Shetland Islands Council

Mid Yell Junior High School

Information Handbook

2012-13

IntroductionWelcome to Mid Yell Junior High School. Our school is situated in the village of Mid Yell, on the island of Yell, the second largest island in Shetland. We have a nursery, primary and secondary department which are all accommodated in a modern, bright and well appointed school building.

Our Nursery department serves the whole island of Yell and has its own purpose built internal and external space. Sessions run from 9.15 – 11.45 for the morning group and 12.30 – 15.00 for the afternoon.

Our Primary catchment area covers the central areas of the island of Yell, including Basta, North-a-Voe, Camb, Setter, Herra, West Sandwick, Mid Yell, Vatster, Aywick and Otterswick. The Primary school day starts at 9.10 and finishes at 15.10.

The Secondary department welcomes children from all across the island of Yell, those moving on from our own Primary department and those coming from our associated primary schools in Burravoe and Cullivoe. We also provide education up to the end of Secondary 4, with our pupils transferring to the Anderson High School in Lerwick as appropriate for Secondary 5 & Secondary 6.

This handbook provides information for parents for the school year 2012-13. Although the information is believed to be correct (December 2012), it is possible that changes have occurred, or will occur during the course of the year, that will affect the contents for this year or for the following school years.

For further information or clarification, please contact the school and/or look at our school website.

www.midyell.shetland.sch.uk

Throughout this handbook, links to websites are provided for further information. Free access to these pages can be gained at the Shetland Library Learning Centre and at Islesburgh Community Centre. Hard copies and different formats of the handbook (for example in Braille or large print) will be made available by request to the school.

Handbooks for all Shetland Islands Council’s schools can be found on the council’s website.The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/SchoolHandbooks.asp

Contact Details

Name: Mid Yell Junior High School

Address: Mid Yell Junior High SchoolPage 2

Mid YellYellShetlandZE2 9BN

Telephone: 01595 745 050

Website: www.midyell.shetland.sch.uk

Email: midyell@shetland.gov.uk Stages of education: Nursery/Primary/Secondary 1-4

Roll: Nursery – 20, Primary – 46, Secondary – 47 Total - 113

Denominational status: non-denominational

Headteacher: Mark Lawson

Parent Council email: john.irvine@shetland.gov.uk

Parent Council website: www.midyell.shetland.sch.uk/Parents_Council/Parent_Council.shtml

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Concerns

Mid Yell School staff really wish to work closely with parents to make sure that every pupil has an educational and social experience of the highest quality. However, issues do happen from time to time and parents are encouraged to contact the school for an appointment to discuss any concerns as soon as they arise.

For learning matters regarding pupils in the nursery or primary classes, it is probably best to speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance but the HT and DHT are also available as required.

For pupils in the secondary department our Pupil Support teacher would be the first point of contact to discuss any concerns you may have. Again the HT or DHT would be available if you believe this to be more appropriate.

Complaints

Please be reassured that genuine complaints are always treated seriously and can sometimes be a way of helping us to further improve. Please direct any complaint to the Headteacher in the first instance.

The School Complaints Procedure can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website.The direct link ishttp://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/hpc_complaints_procedure.asp

Absence/Sickness

If your child is ill or if you think it is necessary for your child to be absent from school for any other reason, please contact the school with the details, as soon as possible.

The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 requires parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly and clearly it is in the children's interest to do so.

If your child is absent please phone the school before 9.30 am every day your child is off to inform the school of the reason for absence.

If the absence is due to sickness or diarrhoea your child must remain away from school for a minimum of 48 hours after the last episode. This is to prevent the spread of infection to other children. Advice on the recommended time off school for specific illness can be found on the following website:

http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/infection-control/guidelines/exclusion-criteria-childcare-A3-2011-12.pdf

In cases of unsatisfactory attendance, the Headteacher, Depute Head or Pupil Support teacher will discuss the problem with the parents in the first

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instance. Where unsatisfactory attendance persists, the Head Teacher, following discussions with the other staff involved and other interested parties, will decide whether the case should be referred to the Reporter to the Children's Panel.

Latecomers/Leaving School during the Pupil Day

Pupils must make every effort to arrive punctually at school, to be in the appropriate class at 9.10 am at the latest. If a pupil arrives late in school, for any reason, they must report to the school office (Secondary pupils must also report to their registration teacher), before going to their classes.

If pupils have to leave their class, or the school, during the pupil day, they must obtain permission from their Class or Pupil Support Teacher. After receiving permission, pupils must sign out at the school office. If pupils return again on the same day, they must report to the school office again, and record their time of arrival.

Requests for Leave of Absence other than for Medical Reasons

All requests for leave of absence from school other than for medical, dental or optician appointments must be made to the Head Teacher, in writing. It is important that we have full information as to the exact date, time and reason for absence.

Requests for absence must be placed at least one week in advance of the required date.

In line with Scottish Executive guidelines, family holidays in school time are classified as unauthorised absence. Please give careful consideration to the adverse effect such absence can have on progress at school.

For further information on school attendance, a guide for parents can be found on the Scottish Government’s website.

The direct link is: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/04134640/0

Visiting the school

You may wish to visit the school if your child has been offered a place or if you are seeking a place for your child. Please contact the school to make arrangements.

Communication

Communication between School and Home is a crucial aspect of a child’s education and we aim to ensure this flows easily both ways.

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Parents are kept well informed about various events, initiatives or developments via regular newsletters and additional informational letters, as and when required. These newsletters / additional letters are sent home with pupils, e‐mailed directly to parents and are published on our website in the “Parents” section.

