This document provides information for parents about Primary 7 at MidCalder Primary School. It outlines how parents can support their children's learning, what supplies children need, classroom expectations, and the curriculum. Key points include: parents should ensure children are organized for school with proper uniform; the classroom focuses on respect, responsibility, and cooperation; and the curriculum covers subjects like literacy, math, health & wellbeing, and social studies.

1. MidCalder Primary
Meet the Teacher-
Thursday 8th
September 2016
Primary 7
Mrs Ross

2. How you can help your child
* Please ensure your child is organised for their day at school. Full
school uniform should be worn at all times.
* In order to maintain a positive partnership between parents and
school, we would ask that you give your child the support that they
need to complete school tasks in the allocated time and to the best
of their ability.
* When you are completely satisfied with the content and standard of
your child’s work, please sign their homework.
* Encourage your children to access DIDBOOK and our school blog
on a regular basis to share examples of success, evidence of work
and ongoing school developments.
* Please remind your children to share letters and correspondence
from school regularly – letters and important information are usually
found at the bottom of school bags!

3. What does your child need?
A bag
A writing pencil
Reading book
Homework diary
P.E. kit
Dinner money; Milk Money if applicable
A healthy snack

4. The Primary 7 classroom
The children in Primary Seven have worked as a team to
create a class charter. These are displayed in the
classroom for all children to see. We want to be a year
group that respects each other and who promote an
environment where learning is co-operative. This
means being responsible, considerate of others,
using a classroom voice and practising good
talking/listening skills. We will be continuing to use our
Positive Ethos policy to ensure the highest standards of
behaviour and attitude.
As well as our class charter it is expected that the
children will respect all staff and peers. Children are
expected to behave in a sensible and safe way in the
playground, in the corridors and in the dinner hall.

5. Living the Values, Class Dojo,
and Free Time Friday
 The whole school is continuing to place emphasis on our
Values which include being Inclusive, Friendly,
Responsible, Respectful, Successful, and Enthusiastic.
On a weekly basis, pupils will be rewarded with Values
certificates on achieving the values consistently in their
daily school lives.
 Class Dojos - pupils are rewarded for demonstrating the
school values and showing good behaviour. Children will
also have Free Time Friday for 30 minutes. This, along
with the Class Dojo system, Star Pupil certificates and
Living the Values rewards good behaviour.

6. Class Dojo
• Class Dojo is an online behaviour system.
Children can earn points for
demonstrating the school values. The Top
Scorer each week will be added to a draw
and each term there will be a winner
drawn for each House. The points will be
added to their House and each term the
winning house will negotiate a reward.

8. Free Time Friday
• Free Time Friday– if lost – record kept and
children reflect on what they can do to
improve their behaviour. Record sheet
sent home for parents to sign
• School Behaviour Policy- warning given,
loss of Free Time Friday, move to another
class, senior management.

9. Primary 7responsibilities
• Buddying
• Responsible roles – playful pals, safe
security and Magical Mediator
• House Captains and Vice Captains
• Representing MidCalder Primary in a
positive way throughout transition and
sporting cluster events.
• Role models

10. Curriculum for Excellence
* At MidCalder, we fully embrace Curriculum for
Excellence. The purpose of Curriculum for
Excellence is to enable each young person to
become Successful Learners, Confident
Individuals, Responsible Citizens and Effective
Contributors.
* Your child will participate in a broad range of
experiences which will develop their thinking and
learning and their physical, personal and social
growth. The experiences and outcomes are
achievable at five levels and the second level is
achievable by the end of P7.

11. Experiences and Outcomes
• Literacy and Languages
• Mathematics and Numeracy
• Health and Wellbeing
• Expressive Arts
• Religious and Moral Education
• Sciences
• Social Studies
• Technologies

12. Skills for life, learning and work
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Critical Thinking
• Creative Thinking
• Communication
• Organisation
• Management
• Leadership

13. CfE in your child’s class
Pupils:
• Work individually, in pairs, in teams, as a
class, across the school and beyond.
• Solve meaningful and ‘real’ problems.
• Publicly exhibit their learning.
• Reflect on and assess what they are learning
and doing.
• Apply quality criteria to their work.
• Take responsibility for and ownership of their
learning and for their classroom community.
• Engage in a variety of learning approaches
including collaborative learning and Active
Learning.

