Parent Council Meeting Minutes – Wednesday 5 June 2019

 

Parent Council MINUTES June 2019 – pdf

 

Parent Council MINUTES June 2019 – word 

 

 

 

Hanover Street School

Parent Council Meeting

Wednesday 5 June 2019 @ 3.30pm

MINUTES

Present:

Parents: Saima Khan, Hannah Davidson, Justyna Grzonka, Michael Douglas-Cotton, Sathya Suruli Vijayan, Jodie Patterson-Gray.

Staff members: Alan Markey (HT), Gillian Forbes (DHT)

Council/Community Representatives: Dell Henrickson & Michael Hutchison (councillors)

 

  1. Welcome

Mr Markey chaired the meeting in absence of current chair, Abigail Davies. Abigail is stepping down as Parent Council Chair due to extra working commitments. Mr Markey/Miss Forbes will step in in the interim period, until the AGM in September 2019.

 

Some new members attended today. A warm welcome goes to Callum’s mum (Michaela), Prarthana’s mum (Sathya) and Leon & Aniela’s mum (Justyna). Welcome back to Saima, who in the new session will re-join the Parent Council. It was agreed it was great to see new members and a Parent Council who fully represent the cultural diversity here at Hanover Street.

 

Miss Forbes will act as secretary in the interim period also.

 

  1. Apologies and matters arising

Apologies from Abigail – she wishes the rest of the parent council all the best and will support as and when in the future.

 

  1. Head Teacher’s updates

Various updates:

 

School Improvement 2019/20

  • Continuing with our priorities of raising attainment in Literacy and Numeracy

 

Literacy

Maintain this year’s developments in writing, whilst developing our procedures and practices in assessment of reading. We want to promote reading and develop a more consistent approach across the school.  This will involve training for teachers and support staff, ensuring more accurate and robust assessment, and better progression and challenge for children’s reading development.

 

Numeracy

This year we have worked on a whole school approach to numeracy using BIG MATHS (mental maths – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)

Next year we will focus on mathematics (for example shape, measurement, data handling, with a focus on effective moderation and assessment.

 

Visible Learning

We will continue with this initiative. This session, teachers have focused on sharing appropriate Learning Intentions and Success Criteria with children, so that they know what they are learning and why they’re learning it.

We have worked with parents (December 2018), staff and children (February – May 2019) on identifying learning dispositions and/or characteristics of a good learner.

Next session we will take this forward, in partnership with Kaimhill school’s work, in agreeing learner characteristics as a school, with matching characters (e.g. Rocky the Rhino) so that all (parents/pupils/staff) are clear in expectations of learners at Hanover Street. This will feed into our developing Learning and Teaching policy.

 

  • Pupil Equity Fund (PEF)

This coming session the school has been awarded nearly £40,000 in PEF money. This is totalled from parents/families who are registered for free school meals.

Money this year has been used to fund outdoor learning initiatives, additional support for learning staffing and nurture schools training.  This will continue into next session also.

 

  • HMIe Inspection

An Inspection Team from Education Scotland (HMIe) visited the school the week beginning Monday 13 May 2019.  The inspection was a positive inspection, which validated and showed confidence in current school evaluations. Clear next steps were agreed between the inspection and school leadership teams.

 

The draft report will be shared with Mr Markey, which will then be followed by Education Scotland’s Quality Assurance processes. The final report will be published by either the end of June, but more likely in the new school session since Education Scotland do not publish reports in school holiday periods.

 

Families will receive an overview letter on publications. Mr Markey and Miss Forbes wish to thank all who contributed to the inspection process – questionnaires, meetings, feedback, etc.

 

 

 

 

  • Uniform Bank

As part of “poverty proofing” school, Mr Markey suggested the idea of a uniform bank. This would be second-hand but good quality school uniforms, which can then be reused by other members of the school community -helping each other out practically and financially.  This was agreed to be a good idea. Miss Forbes will put out a letter next week, asking for any donations, so that they can be washed and ironed ready for the new school year.

 

 

  • Uniform in general
  • Most parents greed that the promotion of wearing school uniform would be welcomed. Various ways were discussed.

 

  • Plans for Next Session
  • Healthy Snack Initiative/Reducing Global Footprint through Food Choices – Miss Forbes suggested this idea for the new school session. Parents agreed this would be welcome to promote better healthy choices for snacks and packed lunches. Various ideas were discussed. Mr Markey stated that this could follow next session, as Mrs Elrick (now volunteering with the school after retiring) will be working with groups of children on healthy cooking and reducing global footprints through considerate food choices. This will involve growing our own vegetables, etc.  Further details to follow.

 

  1. Treasurer update
  • P7 Hoodies

Jodie and Hannah approved the payment of £300 from the Parent council, to the school, to help subsidise the payment of P7 leavers’ hoodies.  This has meant that P7 parents/pupils have been able to get a leavers hoodie/memento at lower cost.

Zoe to provide cheque for school reimbursement.

 

 

 

  1. PTA update
  • PTA Disco/Prize Raffle

We are holding the Summer disco on Tuesday 18 June 2019. As the Summer fair is not taking place this year, we are aiming to turn this disco more into a family event.

Various discussion was held – decisions as follows:

– £5 for a family ticket – this includes refreshments, and a free raffle ticket

This family ticket is for a maximum of 2 adults and children (under 2s free)

There will a raffle, tombola and possibly hampers

Pre-school children will be welcome, as introduced last year.

For children who are younger than pre-school, they must always be supervised by a parent.

Letter to go out ASAP.

 

  • Bingo Night in September

Jodie suggested this – all agreed a popular event and good fundraiser

Gillian will help Jodie create a calendar of events so that organisation is clear for Parent Council, parents and the school community

 

 

  1. Chair’s Community Update

n/a

 

  1. AOCB

n/a

 

  1. Date and Time of next meeting

 

A short Parent Council meeting will take place soon after the school disco, so accounts can be finalised for the school’s end of year.  Date and time tbc.  The AGM will take place soon in the new session/term.

 

 

 

*Action Points (see red text)