Urgent communication (e.g. school closure) is made via telephone at the earliest possible time.

Homework diaries, reading records, personal learning plans and termly overviews are all utilised as appropriate to aid communication between home and school.

Our School Calendar is produced annually and contains as much information regarding trips, activities, in‐service and occasional holiday dates for the coming school year as we have at the time of production.

Parents are able to contact the school daily via telephone or e‐mail or a letter from home. All responses are made within 24 hours. A member of the school Management Team is usually available to respond to a telephone call on the same day.

Parents Evenings and workshops take place throughout the school year to provide opportunities for face to face meetings between staff and parents.

Parental Involvement

We very much value parental involvement in the life of the school and the significant impact it has on the development of our young people. We strive to offer a variety of opportunities for parents to become involved with their children’s education at all levels, appreciating the need for a creative and flexible approach to suit variations in family life.

Throughout your child’s time with us they will receive homework. Homework is seen as an integral part of learning in Mid Yell Junior High School. It is therefore useful and relevant to learning and something that teachers and pupils should approach with a positive attitude. Homework tasks are varied

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and wide-ranging. They often contain opportunities for open-ended work by pupils.

Supporting this homework to be completed to a high standard is a very important way you can help to take your child’s learning forward. It gives children the opportunity to practise skills they are developing and express their learning in more creative ways. At different stages we hold open events to offer some guidance on how you can support this.

We are always looking for parents with a particular interest/ area of expertise or general willingness to come into school to share what they can. In the past we have had parents and members of the local community participate in Golden Time activities, share information on the jobs they do and hobbies they have, support Health Week activities and Eco school projects. Other relatives have shared their experiences of war time, living in foreign countries and the history of our islands. Children are always very proud when their parents are involved in this way.

The school seeks and takes account of parental views on the education it provides and involves parents and pupils in evaluating the school’s performance (e.g. through audits, questionnaires, open events). Some of these are organised by the Parent Council, others by the school itself. We would strongly urge you to participate in these opportunities so that the views of all parents can be taken into account in the decisions we make.

For further information and resources regarding getting involved with your child’s learning, please contact the school and/or take a look at Parentzone on Education Scotland’s website. The direct link is: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/index.asp

Parent Council

Mid Yell Junior High School is very well supported by a very active Parent Council which is the more formal mechanism for seeking and representing the views of the parent body. We regularly seek new members. You may wish to learn more about the role of the Parent Council in representing your views on education matters.

You can contact the school’s Parent Council directly and/or access information on the school or Education Scotland’s websites.

www.midyell.shetland.sch.uk/Parents_Council/Parent_Council.shtml

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/getinvolved/parentcouncils/index.asp

The Chair of the school’s Parent Council is currently: John Irvine, who can be contacted at john.irvine@shetland.gov.uk School Ethos

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In Mid Yell Junior High School we aim to provide a broad, challenging and enjoyable education within a secure and happy environment. Creating a place where all members of the school community can become confident and enthusiastic learners, in order to reach their full potential in their chosen direction in life.

School Mission Statement, created by pupils, parents and staff

We have a very positive ethos across the whole school, something which is regularly commented on by guests, partnership agencies and visiting teachers.

We are very proud of our pupils and use a variety of means to celebrate the success of our young people including weekly assemblies, the school website, an electronic screen in the foyer of the school, local press articles, newsletters and displays around the school as well as in classrooms. We hold an annual prize giving assembly and regularly utilise a local gallery space to share our work with the wider community

On a daily basis, we have high expectations for positive behaviour. The school operates a Code of Conduct, with our pupils and staff reviewing its relevance and effectiveness on an annual basis. This is shared with all new pupils and parents and is displayed in every classroom.A Golden Time system is employed in our primary department with pupils having a wide variety of engaging and productive activities to choose from on a Friday afternoon in recognition of their good attitude, behaviour and performance throughout the week.

In the secondary department Merits/Demerits are issued by staff as appropriate, these are also shared with parents and are collated every term, with an activity afternoon available to those pupils who have the required number of merits.

Our school has a very active Eco group which run a number of initiatives throughout the school year and engage our pupils in a variety of important activities, placing a real focus on our environmental performance.

The importance of ‘community’ is a key aspect of our school and our pupils are often engaged in community projects, supporting a range of developments and working in conjunction with various partners to strengthen our community.

Curriculum – overviewThe Scottish Government has recently introduced its Curriculum for Excellence across its schools. The curriculum is designed to provide a coherent, flexible and enriched curriculum throughout a child’s life from 3 to 18 years old.

The curriculum aims to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they will need if they are to flourish in life, learning and work.

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Curriculum for Excellence defines five levels of learning. The first four levels provide a broad general education, with progression to qualifications described under a fifth level, the senior phase.

Level StageEarly The pre-school years and P1, or later for some.First To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some.Second

To the end of P7, but earlier or later for some.Third and Fourth

S1 to S3, but earlier for some. The fourth level broadly equates to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 4.

The fourth level experiences and outcomes are intended to provide possibilities for choice and young people's programmes will not include all of the fourth level outcomes.

Senior phase

S4 to S6, and college or other means of study.

Teachers and practitioners will share information to plan a child’s “learning journey” from 3-18, helping their progression from nursery to primary, primary to secondary and beyond. This will ensure children continue to work at a pace they can cope with and be provided with challenge they can thrive on.

Detailed information about Curriculum for Excellence can be found on Education Scotland’s website. This includes:

how the curriculum is organised the entitlements of every child how progress is assessed.

