The Coldingham Friends & Parents Association

The PTA and School Board are now to be amalgamated and known as The Coldingham Friends & Parents Association. All parents and staff are automatic members and any interested parties are welcome to attend meetings as "Friends of Coldingham Primary School".

Minutes of Coldingham Parents and Friends Association
Held at Coldingham Primary School Monday 26th April 2010

Present : L Sanders, R Crowe, N Trafford, G Young, J Rutherford, J Mahon, R Lloyd-Jones, K Lloyd-Jones, L Bogle, A Bird, A Worrall, E Bewsey, R MacDonald, J Mole, L Renton
Apologies : A Aitchison, K Evans.

Summer BBQ: Thursday 24th June 6pm. Sandcastle Competition!
Parent Council Meeting: Monday 23rd August 2010 6.15pm
AGM: Monday 6 September 2010 6.15pm

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Parent Forum in March - Gillian Simmons came to explain the difference between parent council and parent forum. Forum - everyone is part of this. This is where you are able to express your views which then feed the agenda for the parent council. The council then discusses the issues raised from the forum and take action where felt appropriate.

Gate: Mrs Sanders confirmed that we are to get a new gate for the rear entrance to the school. This will be done shortly.

Entrance Foyer: There is now a designated noticeboard in the foyer which will display information such as regional schools info, leaflets, training courses, thank you letters, event advertising. Please come in and have a look regularly. This is beside the Parent noticeboard.

L Sanders report:
Foyer has been redecorated.
Curriculum overviews are now on the website and available in office if no internet access.
Healthy Tuckshop: A great success, thanks to all parent volunteers.
Mrs Neidzweidz and Mrs Aitchison both retiring at the end of term.
Miss Waldron and Mrs Gourlay returning from maternity leave in June.
Mrs Blyth will be the new Principal Teacher.
Vacancy for new teacher is interviewing soon. No decision on whether this will be for a P1/2 teacher or P3/4. Will know before the end of term.
Tues 8th June - Swiss teaching student in school for 3 weeks.
Mon 14 & Tues 15 June - P7 transition days at Eyemouth High School.
Nursery Plans - Possibly moving the nursery into the spare classroom. Provisional plans have been drawn up. Available if you wish to see. It will cost approx. £15000. School is trying to raise funds and get region to help. The plan is to incorporate a teaching classroom, create more toilets, move library to teachers resource room, and have a separate entrance to the nursery through existing fore exit. A letter is to be sent to Glen Roger, Director of Education in SBC pointing out the benefits to the school, the positivity of transition moving from nursery into the school. NT and RLJ to do.

Financial Update: There was just over £3000 in account. Recent spends have been £264 on new nursery equipment. £211 on new waterproofs. We received a £300 grant from Coldingham Natural History Group. More waterproofs to be purchased with this. LR. £100 on bus to Hirsel, £66 on P1/2 trip to Eyemouth, 3 buses approx £250 each for trips to Dirleton Castle, Butterfly World, Edinburgh Zoo.

Parent Forum Questionnaires: Ideas that came from the questionnaires were new reference books, sponsorship of school in foreign country, book donation. Parents felt happy, involved in the school. Felt there could be more after school activities. Paddy Dearlove from SBC has been to the school to discuss this further. Questionnaire issued to get feedback on what activities would be popular.

Duck Race: E Bewsey has obtained access to 500 ducks. Will probably do duck race in next school year.

AOB: More training is available for any parent who wishes to be involved in the selection process of Head Teachers and Deputies. Not necessarily for this school but once trained your name will go into a pool and may be called upon to help in the selection process for an other school. See G Young.

June 2010

Issue 2

Parent Council News

This is the second Parent Council newsletter, and I have tried to bring together some of the developments taking place locally, regionally and nationally which I think may be of interest to Parent Council members and other parents. Please circulate this newsletter to your members and make it available to parents at your school if possible.

Gillian Simmons, Parental Involvement Officer

Email: Gillian.simmons@scotborders.gov.uk Tel: 01835 826814 Mobile: 077853 05888

This is a busy time of year for teachers, pupils and parents with sports days, summer fayres, school picnics and trips away. I’ve been lucky enough to visit a number of parent councils and hear about the fantastic events they’ve organised with their schools, or the exciting activities they have planned.
Below are a very small example of the great parental involvement projects I’ve heard about, but I’d love to share more and would very much welcome news and, if possible, photographs to publish in the newsletter and on the website :

www.scotborders.gov.uk/cyppp and follow links to Parental Involvement. (Please ensure the necessary permissions have been received before submitting any photographs for publication).

Senior students from Selkirk High School worked with parents and teachers to organise a Burns Supper, with the students themselves carrying out most of the main roles. The evening was a great success and shows how there is plenty of scope for parental involvement even in secondary schools.

Selkirk High School Burns Supper
Senior students from Selkirk High School worked with parents and teachers to organise a Burns Supper, with the students themselves carrying out most of the main roles. The evening was a great success and shows how there is plenty of scope for parental involvement even in secondary schools.

Lilliesleaf Primary School Health Week
Parents brought a wide range of skills to support this health week organised by Lilliesleaf Primary School and its Parent Council. It turned out that the parents included a dance teacher, rugby coach, complementary therapist, diabetic nurse, chiropractor, sports lecturer and a marathon runner/ swimming instructor, whilst many others volunteered to help too. A whole week of activities was organised including a day when parents could come along and join in events with their children. Skills were shared and everyone learned something new – even the teachers!

