general
I have an issue – should I talk to the Parent Council (PC) or to my child’s teacher?
If you have any concerns specific to your child or their learning, you should talk to your child’s teacher. Teachers don’t always check learning journals every day, so it’s best to get in touch via the school office who can arrange for you to have a phone call.
If you want to raise an issue that affects the whole school, or a significant number of pupils e.g a whole year group, then it’s a good idea to raise it via the Parent Council. Issues raised via the PC are discussed at open meetings which any parent/carer can attend, and minutes from the meetings are shared to the whole school community.
Is there an informal way to flag minor things for the school and other parents?
Over the years, most classes have set up a class WhatsApp group that can be used to share information with other families.
You can also talk to your class’s Parent Council rep and they can share things with the school and PC during the PC meeting.
For more information about what the Parent Council is, please visit this page.
My child doesn’t like/has an issue with school lunches – who do I talk to?
If you think your child is having an issue with school lunches, in the first instance you should talk to your child’s class teacher who can look into what’s happening at school and work with you to resolve it.
The school lunches are provided by Edinburgh council, and the catering team are not directly employed by the school. If you have general feedback on the lunches, the school can pass this on, or you can contact the catering team via the school.
Can my child go to Afterschool Club? Is there an age limit for it?
Kidzcare runs the Duddy Afterschool Club and Breakfast Club which are both based in the dining hall. It is a private company, independent of the school and council. Places are limited but any child attending the school can apply, and the club caters to all year groups from P1 to P7.
Details and contact information can be found on their website.
Does any sex education happen at primary school?
In P6, the children work through a topic called ‘Living and Growing’ which includes some discussion of bodies, puberty and reproductive processes. Information about this is sent out to families in advance, and parents/carers with any questions or concerns are encouraged to discuss them with their class teacher.
Do the children get to dress up at Halloween, World Book Day and so on?
There are sometimes events during the year where kids can wear what they want (e.g. comic relief) but these tend to be ‘dress down’ rather than ‘dress up’ days, so that there is no pressure on parents to spend money on outfits. This helps keep costs and waste down (think of all those costumes that only get worn once!).
For those that love making costumes and dressing up, there is usually a Halloween party every year. We also try to organise a stall in the weeks before the party with pre-loved costumes. On World Book Day, the School organises a bunch of fun activities around reading.
How does the School library work, and can I donate books?
Class teachers schedule regular times when their class can access, use and read in the library. Pupils can return borrowed books in between these times, and are sometimes allowed to pop down during reading periods. The library is only open when there is a parent volunteer available.
If you’d like to donate books to the library, please contact the school.
How do you get to be House Captain?
In P6 any pupil who wishes to stand for house captain is supported to create a campaign: they develop a pitch for why people should vote for them and turn this into a video and posters. Each class in the school watches the videos, and then all the pupils can vote for who they want to be the captain of their own house. Next year’s House Captains are announced at the end of the school year.
How can my child get involved with groups like the Eco Committee/ Junior Road Safety Officers/Digital Leaders?
These groups are organised by the school. In classes, pupils are given the opportunity to apply, writing a short statement about why they are interested and what they will bring to the role. These statements are used by school staff to make a selection for the group.
Throughout the school year there are opportunities to get involved with the work of these groups, even in you are not a member.
Does the school encourage or help with National Entitlement / Young Scot Card applications?
National Entitlement cards are available to children from the age of five upwards. Having a NEC card allows children to travel for free on buses, among other benefits. The school tries to take a sustainable approach to class trips, and it is therefore very helpful if the children have the card and can take the bus for free during their trip.
Whilst the school encourages children to have a Young Scot Card it does not assist with applications. However, the local library (Portobello or Piershill) can assist with the applications and usually have printed out forms that can be used. Note that there is a change at age 11, when children have to switch to a photo card / Young Scot Card. More information about applying can be found on the council website.
What are School Streets and why are there signs for them around the school?