The direct link is: www.educationscotland.gov.uk/thecurriculum/index.asp

Curriculum

The Curriculum for Excellence aims to improve our children’s life chances, to nurture successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors, and responsible citizens, building on Scotland’s reputation for great education. It aims to raise standards and prepare our children for a future we do not yet know and equip them for the jobs of tomorrow in an ever changing world.

Teachers and practitioners are encouraged to share information to plan a child’s ‘learning journey’ from 3-18 with smooth changes at points of transition such as moving out of nursery or moving into secondary.

The curriculum develops skills for learning, life and work to help young people go on to further study, secure work and navigate life. It develops skills so that children can think for themselves, make sound judgements, challenge, enquire and find solutions. It brings real life into the classroom,

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making learning relevant and helps young people apply lessons to their life beyond the classroom.

It links knowledge in one subject area to another helping children understand the world and make connections.

Our pupils from the nursery to the end of Secondary 3 follow a broad general education with personalisation and choice built into this at various points along the way. They cover the eight areas of the curriculum.

Expressive arts All children will have the opportunity to develop creativity and use their imagination in the four aspects of this area of the curriculum i.e. art and design, dance, drama and music. We plan progressive programmes of work to help children experience inspiration and enjoyment and of course develop skills in each of these areas, often leading to presentation or performance. Often the delivery of these skills is greatly enhanced by visiting specialists and performers.

Health and well-being Within this heading learning is organised around six main themes: Mental and emotional health; planning for choices and changes; physical education, physical activity and sport; food and health; substance misuse; and relationships, sexual health and parenthood.

Sex education is an important aspect of every child’s personal development. It aims to help young people make informed, responsible and healthy choices about their lives, their relationships and their contribution to society, In P6 pupils at Mid Yell Junior High School are taught about puberty and in P7 they receive information on reproduction. Prior to any work being undertaken parents are given an opportunity to view the materials/videos being used. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Sex Education, after consultation with the school.

Personal safety, anti-bullying and substance misuse education are delivered at all stages although the focus changes to reflect risk and maturity.

Language and literacy English language: Four areas are covered to include spoken language and listening as well as reading and writing. Listening plays an important part in speech development and is the main means by which knowledge and experience is shared, especially in the early years. Talking to each other and their teacher helps children to express their

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thoughts and feelings and to build up their confidence and fluency in language. Reading in the early stages is developed using a wide variety of schemes and texts, involving all our youngest pupils in developing their knowledge of the written word and their skills in decoding, sounding and reading aloud.French: Within the framework for modern languages there are four areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Although in the earliest stages of language learning greater emphasis is placed on listening and speaking, throughout P6-P7 and into our Secondary classes all four areas will be covered. Mathematics and numeracy The Maths curriculum consists of Problem Solving and Enquiry, Information Handling, Number, Money and Measurement and Shape, Position and Movement. The emphasis is on providing children with mathematical work-life skills and helping them to see the relevance of mathematical thinking through time. Teachers use a variety of resources and learning contexts to break down the material that is to be covered and link this to other aspects of children’s learning whenever possible. Religious and moral education For the major religions, the lines of development are Beliefs, Values and issues, and Practices and traditions. There is an emphasis on Christianity that takes account of the communities and context in which our young people live and learn. At least three other world faiths will also be studied to equip children to live locally, nationally and internationally in a multi-cultural world.

In addition to the curricular programmes for religious and moral education the local minister makes a valuable contribution to Religious and Moral Education through in-class input, religious observance assemblies and occasional church visits. Head teacher/ depute head assemblies are planned weekly. These are non-denominational but do reflect on moral and social behaviour.

Parents should be aware that they have the right to withdraw children from Religious Education, after consultation with the school.

Sciences Adults of the future will need to make increasing decisions about science and the opportunities it presents, to do this children need to have at least the basic concepts that make up their studies in planet earth, forces, electricity and waves, biological systems, materials and topical science. For some this will be the foundation of further study for

others it will help them to recognise the role of science in their lives and on the lives of others and on the environment. Just as importantly we aim to

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help them develop the skills of critical evaluation to equip them to make and express decisions on the moral, ethical and economic issues thrown up by developments in our scientific knowledge.

Social studies Our aim is to increase our children's awareness of their surroundings and of the part they can, and will, play as a member of society. The teaching of environmental studies is usually done through a termly project in the nursery and primary classes and these have been carefully chosen to increase our young people’s understanding of the world and about other people in different times, different places and different circumstances. As children move through the school we aim to broaden their outlook from the local to the international while maintaining a focus on the influences that have shaped Scotland.The children are often involved in field trips and visits out with school to extend and enrich their experience. Technologies This is a broad heading of ever growing importance. It encompasses technological developments in society; ICT (computers etc) to enhance learning; business; computing science; food and textiles and craft, design and technology. Our programmes are designed to ensure that children develop their skills in using the tools, equipment, software and materials, but also have the opportunity to work with others to solve problems, discuss and evaluate products, systems and services.

General Under Curriculum for Excellence, everyone involved in education has a responsibility to develop young people’s literacy, numeracy and health and

well-being skills across all areas of their learning. Learning is not restricted to textbook work and the things that happen sitting at a desk. Our children learn in the playground. They learn through the wealth of visits outwith the school and the interesting adults we bring into school. Technology opens up a whole wide world for us, allowing students to meet in the virtual world of cyberspace.

At Mid Yell we try to give pupils some choices about what they learn. This can be at the beginning of a topic when pupils consider the questions they would like to think about, or it may be an aspect of the project they would like to pursue in more depth. Children have further opportunities to help plan what they learn through their Personal Learning Plan folders which set out individual targets for children. Parents also have input into this process and can influence our broader programmes of study through the work of the Parent Council.

