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P1 Induction Event

May 2025

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Introduce you to some of the staff at Greyhope School.
Give you an understanding of the induction process.
Share information about Primary 1 experiences.
Share the importance of establishing/maintaining close links between home and school.
Share information about Parent Council.

Aims of this presentation

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Ross Watson

Head Teacher

Sarah McCue

Depute Head Teacher &

Nicola Gallagher – Acting Depute Head Teacher

Lindsay Duncan

Depute Head Teacher

SLT at Greyhope School

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P1 Teacher

Mrs Gallagher / Mrs Falconer

P1 Teacher

Miss Cheyne/Mrs Ross

P1/2 Teacher

Miss Seivwright

Photo Incoming

P1 Staff Team

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Positive Relationships
GIRFEC & Child Protection
Additional Support Needs
Assessment & Reporting
Parent/Carer Partnership

Supporting Your Child

At Greyhope School we have been reviewing our positive relationships policy. We continually strive to support children to make positive choices and follow simple school rules. If these rules aren’t followed, children are encouraged to reflect on their behaviours, how it has made them and others feel and how they can make better choices in the future.

GIRFEC, getting it right for every child, is the national approach to improving the wellbeing of children and young people. The GIRFEC approach puts the best interests of the child at the heart of decision making, takes a holistic approach to the wellbeing of a child, works with children, young people and their families on ways to improve wellbeing, advocates preventative work and early intervention to support children, young people and families and believes professionals must work together for the best interests of the child. The wellbeing indicators are used to identify areas where children are doing well or may need some support. If we identify an area where a child may need support with, we will share this with parents and carers first in order to plan appropriate support or access interventions which may involve referring to other agencies. The only exception to this is where concerns are of a child protection nature. In this instance, we are duty bound to record concerns and consult with social work or the joint child protection team and take further advice from them.

We use the Wellbeing wheel displayed here to ensure we meet the needs of all children. Parents of children with additional support needs may be invited to separate meetings to discuss their child’s needs. These include called Child’s Planning meetings or Multiagency meetings if other agencies are already involved and supporting.

Moving on to assessment and reporting, staff are skilled in assessing where children are in their learning through both formative and summative assessments. So that’s a mixture of ongoing assessment that is drip fed naturally into the school day – children aren’t usually aware this is assessment. More structured assessments are usually carried out with an adult – this could be a written or computer based assessment. Throughout the year, we report to parents in a variety of different ways, through learner update appointments known as parents evenings. We have both interim and end of year reports which communicate your child’s levels and a short comment. We make regular use of Seesaw to share and celebrate what’s happening in the classroom. We also invite parents in for Open Afternoons where parents are given the opportunity to learn and play alongside children.

Parent/carer partnerships are very important to us at Greyhope School and we aim to work together with you to support your child’s learning and development as best we can.

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Curriculum for Excellence

Literacy & English	Sciences
Numeracy & Mathematics	Technologies
Health & Wellbeing	Religious & Moral Education
Social Sciences	Expressive Arts

All learners in Scotland engage with the Curriculum for Excellence. You can see from the diagram that it runs from Nursery through to S6. Early Level is engaged with throughout Nursery and is ideally completed by the end of P1 however this is not the case for all. We do have some children who will achieve that national norm earlier and we will have some learners who will achieve it later, potentially into P2 or beyond. Depending on children’s strengths and development needs, they will achieve these levels when they are able to. We have 8 areas of the curriculum which we cover within the primary setting, the three at the top in bold carry more weight – Literacy and English, Numeracy and Mathematics and Health and Wellbeing. Children also engage in social studies, that’s the likes of history and geography, sciences, technology, religious and moral education, and expressive arts which covers drama, music, art and dance.

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What P1 may look like?

Play-based approach with learning contexts

Differentiation

Collaboration

Skills development

So, what does Primary 1 look like? We follow a play based approach at Greyhope School. There is a lot of research that highlights the immense value of play and we have been working hard to develop the play experiences for children in Primary 1 and 2. There are a number of different play contexts in each classroom where provocations are set up to consolidate or embed children’s learning and staff also work hard to respond to children’s interests. When the children begin Primary 1, a lot of the day will be spent experiencing play. We will gradually introduce teacher-led activities where the teacher will work at a teaching table with a few children or on an individual basis while the rest of the class play amongst the learning zones and develop key skills.
With regards to differentiation, we have to make sure that we meet individual needs as one size does not fit all. Where children require further support or challenge, amendments will be made and learning is differentiated.
Within our play based environments, there is huge scope for collaboration, team work and problem solving skills. The children are able to flow freely between the Primary 1 classrooms to experience play contexts. We are working hard to develop our outdoor area too so that the children can enjoy learning outside.

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Reading

Construction

Songs & Stories

Sensory Play

We enjoy lots of activities

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Problem Solving

Painting

Craft

Creativity

We enjoy lots of activities

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Week 1

Week 2

Week 1: Classes are split into three groups. You will be notified which group your child is in as soon as possible. Your child will be in 2 mornings during their first week at school.