School Streets is a scheme to make journeys to and from school safer for our children by restricting traffic on streets where there are potential safety issues. In our area, Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton Drive, Hamilton Drive West, and Hamilton Terrace are all designated School Streets. This means that you cannot legally drive on them during certain hours: there are large signs at the ends of the roads giving times, and amber lights flash on these signs when driving is forbidden. The police regularly monitor these streets and people caught driving during the restricted times are issued penalty notices. Please respect the restrictions and help to keep our area safe for our children!
**We are aware that the flashing signs don’t always work due to a technical issue, and the PC has notified the council. Parents are still expected to observe the School Streets and avoid driving through them during the designated hours.**
Can I drop my child off in the School car park?
No-one is allowed to use the school car park, entrance or driveway for dropping off or picking up children. The exception to this is blue badge holders: if you are a blue badge holder, please contact the school office to make arrangements.
If your child has significant mobility issues, or you think there is an exceptional reason that you need to use the car park, please contact the school office to discuss.
I hear the phrase ‘cost of the school day’ sometimes, what does that mean?
Buying school uniform, providing snacks, PE kit, bag and pencils, school shoes, trips, clubs: all of this costs money which can put pressure on families. Everyone at Duddy is keen to keep the cost of the school day as low as possible, and make sure that money isn’t a barrier to our children participating in all types of educational experience. You can find out more about the cost of the school day on this website.
The School and parent groups consider the financial impact of all activities on families when planning and money raised by the parent groups supports inclusion.
What is the inclusion fund?
The inclusion fund is the pot of money used to support participation in activities. Over the year, money raised by the parent groups (which is not for a specific identified purchase) goes into this pot. Any surplus from Active Schools payments also goes to the inclusion fund, and any donation received. Some families make donations when they are paying for trips or events on parent pay.
If you would like to donate to the inclusion fund via parent pay, please look for the button that says ‘YOUR CHILD’s NAME – donations’.
Now that the children use I-pads in school, what processes, safeguarding and security does the school put in place?
Our school has comprehensive safeguarding processes in place with concerns for wellbeing recorded carefully, monitored and actioned accordingly. Additionally, we keep a log of online safety incidents and work with the community police team to address these. We have regular input from our community police officers for children on staying safe online including cyber bullying.
There is internet filtering employed across all city of Edinburgh council schools that is monitored by the central council team: inappropriate sites and social media websites and apps that could facilitate cyberbullying have been blocked. No internet filtering or firewall is going to be absolutely foolproof due to the vast amounts of information on the internet but it is designed to block out inappropriate websites, language and other content. We also aim to teach children to conduct safe searches and encourage children to use certain search engines child friendly search engines in addition to the firewall filtering which adds another level of security around the results. Searching the internet is a skill that takes time to develop so we ensure this is revisited each time the children use devices in school.
There is a list of FAQs as well as helpful guides for keeping children safe online available on the council’s Digital Education Team website here: Parents/ Carers – Digital Education Team
I think my child might be being bullied, what should I do?
The school follows the RespectMe approach to bullying which is supported by the Scottish Government.
Bullying is defined as “both behaviour and impact; the impact is on a person’s capacity to feel in control of themselves. This is what we term as their sense of ‘agency’. Bullying takes place in the context of relationships; it is behaviour that can make people feel hurt, threatened, frightened and left out. This behaviour happens face to face and online”
If any parent or carer is concerned that their child is being bullied then they should speak to their child and get an account first of all before getting in contact with their child’s class teacher who will make a plan with your child as to how the bullying behaviour could be addressed. This is designed to empower the child in the process and ensure they are comfortable with the actions taken by those around them and confident in the strategies they can take themselves to stop and prevent the bullying re-occurring
Where can I find the school’s bullying policy?
You can find lots of information, including the school’s policy on bullying in the ‘anti-bullying zone’ of the school website: click here.
What’s the school’s strategy on homework?
