Bad Weather Arrangements

Pupils may shelter in the school
when the weather is inclement.

Areas available are:
S1 and 2 - Dining Hall
S3 and 4 - The Link
S5 and 6 - The Old School Hall

The school may be closed early on
days when weather conditions
are extremely bad e.g. snow lying
and drifting heavily. In such
conditions, some pupils may be at
risk, either because of the conditions under which they have to walk home, or because of the distance they would have to walk after getting off the school bus.

Parents are asked to complete a ‘Bad Weather' form which requests the following information:

· name of child(ren)
· how to contact you in an emergency
· whom we should contact if you are not available.

Appropriate arrangements for the safety of your child(ren) can then be made. We will do our utmost to ensure that pupils make contact with home before leaving school to ensure that you know that school is closing.

In the case of severe weather, parents may access information about emergency school closure by way of the three local radio stations (Radio Solway, Westsound, Radio Cumbria ), Border TV and the Councils website www.dumgal.gov.uk as well as by contacting the School Office.

Health Care

Pupils who feel unwell during the school day should report to the School Office. Should it be necessary to send your child home, you will be contacted to arrange this. In this connection, you will be asked to inform us how to contact you in an emergency or whom we should contact if you are not available.

While we would prefer that appointments are made outwith school times, pupils are allowed to attend dental and medical appointments at times within the school day. They should produce their appointment card and sign out at the School Office and sign back in once they return to school.

The School Health Team work in partnership with the school to help pupils achieve their optimum in health and to develop life skills as they approach adulthood. The main focus of work carried out is health promotion and preventative health care. The School Health Team will inform parents/ guardians at the appropriate time of any immunisation programmes carried out in the school.

Pupils are able to access the school nurse weekly at the drop-in service on Tuesday lunchtime. This is entirely at their own discretion. It is a confidential service. Pupils are cautioned, however, that the school nurse may require to discuss concerns with another professional. All pupils are, of course, encouraged to discuss any health concerns they have with their parents or guardian. The aim of this particular service is to encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own health as appropriate.

Any parent/guardian wishing more information on the school health service can request a leaflet, containing the school health programme, from the school office.

Our school nurse is Ms Lynn Wilson and she can be contacted at:

School Health Dept
Garden Hill Primary Care Centre
Garden Hill Road
Castle Douglas
DG7
Tel: 01556 505712

Alternatively, leave a message at the School Office and a member of the School Health Team will get back to you.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle

Kirkcudbright Academy is a health promoting school. This means that we actively promote the principle encapsulated by the old saying, "a healthy mind in a healthy body". In reality, this means that we take positive steps to influence what our pupils eat and drink, their levels of activity and their lifestyle in general. We provide pupils with information on a variety of relevant matters including drugs, alcohol, exercise, sexual health and smoking.

While all members of staff contribute in one way or another to promote good health at the Academy, we are greatly assisted in this task by the particular work of the Pupil Support and P.E. Departments, our Active Schools (Sports) co-ordinator, Mrs Ailsa Francis and the school nurse, Ms Lynn Wilson .

Throughout the session, we organise food events promoting a healthy lifestyle, often with the support of local businesses, our kitchen staff, the regional catering company and representatives from health promotion.

At present the school is working to develop a greater awareness of emotional well-being and how this impacts on successful learning in the classroom.

Fruit tasting session

School Security

In line with national measures to improve pupil safety, the school is monitored by closed circuit television cameras and by a fob entry systems at all doors. All visitors (including parents) should report to the School Office at the main door. Visitors who require access to the school will be issued with an 'authorised visitor' badge. This also contains important information about fire evacuation procedures.

Pupils are discouraged from bringing large sums of money and valuable items to school. Lockers may be hired annually for personal belongings. Larger items such as musical instruments may be left at the School Office.

Employment of School Pupils

Regulations governing the employment of school children prohibit the employment of children under the age of 13 (except by a parent or guardian for light agricultural or horticultural work). There are regulations about the times and hours of employment for children of 13 and over and they prohibit work in certain occupations. All children in paid employment require a work permit. Fuller information and application forms are available from the School Office.

It is also worth stressing that the demands of National Qualifications in S4, S5 and S6 are considerable and students are expected to undertake several hours of work at home on a regular basis. It is not advisable for a student to attempt a number of National Qualification courses and a demanding part-time job. This is a recipe for overload and failure: students who work long hours in a part-time job are less likely to achieve good passes in examinations. Although part-time work can play an important role in preparing pupils for life after school, we would urge all pupils and parents to consider carefully the best way to achieve the right balance between part-time work and study.

Pupils over 16 years of age in S5/S6 can qualify for an Educational Maintenance Allowance to help them afford to stay on at school. Allocation depends on parental income. This system means that a certain sum is paid fortnightly to a pupil's bank account if he/she attends school regularly. In addition, two bonus payments are made annually if pupils work well and achieve their potential.

Application forms for EMAs are available from the school office. Enquires should be made to Mrs Dobson.