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Contents
Page 2
Introduction by Head Teacher
Page 3
School Values and Aims
Page 4
North Ayrshire Council Educational Services Statement
Page 5
Catholic Ethos
Page 6
School Ethos
Page 7 - 18
School Information
 School Building and Population
 Teaching, Administration & Support Staff
 School Partners
 The School Day & Structure of Classes
 School Dress Code
 Attendance/Absence
 Behaviour & Discipline
 School Meals
 Registration and Enrolment
 Transfer to Secondary School
 Home/Community links
 Medical and Health Care
Pages 18 - 22 Curriculum for Excellence
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Pages 23
Parental Involvement
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Pages 24-26
Pages 26-30
Curriculum Areas
Extra Curricular Activities
Developing Pupil Leadership
Homework
Personal Learning Plans
Parent Forum & Parent Council
Support for Pupils
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Additional Support for Learning
Equalities
Child protection
Page 30
Improvement and Targets
Page 30-32
Other useful information
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Dear Parents/Carers,
On behalf of the whole school community of St. Winning’s Primary, I would like to extend a
warm welcome to you and your child.
We are extremely proud of St. Winning’s and the achievements of our whole school
community. The staff, pupils and parents have worked in partnership to create a positive,
stimulating teaching and learning environment where we strive to meet the intellectual,
spiritual, physical, emotional and creative needs of every child in our care.
Beginning, or changing, primary school is an exciting and important occasion in a child’s
life and we at St. Winning’s will do our utmost to ensure that it is a happy, welcoming and
worry free time for both parents and children.
The information in this handbook is intended to give an insight into the life of the school to
all parents and new pupils. However if you have any further questions or concerns,
please do not hesitate to contact me. We hope that you and your child will soon feel at
home in our school community.
As a Catholic school, our Christian faith permeates all aspects of school life where
everyone is treated with equality, fairness, love and respect. We are committed to, and
look forward to, working with you, the parents/carers, to help our children become,
confident individuals, responsible citizens, effective contributors, and successful learners.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Claire Milson
Head Teacher
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Educational Aims of St. Winning’s Primary School
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To make St Winning’s Primary School a caring, friendly place, built on mutual respect
and trust, where pupils, staff, parents and visitors feel welcome, safe and valued.

To encourage a high standard of achievement within learning and teaching by
providing an active, well balanced, challenging, differentiated and suitable resourced
curriculum aimed to meet the needs of all learners.
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To enhance spiritual development by providing good Catholic education based on the
gospel values.
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To promote partnership with parents, parish and wider community by maintaining good
lines of communication and opportunities for active involvement in the life of the school.

To guide, support, and motivate all children’s personal and social development through
encouragement of participation in all aspects of school life thus enabling them to
develop into successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and
effective contributors.

To develop core skills through our school’s values of Respect, Honesty, Responsibility,
Fairness, Kindness and Perseverance.