All classes get a termly home learning grid (sent alongside the learning leaflet) that families can work through, at a pace that suits them, over the course of a term. Children who are still learning to read (usually in P1 & 2) will be provided with books to practise and phonics activities. Home learning can be shared with the class teachers either by Learning Journals or via Class Notebook (for those children who have 1:1 devices). There are also resources available in classrooms for those families who may need them.
How are the children assessed and what if I have concerns about my child’s learning?
There is a mix of formative and summative assessments thought primary school, with national standardised assessments in literacy and numeracy taking place in P1, P4 and P7. These assessments are used to help teachers make judgements on curriculum level, but they are not discussed with the children and the school keeps all assessments as stress-free as possible. In the early years, your child may not realise these assessments are even happening.
If you are concerned about your child’s progress, the best person to talk to is your class teacher. You will usually have an opportunity to meet them early in the school year and then there are two parent consultations, typically in November and March. You are also welcome to contact class teachers any time via emailing the school office and asking for a phone appointment.
What should I do if I suspect my child needs additional support?
If you have any concerns about additional support needs (ASN) for your child, you should talk to your child’s teacher. The teacher at school who is primarily involved with ASN is miss Claire Ireland. More information can be found on the school
website. The PC has also started an ASN support group. Get in touch by emailing us at
[email protected] if you would like to find out more.
Can I email the teacher directly?
Some teachers use the Learning Journals (“LJ”) platform to contact parents, and parents are welcome to send direct messages that way. However, messages in LJ can sometimes be missed and not all teachers use it the same way so it may take some time for the teacher to see your message. If you need to contact your child’s teacher, its therefore better to email the school office and ask them to ask the teacher to contact you. That way the office can ensure the message definitely gets through and action is taken. You can email the school at [email protected]
Can I volunteer at the school?
Yes! Teachers will often ask parents to help with trips and events. You can also get involved with the parent groups, which all always welcome new members: see this page for more information. The more people involved, the more we can do to support the school! Or, if you want to do occasional bits and pieces, you can join our volunteer list.
What is the school’s mobile phone policy?
Children are permitted to bring phones to school in the morning but they are handed in to class teachers so they cannot be used during the school day. This is to minimise distractions for children during learning time.
Primary 1
How will my child be introduced to the school?
The school holds a few events to welcome new P1s in the run up to the summer holidays. These typically include a teddy bears picnic where the new P1s meet the current P1s, an assembly and a session with their new class teacher. Sometimes school staff can also visit the nursery your child is at to say hello.
Information about the welcome events is shared with parents, once a child’s place is confirmed.
Does the school use/encourage parents to use social media for sharing school information?
The school has a profile on X (formerly twitter) @DuddingstonPS and shares some images and information that way. However, the main channel the school uses for communication is email.
Often classes organise their own WhatsApp groups and use these to share information. The parent groups also have a Facebook page Duddingston Primary Parents, where information is shared. However, these channels are not run by the school, and the amount of information shared can depend on how much time the parent volunteers who run them have.
What activities are available at break and lunchtime?
Children are encouraged to go outside to play at breaks and in lunchtime. There are a variety of things to do in the playground, including loose parts (a collection of stuff the kids can use imaginatively), balls, and play equipment.
In the older years, there are also groups such as ‘chatter natter’, which is a space for quieter activities, and sometimes clubs such as Stitch Club for knitting and chess club. These are run by volunteers (including teachers that volunteer) so it’s not always possible to offer them.
How can I meet other parents/carers of children in my class?
Most people arrive early for pick up time, so it’s often nice to chat to the other parents outside the class in P1 and P2. Not everyone can do pick ups though, so a good way to meet people is to come along to school events, volunteer to help and get involved with the parent groups.
What are reading buddies?
