West Barns Primary School

WEST BARNS PRIMARY SCHOOL DRAFT MINUTES OF PARENT COUNCIL MEETING ON THURSDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2014 AT 7.00 P.M.

1. Attendance 1.1 Present Parent Council Karen Leitch (Chair) Sonia Laurence (Vice Chair) Lesley Townshend (Treasurer) Rhona Lees (Joint Secretary) Kerry Robertson (Joint Secretary Lorna Forsyth Gillian Gray Marie Aldous Carey Douglas Charlie O’Neil School Gill Whitford Laura Hay Clerk Lorna Allan

1.2 Apologies Amanda McAlpine Helen Goldie Ola Zakrzewska Councillor Michael Veitch

Item No. Item Action by The Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting since her appointment. Apologies as noted above. Special welcome to new members and new office bearers; Mrs Hay was welcomed to the meeting. 2.0 Minutes of Previous Meeting (1 st May 2014) Minutes of last meeting were approved.

3.0 Matters Arising Values & Aims: a button vote was carried out to collect votes GW from parents and children. GW said next step was producing a vision statement in a more people friendly language. Trim Trail: Fixed over summer holidays. School Handbook: everyone received a copy. It was agreed this was invaluable. Thank you to school for this. Parent Council paid for the printing costs. Bag Packing: covered later in Agenda. Staffing: Acting Principal Teacher: Mrs Hay appointed. CCTV: GW said it would be too expensive to purchase CCTV. There has recently been more vandalism. Pumpkins which had been growing in the garden have been destroyed. School is in contact with Community Police who have asked that any vandalism is reported to them. Micro Librarian: PC funded this which is used in school on a daily basis. Helping Hands: Parent Council managed to collect names of interested parents. This was handed over to school and a “Helping Hands” e-mail list is now in place.. Elementary Food Hygiene Training: This was completed by Lorna Forsyth. Marie Aldous and Ola Zakrzewska also hold the qualification. P7 Leavers: Parent Council funded the leavers meal at Umbertos. LH thanked the PC for funding this event which was enjoyed by all. Sports Day: It was, unfortunately rained off but the Parent Council managed to raise £352,including almost £100 from the plant sale. A further £66 was raised at the Show. Community Events: Community Café: Suggested by KL ; this is to be discussed later in meeting. Alex Marshall, Commonwealth Games winner, coming in to give a demonstration. Edubuzz: covered in Agenda. Housing Development: covered in Agenda.

4.0 Treasurer’s Report Little has changed since last meeting.

Copy of the Treasurer’s Report is attached.

5.0 Headteacher’s Report

A copy of the Head Teacher’s Report is attached.

Other Items LH talked about the “Physical Friday programme” which the JRSOs have organised. Children can do a few laps of the playground on a Friday morning. This means that children who normally come to school by bus or car can still quality for the Walk Once a Week Award if they complete a few laps of the playground on a Friday morning. IT The pupils in P6/7 have been taking part in a joint project between the schools in the transfer of IT skills at Dunbar Grammar School. This was enjoyed by all the pupils. Laptops The school now have 25 new laptops. Reporting to Parents GW talked about the change to reporting pupil progress in school to parents. The present reports sent home will be replaced by a journal. The school have created a journal for each child which will record their knowledge, understanding, targets and achievements in a variety of different ways. Pupils will take their Learning Journeys home on a regular basis to share with their family. Once a pupil reaches the end of Early, First or Second Level the school will bind the contents of their journal and send it home for parents to keep. GW said the first time the journals go home there will be an accompanying note explaining the use of the journal. GW included a piece on “Launching Learning Journals” in her August Newsletter. Whiteboards GW said that the whiteboards in the school need replaced – the cost of which will be £4,000. Discussion took place on the PC helping to fund the cost of these. PC agreed to fund the cost of two of the whiteboards for P1/2 and P2/3. Panto Following the success of the Panto in house last year it was agreed that this would be booked again for this year. The PC agreed to help subsidise the cost of this by paying £180 to help keep the cost down for parents. Lego GW said they are looking for donations of lego which could be used in class rooms. 6.0 PC Matters

KL thanked GW for the Quality and Standards Report. GW said that this is being seen as good practice across the authority.

