parent with whom the pupil resides will be
informed that this is happening.
The school is dependent on the parent with whom the pupil resides supplying the
appropriate information, ie. the address of the parent not living in the family home,
details of Court proceedings prohibiting that parent’s involvement in the child’s education
or any other relevant documentation.
Parents/carers should note that children can be collected from school only by the parent.
If someone else is to collect the pupil, the school should be informed in advance.
Resolving Issues
A leaflet ‘Resolving Issues - Parents and schools working in partnership’ is available from
the school.
-16-
Reporting to Parents
Parental Interviews to discuss individual children’s progress are held twice during the
school year in November and March. Written reports are issued in June. Parents are
welcome at any time to come to school to discuss their child’s progress or any concern
they may have.
Parents and the School
Parents interested in involvement with the school are welcome. During the time that your
child is a pupil at the school close links will be maintained with you about your child and
what is happening in the school. Parents can contact the school at any time to make an
appointment to see the Head Teacher, DHT, Class Teacher or Support for Learning
Teacher depending on circumstances.
Contact with Parents
Contact is generally through: a)
Individual letters about child’s progress or any concerns which may arise.
b)
School report which is issued at the end of each school year.
c)
Parent/teacher interviews held twice each year.
d)
Class notes, e.g. information about visits.
e)
Drop-in session for P1/P2 parents every Thursday from 3.00 – 3.20pm
f)
Open classroom for P3-P7 parents on the first Thursday of every month
from 3.20 – 3.50pm.
g)
School Newsletter which is issued several times a year.
h)
School functions, e.g. concert, end of term service.
Parent Teacher Association
It is the school policy to involve all parents in the life of the school. The PTA is an
important part of this involvement. Every parent or carer automatically becomes a
member of the PTA when their child joins the school at whatever stage. The committee
consists of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and parents - names on
page (i). Members of staff attend on a rota basis. The Head Teacher is an ex-officio
member. The Committee is re-elected each year at the Annual General Meeting which is
held in September.
The constitution of the PTA is given to parents of all new pupils. Further copies are
available from the Secretary’s Office or PTA Secretary.
-17Responsibility of Parents
Education begins in the home and continues at school as a partnership between family
and school. To ensure that your child achieves maximum benefit from his/her time
at this school you are asked to : a)
Make sure that your child attends regularly, on time and correctly dressed.
b)
Take an active interest in all his/her work and progress.
c)
Support the school in any way you can.
SCHOOL BOARDS
(i)
Constitution and Functions
The School Board (Scotland) Act 1988 gives each primary, secondary and special
school the right to elect its own School Board.
The membership of School Boards comprises parents who will have a majority,
school staff members and co-opted members chosen to represent the community.
Local Councillors, Representatives of the Authority and Head Teachers have a
right to attend Board meetings but cannot be members of a Board.
School Boards have a variety of duties and functions including communication with
parents, fund raising, taking part in the appointment of senior staff of a school and
arranging the use of school premises outwith normal school hours. Boards can ask
the Authority to give them certain additional responsibilities.
The booklet detailing the functions, membership and regulations governing School
Boards is available from the Education Office.
(ii)
Names
See Page (i)
This year will be a transition year for the PTA and School Board as we work
to establish our Parent Forum/Council in line with the Parental Involvement
(2006) Act.
-18SCHOOL PROCEDURES
School Procedures
There are certain standard school procedures starting with the enrolment of your child
for Nursery Class. These may seem strange and time consuming at first, but are very
helpful for running the school smoothly and efficiently and are concerned with the care
and well-being of your child.
Nursery Enrolment
Parents may obtain enrolment forms from the Secretary’s Office. Please complete and
return to the Secretary.
 Children’s names may be placed on the waiting list as soon as they are two years old.
 Children’s names can be placed on more than one waiting list.
 Birth certificates should be brought to school when enrolling.
 The DATE and TIME of enrolment should be noted on the form and signed by
parent/carer.
NB The date/time of enrolment determines the order of admission NOT the child’s birth
date.
Nursery Admission
Admission is generally at the start of the school session or at the beginning of the term
following your child’s third birthday. A staggered start is arranged enabling small groups
to “settle in” before the next group is admitted. There are 40 morning and 40 afternoon
places in the Nursery Class. Enrolment in the Nursery Class does not automatically
guarantee your child a place in P1.
It is East Lothian Policy that every 3 year old should be offered a place in nursery but
the following should also be noted:
Priority Admission for Pre-Schoolers




Retained pre-schoolers
Pre-schoolers with Additional Support Needs
Mainstream pre-schoolers
3 year old ASN
It is understood that a three year old in an afternoon place may normally move to a
morning place in the pre-school year. This should be discussed with the parent/carer.