To build a strong, effective team who are encouraged to develop their professionalism,
utilise their strengths and share their expertise for the benefit of the whole school.
Our School Values
Respect
Honesty
Responsibility
Fairness
Kindness
Perseverance
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WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES STATEMENT
OUR OVERALL AIM
To work in a sustainable way with our partners to build a better North Ayrshire in which
all citizens can participate, learn and contribute to the community.
OUR VALUE
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Excellence
Openness
Respect
Inclusion
Equity
OUR PRIORITIES
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Increasing Education attainment and achievement
Developing confident individuals, responsible citizens, effective contributors and
successful learners
Increasing the number of young people moving to positive post-school destinations
Promoting better health and more physical activity
Reducing disadvantage and promoting equality
Empowering community through participation in cultural and lifelong learning
Supporting the professional development of staff
Providing high quality facilities and making best use of resources.
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CATHOLIC ETHOS – RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
In the Catholic community of St Winning's we aim to assist our pupils in the formation and
development of a personal faith. Our Christian faith is the underlying factor in the ethos of
school life determining the attitudes, values and the relationships within the school.
Religious education is not just another area of the curriculum but permeates our daily lives.
Our RE programme follows the guidance of the document “This is Our Faith,” which
presents the traditions and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church in a challenging and
meaningful way, encouraging our children to live out their faith.
The school works closely with parents and the parish sacramental team for the preparation
of P.3 & P.4 pupils receiving the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and with P.4 pupils to
prepare them for Confirmation and First Eucharist. Throughout the school year Father
Magee, our chaplain is a frequent and welcome visitor to the school. Class and school
visits are made to St. Winning’s Church throughout the year.
We foster an active prayer life in pupils both individually and in groups. We celebrate our
faith with class; departmental and whole school assemblies as well as Advent, Lenten and
penitential services. Class Masses and the celebration of Mass either in St. Winning’s
Church or in school on feast days and special occasions are notable parts of our religious
observance programme and parents are most welcome to participate.
Our faith
influences every part of school life and we encourage our whole school community to
uphold these Christian values.
It should be noted that parents have the right to withdraw their children from
Religious Education and the Head Teacher would meet with them to discuss
the practical considerations. Parents from other religious communities may
request that their children be permitted to be absent from school in order to
celebrate recognised religious events. Only written requests detailing the
proposed arrangements will be considered. Appropriate requests will be
granted on not more than three occasions in any one-school session and the
pupil noted as an authorised absentee in the register.
The Education for Love Programme is used to foster positive friendships and relationships.
The School Nurse and class teacher work together to deliver the programme. Each year
P7 and P6 parents are invited to meet with the school nurse to hear about and discuss the
content relating to puberty.
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SCHOOL ETHOS
St Winning’s is an Eco school with two green flags and are working towards achieving third
flag status. We endorse recycle, reduce, re - use. Our active Eco Committee meets twice
a term and includes children from P1 – P7.
We have achieved an International Award at I intermediate level and are now a Global
school. We have close links with Kantara orphanage in Kenya and regularly email and
communicate with the children. We achieved the top place in Numeracy Across Learning
in the Scottish Education Awards
We have a close partnership with Kilwinning Sports Club. They regularly visit and support
our school and we attend and participate in many events there.
St Winning’s has a pupil Council which consists of 2 elected Councillors from each stage.
The Pupil Council meets on a regular basis to discuss variety of issues regarding school
life. The Pupil Council lead discussions and pupils vote on aspects of the school’s positive
behaviour strategies which they then reported back to the whole school.
St Winning’s Primary regards itself as part of the community in which it is situated. Pupils
are encouraged to take care of their environment and to be aware of the needs of others
around them. Fund raising for local charities and national charities, Mary’s Meals and
Cancer Research and Vision Africa during Lent, Advent and at Harvest time is well
supported.
Participation in local community events and competitions is well established: Painting
Competitions, Literacy Competitions, Day of Dance, Library visits and Football Competition
and the European Quiz.
Several people from our local community come into school as part of our Social Studies
programmes; community police, fire brigade officers, road safety officers, the crossing
patroller, community wardens and the recycle officer. Pupils also go out into the
community; visit the library, sports facilities (swimming, football etc) and Eglington Park.
Senior Pupils participate in the Safety Awareness Programme. The Community Police
constable and our school nurse, Nurse Hodge and the Community Learning and
Development team contribute to our health programme.
St Winning’s School is an extension of St Winning’s Parish. We have good links with the
Parish and during May and October members from the parish lead the lunchtime Rosary
Group in school.
School Lets
Application for use of the school facilities can be made to North Ayrshire Council
Community Facilities, 4th Floor Cunninghame House, IRVINE, KA12 8EE, telephone
number 0845 230 1325.
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SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name:
St. Winning’s Primary School
Address:
St. Winning’s Road
Kilwinning
KA13 6JX
Telephone/Fax:
Email Address:
01294 552795
stwinnings@glow.sch.uk
Denominational Status:
Roman Catholic
Present Roll:
96
Capacity:
231
Parents should note that the working capacity of
the school may vary dependent upon the
numbers of pupils at each stage and the way in
which classes are organised
Stages Covered:
Primary 1 to Primary 7
School Lets:
Evening community facilities are available in the
event of the local community centre being
unavailable. Application for use of school facilities
can be made to the Community Facilities &
Resources Team, the address of which is at the
back of this handbook
Associated Secondary School:
St. Matthew’s Academy
Jack’s Road
SALTCOATS
KA21 5NT
Head Teacher:
Mrs C Milson
Principal Teacher:
Mrs V McLaughlin
Class Teachers:
Mrs V McLaughlin
Mrs C Munn
Ms C Findlay
Mrs C Hyndman
Ms J Mc Ivor
Pupil Support:
Mrs K Montgomery
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Music Specialists:
Ms MacIntosh
recorder
Mrs A Montgomery wind instruments
School Nurse:
Mrs C Hodge
School Psychologist:
Mrs X Wyllie
Home School Link:
Mrs A Wall
Active Schools:
Mrs L McLaughlin
Speech and Language Therapist:
Mrs A Thompson
Support Staff:
Mrs. A McGoogan
Mrs L Adamson
Ms C Smith
Mrs P Kennedy
Mrs A Bain
Senior Clerical Assistant
Clerical Assistant
Clerical Assistant
Classroom Assistant
Classroom Assistant
Mr H Parrott
Janitor
Mrs S O’Neill
Catering Manager
Fr. Gerry Magee
St Winning’s R.C Church
School Chaplain:
SCHOOL DAY
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Breakfast Club:
School opens:
Interval:
Lunch:
School closes:
8.00am
9.00am
10.45am – 11.00am
12.30pm – 1.15pm
3.00pm
The following procedures are in place in St. Winning’s:
 Once the children are in school in the morning, the doors are secured so that they can
only be opened from inside the building
 Everyone working in or around the building wears a badge. This includes staff,
workmen, visitors and parent helpers
 The main door remains locked at all times
 All visitors to the school are visible through the CCTV installation and are required to
ring the doorbell in order to gain access to the school. All visitors should report to the
main office and register their presence and departure in the appropriate visitor’s book.
CLASS STRUCTURE
Primary schools educate pupils at seven broad year stages, Primary 1 to Primary 7. A
year stage is defined as a group of pupils entering primary education at a common date.
Schools are staffed based on the total number of pupils. However, the numbers of pupils
each year stage will vary. This means that head teachers are required to organise classes
to make best use of available staff, resources and space to the benefit of all children in the
school.
Pupils may, therefore, be taught in a single stage class or a composite class where two or
more year stages are grouped together. This may also change as pupils move from one
year to the next.
National guidelines on the curriculum indicate that pupils should progress through learning
experiences tailored to their own needs and abilities. This means that pupils in all classes
follow programmes designed to help them progress at their own level. This applies to all
pupils regardless of whether or not they are in a composite or single year stage class.
The current national agreement on class sizes states that the maximum number of pupils
in a class is 25 in P1, 30 in P2, P3 and 33 in P4 – P7. In a composite class, the maximum
number is 25.
Further information may be obtained in “Composite Classes - A Guide for Parents”
available in school.
Normally such classes will be formed before that start of the new school year so that all
involved know that class structures exist for the new school session. In certain
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circumstances class restructuring may have to take place during the summer break or
after a school session has started. However such cases will be very exceptional. Parents
will be informed at the earliest opportunity of likely re-classification of classes to allow
appropriate discussions to take place. Further information is available at the school.
SCHOOL DRESS
It is the policy of North Ayrshire Council to support the introduction of a reasonable and
flexible dress code in each school in its area. The Council encourages each school to
adopt its own code, after discussions with parents, pupils and the School Parent Council.
The Council believes that establishing a school dress code has many benefits. These
include improvements in safety, security, discipline, and community spirit and a decrease
in bullying and in expense for parents.
The Council will support schools in encouraging and helping pupils to conform to the
chosen dress code. Some types of clothing will not be allowed at school in any
circumstances, for reasons of safety, decency or discipline.
Types of clothing which will not be allowed include:
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Clothes which are a health or safety risk (e.g. dangling earrings or jewellery during P.E.)
Clothes which may damage the school building
Clothes which may provoke other pupils (e.g. football colours)
Clothes which are offensive or indecent (e.g. anti-religious symbolism or political
slogans)
 Clothes which encourage the use of alcohol or tobacco
The Council will support schools taking disciplinary procedures against pupils in serious or
persistent cases.
It is appreciated that parents and pupils are distressed over the occasional loss of pupils'
clothing and/or personal belongings. Parents are asked to assist in this area by ensuring
that valuable items of clothing or personal belongings are not brought to school. Parents
should note that the authority does not carry insurance to cover the loss of such items.
In St. Winning’s the pupils are actively encouraged to wear school uniform at all times and
indeed almost all our pupils do so.
The following uniform has been adopted by St. Winning’s Primary School:
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Black/grey trousers or skirts
