Appendix 1 - Cost of the School Day Policy
Perth and Kinross Council · 27 May 2026
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 27 May 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PKC - GENERAL Appendix 1 Appendix 1 Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 1 PKC - GENERAL Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 2 Sharing the Vision .................................................................................................................. 2 Understanding and Compassion ............................................................................................ 3 Support for All ........................................................................................................................ 5 Engagement with Parent Councils ......................................................................................... 5 School Uniform ...................................................................................................................... 5 Perth and Kinross Proposals ...................................................................................................... 7 Getting Dressed ..................................................................................................................... 7 Travelling ................................................................................................................................ 8 Learning.................................................................................................................................. 8 Challenging Poverty ............................................................................................................... 9 School Excursions ................................................................................................................... 9 Eating ................................................................................................................................... 10 Fun Events ............................................................................................................................ 11 School Clubs ......................................................................................................................... 12 Learning At Home ................................................................................................................ 12 Attitudes to Poverty ............................................................................................................. 13 Appendix 1 - Communication with Parents/Families .............................................................. 14 Appendix 2 – Secondary Departmental Guidance ................................................................... 15 Appendix 3 - Suggestions of Grants/Funding .......................................................................... 16 Appendix 4 - Cost Effective School Trips ................................................................................. 18 Appendix 5 – Useful Links ........................................................................................................ 19
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Cost of the School Day Policy 2 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL Article 28 of the UNCRC states that children and young people have the right to education no matter who they are: regardless of race, gender or disability; if they’re in detention, or if they’re a refugee. It states that, children and young people have the right to both primary and secondary education and should be able to choose different subjects when in secondary school, including the option of technical and vocational training. The Scottish Government has made a commitment to ensuring that children can get an education without it costing their family money. While ‘education’ may be free, school is so much more than acquiring knowledge. Curriculum for Excellence makes clear that to develop the whole child and enable them to become Confident Individuals, Successful Learners, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens schools need to offer a wide range of experiences and opportunities. We acknowledge that the reality is there can be many aspects of the school day which do cost families, across all sectors, nursery, primary and secondary. In Perth and Kinross Council our vision is that all children and young people will receive the same opportunities in their educational journey regardless of their social-economic background. Sharing the Vision Every school and ELC setting should have a clear focus on Cost of the School Day. Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) within schools can be used to support Cost of the School Day (CoSD) initiatives as appropriate. Within their own individual structures, schools/ELC settings will decide where responsibility for Cost of the School Day best fits with other initiatives. Schools should consider: • A school CoSD timetable detailing the main events which may require financial contributions for issue to families at the start of each year to enable them to plan • Supporting staff with CoSD ideas and approaches • Ensuring information around cost of the school day approaches and available support, eg Free School Meals, School Clothing Grant, Education Maintenance Allowance, is shared with all families while also targeting families as required • Reviewing the cost of their school uniform in relation to the School Clothing Grant allowance Introduction
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 3 PKC - GENERAL By June 2025 Perth and Kinross Schools and ELC settings will have a Cost of the School Day Plan which will be: • Regularly reviewed • Recognised within School/Setting Improvement Plans • Written in consultation with all stakeholders • Shared annually with staff and available to families through the usual communication methods Support and guidance on the creation of plans can be found here. The template will be included in Quality Improvement Planning documentation annually. Understanding and Compassion All staff working in Perth and Kinross schools and ELC settings should have an awareness of the impact of poverty on children and families and the need to reduce or remove costs related to all aspects of the school day. Staff should be aware of the context of their own individual setting and how deprivation and poverty impact their local community. We expect all staff to show empathy and compassion to any child or young person and their family where they are struggling with attendance, attainment, participation and/or engagement in education caused by or exacerbated by poverty. Poverty can be a barrier to learning for many children and young people and therefore should be seen and dealt with in
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Cost of the School Day Policy 4 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL a similar way to any specific learning difficulty where there are clear interventions put in place to mitigate the impact of that difficulty. The Scottish Government has identified six priority groups as being at a higher risk of poverty. These are: • Lone parents • Young mothers (under 25 years old) • Minority ethnic families • Large families (with three or more children) • Families with a baby (under one) • Families with a disabled adult or child As one of the Priority Groups in reducing Child Poverty are families with a child under one and another relates to young mothers (mothers under the age of 25), it is particularly important for our nursery classes and Early Years Settings to be “Poverty Aware” and reduce costs to families as much as they can.