Stow Primary School Art Gallery
The project involved the whole of the Stow Primary School community including parents and other local people learning new skills to make all kinds of art works. The results were then displayed in the Town Hall for public view, and sold to raise money for the school. This is a great example of parental involvement and of Curriculum for Excellence in action.

Everyone with an interest in Scottish education now has the opportunity to engage directly with the Scottish Government and share their views on what is going well and what needs to change. Participants will have the opportunity to influence government policy by providing feedback on the key issues facing Scottish education.

Engage for Education is a ground breaking online public participation project to enable teachers, young people, parents, school staff and others to join in online discussions, ask questions directly of Ministers and officials, and contribute their views on current national consultations.

One current discussion topic running till 4^th June is: “Homework – burden or benefit?”

Scottish Borders Council pays for a block insurance policy for its Parent Councils each year, provided by the Scottish Parent Teacher Council.

This policy provides public liability insurance for all Parent Council activities including PTA events so long as the PTA is a sub-group of the Parent Council.

Separate PTAs are not covered by the block insurance policy and will need to take out their own insurance.

For further information, please get in touch with Gillian Simmons (contact details above).

Three induction training sessions have been arranged for Parent Council members or those thinking of joining a Parent Council.

If there is sufficient demand (at least 12 parents), additional sessions can be put on locally.

School Holiday consultation
A consultation will take place early next session about school holidays for the period August 2011 - July 2014. Parent Councils may wish to begin thinking about how they will gather the views of the wider parent body as part of this consultation.

Review of Partner Schools
A review of how the new partner school arrangements are working is being planned to take place next session, and details will be sent to the relevant Parent Councils inviting them to take part in the process.

Parent Advisory Group
Parent Council Chairs have received a notice about a planned advisory group of parents to provide the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning with a “parent’s perspective”. Details of how to apply to be a member of this group are contained in the notice, and the deadline for applications is Friday 11^th June 2010.

Present: L. Sanders, E. Bewsey, Mrs. Trafford, J. Rutherford, R. Crowe, A. Bird, J. Worrall, J. Mahon, L. Bogle, G. Young, R. Lloyd-Jones, R. McDonald, J. Mole

· Healthy Tuck Shop – To be 1 day a week and must be self sustaining. Mrs. Sanders has a list of recipes and suggestions and is looking for parental involvement/interest. Food can be made on a rota basis or occasionally within the school by the children under supervision. There will be a sub-group meeting held on 29^th January at 9.00am with Mrs. Sanders if anyone is interested.

Treasurer Report: At present there is £3325.87 with £700 to be paid out. Therefore there is £2600 approx. in the bank.

Waterproof Clothing: This has been sourced by Mrs. Dalgleish from nursery and ordered for nursery children, with a potential to order for P1/P2 as well. At present this will be paid for by school/PTA but we are hoping that this will be funded by a grant from the Natural History Festival Group.

Duck Race: This has now been postponed to the summer term. E.B to source the ducks. Action by L.B. & E.B.

Spring Ceilidh: The date for this is 27^th February 7.30-12am and will be held in the village hall. The band has been booked but there will be no bar and shall be a B.Y.O.B basis. The tickets will be £10 a ticket and this includes a supper, they will be available from Rachel Crowe tel. No 71945. Action by R.C.

Teachers RICCT Time: This is class teacher time away from the class, when PE or Music/Drama teachers come to the school. L.B. had spoken to Mrs. Henry who had previously taught at the school and would be interested to do so again. L.S. stated that at the moment RICCT time was already organised but would look into it in the future. Action by L.S

Quiz Night: At present this has to be organised. E.B. to ask Graham Dolan if he would able to do it. &nbp; Action by L.S.

Parents Forum: Following the discussion re: religion, R.L-J suggested that some sort of parents’ forum might be of use, either web based i.e. a chat room/notice board or a separate meeting where parents can air their views and concerns. Both L.S. and G.Y felt that it would need to a Solution Focused group rather than a platform for parents to have a moan as this would become non productive. It was also felt more appropriate if the group was chaired by someone independent of the school such as a local councillor. It was agreed to have an initial parents’ forum on 8^th March at 6.30pm. Topics for discussion: School security/gate and what PTA money to be spent on. There will be a crèche available for those parents who require child care to be able to attend.

L.S. to ask Mrs. Blatchley if it possible to set up a chat room/ forum on the school’s website. Action by L.S

School Gate: L.S. informed the group that the region will not fund a new school gate. She has had an initial quote for £2,000 for securing the school, however it was suggested that this be tendered out to source the lowest quote. R.L-J has drafted a letter to send to Glen Rodgers, Head of Education at the SBC and the gate situation to be discussed further at the parents’ forum. Action by R.L-J & G.Y

Library: A.B. suggested that the labels in the library should be re-done and could be re-done by her. Action by A.B.

Parent Questionnaires: It has been suggested previously that a parent satisfaction questionnaire be distribute amongst parents to identify what parents like and dislike about the school. Questions to be included should be discussed and created by both parents and teachers. Action by J.M & L.S.

Minutes of Meetings: J.M. requested that minutes of the meetings are action pointed to ensure everyone knows what they are to do. Action by GY (temp)

The Wormery: R.McD wondered if the worms were being fed, upon checking they were all still alive and being fed. Thank you to those who have continued to feed the worms

Next Meeting: Monday 26^th April 2010 at 6.15pm at the school. There will be a crèche provided.