Ayr Grammar Parent Council Minutes 4th September 2018

Present Marsha Ford (Chair and P6 parent), Neil Reid (Treasurer and P7 parent), Kirsty McHarg (Secretary and P5 parent), Douglas Percy (P4 & P1 parent), Alison Gooding (P4 parent), Lesley Goater (P4 & P1 parent), Anne McCallum (P2 and P7 parent), Lorna Morrison (P5 parent), Evey Henderson (P4 parent) and Gordon McNab (HOSC and P3 and P7 parent). Apologies

Alison Coxon, James Edwards, Sarah Edwards, Caroline Heslop, Claire Dunn & Anne Wilson. Welcome Everyone was welcomed to the meeting. There was representation from every year group at the meeting. It was highlighted that the next meeting on the 2nd October 2018 will be the AGM.

Discussion Point

Detail

Owner/Facilitator

Completion/Review

Date

New School Estimated completion date is now summer

2020. Please continue to view any updates on

the school website.

Remove Oct meeting

Playground

fundraisers

Thank you cards have been sent to two pupils

who did their own fundraisers for playground

equipment

Remove Oct meeting

Website Mrs Pickard is setting up digital leaders

(pupils) who will maintain the website

Remove Oct meeting

Exercise balls Pupils have been offered the choice of using

an exercise ball to sit on. There are no plans

currently to increase the number of balls.

When we move to the new Grammar building

we will look at flexible seating. No further

action required on exercise balls.

Remove Oct meeting

Wish List Gail to provide an up to date wish list for the

group to discuss at the next meeting. Arnold

Clark donated £250, what can we put against it

and then look at doing publicity around it.

Gail Gilbert Review Oct meeting

Fundraising for an

additional table

tennis table

Fundraising for an additional table tennis table was discussed as a possibility. Evey agreed to speak to Fiona from Active schools re a volunteer helping out at the school at lunchtimes.

Evey Henderson Review Oct meeting

Social Media

Leaflets

Last sessions P6 & P7 pupils have benefited from Childnet leaflets, online gaming leaflets & drop/snap leaflets (paid for by the parent council). These sets of pupils have had a session with Cyber Centurions from Kyle. The parent session will now take place in the new school year (date tba). The parents at the meeting felt that xbox leaflets would be of great benefit

Alison Coxon Review Oct meeting

New Table Tennis

Table

Thank you card has been sent to the parents

who kindly donated the money for a table

tennis table. Action complete.

Remove Oct meeting

New Treasurer

required

There are now two possible names for new treasurer. Both parties to have another think and then we will discuss again in September. (Neil will stand down at the AGM in October.

Review Oct meeting

Cottage The cottage is now in full use and timetabled

accordingly. Action complete.

Remove Oct meeting

Community

engagements /

partnerships

An appeal is to be put on the facebook Grammar fundraising etc page looking for any volunteers to come into the school and talk to the pupils about their line of work, career etc. A parent at the meeting offered to do a talk in relation to her work to help with P7 buddies. The plan would be to work with the current P7s and the session would give them good life skills re buddying etc. Alison to tie in with Gail re possible dates etc.

Marsha Ford

Alison Gooding

Review Oct meeting

Review Oct meeting

150 years of Ayr

Grammar

An appeal to be put on the facebook Grammar

fundraising etc page looking for any old

pictures, information etc on Ayr Grammar over

the last 150 years. Lofts etc to be searched!

Marsha Ford Review Oct meeting

Illegal and

Dangerous

Parking

Anyone parking on the single yellow or double

yellow lines with the pavement dashes are

liable for an instant ticket and fine. Parents /

Carers still continue to break the law and put

children’s’ safety at risk.

We also urge parents / carers not to park on

the yellow lines at 4.15pm when the after

school clubs are on. Some children are

walking home themselves after the clubs and

there is no school crossing patrollers on duty

at that time so it is even more imperative that

the roads are not congested with unsafe

parking also.

A parent at the meeting suggested that police

surveillance cameras / vans are used for a

period to catch culprits in the act. Gail is

speaking to PC McGill re the possibility. No

update available at the September meeting.

All parents /

Carers of Ayr

Grammar

Gail Gilbert

ONGOING!!!

Review Oct meeting

Anti-bullying

guidelines

It was mentioned at the May meeting that the school’s Anti-bullying guidelines are not currently visible on the Ayr Grammar website. A message has now been put on the website advising that we are working on that page, but there is a link to the SAC anti-bullying guidelines. Alison Coxon is taking the lead on the grammar guidelines and is updating equalities etc. There is a launch planned for November so it should all be fully implemented by December.