14. The role of the teacher
• Plan and deliver an appropriate curriculum,
making explicit interdisciplinary links.
• Mediate, coach and support the learning
process
• Target learning which guides culture,
curriculum and assessment.
Children’s progress is continually assessed using a
range of appropriate assessment strategies. This
helps the teacher, and the pupil’s themselves, to
support children’s learning and plan their next steps.

15. What we are going to study this year:
Social Subjects: World War 2
STEM
Literacy project
Science: Planet Earth – Biodiversity
Forces, electricity & waves
PSD: Living & Growing
Keeping Myself Safe
Internet Safety

16. Language
Pupils will participate in one Reading, two Writing and
one Grammar & Punctuation lesson per week. Children
will undertake group reading and discussion of texts on
reading days. Additional support will be made available
on a regular basis.
On writing days children will develop their skills in
planning, writing and redrafting their stories. There is a
whole school approach to spelling using SWST.

17. Maths
Pupils participate in daily Maths lessons which provide
them with opportunities for investigation, exploration and
problem solving. Pupils join learning which is embedded
in relevant, enjoyable contexts and they are encouraged
to make decisions and take risks.
A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used,
these may include direct teaching, collaborative learning,
ICT, active learning, inter-disciplinary learning and
independent tasks.

18. Physical Education
* P.E. is a vital part of the curriculum and it
is very important that your child participates.
Your child will participate in P.E. lessons so
it is important that they have the correct kit.
* Suitable P.E kit should be brought in at the
beginning of the week and taken home at the
end of the week for washing.
* Indoor P.E. kit consists of:
-a white t shirt
-black shorts
-indoor gym shoes
-We encourage long hair to be tied back and
jewellery to be removed for safety.

19. Rights Respecting Schools
We are a Rights Respecting
school continuing to develop Rights in
conjunction with UNICEF. Children
have a good knowledge of the rights
of the child, how to apply these to all
children in the world and that along
with these rights, there are
responsibilities

20. Transition to High School
As you will be aware, Primary 7 is a very
important year. Further transition information will
be passed on later in the academic year.
Your child will take part in a range of activities that
will aid the transition process to high school.
Such activities include:
•Visits to the high school to familiarise themselves with the
building and staff
•Visits from high school staff to establish a working
relationship
•Cluster events (sports festival)
•Technology experiences.

21. Homework
Your child will have a minimum of two pieces of
homework each week. We would appreciate if all
homework could be signed.
Spelling – Spelling homework is set on a Monday and
should be handed in by Friday. Pupils are tested on
Friday. Words are taken from the Single Word Spelling
Test scheme.
Reading –– Reading homework will be given on a Monday
and should be handed in the following Monday.
Maths – Group Maths homework will be given on a
Tuesday and should be handed in the following Tuesday.
Other homework relating to IDL and other Curricular
areas will be given throughout the year where
appropriate.

22. Profiling
• Pupils will create and update throughout the year (in
conjunction with staff), learning targets specific to their
individual needs in Literacy and Maths.
• Reflect upon feedback and assessments in jotters and in
class, to track their learning journey within First/Second
Level of Curriculum for Excellence.
• Uploaded to Didbook
• Evidence gathered and shared in a variety of ways.
• Pupils familiarise with the learning language of the
requirements of First/Second Levels.
• Copies of our Profiling tool are available on our school
blog.

25. So far this term…
• Getting to know you tasks
• Community building
• Team work
• Established grouping
• Community Contract – class values
• Electing House Captain/Vice

26. Thank you for showing
your support by coming
along tonight.
Any questions?