-19Enrolment for P1
This takes place in the autumn term preceding your child’s entry to school. You are
invited to come to the school and have an informal talk with a member of the
Management Team. Please bring your child’s birth certificate and proof of home
address. Further meetings are held for parents/carers and children to talk about
starting school, meet the P1 teachers and see the classrooms. This helps to dispel any
worries about this important stage in your child’s life. Fortunately, the excellent
pre-school provision available in the area gives children experiences to meet this next
stage in their education with confidence.
Attendance at a Non-District School
Non-district parents should apply to the Local Authority for a place at P1 and at P7.
Meals and Milk
Milk is provided daily for the Nursery. Pupils in P1 - P7 may purchase milk. School
lunches are available at the Cash Cafeteria in the Dining Room. A variety of hot and cold
meals, filled rolls, fruit and drinks are available every day.
Under the Council Committee for Education policy, children in attendance at schools
under the management of the Council are entitled to free school meals if their parents
are in receipt of Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Child Tax
Credit (with an annual income of less than £13,480) from the Department of Social
Security. No other children are eligible for free meals.
Further information and an application form can be obtained from the school or from the
Pupil Support Division, Education and Children’s Services, John Muir House, Haddington,
EH41 3HA.
Packed Lunches
These may be eaten in the Assembly Hall.
Tuck Shop
The Tuck Shop sells fruit at morning interval. The fruit is sold on a non-profit making
basis.
-20Free Fruit
Pupils in P1 and P2 are currently benefiting from an East Lothian Council initiative to
provide them with an item of fruit free three days per week.
Interval
There is a morning interval each day. For P1-3, 10.30 - 10.45am, and for P4-7, this takes
place from 10.45 – 11.00am. Pupils are expected to remain within the school boundaries.
If it is raining the children remain in their classrooms and are supervised by promoted
and non-teaching staff.
Lunchtime
Pupils may either stay for school lunch at the cash cafeteria, bring a packed lunch or go
home for lunch. However, if your child normally stays in school for lunch and you decide
to take him/her home, it would be helpful if you could inform the school in advance of
your intentions.
Playground Supervision
Pupils are supervised in the playground at morning interval and at lunchtime by
Supervisory Assistants. The School Auxiliary is on duty in the Infant Department
corridor during the morning interval and at lunchtime to give first aid to any injured
pupils.
School Crossing Patrols
Crossing patrols are on duty at 8.30 - 9 am, 12 noon - 1.30 pm and 2.55 - 3.40 pm each
school day. Children are expected to cross the road under their supervision. The
crossing patrols are situated at Dalrymple Loan, High Street (R.S.McColl), Town Hall,
Loretto RC School and Newbigging.
Visiting the School
When visiting the school please call at the front door and ring to be admitted. The
Secretary will arrange for you to meet the Head Teacher or a member of promoted
staff, or collect your child for an appointment. She will collect any forms, notes or other
information you wish to give to the school about your child. Visitors to the school are
requested to sign in and out.
-21Staff Car Park
The school car park is for the use of staff and visiting staff only. Parents are
requested to use local car parks.
For health and safety purposes we request that parents do not walk up the main school
drive when bringing children to, or collecting them from, school. Please use the gate and
path adjacent to the Nursery to access the front entrance.
Staffing
The exact number of staff varies from session to session, depending on the school roll.
The general structure is: Head Teacher
Depute Head Teacher
Depute Head Teacher (ASN)
3 Principal Teachers
P1 - 7
13 Class Teachers
1 Nursery Nurse
2 Classroom Assistants
3 ASN Aux
1 Support for
Learning
Teacher
6 Visiting
Specialist
Teachers
Nursery Class
Communication Provision
2 Nursery Teachers
2 Nursery Nurses
2 Speech/Lang Therapists
4 Teachers
3 Nursery Nurses
2 Speech/Lang Therapists
1 ASN Nursery Nurse
2 ASN Auxiliaries
School and Community
The school is used outwith school hours to develop and support links with the local
community. Each weekday a Breakfast Club operates from 8.00am until school starts and
the After School Care Club runs until 6 pm. This is managed by a committee of parents
and provides local children with a safe place to stay before school or, in the afternoon,
until they are collected by their family. This also operates during school holidays.
A Youth Group and a musical association use the school facilities in the evenings and at
weekends.
The school itself uses the building for meetings with parents such as PTA and School
Board and for social purposes.
-22-
ATTENDANCE
“Parents are responsible for ensuring that their child attends school regularly. In cases
of unsatisfactory attendance, the Head Teacher will ask an Integration Officer
Attendance to visit the home and discuss the problem with the parents. If such
unsatisfactory attendance persists, the Head Teacher, following discussions with the
Integration Officer and other agencies, will decide whether the case should be referred
to the local Area Attendance Advisory Group. This Group has been formed to make
recommendations to the Director on the statutory responsibilities of the Authority with
regards to defaulting parents”.
