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Welcome Evening
Curriculum for Excellence
The curriculum in Scotland is taught through the Curriculum for Excellence. Information regarding this can be found through this link. Curriculum for Excellence
There are four key capacities:
Successful Learners • Confident Individuals • Responsible Citizens • Effective Contributors
Within these capacities (reflecting experiences and outcomes) fit eight outcome areas:
Health and Wellbeing • Languages • Mathematics • Science • Social Studies • Expressive Arts • Technologies • Religious and Moral Education
Quote: Men [and presumably women!] are relatively predictable, limited and uncreative. It is the business of education to make us freer and more creative. (Stenhouse, 1975, p. 82)
[This is an educational goal which seems appropriate for CfE – with engagement of teachers and pupils at it’s heart. It is noted, however, that early progress of the acclaimed Curriculum for Excellence has become somewhat bogged down with paperwork, assessment and its ilk, leaving parents / carers and teachers wondering what has happened and how to set CfE back on course to reach its optimum capability as a very significant Educational Reform].
Documents, such as Building the Curriculum 2 support the vision and development of CfE. This one specifically centres on pre-school, the Early Years of Primary and Special Schools.
For more info, see post on the National Framework for Improvement.
What’s your beef? from the Parent Council
Parent Council asks – What’s Your Beef?
A little ‘tongue in cheek’ we know, but the Parent Council is interested to know the deepest concerns or pressing questions of the wider Parent Forum. Equally, it would be great to know the things you most love and appreciate regarding your child’s time in school. If you are the parent or a carer of a child attending PPS, Nursery to P7, this means YOU!
So, what is it all about? Every year the PC meet regularly during term time and link with local councillors, a teacher representative and hear reports from our Head Teacher. We have the role of supporting the school in Parental Engagement, contributing to evaluation of and devising of the annual School Improvement Plan, being involved in discussing matters which impact the school from Strategic and Local levels and develop initiatives to have a positive role in the school life from week to week. The PC also links with cluster and East Lothian parent councils and then have engagement with the National PC group through East Lothian representative (formerly our PC chair). Training is available for various aspects such as Recruitment and Selection.
It’s worthwhile and interesting. It gives insight into the education available to, and the educational processes around your child and their classmates / school peers. It doesn’t need a background in Education from PC reps, just people interested in their children and a mix of skill sets. An action plan is developed based on current issues, changes and areas to be targeted for PPS, relating to Parental Engagement and assist, where possible, to develop the partnership roles.
In 2015/16 this included the 40th Anniversary Celebrations, Maths focus and supporting the pupils in positive actions relating to national and global charitable efforts. It has strengthened links between Parent and School Councils and the community in general.
Hearing a rundown of the Headteacher’s ‘looking back” over previous year shows the depth and variety of experiences our children encounter, using Curriculum of Excellence as foundation to learning and life. There is always a way each one of us can contribute to, and support that, but do you know how? Would you like to know more?
What do you believe could be better in PPS? Are you satisfied regarding Outdoor Play and Learning Experiences? Do you support initiatives and feel happy with school focus in broad general education? Do you understand the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), National Framework for Improvement and Named Person Approaches (and not from general media reporting of course). What is the area you feel most happy about for your child’s years in Pencaitland? Would you like to hear more about Parent Council work? Would you like to be involved in fundraising for the school?
Traffic Regulations for parking on and around The Glebe are being considered currently, open discussion around this and sharing of information from ELC was offered at recent AGM, we are now awaiting further advice from ELC and will use the Blog to update as much as we can. We all probably want to know more about school issues and get involved where possible, so share with us what you need to know more about. It helps all of us on the Parent Council form next steps.
Contact your class rep to share your views.
The Parent Council does not, of course, have a role regarding issues around specific children or staff, those are matters for school staff and ELC, but we are very interested in PPS as a whole and broader year / class issues where these lie within our remit.