Welcome and Introduction
About Sanday School
The Staff
Curriculum Information:
Nursery
Primary
Secondary
S5 & S6 and Further Education
Personal and Social Education
Physical Education & Sport
Religious Education
Homework
Reports & Parents Nights
General Information:
Coming into Primary 1
What Children schould bring
Induction of new pupils
Registration & Attendance
School Rules
Discipline
Happy School Policy
Emergency Closures & Non-openings
School Trips
Transfer and Leaving
Consulting Teachers
Complaints
School Transport
Assemblies & Religious Observance
Pastoral Care & Guidance
Learning Support
School Meals Charges
School Shop
Book Club
Accidents
Medication
Fluoride Tablets
Health
Property & Lost Property
Schoolwear
Materials for Practical Subjects
Instrumental Lessons
ICT
Extra-Curricular Activities
School/Community Links
PTA
School Board
Tell Me More
SOEID Statistics
Appendices
Evaluation
School roll, examination results and running costs
Welcome to Sanday Community School
Sanday Community School is a Junior High School catering for pupils from 5 to 16 years (P1 to S4). It is also a Community Centre with excellent facilities that are used by pupils and all Sanday residents.
The "Community Spirit" of the school is one of our strengths, with a wide variety of activities and sources of support available from within the community. The Ethos of the school encourages hard work and a caring attitude to one-another, this has enabled pupils to achieve some of the best examination results in Scotland, and continues to encourage each individual to achieve his or her potential in terms of their Personal, Educational and Social Development. The age range gives older pupils the opportunity to take responsibility for the care of younger pupils and creates a supportive community feeling for new pupils. Small classes enable every child to be set a personal target. Traditional values involving a strong emphasis on reading, writing and mathematics (with daily spelling and mental arithmetic) blends with theme-related environmental, aesthetic and creative studies.
We are all proud of our school and this is reflected in the behaviour of pupils and in the security and cleanliness of the building. Parents are always welcome to come in and visit the school or, by arrangement, chat with staff about any concerns they may have. Formal communications are sent to parents at least termly, with reports, parents evenings, social events, School Board and PTA providing more opportunities for parents to be involved in the life of the school.
Throughout the year a range of extra-curricular activities are offered within both the school and the community. These are wide and varied and compare well with the range offered in very large schools. We are also proud of other achievements including an award-winning wildlife publication "Word of the Wild" and highly acclaimed musical and artistic productions. As a service to the community the school produces and distributes the "Sanday Sound" which is a monthly community newsletter.
I hope you find this handbook useful. It is not intended to be read and digested at once, but retained as a useful reference point which we will update in newsletters from time-to-time. I am sure that we will have overlooked something that you would like to know, if this is the case, or if there are any major omissions, please feel free to phone us.
I hope that your child is happy at Sanday Community School, I can assure you that the staff will do our best to ensure that this happens. I also hope that we can count on your support, this is invaluable in ensuring that your child gets the very best - which is what they deserve.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about your child's education.
Yours sincerely,
Jackie Story
Head Teacher
Address:
Sanday Community School, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2AYTelephone: 01857 600228 Fax: 01857 600228
email: sanday.school@zetnet.co.uk
Head Teacher: Jackie Story
Local Authority:
Orkney Islands Council, Kirkwall, OrkneyDirector of Education: Mr Leslie Manson
Note - Primary 1 pupils leave at 1.00 pm until the October break.
Pupils should arrive at school no more than 10 minutes before the start of the school day.