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 5 PKC - GENERAL Support for All Many families may hide the fact they are impacted by poverty. Schools should not make assumptions about who is or is not living in poverty as any family could potentially be affected at any time. Schools can offer support by signposting families to the most appropriate help available which may then support attendance and engagement in learning. Resources to assist with this can be found here and on the PKC website. Consideration should be given to the costs for large families (3+ children) for any whole school event (eg a trip to the pantomime). This should also include considering costs for class events where twins/triplets will be attending. As a core principle, consideration will be given to avoiding the stigma of parents having to ask for help and/or having to provide evidence of their financial circumstances. See Appendix 1 for ideas/best practice. Engagement with Parent Councils Parent Councils/committees have an important role to play in the Cost of the School Day and in sharing information with other parents and helping them understand the need for fundraising through different methods. It is also important to hear from parents about any ongoing or developing community issues which may have an impact on the CoSD. Parent Council Chairs will be asked to have ‘Cost of the School Day’ as a regular item on the agenda of these meetings. The Cost of the School Day Toolkit from the Child Poverty Action Group is a useful resource for Parent Councils. School Uniform While we recognise that there is no legal requirement to wear a uniform, it can and often does add to the creation of a positive school ethos and sense of belonging. It brings with it a sense of pride and ownership amongst the vast majority of children and young people. It promotes safety and supports security with children and young people being easily identifiable. It minimises costly fashion items and removes pressure from young people to dress in branded or designer clothing.
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Cost of the School Day Policy 6 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL A positive ethos is made up of so much more than clothing, however, and schools must recognise that an overly strict and prescriptive uniform could place undue financial pressure on families. It is therefore vital that schools adopt a flexible and inclusive policy regarding uniform and are understanding and compassionate in support of any child or young person who may come to school not wearing a uniform. Scottish Government guidance, published in September 2024, advises that, “all schools should have a uniform or clothing policy which meets the needs of their pupils and wider school community and is centred on pupil comfort, happiness and freedom to learn and play. The cost of school clothing should be minimised.” School policies on uniform should be written in consultation with parents, carers, the Parent Council and children and young people. Policies should always be underpinned by the values of inclusion, equity and sustainability. As stated in the Scottish Government guidance, “in the design of uniform and clothing policies, education authorities and schools should have particular regard to Article 2 (non-discrimination), Article 12 (respect for the views of the child), Article 13 (freedom of expression) and Article 28 (right to education). Schools should avoid having compulsory badged or branded items of uniform as these can be more expensive. It is important that if a school does include a badged option which is available from a particular supplier, all procurement guidance has been followed in relation to the contract put in place to provide this.
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 7 PKC - GENERAL Getting Dressed Vision: All Perth and Kinross schools will promote the use of affordable, inclusive and flexible uniforms for children and young people. Best Practice: • In order to promote a sense of belonging and pride in their school, all children and young people will be encouraged to wear an affordable school uniform. • Schools should ensure the cost of their uniform does not exceed the funding from the School Clothing Grant (£126 in Primary, £157.50 in Secondary, 2024). • Schools should consider having ‘pre-loved/recycled’ uniforms available for all and promoting these options regularly throughout the year. • Non-badged or branded items should be promoted in the same way as badged uniforms on channels such as the school website and information for parents, with words such as ‘acceptable’ avoided. • Where badged items are an optional choice, schools and ELC settings should consider offering a sew-on or iron-on on badge which would be more affordable and could be re-used. • Rural schools will be particularly aware that families may be unable to shop locally so uniforms should be available online at a reasonable cost. • Children or young people who join a school mid-year may be offered a pre-loved uniform if available in their size. This is particularly important for Care Experienced children and young people to avoid any discrimination and to help them feel they belong in their new school. • Schools should consider limiting the number of pairs of shoes a child/young person requires. • Schools should not insist on a branded PE kit unless this is supplied. • Schools and ELC settings should offer support to families to complete School Clothing Grant applications if required. • Children and young people will be supported should they attend school in clothing other than the expected school uniform. • Young children in ELC settings will be able to wear their own clothes. • ELC settings should consider having waterproof clothing and footwear that children can borrow. Perth and Kinross Proposals