Gold polo shirt
White school shirt and school tie
Green sweatshirt/jumper/cardigan with the school logo
Black sandshoes for indoor use
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T shirt, shorts and gym shoes/trainers for P.E
Forms to order school sweatshirts, polo shirts and jackets are available from the school
office. School ties can be bought from the school.
Please make sure all items of clothing are clearly marked with your child’s name.
FOOTWEAR & CLOTHING GRANTS
Parents in receipt of:
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Job Seeker’s Allowance
Income Support
Family Tax Credit
Housing Benefit or Council Tax Rebate
will normally be entitled to receive a grant for footwear and clothing costs.
All applications should be made directly to:
Education & Skills on 0845 603 0596
More information can be found on North Ayrshire Council’s website at:
www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk
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ATTENDANCE/ ABSENCE
It is the responsibility of parents of children of school age to educate their child/ children.
Most do this by ensuring that their child/ children attend(s) school regularly.
Attendance is recorded twice a day, morning and afternoon. Absence from school is
recorded as authorised, unauthorised or temporarily excluded.
It is important that schools are able to account for all pupils on a daily basis. For this
reason parents are asked to inform the school by telephone before 9.30am on the first
day of absence. If no contact has been made by that time, the school will contact parents
to confirm that pupils are indeed absent and safe. This may involve phoning home, work or
other emergency numbers.
Parents are asked to inform the school by letter or telephone, if their child is likely to be
absent for some time, and to give the child a note on his or her return to school, confirming
the reason for absence.
If there is no explanation from a child’s parents, the absence will be regarded as
unauthorised.
Every effort should be made to avoid family holidays during term time as this both disrupts
the child's education and reduces learning time. Parents should inform the school by
letter, before going on holiday, of the dates. Such absence will be authorised only where
certain and very specific family circumstances exist. The majority of family holidays taken
during term time will be categorised as unauthorised absence.
Parents may request that their children be permitted to be absent from school to make an
extended visit to relatives. Only written requests detailing the destination, the duration and
the provision that will be made for their continuing education will be granted. Such
extended absences will be recorded separately from the normal attendance information.
We have procedures for keeping a track on absentees. If a child is absent for more than a
day and the school has not received any notification as to why the child is absent, the
attendance officer may be sent to the child’s home. A series of letters will be sent to the
parent/carer and if there is still an issue, the parents could be summoned to attend a panel
meeting. The school attendance officer investigates unexplained absence, and the
authority has the power to write to, interview, prosecute parents and refer pupils to the
Reporter at the Children’s Panel, if necessary.
TIME KEEPING
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Please encourage your child to arrive in school on time and before the bell. As with
attendance, we monitor late coming closely and contact parents when a level becomes a
concern.
SCHOOL DISIPLINE
In St. Winning’s our Behaviour Management Policy is based on promoting positive
behaviour. We believe it is essential that each child develops self-confidence and selfesteem.
The relationship between pupils and teachers requires mutual consideration and trust. In
any school there must be an atmosphere that is conducive to learning.
In this school we have based our school rules on our core values:
Respect, Honest, Responsibility, Fairness, Kindness and Perseverance
BULLYING
In St Winning’s we have zero tolerance to bullying. We do not accept it at all.
We have developed very good relationships with the children who find that all our staff are
very approachable. We encourage them to speak to the Head Teacher, their class teacher
or any other adult in the school about problems they are having in school or on the way to
and from school. These problems are dealt with immediately.
We try to instil confidence in the children so that they can have control over their own lives.
Issues such as bullying are addressed through our P.S.D. curriculum and at assemblies.
The children are made aware of the importance of telling the truth and time is always spent
listening to both sides of a story.
Our School Discipline policy is available from the school office should you require any
further information.
SCHOOL MEALS
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School meals are cooked at Kilwinning Academy and delivered to the school. They are of
a very high standard. The school operates a cash cafeteria system and children may
select a hot, traditional which costs £1.90. Please note the range of hot and cold food on
offer has been specially chosen to ensure a healthy, balanced meal is provided each day.
Menus are regularly reviewed and revised and copies given to parents.
Children who require a special diet on medical grounds will of course be catered for. The
Head Teacher should be contacted if such a facility is necessary. We also provide a free
‘help- yourself’ salad bar.
Each child is responsible for his/her own lunch money and parents are asked to place any
money in a purse or envelope and stress to their child the need to look after cash carefully.
Tickets for free school meals will be given directly to catering staff each day. .
Children of parents who receive job seeker’s allowance or income support are entitled to a
free midday meal and a carton of milk at morning break.
To apply or to find out more information for FREE school meals contact Education
& Skills on 0845 603 0596.
PACKED LUNCHES
Pupils who bring a packed lunch from home also eat in the Dining Hall and have access to
the water provided for pupils having lunch. Parents are encouraged to support our Health
Promoting School policy by striving to provide children with healthy contents for their
child’s lunch box
Meals times are supervised by an assistant or a clerical assistant and the Head Teacher
If a pupil forgets their dinner money or packed lunch, there is a system in school whereby
the money can be borrowed from the secretary and paid back the following day.
REGISTRATION & ENROLMENT
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Parents should note that Birth Certificates should be brought to the school on
Enrolment Day.
The date for registration of school beginners is advertised in the local press and is
normally in January each year. Pupils will be registered in the school for their catchment
area and parents provided with information about the school and procedures for making
placing requests, if required.
Arrangements for meetings with parents and induction days for pupils
will be notified during the spring or summer terms.
Parents of pupils who have moved to the area or who wish their child
to transfer to the school should contact the school office for
information about appropriate procedure and to arrange a visit to the
school.
During the summer term prospective pupils are invited into the school to meet their
Primary 1 teacher and familiarise themselves with their surroundings. Meetings with
parents are also organised during this term so that they will become informed partners in
their child’s education.
We will of course be delighted to discuss placing requests to the school during the
session. Parents are requested to call at the school and discuss placements. All the staff
will make you very welcome.
TRANSFER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL
Pupils are normally transferred between the ages of eleven and a half and twelve and a
half so that they will have the opportunity to complete at least 4 years of secondary
education. Parents will be informed of the arrangements no later than December of the
year proceeding the date of transfer at the start of the new session.
Children are transferred to St. Matthew’s Academy and Kilwinning Academy
The addresses are as follows:St. Matthew’s Academy
Jack’s Road
Saltcoats
KA21 5NT
Tel: - 01294 606680
Kilwinning Academy
Dalry Road
Kilwinning
KA13 7HD
Tel: 01294 551316
Head Teacher: Mr Stephen Coligan
Head Teacher: Mr Tim Swan
HOME & SCHOOL LINKS
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Children feel secure in school when the relationship between parents and teachers is a
positive one. The value of your co-operation cannot be stressed enough. You remain your
child’s most important teacher throughout his/her life. Your attitude towards school and
teachers will shape how he/she thinks of school. Parents are invited to school at least
twice each year to meet class teachers and discuss fully the strengths and developments
needs of their child/ children.
St. Winning’s operates an open-door policy; therefore if a problem arises at any time,
parents are welcome to make arrangements with the school to discuss it with the
appropriate member of staff or the Head Teacher.
Regular communication by newsletter, via the children, helps to keep parents informed of
any changes affecting normal routines and any matters of current interest. Each term a
curriculum letter is sent to keep parents informed about the types of things their child will
be learning that particular term.
Home Inclusion Worker:
Mrs Alison Wall
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The school has a well deserved reputation for generous alms giving to local, national and
international charities. Our pupils are always encouraged to utilise local facilities and
respect the local area and its inhabitants.
The school plays an important part in the life of the community and encourages the
support of local businesses and agencies such as Community Police, Road Safety
Officers, Fire Fighters, Health Board personnel, to enrich the children’s learning.
MEDICAL & HEALTH CARE
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Medical examinations are carried out at various times during a child’s primary school
years. Parents are given notice of these and encouraged to attend. Vision and hearing
tests and dental examinations, which parents need not attend, are also carried out and
parents informed of any recommended action or treatment. All examinations are carried
out by Ayrshire and Arran Health Board personnel.
MEDICATION
Parents should notify the school of any medical requirements or allergies that their child
may have. If medication is required it is better if this can be provided out with the school
day but, in cases where it is necessary during the child’s time in school, parents should
contact the school to make appropriate arrangements for this. Please be aware school
staff are not obliged to administer medicine.
ACCIDENTS
Minor accidents will be dealt with by the school’s qualified First Aider – Mrs Kennedy. If a
pupil takes ill or has an accident at school which requires the child is be sent home or for
treatment, First Aid will be provided and parents or carers contacted. For this reason, it is
important that the school has contact details for parents/carers and an additional
contact person in case parents/carers cannot be reached. This information should
be updated as required. Children will not be sent home from school unaccompanied.
In the event of a serious illness or accident, a member of staff will accompany the child to
a doctor or hospital and parents/carers notified immediately.
HEAD INFESTATION
If a parent, through normal family hygiene, discovers head lice, the parent should seek
advice either with their family G.P., nurse or school nurse (C Hodge tel: 01294 551316).
We would appreciate if the school was contacted, in confidence, so that we are aware of
the situation. Information is given to parents throughout the school year to heighten
awareness and explain school procedures.
CURRICULUM SUBJECTS
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Health and Wellbeing
o Mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing
o Planning for choice and changes
o Physical education, physical activity and sport
o Food and health
o Substance misuse
o Relationships, sexual health and parenthood