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If you would like more information about the broad general curriculum please speak to the Headteacher, Mark Lawson.

Senior Phase (Secondary 4 – 6)

We are now planning our approach to the new Scottish Qualifications Authority examinations and assessments, from S4 onwards, this will be known as the senior phase. The first of the new national qualifications called “Nationals” (and not Standard Grades) will be in at the end of S4, in May 2014. Not all subjects will require an exam, but may be assessed in other ways.

At the moment our young people still have the opportunity to make significant choice in their subjects at the end of S2, selecting a range of subjects (up to 8) which they take forward in S3 & S4. At the end of S3 the children have the opportunity to make some changes to these choices as they embark on their senior phase. We feel this model will give our pupils a breadth of experience to the end of S4 leading to a range of choices about what they can do at 16. This model will mean that everyone can start their Higher/new National courses in S5 together, when they join with other students from around Shetland at the Anderson High School, in June 2014.

At the end of S4, your son/daughter will receive certification in Literacy and Numeracy (in addition to English and Mathematics). This is a new development, and will be led by the English and Maths departments. We have school working groups considering how to develop Literacy, Numeracy and Health & Well Being across the whole school.

Please contact the school, if you have any queries. Our Pupil Support teacher, Julie Johnson will be able to give individual advice or contact the head teacher, Mark Lawson if you have more general enquiries about our curriculum.

For more details of developments at a national level please have a look at the websites with links provided below.

www.educationscotland.gov.uk –the national body responsible for learning and teaching in Scotland.

www.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence - latest information on the new qualifications.

www.LTScotland.org.uk/Parentzone - information specifically for parents.

www.anderson.shetland.sch.uk – our school website.

Assessment and Reporting

Broad General education

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There is continuous assessment of each pupil's progress throughout the session, using a wide variety of assessment procedures, including standardised tests in reading and end of level tests in Mathematics, when the appropriate stage has been reached. We track pupil progress at class and individual level gathering evidence from the work they do across the whole school year. This can be things they have made, drawn, written about or said.

Progress will be reported to parents in a formal, written report in May/June each year. Parents evening are held in November and February. An appointment is made to enable parents to have a private interview with the class teacher to look over their children’s work and discuss progress.

Where a pupil’s lack of progress causes concern, parental consent will be sought for more detailed diagnostic assessment to be carried out.

Across the school we give pupils opportunities to reflect on their learning and gather evidence to show how well they are attaining and achieving. We would strongly encourage you to tell us about their achievements outside of school so that we can also include these successes.

Profiles are a summary of our learners’ latest and best achievements at this time. They draw together a range of information about your child’s learning. Much of this information will be provided through the process of regular in-class assessment and regular reflection on pieces of work carried out in school.

At P7 your child will bring home his or her learning profile. This is not a teacher’s report. It is a piece of reflective writing produced by your child with support from his or her teacher.

Throughout our secondary years pupils will be asked to compile a profile report each term. This will be sent home each term and will be built into an end of S3 profile document.

The purpose of the profile is to help young people understand their learning and be able to present their successes to other people. Hopefully it helps to motivate, challenge and support all children to do their best. Most importantly it builds learners’ skills and capabilities to reflect on their learning. We share these profiles with the Anderson High School, relevant colleges or various other potential employers or agencies as appropriate at the end of S4. In this way they also support and inform transition into the senior phase of education and the world of work or training.

National Qualifications

Towards the end of secondary 4 our pupils will have the opportunity to participate in National Qualifications. Subjects are mostly offered for National Certification at National 3, 4 or 5. National 3 and 4 units and courses are assessed internally with external moderation on a Pass/Fail basis. National 5

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units are also assessed internally with external moderation but the overall course assessment is external and is graded A-C.

Normal progression for each of these qualifications would be as follows (although there may be slight variations for particular subjects):

Qualification Progressing to National 3 National 4 National 4 National 5 National 5 Higher

S4 will be assessed according to relevant national specifications in each subject they are taking as a National Qualification. This will involve a broad variety of strategies ranging from ongoing, continuous assessment to end-of-unit tests and course examinations. They will have mock exams in February which will be followed by a parents’ evening.

Further information on achievement, reporting and profiling can be found on Education Scotland’s website.

The direct link is: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/assessment/achievement/index.asp

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Transitions

Transitions occur at key points in a child’s education when they move on to a different stage of learning. Transitions can include moving from nursery to primary, within stages of primary education, moving from primary to secondary school, moving to the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence and then post-school learning, training or work. Transitions can also include any changes in a pupil’s learning journey, for example when a pupil changes school or when learning is interrupted.

Transition into Primary 1During the session prior to pupils’ entry to P1, those pupils may attend school for a number of sessions and participate in the activities with the current P1 pupils. Where a child has attended Nursery school, the Class Teacher liaises with the Nursery Teacher prior to the child commencing in Primary 1. The Class Teacher will also visit the children in their nursery setting at several points prior to them starting school. Parents will also be invited to attend a meeting in our primary department in the term prior to their child starting.

Transition from Primary 7 into Secondary 1Each year, prior to our P7 pupils transferring to our Secondary department they participate in a range of transition activities along with the primary 7 pupils from Burravoe and Cullivoe schools. This programme of activities runs over the course of the last two terms in primary 7 and involves a variety of staff members from the secondary department. During these two terms the pupils will also spend time in all three primary schools, sharing learning activities and getting to know each other.

In late May / early June, P7 pupils will spend two familiarisation days in our secondary department, travelling to school, having lunch and following a secondary style timetable. Primary 7 profiles and reports are also shared with our secondary staff during this last term of Primary 7.