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Cost of the School Day Policy 8 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL • ‘Branded’ items of uniform will only be promoted as an optional item and should not be compulsory. This message will be clearly communicated to parents and carers. Riverside PS Uniform Case Study Kit for All – PE DropShop Perth High School Travelling Vision: Perth and Kinross Schools will encourage and support young people to apply for their Under 22 free bus pass. Best Practice: • Schools should consider and mitigate the potential financial impact on all families when offering extra-curricular activities including Supported Study. • Schools and ELC settings should consider working with the PKC concessionary travel team to support parents to apply for an Under 22 free bus pass for their child or young person if required. Breadalbane Case Study Learning Vision: No child or young person will need to pay for any aspect of their core curriculum/education Best Practice: • Secondary schools will have no curricular charges for timetabled classes in line with Scottish Government requirements. See Appendix 2 for Departmental Guidance regarding curricular costs. • Stationery will be readily available in all primary classes and ELC playrooms for children to access without having to ask. • There is an expectation that young people in secondary schools will be encouraged to be self-reliant. However, schools may consider having stationery stations available for young people to take equipment as and when they need it,
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 9 PKC - GENERAL thereby avoiding stigmatising any young person who is unable to provide these resources. • If extra resources are required for learning at home, schools will either provide these or allow the work to be completed in school. Challenging Poverty Vision: All Perth and Kinross schools will be encouraged to raise awareness of poverty among our children and young people. Best Practice: • Poverty related bullying will be treated as seriously as any other form of bullying and logged appropriately. • All ELC settings and schools will discourage additional stigma through consideration of the number of days with a particular focus where families may feel a pressure to buy new clothing (e.g. World Book Day) and consideration of low/no-cost options to mark them. • ‘Non-uniform’ or ‘dress down’ days should always be optional with confidential donations. • Parent Councils will be asked to have Cost of the School Day as a standing item on agendas. • School Excursions advice (below) should be followed. School Excursions Vision: Cost will never prevent any Perth and Kinross pupil attending an Educational Excursion held during the school day. Best Practice for Day Excursions: • No excursion during the school day which is considered to be essential for the delivery of the curriculum should have any charge in line with the Scottish Government guidance on removal of core curriculum charges. • All children and young people should be offered a school packed lunch to take on school excursions – these can be pre-ordered (P1 – P5 free and P6/P7 and secondary FSM eligible young people)
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Cost of the School Day Policy 10 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL • Schools will consider potential ‘hidden’ costs to trips such as specialist clothing, casual clothing, and spending money. • During educational excursions school uniform will be worn and visits to gift shops will be avoided. • Schools will walk where local trips are within 1 mile of the school, being mindful of safe routes and the individual needs of children and young people. • See Appendix 3 for suggestions of grants. • See Appendix 4 for suggestions of cost-effective trips. Best Practice for Residential Excursions • Schools should carefully consider the educational benefit and costs of any residential school trip and consider options for support or subsidies for any family where the child or young person could miss out through not being able to pay. • In partnership with parents, schools will develop communication methods which families find acceptable so they feel there is no stigma, and which will allow them to request financial help e.g. MS Form. • Organisers will ‘shop around’ the list of PKC approved providers (including transport companies) instead of automatically going back to the same place/provider. • For residential trips, there must be enough notice for families to ‘pay up’ over time. • Schools will consider potential ‘hidden’ costs to trips such as specialist clothing, casual clothing, sleeping bags, passports, toiletries and spending money. • Schools will always consider alternatives to an overseas/out of Scotland trip e.g. skiing in Scotland instead of elsewhere in Europe, theatre in Edinburgh/Glasgow rather than London. • Where possible and feasible, schools will explore external funding to reduce the costs of residential excursions. • See Appendix 3 for suggestions of grants. Eating Vision: All children and young people within Perth and Kinross schools will be encouraged to maintain healthy eating habits in line with the Schools Act (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2020.
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 11 PKC - GENERAL Best Practice: • School meals for all children and young people will be promoted and those eligible will be encouraged to take up their free-school-meal entitlement. • Parents of children and young people from P6 upwards will be supported to complete the application for their free school meal entitlement. • Anyone who has specific dietary requirements will be supported. • Tayside Contracts information Information on food insecurity during holiday periods is available on the PKC website. Fun Events Vision: All Perth and Kinross schools and ELC settings will complete a Cost of the School Day calendar at the start of each year to ensure fun events are spread evenly through the year and include cost-free events. Best Practice: • Schools should not levy ticket charges for parents to attend events in which pupils are performing. Instead, donations could, if deemed appropriate, be requested to cover costs if required or for charitable purposes. This should be clearly communicated. This should be collected on a “pay what you can” basis through ParentPay in line with the cash free schools’ policy. • There will always be free activities at events such as Christmas and Summer Fayres, whether these are organised by the school or by Parent Councils. • Schools taking part in Christmas Jumper Days or Halloween events should consider having swap shops/recycling racks of clothing prior to the event to allow families free access to enable full participation. • Charity and/or fun events should be planned in advance, and communicated timeously with families, and children will be able to take part without spending or donating money. • Learning and teaching around supporting charities should be taught without asking the children/young people for money. • Costs of fun events should be agreed with the parent body. • Draft wording will be provided to schools to support communication with families to avoid any stigmatising or pressurising inferences.