In P1, children are matched with a P6 reading buddy who supports them as they become part of the school community. They meet once a week, and read and learn together. Reading buddies also act as positive role models for the younger pupils, a role that the P6s enjoy and take seriously, and the connection ensures that younger children recognise faces at assembly and feel they know children across the year groups. When they are in P2/P7, children continue to meet with their buddy and often see them in the playground as the P7s take turns helping support the younger children during breaks. Children often become quite attached to their buddy, and remember them for many years!
How do I get my child into After School Club?
You need to apply for a place at After School Club. Details and contact information can be found on the Kidzcare website. You can apply before you child starts school, but only after they have been assigned a place at Duddingston.
You will often find that it is initially hard to get all the days you would like at the club because it’s very popular. However, it can be worth starting with one or two days, as priority is given to children who are already registered and there is usually the chance to get more days as membership changes over the year.
What does my child need for PE?
Your child needs shorts and a t-shirt, and some soft-soled shoes that they can run in. You do not need to provide school branded t-shirts (although these are available) or specific school plimsolls – any t-shirt and trainers will do. However, PE kit often gets misplaced as the kids get changed, so it’s best not to provide expensive things or favourite clothes!
Most children keep their kit in a bag on their peg, and only take it home at the end of term – this means you don’t need to remember it every week, and as they only wear it for an hour or so per week, it doesn’t really get dirty.
What if my child doesn’t like/eat their lunch?
There are staff members with the children at lunchtime who will be keeping an eye on things and encouraging children to eat. Some children wolf their food down, others take a long time to eat – all children are welcome to stay as long as it takes.
You will be able to choose meals via parent pay so you should be able to select options your child likes. If they get something and find they can’t eat it for any reason, the dinner ladies will be as accommodating as they can be with providing alternatives – everyone wants the children to eat and be happy during lunchtime.
What do most children wear at school?
Most pupils wear school uniform in our colours of royal blue and yellow, with black or grey trousers, skirts and pinafores. They also wear black shoes.
Branded uniform is available from a supplier, but is not necessary: most children wear unbranded clothing. The school supplier details can be found in the school website. There is also a secondhand uniform stall in the school foyer where you can pick up branded garments at a fraction of the new cost!
How will the school share information about my child with me?
The school regularly shares information about pupils with families via written learning reflections and through parent consultations. If your child’s teacher has any concerns about your child’s learning or behaviour, they will always contact you directly to discuss this.
Do the children get homework in P1?
There is no expectation that P1s are doing homework, and it is left to families to decide how much emphasis to put on home learning. The school recognises that it can be hard for families to find time in the week. However, in the second half of P1, children will begin bringing home reading books, so they can read their book to you before it is handed in at the end of the week. Your child’s teacher may also tell you what they are learning so you can practice with them if you want to.
What is outdoor learning and what do the children need for that?
Outdoor learning can take a variety of forms: sometimes the children will be playing games, sometimes they will be looking at nature, and sometimes they will be taking part in creative activities. We are lucky to have a great outdoor classroom with decking and planters. In the big playground there are also some wooden seating areas. These facilities are used across the school years.
In P1 and 2 there are regular days such as ‘filthy Fridays’ or ‘mucky Mondays’, which helps parents remember to provide outdoor wear on that day. Depending on the time of year, this might be wellies and waterproofs, or just a jacket.
Transition to Primary 3
How will my child find their new classroom?
In P3 children move from using the small playground to using the big playground and start to use the back doorways to access their new classrooms. Children will visit their new classroom and teacher at the end of the school year, so that they know where and to whose class they are going after the summer. From P3 onwards, parents should bring their children to the big playground a few minutes before 8.45am. Pupils line up in their classes before the bell and are then taken to their classroom by their teacher. There will be a marker for your child’s class in the playground, and they will see classmates lining up there in the morning.
How will my child be prepared for moving to the big playground?
Children visit the big playground a few times in P2, and will have also had sports days and other events there. Many children look forward to the larger play spaces and grassy areas of the big playground so it’s quite an exciting transition.
What changes at drop off and pick up?
