Learning

Competence and confidence in all aspects of literacy, including competence in grammar and spelling and the spoken word are all essential for progress in all areas of the curriculum. Our ability to use language lies at the centre of the development and expression of our emotions, our thinking, our learning and our personal sense of identity.

At Keiss, our approach to the teaching of literacy is through Highland Literacy approaches which we use for the teaching of reading, writing and talking and listening. We use the Oxford Reading Tree in the early stages and Treetops supplemented by a range of other books and novels in the upper stages. In the P4-7 class, we use accelerated reading alongside core reading, which allows pupils to focus in on their own specific reading targets and select books with appropriate challenge when they are reading for pleasure. We use Jolly Phonics and follow the phonic guidelines within the Highland Literacy Programme. Spelling is taught through a range of games and activities and this year we are still implementing Wraparound Spelling as a whole school phonological approach to spelling. The Highland Literacy approach supports the use of group and collaborative learning and this further provides opportunities for the development of listening and talking skills. 

We’ve developed our bespoke writing plan by thoughtfully integrating key elements from both Talk for Writing and Stephen Graham’s writing approaches. This blend allows us to provide a structured yet flexible framework that supports progression, creativity, and a clear understanding of writing purpose and audience. Our aim is to ensure consistency across year groups while also allowing for teacher autonomy and pupil engagement.

Speaking and listening skills are developed across all areas of the curriculum. 

As part of the Numeracy and Mathematics curriculum, numeracy has been identified as an area that is the responsibility of all teachers. Being numerate is highlighted as a skill for life, learning and work. As a life skill , being numerate permeates and supports all areas of learning and allows children to access the wider curriculum. Children will experience numeracy at the very early stages in nursery and these experiences will be built on, developed and re-visited as they progress through school. Children will play lots of numeracy games and use ICT to develop maths skills. Some work will take place using Heinemann and Leckie maths textbooks but this will be supplemented with mental maths activities, problem solving and applying mathematical knowledge to other areas of the curriculum. There are three main organisers under which your child will learn mathematics and these are further sub divided -

• Number Money and Measurement

• Shape, Position and Movement

• Information Handling 

The Curriculum for Excellence is very clear about the importance of promoting the health and wellbeing of children in all schools in Scotland. The main purpose of learning in this area is that young people will develop the knowledge and understanding of what they will need to do to ensure their mental, social, emotional and physical well-being, both as they are growing up and in the future. The importance of good health and well-being in these areas cannot be underestimated particularly in relation to the effect this can have on a child's ability to achieve the best they can. All classes have health lessons, we promote healthy eating at school lunches and snack times. However we still enjoy the occasional treat or two for special occasions. Parents will be informed when their child is to take part in sexual health lessons and will have the opportunity to view the materials if they wish. The Active Schools Co-ordinator visits and supports programmes of health and well-being on a regular basis. Staff will also support the emotional development and wellbeing of pupils though formal and informal curricular activities. Schools have access to the Primary Mental Health Worker Service and consultation and advice can be sought if there are concerns that might require more targeted support. Keiss School holds the Health Promoting School Status Award.

Through learning in the Sciences your child will have opportunities to develop their interest in, and understanding of the living, material and physical world. They will engage in a wide range of collaborative and investigative tasks, which allow them to develop important skills which lead to becoming creative, inventive and enterprising adults in a world where the skills and knowledge of the sciences are needed across all sectors. At Keiss, Science can also be built into the class topics and these are covered on a cyclical basis to take account of our composite classes. Keiss also supports Caithness Science Festival where our learners make a number of visits to different scientific events during March. In order to motivate children to use their own imagination and resources to interpret a situation, STEM-focused activities will be delivered by teachers and other parties. 

Learning other languages helps children to make connections with different people and their ways of life and to play a fuller part as global citizens. Starting in August 2015, Highland Council began implementation of the Scottish Governments 1+2 languages initiative. All children will learn one language from P1 and a second from P 5. We are currently developing French as part of our curriculum and are fortunate to benefit from our Headteacher’s native fluency, which enhances the quality and authenticity of language instruction for our pupils. Class teachers will cover a range of languages across topics including British Sign Language (BSL). 

Through social studies your child will develop their understanding of the world by learning about other people and societies from the past, other people and different places in the world and how their environments differ and about people in today’s society, the economy and business. Topics will be chosen through discussion with pupils in different classes, while at the same time there will be a focus on inter disciplinary learning about our own country of Scotland and the events that have shaped it. As they develop, pupils’ experiences will be broadened using Scottish, British, European and wider contexts for learning. We link pupil learning in with the skills they will need for life, learning and work. At Keiss we make every effort to fully take advantage of our local community as part of our social studies work. We take learning outdoors whenever we can. 

