PARENT COUNCILS BRIEFING MEETING Tuesday 20 September 2011, Clackmannan Primary School 6.30 - 8.30PM Present Joanne Scott Depute Head of Education, Clackmannanshire & Stirling Helene Witcher QIO, Shared Services Lesley-Ann Livesay Parental Involvement Officer, Stirling Council Karen McCabe Clackmannan Parent Council Gaynor Westland Clackmannan Parent Council Janette Wieczorek HT Clackmannan PS Brian McLaren DHT Clackmannan PS Shona Ulrichsen Strathdevon Parent Council Karen McBean Strathdevon Parent Council Graeme Brown Muckhart Parent Council Claire Dilleen Sunnyside Parent Cuncil Stephen Walker Lornshill Academy Parent Council Caroline Wilson Tillicoultry Parent Council Sally Carberry Tillicoultry Parent Council Claire MacKay Tillicoultry Parent Council Ann Glennon Banchory Parent Council Anne Cochrane Banchory Parent Council Glenda Taylor Banchory Parent Council Lizzie Harper Banchory Parent Council Kirsty Brown Banchory Parent Council Andrea Buchan Banchory Parent Council Heather Longmuir H.S.L.O. Banchory PS Home School Liaison Officer Neil Wilson Claremont PS Apologies Neil McFarlane Alloa Academy Parent Council Andy Goor Alva Academy Parent Council Irene Barclay Alva Academy Parent Council Michael Field Alva PS Parent Council Diane Money Alva PS Parent Council Anthony Cassidy St John's Parent Council Jennie Syme St John's Parent Council Michael Payne Craigbank Parent Council Lyndsay MacNair Abercromby Parent Council Cath Best Claremont Parent Council Kim Reid St Bernadette's Parent Council Helene welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Karen McCabe and Gaynor Westland from Clackmannan Primary School’s Parent Council and Janette Wieczorek, headteacher of Clackmannan for providing the venue and hospitality. 1. Note of the last meeting 1.1. The note of the last meeting was corrected: Michael Payne represents Craigbank PC, not Claremont PC as had been recorded. 1.2. Matters arising were covered within the agenda. 2. Update on Shared Services 2.1. Helene welcomed Joanne Scott who spoke to her role as Depute Head of Education for the shared services. Joanne was previously a primary headteacher, an associate inspector and, for the past two years, a Depute Head of Education in Stirling. 2.2. Joanne described the new structure. There are three depute heads of education each with a geographical responsibility (Joanne's is for Clackmannanshire schools) and a strategic responsibility (Joanne's is for curriculum). Kevin Kelman is responsible for Stirling city schools and for inclusion; Alan Milliken is responsible for Stirling rural schools and for performance. There is one new service manager still to be appointed. The shared service team includes also a business manager who supports the budgeting process and the development of further devolved school management. 2.3. Joanne has met with all of the Clackmannanshire headteachers and has started the process of joint headteachers' meetings across the shared services. The aim is to build on the best from both local authorities and to facilitate the sharing of good practice. She is keen to fill the headteacher vacancies that exist at the moment as soon as possible. 3. Budgets 3.1. Stephen expressed concern about the continuing 'cuts' as they affect schools. Joanne said there would be a clearer picture by November regarding the situation next year. However, increasingly devolved budgets mean that local choices and decisions can be made. For example, although all headteachers must ensure there are sufficient teachers in front of classes, different schools will make different decisions about how they allow for supply cover. Joanne acknowledged the national dearth of chemistry teachers. She noted that within the current availability and financial parameters, schools will have to consider pupils travelling and/or using more ICT to ensure they have choices. 3.2. The business manager has already set up a working group of primary headteachers to consider key aspects of budget management across schools. Primary schools in Clackmannanshire have already benefited from some government funding for some additional staff which have been allocated on the basis of deprivation criteria. 4. Recruitment 4.1. The recruitment process for headteachers for Strathdevon PS and for Lornshill Academy started with advertisements going out on 16 September. Several parents commented positively on their experience of involvement with the recruitment. All secondary schools are also involved in interviewing staff to the supply list. One parent asked for clarification as to whether a non-science teacher providing supply in 2 a science class would be restricted to teaching only the theory and not the practical elements of the subject. 