We believe that all pupils, regardless of age, special needs or disability, racial/cultural heritage, religious belief, and sexual orientation have the right to protection from all types of harm and abuse.
We work in partnership with pupils, parents, child protection agencies, and diverse communities to continuously develop and improve safeguarding within our school. This approach helps to keep our pupils safe and, importantly, equips them to tackle, with confidence and enthusiasm, the challenges and opportunities of daily life.
Please see below for details of our core school policies.
At Stranraer Academy, we are committed to creating a calm, safe, respectful and nurturing environment where every learner can thrive. Our school aims to be a place where all members of the community feel valued, supported, and treated with dignity—built on strong, trusting relationships between staff, pupils, and families.
We believe that positive behaviour stems from clear expectations, consistent adult responses, and a culture of kindness. Inspired by the principles of Paul Dix’s “When the Adults Change, Everything Changes”, our approach prioritises relationships, calmness and clarity.
Our school ethos is shaped by the belief that every pupil can succeed when they feel safe, supported and respected. Consistent adult behaviour, clear boundaries, and restorative approaches underpin our approach to managing behaviour. We aim to respond, not react—recognising that behaviour is a form of communication.
Our school values form the foundation for the social, emotional and moral development of our pupils, encouraging them to become not only successful learners, but responsible citizens and confident individuals.
“Working Together Across Culture, Classrooms and Community to be a School Stranraer Can be Proud Of” —
reflects our shared responsibility for maintaining a positive and inclusive climate for learning.
We are proud to promote our school values of:
Stranraer Academy will be a whole school where everyone is encouraged to do their best; a school in which a whole community takes pride. We are committed to helping young people achieve their full potential both within and beyond the classroom.
Our vision for behaviour is one of high support and high expectation. We know that by nurturing strong relationships, reinforcing positive choices, and maintaining clear and consistent boundaries, we give every young person the best opportunity to flourish.
At Stranraer Academy, we understand that supporting positive behaviour is a shared responsibility, and we recognise that there will be times when pupils make mistakes. When this happens, our response should be calm, consistent and rooted in our school values.
While our focus is always on promoting positive choices, staff are prepared to respond to disruption in a way that protects the learning environment and maintains strong relationships. Responses should prioritise restorative practice, allowing pupils to reflect, repair, and return ready to re-engage.
Staff are trusted to use professional judgement and choose the most appropriate response for the situation, based on what they know works for their learners. Some possible responses include:
Where behavioural concerns involve a significant number of pupils within a class or a specific class group, staff may implement a range of supportive strategies — informed by their professional judgement — to improve the classroom environment and encourage positive change. These may include:
Where behaviour concerns persist despite the use of appropriate classroom strategies, staff may seek additional support through the Request for Assistance process. This involves the class teacher providing a clear summary of the concerns along with the strategies already implemented to support the pupil. The aim is to work collaboratively with the Principal Teacher to identify next steps and help the young person re-engage positively with learning.
(See Appendix 1 for Request for Assistance form)
Requests for Assistance may also be submitted to the PTC for classes within the faculty where, over a sustained period of time, behaviour has consistently disrupted learning and teaching, and where a wide range of strategies, such as those outlined in the above section, have been implemented without achieving the desired impact.
In instances where behaviour concerns relate to an individual pupil, the PTC may implement a range of strategies to address the issue and support the pupil to engage more positively in class. These may include:
Where a Request for Assistance relates to a specific class, the PTC may implement a range of supportive actions to improve the classroom environment. These may include:
Where a Request for Assistance has been made, the PTC will continue to monitor progress over time (suggested period: six weeks), offering ongoing support and reviewing the impact of any interventions put in place.
If, after a sustained period of support, there is little or no improvement in behaviour—whether from an individual pupil or across a class—the PTC may decide that further support is required from the appropriate Year Head. In such cases, the PTC will complete a Request for Assistance form, which will include details of the original staff referral as well as a summary of the strategies and interventions they have implemented to date.
(See Appendix 2: PTC Request for Assistance Form)
The Year Head will then offer targeted support to help address the concerns raised, whether they relate to an individual pupil or a class. This support may involve a range of strategies, including:
Where all previous strategies have been implemented and concerns remain, the Year Head may decide that a short-term extraction from class is necessary. This may involve the pupil working with the Year Head for an agreed number of periods, or receiving targeted support through the school’s Nurture area to help address the behaviour. In such instances, the Year Head will complete a Request for Assistance and forward it to the DHT Inclusion. Parents and carers will be informed of any extraction, and the focus will remain on supporting the pupil’s return to class when appropriate.
Any extraction will be time-limited, with the clear aim of reintegrating the pupil back into the class. During this period, the pupil remains the responsibility of the subject teacher, who should ensure appropriate work is provided.
When behavioural concerns are identified as occurring across multiple subjects rather than being limited to just a few areas, the Year Head may implement broader school-wide strategies—such as timetable monitoring, parental meetings, short-term extractions, or the removal of privileges—to support positive behavioural change.
Additionally, Principal Teachers of Pupil Support may, in response to wider wellbeing concerns, decide that adjustments to a pupil’s timetable are necessary. This may involve short-term extraction from class or, in a small number of cases, the removal of a specific subject from a pupil’s timetable. Where this includes input from Nurture or Inclusion areas, any decisions made should be in consultation with parents or carers.
Download our Positive Behaviour Policy
Click the image to download Stranraer Academy’s Positive Behaviour Policy. It sets out our commitment to a calm, safe and nurturing school where everyone feels valued. Rooted in our values of Aim High, Work Hard and Be Kind, the policy highlights how positive relationships, clear expectations and a culture of kindness help every learner thrive.
Bullying is an intolerable reality for some of our pupils and at Stranraer Academy we are entirely committed to confronting it and doing our very best to tackle it.