While P1 and P2 have soft starts (meaning that you can arrive between 8.45 and 8.55am), from P3 onwards children should be at school before the bell goes at 8.45. Pick up time changes from 2.55pm in P1 and 2, to 3.15pm in P3 onwards. In the older school children are released from their classroom not from the school door: this means they are not matched with a parent/carer by the teacher but rather have to find the person picking them up in the playground or, as they get older, they can walk home themselves.
Does anything change in terms of the teaching?
P3 sees the beginning of the move away from play-based curriculum, and more traditional modes of teaching are introduced in P2 to prepare children for this change. That is not to say that there is no play in P3 onwards, of course! The school works with the ‘Rights of the Child’ (you may hear your wee one talk about this) and ensures that the children’s ‘right to play’ is respected and facilitated in all the school years.
Will there be more homework when my child moves up from P2?
The school’s policy on homework is consistent across all the school years, so you shouldn’t notice any change in homework at this point.
primary 7 and the transition to High School
What changes with school uniform in P7?
The P7s wear a navy blue jumper rather than the royal blue jumpers that P1- P6 wear. Branded sweatshirts with the school logo can be bought from the school’s uniform supplier, but plain navy jumpers are also fine.
My child is a house captain for P7 – what do they do in this role?
The house captains play a leadership role for the younger pupils in the school and are expected to be good role models. Each week it is their responsibility to tally up house points and present the house cup. If their house wins, they lift the house cup to the cabinet. House captains also help to show parents of new P1s around on open day.
When do the P7 hoodies arrive and when can the children wear them?
The P7 Hoodies are ordered at the start of the school year, and usually come in autumn. Sometimes there can be delays in the process, but the school aims to have them as early as possible in the year.
Hoodies can be worn on Fridays only.
How do you enroll into high school? Do I need to do anything or is it automatic?
Your child will automatically be allocated a space at Portobello, which is our catchment high school, unless you have chosen to send them to another school or requested they be considered for a place at another school. We are also in the catchment for Holyrood High School, which is a denominational school. A letter confirming your child’s place at high school should arrive at your home address in autumn, typically in November, the year before they are due to start S1.
How does the school prepare children for the transition to High School?
A lot of work goes on in P7 to make sure the children are prepared to change schools. Portobello Highschool has a S1 transition teacher who works closely with the primary schools in the cluster throughout P7. She visits schools and gets to know the pupils, and answers any questions they have. She is then there in S1 too as a friendly face to support the pupils. Alongside this the P7 class teacher will be talking about the differences and expectations at high school, and the school usually invites a few of last years’ P7s back to visit and share their experience.
Are there visits to Portobello Highschool during P7?
Yes, there area number of opportunities to visit. There is an open evening early in the school year which families are encouraged to attend: you and your young person can visit class rooms, hear about the school, and see the facilities. Your child’s P7 teacher will also typically organise a few trips over the course of the year e.g. to the High School’s theatre show, or to experience a subject being taught. Finally, towards the end of the school year there is the main 3-day visit organised by the Highschool: your child will learn which class they are in and what their timetable will look like, and will be supported to follow a timetable and navigate the school. S6 students are usually on hand during these days to help the new S1s, show them around and answer questions.
What happens if I want to choose an alternative high school?
Information on how to make a request for an out of catchment placement or for your local denominational school can be found on the council’s website.
How is the end of P7 celebrated? What happens on the last day of school?
Before the P7s finish school, there are a number of celebrations including a special assembly and a leavers party. The P7s vote for their choice of leaving do: for the last few years this has been a garden party in the school grounds.
On the last day of school, the P7s are clapped out by the rest of the school and the families of those leaving, who form a guard of honour from the school doors down to the back gate. For the last couple of years, families have also organised a piper to accompany the children.
What if my child is anxious about high school?