The Musselburgh schools are piloting a strategy to improve attendance whereby
parents/carers are informed if a child’s attendance falls below 90%. A discussion takes
place between school and home and if there is no improvement a more formal meeting
takes place with Family Support Worker (Attendance) present.
Absence
Please inform the school when your child is absent, by phone call on the first day of
absence. The school operates a system whereby parents of children who do not arrive in
school are contacted.
Leave of Absence
Requests for Leave of Absence are not refused (up to 10 days per session). However, it
should be remembered that family holidays taken during term time remain classified as
unauthorised. It would be appreciated if you would give adequate written notice.
Requests for longer absences should be made to the Head of Education.
Research indicates the poor attendance equals low attainment. Please work with us to
ensure that your child attends school whenever possible.
CLOTHING
Dress Code
The school Dress Code expects that all pupils dress in an appropriate way for school. The
wearing of jeans, tops with logos and football colours is not allowed. School uniform is
recommended with black shoes or trainers. In the interests of safety, jewellery is
restricted to stud earrings only.
-23School Uniform
The school uniform for P1-P7 consists of white or red school polo shirt, red or grey
school sweatshirt (navy for P7) worn with a grey skirt, pinafore or trousers. The polo
shirts and sweatshirts can be purchased through the school. A red fleece and a
reversible waterproof jacket is also available.
Wearing the school uniform is encouraged, as it is reasonably priced, comfortable to
wear, easy to put on/take off and washes well. Pupils are not allowed to wear football
shirts or sports scarves or hats of any sort in school. Fashion shoes are not safe or good
for growing feet and must not be worn at school.
PE Kit
A pair of shorts, T-shirt, training or gym shoes are needed for PE lessons. Pupils will be
informed on which days to bring the kit.
Assistance with Provision of Clothing and Footwear
“The Authority operates a scheme of provision to ensure that a pupil is sufficiently and
suitably clad to take full advantage of the education provided. Families in receipt of
Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance/Income Support or Family Credit will automatically
qualify for such a scheme. Other cases will be determined according to the personal
circumstances of the family. Parents who wish to apply for the scheme should complete
an application form which is available from this school or Pupil Support, Education and
Community Services, John Muir House, Haddington EH41 3HA.
-24-
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICY
The main rule of the school is to respect yourself, others and property. The
school encourages and actively promotes honesty and fairness. The school
discipline policy outlines unacceptable behaviour and strategies used to deal with it.
In class, pupils are expected to work and co-operate with teachers and other pupils.
In the playground they are expected to play with others in an appropriate way according
to their age and stage of development. Staff have the responsibility to ensure
that children understand the rules.
Children who have a healthy, challenging day should behave in a positive, thoughtful
way. As pupils progress through the school they should develop and exhibit responsible
behaviour at all times.
Pupils who do not behave in and around the school will, in the first instance, be
verbally reprimanded for their lack of consideration. Continuous bad behaviour
may result in detention. Parents are informed by letter and are invited to contact the
school. Parents of pupils who continue to misbehave will be asked to give a
written assurance that they will be responsible for their child’s behaviour.
Unacceptable behaviour includes disruptive behaviour in the classroom, continued
refusal to obey a member of staff or school rules, violent or aggressive behaviour
in school or playground, use of abusive language.
Aims
To promote self discipline and positive attitudes to peer groups, adults and the
school community. The following are to be positively encouraged: a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Good manners when speaking to others: please, thank you etc.
Holding doors open for adults and peers.
Orderly behaviour when moving around the school at all times - immediate
environment and on outings.
Older pupils given the opportunity to integrate with younger children in a
helpful, caring way.
Respect for people and property.
-25Definition of unacceptable behaviour
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Persistent disruptive behaviour.
Swearing or bad language in classroom or playground, racist / religious
remarks.
Insolence.
Running or misbehaviour in corridors or on stairs.
Carelessness with equipment and furniture particularly of the type
that could endanger other pupils, e.g. pulling chairs away, property belonging
to others.
Theft.
Physical violence to others or bullying.
Wearing inappropriate clothing in school, eg. football strips or scarves
Spitting.
Misbehaviour on outings.
Strategy
Teachers are responsible for the discipline of children within their own classrooms. They
may occasionally need to refer a child or discuss his/her behaviour with the DHT or HT.
Teachers are responsible for all children in the school and should, where necessary, take
appropriate action, eg. stop children running in corridors.
Specialist teachers are responsible for pupils in their care and should take appropriate
disciplinary measures where, and when, necessary.