6.1 East Lothian Assoc Parent Council Members update – including Area Partnerships: ELC propose to set up area partnerships in the cluster for Parent Councils to discuss matters as a whole. West Barns Parent Council have been asked if someone would like to represent the primary school cluster. Committee meets four times a year. There is an option to have a single point of contact on our Parent Council to receive information issued after meetings and matters arising. Agreed to put forward the Parent Council Secretaries mailbox for this point of contact. PC will be required to put this item as a standard Agenda item. Requirement to feedback to meeting. 6.2 Housing Development at Belhaven – update: This item is ongoing. KL has been in touch with ELC re this and has been contacted by ELC Planning Department. Planning in Principle has been granted. This includes the developer’s contribution to the extension to the school. ELC awaiting KL builder getting back to them. 6.3 Traffic Regulation Order – update: PC wrote to Council during summer to ask if they would consider a restricted traffic order. ELC will consider it along with similar requests. Waiting on ELC’s decision. LF suggested that the JRSOs get involved in the review of the school traffic plan and she would liaise with LH on this. 6.4 Christmas Lantern Procession and Christmas Light Switch-on: KL said PC hoping for continuation of what happened last year. School involved with Christmas Lights Committee. Everyone would like there to be a Christmas Lantern procession. This event to take place on Saturday 29th November. GW said that Charlie Farren will not be able to confirm he can attend until nearer the date. GW said she GW could approach our music teacher to see if she could help. PC will donate cakes for teas/coffees held in Village Hall PC after event. 6.5 Active Schools Programme – use of WBPS Concerns were raised that West Barns Primary School was not used for any of the activities. GW will write to Gareth GW Hill about this. It was suggested that the PC also write to Gareth Hill to KL express their concerns about this.

6.6 Music Lesson Provision at WBPS: Concern has been raised that children are only being offered brass instruction at WBPS. GW was asked why this GW instruction was not offered until pupils were in P5. GW to find out about the provision given to us. 6.7 PC Web Update KL said that the PC website has not been updated for a good few months. Deborah Burton would happy to carry on with this but has asked for some training on this. DB to contact DB school to arrange this. 6.8 Community Involvement/events Ceilidh to take place in West Barns Village Hall on 22nd November. 6.9 Fund Raising activities: KL suggested running through these items and getting people to co-ordinate the activities. Asda Bagpacking: PC made £500 last time. MA agreed to take this on. Handed in a letter to Asda. Waiting to hear from them. Likely MA to be 7th or 13 December. Trying to hit busiest dates. Will require more people to help with this than last year. Christmas Cards GW suggestion from staff is to set it as a homework project. School could help out with art materials if children did not LF have these. LF to co-ordinate this. Calendar and shopping bags Shopping bags were not a great success last year but they were competing with the sale of calendars. It was agreed to go ahead with calendars again this year. This to be co- ordinated by KR/GG. KR/GG Halloween Party Date for Party is Tuesday 28th October. Suggestion to have this in West Barns Village Hall. KL to co-ordinate this. KL/CO’N/OW Christmas Fayre This will be held on 6th December. RL/KR named leads on this. RL/KR Christmas Assembly – Last day of term PC to do teas, coffees and biscuits. Easter Soup Lunch It is proposed to go ahead with this after the Easter Assembly on Friday 27th March. Summer BBQ and Festival of Fun It is proposed to hold this next year – Friday 26th June. Community Café It was suggested holding this once a term where people were invited to come for a cup of tea. KL to take this forward. KL Other Fundraising suggestions? A parent had suggested holding a fun run. KL would find out more about this. KL 7.0 Any Other Business No other business discussed.

8.0 Date of Next Meeting Tuesday 11th November.