Mearns Castle High School Striving for Excellence S

Mearns Castle High School Striving for Excellence S 1 Parents’ Curriculum Information Evening 8 October 2018

Presentation Tonight’s presentation will be available on the school’s website

P 7 Pupil Evaluations June 2018 No. 1 Question I enjoyed visiting Mearns Castle Agree Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree % Agree % 161 42 3 0 1% 99% 8 I know what to do if there is something that worries me 141 51 9 0 4% 96% 10 Teachers expect me to work to the best of my ability 169 31 3 0 1% 99% 149 47 7 0 3% 97% 122 75 5 0 3% 97% 169 32 2 0 1% 99% 161 35 4 0 2% 98% 12 13 I get on well with other pupils I feel safe and secure in the school 14 The Academic Family was helpful 18 I am looking forward to coming to Mearns Castle in August

P 7 Pupil Evaluations June 2018 • I think the Induction Days really helped because they give you a taste of what will happen in August • I enjoyed the Induction Days and I am less nervous to come here now • The Academic Family was amazing I am so excited to start High School • I met new people and friends and all the kids are nice, I’m excited for August • I can’t wait for August

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: show self-respect and be considerate of the needs, wishes and feelings of others. • Inclusion: treat all people fairly and enable them to feel included. • Integrity: be honest and sincere. • Responsibility: be accountable for your actions and make a positive contribution to society. • Ambition: show a pride in your school and have high expectations of what you can achieve. • Achievement: be enthusiastic and show a determination to succeed in all you do.

Our Aims • We will be motivated and enthusiastic in our learning and teaching and determined to reach the highest standards of attainment and achievement. • We will be confident and ambitious, build positive relationships and pursue a healthy and active lifestyle • We will show initiative and be enterprising, creative and responsible citizens. • We will show respect for others, care for our environment and make a positive contribution to society.

Vision Values and Aims ‘A shared vision is not an idea… it is, rather, a force in people’s hearts… at its simplest level, a shared vision is the answer to the question ‘What do we want to create? ’’ Peter Senge

Pupil Support Arrangements Surnames HT /DHT /PTPSP House A, C, J, Mac Mrs Mitchell/Mr Cairney B, D, E, F Mr Phillips /Mrs Crilley Balmoral G, H, I, K Mr Smith/Mr Gooch Gleneagles M, N, O, R Mr Donnelly/Mrs Brophy Ramsay Mc, S Mr Mc. Garry/Miss Oram Sutherland L, P, Q, T- Z Mr Hale/Miss Cartledge Wallace Caledonia

The story so far. . . • • Academic Family S 6 Buddies S 1 Extra Curricular Showcase S 1 Fun Run

Future Events • • • Firework Safety Presentation Charities Week Christmas Dance S-Factor IDL Event Pointless – Maths Competition

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 • S 6

Curriculum Organisers • Languages – English, Modern Languages • Mathematics • Social Studies – Geography, History, Moderns Studies • Religious and Moral Education – RMPS, Citizenship • Health & Wellbeing – PE, Health & Food Technology, PSE • Science – Biology, Chemistry, Physics • Expressive Arts – Music, Art, Drama • Technologies – Technical Education, Business Education, Computing

Responsibilities for all Teachers • Health and Wellbeing • Mental, Emotional, Social, Physical • Health and Food Technology, PE, PSE • embedded in the curriculum • Literacy • Numeracy

Literacy and Numeracy Every teacher in each area of the curriculum needs to find opportunities to encourage young people to explain their thinking, debate their ideas and read and write at a level which will help them to develop their language skills further. All teachers have responsibility for promoting the development of numeracy. With an increased emphasis upon numeracy for all young people, teachers will need to plan to revisit and consolidate numeracy skills throughout schooling. Building the Curriculum 1

Literacy / Numeracy Across Learning Helping pupils make the links… S 1 Literacy Numeracy and Health & Wellbeing Passport w/c Monday 8 October 1 week event Pupils look for literacy/ numeracy/ h&wb across school Passports stamped at the Library House points awarded as appropriate

Inter Disciplinary Learning Giving space within the curriculum for learning beyond subject boundaries • Whole Year Group activities – S-Factor / Rapid Response (Hurricane in Honduras) • Linked working between departments • Transferrable skills

Departmental Links • French & PE ‘Handball’ – Learn the rules of this popular game in French and play the game in PE • English & Science ‘Whodunnit’ – Use chromatography techniques in Science to solve a murder mystery that pupils write in English • Drama & Music ‘Scottish Stories’ – Pupil use music they have created to prompt drama performances and many more. . .

Timetable • 33 periods per week – 5 @ English – every day / S 2 - 4 – 4 @ Maths / S 2 - 5 – every day – 3 @ PE, Science, ML, Social Studies – 1 @ RMPS, Citizenship, PSE • Subjects taught in rotation (rotate in October) – 3 Periods per week – approximately 10 week blocks – Technical & Art – IT & Music – Food and Health Technology & Drama

Assessment Teachers use a range of assessment approaches to assess the different types of achievement across the curriculum. This range allows learners to demonstrate what they know, understand can do.

Examples of assessment Food and Heath Technology English Produce a food safety leaflet that is well presented and colourful Solo talk presentation measured against a pro-forma and peer assessed Music Modern Languages Filmed evidence of individual/group performance Performance of a ‘Rap’ on the topic of leisure Physical Education History Evaluation of filmed performance over a period of time Deliver a group presentation on your research about Skara Brae

Reporting Attainment Levels For each Cf. E level 2 to 4 there are currently 3 categories • Developing – Pupils have experienced a number of outcomes and are beginning to make progress • Consolidating – Pupils have achieved a wide range of outcomes and are beginning to undertake more challenging learning • Secure – Pupils have achieved success in all outcomes and have applied learning in new and unfamiliar situations

Gradient of Learning / Progression Key Milestones Stage Pre 5 P 1 P 2 P 3 P 4 P 5 P 6 P 7 S 1 S 2 70% Early Dec 1 st Oct 2 nd Oct 4 th Jun 25% Early Mar 1 st Mar 2 nd Mar 3 rd Jun S 3

Gradient of Learning / Progression Key Milestones Stage 70% 25% S 2 S 3 S 4 S 5 S 6 Cf. E 4 th Level National 5 Higher Cf. E 3 rd Level National 4 National 5 National 3 National 4 5% Adv H Higher

Wider Participation / Achievement • A wide range of opportunities, including • • • Maxwell Mearns Church Basement Sports / Games Debating Jewellery and Textiles / Craft Classics Performing Arts / Music / Chinese Chess Science / Cryptocrackers Lego History Christian Union Amnesty International / Eco Schools

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

Leadership • Pupil Voice • S 1 House Prefects • S 1 Year Group Council

Reporting Progress • Tracking Report – Tuesday 20 November 2018 - Ratings on Progress, Behaviour, Effort & HW • Parents’ Meeting – Thursday 29 November 2018 meet individual teachers for feedback • Full Report – Monday 20 May 2019 - Full written comment from each subject detailing strengths, next steps and level & progress within level

SDS School Leaver Initial Destination Statistics 2016 -2017 - % Destinations School Mearns Castle HS HE FE Train Emp Volun Un / S Un / NS Not K Positive 76. 2 10. 4 1. 0 9. 4 0. 5 1. 0 0 97. 5

Parent Partnership • • • UPBEAT Uniform Homework – Logbook (website presentation) Attendance /timekeeping Pupil Support (Pastoral) support Check the website regularly • Twitter • We value your feedback

and Finally… Any Questions? Please complete your on line Evaluation Form of our P 7 -S 1 Transition Programme Thank you