P1 - 7
Class Teacher strategies:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
look
verbal warning/warning card
time out within classroom or occasionally sent to another classroom
with work
referral to HT
playtime/lunchtime detention
discussion with parents/carers
-26-
Line Manager strategies:
g)
h)
i)
letter to parents/interview
child guidance
temporary exclusion
In spontaneous cases of serious indiscipline:Class Teacher decides to remove child from class or send for Line Manager
Head Teacher and parents must always be informed immediately if a child leaves school
without permission.
Children who refuse to come in to school should be referred to HT.
-27-
EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
EXCLUSION POLICY
East Lothian Council, Department of Education and Community Services, acknowledges
the vital partnership between schools and parents for support, behaviour and guidance of
pupils.
Pupils’ views must be taken into account in accordance with the principles of the UN
Convention 1989 and the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 which provides for the rights and
responsibilities of pupils to be exercised in accordance with the age, maturity and
understanding of the pupil.
In implementing the Council’s guidelines and procedures, Head Teachers and other
agencies must take into account the child’s best interest. The education and welfare of
the individual pupil has to be given the highest priority in any balance the Head Teacher
requires to make between the needs and safety of the school as a whole and the needs of
individual pupils.
In this respect, the Secondary School Head Teacher shall be advised by and must consult
with the School Liaison Group (SLG), or its representative, at the earliest opportunity.
The Head Teacher will be expected to take this advice into consideration and to advise
the School Liaison Group of the outcome.
Primary Head Teachers should seek advice on Exclusions from the Director of Education
and Community Services and should consult with other agencies, or Psychological
Services, as appropriate.
The Council is committed to supporting the Head Teacher in doing everything possible to
ensure good behaviour and effective attendance at school. Where there is indiscipline,
Head Teachers must use all means at their disposal to bring about improvements in
behaviour and this must include extensive contact with parents and other agencies,
seeking their support.
Two criteria will be used to judge indiscipline: whether the effective education of the
pupil is possible given the indiscipline; and whether the level of disruption to the
education of other pupils is such that serious action must be taken to prevent this. NB.
It is not appropriate to exclude a pupil for failure to attend school, as this does not meet
either of the above criteria.
-28Temporary Exclusion
Under delegated power the Head Teacher may exclude a pupil for a maximum of 5
working days. The aim of such a Temporary Exclusion is to allow a cooling-off period
during which the school, the pupil and the parent can consider and develop strategies
which will help to bring about improvements in behaviour. Crucial to the success of any
strategies will be the willingness of parent, pupil and school to work together. Every
effort should be made to welcome parents as active partners in the process of improving
behaviour, whilst recognising that changing behaviour is not easy and will require
extensive and extended support. In East Lothian, the Department of Education and
Children’s Services has delegated the power to exclude a child from school attendance to
the Director of Education and Children’s Services, who has, in turn, delegated to Head
Teachers the power to exclude for a period of up to 5 days. Where the proposed period
of a Temporary Exclusion is longer than 5 days, the decision reverts to the Director of
Education and Children’s Services. Under delegated power a Head Teacher is acting on
behalf of the Council in any decision on Temporary Exclusion.
It must be emphasised that the delegation of power is to the Head Teacher, or, in
his/her absence, to the teacher nominated to represent him/her. Therefore, only the
Head Teacher, or, if absent, his/her representative, may sign letters dealing with
Exclusion matters. Head Teachers must ensure that a record is kept of incidents of
pupil’s difficult behaviour and assessments of progress. It is important to record all
strategies employed to support the pupil to remain in school and that copies are kept of
notes of all meetings with parents and of letters to them in respect of behavioural
matters. In view of the fact that there may well be important and critical events in an
appeal case when the Head Teacher has to give evidence and may be questioned by the
Appeal Committee, the appellant and /or the appellant’s representative, reports should be
legible, preferably typed and on official notepaper.
Exclusion (Removal from the Register)
A Head Teacher may recommend Exclusion (Removal from the Register) to the Director
of Education and Children’s Services when s/he has serious doubts as to the ability to
continue the pupil’s education in the school. A Head Teacher may not remove such a
pupil’s name from the roll unless the Director has agreed to its removal and the pupil is
on the role of another school. Temporary Exclusion continues until the pupil is on the roll
of another school. Where the Head Teacher wishes to recommend Exclusion (Removal
from the Register) and is supported in that recommendation by the Director of
Education and Children’s Services, the Head Teacher of the excluding school will actively
help the Director of Education and Children’s Services to arrange for the admission of
the pupil to another mainstream school where this is indicated.
-29-
Musselburgh Burgh Primary School Anti-Bullying Policy
Information for Parents
Incidents of bullying can occur even in the best learning environments. However
together, pupils, teachers, support staff and parents can keep bullying to a minimum.