In previous years we took part in a comprehensive nation wide survey carried out by ‘Ditch the Label’ and the results of this survey have given us clear indications of issues that we want to address and will allow us to target our efforts more effectively.
We would once again like to direct you to the support groups that we would recommend as sources of support and reliable information:
www.respectme.org.uk
www.antibullying.net
www.stonewallscotland.org.uk
www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/
The school anti-bullying policy which is currently under review in conjunction with our journey towards the LGBT youth Charter Bronze award. It can be seen on the right.
Click the image to discover more.
Click the image to discover more.
Escape route signs are posted throughout the school.
Escape route procedures are posted in each classroom.
If the alarm sounds or if the Head Teacher orders the evacuation of the school, remain calm- your teacher will accompany you to the nearest fire exit.
All bags should be left in the classroom.
Individuals who are unable to exit the upper floors must wait at ‘refuge points’ and notify the emergency staff.
After leaving the school building, you should make your way to the designated assembly point.
Pupils in the swimming pool may assemble in the pool area unless the emergency is in their area – if so, they must assemble at the rear of the Basketball Area.
Pupils in the Aird Centre may assemble in the conservatory unless the emergency is in their area – if so, they must assemble at the rear of the Basketball Area.
Pupils from the Learning Centre will register with registration classes unless it has been otherwise agreed.
S1-S4
S5-S6
House group signs are displayed at four points around the assembly point.
On arrival, you should make your way to your identified class point.
You should line up in an orderly fashion and await the teacher responsible, for taking the class register.
Click on an image to enlarge it.
Click on an image to enlarge it.
PT’s & DHT’s are assigned to House Groups to ensure good order.
Any pupil whose conduct is viewed as being seriously detrimental to maintaining good order, contact will be made with home by the Year Head.
Once the building has been declared safe by the fire officer, classes will be dismissed one at a time by the DHT.
The classes closest to the school building will be dismissed first and should make their way back to the building in an orderly fashion.
Escape route signs are posted throughout the school.
Escape route procedures are posted in each classroom.
If the alarm sounds or if the Head Teacher orders the evacuation of the school, remain calm- your teacher will accompany you to the nearest fire exit.
All bags should be left in the classroom.
Individuals who are unable to exit the upper floors must wait at ‘refuge points’ and notify the emergency staff.
After leaving the school building, you should make your way to the designated assembly point.
Pupils in the swimming pool may assemble in the pool area unless the emergency is in their area – if so, they must assemble at the rear of the Basketball Area.
Pupils in the Aird Centre may assemble in the conservatory unless the emergency is in their area – if so, they must assemble at the rear of the Basketball Area.
Pupils from the Learning Centre will register with registration classes unless it has been otherwise agreed.
S1-S4
S5-S6
House group signs are displayed at four points around the assembly point.
On arrival, you should make your way to your identified class point.
You should line up in an orderly fashion and await the teacher responsible, for taking the class register.
Click on an image to enlarge it.
Click on an image to enlarge it.
PT’s & DHT’s are assigned to House Groups to ensure good order.
Any pupil whose conduct is viewed as being seriously detrimental to maintaining good order, contact will be made with home by the Year Head.
Once the building has been declared safe by the fire officer, classes will be dismissed one at a time by the DHT.
The classes closest to the school building will be dismissed first and should make their way back to the building in an orderly fashion.
All children have the right to be protected from harm, abuse and neglect. Every adult in Scotland has a role in ensuring all our children and young people live safely and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The vision for all children and young people in Dumfries and Galloway is that they should be: safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, respected and responsible and included. Schools and front-line education and child care services will play an important role in ensuring all children and young people are safe and well. Further information can be found at
Support-for-children-and-families
Parents, carers and pupils have a key role in keeping the school community safe. We would therefore urge parents to share any information which would keep everyone safe, and to support and encourage their child(ren) to do the same.
There is an expectation that drugs, substances and weapons will not be brought into the school environment ‘In responding to drug/substance or weapons-related incidents, schools will follow education authority guidelines. In all such circumstances, parents/carers will be contacted, and their cooperation expected. The police will be involved if drug use is suspected or discovered or there are concerns regarding the possession, threat or use of weapons.
All schools in Dumfries and Galloway are expected to record any unusual incidents or concerns they may have about a child. Usually, this information will be shared with parents/carers when issues of concern arise. The wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for all schools. As a result, all schools have child protection coordinators who will work with children, families and supporting partners in matters relating to Safeguarding and Child Protection.
Child Protection Co-Ordinator and LAC Champion
Pamela Livingstone
Depute Child Protection Co-Ordinator
Jamie Farquhar
Depute Child Protection Co-Ordinator
Claire Dougan
The Health and Wellbeing Project is in its second year at Stranraer Academy. It is one of two pilot projects in Dumfries and Galloway, looking at innovative ways to equip young people with the skills and knowledge to cope with situations which could lead to risk taking e.g. on-line risks, unhealthy relationships, substance misuse and sexual health issues.
Consultation took place last year with pupils, staff, parents and partner agencies to look at PSE (Personal and Social Education) programmes and the findings were published in a review report.
A Health and Wellbeing Working Group of staff has recently been created to take the recommendations of the report forward. The group will need the input of pupils, parents and identified partner agencies in the near future, for planning and reviewing future Health and Wellbeing programmes which replace PSE.
A copy of the Health & Wellbeing Policy can be viewed and downloaded below the circular Health and Wellbeing chart.
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The prime purpose of our self-evaluation is to improve the outcomes for our pupils. In StranraerAcademy, the SMT have a strategic overview of the whole self-evaluation process linked to the cycle of development and review.
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For more information on LGBT Inclusion, please visit:
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