It’s normal to feel anxious in the face of such a big change! Anecdotally, families often say that children’s anxiety is at its worst in the final months of P7 and eases once the 3-day visit has taken place. Families get an opportunity to tell the school who their young person would like to be in a class with, and so they usually find that at least one of their friends are in their new class. They also grow in confidence once they have practiced navigating around the school, and learned how to find their way.
If you think your child is feeling particularly anxious and this doesn’t seem to resolve towards the end of the P7 year, talk to your class teacher who can help you get in touch with the transition teacher or your child’s new guidance teacher. Once at high school, the guidance teacher will be your main contact with respect to your child’s wellbeing.
What is Benmore, and when will I get information about it?
Benmore is an adventure centre in Argyll, which the P7s get the opportunity to visit, usually for a five day trip. There are lots of outdoor activities which the children can take part in, including climbing, abseiling, caving, mountain biking and canoeing. The website for Benmore is expereinceoutdoors.org.uk
Information about the trip for your child’s year group is shared towards the end of P6, and then more information is shared as the trip approaches.
The Benmore trip is optional.
How much does Benmore cost?
The trip to Benmore typically costs in the region of £350 – £400. This covers everything including transport, accommodation, activities and equipment and food. The cost can be paid in installments via parent pay. The school will provide information about the cost and payment schedule as early as they can each year.
What if I can’t afford Benmore?
Benmore is a significant milestone for lots of children – it’s something they will have been hearing about throughout their time at Duddy, as older years go and then come back and talk about their experience. It’s therefore important that every child who wants to take part in this trip can do so, and each year the school uses the inclusion fund and money raised by the FET to support families who are finding it difficult to afford the cost of the trip. When information about the cost and dates of the trip goes out, the school will also explain how families can contact them about support.
What if my child is frightened of/doesn’t want to do any of the activities?
All the activities are optional, and the activity leaders are sensitive to individual issues, but children will be encouraged to push themselves out of their comfort zone and try new things. Their confidence is often buoyed by their friends, and they usually come home proud of having achieved something they found challenging or might have been afraid to try before.
What kit do they need for Benmore?
A kit list is provided before the trip, but Benmore can provide many of the more outdoors-specific items and there is no pressure to buy new things for the trip. Most of the time the children will be wearing old clothes and getting muddy!
What if my child has never been on a sleep-over?
The Benmore trip is often children’s first experience of going away without their parents/carers. The P7s sleep in dorms, with their friends so no-one will be alone at night. Excitement levels are high, but the children are so active during the days that they tend to fall asleep easily and early. School staff accompany the children and are there throughout the night to ensure that everyone is taken care of and supported.
Sports at Duddingston
Does the school do sports days?
Yes, there is a sports day every year: the date is usually in June (check our calendar for this year’s date). The children compete in a series of events to win points for their house, and the house with the most points at the end of the day wins. Most years P1 & P2 compete together in the morning, and P3-P7 have their events in the afternoon. You’ll usually find lots of activities happening at the same time, so you need to identify which group your child is in and then you can walk around as they move from activity to activity.
On sports day children can wear their house colour (Rosefield = red, Figgate = green, Calvary = yellow, Brighton = blue) but if you don’t have a t-shirt in the colour, that’s no problem – you don’t have to go out and buy one just for this one event!
Do the children get swimming lessons?
Edinburgh Council offers swimming lessons to children in all Edinburgh primary schools. These happen during school hours when the children are in P5.
The classes cater for children at different stages of learning, and are suitable for all. If your child has never been swimming before, this is a great opportunity for them to learn the basics. If your child can already swim, this is an opportunity for them to practice and improve their technique. Swimming lessons are not compulsory. But please note that swimming caps are!
Information about swimming is sent out to families in advance, and parents/carers with any questions or concerns are encouraged to discuss them with their class teacher.
What is Bikeability?
Bikeability is the national cycle training programme for schools. You can read more about it on the Cycling Scotland website.