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Cost of the School Day Policy 12 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL Best practice for Prom: • Schools should support their prom committee to ‘cost’ their Prom to ensure they are aware of the overall total cost for families, remembering the higher costs for families with twins/triplets. The overall ticket price should be discussed by the committee and agreed in consultation with the wider year group and parent body. • Schools should encourage and promote the use of ‘pre-loved’ dresses, suits and accessories as a more sustainable and cost-effective way of dressing. • Prom should be organised with enough time for young people to pay up for tickets. St John’s Case Study School Clubs Vision: If schools provide an extra-curricular club offer there should be free options available for all young people to access. Best Practice: • In settings where children/young people rely on school transport, there will be some lunchtime clubs to ensure maximum participation in extra-curricular activities. • If school staff take the clubs/activities these will be provided for free. • Schools should only consider charging if they need to pay for a coach that cannot be funded through other means. • If a special kit is required (e.g. school football strip), then this will be provided as required for loan or free of charge. Learning At Home Vision: no learning at home activity will have financial implications for families. Best Practice:
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 13 PKC - GENERAL • Schools should provide children and young people with any and all resources they need to complete homework. • If pupil work needs to be printed, staff should ensure this can be done in school. • Any pupil not submitting homework will have a supportive conversation to find out what support can be provided to help them complete homework. Attitudes to Poverty All Perth and Kinross schools and ELC settings will have a Cost of the School Day Plan which will be: • Regularly reviewed • Recognised within School Improvement Plans • Written in consultation with all stakeholders • Shared annually with staff and available to families through usual communication methods Over the next 3 years, we will work to remove as many cost barriers to engagement and participation as we can. Through doing this, we hope to succeed in our mission to not only close the poverty-related attainment gap but provide the best possible experience for all children and young people in Perth and Kinross.
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Cost of the School Day Policy 14 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL Relationships – without good relationships you are not going to be able to engage with your families. • Make sure staff are visible before and after school to potentially allow for informal contact with families – if you appear accessible to families then they will be more likely to engage. • Make sure any letter/communication that goes out asking for money also includes information about how a family can receive support if they require it and what they can do if they simply can’t afford what is being asked. • Keep a universal approach – if you only target families who are entitled to free school meals or live in particular postcodes, other families who are struggling may not feel that they can reach out. Children and young people will take help offered if it is offered to everyone. For example, snack tables/boxes available for all. • Use non-stigmatising language e.g. ‘Costs should not be a barrier to anyone attending. There are a range of supports available to our school community so please take any help needed.’ • Make sure any support is visible and constantly communicated. Use your social media presence, posters, texts and phone calls. The more this is seen as normal, the more people will take the help when it is offered. • Parent Pay – ensure that any communication or message on Parent Pay regarding a trip or activity has been reviewed and agreed prior to distribution. • Find ways for parents to ask for help without having to come in to school as some will find this too difficult. Some schools have found success by using MS Forms. With any form, please be aware that parents don’t need to be asked lots of questions – their name/contact details and support required should be enough. • Ask your families what they think would be the best way to communicate. • Share a plan for the year detailing anticipated costs to allow families to plan, and offering payment plans where appropriate. Useful Link - Parental Involvement and Engagement Strategy Appendix 1 - Communication with Parents/Families
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 15 PKC - GENERAL The removal of core curriculum charges includes class-based activities within the eight core curriculum areas in the broad general education in primary and secondary school. This includes activities associated with preparation for SQA qualifications in the senior phase. This includes (but is not limited to): • Home Economics • Technical Education • Art and Design • Curricular equipment o The purchase of musical instruments where this is required for a class-based learning experience in primary schools. o Scientific calculators for young people in secondary schools. o Provision of specialist equipment to support classroom learning during themed weeks (e.g. STEM week). • Curricular Trips o Theatre trips associated with SQA drama performances. o Geography trips associated with SQA qualifications. The following are outwith the scope of this: • After school clubs, including associated transport. • School trips that do not fall into the definition above. • School uniforms and PE kit • Access to digital devices • Optional instrumental music tuition Scottish Government guidance on what the curriculum charges funding should cover is available here. Appendix 2 – Secondary Departmental Guidance