Alison Coxon Review Oct meeting

JRSO A JRSO leader and the pupils have still to be appointed for the 2018-19 session. Once they are in place then we can look at them presenting at a parent council meeting.

Gail Gilbert Review Oct meeting

Parent helper

guidelines

All parent helpers are now issued with guidelines with their slips and are issued with badges with an explanation of their responsibilities etc. Issue closed.

Remove Oct meeting

Security A parent raised a concern at the May meeting about tailgating and doors being left open at break time. Gail advised that at the start of the new session, security was re-iterated to all staff so this should not happen. Issue closed.

Remove Oct meeting

GDPR We discussed that the parent council need to issue GDPR information to the forum. Kirsty has agreed to set up a working group to close this issue out. Review in October.

Kirsty McHarg Review Oct meeting

Adverse

Childhood

Experiences

(ACEs)

Kirsty attended the ACE session in August. The session consisted of a video and then there was a question and answer session with a panel of various workers from key areas – Barnardos, NHS, police, SAC etc. A gentleman was also in attendance who experienced 9 out of the 10 ACEs growing up and he explained how he has turned his life around etc. Please go tohttp://www.healthscotland.scot/population-groups/children/adverse-childhood-experiences/adverse-childhood-experiences-overview

Remove Oct meeting

PEF money There has been a slight drop in the PEF money for the 2018-19 session. The school have heavily invested PEF money on school assistants. Remove next meeting

Remove Oct meeting

Joint chair /

shadow chair

A brief discussion took place regarding the possibility of a joint chair / shadow chair. Marsha will be looking to stand down in October 2019.

Review Oct meeting

Music lessons via

music company

opposite school

A parent raised the question of “are the school in contact with the music business in Carrick Road” to find out if they have anything they can offer / provide. Gail advised at the Sept meeting that Yamaha have been very generous in the past but agreed to go back to them to see if they could offer anything. Gail emphasized that the school need to be careful not to be ‘endorsing’ particular businesses.

Gail Gilbert Review Oct meeting

New discussion

points 4th

September

meeting

The role of the 3

office bearers to

be written up and

published

Marsha, Neil and Kirsty agreed to put a brief bullet point list together explaining the office bearer’s role they have in the parent council (Chair, Treasurer and Secretary). The post descriptions would be publicized on the facebook fundraising page (Kirsty to publish Neil’s also)

Neil Reid, Marsha

Ford and Kirsty

McHarg

Review Oct meeting

New Sports Day

format

The general feedback re the change in the sports day format in June 2018 has been positive. Suggestions were given that if there is more than one race on at the same time that both races start at the same time to avoid 2 whistles going off and pupils being confused about which whistle is theirs, so this should avoid false starts. Issue closed

Remove Oct meeting

HOSC AGM in

September

Gordon was at the meeting representing the Holmston Out of Skool club and he advised that they are holding the AGM at the end of September

Race night Gordon advised that the racenight is the 28th September and they are in full swing with the organization. Gordon is sending all details electronically to Gail for cascading accordingly and also to Evey to put on the Ayrgrammar Fundraising etc facebook page Tickets will be on sale w/b 10th September and various people are working on selling horses and getting race sponsors etc. Review the events takings at the Oct PC meeting

Gordon McNab Review Oct meeting

Morrisons

Bagpacking

Saturday 15th

September

Fiona Drummond and Nicola George are organising the bagpacking event which is on Saturday 15th September at Morrisons. Letters went home to all P6 & P7 pupils (as that is the target age group to help) plus an extra appeal was put onto the fundraising facebook page for any other helpers to increase the numbers. Review the events takings at the Oct PC meeting

Review Oct meeting

Halloween disco The parent council will run the Halloween disco again this year. Evey has agreed to put a vote out to parents on the facebook fundraising page to gauge feedback on the most desirable date. Review Oct meeting

Review Oct meeting

Dates for the

diary and school

fundraisers

Gail advised that they are currently finalizing the diary and agreeing on the charities for the year (they usually choose a local, national and international charity). Gail may ask the parents to vote accordingly on charities

Gail Gilbert Review Oct meeting

Xmas Fair A date has not been set for the xmas fair this year yet, it is in progress

