Monymusk School
Induction Policy for Children
New Entrants to Primary One
The transition to school from pre-school groups and home is a crucial opportunity to establish a
positive first experience of school for children and their parents. From such a positive start, teachers
can make prompt assessment of the needs of individual children, and intervene as necessary to
ensure optimum progress and achievement for all the children.
At Monymusk School, an induction programme has been developed from local experience of effective
practice, but incorporating authority and national initiatives for early intervention. In general terms,
the children should become familiar and at ease with the school, the staff, and other children.
The induction programme is summarised as a calendar (Appendix 1).
Enrolment
The main enrolment dates for entry into Primary One in August are usually in mid-January preceding,
as set by the authority, and advertised in the press (e.g. the “Press and Journal”). Prospective
parents will be provided with a pack containing:
SEEMIS Enrolment form
(to include application for admission, local excursion permission
note and telephone list permission note.)
Parent Council Information
Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs
Transport Form (if applicable)
Guidance for Parents, Guardians on School Closure due to Bad Weather or Other
Emergency
Internet Acceptable Use letter
Grampian Health Service Information (once enrolled)
Parents of children who do not live in our catchment area will be given a Placing Request Primary
Form only and advised of the authority procedures on the admission of out-of-zone children. If and
when a place at Monymusk School is allocated, the full set of enrolment documents will be issued.
New entrants will be added to the circulation list for relevant information, including school newsletters.
Completion of a Placing Request, even for children who are in the zone for Monymusk School, should
be requested when the learning needs of a child may not be achievable with the school's resources at
the time of application for enrolment. Consultation with appropriate Education Officers, including the
Quality Improvement Officer and Additional Support Needs personnel, should be initiated promptly in
such instances.
Parent Workshop and Meetings
A series of meetings will be arranged to inform the parents and for staff to begin to develop a rapport
with the children. The programme starts in April, as soon as practicable after the Easter break and
consists of up to six meetings, continuing through to autumn term of Primary One.
continued/…
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
-
- page two
1. Present teacher of P1 invites parents in (over tea or coffee) to go over programme, with
proposed dates, and to introduce the content, principles and procedures relating to
Learning Packs (Appendix 2).
Note: the present teacher of P1 may not be the teacher of P1 in August when the new
P1
children start school)
2. Literacy and Numeracy walk. Children and parents, together, looking at environmental
print and working with numbers.
3. Head Teacher meeting with parents during first school-time classroom experience of
children (Appendix 3).
4a. Introduction to literacy and numeracy, and practical ideas for parents to prepare for and
develop
the concepts with their children.
4b.Resources and teaching. The class teacher meets parents as a group and introduces
the class
organisation, topics and materials which the children will meet, paying some
attention to the main
theme, and outlining the early part of the curriculum, including any
relevant Curriculum for
Excellence learning outcomes. Arrangements for individual
meetings will be made when
requested.
5. Parent-Teacher Consultations for Individual Children – to discuss general settling in; early
successes and needs; relevant outcomes from initial assessments, and proposed
intervention and
support strategies.
Learning Packs
Sets containing a variety of learning experiences such as fiction and non-fiction texts (for the
children to listen to and look at) jigsaw and puzzles, colouring sheet, motor task, musical
instruments, and so on, are introduced to parents in April, and then made available for the
children to select and change on a weekly basis.
The children should be present to select the packs and discuss the content with the teacher
and parent. Thus, a sound basis for home-school links is established.
Pre-induction Visits by Staff
Monymusk School staff aim to make contact with all pre-school groups with which the
children are involved. This allows liaison between personnel who are already working with
the children. It further enlightens the teachers who see the children with their peers in a
familiar educational environment.
Induction Booklets
The booklets (Appendix 4) contain activities which increase the children’s awareness of the
school (including the grounds) and the personnel within it. They are issued about the time of
the Literacy and Numeracy Walk so that there is time for the children to complete some
activities and then discuss them with the teacher during visits to change Learning Packs.
continued/…
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
- page three -
Welcome to Monymusk School (Appendix 5)
Summary of key points from School Handbook to be discussed with parents during the
children’s first induction day (Parents’ Meeting 4).
