Council Resources and Services for People, Department of Education DRAFT

East Lothian Association of Parent Council Members Meeting held on Monday 9th June 2014, Grammar School

Present: Val McIntyre (Principal Officer), Darrin Nightingale (Head of Education), Mark Lucas (), Kaela Scott (Local Community Planning Officer), Councillor Shamin Akhtar (Convenor, Education Committee), Joanne Bloomfield (Stenton PS), Iain Clark (Pinkie St Peters), Bill Gleeson (Loretto R C), Iain Lawrie (), Jude Lesley (Gullane), Lindsey Mainds ( PS), Iain Scott ( Infants), Helen Spencer (Elphinstone), Nat Spring (), Ailsa Swinburne ( PS), Laura Muir (Clerk)

Apologies: Colin Henderson ( PC), Trisha Higginson (St Martins RC PC), Gaynor Allen (Musselburgh Grammar PC), Elaine Towler (Haddington Infant PC), Lorna Forsyth ( PC), Parent Council, Carol Snow (NPFS), Cockenzie Parent Council, Pauline O’Brien (Chair), Carol Cook (Pencaitland PC)

Action

1 Welcome and Introductions In the absence of Pauline O’Brien, Chair, Mark Lucas agreed to chair the meeting. Mark welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were carried out.

2 Apologies and Approval of Minutes

Apologies were noted as above. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved.

3 Area Partnership Presentation – Kaela Scott, Local Community Planning Officer and Iain Clark, Parent Council Member – Pinkie St Peters

Information sheets were circulated, and a copy is attached LM

Kaela gave a brief background into the Area Partnerships and shared which stage the 6 local Ward Areas are currently at.

Iain Clark discussed his role as the Parent Member on the Musselburgh Area Partnership and gave an insight into what is discussed at the meetings and the level of participation that is required. It is hoped that most of the work will take place at the meetings and there should not be a huge level of follow up reading.

It was agreed that individual Parent Councils should be asked to add Area Partnerships to their agendas. Information will be emailed out to Clerks and it was requested that this be added as a standing Agenda item, to ensure all members are provided with regular updates on this important matter.

Kaela asked if all Parent Councils would be prepared to nominate a named contact, who does not have to attend the meeting, but would be willing to receive information which could be disseminated easily between members of the Parent Council and the wider Parent Forum 1

which would help to improve communication.

Kaela would be happy to receive information on ‘named contacts’ or to answer any queries from individual Parent Councils. [email protected]

Dates for the next Area Partnership Meetings are detailed in the information sheets attached. All meetings are open and everyone is welcome to attend.

Questions were taken from the floor, the Chair thanked Kaela and Iain for their presentation, and Kaela left the meeting.

4 Matters Arising

Primary Management Review

Following the extended consultation period and the feedback received, the outcome of the Primary Management Review was that the Authority will retain all 47 Principal Teachers but with a reduction in their management time. This enables the efficiency savings to be met.

Parent Council Representatives

There are Parent Council representatives on the following groups: Sports Advisory, Transport Review and the Head Teacher Recruitment Review. Darrin thanked the Parent Representatives for their support.

Nursery Pick up Times

Following feedback received from parents regarding the nursery pick up time there will now be only two pick up times for the afternoon sessions – 15.15pm or 16.15pm.

5 Update from Darrin Nightingale

Head Teacher Recruitment

The following changes have been agreed as part of the Head Teacher Recruitment Review;

The panel has been changed to include 2 Parent Council Members [normally the Chair plus one other] Lead Officer from the Education Department Quality Improvement Officer for the Cluster in which the vacancy exists Convenor or Vice Convenor of the Council Committee for Education One local elected members from the Ward in which the vacancy exists

The full panel will now be involved in all stages of the recruitment process.

Only members of the Appointment Panel will now receive copies of the candidate[s] application forms [and not the whole Parent Council], to comply with data protection legislation.

There will no longer be a private meeting of the Parent Council, following longleet interviews.

All parent members that wish to sit on the Appointment Panel during the recruitment process must have undertaken the Recruitment and Selection Training provided by East Lothian 2

Council to be eligible to participate.

These changes will start immediately [from August 2014]. Recruitment and Selection Training will be arranged for the start of the new term. Details will be emailed to all Parent Council clerks.

Pupils Panels will be trialled in Primary Head Teacher Recruitment campaigns. The Pupil Panel will not form part of the formal interview process. The Children are selected by the school and are given training prior to participating in the recruitment process. The Services for Children Inspection highlighted the participation of children in the interview process.