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Cost of the School Day Policy 16 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL Visit Community grants - Perth & Kinross Council (pkc.gov.uk) for details of funding available in Perth and Kinross. In some instances, the school itself may not be eligible to apply for support or funding however access may be available to Parent Councils. This page also includes details of other local funders who may provide support or grants. Policies and procedures for grants should always be adhered to. These can be found here. • Community environment challenge fund: grants to community groups for environmental projects • Perth & Kinross Sport Council: grants to individuals and sport clubs • Auchterarder Community Facilities Fund: grants to voluntary/community organisations for projects which improve the amenity of the public realm or facilities within the settlement boundary of Auchterarder • The Gannochy Trust • The Robertson Trust • The Forteviot Trust • The Arthur and Margaret Thompson Trust (Kinross-shire) • SSE Griffin Wind Farm Fund (Community Council's areas of Aberfeldy, Dull and Weem, Dunkeld and Birnam, Kenmore and District and Mid Atholl and Strathtay and Grandtully) • SSE Drumderg Wind Farm Fund (Mount Blair most of Strathardle and Glenshee and Alyth) • RWE Innogy Lochelbank Fund (Community Council's areas of Glenfarg and Earn) • Blackford Community Fund • Kinross-shire Fund • Bertha Park Community Fund: grants to community organisations in the Bertha Park site area for projects that support community activities. See the flowchart for guidance on the decision-making process. • Supermarket community funds – most big supermarkets have grants for their local area. Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Coop all do. Contact your local store direct. Many have ‘community champions’ who will work with local schools directly. • Fuelled for Fun Funding information which addresses food insecurity during holiday periods is available here. A range of national funders are also listed: Appendix 3 - Suggestions of Grants/Funding
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 17 PKC - GENERAL • Big Lottery Fund • Awards for All (small grants) • Heritage Lottery Fund • Sport Scotland • Creative Scotland • BBC Children in Need • McDonalds There are a range of other options which schools may wish to consider: • Greggs Foundation offers support for Breakfast Clubs in particular. • Ford Britain Trust large (up to £3000) and small (up to £250) grants available for projects focussing on education, environment, children and youth activities that provide clear benefits to local communities. • Warburtons – provide donations of product and have a financial giving programme. • Rotary Clubs • Community Councils Funding Scotland • The SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations)'s Funding Scotland tool is an online funding database and valuable resource for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations of all shapes and sizes. You can also register as a member or supporter of the SCVO to gain access to further information and up-to-date funding bulletins.
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Cost of the School Day Policy 18 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality PKC - GENERAL • Register with Great British School Trip and search for venues in Scotland. This site is sponsored by Hyundai and offers a bursary for many Scottish venues. Check to see if your visit is there and then apply for their bursary with priority given to schools with more than 30% of their roll in receipt of free school meals. • Historic Environment Scotland offer Free Learning Visits. There is a form to apply for a visit on their website. You can also apply for a School Visits Travel Subsidy – priority is given to schools in an area of deprivation. They offer 75% back on the cost of your bus up to a maximum of £300. Museums are generally free if you are leading the group yourself and don’t require Museum guides. Please make sure you book though to allow the museum notice of a large group. A ‘supported’ self-led booking will have a small charge (e.g. £25 per class) but may provide useful resources. Appendix 4 - Cost Effective School Trips
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Cost of the School Day Policy A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality 19 PKC - GENERAL There are wide range of resources available on eric to support schools in their development of approaches to the Cost of the School Day: • Cost of the School Day Padlet • Cost of School Day School Checklist • Survey Templates • Action Plan Template • Web-page mock-up • Parental Involvement and Engagement Strategy Appendix 5 – Useful Links If you or someone you know would like a copy of this document in another language or format, (on occasion, only a summary of the document will be provided in translation), this can be arranged by contacting the Customer Service Centre on 01738 475000. You can also send us a text message on 07824 498145. All Council Services can offer a telephone translation facility. BSL users can contact us via Contact Scotland BSL, the online British Sign Language video relay interpreting service. Find out more on the Contact Scotland BSL website https://contactscotland-bsl.org