Week 2: All groups in Monday – Wednesday during the mornings. Wednesday 27^th August is the parent-child lunch. Parents are invited to join although we are unfortunately unable to cater for parents. Thursday 28^th August and Friday 29^th August are full days.

Week 3: First full week of school.

P1 Induction Period

Info

Thursday 21^st August

9.15am-12.30pm

Group 3

Tuesday 19^th August

9.15am – 12.30pm

Group 1 in

Wednesday 20^th August

9.15-12.30pm

Group 2

Monday 18^th August

In-Service Day

No pupils in

Friday 22^nd August

9.00am-12.30pm

All groups in

Monday 25^th August

9am-12.30pm

All groups in

Tuesday 26^th August

9am-12.30pm

All groups in

Wednesday 27^th August

9am-12.30pm (approx)

All groups in

*Parent-Child Lunch*

Thursday 28^th August

9am-3pm

All groups in –

First Full Day

Friday 29^th August

9am-3pm

All groups in –

Full Day

This information has been shared through a letter already and will be shared on the Greyhope School site as soon as possible. There is a Nursery-Primary 1 tab in place and this information will be found there for reference.

I just want to highlight the induction process over the first 3 weeks. On the first week of school, all children will come in for 2 morning slots only. We will have one group of learners in at a time over the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9.15am-12.30pm. This is so that a third of the class comes in at a time, allowing the children to get to know their teacher better as well as other learners in their class on a deeper level. It is also not too busy or overwhelming. I will let you know ASAP whether your child is attending on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. On the first Friday, the whole class will be in from 9-12:30pm. We will notify you which group your child is in in the coming weeks.

During week 2, the whole will be in from 9-12:30pm from Monday – Wednesday with there being the opportunity for you to join them for a school lunch on Wednesday (this is optional) if you stay for the lunch then you can enter the playground for a short play and then take your child home afterwards. If you are not staying for lunch then we ask that you collect your child at 12:30pm. I will send out a letter explaining the lunch before the end of term to confirm final arrangements. On Thursday and Friday of week 2, the whole class are to stay in school for the whole day.

By week 3, children will be in school full time from 9am-3pm. I appreciate there are children in nursery settings for long hours at the moment but we do find that children get exceptionally tired following the transition to school and you will notice this. Please be mindful that Aberdeen City have a September holiday weekend – all holiday dates can be found on ACC website.

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Drop Off Time

At drop off time, it is unlikely we will need parents to enter the building. We will begin our day at 9:15am on Day 1. There will be cones out to indicate where to line up. Teachers and PSAs will be there to meet and direct. At this point, the children will be asked to wave goodbye as this is the time they will enter the building to complete some fun activities in the classroom.

Pick Up Time

Parents will pick up their child from where they lined up in the morning. This will either be at the class door or a fire exit door. The teacher will bring the children out into the playground and dismiss one at a time to their parent/carer. Parent/carers are therefore asked to

please stand back to allow all children to be dismissed safely. It is important for you to discuss with your child that they should not leave their teacher until they see the adult picking them up.

First Session in P1

At drop off time on the day of your first session, it’s unlikely that we will need parents to enter the school building. There will be cones to show were to line up and teachers/PSAs will be there to support and direct. At this point, children will give a final wave before entering their classroom. It’s never going to work for all and some children will find this tricky but there will be lots of staff there to support. This has worked really well previously. When the children enter their classroom, they will meet with their class and then be able to play.

At the end of the initial session, parents will pick-up from the playground. The gate closest to the P1 lines will be available. As it is lunch time, this is the only gate that will be opened. An adult will be present to support you entering and leaving with your child. Teachers will take children to the playground from their classes and will look for parents/carers to support children being dismissed safely. We ask that parents stand well back so that children can see beyond parents to find their own. We like to promote the children becoming independent and having ownership and responsibility to find you. The first few weeks are a good opportunity to practice pick up arrangements before whole school exiting at the same time. I’d advise you to try and stick to a general spot or area so that your child learns where to look for you.

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Children enter school via the infant stages gates and make way to their line up spot independently at the P1 & P1/2 doors.
Ideally, children arrive between 08:55 and 09:00.
Children line up with classmates and await their teacher.
We ask that you take your child to the line stand back to allow children to develop friendships and independence.
At drop off, teachers will be focused on getting children into school and starting learning activities. If you require to pass on a message, please do through Seesaw or by emailing enquiries@greyhopeschool@ab-ed.org

Start of the Day

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Children are dismissed by their teacher into the playground and should have an adult there to collect them.

Parents/carers should be on time and make themselves visible, yet stand back.

Parent’s responsibility to be there at the end of the day.

Children should be made aware of arrangements at pick up time. If there are changes to pick up arrangements, please call the school to inform.

