Apologies: Paul Storey, Lucy Curtin, Sue Steers, Lynne Powell, Ally Dunnett

PSA Meeting Tuesday 1st April 2013

Present: Helena Strange, Paula Florey, Amy Cope, Lauic Powell, Rob Bennett, Joyce Kamugisha, Judith Fitzgerald, Fortunata Oates, Mary Robinson, Khursh Ahmed, Carmelina Erdbeer, Myfanury Brown, Marie-Therese Weston

Helena started meeting with a prayer.

MTW introduced meeting and the purpose to gather ideas on PR for our school and feedback about our school website. Amy Cope was introduced to PSA and parents and then she took us through our current school website.

Website:

Comments from parents: dull, old fashioned, navigation was difficult, would like a yellow background, out of date:

Suggestions to improve communication with parents:

Can KLP and website be linked?

Can results go on to the website same day as they come out in August?

More photographs and gallery.

To include teachers contact info on website (email address), school calendar, extra-curricular activities, you tube videos, exam dates on website, end of year exam dates for yr7, 8 and 9.

To include policy on setting/streaming.

Links to SAM learning and Mymaths.

To use more languages or even be able to change the language.

Remote access for students and staff.

Missed opportunities: concert held in school at weekend, pupils achieving show pictures in key places like sports hall etc...

Future opportunities: new house once finished, opening of primary school.

Prospectus:

Parents liked the front page, pictures and colours.

To include more pictures on each page, more info on extra-curricular activities as good selling point as only 3 lines on this, more pictures of pupils art work, DT work, dance studio, trips etc…

To include page numbers.

Put policies at end of prospectus rather than in the middle.

Show more photos of activities week and work experience, retreats, other events in school. Really show off more how good school life is.

May be results could go in folder at end, seems as though the results are an afterthought, needs better presentation.

Could we have A5 version to send out to all primary schools and use the front page as a larger poster to put up in parishes and all primary schools.

Advertising:

Advertise open day better:

· Buses, bus stop

· Church bulletins

· Advertise good results

· Put up large pictures showing achievement around school

· Leaflet drop in different languages

· Estate agents to sponsor boards to put up outside houses and to put link to their websites

· Advertising inside buses

· Is website on minibus?

· Alumni? Where did the money go? £500 given to start up.

Other Info:

· Quiz night, Friday 9th May 2014, 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Building theme, poster, license, curry £5, entrance £3 adult, £1 children/students

· Visit house on school site Tuesday 6th May 2014 at 7pm bring a builder/decorator etc

· Next PSA meeting to discuss action plan for house Tuesday 20th May 2014 at 7pm

· Still not sure about homework policy more info required

· Idea about school minibus and picking up pupils from primary school

· Are we still a school with music specialist status? (when the new coalition government took power in May 2010 the scheme was ended and funding was absorbed into general school budget, so it is a decision that needs to be made by the Principal and board of trustees).