Primary Department
- Helen Newman Nursery Nurse
- Vacancy Nursery Auxiliary
- May Allan Infant
- Kristen Cromarty Middle Primary
- Myra Stockton Upper Primary
- Kaye Bain Classroom Assistant
- Win Redmonds Escort
Secondary Department
- Sue McArthur English & French
- Nicky Thompson History, Geography, PSD & Guidance
- Rosemary Newton Biology, Chemistry, Science & Maths
- Sylvia Thorne Art, IT
- David Kemp Technical Subjects
- Rita McLean Home Economics
- Seona Dunsmuir Music
- Alistair Waterston Religious Education
Learning Support
- Sandra Towrie Learning Support Teacher
- Claire Hardwick Special Needs Auxiliary
Other Staff
- Irene Brown School Secretary
- Gordon Bain Janitor
- Helen Newman Violin Instructor
- Netta Bain Cleaner
- Margaret Peace Cook
- Fiona Rae Catering Assistant
- Inga Masson Catering Assistant
- Jean MacLachlan Technician
- Vacancy Pool Attendant
John Redmonds School Board Chairman
Representatives of Associated Agencies Contact number
Nursery
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Sanday School has a Nursery class from which takes children from age three through the pre-school year. The nursery meets every morning. Further information is provided in a separate booklet for parents. The Sanday Playgroup meets in the Community Room on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Contact Linda Sinclair on 01857 600399 for further information. |
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The curriculum in P1 to S2 follows National Guidelines. There are six main areas of study - Language, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Religious & Moral Educationand Personal & Social Development. Individual teachers develop these areas of study through interesting topics. Parents are kept informed of current topics.
Regular assessments are carried out as and when pupils are ready for these and you will be told how your child is progressing in Maths and Language through five levels (A to E) which extend from P1 to S2. A Profile is built-up of pupils' development in RE and Environmental Studies.
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Primary pupils also have access to some of the secondary specialists, PE, Art, Music and occasionally the visiting Drama specialist. Teachers may consult with the other specialists such as Home Economics, IT, Language and Technical in planning their courses. This, and the opportunity for occasional teaching input from these specialists is a benefit of the Junior High School arrangement.
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Secondary 1 and 2 develops the five main areas of study from Primary into the subjects: English, French, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Craft, Design & Technology, Home Economics, Music, Art, PE, Religious Education, and Personal & Social Development. In addition we offer a course in Learning and Study skills and teach ICT through the medium of the production of a wildlife magazine "Word of the Wild". IT skills are taught through all subjects and all pupils leave Sanday School competent in the use of computers.
Pupils are assessed at levels A to E in English and Mathematics, but should normally be attaining towards level D/E/F.
In Secondary 3 pupils embark on a two year "Standard Grade" course. Standard Grades are national qualifications taken by all pupils in S3 and S4 in Scotland, they are assessed by an examination in May of S4 and the final grade awarded sometimes includes an element of internally assessed material. Pupils will study a maximum of 8 standard grades or modules (shorter internally assessed courses) which they can choose from a menu of options. The specialisms of resident staff are augmented at this stage by the availability of supported distance learning and video conference courses. Both Standard Grades and Modules can be used to gain entry to further education and work.
Full information is available in the document "S3 & S4 at Sanday Community School" which is available on request.
Sanday Community school is currently unable to offer a full curriculum beyond S4, pupils who wish to continue their studies have various options. They may transfer to Kirkwall Grammar School where they will board in the Papdale Halls of Residence during the week and return home at the weekends - here they can do Highers or Modular courses; they may transfer to the Orkney College (or another college); or they may take open learning courses or register with the Open College and use the school's facilities and resources by negotiation.
Full information and guidance on the latter option is available from Orkney Opportunities Centre on 01856 872460 or the Head Teacher at the school.
Personal and Social Education
The PSD (Personal and Social Development) programme helps to equip pupils with "lifeskills". Personal Development is concerned with pupils' self-awareness and self-esteem. Social Development is concerned with relationships and independence & inter-dependence. These issues are covered through a number of subjects in the curriculum, but particularly in weekly PSD lessons in the Secondary Department. Programmes of personal, social, health and careers education have been developed which are covered in such lessons.
The Careers service can be contacted on: 01856 872460
All pupils, primary and secondary, benefit from a wide variety of activities throughout the year. The community School facilities include a Swimming Pool, Gym Hall (with a full range of apparatus for gymnastics and indoor sports). Large playing fields and playgrounds provide facilities for netball, hockey, tennis and football. The 300m running track enables pupils to train in various athletic events for House competitions and the North Isles Sports. An annual Swimming Gala and Swimming and athletics award schemes are also in operation.
Religious Education
Throughout the school this subject presents a balanced and informative study of a number of world religions. It also looks at values issues such as morals and society. Parents who have doubts about their child participating in Religious Instruction should discuss this with the school Your wishes will be respected.