Transition from S4 into S5 at the Anderson High School or to an appropriate opportunity at college, further training or the world of work.

In the course of S4 our pupils will all have an opportunity to visit both the Anderson High School and the Hostel facilities. Staff from both the AHS and hostel will also visit our S4 pupils in school and make themselves available to parents during one of our parents’ evenings.

Pupils will transfer to the AHS for the last few weeks of the final term in S4, following the end of the SQA exams, early in June. At this time the pupils will also move into the Janet Courtney Hostel where they will stay from a Sunday evening until a Friday afternoon

For further information about the Anderson High School or the Janet Courtney Hostel please see the contact details below

Anderson High School Page 16

Lovers Loan Lerwick Shetland ZE1 0JH Telephone: 01595 808008 Website: www.anderson.shetland.sch.uk Email: ahs@shetland.gov.uk

Janet Courtney HostelHalls Of ResidenceLerwickShetlandZE1 0BATelephone: 01595692422

During the course of S3 and S4 pupils will also have the opportunity to work with Skills Based Scotland staff to discuss future career options and 16+ learning choices. Pupils will be able to attend any careers events planned at council level as well as inviting local employers to share advice and information in school.

The pupils will visit both the Shetland College and the Scalloway Marine College as they look towards their future options.

National organisations, such as Parenting Across Scotland, provide advice to parents on supporting their child’s transitions. The direct link to Parenting Across Scotland is:http://www.parentingacrossscotland.org/

Regarding transition into adult life, more information can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website.The direct link is:http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/transition_into_adult_life.asp

We recognise that children with additional support needs may need transition arrangements that are additional to those made for their peers. Information sharing and planning will take place in advance of each transition. Further details can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website.The direct link is:

http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/documents/TransitionAdmissionsandPlacingRequestsInformationForParents.pdf

Placing Requests

If you do not wish for your child to attend the catchment area school, you can place a request with Shetland Islands Council that your child attend another school. Details of how to make a placing request can be found in Shetland Islands Council, Children’s Services, Admissions Policy. The policy can be found at: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/consultation.asp

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Please make your Placing Request in writing to:

Director of Children’s ServicesChildren’s ServicesHayfield HouseHayfield LaneLerwick ZE1 0QD

To help you, the Scottish Government has published a guide for parents on choosing a school and the placing request system. It is available on the Scottish Government’s website.The direct link is:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/11/10093528/0

Enquire is the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. If your child requires additional support for learning and you wish to place a request to have your child schooled elsewhere, you may wish to look at leaflets that Enquire have produced; Factsheets 2, 3 and 6 have particular relevance. Please request these from your child’s school or refer to Enquire’s website.The direct link is:http://www.enquire.org.uk/publications/factsheets

In Shetland, we have two special Additional Support Needs departments (attached to Bell’s Brae School and Anderson High School). A request for a child to access a place in one of these special departments is at the discretion of Children’s Services. Further information can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website,

The direct link is:http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/documents/TransitionAdmissionsandPlacingRequestsInformationForParents.pdf. and in Shetland Islands Council’s Children’s Services Admissions Policy. The policy can be found at: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/consultation.asp

Support for Pupils

Most pupils will be given the support they need to fully access the curriculum in the general course of their education. There will be times when some pupils will need additional support. This could be on a long-term basis with the amount of support varying according to the needs of the pupil as progress is made through school or as a temporary support when a need arises.

Information on how pupils’ additional support needs are identified and addressed can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website. The website also provides information on mediation and dispute resolution services, links to the NHS and other agencies or organisations that can provide further support, information and advice about support and advocacy.

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The direct link is:http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/asn_home.asp

It is the duty of education authorities to give some extra help in school to all children and young people with additional support needs. Children and young people may need this help because they have a difficulty with reading or writing; they may be physically challenged; or they may have difficult family or other circumstances, which is a barrier to their progress. Sometimes children with particular gifts or talents may also receive learning support to ensure that they too are moving on from their prior levels of learning and understanding.

We have a number of Additional Support Needs staff who work with a number of children both in their classroom and outwith to provide some individual or small group tuition. We have effective links with a number of external agencies including Speech and Language Therapy, Psychological Services and Social Work and can call on them to provide additional support as necessary.

All pupils have the opportunity through the year to talk to their Class Teacher or Headteacher to discuss their learning and help them set appropriate goals for the next stage in learning.

Please talk to the Headteacher or Depute Head if you have any concerns regarding additional support for your child.

Other useful information and advice regarding additional support for learning can be found on Enquire’s website.

The direct link is: http://www.enquire.org.uk/

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)

In Shetland, we believe that children can be better supported by adults working closely together and sharing important information with each other. This process is known as GIRFEC: getting it right for every child.Before GIRFEC can be used, consent from the parent of the child and/or the child (depending on the age of the child) is required. The staff asking permission will explain more about what GIRFEC means. Detailed information about the process can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website.

The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/children_and_families/GIRFEC.asp

Child Protection

It is every child’s right to be cared for and protected from harm. It is every person’s responsibility to make sure that happens. The Shetland Child

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Protection Committee provides help when there is a need. Their website gives information on how to access that help.

The direct link is: http://www.childprotectionshetland.com

Given ongoing public concern on the subject of child abuse, and changes in the law, schools are now required to report if they think that any child is the victim of abuse or neglect.

Each school now has two named members of staff appointed to be responsible for Child Protection matters. In Mid Yell JHS these are Mark Lawson and Alexa Coutts. Should you wish to talk further about Child Protection and the safety of children please feel free to contact the school. As a school, we have good contacts with social workers and the police - any or all of whom may become involved if abuse is suspected.

