Mearns Castle High School P 7 Parents Information

Mearns Castle High School P 7 Parents’ Information Evening 6 June 2019

Presentation Structure • Welcome • Introductions • About Mearns Castle • Support for Pupils • Pupils’ Experience • Parental Support • School Uniform • Any Questions?

Induction Days • • • P 7 Sports – Wednesday 5 June am P 7 Induction days – Thursday 6 / Friday 7 June New classes / New friendships New teachers Finding their way around the school Building confidence Meeting with House Groups / Year group Assembly Transitions Film – MCHS Website – Parents’ Section Transitions Magazine – issued on Induction Days

Our Vision The Mearns Castle High School community will work together to sustain a safe, inclusive and high quality learning environment that enables us to develop fully our capacities as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society

Our Values • • • Respect Inclusion Integrity Responsibility Ambition Achievement

About Us We are a school that sets high standards and holds high expectations in: – Behaviour • In class, around the school, in local community – Work Ethic • Try your best, work hard – Uniform • Be proud to be a Mearns Castle pupil – The School Community • Give some thing back to the school

Secondary Stages • Broad General Education S 1‐ 2 • Senior Phase – S 3‐ 6 • S 1/S 2 (most choose 8 subjects at end of S 2) • S 3/S 4 (most choose 5 subjects at end of S 4) • S 5(pupils choose a minimum of 3 subjects) • S 6

Pupil Support What support do we offer? – DHT / Year Group Head – Pupil Support – Pastoral – Pupil Support –Personal Development – Pupil Support – Learning – Class Teachers – S 6 Academic Family – S 6 Peer Buddies

Previous Model of Support Previous 6 DHTs – one for each Year Group S 1‐S 6 6 PTPS – one for each House DHT follows Year Group S 1 to S 6 PTPS remains constant S 1 – S 6

Current Model of Support Current 5 DHTs but still 6 PTPS remains constant S 1 – S 6 DHT follows Year Group S 2‐S 6 5 DHTs + HT work with 6 PTPS to support caseload of S 1 pupils

Pupil Support ‐ Pastoral • Mrs Kirsty Brophy – Principal Teacher

Welcome to Mearns Castle Pupil Support Presentation to P 7 Parents

How are your children feeling? • • • Excited Enthusiastic Nervous Scared Ready How are you feeling?

AIMS • To introduce your child’s Pupil Support teacher/ Head of House • To explain how we will support your child • To help you feel more confident about your child making the transition from Primary to Secondary School

Moving from P 7 to S 1 Major change for pupils and parents Used to having 1 class teacher to contact Your child will now have 12 teachers a week! Role of Pupil Support Teacher is to be the main link for you and for the pupils • Allows you a main point of contact • • SO HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?

Mearns Castle House System • • • Pupils are organised into House groups by surname Pupils from the same family are in the same Houses have own colour, badge, flag, notice board Works on points system – encourages competition! Led by Pupil Support Teachers who work with same pupils from S 1 until they leave in S 6

Mearns Castle Houses Surnames Head of House A, C, Mac, J Mr Cairney B, D, E, F Mrs Crilley G, H, I, K Mr Gooch Caledonia Balmoral Gleneagles M, N, O, R Mc, S L, P, Q, T‐ Z Ramsay Mrs Brophy Miss Oram Miss Cartledge Sutherland Wallace

Pupil Support Advisors Mr Cairney Caledonia (A, C, J, Mac) Mrs Crilley Balmoral (B, D, E, F) Mrs Brophy Ramsay (M, N, O, R) Miss Oram Sutherland (S, Mc) Mr Gooch Gleneagles (G, H, I, K) Miss Cartledge Wallace (L, P, Q, T-Z)

Worries… n it o a s i n a g K r eepin o g up w Teach ith wo r Who w k ers ill help ?

Role of Pupil Support Pastoral • • • P 7 Transitions input/induction days Help pupils settle into school Pastoral meetings in September Help with any pastoral issues affecting school Liaise with staff Monitor attendance, time keeping, behaviour Teach PSE Guidance on subject choice, careers, future plans Link to external agencies as required

Finally… • Keep us updated on any events/changes outside of school that may affect pupils in school • If you have specific issues you’d like to discuss about your child, please contact their Pupil Support Teacher by phoning the school office Other useful contacts: Support for Learning – Mrs Bonini or Mrs Houston Personal Development – Miss Crosby

Pupil Support ‐ Personal Development • Ms Wendy Crosby – Principal Teacher

Pupil Support ‐ Learning • Mrs Audrey Bonini

S 1 Classes Information from Primary Schools Classes – gender / schools / ability Different groupings for different subjects Alpha class, 1 A etc – French, Social Subjects Point class, 1. 1 etc – Practical Subjects English and Maths classes – Alpha classes for Induction Days only ‐ PT Maths and English • PSE, RMPS, Citizenship – House groups • PE – 4 classes together (boys and girls) • • •