Literacy and English
o Listening and talking
o Reading
o Writing
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Modern Languages
o French and Spanish
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Mathematics
o Numeracy, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division of numbers
o Shape, position and movement
o Information handling
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Religious and Moral Education
o Catholic Christianity
o World religions
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Sciences
o Planet earth
o Forces, electricity and waves
o Biological systems
o Materials
o Topical science
Social Studies
o People, past events and societies
o People, place and environment
o People, society, economy and business
Technologies
o Technological developments in society
o Business contexts for developing technological skills and knowledge
o Craft, design, engineering and graphics contexts for developing technological
skills and knowledge.
In St Winning’s we are well into our journey to Excellence and children will be
supported in interdisciplinary learning and provided with meaningful tasks which
relate to real life situations and the world of work.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
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Children are regularly given opportunities to participate in educational excursions e.g.
visits to museums and places of interest. We aim to include at least one live theatre
experience every year. Pupils may visit or be visited by a touring theatre company,
performer or puppeteer. The children themselves are also invited in staging Christmas
Concerts which are well attended by parents and members of the local community.
We have a variety of After Schools Activities which include:
Football
P5 - P7
Computer club
P1 – P3
Netball
P5 - P7
Gymnastic club
P1 – P3
Games Club
P1 - P3
Athletics
P5 - P7
Glee Club
P4 - P7
STEM club
P5 - P7
Homework club
P1 - P3
Enterprise club
P4 - P7
Drama club
P4 - P7
All clubs are open to boys and girls and run on a weekly basis throughout term
time.
LANGUAGES: LITERACY & ENGLISH
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Language is at the heart of children’s learning. It is through language that children access
all other areas of the curriculum, build relationships, communicate their thoughts and ideas
and learn about the world and their place in it. The language curriculum contains four
inter-related areas: Listening & Talking, Reading and Writing. However within a
language lesson each of these areas will be in evidence. For example, to write a story,
children will have to read, or listen to and talk about a story to help provide a model for
writing their own stories.
Literacy will also be taught through the many rich connections and valuable opportunities
that exist within the curriculum. For example research tasks in Social Studies, presentation
opportunities within Expressive Arts and report writing through Science. Through all of
these inter-disciplinary approaches, the staff at St. Winning’s Primary is committed to
ensuring that our children become effective communicators in all aspects of language. We
aim to provide our children with the ability to listen attentively, to talk with clarity and
confidence, to write fluently and legibly and to foster a love of reading based on the skills
of fluency and understanding.
Early literacy is developed by engaging children in active and interactive learning and
teaching approaches through rich contexts. Our pupils use Reading Detective strategies
which aim to provide an exciting way to explore children’s understanding of text, improve
their reading skills, and encourage the development of positive attitudes towards reading.
NUMERACY & MATHEMATICS
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We aim in St. Winning’s to help our children to become confident within all areas of
numeracy and mathematics so that they will have the numeracy skills necessary for adult
life.
The emphasis is placed on practical work to help the children acquire and understand
mathematical concepts. Active and interactive learning and teaching methods ensure that
children fully engage in their learning.
The maths programme includes daily interactive mental maths activities at each stage as
well as a variety of maths games, problem solving activities and software to motivate and
challenge pupils.
Mathematical concepts will be further developed by making frequent links across the
curriculum. For example: symmetry within Art, pattern within Music and numeracy skills
and money awareness through Financial Education. In using these approaches our
children will grow in confidence and see the connection between learning and real life.
In December and May teachers will record progress within the Curriculum of Excellence
levels and input on the SEEMIS.
As a guide:
LEVEL
STAGE
EARLY
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD & FORTH
SENIOR
Pre – school years and Primary 1 or later for some
At the end of Primary 4 or later for some
At the end of Primary 7 but earlier for some
S1 – S3 but earlier for some
S4 – S6
This information is used to discuss and track pupil’s progress to inform reports and to plan
future learning.
CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE
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Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) has been introduced across Scotland for all 3 -18 year
olds – wherever they learn. It aims to raise standards, prepare our children for a future
they do not yet know and equip them for the jobs of tomorrow in a fast changing world.
Curriculum for Excellence enables professionals to teach subjects creatively, to work
together across the school and with other schools. Teachers and practitioners will share
information to plan a child’s “learning journey” from 3-18, ensuring children continue to
work at a pace they can cope with and with challenge they can thrive on.
Curriculum for Excellence balances the importance of knowledge and skills.
Every child is entitled to a broad and deep general education where every single teacher
and practitioner will be responsible for literacy and numeracy. There will be a new
emphasis too on health and wellbeing – to ensure that the school is a place where children
feel safe and secure.
Curriculum for Excellence develops skills for learning, life and work to help young people
go on to further study, secure work and navigate life. It brings real life into the classroom.
It links knowledge in one subject area to another helping children understand the world
and make connections. It develops skills so that children can think for themselves, make
sound judgements, challenge, enquire and find solutions.
In order to enable our pupils to become confident individuals, responsible citizens,
effective contributors and successful learners we aim to offer them a broad curriculum and
a wide variety of learning experiences.
Curriculum Planning is based on 7 points of Curriculum Design:

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

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
Depth
Breadth
Progression
Relevance
Coherence
Personality and choice
Challenging and enjoyment
Personal research
Through Interdisciplinary Learning, children are involved in planning for learning and
selecting topics.
All of our staff have been trained in the Critical Skills approach to learning and teaching
which enables them to provide pupils with opportunities to work collaboratively on
appropriate tasks. Pupils are strongly encouraged to engage with their own learning and
support the learning of others through active, challenging tasks.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT/ HOMEWORK
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Children are expected to work very hard while they are in school, and homework issued,
should enhance and support this work. Homework will always be marked and/or discussed
with the child. Homework forms a link between home and school and gives parents an
insight into their child’s work in school. It also helps develop a pattern of individual study
which will prove useful in later years of schooling.
It is important to distinguish between set homework – a piece of reading, finding out
information form home, a piece of research from radio or TV, and work given home which,
for one reason or another, has not be satisfactorily completed in school.
In P1-P4 homework should not take the pupil any longer than 15 mins and no longer than
30 mins in P5-P6. There may be exceptions to this rule where children have not completed
class work.
Homework is usually set at the beginning of the week with planned return on the Friday.
This allows families to arrange suitable times for completion. We also make an attempt at
setting homework which will involve the participation of parents. Homework for senior
pupils can consist of a range of tasks, which are expected to be completed, and returned,
by a given date. This encourages them to plan their tasks over a period of time and helps
them prepare for secondary school.
We would ask parents to check their child’s homework and sign his/her work. The
signature indicates to the teacher that the exercise is the child’s own work and that the
parent considers the standard of presentation satisfactory. Where a child is genuinely
unable to complete a set task the work should still be signed by the parent as an indication
that the child has done his/her best, if possible a little note to the teacher about the
difficulty would be helpful.
HOMEWORK DURING HOLIDAYS AND PERIODS OF
ILLNESS
We are often asked to issue homework for children who are absent from school either
through illness, or because they are on holiday. Since however, much of our curriculum
depends on specific resources and practical activities, issuing work over a period of
absence is very often unproductive. Extra work may be given home on return to help the
child ‘catch up’ and parents are asked to support their child/ children in this.
PERSONAL LEARNING PLAN (PLPs)
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Each child has their own Personal Learning Plan. Children in
discussion with parents/carers and teachers create a target in
Literature, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing each term. These
are tracked and assessed.
PARENTS EVENINGS
Formal Parents evenings are held twice yearly and a written report is issued in the
summer term. If you feel that your child is experiencing difficulty, come and discuss the
particular problem with us.
If your child is worrying about school, please let us know. Together we can work to sort out
any difficulties he/she may be experiencing. Please don’t wait till a parents’ evening if
something is worrying you. Just contact us, and you’ll find that we’re good listeners. In
addition to reporting evenings, we have parent meetings and workshops.
PARENT COUNCIL & PARENT FORUM
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Here at St Winning’s we have a very supportive hard working Parent Council.
The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 aims to encourage and support
more parents to become involved in their child’s education.
The main aims of the Act are to:
 Help parents become more involved with their child’s education and learning.
 Welcome parents as active participants in the life of the school.
 Provide easier ways for parents to express their views and wishes.
To help achieve these aims, all parents are automatically members of the Parent Forum at
their child’s school and are entitled to have a say in selecting the Parent Council (the
representative body) to work on behalf of all parents at the school.
The objectives of the Parent Council are:
 To work in partnership with staff to create a welcoming school which is inclusive for
all parents.
 To promote partnership between the school, its pupils and all its parents.
 To develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of the
pupils.
 To identify and represent the views of parents on the education provided by the
school and other matters affecting the education and welfare of pupils.
 To be involved in the recruitment process for appointing the Head Teacher and
Depute Head Teacher of the school.
St. Winning’s Parent Council:
Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Church Rep
Staff Rep
Nicola Hodgeson
Angela Mc Alpine
Jan Muir
Veronica Lewis
Mrs Claire Milson
Parent Forum
Suzanne Gillion
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Claire Devlin
Gilmour Mc Leod
Any parent or carer of a child at the school can volunteer to be a member of the Parent
Council. The head teacher is the professional adviser to the Parent Council and has a
right to attend and speak at Parent Council or Parent Forum meetings.
More information on Parent Council or Parent as Partners please refer to Parent zone at
www.education scotland.gov.uk/parentzone or contact the school or North Ayrshire
Council. www.northayshirecouncil.gov.uk/Education and Learning.
SUPPORT FOR PUPILS
A child or young person has additional support needs if, for any reason, they are not able
to benefit fully from the educational opportunities provided for them.
What does North Ayrshire Council have to do to meet its duties under the Additional
Support for Learning legislation?
We have to:




