Parents – frustrated when letters from school go missing?

Now is the time to get involved in shaping the future of communication with schools. Aberdeenshire Council is rolling out a new service to communicate with parents by email, text message and a new app for smartphones and tablets.

A parents’ survey is available that will directly influence how the school uses the new messaging service – you can complete it at the following link; https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/AberdeenshireSchools

This improved system will allow us to send home newsletters, certificates and other communication electronically, saving the school money currently spent on text message and printed newsletters.

We are scheduled to begin using this technology hopefully next year and are seeking parents’ views on what they want to receive, delivery methods and how often they want to hear from the school.

Please note, telephone and letter communication will still be used for communication that is of a sensitive or confidential nature.

 Further information is available by visiting http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/schools/parents-carers/school-communications/  

YASS Information

A letter has been sent out to all parents and carers of pupils registered at Secondary schools across Aberdeenshire in relation to the payment for school meals. School meal payments should be simpler following an upgrading to an improved system for online payments. This will help reduce administration and cash handling in schools and to improve the customer experience for parents and carers paying into the system, allowing balances and account history to be viewed.

The new system will require one off registration. See important details by clicking on the following link-

Cashless Catering in Secondary Schools and Online Payment Facility.

As far as the pupil experience will be concerned, there will be no difference for Secondary school pupils and online payments for Primary school pupils will be introduced during the coming academic year through a phased roll-out programme.

All Secondary schools have been transferring to the new system over the Summer holidays and this will be operational for the start of the new term. Any balances remaining at the end of the last school year (2014-15) will be automatically transferred across to the new system.

I would like to draw your attention to the new Aberdeenshire GIRFEC website.  This is now the central way of containing information on GIRFEC for practitioners, young people and parents / carers.

It now means that information can be contained in one place and is intended to help everyone navigate through a complex landscape.

Please use the link below

http://www.girfec-aberdeenshire.org/

The Scottish Government provide schools with a statistical “toolkit” which enables teaching colleagues to access school performance data. Please see below for some interesting statistics.

• Mintlaw Academy S6 Boys leaving 2013/14 -100% Positive Destinations (Insight Data) – this is 10% above the Aberdeenshire Average.
• Mintlaw Academy S4 Girls leaving in 2013/14 – 100% Positive Destinations (Insight Data) – this is 15% above the Aberdeenshire Average.
• 85% of Mintlaw Academy S6 Girls  left to go to Further Education compared to 69% Aberdeenshire Average
• 82% of Mintlaw Academy  S6 Boys left to go to Higher Education compared to 62% Aberdeenshire Average
• 27% of Mintlaw Academy S5 Boys left to Higher Education compared to 9% Aberdeenshire Average !

Clearly Mintlaw ranks amongst one of the best performing in the region.

Information for Parents

Aberdeenshire school closure information

Help your child learn at home

Scholar Parental Leaflet

Please find below links to the latest information about the National 4 & 5 courses your child will be completing this session. 

 Curriculum for Excellence Learners Guide

Curriculum for Excellence Parents Guide

Raising Attainment – Target Setting

Mintlaw Academy is committed to raising the standard of attainment for its pupils.. A new initiative has been introduced to support pupils achieve their best potential.

In all subjects from S4-S6 all pupils will be issued with a target from their teachers which will be closely monitored throughout the session.

Pupils who are not working at their expected level will be offered additional support and strategies to get them “back on track” early and before the exams.

The role of parents is vital in this and it would be helpful if these targets and current level of performance is discussed at home.

I am delighted to give you a very warm welcome to Mintlaw Academy’s website, which will provide you with a wealth of information about the school. Whilst the website is continuously developing and improving, we hope that you will enjoy the new, modern layout and that you will find it accessible.

We see our website as being a key resource for learning and teaching as well as being a major means of communication with both the Mintlaw Academy community and the wider world. I hope you enjoy it.

Mrs Linda Duthie, Head Teacher Mintlaw Academy