Month 2008-09

Activity

September 2008

First meeting of School Council in session 2008-09. Further correspondence with East Lothian Council (ELC) expressing concerns about progress with essential repairs and maintenance. This was prompted by the HMIe inspection report which was very positive, but graded resources/accommodation as ‘satisfactory’ at Law Primary.

First Parent Forum meeting – 29 September.

October

Second meeting reviewed feedback from Parent Forum for feedback on ideas/issues to be raised during the year. Progress with repairs and travel plan monitored and concluded that cashless catering should be ‘shelved’ meantime given school’s capacity to provide school meals within lunch period. Parent member attends meeting of East Lothian Association of Parent Council Members – 21 October.

November

Chair attends Scottish Parent Teacher Council conference. Schools Minister responds to question on early finish on Friday leading to liaison between Law Primary and primary school in Aberdeenshire seeking advice on benefits/challenges to early closure.

December

Third meeting continues to review progress and correspondence on repairs. Main item of discussion is the consultation paper ‘You Pay – Now Have Your Say’ from ELC on the proposed budget for 2009-10. This prompts ELAPCM to express concerns about efficiency savings in school budgets.

All Parent Councils are invited to complete a survey seeking views on a national representative body for Parents and Parent Councils.

January 2009

Fourth meeting includes an invitation from ELC to comment on a proposed extra in-service day in June 2009. We responded by indicating short notice for staff and parents and June not best timing in the school. Suggested that extra day be scheduled for another time next session.

Planned questions for cluster meeting in March. Cluster meeting is attended by parent representatives from all feeder primary schools to North Berwick High School (NBHS), NBHS parent reps, and education dept staff, including Don Ledingham, Acting Director of Education for ELC.

February

Fifth meeting with main item on agenda being efficiency savings. All Parent Councils in ELAPCM agree to lobby ELC seeking a reduction to proposed percentage saving. Parents asked to send standard letter expressing concern to the Council. Good response from Law Primary. Continue to monitor progress with correspondence to ELC on issues raised in travel plan.

March

Cluster meeting at NBHS with Don Ledingham in attendance. Main topic related to efficiency savings. Law Primary submitted three questions – a) request for information to be shred on ideas for savings being considered by other schools in East Lothian b) potential to opt out of free school meals P1 – P3 in current climate c) concern about job vacancies for newly qualified teachers.

April

Sixth meeting includes a review of the school budget, progress with repairs, travel plan and proposal by ELC to implement protocols for Parent Councils. Report on attendance at cluster meeting in March prompts a further request from Law Primary for information to be shared amongst schools on ideas for efficiency savings.

May

Informal meeting of the School Council in the pub(!) to plan Annual Meeting of Parents/Carers in Sept 2009

June

Seventh (and last) meeting of session reviews the school’s development plan for 2009-10. ELC Roads Dept confirms that the School Council will be included on its list of bodies to be consulted on any future road traffic developments.

ELAPCM seeks views from all Parent Councils on changing arrangements for meetings, including suggestions for a constitution and that the meetings be chaired by a parent rep in future. We respond that a constitution is unnecessary bureaucracy and that instead, Parent Councils should have more input to the agenda.

Further discussion on efficiency savings, noting that Law Primary has to find £24k in savings next year. Letters to ELC seek information on how energy costs are calculated and attributed to out of school clubs.

First meeting of next session – 31 August 2009.