Homework is an important part of the learning process. It is also important that homework load should not prevent a pupil learning about appropriate use of leisure time including extra-curricular activities, hobbies, youth organisation, reading, home life and chores, visiting etc.
Pupils are expected to do homework to:
The type, quantity and regularity of homework will vary with the stage of the pupil and the course being followed. Secondary pupils receive a homework timetable to assist them and the teachers in spreading workload. They also receive a homework diary to assist with planning. They should have some homework every night.
As a guiding principle - whatever age your child is, if there has been no homework for a week it's time to ask questions.
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If you feel able to assist your child with their homework it will give your child a great deal of confidence and become a rewarding experience. In any case, your assistance in checking the schoolbag or diary and ensuring that the homework is done and returned would be greatly appreciated. Children also benefit from the provision of suitable conditions for homework - a table top in an area free from distractions. |
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Parents are issued with reports on their child(ren)s progress once a year, and progress reports are issued from time-to-time. We hope these reports are useful and user-friendly. If you have any comments on the format or content, or wish to discuss your child's progress between reports just contact us.
There are two parents evenings per year. Appointments will automatically be made for you to see all your children's teachers in one evening regardless of whether they are in Primary or Secondary classes. If the day does not suit please contact us to make an alternative arrangement. Parents evenings run over three consecutive evenings. If none suit we will make every effort to see you at another time.
If you can not attend at all we will try to send full written comments.
Coming into Primary 1
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During the summer term pre-school children will spend some time in school to meet their teacher and peers and become familiar with the classroom. Parents will be invited to meet staff informally and look around the school. Prior to this the Primary 1 Teacher and Classroom Assistant will have met the children around the school and in the Nursery class. Children are admitted to Primary 1 in August providing they reach the age of 5 by the end of February of the next year, alternatively parents may wait until the first entry date (August) after their child's fifth birthday. |
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All items should be labelled with the child's name.
Induction of New Pupils
We appreciate that we often expect new pupils to "just know" about the organisation, traditions and rules of the school, this can lead to insecurity in the first few weeks. We will endeavour to provide some induction 1:1 with a member of staff and provide a special (responsible) buddy for the child until they find their way around and make their own friends.
There are various forms that parents of new pupils should complete. Please make an appointment to come in and see Irene about these. Further information and guidance can be provided for new entrants to the Secondary department on request.
Registration and Attendance
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All pupils are registered in their first lesson. Parents are asked, if possible, to telephone the school if their child is expected to be absent. In any case, a note should be sent on the child's return to school detailing the reason for absence. Work can be sent home if this absence is expected to be extended. If absence is known in advance please notify the school. The school must approve absence during term time, whilst this is usually a formality, some absences such as shopping trips will not be sanctioned by the Authority (nor will they be of benefit to a child's education). Please submit absence requests in writing to the school marked for the attention of the Director of Education. Punctuality is expected, Pupils must report their presence to the school office if they arrive late. If pupils arrive after 11.00am they are marked as absent for the morning session. If pupils need to be temporarily excused lessons such as PE or swimming, please send a note to the school. |
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Pupils are expected to:
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Permanently out of bounds
Playing fields may be accessed by walking around the building. Children who cycle to school may only cross the car park CAREFULLY when leaving and collecting their bicycles.
Temporarily out of bounds
Although pupils know the standards expected of them and normally behave well, if things go wrong we will deal with the situation in a fair and consistent way.
We aim:
More serious breaches of the school rules require definite action. These include:
In such cases, some or all of the following steps may be taken:
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Serious misconduct will be recorded according to Local Authority Guidelines. Fortunately, indiscipline is rare. We endeavour to ensure that children are happy and busy, provided with activities which are relevant, stimulating and challenging, thus minimising the opportunity for misbehaviour and disruption. |
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We have recently adopted our new Happy School Policy which has been shared with pupils and parents. The policy aims to ensure that children are happy and secure in school by giving pupils and staff strategies for dealing with any unwelcome behaviour of other children. The policy advocates a no-blame approach and uses "circle-time" discussion to work through issues worrying children. The policy is available on request. |
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Emergency Closures and Non-openings
In severe weather, power cuts or other circumstances the school may not open. In this event Radio Orkney (Radio Scotland) will announce the closure at 7.30am. If you are in any doubt you can get information by telephoning the School on 600228 or 600404.