What to look out for:
 watch for early signs of distress in pupils (or friends)
 deterioration in class work
 a pattern of headaches or stomach aches, bed wetting, unexplained bruising
 reluctance to attend school or truancy
How can you help of you think your child has been a witness to or part of a bullying
incident?
 DO NOT ASSUME THE SCHOOL ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT THE BULLYING
INCIDENT. Please notify the Head Teacher, the Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator of the
school, a Class Teacher, any School Board member or even another parent, of the
bullying incident.

If it has been your child that has been bullied, reassure your child that we will all
work together to stop the bullying through discussion. Do not encourage your child to
retaliate by hitting back.
What happens next?
 The incident is logged.
 Both the bully and the victim are individually counselled to give them the opportunity
to put things right and an opportunity is also given for them to apologise to each
other.
 Both bully and victim are monitored by the Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator and their
relationship is reviewed after a period of time.
 In serious incidents parents of the victim or bully may be asked to join in discussions
with the Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator, individually, in order to find a solution and a
positive way forward. A review date is agreed to reassess the situation.
 In a few instances advice may be sought from the Educational Psychologist and/or the
Educational Welfare Officer and in a very few cases continued bullying can lead to
exclusion from the school.
Further information and help:
 Musselburgh Burgh School’s anti-bullying policy is based on the East Lothian Bullying
Policy and copies of this document are available in the school or can be obtained from
the School Secretary.

East Lothian’s Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator can be contacted for further advice at East
Lothian Council in Haddington (01620-827143).
-30-
Musselburgh Burgh Primary School
Anti-Bullying Policy
Pupil’s Guide
Bullying ~

This is when boys or girls deliberately hurt, frighten and upset you.

Bullying can be kicking, punching, hitting, pushing, name-calling, teasing, not
allowing you to play with your friends.

Bullying is when boys or girls don’t stop the behaviour which hurts, frightens and
upsets you.
What you do ~

Say no to the bullies

You tell a grown up
If it happens in the playground, tell a playground supervisor or the teacher on duty.
If it happens in school tell the teacher.
They will do something about it. The bully will be punished for their behaviour.
Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator
-31TRANSPORT
The region provides transport for pupils living in the school catchment area who have to
travel a distance of more than 2 miles.
Bus passes are issued where public transport exists and contract transport is arranged
where there is no suitable public transport. Where there are vacant seats on contract
buses, these may be made available to pupils who are not normally entitled to free
transport on a “grace and favour basis” but must be applied for each session. These can
be withdrawn should the seat be required for pupils who qualify for this provision.
Travelling expenses are also met in the case of any pupil whom the Authority requires to
attend a school other than the district school, if the pupil meets the distance
qualification. Where appropriate free travel is provided for pupils receiving special
education.
Consideration may also by given to requests for assistance with travel in exceptional
circumstances, e.g. where the road between home and school is deemed dangerous by the
Authority (through consultation with the Police Road Safety Department) and where
there is no public transport available.
Parents who choose to send their children to a school other than the district school will
not receive assistance in relation to travel to and from school.
Complaints
If you have a cause for concern please approach the Head Teacher who will try to resolve
the difficulty.
If the concern relates to meals or transport the person to contact is:Free Meals, Clothing Grants and Transport Officer - 01620 827581
If you remain dissatisfied you can raise a concern by telephone or in writing to one of the
Service Managers:Transport, Bursaries, School Meals, Special Needs, Psychological Services Sheila Ainslie
- 01620 827752
All other matters -
Derek Haywood
- 01620 827633
-32CULTURAL SERVICES
Cultural Services can facilitate enhanced learning opportunities for children through
provision of and support of:




School Library Service
Instrumental Music Tuition
Drama provision / Theatre
Educational visits in Museums / projects
Study Support and After School Activities
The Service is committed to facilitating access to the widest range of creative and
learning opportunities and supports a broad range of information services and access.
-33THE SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
Throughout you child’s years at primary and secondary school, a team of specialist Health
Service and Education staff will be seeing him/her as part of a planned programme to
make sure that s/he benefits as much as possible from all that school has to offer, and
to help prepare him/her for life after leaving school. The School Health Service is part
of the Community Child Health Service and has direct links with those who carry out
health checks of children before they start school.
Many different services are provided. The issue of maintaining confidentiality is taken
seriously by the School Health Team at all times. The staff involved make every effort
to work closely with parents and with others who are caring for your child, both at school
and in other branches of the Health Service. Some of the services, e.g. testing for
vision and hearing are normally provided to all children on a routine basis to discover
which children may need further tests or treatment. Parents are not notified of these
screening tests at the time of screening and any parent who does not want a child to be
included should notify the school at the beginning of the session. Naturally, if treatment
is thought to be required, the child’s parents will be informed and consent requested.