1 A 2 Approx 30 pupils ü Modern Languages ü Social Subjects HOUSE GROUPS: ü PSE ü Citizenship ü RMPS Approx 20 pupils ü Science ü Tech / FHT ü Art / Music ü IT / Drama

S 1 Classes • With someone else from primary school (primary class where possible) • Not with ‘best friend’ • Opportunities to make new friends • It can take time to settle • Give it time – but get in touch if there any major issues • P 7 Volleyball Camp Wed-Fri 7/8/9 Aug 2019

Timetable • • • 33 period week Mon, Tues, Thurs 8: 45 am ‐ 3: 35 pm Wed, Fri 8: 45 am ‐ 2: 45 pm 50 Minute periods Registration in all classes

Subjects in S 1 English Maths French Art, Technical, IT Drama, Music, FHT Social Subjects (Mod Studies, Geography, History) Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) RE (1 period) PE (3 periods) Citizenship (1 period weekly–sometimes assembly) Personal & Social Education (PSE) (1 period)

S 1 French Dictionaries We are very grateful to our Parent Council / PTA who have funded the purchase of a French Dictionary for every S 1 pupil.

Lunchtime • 12: 20 pm – 1: 05 pm • S 1/2 not allowed off campus – Except Basement Club (Wednesdays) • Can bring a packed lunch • Can buy lunch in Dining Hall/Open Area – ERC website • Parent Pay –information to pupils during Induction Days • National Entitlement Card and PIN for Cashless Catering – issued 1 st Day of school in August – Cash or Parent Pay

Getting To School • By Bus – ERC – Organised by ERC ‐ apply for Bus Pass each year – Waterfoot/Eaglesham • Buses supervised in Car Park • By Car – Drop off in laybys – not in school grounds please • Cycling? Walking?

UPBEAT ‘on colour’ Incentive Scheme U P B E A T = = = What does UPBEAT stand for? Uniform Prepared for class - homework Behaviour Effort Attitude Time keeping

Wider Learning • Clubs – Wide variety on offer for S 1, including • Running, Table Tennis, Hockey, Netball, Dance, Football, Gymnastics, Cricket, Fitness Training, Girls Football, Debating, Rugby, Volleyball, Badminton, Dodgeball • Junior Concert Band, Chamber Group, Jazz Band, String Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, Junior Choir, School Show • Debating, Knit and Knatter, Amnesty International, Philosophy, Jewellery and Textiles, Chinese Club, Warhammer, Chess, Code‐breaking Club

We are offering pupils the chance to take part in an overnight stay at Lapwing Lodge in Paisley with Articulate Language Camps. Articulate teaches languages through outdoor or digital activities which give campers the chance to improve their language skills while having fun, making friends and trying new skills. Here is the timetable of activities …

The fine print… • Letters will be emailed out to parents/carers the first week in August. • The dates of the trip will be Thursday 19 th – Friday 20 th September. • The cost will be approx. £ 120. • Pupils will be transported from school to the lodge and back again by coach.

Colours For many years we have taken great pride in recognising pupil achievements through the school’s Colours programme. The fields we recognise are: • Sport • Expressive Arts • Citizenship • Enterprise Application forms on the website

How we keep in touch • Newsletters – one per term • Letters – as appropriate • S 1 Reports – 1 Tracking Report (November) – 1 Full Report (May) • Parent Meetings – Curriculum Evening (October) – Parents’ Meeting (November) • Texting • Email • Phone Calls – DHTs, Principal Teachers – not class teachers • Website / twitter (check these regularly)

Log Book Pupils should take a record of ‐ homework ‐ timetable ‐ assessment results Parent Partnership: - Please sign the Log Book regularly and use the Logbook to communicate with teachers

Support from Parents • • Homework log books Attendance/late coming Uniform Extra curricular activities • Summer Holiday postcards!

Home Learning • Promoting Partnership working • Understanding how to best support your child. • S 1 MCHS Initiative.

Our School Uniform The Way Forward 79% of Pupils, Parents and Staff say that: ‘The standard of our School Uniform could be improved’ May 2012 • We are confident we now have now improved our school uniform 98. 4% of parents agreed that “our school currently has a high standard of uniform” May 2014 • • Monitoring – checks before school and Period 1 Uniform store – including recycled blazers Parents to be sent a text UPBEAT Demerits Off colour losing privileges eg. Christmas Dances, Charities Week, School Trips

Our School Uniform Retailers • Stevensons, Giffnock • Academy Uniforms, East Kilbride • Acceptable to purchase the correct items of uniform from any supplier • We will offer to support parents’ who are having difficulty providing items of school uniform

Any questions?