If the weather changes during the day a decision will be made, in consultation with the Education Department, as to whether to close the school. You will be asked to complete a form on severe weather arrangements at the start of each winter. In the event of a closure all the buses will be summoned at once and the school bus will be used to take children home or to the location requested on the form. Meanwhile parents will be contacted to collect children from road ends and ensure someone is home. Local parents may have to collect their children if possible.
School Trips
We believe that excursions, both local and further afield are a valuable aspect of your child's education. A wide ranging programme of sporting, curricular, cultural and social trips is organised each year involving children of all ages. Often these trips involve meeting children from other schools and areas. Local Authority guidelines are always adhered to.
You will be asked to complete a consent form for local trips at the start of each school year. Trips outwith Sanday involve separate consent on each occasion and you informed by letter in the event.
Supervision: For local trips 1 member of staff to 10 children, in practice we usually have two adults or more. For trips outwith Sanday, again, 1 member of staff to 10 pupils, again we usually have at least two adults.
Overnight Stays: Trips to mainland Orkney will often involve an overnight stay. Accommodation and meals are usually provided free of charge in Papdale Halls. Children may have to provide towels and sleeping bag.
Dress and Discipline: Children represent their school and their community on excursions, children are expected to dress smartly and behave well. Where there is the slightest doubt over a pupil's ability to meet these standards they will be unable to participate. School rules apply on school trips.
Costs: Generally the school fund subsidises trips. Pupils may be asked for a small contribution.
S2 pupils may transfer to Kirkwall Grammar School if they wish. Alternatively, pupils can stay at Sanday for S3 and S4 and transfer to KGS or college afterwards. All Secondary pupils, including those who transfer, begin their new level or course in June.
Further information for pupils in S2 and S4 is available on request.
For school leavers, if the 16th birthday falls between March 1st and September 30th a pupil may leave school on the last school day in May. If the 16th birthday falls between October 1st and the last day of February, the pupil may leave at the Christmas holidays.
Consulting Teachers
Parents are welcome to consult with teachers between formal parents evenings. Appointments can be made by telephoning the school office. You are requested to make appointments as teachers will normally be teaching and cannot deal with impromptu visits.
The Head Teacher also has a teaching commitment, but would be pleased to see parents by appointment during school hours. Between 3.30pm and 4.30pm would be a good time to come in if you want an informal chat with the Head Teacher.
For security reasons please report your presence in the school to the school office on arrival.
Complaints
Complaints regarding any matter should be made directly to the Head Teacher. If you are not satisfied that your complaint has been resolved you may contact the Director of Education on 01856 873535. A statement of our comp[laints procedure is available on request.
School Transport
All aspects of the school transport system, including entitlement to transport, are the direct responsibility of the local authority. Any queries or special requests should be directed to:
Roger Robson, Principal Administration Officer, Education Department Orkney Islands Council, Kirkwall Tel 01856 873535.Summer: All pupils under the age of eight who live more than two miles from the school or the nearest pick-up point for transport are eligible for school transport. Pupils aged eight and over who live more than three miles from the school or the nearest pick-up point also qualify for school transport.
Winter: Between October and Easter all children who live more than 1.5 miles from the school or the nearest pick-up point or more than 0.5 miles up a side road from the pick-up point are transported to school.
The school bus contractor is John Allan Tel: 01857 600202. He will, upon enquiry, specify the pickup point and time.
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Bicycles: Bicycles must be roadworthy and have working brakes. Children ARE STRONGLY ADVISED to wear cycle helmets. Bicycles can be stored at the school and will be checked for safety by the comunity police officer from time-to-time. Children can take Cycling Proficiency Training which is provided annually. |
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Pastoral care involves caring for pupils as individual children and meeting their needs as fully as possible. They will become well-known to at least one member of staff and their progress and development will be monitored with interest. This person will be the normal link with home.
