We are consistently contributing to the aspiration of being a nation of successful learners, responsible citizens, effective contributors and confident individuals so that everyone contributes to the sustainable economic growth of our country, ensuring a smarter Scotland. We are committed to ensuring social justice, children’s rights, learning for sustainability and equality.

Our raising attainment strategy is matched to the Scottish Government ‘A Stronger Scotland‘ outcomes, ‘National Improvement Framework‘ for Scottish Education, national legislation, GIRFEC (Getting It Right for Every Child), South Lanarkshire Council policy, our school ‘Jigsaw of school aims’ (vision), our curriculum rationale and continual improvement plans.

Some of the ways we work on raising attainment and achievement are:

• High expectations – aim high, no glass ceiling, no complacency.
• Differentiation in teaching, resources, approaches, timescale, feedback and support.
• Universal and targeted support and challenge.
• Breadth and depth in all areas of the curriculum, continually updated.
• Permeates our ‘Curriculum Rationale Position Statement’ and Jigsaw of School Aims (vision).
• Tracking, monitoring, use of data and intelligence – so what?
• Significant Aspects of Learning progress evaluations for literacy, numeracy, health and well being matched to next steps.
• Using ICT to permeate and enhance learning.
• Consistently reducing potential barriers to learning.
• Active Learning (engaging children in their learning).
• Use of the ‘Pupil Voice’.
• Partnership and teamwork.
• Teaching and promoting an ‘asset based’ approach to children and their families.
• Target setting and review for all children
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Health and well being
• Use of data and intelligence to inform next steps, plans and allocation of resources.
• Staff skills, expertise and leadership used to raise attainment.
• Maximising of resources and finance including targeted finance bids to raise attainment.
• ‘Flip the classroom’ across all stages (home learning initiatives).
• Using our in-house ‘Suite of Support’ that we have developed over the years.
• Use of real novels including skinny novels.
• Use of the 4 contexts for learning the ethos and life of the school as
  • A community
  • Curriculum areas and subjects
  • Interdisciplinary learning
  • Opportunities for personal achievement
• Extended learning experiences across all stages (visits, visitors, clubs, tournaments, etc.).
• Use of real life contexts and relating learning to skills for life, learning and work.
• Using validated research to develop practice and projects aimed at raising attainment.
• Targeted planning and reviews of targets for children with additional needs, GIRFEC.
• Interagency work and outcomes.
• Use of HMIe/CI inspection reports and SLC evaluation feedback.
• Calderlgen Learning Community Management Team outcomes.
• Staff Remits matched to raising attainment.
  • Improvement Plan
  • Self evaluation
  • Consultation outcomes year on year
• Keeping up to date with legislation and national/SLC Policy.
• 5 star welcome for new children and micro transitions for children with needs.
• Fit school to child’s needs and not the other way around.
• Be responsive and inclusive – listen to children and families.
• Track the impact of achievements, get to know the ‘whole’ child.
• Give a wide range of opportunities to apply skills, see the relevance.
• Building resilience and self esteem.
• GIRFEC approach including
  • Individual Education Plans
  • Additional Support Plans
  • Health Care Plans.
• Supporting children to reach potential.
• Purchasing innovative and matched resources including computer resources.
• Opportunities for all children for personalisation and choice.
• Use of assessment is for learning strategies, formative/summative assessment.
• Use of evaluations matched to next steps.
• Use of information and ideas – So what? Impact on outcomes for children.
• Family/Carer support and signposting.
• Skilled teaching and professional judgements.
• Being vigilant about child protection and safe guarding, Child Protection plans and files.
• Teaching ‘Protective Behaviours’ to all children.
• Use of computers and software for tracking data, e.g. attendance and pastoral notes.
• Contextualised learning (real life learning and problem solving).
• Using the voice of the child to be responsive in learning and teaching.
• Management and leadership remits and innovations.
• Use of financial education and whole school credit union.
• Collaborative learning and peer support.
• Homework club to support parents and carers who need us to help.
• Requests for assistance to other services used to support children and families.
• Use of timetabling, prioritising of Specialist Support Teacher and Psychologist time.
• Targeted and topical resources.
• Early Intervention, POLAAR (P1 assessments and next steps).
• Interagency plans and reviews.
• Parent/carer and family support and signposting.
• Transition work.
• Forward and responsive planning, year planners, structure and balance plans.
• Responsibility of all experiences, teaching and evidence.
• Class/playroom visits and peer visits to other schools and nurseries.
• CUSTTAD (emotional therapy), Give Us A Break.
• Massage in schools and Heartstart for classes.
• Taking forward ‘Active schools’, competition and ambition.

