Rosneath school praised for partnering with parents

Rosneath Primary School has been praised for ‘setting a great example’ when it comes to creating links with the local community.

Headteacher Emma McDiarmid and Gregor Morrison, who is currently acting head at the school, have been working hard to build a strong community spirit, and engage parents and carers in their children’s learning.

As part of this, the duo have established a successful Parent Partnership Programme to provide a support network for families and encourage them to visit the school regularly, not just to discuss the children, but to  build relationships with other families.

Parents and carers are also invited to the school on a regular basis to develop cooking skills with their children in a relaxed environment, and talk about the importance of health and nutrition.

This has been made possible thanks to a kitchen facility being built at the school with a grant from ACHA.

The school also visits the community library three times a week. This has had a knock-on effect on visitor numbers in general, with the number of parents who visit the library with their children increasing as a result.

Mr Morrison said: “We’ve put in so much work to develop our links with the local community, but the hard work is definitely paying off. We operate an open door policy at the school, where parents can come and talk to us at any time – they don’t need an appointment.

“Since we started this we’ve experienced a rise in the number of parents visiting the school and taking an active involvement in what’s happening.

“We’ve still got a long way to go but we’re in a very good place just now.”

Argyll and Bute Council’s depute policy lead for education Kieron Green said: “We want to make Argyll and Bute the best place for our children and young people to grow up, and to ensure that each and every one of them is given the best start in life.

“Rosneath Primary is on this path right now, and is setting a great example of how our schools, parents and the local community can work in partnership to benefit everyone. Well done to everyone involved.”