Shetland Islands Council’s website also provides information on our responsibilities towards children and includes where to find help and support.

The direct link is:http://www.shetland.gov.uk/children_and_families/child_protection.asp

Online Protection

For information about online protection for your child, you may like to look at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre’s website.

The direct link is:http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk

School Improvement

The following were identified from our HMIe report in August 2011 as areas for development in the 2011-2013 sessions.

Ensure there is effective/ consistent planning procedures in place across the whole school

Ensure there is an appropriate amount of pace and challenge throughout pupils’ learning experiences

Ensure that there is progression in pupils’ learning and that each stage of learning builds upon earlier knowledge and achievements

Ensure that nursery pupils experience high quality learning opportunities outside on a regular basis

Ensure that Pupils present their work appropriately. Ensure that the principles of CfE are shared effectively with the school community and

impact positively on learning & teaching.

Ensure that the principles of CfE are shared effectively with the school community and Page 20

impact positively on learning & teaching. Ensure that all pupils’ achievements are recorded, monitored and shared appropriately,

using these achievements to lead future learning Ensure quality assurance procedures are organised, implemented and shared appropriately

in order to have a positive impact on learning & teaching

Wider achievements Pupils from the school are involved in so many activities both school based and extra curricular, that it is not possible to list them all, but below are some of the widely differing activities pupils took part in and gained a sense of achievement from.

In November 2011 we officially opened our new school. We invited councillors, former teachers, members of the local community and parents to join us. We buried a time capsule, had a concert and shared some delicious fancies which our pupils had made. This event signified the completion of many years of hard work and planning, involving many people and is a considerable achievement for all those involved.

Our secondary department organised a residential trip to London taking the vast majority of our S2-S4 pupils away for a week to see and experience what life is like in our capital city. We visited many landmarks, participated in several tours and got involved in a number of educational workshops. This was a great experience for our pupils and helped to bring them all together for the year ahead.

Two of our pupils attended the Crofting Connections event in Skye to represent our school and to share the work being undertaken in schools across Scotland in regards to our Crofting heritage. Once again this residential experience was hugely beneficial to those involved and helped broaden their horizons. These pupils had to participate in a concert along with the other children attending and report back on their experience to the whole school.

Following a suggestion from our Pupil Council we organised, prepared and ran a very successful Fashion Show event involving the whole school and members of the local community. This project saw our pupils working together across the various age groups, learning to sew and create some wonderful and varied items to display on the big night. From T-shirts designed by our nursery pupils to Fair Isle Dresses and Jewellery from our Secondary classes, our pupils

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achieved great things and presented them very successfully to a packed school hall.

Our School band ‘The Mirrie Dancers’ have continued to develop throughout the course of this year, welcoming a whole new group of musicians from across our island. They have played at many school and local community events and have worked very hard to support their younger members, with a keen eye on the future and

ensuring their ongoing success.

The school has participated in a wide range of differing sporting tournaments including:

Football, Netball, Rugby, Basketball and Badminton. Several of our pupils were selected to represent Shetland at competitions both on and off our Islands in Badminton, Football and Netball. We have regular training sessions in school and after school for various sports and staff give freely of their time to support these.

We have organised a Swimming Gala for both primary and secondary classes and promoted a wide range of other sporting activities through our Golden Time, secondary electives and

Health Week programmes, these include ‘Spinning’, ‘Let’s Dance’, Fitness Suite and many more.

Our primary pupils learned to play carpet bowls, with the support of the local association and held their own tournament in Mid Yell Leisure Centre. Our winning team then represented our school at the Shetland wide competition in Lerwick, performing brilliantly.

As a fundraising activity the staff of the school set a challenge to swim the equivalent distance to the coast line of Yell in the local swimming pool. They challenged the pupils to try and beat them to do it which lead to a doubling of the amount of swimming taking place in our local pool and the raising of nearly £2000 which will go towards the purchasing of a polytunnel for the school.

Our S1 & S2 classes completed a course in Basic First Aid, working hard together to develop their knowledge and skills in this area.

As part of our drive to developing Global Education we have had visitors from Kenya to see us and we had 2 former pupils who went to visit Kenya, reporting back to the school on their experiences. We had storytellers visit from Corsica and many of the pupils participated in video conversations with

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students in France. We participated in the shoe box appeal and raised the pupil’s awareness of the plight of some people in our world.

The whole school participated in very successful activities days. These were used as reward days for our Secondary department and offered our pupils a wide range of activities based in school and around the local area. we offered a selection of outdoor activities with the support of SIC outdoor education team. The activities were selected to offer a good mixture of sporting, social and academic choices, aiming to offer something for everyone. Several of the secondary pupils chose to support the primary pupils on their summer trip.

Some of our S2 pupils had an overnight trip on board the Swan, traditional sailing boat, during which they learned about navigation, knotting, cooking and many other skills. we also had several groups of pupils go out for sailing trips around the local area.

The school has had visits from travelling musicians, various dance and drama groups and the armed forces. Author Michelle Paver visited the school and participated in a book signing, this was a great event and really enhanced the work completed by our top primary class.

Pupils attended Youth Voice Shetland activities and meetings, participating in promoting the rights and

responsibilities of young people throughout Shetland.

The school participated in World Book day, a range of activities were on offer for all pupils. This was very much down to the hard work and creativity of our school librarian.