Evey Henderson Review Oct meeting

Congestion at

pick up times

A parent raised a concern that there are too many parents crowding round the pick up points in Midton Road and Carrick Road. Gail advised that she will ask the teachers to put it in the homework diaries not to crowd around and if the child is in P4 above then the parents should wait further back in the playground

Gail Gilbert Review Oct meeting

Fundraising co-

ordinator

Evey Henderson has taken on the role of fundraising co-ordinator but due to heavy work commitments she would like to step down from the role. If anyone would like to ‘step’ up or lead particular fundraising initiatives then please get in touch via the Ayr grammar Fundraising etc facebook page. Evey to promote the post on facebook

Evey Henderson Review Oct meeting

Boys Football

team

A parent enquired if the boys football team would be on this year. Gail advised that Miss McCulloch (who has ran it in the past) is

Remove Oct meeting

unfortunately unable to commit to it this year due to University commitments.

Residential trips There was a discussion around the affordability for families due to P6 and P7 pupils being offered a residential trip in P6 and also in P7. Gail is reviewing it and will provide an update at the next meeting.

Review Oct meeting

Financial overview

Neil advised that there is £4000 approx in the bank. The biggest outlay for 2018-19 will be the pantomime.

The money is there again for the £60 per class classroom gift money. A full overview of the accounts will

take place at the AGM on 2nd October 2018.

Head Teacher Report

The following HT report was read out at the meeting by Gail Gilbert

HT Report – September 2018

Consultation – The school have been asked by parents to raise the question about the number of residentials we

traditionally have in the school. I will send out information to parents to gather their views and would ask for the

Parent Council to support. The issue raised by several families is a financial one. We are now very much in the

minority having 2 residentials.The school are being asked to consider the cost of the school day/week/year.

Options may be:

Continue with one in P6 and one in P7

Move to one in P7 but current P6s still go next year in P7 and current P5s wait unti l P7

Move to one in P7 – current P6s don’t go next year and P5s wait until P7

This year P7 are very big – looking at possible change of venue– decision will be made ASAP – may cut to less nights

this year to help with parental concerns around finance as this affects large number of pupils/families.

Consultation - We would like to consult our families about the charities we engage with this session – more to follow.

Tend to have local/national and international each year – we have gone ahead with Macmillan due to need for early

organsiation.

Staff suggestions to date are:

Local: Barnardos/Ayrshire Hospice/Ayr Action for Mental Health/Whiteleys Retreat/SEAscape/Ayrshire Women’s

Hub/Foodbank

National : MacMillan

International: Water Aid/Children in Need/Comic Relief/Red Cross

We will consult with children and also send out to families.

Challenge 150 – please watch out for a ‘Challenge 150’ leaflet coming home in schoolbags. This will be introduced to

children in assembly. Each month a set of active challenges will be sent home as part of Health and Well Being

homework. We would like every pupil to take part as part of our 150 birthday. Your child/children can achieve either a

Bronze/Silver or Gold award depending on how many activities/challenges they complete. October will be the first

Challenge month and booklets will come out soon. Many thanks to Fiona Reid, Active Schools, for co-ordinating.

Date of Next Parent Council Meeting & AGM

Tuesday 2nd October 2018 7pm – 9pm.

If you are unable to attend any parent

council meeting but would like

something raised then please send your

question / suggestion to

ayrgrammarparentcouncil@yahoo.co.uk

or put our question in the suggestion

box to the right of the school office

partition window.

All parents/guardians are encouraged to visit the

school website regularly and follow the school

on twitter :

www.grammar.sayr.sch.uk Twitter is

@AyrGrammar

Please search facebook for “Ayr Grammar

Fundraising”

If anyone has any games that would be suitable

for wet play days then please hand them in to the

school office. Thank you ☺

If any parent / carer has specific

issues with their child please speak

firstly to the class teacher, and if it is

not resolved then it would be the

principal teacher

Looking for childcare throughout the

year? Contact Holmston Out of Skool

Club.

They provide a breakfast club and afterschool

childcare throughout the year.

If anyone requires childcare from 7.45am until 9am

Monday to Friday and / or from 3.15 until 6pm (5.30pm on

a Friday) then please contact the Holmston Out of Skool

Club) on 07535 111860 or via email

holmstonoutofskoolclub@gmail.com. They are located at

St Andrews Church and do a walking bus to and from the

Grammar School. They also provide childcare during

school holidays. Please contact them for further

information.