Some of the staff concerned and the parts they play are as follows: School nurses are involved with health promotion and education, prevention of ill health,
immunisation, health surveillance and screening. The attention of the School Doctor is
drawn to any possible problems, and parents and the family doctor are informed if any
further action is considered necessary.
The School Nurse may be helped by a Health Assistant. The School Nurse acts as an
important link between home and school. She visits the school regularly and liaises with
teachers to find out whether any pupil has a health need that requires to be addressed.
The School Nurse can link with other members of the health team, in the community or in
hospital, concerned with a child’s health.
The Nurse reviews the notes of all Primaries 1, 4, 7 and S3 as well as those of all new
entrants.
An information booklet about the School Health Service is issued to all Primary 1 pupils
and to any new pupils coming from outwith the Lothian area. Parents are also asked to
complete a health questionnaire about their child at Primary 1, 7 and S3 and asked if they
would like their child to have a medical consultation with the School Doctor.
The School Doctor is trained in community paediatrics and is part of a team of doctors,
including a Consultant Community Paediatrician, for your area.
-34In addition, the doctor may ask for your consent to examine your child if his/her medical
records are incomplete or if the doctor particularly wishes to check on his/her progress.
You will be invited to be present at any medical examination and kept informed if the
school doctor wishes to see your child again or thinks that s/he should be seen by your
family doctor or a specialist in paediatrics. You can, if you wish, arrange for your family
doctor to undertake the examinations instead of the school doctor but you may be
charged a fee for this. In secondary schools the school doctor may consider whether any
special information should be provided for the Careers Service.
The school doctor will be pleased to see you and your child at a mutually convenient time
if you are concerned about his/her health or general progress at school.
With your consent, the school doctor also carries out immunisations to protect against
various diseases: Age 12 -14 testing for resistance to tuberculosis and immunisations
(BCG) where required.
Age 14 -15
booster immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus and polio.
Hearing
The audiometric team, who check children’s hearing, will not visit the school to check
pupils’ hearing. Instead they will provide a local clinic-based, appointment-only service
for all school age children requiring a hearing assessment. These include:
 All children who are due to have a routine re-test as a result of being found to have a
hearing loss at a previous test in school or as a pre-school child.
 All school age children newly referred for assessment, either Primary 1 or other
years.
 The school medical officer will inform schools of the result of any assessment.
Speech and Language Therapist
The speech therapist can provide assessment and, if necessary, treatment, if you, a
teacher, your GP or the school doctor feels that your child may have a speech or language
problem.
Dentist
Any enquiries concerning the provision of dental services should be made to the Director
of the Community Dental Service, 16 Duncan Street, Edinburgh, EH9 1SR (telephone
number 0131-667-7114).
We hope that the School Health Service can, together with yourselves, contribute to
your child’s overall well-being and development. Please do not hesitate to arrange
through the Head Teacher to see the school doctor or school nurse if you want any more
information.
-35-
HEALTH AND SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS
The Education and Children’s Services Department has prepared statements of safety
policy for all areas of its responsibility in accordance with the Health and Safety at
Work Act 1974.
School staff are fully instructed in their responsibilities in this respect, and safety
regulations apply to all aspects of school life, both on and off the premises. It is
expected that pupils will behave responsibly and comply with all safety requirements.
The support of parents in promoting good practice in health and safety matters is of
great importance to the school.
Medical/First Aid
Accidents to pupils do occur from time to time. Basic first aid will be administered by
members of staff. In the case of a more serious accident, or your child being taken ill at
school, you will be contacted immediately. Please ensure that the school is informed of
any changes of address, telephone number or emergency contact.
Administration of Medicine and Medical Procedures
Drugs and medicine can be given only to children whose parents have given written
permission on a standard form available from the Secretary’s Office.
NB A note from parent/carer is not acceptable.
All members of staff who have agreed to be trained in the administration of specific
drugs to pupils suffering from epileptic seizure or a severe allergic reaction, and who are
required to apply specific drugs to those pupils, will be covered by East Lothian Council’s
Public Liability Policy.
Occasional and Emergency Arrangements
In the event of an emergency such as a heating failure and pupils having to be sent home
without warning, please make sure the school has up-to-date information about
addresses, telephone numbers for yourselves, and also emergency contacts. Information
about such emergencies would be broadcast on local radio (usually Radio Forth).
-36Wet Weather
In wet weather please do not send your children to school too early for morning or
afternoon sessions. During such weather the Infant door and the door under the
covered area will be open from 8.30am. Children should make their way to the Assembly
Hall where they will be supervised by a member of the Senior Management Team until the
bell rings. It is not necessary for parents to accompany their child to the hall.