We also held an exhibition of pupils work in the gallery space of the Old Haa, Burravoe. This was very well attended by both local residents and visiting tourists and received a great deal of praise from those who attended. We also used the gallery space to present the work of our S4 pupils in their own exhibition, again this was very successful with both students receiving a great deal of praise and positive feedback from visitors.

Throughout the year a number of students from various Colleges and Universities have participated in the life of our school and been supported in their studies. From nursery to secondary 4 we have provided very successful placements for a variety of courses.

S4 pupils organised and ran the Christmas dance, they worked together to put a really good programme in place and they encouraged every child in the school to participate by having a range of games and dances to suit all ages and personalities.

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Once again we hosted the Senior Citizens Christmas dinner in the school which was very well attended. Pupils from every age and stage performed a variety of musical pieces to entertain the older members of the community. Secondary pupils then served the meal and helped clear up but most importantly they engaged with the visitors to the school and ensured that everyone left full of the Christmas spirit. We also displayed a gallery of photographs from the old schools in Yell which was very well received.

Our Eco-group have participated in a number of activities this year ranging from growing their own potatoes to shredding paper. They have raised the profile of environmental responsibility not only in our school but also in the wider community and have monitored the schools performance in a few environmental areas. They have now established recycling projects for plastic bottles, batteries and ink cartridges. Our school allotment area has been developed and our recycled Greenhouse put to good use, allowing us to produce a range of vegetables for use in the school kitchens and to enter into the Yell show.

Pupils from our school have continued to support the Garden area of our local Care Centre. They made a considerable difference to this garden and built up some very positive relationships along the way. Some of our older pupils were also involved in participating in a woodworking project alongside residents from the care home.

Pupils participated in a CITB Build a Bridge Competition, SIC rocket competition and the construction crafts college open day. Once again they were very successful in these, representing the school brilliantly and winning several national prizes.

Our Secondary pupils participated in the ASDAN award scheme with many of them involved in several enterprise and community projects which helped develop their skills in a number of areas.

A number of our top primary pupils completed and passed their cycling proficiency test, developing their skills and awareness to allow them to be safe road users. They were also involved in the young leader programme.

8. Next Year’s Priorities.

Ensure that there is progression in pupils learningEstablish systems to enable the moderation of pupils learning on a cluster basisContinue to develop quality assurance procedures in order to have a positive impact on L & TEnsure that self-evaluation practices are embedded in the life of the whole schoolDevelop our primary curriculum and systems to support all pupils in our multi- composite classes.

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Ensure that S3 curriculum is reflective of current design principals and of a Broad General EducationPrepare for the implementation of National 4 & National 5 coursesParticipate in the development of Subject Development GroupsContinue to raise the levels of expectation and challenge across the whole schoolThe school’s Standards and Qualities Report and latest Action Plan provide more information in this area. Copies can be obtained at school or downloaded from http://www.midyell.shetland.sch.uk

Information about the school’s performance at national level can be found on the Scottish Government’s website and on the Education Scotland’s Scottish Schools Online website which also includes HMIe Inspection Reports.

Direct links are:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Educationhttp://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scottishschoolsonline/index.asp

HMIe Inspection reports and School Consultation reports can be accessed directly on Education Scotland’s Reports webpage.The direct link is:http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/index.asp

Other useful websitesInformation on the following websites may also be of interest to you:

Scottish Qualifications Authorityhttp://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/41292.html

Scottish Credit and Qualifications Frameworkhttp://www.scqf.org.uk/Learners, Parents and Carers/

Scottish Survey of Literacy and NumeracyFor general information on the survey:http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/SSLN_lealet_tcm4-716257.pdfFor the results of the survey and supporting documents:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/SSLN

School Policies and Practical Information

Mid Yell Junior High School has a range of policies describing and directing our practices and procedures across the life of the school. A list of these and the policies themselves can be obtained from the school office or many of them are available on our school website.

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http://www.midyell.shetland.sch.uk

Policies applicable to all schools across Shetland can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website. The policies include:

healthy eating

bullying

exclusion

school trips

equality and diversity

adverse weather.

The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/policies_guidelines_and_forms.asp

After school clubs We have a range of after school clubs for children. At this time these include, badminton, football, netball and band practice. Others may be available as opportunities arise and information will be e-mailed to parents or sent home in bag drops as preferred.

Shetland Island Council’s website provides information on Instrument Instruction along with other creative learning opportunities.

The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/creative_learning.asp

Pupil Council We encourage pupils to be involved in decision making that effects their learning. All children are consulted over the course of the year. There is also a more formal mechanism for their views to be represented and that is through the Pupil Council. The Pupil Council is made up of two elected members from each class through the Primary and Secondary Departments. It is chaired by one of our S4 pupils, meetings take place twice per term and are attended by the Headteacher and Depute Head.

Food in School School lunch costs £2.00 per day for Primary pupils, this being paid on Friday of each week. If paying by cheque,

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this should be made payable to “S.I.C.” and endorsed with your cheque card number and expiry date on the back of the cheque.

Secondary pupils have access to a cash cafeteria where they pay for whatever items they buy at the time. This is to encourage independence and making healthy eating choices.

Information regarding free school meals is available from the Schools Service by telephoning 01595 744055.

Pupils taking packed lunches eat their lunches in the school-dining hall. Fresh fruit is provided Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each week to pupils in P1, 2 & 3. The Scottish Executive currently funds this.

Every Primary pupil is offered a glass of milk each morning interval for a nominal cost of 75p per week. Please note this is a weekly rate regardless of how many days milk is taken. Milk money will be collected at the beginning of each term.

Financial Help for Parents Grants are available for school meals and clothing. Guidance and an application form can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website. The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/hpc_clothing_grants_and_free_school_meals.asp Information on the provision and finance of transport can be found on Shetland Island Council’s website.