Duddy usually offers Bikeability to children in P5, 6 & 7. It is led by parent volunteers who have been trained by Cycling Scotland. If you’d like to volunteer to lead Bikeability, sign up to our volunteer email list: we’ll share opportunities to train each year.
What is Active Schools?
Active Schools is a scheme run by Sport Scotland and Edinburgh City Council to provide experience of sports activities through clubs in schools. For more details see our page on Active Schools.
My friend’s children at another school are going skiing/playing rugby/learning to sail – why isn’t that happening at Duddy?
Extracurricular activities require a lot of resource: from time to organise, to hands on the day, to transport and coaching. This work all depends on volunteers. If you would like to volunteer to organise extracurricular activities, our Active Schools coordinator can advise on what’s involved.
Paddy Dearlove is our Active Schools Coordinator. He can be contacted at: [email protected]
Are there school football teams?
There are sometimes football teams, and there are fixtures between schools in which teams can compete, but whether a year group has a team depends on finding a volunteer to coach. No official qualifications or experience is necessary: coaches are usually the parent of someone in the year group.
If you are interested in coaching a school football team, we’d love to hear from you!
Are there provisions for periods/separate changing for PE/privacy issues?
The school is considerate of the children’s privacy but it can be hard to provide separate changing spaces for PE due to limitations on space and time. There is currently work going on to find a workable way to address this, particularly for the older years.
Period products are available in school toilets and classrooms.
Specialist Music Education FAQs
Will my child get the chance to learn a musical instrument?
There are lots of opportunities to learn music at Duddy. The school has input from the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCoS) from P3 which provides singing, musical games and introduces basic musical concepts to the whole class. We also have a specialist classroom music teacher who provides whole class music tuition to each pupil from P3-P7 which will include music theory, singing, rhythm games, creative composition as well as learning skills on some instruments such as percussion, guitar, ukulele etc. In addition to this the school also has provision from Youth Music Initiative which is offered to whole classes for termly blocks across the school and which provides high quality access to Instrumental learning such as ukulele, guitar etc.
Finally, we also have our Instrumental Music Service provision which delivers specialist music tuition on both cello and violin to selected numbers of pupils from P4 upwards. Our Instrumental Music Service in Edinburgh is a city-wide free service which works with over 5000 pupils every week. Instrumental Music Instructors are allocated specific periods of time in multiple schools each week as well as in the cluster secondary schools.
Why can’t everyone who wants instrumental lessons have them?
As you can imagine there are some restrictive parameters to how many pupils can be offered a space; numbers have to reflect both the time in each school as well as the time each instructor has in their cluster high school. In Duddingston, our instructors are allowed to select 4 cellists and 8 violinists every year in Primary 4. As an average, there are around 40 Primary 4 pupils wanting to learn to play a string instrument every year. Obviously our instrumental instructors would love to be able to take on every pupil who wishes to learn, however if this were the case and those pupils were to be guaranteed a space through secondary school,an average instrumental instructor would end up with a 1000 pupils on their secondary school timetable! In Portobello cluster we have strings provision in nearly all of our feeder primaries meaning that even if minimum numbers are taken on in P4, this still means a huge number of string players moving into S1 for very limited spaces at high school.
How does the school decide who gets to learn an instrument?
It is extremely difficult for our instructors to choose 12 pupils out of 40 every year, but they are trying their absolute best to be fair and taking multiple aspects into consideration at their selection process.
The selection process aims to identify those pupils who have a real passion and desire to learn cello/violin, who would be willing to commit time and energy to the practice necessary for progress, and who show an aptitude for learning and practicing music. Of course this still leaves a large number of pupils having to be narrowed down, and so places are then offered in close consultation with class teachers and senior leadership staff who know the children best and who can help identify pupils who may benefit as well as those who show a keenness to learn.
Whether your child has had or is having music lessons outside school is not taken into account in the selection process.
Still have questions?
If you can’t find the answer to your question, please contact either the school or the Parent Council.