Cost of the School Day - Action Statement
At Inveralmond Community High School we are committed to providing a high-quality education that is accessible, inclusive, and equitable for all our students. Recognising that financial barriers can impact students' educational experiences, we have developed a comprehensive Cost of the School Day Action Statement. This statement outlines our commitment to reducing costs, engaging with stakeholders, implementing participatory budgeting, and ensuring an environment where every student can fully participate in all aspects of school life, allowing them to achieve, connect and thrive, regardless of background and financial circumstances.
Please see our infographic for examples of interventions that can been put in place to support the cost of the school day: Cost of the School Day (PDF) [731KB] (opens new window)
School clubs on offer: ICHS school clubs
Free Period Products
Period Products: As part of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill, free period products are available in a range of locations around Inveralmond including toilets and the Wellbeing Centre, for anyone who needs them. It is essential that students can access sanitary products without having to ask for them so that they maintain their dignity with no embarrassment.
Raising Awareness
We are committed to raising awareness of the Cost of the School Day, aiming to eliminate financial barriers and ensure equitable access to education for all students. The school has devised a plan to inform and engage the school community, utilising various communication channels and support systems.
The school's website serves as a central hub for sharing information, including relevant hyperlinks to support. The school app serves as an efficient and accessible means to disseminate information to parents and students. Regular updates and notifications are sent through the app, highlighting key aspects of the Cost of the School Day initiative and reminders about available financial support.
Our Family Link Workers liaise with families, sign-posting to relevant support that is available, as well as offering help with completing application forms. We work closely with community organisations and support services to ensure families are aware of the assistance available to them.
Assemblies are used as a platform to raise awareness with pupils. These sessions emphasise the importance of inclusivity, dispelling stigma associated with financial hardship and to inform students about the available resources.
Consultation
We understand that addressing the cost of the school day requires input and collaboration from various stakeholders. We regularly engage in consultations with students, parents/guardians, teachers, support staff, and the wider community to identify the specific challenges and concerns related to the cost of attending our school. Through forums such as our Parent Council meetings and Learner Voice meetings, we have gathered valuable feedback and insights to inform our actions.
Leadership of Cost of the School Day
We are establishing a Cost of the School Day working group as part of our ICHS Pupil Parliament. This will involve staff and pupils working together to review our existing interventions, to review our school calendar and to listen to pupil voice on how we can continue to support our community by addressing financial barriers.
Participatory Budgeting
Participatory budgeting is a democratic process that involves the participation of community members in deciding how public funds should be allocated to address priorities. Each session, we engage students in the budgeting process by allowing them to have a voice in determining how financial resources are allocated to address the costs associated with the school day. Pupils can present ideas and vote on how a percentage of our Pupil Equity Fund can be used.
Self-evaluation
To monitor progress of our cost of the school day initiatives, we regularly seek feedback from our stakeholders, including Parent Council and Learner Voice meetings. We have implemented a Participation tracker on Progress and we analyse the participation data to inform decision-making. Attendance is monitored and the House Team support intervene when necessary to support attendance at school.
Help With Costs - Free School Meals and Clothing Grants
West Lothian School pupils who are eligible for extra help with the costs of uniforms, lunches and staying on at school can submit an online application to ensure they will receive their entitlement at the start of the new academic school year from 15 August.
Online applications for this session are now open via the West Lothian Council website for those pupils who are entitled to Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Free School Meals/School Clothing Grants.
Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is an allowance of £30 per week, depending on household income.
You can find details on eligibility and relevant application forms for the above benefits via the West Lothian Council website. Please visit: Help with school costs
For more information on school transport: School Transport
For more information on Education Maintenance Allowance: Education Maintenance Allowance
For more information on School Clothing Grants and Free School Meals: WLC Free School Meals (opens new window)
For more information on Free School Meals during holiday periods:
Families and Young People Advice Service
At Inveralmond Community High School, we work closely with FYPAS.
Some of the things they can provide advice or support on include; advice on benefit entitlement and income maximisation. They can also provide information on any grants available that can support with the cost of the school day - Free School Meals, School Clothing Grants, School Clothing Bank referrals, Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) as well as advice on disability benefits.
Please call or email using the details below and they will get back to you - Remember to mention Inveralmond CHS to ensure your enquiry is allocated correctly.
FYPAS@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 283 000 option 4. Face to Face appointments are also available in school.