identify when a child or young person is not making good progress in their
education
understand what is not working for the child or young person (by gathering
information to make the problems as clear as possible)
once extra support is in place, ensure that support is making a positive difference
if the support is not working well enough, gather more information and try a different
approach
Whenever we start this process for any child or young person, we will always explain to
them and to their parents/carers what our concerns are and what we will do to help
All of our schools and nurseries will track closely the progress made by children or young
people who are registered as being ‘Looked After’. Where these children or young people
are making appropriate progress we will determine that they do not have additional
support needs.
We have to make sure it is easy for people to get helpful information and advice. Where a
child or young person is identified as having additional support needs, we will make sure
the right people get a copy of the right information leaflet so they will understand what is
likely to happen.
This little summary is also to let you know that much more information is available to help
you understand support needs and what will be done to help your child. You can ask for
information at any time.
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For a few children and young people their needs are so complex that professionals from
two or more agencies need to work together to provide the right support. Where this is
needed, the child or young person will have a plan to co-ordinate the various actions of
these professionals: for this reason it is called a Co-ordinate Support Plan.
You may feel that things are not being done properly to support your child. If you feel like
this, the Council have a range of ways to work with you to get things sorted. You can ask
at any time for a copy of the booklet called ‘Resolving Disagreements’. This booklet will
give you ways to make sure your concerns are listened to and addressed.
Where a child or young person has additional support needs, planning needs to take place
every time there is a move to a new class, new school or college. For some children and
young people affected by a disability, transition planning will happen two years before the
planned date of the move. This is needed to make sure everything is in place. For most
children and young people, transition planning takes place one year before the date of the
planned move. Information will be shared with everyone involved in supporting the child or
young person so everyone understands what needs to be done to provide support.
What rights do children, young people and their parents have?
If you are concerned about your child’s progress or about how settled they are in school,
you can ask the head teacher to begin a process of gathering information to find out if your
child has additional support needs.
The school will also give you advice and information about your child’s needs, what the
school is doing to meet those needs and whether progress is now being made.
Even when it has already been agreed that your child has additional support needs, you
can make a reasonable request at any time that more information is gathered and that a
clearer understanding of the needs is established.
You may perhaps feel unhappy about what the school is doing to meet your child’s needs.
You may have tried to sort this out with the school but feel you are not being taken
seriously. In this case you can ask for outside help to get your concerns across. The
‘Resolving Disagreements’ booklet will help you to ask for these services.
In a very few cases you may feel that your child’s current school is not able to meet the
needs. Where this happens, you have the right to make a placing request for a school that
may meet the needs more effectively. You now have the same rights as parents of
children who do not have additional support needs.
You may feel that educational provision on its own is not able to meet your child’s needs
and that another agency could help. In such a case you can ask that the authority gathers
information to see if your child needs a plan to bring together help from other agencies.
The Additional Support Needs Tribunal has been established to deal with cases that have
not been sorted out by earlier attempts to resolve the disagreements. You can apply for a
referral to the Tribunal: the ‘Resolving Disagreements’ booklet will help you to do this.
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You can have a supporter or advocate with you at any meeting to discuss your child’s
additional support needs: this is not just about support at a Tribunal.
For advice on additional support for learning from North Ayrshire Council Education and
Skills, please contact the Quality Improvement Officer (QIO) for Additional Support for
Learning on 01294-324451
For impartial advice, please contact Enquire.
Further Support
The following organisations are able to provide advice, further information and support to parents
of children and young people with ASN.
1. Enquire: Scottish Advice and Information Service for Additional Support for Learning
Website: http://enquire.org.uk/
Helpline: 0845 123 2303
Email: info@enquire.org.uk
2. Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
Website: http://www.siaa.org.uk/
Telephone: 0131 260 5380
Email: enquiry@siaa.org.uk
3. Scottish Child Law Centre
Website: http://www.sclc.org.uk/
Telephone: 0131 667 6333
Email: enquiries@sclc.org.uk
Enquire also provide a range of clear and easy to read guides and factsheets explaining
everything from ‘additional support in the early years’ to ‘what planning should take place
for moving on from school’.
EQUALITIES
In line with North Ayrshire Council policy, education within the school is open to all pupils,
regardless of sex, age, religion, race, disability or any other potential barrier and all
reasonable measures will be taken to ensure that the curriculum is available to every child.
If parents have any concerns about any aspect of this in relation to their own child, they
should contact the school to discuss the matter. Schools also have a duty to promote
equality and to eliminate racist and other discriminatory behaviours.
The Gender Equality Duty came into force in April 2007 (in addition to the Race Equality
Duty and the Disability Equality Duty). Schools have an obligation to implement these
duties and to report annually on progress being made in this regard. It should be noted
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that under the gender Equality Duty, schools have an obligation to encourage both parents
to play an active role in their children’s education. If parents have concerns about this
duty in relation to their child, they should contact the school to discuss the matter.
At the time of enrolment, parents are requested to inform the school
about any condition, medical or otherwise, which might result in some
special arrangements having to be made within the school.
Good links have been established with the local Nursery Schools,
where possible the Early Years co-ordinator visits the Nursery
classrooms during the summer months to be introduced to the
children.
CHILD PROTECTION
Educational Services has a fundamental duty to contribute to the care and safety of all
children and young people in North Ayrshire. In fulfilling this duty, the service must
engage in close partnership with parents/ carers and relevant agencies, primarily Social
Services and Health and where appropriate the Scottish Children’s Reporter’s
Administration. Service will work in partnerships with a number of levels within the
establishment or school, within the cluster or local area and through Integrated Children’s
Services and Community Health Partnership.
The Standard Circular entitled “Protecting North Ayrshire Children” provides guidance for
policy and practice within all educational establishments. The Council is one of the key
partners in North Ayrshire. Child Protection Committee, a multi-agency group which takes
the lead role in ensuring that our children and young people are cared for, protected from
harm and grow up in a safe environment.
Each school has a named Child Protection Co-ordinator Mrs Milson who is the main point
of contact for school staff and for external agencies seeking contact with the school on
child protection matters. There is an extensive staff training programme available to staff
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and, in addition, at the beginning of each school session all staff receive an update on
child protection policies and procedures
The Head teacher is the child protection co-ordinator for St. Winning’s.
Please work with us in keeping your child safe by informing the office before 9.30 if your
child is going to be absent from school for any reason. Also please keep us up to date with
any changes in family circumstances or changes in telephone numbers.
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is an approach from the Scottish Government
that sets out how schools and other services should work with children and their families.
GIRFEC is all about ensuring that children get the help they need when they need it – the
right help at the right time. For you and your child, GIRFEC means that you are the expert
on your child and what you think matters. Getting it right for every child means that the
School will always seek to involve you, to listen to your opinions and take them seriously.
Taking a ‘Getting it Right for Every Child’ approach to supporting every child is a priority
within our school and we aim to assist every child in our school to reach their potential in
each of the areas listed below;
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Healthy - Experiencing the highest standards of physical and mental health, and
supported to make healthy safe choices.
Achieving - Receiving support and guidance in their learning
Nurtured – Having a nurturing and stimulating place to learn
Active – Offering opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities
Respected – To be given a voice and involved in the decisions that affect their wellbeing
Responsible – Taking an active role within the school
Included – Receiving help and guidance to overcome social, educational, physical and
economic inequalities; accepted as full members of the communities in which they live
and learn
And above all, to be safe … protected from abuse, neglect or harm
For more information on Getting it Right for every Child in North Ayrshire go to
www.girfecna.co.uk
MOBILE PHONES
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In St. Winning’s pupils who bring a mobile to school are encouraged to leave them
switched off and in the office for safe keeping.
IMPROVEMENT PLAN
All our achievement and success are documented in our Standards and Quality report.
This may be obtained from the school office or on our school website.
All our children are working through the Curriculum for Excellence levels and achieving
success.
Our plans for improvement are:1. To raise attainment in Numeracy through the implementation of Number Recovery.
and number talks
2. Staff in all cluster primaries will continue to take part in moderation activities
focusing on STEM.
3. To develop the creativity skills with staff and pupils which will impact on motivation,
confidence, leadership and ultimately attainment
TARGETS
Future improvements include:1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To develop Number talks across all stages
To implement implement 2 + 1 MPLS
To create HWB planners
To apply for 3rd green flag
To implement God’s Loving Plan
Details of how St Winning’s is performing may be obtained from
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/about/foi/achieved/hmie/index.asp
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
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We make every effort to maintain a full educational service, but on some occasions
circumstances arise which lead to disruption. Schools may be affected by, for example,
severe weather, temporary interruption of transport, power failures or difficulties of fuel
supply. In such cases we shall do all we can to let you know about the details of closure
or re-opening. We shall keep you in touch by using letters, text messaging, notices in local
shops and community centres, announcements in local churches and in the press and on
West FM. It is therefore vital that parents/guardians keep the school up-to-date with
changes in telephone/mobile numbers
SACRAMENTS
The school prepares the children in P3 for the Sacraments of Reconciliation. In P4 the
Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation are worked on and are aided by
Eucharist and Confirmation and parents/carers support the children at home by using the
Sacramental Workbooks.
HOLIDAYS OF OBLIGATION
On Holidays of Obligation, when attendance at Mass is obligatory, and on other important
occasions, the pupils and staff attend Mass in St. Winin’s Church or alternatively in school.
Parents from religions other than Christianity may request that their children be permitted
to be absent form schools in order to celebrate recognised religious events. Written
requests detailing the proposed arrangement should be send to the school office. Children
may remain at home and return to school after mass has finished
ASSESSMENT & REPORTING
Children’s work is continually assessed by class teachers and by the Head Teacher.
Assessment means obtaining information, which allows teachers, pupils and parents to
make professional judgements about pupils’ progress. It is based on what pupils’ say, what
they write, what they do and observation of how they go about their tasks and activities.
Assessment and reporting procedures are changing and developing as we progress on
the journey with Curriculum for excellence.
Teachers evaluate learning and engage in professional dialogue about children’s
progress. They ensure that learning, teaching and assessment is planned in a coherent
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way and that assessment is valid and reliable. Staff engage with children in discussions
about progress and target setting as part of planning to meet their learning needs.
The Senior Management Team sample learners’ work. Follow up professional dialogue on
expectations, strengths of learners’ performance, quality of feedback and agree on next
steps in learning.
The school has suitable arrangements in place to support teacher’s judgement and focus
on any action required for improvement. Parents are welcome at any time to phone to
speak to the Head Teacher or to make an appointment to speak to their child’s class
teacher about any areas that may be causing a problem.
INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Some children with specific learning needs will require a Personal Support Plan of targets,
set up for them by their teacher and Support for learning staff. The Head Teacher will
monitor the progress of the set targets termly. Parents will be involved in the initial stages
during a Review Meeting, which will include all who work and support their child.
PYSCHOLOGICAL SERVICE
The Educational Psychology Service in North Ayrshire contributes to the aims of the
Educational Service by improving outcomes for children and young people. Educational
psychologists work together with teachers, parents and other professionals to help children
and young people make the most of their lives, particularly in educational settings.
When does an educational psychologist become involved?
St Winning’s Primary school already has a system of staged intervention for identifying,
assessing, monitoring and reviewing the ongoing progress of all children and young
people. As part of this wider system of support, each school has a link Educational
Psychologist who visits on a regular basis.
When concerns arise about a particular pupil the school takes action to address these
concerns. If the concerns continue, school staff may have an informal discussion with the
Educational Psychologist. However, if the educational psychologist is to become more
involved this will be discussed with you beforehand by school staff and a joint meeting
arranged.
Through this process the educational psychologist can contribute to the ongoing
assessment and support for your child.
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL EDUCATION & SKILLS
TRANSFERRING EDUCATIONAL DATA ABOUT PUPILS
The Scottish Government and its partners collect and use information about pupils through
the Pupil Census to help to improve education across Scotland. This note explains why we
need this information, how we use it and what we do to protect the information supplied to
us.
Why do we need your data?
In order to make the best decisions about how to improve our education service. Scottish
Government, education authorities and other partners such as the SQA and Careers
Scotland need accurate, up-to-date data about our pupils. We are keen to help all our
pupils do well in all aspects of school life and achieve better examination results. Accurate
and up-to-date data allows us to:





plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of all pupils
plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of specific groups of pupils
better understand some of the factors that influence pupil attainment and
achievement
share good practice
target resources better
DATA POLICY
Information about pupils’ education is collected through our statistical surveys in
partnership between the Scottish Government and Local Authorities through the ScotXed
Programme which aims to help schools and Local Authorities by supporting efficient
collection, processing and dissemination of statistical information. The Scottish
Government then provides analysis of the data to support research, planning,
management and monitoring of education services as well as to produce National
Statistics publications.
Data is held securely and information on individual pupils cannot and would not be
published by Scottish Government.
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The individual data collected by Scottish Government is used for statistical and research
purposes only. We hope that the explanations contained on the ScotXed website will help
you understand the importance of providing the information.
YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
The collection, transfer, processing and sharing of ScotXed data is done in accordance
with the Data Protection Act (1998). We also comply with the National Statistics Code of
Practice requirements and other legislation related to safeguarding the confidentially of
data. The Data
Protection Act gives you the right to know how we will use your data. This message can
give only a brief description of how we use data. Fuller details of the uses of pupil data
can be found on the ScotXed website (www.scotxed.net).
Scottish Government works with a range of partners including HM Inspectorate of
Education and The SQA. On occasions, we will make individual data available to partners
and also academic institutions to carry out research and statistical analysis. In addition,
we will provide our partners with information they need in order to fulfil their official
responsibilities. Any sharing of data will be done under the strict control of Scottish
Government, which will ensure that no individual data will be made public as a result of the
data sharing and that this data will not be used to take any actions in respect of an
individual. Decisions on the sharing of data will be taken in consultation with colleagues
within and out with Scottish Government.
CONCERNS
If you have any concerns about the ScotXed data collections you can email the Senior
Statistician, Peter Whitehouse, at Peter.Whitehouse@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or write to the
ScotXed Support Office, Area 1B, Victoria Quay, Leith,EH6 6QQ. Alternative versions of
this page are available, on request from ScotXed Support Office, in other languages,
audiotape, Braille and large print.
Want more information?
Further details about ScotXed data exchanges are available on the ScotXed website,
www.scotxed.net., which contains a section on ‘frequently asked questions’ at
https://www.scotxed.net/jahia/Jahia/lang/en/pid/220.
Inclusion
The “Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000” (Section 15) gives every child and
young person in Scotland the right to have their educational needs met within their local
mainstream school. This right is seen as part of the individual rights enshrined within
Scottish educational law.
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There are three “exceptional” circumstances where alternative educational settings can be
considered:

