Gairloch High School Parent Council

DRAFT Minutes of Gairloch High School Parent Council Meeting

Wednesday 11^th January 2011, 7pm, Gairloch High School

Present: Gillian Morrison, Jennifer Robertson, Marion Taylor, Lorna Nelson, Lloyd Gudgeon, Debbie Townsend, Sandi Urquhart, Karen Walker, Susan MacLean (co-opted member), John Port (Head), Graham Milner (teacher representative), Lynne Whall (teacher representative).

Apologies: Huw Banister, Sam Banister, Cllr Richard Greene, Anna Hulme (pupil representative), Nevis Hulme, Kenny Nelson, Lynn MacKenzie, Ruaraidh Wright (pupil representative).

Gillian welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Minutes of the meeting 24^th August 2011 – approved by Jennifer Robertson and seconded by Lynne Whall.

Matters arising

1. Changes to constitution – Nevis has been working hard amending the Constitution following concerns that the AGM had slipped from being at the beginning of the first term to closer to the Christmas holidays.  After some discussion it was felt that the invitation for parents of P7 pupils in feeder schools to become members should not be included in section 3 but instead section 10 be amended to ensure that parents of P7 pupils were invited to attend as members of the public.  Action: Nevis Hulme to send copies of both the old constitution and an amended draft constitution to parent council members.
2. New members – Lloyd, Sandi and Lorna agreed to become Parent Council members.
3. Replacement Secretary – Susan MacLean stood down.  Lorna and Kenny Nelson will share the role.  Susan was thanked for her hard work for the PC.

Treasurers Report – The balance remains at £1072.42.

Fundraising Report – A bottle bingo has been suggested for Saturday 21^th of April.  A sub-committee will take this forward.  Parents will be asked to supply bottles directly to the school and to collect prizes, ensuring no alcohol is in the possession of pupils.  Pupils will be invited to attend with their parents.

A ceilidh is suggested for Saturday 23^rd of June. Action: Jennifer will speak to Beth Hunter. Lorna will speak to Peter Cunningham about Melvaig Mist.

Head teachers report

Dial a bus service: this service is no longer available which means that pupils will find it more difficult to attend after school activities including study club, DofE training and sports clubs; Allan Jones of the Community Car Scheme has been filling in until now.  Richard Green is prepared to pay for parents to sit the Highland Council minibus test and a few parents have expressed an interest.  Allan Jones hopes to create a Community Car Scheme group specifically for the school.  Parents volunteering to transport pupils in their cars would then be eligible for a mileage allowance.

Curriculum for Excellence and the new National 4 and 5 exams: As part of the ongoing changes to the CfE, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has designed new National 4 and 5 qualifications to replace Standard Grade and Intermediate qualifications.  Each school is now required to provide a broad general education until the end of S3.  In S4 the pupils enter the Senior Phase where qualifications are taken as the main focus.  Gairloch pupils will continue to allow pupils to choose up to 8 subjects at the end of S2.  Mr Port feels this should allow pupils to sit more exams in S4 than the new option, which he feels may only allow them to specialise in 5 subjects in S4.  Currently it would also be very difficult to change our system due to reduced staffing levels.  Mr Port indicated that it will be important that while in S3 the pupils will continue to be monitored to check that they are receiving a broad general education.  The head teachers will be meeting with the SQA shortly to discuss the changes further.

Pupils currently in S2 will be the first to sit the new exams in 2014 and a meeting is planned with their parents in February.  The Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications will not change so radically.

League tables: Qualification league tables were published in the Press and Journal before Christmas.  John provided the PC with an analysis of the tables (additional table and diagram), stating that in a small school such as Gairloch each individual pupil has a significant influence on the statistics.  The tables are also produced before appeals have been granted which again influences results (generally to the benefit of the statistics).

REAct Report – Cllr Richard Greene wrote to Sheriff Sutherland, on behalf of all 4 councillors, to support the Parent Council’s invitation to the Rural Commission on Education.  His letter eloquently covered all concerns we had raised with him previously.

AOB

Dr Caley requested helpers for the Parent’s evening teas at 7p.m. on the following evenings.

• S4, Thurs 26^th Jan.  Action: Gillian to contact Sam, or Jennifer to help.
• S5/6, Thurs 15^th March. Karen and Debbie.
• S2, Tues 27^th March. Gillian.

Date of Next Meeting – The next Parent Council meeting will be on 14^th March 2012 at 7pm in Gairloch High School.