End of the Day

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School Bag – large enough to hold everything, including a packed lunch
Water Bottle
Jacket – which can be put on and fastened independently
Comfortable shoes – which can be put on and fastened independently
Clothes suitable for outdoor learning and a spare change of clothes!
Comfortable bottoms and indoor trainers on PE days
Snack
Packed Lunch (if not having School Lunch)

REMEMBER TO LABEL ALL ITEMS ☺

What will your child need?

We ask that children have a school bag big enough to hold everything as they will have a snack, a water bottle and potentially a lunchbox. We ask that all children bring a water bottle which they have access to throughout the day and we do ask that it’s filled with water as opposed to juice. We ask that children have a jacket with them, ideally one that they can put on and close themselves whether it’s through Velcro, buttons or a zip. Please be mindful, that wherever possible, our children spend breaks and lunches outdoors. We would only keep children indoors where there is a health and safety risk due to snow, ice or wind so jackets are required every day. We ask that children have comfortable shoes which they can put on and fasten independently. We ask that children take a snack with them to eat during playtime – please aim for a healthy snack which is easy to eat so they have time to play too. Snacks are best kept in front pockets so they are easily accessible to children and can be differentiated between their lunch should they choose to bring a packed lunch. If children are not having a school lunch, they can bring a packed lunch from home.
Children do not need to bring a gym kit – the teacher will let you know which days are ‘gym days’ and they may wear comfortable clothing on these days to participate in PE. However, please do pack clothing suitable for all weathers – sun hats if we ever get some sun! Hats, gloves etc for cooler days and a spare change of clothes! This is vital in the early years as children may get wet or dirty through play or may even have a toileting accident so it is very helpful to have a spare change of clothes in their bag.
Most importantly, please label everything! We end up with high volumes of lost property and there is nothing we can do with that if items are not labelled.

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White blouse/shirt or polo-shirt.
Dark bottoms - trousers, skirts or shorts.
Jade green or light grey sweatshirt or cardigan.
Waterproof jacket.
Comfortable footwear.

School Uniform

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Playtime Snack

Wet Playtimes

PSA Support/Expectations

P1 Buddies

Break Times

During our meet the teacher sessions, we will aim to take the children outside to see the playground. We have a lovely large playground where all pupils in P1-7 can interact if they wish to. We will aim to have buddies in place next year to support the children and we have PSA support outdoors during break and lunch. PSA stands for pupil support assistant. The ladies wear big yellow vests over their jackets so adults are always visible to learners so they aren’t tricky to find should a child require support. Occasionally we may have wet playtimes where we ask children to engage with drawing or reading and sometimes teachers are able to put something on the SMART board for children to watch since it’s down time. Children can come to school with an activity such as a colouring book for wet play times if they wish – this can be left in their bag or tray. We ask that children do not take toys into school incase they get lost or damaged which has caused upset in the past.

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Cashless System

Packed Lunch

Allergy/Dietary Info

Home Lunch

Lunch Times

Moving into lunchtime. We now use a system called ParentPay – this is a relatively new cashless system whereby meals can be ordered at home. P1 children are entitled to free school meals. We encourage parents to order meals at home and discuss choices with learners so they know what they are having. We have a fantastic team in the kitchen who serve children lunch. There will be an opportunity for you to join your child for a school dinner so this routine will make sense once you see it. If your child opts to have a packed lunch, that is not a problem, they will still sit alongside their friends within their class. A link to a form has been shared with new families where you can let us know if your child has any allergies or dietary requirements. We can add a note to our system to prevent children being offered lunch choices they are unable to have. Children are welcome to go home for lunch but this is not something which tends to happen at Greyhope School. If you do wish to take your child home for lunch, we would ask you to inform the school to allow us to make suitable arrangements.

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We have focused on settling in, relationship building and daily routine. There will be curriculum events which will look at the curriculum in greater depth. These will focus on what learning and teaching in each area will look like in school and how you can support learning at home. More details of these will be given in the next academic year.

Literacy - Phonics

Numeracy

Health & Wellbeing

Parent Curriculum Events

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Individual appointments may be given. These will be confirmed in the last two weeks of this term. It may be possible to do during the children’s working day.

Emerging Literacy Assessments

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Seesaw – Sharing of Learning
Open Afternoons
Learning Updates (Parent Consultations)
Interim Report
Final Report
School Newsletters

Communication

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Runs from 8.15am-9am
Time for breakfast and play before school
Link to application form can be accessed through emailing school office

Breakfast Club

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Jewellery – removed on gym days
Bikes/Scooters – ideally taken home
Contact numbers/email addresses
Annual permission and medical online form

Other Additional Reminders

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Please take an All About Me away with you today ☺

All About Me

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Chair Person – Kathleen Mulloy

Secretary – Nycolle Sanders

Contact Details…

Greyhope Parent Voice

PCGreyhope@aberdeen.npfs.org.uk

greyhopeparentvoice@gmail.com

All About Us…

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If you have any further questions please email Sarah McCue through the school office email on enquiries@greyhopeschool@ab-ed.org

Thank you for listening…