Induction Days Sessions – One afternoon and one morning – when Primary 7 children
are at Alford Academy (usually in June) (Appendix 6)
During both sessions, there will be a temporary re-structuring of the other classes (not
necessarily as they will be in the following session, nor should it be assumed that the
children’s teachers for these sessions will be the allocated teachers in the following August).
Session 1
-
Session 2
-
children have a chance to meet all the teachers
parents invited, with H.T. first (Parents’ Meeting 3) then in class with
children
children have whole group activity (e.g. making picture for coat peg) with
teacher, then variety of activities
classes arranged so that some or all of teacher’s present class may be with
another teacher.
children introduced to mentors from Primary 6
present Primary One to be in class
Parents are to be advised of induction dates as soon as possible following the enrolment
week. Pre-school groups should also be advised in order to reduce the risk of clashes of
events.
Admission Arrangements (Appendix 7)
To allow the older children in the class to re-adjust to school routines, Primary One pupils
may not be in school for the first few days of the new session. These arrangements may be
changed to suit the school roll.
Attendance is for mornings only until after two weeks of the session when attendance for full
days will start.
Details of the groups for the staggered intake, if applicable, are issued after the induction
days. The final intake groupings take account, as far as possible, of information from
parents, pre-school organisations, and the observations of teaching staff during the induction
days.
Trial School Dinner
Children and their parents are invited to a trial school dinner, during the induction sessions.
continued/…
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
-
- page four
Entrants at Other Stages
Minimum induction requirements
The general principles of providing a welcoming ethos and practical support to ease anxieties
of the children and their parents shall continue to apply.
Parents of prospective entrants will be provided with an enrolment pack as detailed on page
one.
The parents, with the children, will be invited to look round the school. It is acknowledged
that parents may wish to view the school first, and, having reassured themselves, return later
with the children.
Every effort should be made by all staff and parents to ensure that these visits can be made
during the school day.
The Head Teacher or, if unavailable, the designated responsible person will show the
families around the school and introduce the children and the staff.
Newly enrolled children should be encouraged to arrive at least ten minutes before school
opens on their first day. They should meet their teacher who will show them their class
area, cloakroom and toilet facilities and check which dinner arrangements are needed (if
school dinners, the arrangements for paying for and using dinner tickets will be explained).
A peer mentor should be pre-arranged and encouraged to arrive in time to meet the new
entrant before the start of the school day.
About one month after the start date, the parents of the new entrants will be informed of how
the children have settled in. At that time, the parents will be invited to raise any concerns.
*************************
The implementation of this policy must always take account of and, when possible,
be responsive to individual needs and overall changes in prevailing circumstances
relating to the school. A small class of new entrants, for instance, may remove the
need for staggered intake of children into the new Primary One.
The above procedural details are to be reviewed annually. The value of the overall
approach to and benefits from the implementation of this policy will be fully reviewed
periodically and, when possible, may include the evaluations of parents (appendix 8).
Consultation on the original version of this policy, was with Monymusk School Board,
Monymusk Pre-School Group and individual parents of Primary 1, 2 children and parents of
the children in the pre-school year. Parental consultation took place again with Monymusk
Parent Council in January, 2009 and with parents of new entrants at August, 2009.
