Minutes: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at Netherlee Primary School
Present: Ailsa Crum; Sara Lang; Val Graham; Liz Grant; Sandra Mitchell; Cress Maher; Brenda Williams; Lisa Bullen; Kirsty McNeil; John Stoner; Margaret MacDiarmid; Tim Adams; Steve Galloway; Karen Hussain; Susan Skirving;; Lesley Farm; Bryan McLaughlin.
Apologies: Sue McMillan; Vivien Wilson:
1. Minutes of previous meeting held October 21, 2008 were approved, no matters arising.
2. Mathematics In a Curriculum for Excellence – Bryan McLaughlin
Bryan explained the background to the Curriculum for Excellence; key points are;
- It’s likely to formally start in August 2008 however many of the principles of what it is trying to achieve are already being taken forward in Netherlee,
- Curriculum for Excellence is an approach that is based on “outcomes and experiences”,
- For maths these are split into two broad outcomes and experience groups; Maths and Numeracy,
- Expectation is that numeracy skills should be embedded into all aspects of the curriculum,
- Curriculum for Excellence has 5 levels covering ages 3 -18,
- Primary schools operating up to level 2,
- Problem solving is a key element of the approach and is inherent in each outcome
- Problem solving will be encouraged both in relation to specific “set” problems and in the use of transferable problem solving skills.
In Discussion, the Parent Council raised a number of queries regarding the impact this is likely to have on both the school and the children and what transitional arrangements would be put in place. Queries were also raised about the form and nature of any emerging assessment framework to support Curriculum for Excellence. In response the following points emerged;
- Curriculum for Excellence is broadly viewed as a positive approach by teaching staff as it focuses on holistic teaching outcomes and the “whole child”,
- It was felt that Curriculum for Excellence allows teachers more scope to use more creative teaching methods
- The way in which outcomes and experiences will be measured is yet to be agreed but until it is, the existing (5-14) assessments will apply,
- Bryan is involved in a National working group to take these issues forward,
- Netherlee is trialling numeracy outcomes within its cluster (Carolside, Netherlee and Busby),
- Netherlee also looking at embedding problem solving across the curriculum.
- The Parent Council expressed its sincere thanks to Bryan. It was agreed that we would come back to the subject of Curriculum for Excellence at the next meeting.
Action: SM to pick up at next meeting
3. Consultation on a National Body
Ailsa explained that the Parent Council had been asked for its views on the need for a national body to reflect the interests of Parent Councils and its potential remit. The deadline for responses is the end of January 2009 although a response by the end of Dec cc’d to ERC would be welcome.
A number of concerns were raised about the value of such a body, whether it would provide any direct benefit to the parent council, whether the parent council would have the time or resource to engage with it to derive any benefit and whether such a body could truly be representative.
The Parent Council could identify no clear benefits to such a body and it was agreed that Ailsa would reflect this view in her response.
Action: All – to provide any further contributions to Ailsa for a response by the end of Dec.
4. Update from the elected Councillors (as appropriate)
Apologies tendered from Cllr Ralph Rpbertson and Cllr Gordon McAskill
5. Update on PC projects
a. 75th Anniversary - Ailsa and Karen circulated the 75th anniversary booklet and reported that a total of £1,900 had been secured in sponsorship. (£1,850 currently banked in school Fund account). It was estimated that, after printing costs, the project would generate a profit for school funds of around £500. This being the case, it was agreed to issue the booklet to families free of charge. On the advice of Miss Mitchell, there was a print run of 1,500 copies. It was estimated that providing one copy to each family with a child at the school would involve around 600 copies. Some families were likely to request additional copies, each advertiser would be sent a copy, the school had contact with a range of former pupils groups who were likely to be interested in receiving copies, and the school wanted to have additional copies available for a variety of purposes. If there were significant numbers of copies left over, the Parent Council would revisit the question of distribution in around six months.
The Parent Council recorded its sincere thanks to both Ailsa and Karen for all their effort in producing the booklet and securing the associated sponsorship. A difficult job brilliantly done!
b. Doctors Surgery - Objection to the Local Plan has been lodged. Detailed application has been stalled by discovery of undermining.
c. Healthy Eating - Healthy Eating – (item brought forward) Kirsty reported that every class now has a health and well being representative and that the first meeting took place on Friday 28 November with the next is planned for Friday 9 January. To date the response has been really positive. The cooking club will be starting in January and there are plans to participate in the Health & Wellbeing Hungry for Success education award in 2009. Kirsty explained that Health & Wellbeing was also at the centre of the Curriculum for Excellence.
d. Sports Event - Liz advised that to date only a couple of volunteers have come forward to support the event. Following a meeting with Lesley Palmer (Active Schools Co-ordinator) it was suggested that there may be potential for some of the secondary students undertaking leadership activities to help out at the event.
Ailsa advised that Ralph has provided advise on potential sources of funding that we could apply for to support the event.
6.Any Other Business
Ailsa advised that she will be attending the East Ren Parent Council Forum on 18 Feb and if anyone else also wants to attend to contact her. (Agreed following the meeting that Karen will attend)