Liaison - Transfer to Secondary School
Pupils attending Musselburgh Burgh Primary School normally transfer to Musselburgh
Grammar School. Links with the Grammar School are established and developed within
the Primary School. Preliminary visits are made by members of the Grammar School
staff to P7 classes. Pupils from the Primary enjoy a taste of Secondary School life when
they visit the Grammar School in the summer term preceding their transfer.
Employment of Children
Children under the statutory school leaving age can only be employed within the terms of
the bye-laws on the Employment of Children.
These regulations do not permit the employment of children under 13 years of age, and
for those over that age there are limits on the hours and type of employment which are
allowed. Parents and employers must both complete an application form for an
employment permit before the employment begins.
PROFESSIONALS VISITING SCHOOLS
Schools can call on professionals from a number of different agencies/services for help
and advice. These include Educational Psychologists, Outreach Teachers, Pupil Support
Division, School Doctor, School Nurse and Social Worker. Formal referral to any of
these agencies/services would take place only with the consent of parents/guardians.
There will, however, be occasions when issues may be discussed in confidence without
formal referral and, therefore, without such consent. If parents are concerned about
this they should contact the school for further information.
TRANSFERRING EDUCATIONAL DATA ABOUT PUPILS
Education authorities and the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) have
collected data about pupils on paper forms for many years. We are now working together
to transfer data electronically through the ScotXed programme.
-37What pupil data will be collected and transferred?
Data on each pupil is collected by local authorities and SEED. The data collected and
transferred covers areas such as date of birth, postcode, registration for free-school
meals, whether a pupil is looked after by his/her local authority, special educational
needs, attendance, absence and exclusions from school. Pupil names and addresses are
collected by their school and education authority but they are not passed to SEED. Your
postcode is the only part of your address that is transferred. Data is held securely and
no information on individual pupils can, or would be, published by SEED. It is used for
statistical and research purposes only.
Providing national identity and ethnic background data is entirely voluntary. You can
choose the ‘not disclosed’ option if you do not want to provide this data. However, we
hope that the explanations contained in this message and on our website will help you
understand the importance of providing the data.
Why do we need your data?
In order to make the best decisions about how to improve our education service, SEED and
education authorities need accurate, up-to-date data about our pupils. We are keen to
help all our pupils do well in all aspects of school life and achieve better exam results.
Accurate and up-to-date data allows SEED, education authorities and schools to:




plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of all pupils,
plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of specific groups of pupils,
better understand some of the factors that influence pupil attainment and
achievement,
target resources better.
Your data protection rights
The collection, transfer, processing and sharing of ScotXed data is done in accordance
with the Data Protection Act (1998). We also comply with the National Statistics Code of
Practice requirements and other legislation related to safeguarding the confidentiality of
data. The Data Protection Act gives you the right to know how we will use your data. This
message can give only a brief description of how we use data. Fuller details of the uses
of pupil data can be found on the ScotXed website.
SEED will not publish or release any information that allows an individual pupil to be
identified. Data will not be used by SEED to take any actions in respect of any individual
pupils. Data will only be shared with bona fide partners, such as HMIE and the SQA.
Any sharing will be done under conditions of strict control and with the prior agreement
of the Data Controller.
-38-
Concerns
If you have any concerns about the ScotXed data collections you can email the Data
Controller, Peter Scrimgeour, at [email protected] or write to The
ScotXed Support Office, SEED, Area 1B, Victoria Quay, Leith, EH6 6QQ. Alternative
versions of this page are available, on request from the ScotXed Support Office, in
other languages, audio tape, braille and large print. Please allow up to 10 days for
requests to be processed.
Want more information?
Further details about ScotXed data exchanges are available on the ScotXed website,
www.scotxed.net.
The website also contains answers to commonly asked questions about ScotXed.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Most complaints can and should be resolved locally. If you have cause for concern, the
first person to approach will normally be the Head Teacher. The list of ‘useful telephone
numbers’ in the next section includes the names of the relevant contact persons.
If you remain dissatisfied, you can make a complaint in writing to one of the Service
Managers:Bursaries, Special Needs
Psychological Services
Sheila Ainslie
Manager, Pupil Support
01620-827752
All other matters
Derek Haywood
01620-827633
Manager, Policy & Resources
The addresses for both of the above officers is Department of Education & Children’s
Services, John Muir House, HADDINGTON, East Lothian, EH41 3HA.