Reviewed December 2015
Appendix 1
PRIMARY ONE INDUCTION POLICY CALENDAR
January
Authority Enrolment
Week
Issue of School
Handbook
Add to Newsletter
Circulation List
Induction Booklet
(child’s)
Learning Packs
Pre-induction visits by
staff to nurseries and
pre-school groups
Induction visits to
school
Start School
Full days at school
Parent Workshops and
meetings (6)
February
March
April
May
MONYMUSK SCHOOL
July
August
September
2015-2016
October
November
December
Review of Induction Policy and
Procedure, based on evaluation of
previous session
✓
✓
✓
Issue
Review and produce copies ➜ ➜
GW, JR, AT and TC
Review
➜ ➜ GW, Issue
➜
➜
➜
➜
AT, TC
↔↔↔↔
check pre-school groups
and contact to arrange
dates GW and current
P1 teacher
✓+ school
meals
Plan
Notificatio
n of 1 to 3
1, 2, 3
Issue of Welcome
notes
First standard parent –
teacher consultation
Issue of start dates,
(including staggered
intake–if appropriate)
Notification of teacher
for class
Invitation to School
Sports
Initial Assessments
(eg EYES test)
Trial School Dinner
June
Confirmatio
n of 4a and
4b, 5
✓
✓staggered
?
✓
4a, b
5
Evaluate
✓as alternative to
November consultation
✓soon
after
induction
day
notification
earlier, if possible ✓
✓date to be
confirmed
✓
very early
✓as
induction
day
990.doc
Workshops
1. Teaching staff + parents re. induction programmes and learning packs
2. Literacy and numeracy walk
3. GW – re. starting school ethos etc.
4a. Teaching staff + parents introduction to literacy and numeracy
resources, class organisation and curriculum
5. Parent-teacher Consultations Number of children enrolled to start primary one – August 2016 – 3/5 in zone expected
4b. Teaching staff + parents re.
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
Appendix 2
Our Ref:
Gillian Watt
Head Teacher
Monymusk School
Monymusk
Inverurie
Aberdeenshire
AB51 7HJ
Telephone: 01467 651254
Fax: 01467 651254
[email protected]
GW/ART/3988
Date: 8th February 2016
We would like to invite you to a series of meetings which are being organised for the parents of children who
have enrolled for Primary One in August 2016. These meetings, detailed below, form part of our Primary
One induction programme.
Please note that we cannot arrange crèche facilities. Where it says ‘parents and carers only’, it would be
appreciated if we could stick to that in consideration of the needs of other participants.
Date
Wednesday 27th April 2016
(Parents and carers only)
Tuesday 18th May 2016
(Enrolled Children, parents
and carers)
Thursday 16th June 2016
(Parents and carers only)
Time
9.30 – 10.15am
Thursday 16th June 2016
Friday, 17th June, 2016
Friday 17th June, 2016
Enrolled children and parents
and carers
Thursday, 1st September,
2016 (Parents and carers
only)
1.40-2.30pm
9.15 – 11.30am
11.40am
6.15 – 7.30pm
1.40 – 2.30pm
6.15 – 7.30pm
Draft Agenda
Introduction to the induction programme, looking at the
learning packs, summary of the curriculum.
Family literacy and numeracy walk followed by
refreshments at school. Issue of letter about trial
school dinner.
Welcome to Monymusk School: Details of school hours,
dinners, P7 mentor arrangements, etc. Question and
answer session
Enrolled children in classroom
Enrolled children in classroom
Trial school dinner
A closer look at phonics, reading and numeracy,
looking at resources.
Please note that the probable dates for your child to visit the school are Thursday, 16th June, 1.40 to 2.40pm,
and Friday 17th June, 9.15 to 11.30am. These will be opportunities for your child to spend time in the
classroom and meet the staff and pupils.
You are also invited to a trial school dinner with your child on Friday, 17th June, 11.40am.
I look forward to seeing you.
Yours sincerely
Gillian Watt
James Roulston
Head Teacher
Current P1, 2 Class Teacher
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
Appendix 3
Parents Meeting 3 Typical agenda
New Intake
2016
Parents meeting
TBC
1.40 – 2.30pm
1. Welcome and tea
2. Distribute letters – notes (Welcome to Monymusk School)
3. Talk about arrangements
-
- admission arrangements
‘housekeeping’ details
school dinners
gym kit
school uniform
old shirt (long sleeves cut to length) for art and other
messy activities
- name on clothing please
- children’s booklet (maybe handed on visit on
Wednesday)
- School Transport
4.
