Communications Policy

Please click here to view the full policy.

We have summarised some common reasons parents/carers may need to contact us below and have indicated who the most relevant contact would be in each case.

Please make contact by

emailing dunningparents@pkc.gov.uk 

or telephoning 01764 681 350

Should you have any concern that remains unresolved, please do not hesitate to contact the Head Teacher.

Outgoing Communications

(ie from the School to Parents/Carers)

Our school uses a variety of methods to communicate with parents/carers.

These include:

• Groupcall – this facility allows the school to send short text and email messages to parents/carers. Text messages are usually used only for matters that require to be drawn to parents’ attention urgently such as unexplained absences, school bus or club cancellations or severe weather closures. Email is our preferred means of communication and we hold parental email addresses for almost all children. Where families are unable to receive email communication from the school, we will provide paper copies instead. Should you require paper copies please make this request by contacting our school office.
• The School Website – the school website is a very useful resource for parents/carers. As well as providing news updates, the website is the place where parents/carers are most likely to find information they need about the school. This includes the school’s calendar of events, the school handbook, policies and other key documents (see below). 
• Seesaw & Social Media (Twitter) – these electronic tools are particularly useful for providing updates on pupils’ achievements both (within the school and in relation to extra-curricular activities and wider achievement) and also to share class specific information.

Our main Twitter account uses the handle: @DunningPS

NB Glow Teams is not used to communicate with Parents -

"Online safety is of utmost importance in the delivery and management of Glow. Glow is not an open system, and should be viewed as an extension of the school/education establishment. Only learners, and adults who require access in relation to their role as teaching or support staff, are provided with Glow accounts. All adults will have been Disclosure Scotland checked at minimum prior to their individual Glow account being created. Therefore parents/carers logging in using their child’s Glow account and using Glow is not permitted; and in addition schools should not issue children’s Glow accounts directly to parents.")

Incoming Communications

(ie from Parents/Carers to the School)

Staff are usually available for a brief, informal discussion at the end of the school day and formal appointments can also be arranged if a more in depth discussion is required.

Should parents/carers wish to  discuss any concerns, please 

email dunningparents@pkc.gov.uk or telephone the main office to make an appointment.

Please do not contact Teachers directly via their personal email, SeeSaw or Glow Teams. Many thanks.

Communication regarding the Curriculum

and Learning and Teaching

Parents/Carers are provided with a curriculum overview , Learning Links, at the beginning of each term which explain the main areas of learning in Literacy, Numeracy, Health & Wellbeing being covered that term. It shares suggested links to websites and also a range of activities which will help parents support their children.

Teachers and pupils regularly share evidence of their learning and achievements in SeeSaw and Twitter. Some class information may be shared by the Teacher on SeeSaw.

There are termly ‘Sharing Our Learning’ events when pupils show their parents/carers around their classroom and what they have been learning that term.

There are normally three parent contact events.  The first meeting of each school session is a 'Meet the Teacher' event where classroom routines and expectations will be shared, a meeting in November and again in March are for parents to meet with Teachers to discuss their children's progress. Three written reports are issued throughout the year, two interim reports prior to the November and March parent contact meetings and a final report at the end of the school session.

Additional Communication from the School

The School Handbook

A school handbook is made available to all parents/carers through the school website and is updated by December of each year. This handbook meets the requirements of the Education (School and Placing Information) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 and its purposes include:

• providing a welcome for new parents/carers to the school;
• helping parents/carers to choose a school; and
• helping parents/carers to prepare their child for school.

The handbook should serve as a practical guide to parents/carers about school, authority and national policies and how these will impact on their child’s experience at the school. It should also give a good ‘feel’ for the sort of school that we are.

The school handbook is also available in hard copy upon request.

Standards and Qualities Report

The school is required under the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc (Scotland) Act (2000) to publish an annual report including key performance measures such as those relating to attainment and attendance. This report is published on the school website.