P

To protect pupils and ensure their schooling is not affected, the types and duration of performances (stage, screen etc) that children can take part in are governed by the Performances by Children Regulations 2004 and the Performances by Children (amendment) Regulations 2018. For further details contact the Corporate Services Division:

Primary education is made available for all pupils from September of the academic year in which they will attain their 5th birthday and continues until the academic year in which they have their 11th birthday. Appropriate primary education is provided across the Island in purpose built accommodation which is equipped and staffed to meet the educational needs of all pupils. Primary education is non selective and provides equal opportunities for pupils regardless of age, gender, race and ability. All pupils are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum which is matched to meet their needs and provides continuity, progression, differentiation and relevance. 

A formal prize day is held by each of the 5 secondary schools and the University College Isle of Man (UCM). The organisation of such events is a matter for the school/college, but usually involves a guest speaker to present prizes and a formal report from the headteacher/principal.

The Department endeavours to be a reasonable and caring employer and recognises, consults and liaises with all professional associations within the Department’s workforce, which are as follows:

• ATL - Association of Teachers & Lecturers
• NAHT - National Association of Head Teachers
• NAS/UWT - National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers
• ASCL - Association of School and College Leaders
• NUT - National Union of Teachers

• ATL - Association of Teachers & Lecturers
• UCU - University and College Union
• Voice - Voice
• AMiE - Association of Managers in Education

For administrative, technical support and manual staff:

• GOA - Government Officers Association
• NAEIAC - National Association of Educational Inspectors, Advisers & Consultants
• Unite - Transport & General Workers' Union Section
• Unison - Unison
• CYWU - Community and Youth Workers in Unite

The Department has regular formal and informal meetings with the associations. It works to agreed conditions of service for each group of employees and has an agreed pay policy for each group of employees.

It is fundamental to the very nature of education that the work of all schools and the college should be geared to ensuring that students make appropriate progress. So that progress is known and understood by teachers, students and their parents, it is essential that it is assessed on a regular basis. A range of strategies needs to be employed to ensure that pupils make as much progress as their abilities will allow. Such strategies may include:

• Ensuring curriculum continuity
• The organisation of assessments
• Ensuring that marking of students’ work is done in such a way as to offer guidance on how it could be improved in future
• High expectations
• Lively teaching which is well planned and focused on the needs of students
• Tasks and activities which are appropriately differentiated.

See Brochures.

The overall procedures to protect children from abuse are designed to ensure that the welfare of the child is protected. Where members of staff consider that they have good cause to suspect abuse (including neglect, emotional abuse and ill treatment), they should promptly report their suspicions to a senior member of staff who has been given the responsibility for co-ordinating the school's, college's or youth centre's response to child abuse. The procedures protecting children from abuse are lengthy and are circulated periodically to headteachers of all schools. The Director of Inclusion and Safeguarding has responsibility for ensuring that procedures are in place to protect children from abuse and can provide advice with respect to the procedures. Contact information below. In order to ensure that a rapid response is made to such queries, requests should indicate that the caller wishes to ‘discuss urgent concerns about possible child abuse’ and should be flagged as urgent.