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Because of the character of this island community and the closeness of staff and pupils there is not a complex Guidance structure such as would be found in a large Secondary school. Primary pupils' needs will be met by their class teacher (for at least two successive years), Secondary pupils have a close relationship with a number of teachers, any of whom they may chose to confide in or seek support from. The PSD teacher keeps records and is probably the nearest to a "guidance teacher", and the Head Teacher takes an active interest in the academic progress of secondary pupils across their subjects. |
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The Learning Support Teacher works in both Primary and Secondary departments. She supports classroom teachers by working with all pupils in a class, and may extract small groups or individuals to do individual tasks and programmes. Children with special educational needs are monitored and programmes are designed to meet their needs. The Learning Support teacher also works in a consultative capacity with class teachers, may work with very able pupils to further stretch them to reach their potential. She is also trained and experienced in dealing with pupils' behavioural difficulties.
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If your child is experiencing any difficulties at school please contact either the class teacher or the Learning Support Teacher. Steps will be taken to identify and solve the problem. These may involve, subject to your agreement, working with outside agencies such as Psychological services. You can contact The Principal Psychologist at the Child Guidance Service, Education Department, Orkney Islands Council, Kirkwall Tel: 01856 873535 |
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Most pupils take a school lunch. Pupils sit in mixed groups with older pupils serving younger pupils. There is always a choice and lunches are tasty and healthy. Pupils bringing packed lunches join those taking school lunches. |
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We operate a stationery shop from the School Office.
Current charges are:
large ruler 40p rubber 25p pencil sharpener 35p homework diary 40p calculator £3.00 |
ring binder on request scientific calculator £7.00 pencil/pen 15p fibre-tip pen 25p | |
The school operates a Book Club savings scheme. Pupils may bring in small amounts of change and give this to their teacher. The Child's own account will be credited and a card stamped with the amount. Twice a year we hold a Book Fair where we receive a large number of books which are displayed and available for purchase. Most pupils save for the Book fair using the savings scheme. The Book Fair also has the benefit of generating a high percentage commission in books for the school.
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Accidents Any accident or suspected injury will be reported to the Local Doctor or Nurse and parents informed as soon as possible. Minor cuts and bruises will be attended to by the School Secretary or a member of staff who is first-aid trained. Medication No Medication can be given in school without written parental consent. Where a child must have medication administered during the school day, parents should give precise instructions with the medication to the Head Teacher. The medication must be clearly marked with the child's name. Children are not permitted to carry or administer any form of medication themselves (our concern here would be that other children may gain access to it). |
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Fluoride tablets are an effective method of strengthening the enamel of the teeth to make them more resistant to decay. Orkney Schools operate a scheme whereby a fluoride tablet is given to primary children every day during the school term. These tablets should not be regarded as an alternative to good dental hygiene. Parents wanting their children to receive fluoride tablets should obtain a consent form from the school .
Any enquiries can be made to:
Chief Administrative Dental Officer Health Centre New Scapa Road KirkwallThe Schools' medical service provides full medical examinations for new entrants to the school each year. Hearing and vision tests are given to older pupils, as are vaccinations. Parents will be notified in advance of these examinations.
There are no longer routine checks for Headlice unless an outbreak is suspected. It is important that you inform the school if your child has any infectious disease eg. Headlice, Ringworm, Scabies and Veruccas. These should not necessitate exclusion from school once treated.
The Schools Doctor can be contacted on 01856 885400.
Property and Lost Property
All items of clothing or belongings brought into school should be named.
The school can not accept responsibility for money or valuable items lost by pupils unless they have been given to a member of staff for safe keeping. Pupils should not normally be bringing large sums of money or valuable items to school
Any losses should be reported immediately to a member of staff.
Lost property will normally be displayed on a noticeboard until a parents' evening. Unclaimed property will be disposed of at the end of the session.
Certain items are not normally allowed in school, these include cyber pets (and real pets), computer games, personal Hi-Fis, chewing gum and aerosol sprays. For safety and security reasons, please keep jewellery to a minimum.
