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SCHOOL ETHOS

 

In our school we are committed to providing appropriate opportunities for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural values through both the ethos and the curriculum.  This will be undertaken in partnership with parents/carers and will take account of the individual needs of pupils and the views of parents/carers.

 

We aim to create a school ethos through our positive actions in our learning and towards each other. We respect the traditions of our school and fully embrace those of Campbeltown and the local area, and we aim to provide a curriculum which enables children to learn new skills, to engage in real-life experiences that enhance their learning and to work and play with an awareness of other people’s needs.

                     

Our ethos is best summed up through our statement of our vision, values and aims.

 

Our Vision is that all children at Castlehill are given the best possible start to their school life so that they can become lifelong learners and successful individuals.


The values that we believe to be the most important in our school community are:

  • respect, kindness, trust and fairness.


Our key aims are:

  • for our school environment to be one in which all pupils can be safe, healthy, happy and achieve

  • for our curriculum to be progressive, challenging and enriching

  • and for all of our pupils to learn to be thinking learners so that they can become lifelong learners and successful individuals.

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Our school welcomes and encourages diversity and individuality, while emphasizing our common commitment to moral values such as honesty, respect for others, compassion and justice.  Fundamental principles of our school are that all who are involved in the life of our school have the right to be respected as individuals and carry the responsibility to act in a considerate and respectful manner towards others.  We are firmly committed to the elimination of any form of discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, gender or disability.

 

We are keen that our pupils play an active role in school, local and national life. Examples of our pupils’ involvement in positive citizenship roles and of our partnerships with other organisations recently have included:

  • Links with Active Schools through Virtual Games, golf, hockey and boccia sessions in schools and after-school Young Leaders multi-sports clubs.

  • Achieving Argyll and Bute’s Sports Silver Award and working towards the Gold Award, involving lunchtime clubs.

  • Visits to Into Cinema screenings at the Campbeltown Picture House

  • Christmas Craft Fayre and Concert

  • Visits from Kintyre Museum and a Local Artist

  • Involvement in the local MACC base Queen’s Canopy tree planting and space workshop

  • Achieving Argyll and Bute’s Bronze Accreditation for Nurture

  • Working towards the Rights Respecting Schools Bronze Award

  • Our choir performing at the Town Carol Service

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School and Community Links

 

We are linked to local schools Castlehill Primary and Drumlemble Primary through our shared Head Teacher arrangement. This leadership structure involves the Head Teacher and a Depute Head Teacher working across the three schools. We are continuing to develop the links and sharing of expertise across the schools, while fostering the unique identity of each school.


The school works closely with other organisations in the community to promote positive behaviour, foster good relationships and motivate pupils:

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  • Working closely with our neighbouring Nursery, Campbeltown Nursery

  • Liaising with Campbeltown Grammar School. A number of students benefit from work experience placements in Castlehill, providing positive role models for our children.

  • Working with Active Schools to provide a range of sporting activities for children.

  • Promoting and encouraging children’s involvement in clubs and activities within the local area

  • Liaising with the local church, for example, for end of term services.

  • Liaising with local residential and nursing homes to provide opportunities for residents to see and hear pupils performing

  • Working closely with external agencies and providers to support children in their learning and well-being.

  • Liaising with Heath and Children and Families Team multi-agency partners in Girfec working procedures and in meeting the health needs of all pupils.

  • Working with the Oral Health Team to provide learning activities and access to tooth brushing for P1-2.

  • Liaising with Police Community Engagement Officer to provide, for example, guidance on internet safety and anti-bullying.

  • The school has an open policy towards building relationships with individuals and organisations in the community to support pupils in developing their skills for life, learning and work and in enabling partnership work that benefits both the school and our partner organisations.


The school has an open policy towards building relationships with individuals and organisations in the community to support pupils in developing their skills for life, learning and work and in enabling partnership work that benefits both the school and our partner organisations.

 

 

Promoting Positive Behaviour

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Positive relationships are essential to good learning.  The general aim of the school is to provide an atmosphere of mutual respect and collective responsibility.  Pupils, parents/carers and staff all have an important part to play in producing and sustaining this positive ethos.  The rules of the school are of a common sense nature, bearing in mind the interest and safety of all concerned.

 

Our school rules are as follows:-

  • Speak and listen respectfully to others.