Religious and moral education is a process where children and young people engage in a search for meaning, value and purpose in life. This involves both the exploration of beliefs and values and the study of how such beliefs and values are expressed. Curriculum for Excellence states that there is an intrinsic value in learning about religion as well as from religion, as children develop their understanding of diversity in our society and their own roles in it. This understanding will assist in counteracting prejudice and intolerance as children and young people consider issues such as sectarianism and discrimination more broadly. At Keiss School our new school chaplain, Mr Rob Petersen will lead our religious observance assemblies and themes may be of a moral or religious nature. Parents who wish to withdraw their child from Religious Observation need to advise the head teacher of this in writing. 

Learning traditional Scottish dances is an important part of our programme at Keiss Primary School and Nursery and all of our pupils take part in learning dances which we perform at our annual senior citizens Burns event. From time to time we hold concerts and ceilidhs where everyone has the opportunity to present their work to a wider audience. Christmas Shows are a huge part of our school life and for the past seven years we have performed a Christmas Show. Through these experiences our pupils experience all the expressive arts in a real and meaningful context, their confidence to perform grows, and the benefits of the skills learnt are realised across the curriculum. 

At Keiss Primary School, we are proud to implement play pedagogy as a fundamental approach to learning. By integrating structured and free play into our curriculum, we create a rich, engaging environment where children can explore, experiment, and learn at their own pace. Play pedagogy supports the development of critical skills such as problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and resilience, while also fostering emotional and social growth. Through play, children make meaningful connections to their learning, enhancing their curiosity and motivation. This approach aligns with modern educational research, emphasising the importance of hands-on, active engagement in building a strong foundation for lifelong learning. At Keiss, we see play not just as a method, but as a powerful tool to ensure every child thrives both academically and personally.

In October 2023, the school reviewed its homework policy and practices.  As part of this process, we gathered valuable input from parents and children. Families were invited to complete a questionnaire, and the responses, along with staff discussions, shaped the updated approach to homework.

Key Changes to Homework Policy:

• Homework will be assigned only in Terms 2 and 3.

• Homework will be given out on a Tuesday and must be returned the following Monday.

• At the start of Term 2, children will receive a homework grid containing:

o 3 Literacy activities

o 3 Numeracy activities

o 3 Health and Wellbeing activities

• Each week, children will select one activity from the grid to complete.

Other than daily reading and times table practice, no weekly homework will be assigned.

Daily Reading

We encourage children to read every day. Please spend 5–10 minutes listening to your child read and discussing their books.

Occasional Additional Homework

If a teacher identifies that a pupil would benefit from extra practice on a specific concept covered in class, they may assign a targeted activity instead of the grid task for that week.

This new homework style aims to make learning more enjoyable, encourage participation, and allow parents to engage with their children on creative and meaningful tasks.

We believe that a strong partnership between home and school—especially in supporting homework—greatly enhances your child’s learning and achievements.

Teachers assess learners’ progress through a variety of means to ensure they are achieving as best as they can. This may take the form of observation of a child at work, looking at completed work, end of unit check-ups or a chat with the child as well as standardised assessments. Pupil progress is tracked and monitored. This is a continual process in our classrooms. Class Teachers meet with the Head Teacher each term to discuss and record attainment. We hold open mornings/ afternoons throughout the session where parents can come along and observe their child in class, look at what they are doing and have an informal chat with the class teacher. A formal appointment can also be made at this time if a parent wishes. We also hold parents appointments in school. Across all classes, we use an app called Seesaw to connect parents into learning live– this gives you a chance to be involved in your child’s day to day learning. 

Staff in Nursery will build a picture of your child’s learning through a variety of methods to ensure they are consistently achieving as best as they can. This may take the form of informal or formal observations. Progress is recorded in your child’s individual Learning Journeys across all curricular areas. These records may include pictures, comments from your child or noted observations by staff. The Head Teacher and Nursery Staff regularly discuss children’s progress. Parents will be involved in setting targets through the use of stepping stones. These are targets set for the individual child with input from child, parent and staff. Your child will have learning conversations to focus on across the year. These may be things like learning to tie their jacket or pouring their own milk. We also use an app called Seesaw to record learning so that parents can access their child’s learning on a daily basis. We hold open mornings/ afternoons throughout the session where parents can come along and observe their child in the Nursery, look at what they are doing and have an informal chat with the staff. A formal appointment can also be made at this time if a parent wishes. We also hold formal parent appointments where parents can discuss their child’s progress with Nursery staff. A formal report is given out once a year in June. If you have any worries at any time, we are very happy to talk to you about your child’s progress.