No particular uniform is prescribed for everyday wear, our only request is that pupils bring warm, outdoor clothing and that long hair is tied back. For Art they will need an overall or old shirt to keep in school. Team kits are provided by the school for team competitions and events outwith Sanday.
Aprons should be brought for Home Economics (don't buy one specially, they may be made in HE early in the First year).
Swimming costumes, towels and goggles will be required for the swimming block in PE.
Shell suits MUST NOT be worn for any practical subjects. These garments present significant risk of serious burns where there is exposure to fire.
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Materials for Practical Subjects A small contribution for materials or ingredients may be required from time to time for Home Economics, Art and Craft & Design. If this is likely to cause financial difficulties please inform the school - we have a "contingency fund" to ensure that no child will be penalised or embarrassed. |
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Instrumental Lessons
Violin instruction is available and may be provided individually or in small groups at the discretion of the Instructor. In recent years demand has exceeded availability and parents should be aware that children who clearly do not enjoy or make sufficient effort on their instrument may not be allowed to continue. There is likely to be a waiting list. There is no charge or aptitude testing for this service, however parents will be asked to provide an instrument if the child wishes to continue after the first few lessons.
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The community Fiddle Club brings together private and school pupils in performance and practice each Saturday. For information contact Helen Newman the Instructor. In recent years both pupils and Fiddle club have won high accolade in the productions and events in which they have participated. The school is proud of its tradition of a high level of musical ability. |
Sanday School is extremely well equipped with up-to-date computer technology, with a suite of Macintosh computers in the secondary department, computers in the library, learning support, all primary classrooms, technical subjects, secondary classrooms and additional mobile units. From Nursery upwards, pupils become competent in the use of Mac and PC computers as learning aids. Our internet address is sanday.school@zetnet.co.uk.
The school also benefits from being a community outreach centre which provides a PC computer, fax and video conferencing facilities, which are used by pupils, staff and community for a large variety of meetings, business matters and courses.
Extra Curricular Activities
Throughout the year a range of activities is offered to pupils in half-term blocks. In recent years these have included young naturalists, kite making, sewing, various sports, chess, first aid, cookery, traditional and highland dancing, drawing, model making, board games, role-play, photography....
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In addition there are training sessions in netball, tennis, football and athletics. Various swimming groups cater for all children. Other activities available include Guides, Brownies, Boys' Brigade, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, junior football club volleyball and horse riding. |
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School-Community Links
Sanday has had a "Community School" since 1991. During the day the school has access to the Library and to the changing rooms and showers. In addition the school may book and use the Community room and Swimming pool. Community users may book the school hall during the day if it is not in use. After 5pm the Hall, one classroom, pool and associated areas come under the jurisdiction of the Community Association who book facilities out to community user groups. The bookings secretary is Irene Brown who can be comtacted at the school.
The Library is a facility for use by everyone on the island. The school provides a large number of children's books and the adults books are gifted from a number of sources.
Sanday Community School Parent Teachers Association (the PTA)
What does the PTA do?
It is a partership between parents and teachers to support all in the school community. All parents and teachers are members of the PTA.
What does the PTA do?
The Committee
You can help by
Membership of the School Board offers parents and the wider community an opportunity to take more active interest in the running of the school and in education issues generally. The board contributes to the work of the school in a number of ways:
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You may wish to approach the school board with any issues you would like to be considered. Membership of the Sanday School Board is as follows:
Further information and publications on any of the foregoing sections are available on request, as are full copies of policies concerned with the management of the school and curriculum. Simply telephone the school and state the topic you are interested in.
SOEID Statistics
Click here for the details of this school's examination results, attendance figures, running costs and leaver destinations.
Contact the School
Click here to email requests for further information, comments on this handbook, etc. The school's phone and fax numbers, and address are given in About Sanday School, and we would be happy to speak to you or arrange an appointment.
Appendices
Click to see:
Evaluation
Whilst we are making every effort to keep parents fully informed, we would appreciate if you would draw to our attention any omissions you may have noted or observations you would like to make on this prospectus.
__________________________________________________________________
Your name (optional):_________________________________________
Is your child in Primary Secondary
Please return completed evaluation to Jackie Story, Head Teacher, Sanday Community School.
