Parent Information
Dates for the diary 2023/24
Listed below are the start dates for each term and holidays.
For information about what is going on during each term, please look at the “What’s On” section.
| Term 1 |
| 21st August 2023 – In-Service day (1) 22nd August 2023 – start of term 1 13th October 2023 – end of term 1 16th to 27th October 2023 – October holiday |
| 28th , 29th and 30th August – Bikeability 31st August – Jammin Andy 1st September – P1 and Parents/Carers lunch 4th and 18th September – P1/2/3 trip to Woods 11th and 25th September – P4/5/6/7 den building/woods 10th September – Tom’s Cairn Race 19th September – Parents Evening 5th October – Macmillan Coffee morning 5th October – PC Meeting – online |
| Dates to be confirmed: P1 First Class photo |
| Term 2 |
| 30th October 2023 – start of term 2 16th November 2023 – In-Service day (2) 17th November 2023 – In-Service day (3) 22nd December 2023 – end of term 2 25th December 2023 to 5th January 2024 – Christmas holiday |
| 4th or 5th November – Bonfire Night (P1/2/3 to prepare the Guy) 11th November – Remembrance Day Service 15th November – Children in Need – £1 – wear spots 21st November – Open Afternoon 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd December – Christmas Jumpers 19th December – End of Term Service 21st December- Christmas Party |
| Dates to be confirmed: Parent Council Meeting Open Afternoon Reverse Advent Appeal Christmas Lunch |
Term 3 |
| 8th January 2024 – start of term 3 8th February 2024 – Aboyne Cluster holiday 9th February 2024 – Aboyne Cluster holiday 12th February 2024 – mid-term holiday 13th February 2024 – In-Service day (4) 14th February 2024 – In-Service day (5) 28th March 2024 – end of term 3 29th March to 17th April 2024 – Spring holiday |
| 25th January – Burns Day 7th March – World Book Day |
| Dates to be confirmed: Parent Council Meeting Open Afternoon |
| Term 4 |
| 15th April 2024 – start of term 4 6th May 2024 – May Day holiday 5th July 2024 – end of term 4 8th July to 16th August 2024 – Summer holiday |
| 22nd to 26th April – P6/7 Residential Trip -Nethybridge 7th May – Parents Evening 21st May – Sports Day 28th May – Sports Day (Reserve) 5th July – End of Term Service |
| Dates to be confirmed: Parent Council Meeting Report Cards to Parents/Carers Health Week P7 Last Class photo |
School Meals
https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/schools/school-info/meals/primary-school-meals
PARENT COUNCIL
Parental involvement and engagement are important to the school and the nursery and we are very appreciative of their support. In the past, parents have been involved with a variety of activities to help support and add to pupil learning, for example, listening to reading, running the Recorder Group, helping at the School Woods for outdoor learning, coming on school trips, and raising money for the school. To develop the DYW project, parents and carers will also be asked to take part in a proposed Careers Event at the school, in Term 4, when they will be asked to talk to the P4/5/6/7 class about their job/profession and the skills and qualifications they need.
The active and supportive Parent Council support the school by actioning issues raised at the Parent Council meetings and raise much needed funds for school projects and resources by running their 2 main Fundraising Activities, namely the Tom’s Cairn Race and the Christmas Fair.
The staff are really appreciative in all that you do. Thank you.
Office Bearers for 2023/24
Chair: Mr A Graham-Wright
Secretary: Mrs L Bayne
Treasurer: Mrs D Dinnie
ASSESSMENTS
Standardised National Standardised Assessments Session 2023/24
In line with Aberdeenshire Council Policy, pupils at Finzean School will engage with the Scottish Government’s Standardised National Standardised Assessments (SNSAs). The Scottish Government commissioned the Scottish National Standardised Assessments as part of the National Improvement Framework. https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/national-improvement-framework/
For children and young people to have the best chance of reaching their potential, parents, carers, teachers and the children themselves, need to understand how they are progressing, and what further support they require. Alongside a wide range of other assessment activity, the assessments help to inform that understanding by providing teachers with objective and nationally consistent information on children’s progress.
However, ongoing and informal assessment is, and will continue to be, a central part of everyday assessment. Teachers will continue to draw on all of the assessment information available to them, when considering children’s progress and planning the next steps in their learning.
Thereafter, Teachers can then discuss children’s progress with them and their parents, planning next steps accordingly, and ensuring parents understand how best to support their child’s learning at home.
What is being assessed?
Scottish National Standardised Assessments focus on aspects of reading, writing and numeracy.
Who is being assessed?
All children in P1, P4, P7 and S3.
How many times will your child take the assessments in a school session?
P1 children will take two SNSA assessments: one in literacy and one in numeracy.
P4 children will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy.
P7 children will take three SNSA assessments: one in reading, one in writing and one in numeracy.
The following assessment schedule will be followed at Finzean School, in line with Authority policy:
April/May 2024 P7s
April/May 2024 P4s
May 2024 P1s