  • Act kindly towards others.

  • Look after everyone’s property.

  • Be responsible inside the school and in the playground.

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Discipline

 

Our Behaviour Policy is a key factor in ensuring there is a positive school ethos at Castlehill. It links to the principles of our Vision, Values and Aims Statement, to our Anti-bullying Policy and to the principle that we are committed to ensuring that all pupils and members of the school community feel happy, safe and free from bullying.

 

Behaviour in the school is managed by promoting positive behaviour and relationships and by maintaining effective routines and procedures:

 

Rewards

Rewards include:                        

  • Verbal Praise

  • Special privileges.

  • Positions of responsibility.

  • Displays of pupils good work

  • Star Awards and Well Done Card in Assemblies

  • Head Teacher Stickers

  • Each class has their own individual system that can recognise academic and social achievements

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Sanctions

When children are observed breaking school rules and/or being disrespectful in any way, we will follow these steps:

  • Verbal warning using language that states clearly how we would like the behaviour to change.

  • A choice is given e.g. you can choose to stop this behaviour now or I’m going to have to move your seat/talk to the Head Teacher/Depute etc.

  • If the behaviour continues, a member of the Leadership Team should be notified.

  • If, following intervention from Leadership Team, the behaviour continues, parents should be notified.

  • The child, teacher, parent and Leadership Team will then work together to develop an approach to managing behaviours, including clear, agreed consequences.  This should be personalised to suit the child and the behaviours being observed.

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Anti-Bullying

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Argyll and Bute’s Anti-Bullying Policy may be viewed here

 

We are committed to developing, implementing and reviewing our school anti-bullying policy in line with all aspects of the Argyll and Bute’s Education Team’s Anti-bullying Policy.

 

We aspire to be a safe learning community which ensures all pupils are supported, nurtured and feel included. We promote and celebrate differences by respecting the beliefs and opinions of others and build positive relationships and behaviour so that bullying is seen as unacceptable behaviour.

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All members of our school community are responsible for implementing it so that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

 

This partnership approach ensures that everyone understands the needs, expectations, concerns and capabilities of each partner, and what they can expect to happen if bullying occurs.

 

As a rights respecting school we uphold children’s rights and are aware that bullying is a breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child:

 

  • The right to protection against discrimination (Article 2)

  • The right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously (Article 12)

  • The right to protection from violence, abuse and neglect (Article 19)

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Celebrating Achievement

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Children work hardest when they know their work will be appreciated and praised. All staff encourage pupils at all times and in all activities to give their best. Their effort may be rewarded verbally by praise, or non-verbally by a smiley face or sticker.


The whole school celebrates achievement by giving certificates to award pupils for good work, effort or kindness shown to others.                                           

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Wider-Curricular Activities

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A variety of extra-curricular activities can take place depending on the expertise and availability of staff. Clubs have recently included choir, football, boccia, benchball, yoga, virtual games and Young Leader multi-sports. Parents and carers are very welcome to help and support the running of clubs. 

 

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Pupil Council

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During 22/23 we have operated our Pupil Council as two Pupil Focus groups, P1-3 Chit-chats and P4-7 Chatterboxes. Two pupils from each class represent their classes in the groups and membership of the groups has changed each term to give as many pupils as possible a chance to play a role in the school body. When meetings are held, the council discusses matters relating to school life raised by pupils themselves or by members of staff. Members are also asked to give views on issues raised within the education authority or nationally. They also have the role of gathering views from pupils within their class and reporting back both to their classes and in assemblies to the whole school.

 

We have also started a Rights Respecting Schools pupil group to represent pupil views across the school specifically in terms of our Rights Respecting Schools school improvement initiative.

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Updated: 02/2023

 

Useful Links

 

Supporting Learners - guidance on the identification, planning and provision of support.

 

Developing a positive whole school ethos and culture 

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Health and well-being guidance on healthy living for local authorities and schools.

 

Building Curriculum for Excellence Through Positive Behaviour and Relationships outlines the Scottish Government’s priority actions around positive behaviour in schools and is also a source of support.

 

Scottish Catholic Education Service’s resource ‘This is Our Faith’ which supports the teaching and learning of Catholic religious education.

Discipline
School & Community Links
Promoting Positive Behaviour
Celebrating Achievement
Anti-Bullying
Wider Curriculular
Pupil Council
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