Parent involvement - formal
- Parent Council
Monymusk School Fundraising Group
- informal - open door policy
5.
Composite classes
6.
Before questions – opportunities to contact afterwards if any point prefer to
make in
private.
7.
Questions
8.
Parents go to class to mix with children
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
Appendix 4 Induction Booklet for Children
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
Appendix 5
WELCOME
TO MONYMUSK SCHOOL
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS OF OUR
NEW PRIMARY ONE
These notes have been prepared to help parents to help their children. The information is repeated, often in
more detail, in the school handbook.
Induction Visits
These take place in the term before your child starts school. The children come to the school with the other
new children. The shared experiences, which are fairly informal, help to ease the anxieties of the children
and their parents. (Please note that the teacher who is with P1 in the current session may not be the P1
teacher in August).
The visits also give the new parents a chance to meet each other and the teaching staff. A meeting between
the head teacher and parents is arranged to allow the parents to receive current information about the school
and for them to raise questions or concerns which they may have.
There may be issues which you wish to discuss in private. All our school staff are happy to make an
appointment with any parent who wants one.
Starting School
Children settle at school more quickly if they start in small groups. They soon get to know the other children
and the teacher.
The teacher has more time with the children as individuals and is better able to introduce them to class and
school organisation and routines.
A separate letter (to follow) will let you know the starting date for your child.
The children may start in small groups but, within a short time, they will be coming in together. Attendance
will be for mornings (9.00am to 12.20pm) for the first two weeks (to 1.00pm for those who stay for a school
dinner). They will then attend for the whole day from 9.00am to 3.30pm.
Children should arrive at school from 8.50am onwards, unless on school transport. You are welcome to
bring the children into the building and to their class to help your child to settle. We aim to get your child
independent as soon as possible.
School Transport
Transport will be arranged for those children who are eligible. The children will be collected at a specified
place and approximate time in the mornings. Pupils should only travel on their allocated transport. They
should travel to and from only the address on the application form.
During the first two weeks when the children are attending for mornings only, the school transport will be
organised to collect the children from school at 1.00pm.
If you decide to transport your children yourself at any time, please let the transport company and ourselves
at school know in writing.
Collecting Children from School
If your child is to be collected by an adult other than yourself, again inform the school personnel in writing.
The collecting adult should be known to school staff (otherwise, proof of identity will be needed).
The children should know if there are any changes to the usual arrangements. Please telephone us if you
cannot get to school in time so that we may reassure your child. If there is any doubt on our part, we will
keep children with us until they can be collected by a known adult.
Absences
We require a telephone call first thing in the morning if your child is to be off school due to illness, for
example. A note of explanation is needed when he or she returns to school.
Medicines
Medicines may only be handed out following receipt of a written request and instructions from the parents or
guardians. All medicines, including inhalers, should be handed directly to a member of school staff by an
adult; they should not be sent to school with the children. Full details of the procedures are in the Monymusk
School Handbook.
School Meals
Payment for school meals should be sent to school in a sealed envelope, with your child’s name on it on the
first day of the week. Dinner tickets are available individually or in books of ten. Prices for 2015-2016 are
£2.00 for a single ticket or £20.00 for a book of 10. There is usually a chance for you to try a school dinner
with the children before they start attending for whole days.
Children may take a packed lunch, if you wish - but they will still eat alongside the school dinner people in
the school hall.
Milk shakes, fruit juice, fruit and other snacks can be bought by the children at morning intervals.
School Uniform
Monymusk Fundraising Group organises the supply of school sweatshirts and jogging trousers almost at cost
price. Order forms are available from the school. PLEASE LABEL ALL YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS this makes it so much easier to match children with the correct jogging trousers from a heap of twenty or
more. School bags should be big enough to hold books.
P.E. kit should be in school daily, but please check the gym shoes regularly for fit. An art overall (old shirt
with long sleeves cut to length) is necessary.
