Minutes of the Meeting of Strathblane Primary School Parent Council
Tuesday 24th March 2009
Present:
Staff: Carolyn Randall, Anne Spencer, Morven Bulloch
Parent Council: Debbie Bolton, Charlie Haggerty, Cathie Moir, Andy Thompson
Parents: Linda Barclay, Libby Brittain, Ronnie Hamilton, Wendy Hamilton, Traci Leven, Mandy Malcomson, Sheila Paterson, Anne Scott, Bronagh Ewart (clerk to the parent council)
(Item 7 on the agenda was dealt with first.)
1. Welcome & Apologies
Andy Thompson opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. Apologies were received from Gun Orgun and Sheena Mylles.
2. Minutes of Meeting held on 26th January 2009
Carolyn Randall asked for point 3.2 to be altered as follows: “School Improvement Plan – this is concentrating on writing, critical thinking skills, Curriculum for Excellence, talking, listening and learning.
Matters Arising
The new catering supervisor is now in place.
Carolyn emailed the Roads Department asking if work on the recent roadworks could be delayed until after 9am.
Carolyn has also emailed about the double yellow lines and is still awaiting a reply.
In the last school newsletter Carolyn gave information about assemblies, religious observance guidelines and Curriculum for Excellence.
3. Curriculum for Excellence
An introductory dvd was shown giving information for parents on Curriculum for Excellence, the new curriculum for Scottish schools. This presentation can be viewed at www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk . Carolyn informed the meeting that the launch of Curriculum for Excellence is a very exciting time in education. It has brought flexibility in learning, is based on innovation and creativity and focuses on how things are taught and how children learn as well as what they learn.
4. Reports
4.1 Chairperson
Andy Thompson reported that the extra-curricular French classes have now started. The Spanish teacher is still awaiting disclosure.
Debbie Bolton has investigated the possibility of a science club. Robin Hoyle is able to provide materials and Stirling Council can provide a science ambassador to advise on starting a club. This would probably require the support of a staff member. Jonathan Owens has provided information about science workshops run by PhD students. Carolyn will meet with Debbie to discuss all these issues and how best to proceed.
Traci Leven has spoken to Lyndsay Morrison, Active Schools Co-ordinator, who is very interested in helping to establish extra-curricular sporting activities. Lyndsay will be invited to a meeting in the future.
Interest has been shown in having a chess club, possibly at lunchtime. Helpers would be needed and could be parents, grandparents, etc.
The deadline for applications for the position of Head Teacher has now passed and a shortlist will be drawn up by the PC next week. Candidates will then be invited for interview which will be carried out by three members of the PC and three representatives from Stirling Council.
4.2 School
Carolyn reported that staff had undergone training for autistic spectrum disorder in February and had also recently taken part in child behaviour management courses. Carolyn thanked the staff for their commitment and energy in this area which has made a huge impact on behaviour management within the school.
Within Curriculum for Excellence lots of exciting things are happening and Carolyn particularly commended the P7 pantomime and the P3/4 blog, highlighting the level of involvement and commitment from all staff.
The school policy on writing has been updated and the new resource, Write to the Top, evaluated. New strategies have been put in place consistently across the school which will assess the children’s writing throughout the year and provide specific feedback on an individual basis.
The school has recently undergone a self-evaluation process using parent, staff and pupil questionnaires. Information from these will help to form the School Improvement Plan for next year.
Many trips have taken place recently and more are planned for after Easter. A donation from the PC has helped to fund transport for these. Carolyn has already identified many other areas where further donations can be put to good use.
Carolyn attended the parental involvement course in Stirling in March which was very useful.
The next priority is to consider security and safety of the school building, ensuring there is a safe and secure procedure for welcoming visitors into the school. There has been positive feedback regarding the measures put in place in this respect already. Discussion led to the planned refurbishment of the school, thought to be happening next year. Carolyn has raised this issue but it does not seem to be planned for next year. She will find out who to contact about this and it was suggested to put this item on the agenda for the next meeting.
Pupil Council
Anne Spencer reported that the Pupil Council is responding to a complaint from a younger class regarding football in the playground. A football rota in specific areas of the playground is being tried out at the moment and will be evaluated after Easter. The Pupil Council helped to choose the best joke in the Comic Relief competition. After consultation with pupils about ways to improve the playground the Pupil Council would like the PC to fund picnic benches which could be used for lunches and as outdoor classrooms. A request was also made to have either tracksuits or bibs for pupils to wear when representing the school at sporting events – these could possibly be sponsored by a local business.
4.3 Strathblane Primary Fundraisers
Traci Leven reported that the jokes from the Comic Relief competition would be compiled into a book
to be sold at the Summer Fair. Traci was very impressed with the Pupil Council input in choosing a winner. The recent ceilidh was much enjoyed by children and adults alike and approximately £300 profit has been made. The Ragbag collection will take place on Monday 27th April and Traci will issue a letter about this. Linda Barclay is organising the Summer Fair which will take place on Saturday 23rd May. It will have an American theme and will be a 12-hour extravaganza (10am-10pm) with various events for children and adults happening throughout the day.
4.4 Treasurer
There was no treasurer’s report as Gun was unable to attend the meeting. Andy Thompson informed the meeting that when the extra-curricular French classes started it had been assumed that there would be no room charge. However Stirling Council are charging £162 per term for the use of a room as a profit is being made. Andy felt it was unfair to expect Alex Harvey (teacher) or the parents to meet this unexpected cost so proposed that the PC pay this as a one-off payment. In future Alex will adjust the lesson fees to cover this extra cost. The meeting agreed to this payment which will come out of the PC account, not the SPF account.
5. Discussion about monies raised and where they have been spent.
A parent has voiced concerns about the school raising money for charity as well as school funds and being unsure as to where this money is spent. Suggestions made included the possibility of ascertaining from parents which charities they would like to support and perhaps deciding on charities at the start of the school year.
6. Proposal to provide funding for “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” theatre production.
Carolyn asked the PC to consider funding a theatre production booked to come to the school mid May, coinciding with a planned health/eco week. It will cost £435 and will benefit all the pupils including the nursery. The meeting agreed to pledge at least 50% of this cost using money raised by the Ragbag collection. If the Ragbag raises enough funds to cover more than 50% this will be donated as well, up to 100%.
7. MUGA/Greenheart
Linda Barclay reported on the new developments regarding the MUGA. Support has been received from the Community Development Trust. £15,000 has been secured, although significant progress needs to be made by July with additional substantial funding in place to show commitment to this venture, otherwise this money may be lost. A contribution from the SPF needs to be decided upon – Andy suggested a proposal for this be brought to the next meeting. Linda has created a survey for residents to gather views and substantiate the need for a MUGA. This will be included in the next issue of the Blane. Contacts have also been made with the Environment Trust and Sport Scotland. Linda will email these developments in more detail to the PC and this will be available to read on the PC website www.strathparentcouncil.org
8. AOB
Cathie Moir suggested that arrangements be put in place to nominate and elect a new PC before the summer holiday. All current members will have served two years and can choose to either stand down or go forward for re-election.
Mandy Malcomson mentioned that the Out of School Care has a Spanish class with fees subsidised by a grant – it may be worthwhile looking into this.
9. Date of Next Meeting
Early May, date to be confirmed.
Andy Thompson closed the meeting, thanking everyone for coming.