The direct link is: http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/hpc_school_transport.asp

The Education Maintenance Allowance is available for qualifying 16-19 year olds. Guidance and an application form can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website.

The direct link is:

http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/EMA.asp

School Transport Pupils under 8 years of age who live more than 2 miles from school, and those over 8 living more than 3 miles away, are entitled to free transport. The S.I.C also provides transport during the winter for pupils living more than one and a half miles from school. In addition, they are willing to consider special cases, usually involving ill health or particularly difficult circumstances.

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Separate transport for primary and secondary pupils, at different times, is not provided. An auxiliary supervises primary pupils while they wait for the school bus.The Authority does not guarantee to provide “door to door” transport. In certain instances children may be required to walk some distance as appropriate.

Term dates for 2012/13

Term 1 Mon 13 Aug to Fri 12 Oct 2012Closed for in-service: Mon 13 and Tue 14 Aug 2012Closed for in-service – secondary only: Wed 15 Aug 2012(Primary pupils resume Wed 15 Aug 2012)(Secondary pupils resume Thu 16 Aug 2012)

October Holidays: Mon 15 Oct to Fri 26 Oct 2012

Term 2 Mon 29 Oct to Fri 21 Dec 2012Closed for in-service: Mon 29 and Tue 30 Oct 2012(Pupils resume Wed 31 Oct 2012)

Christmas Holidays: Mon 24 Dec 2012 to Fri 4 Jan 2013

Term 3 Mon 7 Jan 2013 to Fri 29 Mar 2013Closed for in-service – secondary only: Mon 7 Jan 2013(Primary pupils resume Mon 7 Jan 2013)(Secondary pupils resume Tue 8 Jan 2013)Closed for occasional holidays: Fri 22, Mon 25 and Tues 26 Feb

2013

Easter holidays: Mon 1 Apr 2013 to Fri 12 Apr 2013

Term 4 Mon 15 Apr 2013 to Fri 28 June 2013Closed for in-service: Mon 15 Apr 2013(Pupils resume Tue 16 Apr 2013)Closed for occasional holidays: Fri 24 and Mon 27 May 2012.

Summer holidays: Mon 1 July to Fri 16 Aug 2013

Term dates for the following school year can be found on Shetland Islands Council’s website.

The direct link is:http://www.shetland.gov.uk/education/term_dates.asp

Calendar of EventsSeptemberTues 13th Nursery Parents’ EveningTues 18th Primary Parents’ EveningFri 21st S1 Settling In Reports to Parents

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OctoberTues 2nd S3/4 Parents EveningFri 12th Reward Afternoon for SecondaryFri 12th October Holiday Begins 3.35pmMon 29th In Service For StaffTues 30th In Service For StaffWed 31st Pupils Back To School

NovemberFri 16th S3 Reports to ParentsTues 20th S1/S2 Parents EveningWed 21st Nursery Parents EveningThurs 22nd Nursery Parents Evening

DecemberTues 11th Dec Senior Citizens’ Dinner Wed 12th Christmas ConcertFri 14th S4 Reports to ParentsFri 14th School DanceTues 18th Christmas EventFri 21st Carols at the KirkFri 21st Reward Afternoon for SecondaryFri 21st Close for Christmas Holidays at 3.35pm

JanuaryMon 7th Primary Pupils Back To SchoolMon 7th Secondary In Service DayThurs 24th Primary Parents’ Evening

FebruaryFri 1st Sec 2 Reports To ParentsMon 11th Prelims BeginTues 12th S2 Parents’ NightMon 18th S4 16+ Choices InterviewsThurs 21st S1 Reports to ParentsFri 22nd Occasional HolidayMon 25th Occasional HolidayTues 26th Occasional Holiday

MarchMon 4th S4 Careers Interviews with Pupil SupportFri 15th S4 Prelim Reports to ParentsTues 26th S4 Parents’ NightFri 29th Reward Afternoon for SecondaryFri 29th Close for Easter Holidays 3.35pm

AprilMon 15th In Service DayTues 16th Pupils Return To SchoolFri 26th SQA Exam – Computing Studies

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Mon 29th S4 Study Leave BeginsMon 29th SQA Exam – EnglishTues 30th SQA Exam - PE

MayWed 1st SQA Exam – ChemistryFri 3rd SQA Exam – MathsTues 7th SQA Exam – Music Int 1 & Int 2Wed 8th SQA Exam - AdminThurs 9th SQA Exam – Mod StudiesMon 13th SQA Exam – FrenchTues 14th SQA Exam – HistoryWed 15th SQA Exam – BiologyThurs 16th SQA Exam – Graph CommMon 20th SQA exam – Craft and DesignThurs 23rd SQA exam – Business ManagementThurs 23rd S3 Reports to ParentsFri 24th Occasional HolidayMon 27th Occasional HolidayMon 27th SQA Exam – PhysicsMon 27th S3 Work Experience Week

JuneMon 3rd June New Timetable beginsFri 7th Primary Reports to ParentsFri 7th Nursery Reports to parentsTues 11th New P1 Parents’ NightTues 11th County Primary Sports DayTues 18th Prim 7/Sec 1 Transition DayWed 19th Prim 7/Sec 1 Transition DayWed 19th Prim 7/Sec 1 Parents’ NightMon 24th Nursery GraduationMon 24th Primary GraduationTues 26th Open Evening and Prize GivingThurs 27th Activity DayFri 28th Reward afternoon for secondaryFri 28th School closes for Summer Break at 3.35

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