Dean Park Primary School

Dean Park Primary School was built in 1972, and serves the village of Balerno and its surrounding catchment in the South West of Edinburgh. Dean Park Primary is a non-denominational and co-educational school. The school role is currently 573, comprising 17 classes at Primary 1-7 and two nursery classes each with capacity for 60 pupils.

The school offers seven years of primary education to boys and girls whose ages range from 4-12 years. There are two nursery classes, sited within the Pre- School Centre in the village centre, accommodating 60 morning and 60 afternoon places. Our school offers excellent facilities which include:-

• Spacious outdoor play areas [including adventure playground with spider’s web, playing field and climbing wall]
• Outdoor learning spaces [an edible garden and an eco-garden with seating for use as an outdoor classroom]
• Indoor play area
• Computer suite
• Smartboards in each classroom
• Gym hall
• Main hall / dining hall
• Library
• Music room
• Pastoral care suite
• Teacher’s resource area
• Disabled toilet facilities
• Thrift shop

Dean Park is a GOLD Level UNICEF Rights Respecting School. It is our goal to create a learning community where everyone can flourish. Building and maintaining relationships is very important to us. When things go wrong we use Restorative Practice to mend relationships which have been damaged. We aim to work through the challenges with individuals in a positive and reflective way.

The children run many school faculties, organisations and working groups in the school to which they are democratically elected. Most are supported by teachers, parents and community groups. To fully appreciate just how engaged the pupils are in the Ethos and Culture of our school you would have to come and see us in action.

We work hard in keeping the whole school community up to date with communication with regards to the work and life of the school. If you would like to talk to the Headteacher about any issues of concern, please do not hesitate to make an appointment at the school office.

We are committed to supporting the development of the whole pupil and as a result, wish to encourage their development in all aspects. These key aspects of learning are supported through the following arrangements by:

• Creating a school ethos which, in every way possible, gives value to these aspects of development, especially by providing an overall atmosphere that is both caring and challenging and which provides opportunities for the development of personal responsibility.
• Promoting social and moral learning through the way in which disciplinary issues are handled.
• Ensuring that staff and adults within the school provide positive models for pupils.
• Arranging regular gatherings of the school as a community and using such occasions to encourage and reinforce the values on which the school is based.
• Enriching the curriculum in all appropriate areas with an emphasis on spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Providing opportunities within the curriculum to advance personal and social development.
• Providing a programme of religious education in which consideration will be given to responses to basic questions relating to the meaning, value and purpose of human life.
• Providing a programme of moral education.
• Taking every appropriate opportunity to acknowledge, value and appreciate the various cultures and heritage of the pupils and to encourage them to appreciate and value the cultures and heritage of others.