- 39 -
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 2006
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
School: Musselburgh Burgh
Id No.: 210 - 5550025
Budgeted Running Costs For Financial Year 2006-2007
284
School Roll at September 2005
Total School Running Costs at April 2006 (£)
1,096,042
Cost per Pupil (£)
3,859
Attendance And Absence For School Year 2005/2006
Stage
Total Number of Possible
Attendances(Pupil
Half
Days)
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
P1-7
1496
6
1497
7
1191
1
9980
1794
0
8188
1675
5
9471
7
Percentage
Absences
Authorised
3.2
3.2
3.7
4.6
3.6
3.2
2.1
3.3
Percentage
Absences
Unauthorised
1.1
0.6
1.4
1.2
0.8
1.3
1.2
1
Minimising Overall Absence
Absence
Absence recorded
(2004/2005)
Average number of
half days absence
per pupil
Absence recorded
(2005/2006)
Average number of
half days absence
per pupil
15
14.8
Where schools have 9 openings per week, please note that all local authority and national
figures are based on 10 openings per week, and so are not directly comparable.
-40-
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 2006
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Education Authority: East Lothian
Budgeted Running Costs For Financial Year 2006-2007
7,664
School Roll at September 2005
Total School Running Costs at April 2006 (£)
30,596,385
Cost per Pupil (£)
3,992
Attendance And Absence For School Year 2005/2006
Stage
P1
Total Number of Possible 346,5
49
Attendances(Pupil
Half
Days)
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
P1-7
369,4
19
361,2
79
364,5
37
393,6
51
383,3
94
384,8
61
2,603
,690
Percentage
Absences
Authorised
3.9
3.3
3
3
3.1
3.2
3.4
3.3
Percentage
Absences
Unauthorised
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.1
1.1
Minimising Overall Absence
Absence
Absence recorded
(2004/2005)
Average number of
half days absence
per pupil
Absence recorded
(2005/2006)
Average number of
half days absence
per pupil
17.2
16.7
-41-
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 2006
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
National Data
Budgeted Running Costs For Financial Year 2006-2007
390,257
School Roll at September 2005
Total School Running Costs at April 2006 (£)
1,264,772,698
Cost per Pupil (£)
3,241
Attendance And Absence For School Year 2005/2006
Stage
P1
Total Number of Possible 18,99
Attendances(Pupil
Half 6,743
Days)
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
P1-7
19,80
5,030
20,60
0,193
20,99
2,950
21,10
1,678
21,42
9,454
21,71
7,477
144,6
43,52
5
Percentage
Absences
Authorised
4.4
4.2
4
3.9
4
4
4
4.1
Percentage
Absences
Unauthorised
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
Minimising Overall Absence
Absence
Absence recorded
(2004/2005)
Average number of
half days absence
per pupil
Absence recorded
(2005/2006)
Average number of
half days absence
per pupil
18.9
18.9
-42-
5-14 attainment levels for June 2005 and June 2006
Reading
Previous level of performance
(June 2005) % P3,P4, P6 and
P7 roll attaining or exceeding
minimum 5-14 levels for their
stage
Present level of performance
(June 2006) % P3,P4, P6 and
P7 roll attaining or exceeding
minimum 5-14 levels for their
stage
School
80.3
87.4
Education
Authority
79.8
81.0
School
74.5
48.7
Education
Authority
73.4
70.6
School
79.6
68.1
Education
Authority
81.6
80.5
National
Writing
National
Mathematics
National
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
-43-
All based at Education & Children’s Services, John Muir House, Haddington, EH41 3HA.
Director of Education & Children’s Services
Head of Education
Head of Children’s Services
Manager, Teaching & Learning
Manager, Inclusion & Equality
Strategic Business Manager
Principal Behaviour Support Officer
Parental Involvement Act (Parent Forums/Councils)
Principal Psychologist
Free School Meals and Clothing Grants, EMAs
Early Years Development Officer
Education & Children’s Services Reception
Resource Team Manager (Children’s Services)
Service Manager(PracticeTeams)(Children’sServices)
Integration Team, based at Randall House, Macmerry
School Lets
Alan J Blackie
Don Ledingham
Alan Ross
vacancy
Sheila Ainslie
Derek Haywood
Fraser Parkinson
Richard Parker
Jenny Wilson
Fiona Brown
Helen McMillan
Robert Swift
Marion Wood
Raymy Boyle
Frances McInnes
01620827508
01620 827596
01620 827881
01620 827348
01620 827565
01620 827633
01620 827961
01620 827494
01620 827587
01620 827752
01620 827139
01620 827631
01620 827237
01620 827881
01620 829909
01620 827811
Scottish Executive Education Department
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH,EH6 6QQ
Telephone Number 0131-556-8400
The information contained in this booklet is accurate at the time of compilation
(November 2006), but is subject to changes in roll, staffing and resources in the future.
-45-