Leaflets for parents and carers:

1. South Lanarkshire Council’s GIRFEC Parenting Support Strategy (pdf).
2. Supporting children who are anxious
3. Supporting children who are gifted, able or talented

Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is a Scottish Government strategy embedded in legislation and in our practice. There is a commitment to ensure that your child has the best possible start in life and to improve outcomes for children and families based on a shared understanding of their wellbeing. Most children make their journey from birth to the world of work supported by family and the universal services of Health and Education. The Named Person in education helps to make sure that the child’s wellbeing is developing. The Named Person for Mount Cameron Primary and Nursery is the Head Teacher. The Depute Head is the Raising Achievement Coordinator also. If you have any concerns you should speak to Mrs. Reid or Miss MacMillan who will work with you to support your child and to ensure that your child gets any help needed at the right time.

Children with additional support needs, including health or behaviour needs, are given targeted help from the class teacher in the first instance, either individually or in small groups. A member of the Management Team (Depute Head) is the Raising Achievement Coordinator. The Raising Achievement Coordinator, in addition to the Head Teacher and staff, liaise with parents, support staff and outside agencies to plan for the use of available resources to ensure that the needs of children are taken into account and a wide range of targeted experiences and strategies are in place for a child, working on getting it right for every child.

A comprehensive suite of support within the school is used effectively. SLC Education Department Single Agency Assessment forms (identification of the strengths and needs of a child) and systems, Additional Support Plans, Individual Education Plans and Coordinated Support Plans are used as appropriate to plan next steps for children, in partnership with parents/carers, services and agencies. Technology is used effectively to support needs including the needs of able pupils. The Head Teacher is the designated manager for children who are looked after (through a legal order). The school has a ‘Looked After Children Position Statement’.

The Senior Management Team, Class teachers and visiting classroom assistants work collaboratively to differentiate the curriculum for children. A visiting Specialist Support Teacher works with prioritised pupils and all staff in the school, two half days each week. An Educational Psychologist also works with the school, visiting for half a day once a month. In addition, staff work collaboratively with many services, agencies and partners to meet children’s needs and plan for optimum levels of attainment and success. The school has a position statement for ‘looked after’ children and closely follows local/national guidance for working on positive outcomes for ‘looked after’ children.

South Lanarkshire Education Resources have published a series of leaflets available which cover information for parents and carers about the Additional Support for Learning Acts. These are available through the school or on the South Lanarkshire Council website www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk.

The leaflets available are:

• The Additional Support for Learning Act (website)
• Requesting an Assessment
• Planning for Learning – Additional Support Plan
• Planning for Learning – Coordinated Support Plan
• Transitions
• Future Planning
• Information for Parents and Carers about moving on from school.
• Inclusive Education
• ICT Assessment
• Information Sharing Protocol
• Visual Impairment Support
• Early Years Specialist Support
• Independent Adjudication

More information can also be found on:

• The GIRFEC website.
• The Scotland Government Getting It Right website.
• Enquire, the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning.
  • Enquire offers independent, confidential advice and information on additional support for learning.
  • Phone helpline: 0845 123 2303
  • Email: info@enquire.org.uk
  • Advice and information, including leaflets, guides and factsheets can be found on the website: www.enquire.org.uk

CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE

This annex gives a list of useful information and the links to the content are now available from the South Lanarkshire Council’s Curriculum for Excellence web page. (parents/carers page)

• Education Scotland’s Communication Toolkit for engaging with parents (website)
• Choosing a School: A Guide for Parents (pdf) – information on choosing a school and the placing request system
• A guide for parents about school attendance (pdf) explains parental responsibilities with regard to children’s attendance at school

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

• Guidance on the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 (pdf) provides guidance on the act for education authorities, Parent Councils and others
• Parentzone provide information and resource for parents and Parent Councils (website)

SCHOOL ETHOS

• Supporting Learners – guidance on the identification, planning and provision of support – Inclusions and Equalities (Website)
• Journey to Excellence – provides guidance and advice about culture and ethos (website)
• Health and wellbeing guidance on healthy living for local authorities and schools (website)
• Building Curriculum for Excellence through Positive Behaviour and Relationships (pdf) outlines the Scottish Government’s priority actions around positive behaviour in schools and is also a source of support

CURRICULUM

• Information about how the curriculum is structured and curriculum planning – The Curriculum for Scotland (website)
• Information about the outcomes a learner can expect to experience and achieve across literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing, as well as the 8 curricular areas – Experiences and outcomes (website)
• Advice, practice and resources to support the experiences and outcomes on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing – Responsibility of All (website)
• Information on Skills for learning, life and work (website)

ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING

• Building the Curriculum 5: a framework for assessment (pdf), provides guidance around the assessment framework
• Information about Curriculum for Excellence levels and how progress is assessed (website)

GETTING IT RIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD

• Information about National Policy and supporting children through Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) (website)
• Information and links on Wellbeing for children, parents/carers and staff (website)
• Information about South Lanarkshire Council’s GIRFEC Parenting Support Strategy (pdf).

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PLANS AND TARGETS

• A Stronger Scotland – plans for 2015-16 (pdf)
• National Improvement Framework for Education (January 2016) (pdf)
• Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (pdf)