Where mainstream education in the local school is not in the best interests of the
child or young person

Where the sound and efficient education of other children in the school would be
compromised by the child’s presence in the class/school

Where to educate the child in the local mainstream school would require
unreasonable public expenditure
Alternative educational planning for a child or young person is required to demonstrate the
influence of one or more of these exceptional circumstances before it would be deemed
lawful to proceed to consider this.
The Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils’ Educational Records)
(Scotland) Act, October 2002, requires local education authorities to prepare and
implement accessibility strategies to improve, over time, access to education for young
people with disabilities. Access covers:

The physical building and grounds

The curriculum (both formal and informal)

Information on any educational planning that might affect the child’s/young person’s
education
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995 and as amended 2005) and the Disability Equality
Duties (2006) require all public bodies to ensure that no child or young person within an
educational establishment is put at a significant disadvantage or treated less fairly than
their peers because of any reason relating to their disability.
The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) (2004,2009) Act sets out
certain duties on local education authorities and confers certain rights on children and their
parents. These duties include the need to:

Identify, assess and address the need for additional support for any child or young
person failing to benefit from school education, for whatever reason

Seek and take account of the views of the child or young person on issues relating
to their education

Engage in helpful partnership working with parents/carers and staff from other
agencies
These are the various pieces of legislation that support the right to inclusion and that
define the main features of that right.
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In North Ayrshire educational establishments, Staged Intervention supports early
identification of need and earliest possible building of positive partnerships.
IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Local Authority Education Office:
Mr John Butcher
Corporate Director (Educational Services)
North Ayrshire Council
Cunninghame House
Irvine
KA12 8EE Tel: 01294 324400
Community Facilities & Resources Team:
North Ayrshire Council
Cunninghame House
Irvine
KA12 8EE Tel: 01294 324400
Councillors:
Cllr. Joe Cullinane
Cllr. Donald Reid
Cllr. Robert Steel
Cllr. John Ferguson
Cunninghame House
Irvine
KA12 8EE Tel: 01294 324400
Area Office:
1st Floor
Bridgegate House
Irvine
KA12 8BD Tel: 01294 279333
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