Minutes- Elphinstone Parent Council
Date of Meeting: 24thApril 2014
Venue:Elphinstone Primary School
Purpose:Parent Council Meeting
Present:Helen Spencer (Chair), Kirsty Kyle, Mike Pacione
In Attendance:Heather Williams, (Head Teacher)
Clerk:Alisson Stewart
Apologies:Judith Dunn, Dawn Kean, Sheena Thompson, Jo Kinnloch-Anderson, Sharmin Akhtar, Kat Skwara Pacione
Circulation:All Parent Forum, Laura Muir, Local Councillors
- Welcome and Apologies
- Approval/Comments from Minutes of last Meeting 20th February 2014
Proposed Kirsty Kyle seconded Helen Spencer
- Matters Arising
Helen has 3 - 4 questions for the school Questionnaire to pass over to Heather Williams.
- Head Teacher Report
Children back from Easter and settled in well.
New Cluster Reading Scheme
A very successful reading initiative called “Dunbar Reads” is to be developed for the Cluster. There is a meeting at 7.30 – 8.30 next Thursday(1st May) at Pencaitland Primary School.
The Dunbar initiative was responsible for raising the reading attainment in the school. Parent Council volunteers to attend please.
Audit/Survey/Annual reports
Survey Monkey with questions for parents, parent council and pupil groups will be developed. Once results in and analysed will be fed back to parent council.
Information informs School Improvement Plan. Next in service day- 6th May will be used to look at quality indicators for the school and how to raise attainment and produce an action plan where indicated.
Employee Engagement Survey – There was a 100% input for Elphinstonestaff groups and the feedback was very positive.
QI Officer looks at what the parents have said. Results will be used to produce evaluative statements that show impact / improvements / further actions.
Staffing
Katie Callander has secured a permanent post and is leaving next week. Ms Collier is returning on Monday 13th May part-time. The gap will be covered internally and will be well coordinated.
- Chair Report
Playground/ Trim Trail
The trim trail is up and running as of Wednesday 23rd April. Purchased by East Lothian council with 5.5K from Legacy 2014 and 5.5K to be paid from the Parent Council fundraising. A cheque is required to pay ELC.
Two companies have been in to look at Nursery Playground. There is £7,000 to spend from Awards for All, Support from the Start and Bank of Scotland. 1 quote back and waiting for 2nd quote. School to order direct.
Nursery play ground hopefully also be complete by 20th June when an open day will be held between 10 – 11 am. Invites will be sent to contributors,councillors, architect, and others including the press.
Hope is that P6/7’s will organise the day as part of their terms project
Local Area Partnerships
Helen is involved with the Fa’side Area Partnership. People from community who have a say in how the area is to be managed and run. E.g.policing, play parks, traffic management. Helen is the only parent council member from the cluster attending and at least one more volunteer is required.
Look at developing a community action plan which will link in with the Coalfields Community Futures Trust. The Tranent and Elphinstone Community Action plan will be Launched on Monday night at the Fraser Centre, Tranent– 7.00 pm start.
Action plan update/Summer Fayre.
Weekend of 28th June weekend before breakup.
Looking for volunteers for BBQ and Raffle. Contact Helen if available. Using community centre bank account which is to become Elphinstone Community Bank Account.
Charge for tables £5.
Financial Report
£12,801 in bank account at the moment, already paid for text service, £5,500 still to go to Council for Trim Trail, £6,900 for nursery playground.
Parent Council Members
Need to encourage more parents onto the Council.
Use the 20th June as a promotional event for the Parent Council to drum up support and membership.
Kirsty wanted to acknowledge the Council’s appreciation of how much hard work Helen has put into her 3 year Chairmanship. Helen will be stepping down next year.
8.AOB
Curriculum Evening – AGM
It was suggested a fresh look at format for AGM may encourage more attendees.
For the Curriculum Evening a learning walk for parents will be developed rather than a sit down presentation.
This evening couldbe used to promote the parent council.
The evening will be lead by the children from all levels of the school.
10. Date of Next Meeting
Thursday 18th September 2014
PENCAITLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
THE GLEBE
PENCAITLAND
EH34 5EZ
Healthy – Active – Happy
Mary McCall
Head Teacher
Telephone01875 340260Email
1 April 2014
Dear Cluster Heads
Dunbar Reads Together was an initiative created to try to raise reading standards in one school. The results were astonishing and the project was highly praised by HMIE, The Scottish Book Trust and in the TES Scotland.
Plans are afoot to run a similar project in Tranent Cluster over the 2014/2015 school year. Initial discussions have been had at Cluster Heads Meetings and we are now ready to think about the next steps.
I hope that all schools within the cluster will feel able to join in. I can promise an intriguing experience with minimal extra work load for teachers!
An information evening is planned for Thursday May 1st at Pencaitland Primary School from 7:30 to 8:30 pm.
There will be a brief presentation on the project with further input from the Scottish Book Trust, CLD and Support from the Start; plus tales from some who took part in Dunbar.
Each school would be most welcome to send at least one member of staff and one member of the Parent Council. This will be a community based project so the Parent Councils will play a crucial role. Teas and coffees will be available so it would be most helpful if you would let me know numbers by Wednesday 30th April.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, but I do hope to see your school represented that evening.
Many thanks.
Lindsey Barley
Pencaitland Primary School.