New Qualifications

Funding has been granted from the Scottish Government for Local Authorities to provide Information Sessions for parents to assist them in their understanding of the new qualifications. It is envisaged these sessions will take place in the 6 cluster Secondary Schools for the parents of pupils from P5 upwards to allow them to gather as much information on the new qualifications and the Broad General Education. Feedback will be gathered from Parents as to what format/information they would like included in these sessions. It was agreed that each session would need to be bespoke to reflect what is being delivered in the cluster High School. This will be discussed at the next ELAPCM Meeting.

Education Committee

The next Education Committee meeting will take place on 18 June. It has been postponed for a day due to the Queens Baton Relay going through East Lothian on 17 June.

Extra In-Service Day

It has been advised that Primary Schools will be given an extra in-service day to allow for Curriculum for Excellence preparation. Darrin asked if parents would be happy that this date be the same date - Wednesday 20th August, 2014, to be aligned with the Secondary School extra in-service day. The parents present agreed that they would be happy with this arrangement, however this extra in-service day is still to be confirmed by the Scottish Government. Post Meeting Note: Additional in-service day confirmed by the Scottish Government and all Parent Councils consulted on this and agreement reached for Wednesday 20th August, 2014.

New Service Manager

Alison Mitchell has joined the Education Department as the new Service Manager for Early Years and ASN. It was agreed to invite Alison to an ELAPCM Meeting.

Communication Provision

Funding has been agreed for a Communication Provision for students between S1 – S6. The Communication Provision will be based in the previous Haddington Infants building which will come under the leadership of Sarah Ingham, Head Teacher, Knox Academy, Haddington. Admission criteria is yet to be determined.

600 Hours

Work for providing the 600 hours nursery care for all 3 and 4 year olds from August 2014 is on target. There is still work taking place to provide the same level of care for 2 year olds 3

from priority families.

Head Teacher Recruitment

There are currently 2 Head Teacher vacancies which will be advertised as early as possible.

6 Update from Val McIntyre

Online Payments

Ormiston Primary successfully piloted the Online Payments system which was then rolled out this term to the Cluster of Primary Schools. From August 2014 this facility will be available in ALL Primary Schools. The system can be used to pay for class trips, school photos, uniforms, etc. It is not possible to pay for School lunches at this point but we are looking into this.

Parental Representation Role

The information gathered from the previous ELAPCM Meeting on the role of the Parent Council Representative on groups will be emailed to all Parent Councils. This should be added as an Agenda item to be discussed at individual Parent Council meetings and feedback should be sent to the Parent Council Inbox.

Parental Involvement Strategy

Val is looking for more members to join the review group for the Parental Involvement Strategy. The meetings will take place during office hours at John Muir House, the date of the next meeting is to be confirmed. An email will be sent to all Parent Councils to ask for Volunteers.

Iain Scott, Prestonpans Infant School indicated that he would like to put his name forward. Mark Lucas offered to review the documentation as he would be unable to attend the meetings.

7 Any Other Business

Supply Teachers

Concern was raised regarding the lack of supply teachers available. Darrin informed the meeting that the rates for Supply have increased in the hope that this will encourage supply teachers to take on more supply work. It was noted that this is a nationwide problem. Darrin and Richard Parker are attending ADES [Association of Directors of Education, ] meetings with other local authorities this week and will raise this matter. Feedback will be available at the next ELAPCM Meeting.

School Meals

A discussion took place on the different ways in which Primary School pupils order their lunch. Some order on a daily basis, some on a weekly basis, and some on an annual basis. Gullane were concerned that some of their pupils are left with little or no choice should they be the last in the dining hall for lunch.

Named Person 4

The Children and Young Peoples Act 2014 have passed a bill that will ensure all children have a named person from birth. For children who are of school age this will be the Head Teacher. Concern was raised that this would put additional pressure on the Head Teacher or Depute Head Teacher. Darrin informed the group that the implementation of this is likely to be 2/3 years away. Darrin also stated that class teachers, depute head teachers and head teachers undertake the ‘named person duties’ on a daily basis.

Boundary Commission Review

Consultation on Local Government Boundary Commission – reduction in councillor numbers Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland is proposing a reduction in the number of councillors from 23 to 21 in East Lothian Council. There is unanimous cross party opposition to the proposal and also to the use of deprivation as a key factor in determining councillor numbers. It is also strongly felt that given the increase in population within East Lothian which was the 4th highest in Scotland between 2001 and 2011, and the projected population growth that there is a strong argument that the number of councillor’s should be increased to 24. You may wish to respond to the consultation https://www.consultation.lgbc- scotland.gov.uk/node/18 and the deadline is 21st August 2014.

8 Future Meeting Dates

The next ELAPCM Meeting will be the AGM. It was agreed the meeting would take place in September. Post Meeting Note; Date confirmed as Wednesday 3rd September, 2014 at The Brunton Hall, Musselburgh.

Thanks were noted to Mark Lucas for Chairing the meeting.

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