The Curriculum – to produce successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and
effective contributors.
Please note: play is central to the early years curriculum
Listening, Talking, Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Health and Wellbeing, etc are all developed within play
It is helpful if your child can recognise his or her own name, written with a capital letter first, followed by lower
case letters, eg, Alex (not ALEX). There is no expectation that the child will be able to write it.
Notice the emphasis on Listening and Talking in the heading. Speaking with your child to share ideas is a
good introduction to Language skills.
Reading to your child is very important. Poems and rhymes stimulate children’s awareness of language.
Sometimes they will bore you with their demands for a familiar poem or story, but the repetition is important
to their learning.
A meeting will be arranged early in the new session exclusively for parents of Primary One children. General
points about classroom organisation and the introduction of Language, including reading, Mathematics and
other curricular activities will be outlined then.
Individual meetings between parents and teachers will be arranged before Christmas to give you the chance
to discuss issues specific to your child. Please telephone us to arrange an appointment if you want to
discuss something privately before then.
Children’s Booklet
The booklet called ‘Welcome to Monymusk School’ has been given to the children. Please read, and try to
complete the booklet with your child, who should take it to school when coming in to pick up Learning Packs,
and on his or her first day after summer.
It is not necessary to complete the whole booklet.
Communication
Parents and school staff work together for the good of the children.
The work is done best if we keep each other informed about the progress of the children.
Letters are sent home with the children. Please check their coats, bags, etc, regularly for any information
from school. Newsletters are posted on our website.
Contact us as soon as you have any concerns about your child’s time at school. Early action can help us to
decide if concern is justified or not and prevent major problems from developing.
We aim to have happy children at Monymusk School.
Revised December 2016
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
Appendix 6
Monymusk School
????????????????
Dear Parents and Guardians
Trial School Dinner - P1 children and parents
On ?????????? at 11.40am, you will have the chance to join your child for a trial school
meal. You are entitled to the special joint price of £??? for an adult and a child (£??? if
two adults).
Please return the attached note by ??????????? (including payment (cheques
payable to Aberdeenshire Council)), as the kitchen staff need to be aware of the
numbers attending.
Please note that the dates for your child to visit the school are TBC. These will be
opportunities for your child to spend time in the classroom and meet the staff and pupils.
Parents are reminded that the next induction meeting will be on TBC, at 1.40pm, during
the time that your child is visiting the school. We will discuss details of school hours,
dinners, P7 and P2 mentor arrangements, etc..
Yours sincerely
James Roulston
Class Teacher of current P1,2 Class
3992.doc
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN TO SCHOOL BY ???????????????
Trial School Dinner - P1 children and parents, Monymusk School
Name of child ______________________________________________
I do/do not* wish my child to have a trial school dinner on TBC
I will/will not* have a meal.
I enclose payment for meal.
Name(s) of adults : ___________________________
___________________________
Telephone Number : __________________________
Date : ___________________
(* please delete as appropriate)
3992.doc
Induction Policy for Children - Monymusk School
Appendix 7
Our Ref:
GW/ART/3993
?????????????
To the parents of Primary One pupils enrolled for Session 2016-2017
Dear Parents and Guardians
ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR NEW PRIMARY ONE (P1) CHILDREN - AUGUST
2016
So that the older children in the class may re-adjust to school routines first, P1 pupils will
start school on TBC. This will give them a positive and settled beginning.
Please note that attendance is for half days (9.00am until 12.20pm, with school dinner
afterwards). The children should be picked up at 1.00pm, or earlier by arrangement.
Please remember to let school staff know before you take your child away from school.
ATTENDANCE FOR WHOLE DAYS STARTS ON MONDAY, TBC
Reminder: The next P1 Induction meeting is on TBC, 6.15 to 7.30pm and is for parents
and carers only (no children, please).
We are looking forward to having your child become part of our school community.
Yours sincerely
Gillian Watt
Head Teacher
3993.doc