1. Mearns Castle High School
P7 Parents’
Information Evening
6 June 2019

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

3. Induction Days P7 Sports – Wednesday 5 June am
P7 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

4. 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

5. Our Values Respect Inclusion Integrity Responsibility Ambition
Achievement

7. 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

8. Secondary Stages
Broad General Education S1-2
Senior Phase – S3-6
S1/S2 (most choose 8 subjects at end of S2)
S3/S4 (most choose 5 subjects at end of S4)
S5(pupils choose a minimum of 3 subjects) S6

9. Pupil Support What support do we offer? DHT / Year Group Head
Pupil Support – Pastoral
Pupil Support –Personal Development
Pupil Support – Learning
Class Teachers
S6 Academic Family
S6 Peer Buddies

10. Previous Model of Support
Previous 6 DHTs – one for each Year Group S1-S6 6 PTPS – one for each House DHT follows Year Group S1 to S6 PTPS remains constant S1 – S6

11. Current Model of Support
Current 5 DHTs but still 6 PTPS PTPS remains constant S1 – S6 DHT follows Year Group S2-S6 5DHTs + HT work with 6 PTPS to support caseload of S1 pupils

12. Pupil Support ‐ Pastoral
Mrs Kirsty Brophy – Principal Teacher

13. Pupil Support Presentation to P7 Parents
Welcome to Mearns Castle
Pupil Support Presentation to P7 Parents

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

15. 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

16. Moving from P7 to S1 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?

17. Mearns Castle House System
Pupils are organised into House groups by surname
Pupils from the same family are in the same House
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 S1 until they leave in S6

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

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

20. Worries… organisation homework Keeping up with work Getting lost
Who will help?
Teachers

21. Role of Pupil Support Pastoral
P7 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

22. 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

23. Pupil Support ‐ Personal Development
Ms Wendy Crosby – Principal Teacher

24. Pupil Support ‐ Learning
Mrs Audrey Bonini

25. S1 Classes Information from Primary Schools
Classes – gender / schools / ability
Different groupings for different subjects
Alpha class, 1A 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)

26. 1A2 Approx 20 pupils Approx 30 pupils Science Modern Languages
HOUSE GROUPS:
PSE
Citizenship
RMPS
Approx 20 pupils
Science
Tech / FHT
Art / Music
IT / Drama
Approx 30 pupils
Modern Languages
Social Subjects

27. S1 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 are any major issues
P7 Volleyball Camp Wed-Fri 7/8/9 Aug 2019

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

29. Subjects in S1 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)

30. S1 French Dictionaries
We are very grateful to our Parent Council / PTA who have funded the purchase of a French Dictionary for every S1 pupil.

31. Lunchtime 12:20pm – 1:05pm S1/2 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 1st Day of school in August – Cash or Parent Pay

32. Getting To School By Bus – ERC Buses supervised in Car Park By Car
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?

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

34. Wider Learning Clubs – Wide variety on offer for S1, 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

36. 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 …

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

43. 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

44. How we keep in touch Newsletters – one per term
Letters – as appropriate
S1 Reports
1 Tracking Report (November)
1 Full Report (May)
Parent Meetings
Curriculum Evening (October)
Parents’ Meeting (November)
Texting
Phone Calls – DHTs, Principal Teachers – not class teachers
Website / twitter (check these regularly)

45. 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

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

47. Home Learning Promoting Partnership working
Understanding how to best support your child.
S1 MCHS Initiative.

48. 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

49. 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

50. Any questions?