5. Update on Curriculum for Excellence 5.1. Joanne is conducting a detailed audit of schools to determine where they feel they are in the process of implementing aspects of Curriculum for Excellence - near the start, developing their work or feeling secure that its well established. The resulting information will be shared with schools so that they can compare their progress and learn from and with each other. Clackmannanshire QIOs have also been collecting data on progress through schools' Standards and Quality Reports and from their visits. All this data will be used to compile a report on progress required by the Scottish Government of all local authorities. 5.2. It was noted that selective information about secondary schools' examination results was published last year and was not challenged publicly by the local authority. Joanne confirmed that detailed statistical analyses will not be published this year although she, Belinda and other members of the team will visit each secondary school to drill down through the data with the senior management teams to determine what is working well and what requires attention. She said its important to know the story behind every child and to revisit schools regularly to determine whether their actions are making a difference. 5.3. Helene advised that Clackmannanshire Council has a detailed Action Plan for implementing CfE. This was reviewed in July 2011 and was on track. To support implementation, the Council has invested in staff professional development that includes the setting up and supporting of 'Teacher Learning Communities' in each school. These provide a regular, guided forum for discussing and sharing progress, including opportunities for peer observation, sometimes between as well as within schools. The TLCs are designed also to ensure practices are sustainable. 5.4. With regard to S1-S3 and the Senior Phase, Clackmannanshire secondary staff are meeting with colleagues in Stirling to develop a diverse range of provision and flexible pathways through the qualifications framework. The secondary schools have good links with FV College with whom they are considering the range of 16+ learning choices. 5.5. With regard to assessment, all schools took part last year in a moderation exercise supported by the University of the West of Scotland. Each cluster continues to work systematically on moderation (specifically of literacy and numeracy) to ensure the consistency of standards. 5.6. In the summer term 2011, a modified reporting format was used by most of our schools. A final reporting format for parents for the end of this session, 2012 is being prepared jointly with Stirling colleagues: this will include a new P7 profile to support children's transition into secondary school and will be developed as an S3 profile to support transition to the Senior Phase. 5.7. Helene issued copies of the following documents relating to Curriculum for Excellence: • Implementation of Curriculum for Excellence Q&A • Curriculum for Excellence fact File - overview of Key Terms & Features • Qualifications are Changing; a guide for parents and carers (Scottish Qualifications Authority) 3 • Curriculum for Excellence - the Senior Phase • Curriculum for Excellence - 3-18 Transitions • Curriculum for Excellence Factfile - Outdoor Learning All of these can be found at: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/whatiscurriculumforexcellen ce/index.asp 6. School Handbooks and Better Communication with Parents 6.1. The Scottish Government has conducted research published in a report entitled School Handbooks and Better Communication with Parents. It proposes to introduce legislation next year regarding amendments to what is currently expected of schools and local authorities in this regard. 6.2. Helene has issued a questionnaire to Parent Councils and to schools in Clackmannanshire inviting feedback on what is working well at the moment. It is proposed to use this information to support discussion about future action to ensure channels of communication are increasingly clear and effective for all involved. Helene invited Parent Councils to discuss this with their headteachers and to actively consider amendments to the School Handbook for 2011-2012 (final versions have to be submitted by mid-December) with a view to achieving thereafter a comprehensive set of amendments and proposals for 2012-2013 that take the new legislation into account. 7. AOB 7.1. National Parent Forum for Scotland (NPFS) Helene welcomed Lesley-Ann Livesay to the meeting. Lesley Ann is in contact with Julie Wild, the NPFS representative for Stirling and is planning a meeting on 3 November from 6.30pm at the Raploch Community Campus, Stirling to consider issues that parents are raising locally and nationally. Lesley-Ann invited Clackmannanshire parents to come to that meeting