Caterham School Parents’ Association
Committee Meeting
Wednesday 3rd June 2015
Soderberg Hall, Prep School
Present Sophie Locket(SL) Chair, Maureen Gibbins(MBG) Treasurer, Janna Kellaway(JK) Secretary, Matthew Godfrey(MG) Deputy Head, Howard Tuckett(HT) Prep Head, Tim Allison(TA), Jane Bainbridge(JB), Angela Chauhan(AC), Orla Flatley(OF), John Hill(JH), Omar Ibrahim(OI), Shirley Joseph(SJ), Liz Mason(LM), Uliana Mishina(UM), Karuna Patel(KP), Payal Shah(PS), Helen Simmans(HS), Alison de Villiers(AdV), Sam Wright(SW), Tracy Wyner(TW)
Apologies Julian Thomas, Debbie May, Sam Ogden, Chantal Baker, Tracy Baker, Viara Challier, Zoe Jackson, Alina Rennie (OC), Belinda Russell
Welcome
SL welcomed everyone to the Soderberg Hall. The meeting was held in Prep School so that the Committee could see the improvements that have been made with their £10,000 donation.
SL noted a few members of the PA will be leaving at the end of this school year and thanked them for their contribution and support. This included SJ and AdV who were present. If you are stepping down from the PA at the end of this academic year, please let SL know.
Head Teachers’ reports and requests for funds
Prep School
HT took the Committee on a short walk around the outside of Shirley Goss to review the last 10 years of PA Prep projects. He is very pleased with the new stage, sound and lighting equipment in the Soderberg Hall. The Hall has also been given new curtains, donated by Old Cats, and he is awaiting a motor for the new electronic curtain rail, which will complete the renovations.
The School is very busy with lots of trips this half term. Year 6 spent a day on Wild Cats, the age the children are first allowed to go on it. Year 5 left for the Isle of Wight on Friday and Year 6 leave for Bushcraft next Wednesday.
There have been many other activities, including Year 6 hosting a tea for parents and visiting Sutton Life Centre. The Year 5 and 6 play, “Groovy”, is well into rehearsals.
HT is looking forward to welcoming Mary Mathayo Laizer, the Head Teacher at Lerang’wa, next week.
Julian Thomas is going to be the Prep School Speech Day guest.
HT referred to his recent trip to the Tanglin Trust School in Singapore the week of 27th April on behalf of IAPS (Independent Association of Preparatory Schools). He made presentations to Singapore teachers, parents and a group of SE Asian Heads.
HT also reported that Year 6 will be getting their own iPads next term but they are to stay in School. Other general sets of 20 iPads will be arriving so there will be enough for the other students to use too.
Staffing announcements are that, along with Janet Moy, Sarah Ravenscroft will be leaving and Kirsty Burke is going on maternity leave.
HT met with SL recently and has no specific requests for Prep projects but supports the Sports Centre balcony extension.
HT would like to thank the PA Committee for all their hard work and support through this school year.
Senior School
MG hopes that all members of the PA, and indeed the whole school community, feel better informed about Senior School events now that we have a regular and established weekly newsletter.
MG reported it is exam time and all is going as well as can be expected. House Tennis, House cricket and the CCF AGI (Annual General Inspection) all took place before the children went on exam leave.
There are some end of year events coming up; this week is inspiring drama week and the last week of term will be Arts Week. The children have been sent home with a leaflet about it so parents can see what has been organised.
MG would like to open up events to as many people as possible and invites everyone to come along to see the West End performers, the Reduced Shakespeare Company, who will be performing at School on the last Monday of term. Tickets cost £17 (under 18s are £15).
The works on the Humphreys Hall start on 6th July. All lessons will carry on as normal but there will be no performances held there.
Adam Hicks (Physics) presented his request for funds to buy Lego Mindstorm educational kits. In lessons, the children learn knowledge but have no time to design. They currently offer many different clubs to help learning but would like to buy some equipment which sets design challenges. Lego Mindstorm is like Lego Technic but also has sensors, servo motors and programming software which will soon be compatible with iPads. The educational packs provide enough Lego for 16 students, although Mr Hicks thinks it would stretch to 24, and would cost £3,780 including VAT.
The PA unanimously agreed to fund this purchase.
Minutes of Committee meeting 29th April 2015 and matters arising
None.
Minutes of Reps’ Meeting on 6th May 2015 and matters arising
None.
Chairman’s correspondence
Funding
SL has received an update from Robert Charlesworth(RC), Estates Bursar, who confirmed that the kitchen unit is going into the Prep Pavilion this week.
RC also updated SL on the suggested Sport Centre balcony extension: it is possible to extend the balcony and the quote was just under £40,000. A proper spec and survey need to be completed, which will cost but this would be deducted from the total bill.
RC has not had a quote for the viewing gallery over the swimming pool yet. TA queried whether extending the balcony first might be unwise at it may need to be altered, should the viewing gallery go ahead.
No decision was made, other than to complete a survey for the internal works too. SL is to report back to RC.
Mr Thomas was unable to attend the meeting as he is away so it was decided that he would be presented with his gift from the PA at the Thank You Supper on 22nd June.
Mr Clarke (Director of Sport) had intended to come along to the meeting to update the Committee on the use of the swimming pool electronic score board but was unable to on this occasion. He intends to come along to the next meeting at the beginning of next term.
The Synchronised Swimming Club wrote a note thanking the PA for their new equipment. (attached)
The Upper Sixth have received their Leavers’ Book but there was no acknowledgement to the PA for their contribution. Tony Fahey (Head of Upper Sixth) explained that this is because the proof was finalised in mid-April, before the PA had agreed to finance it. Now that a regular arrangement is in place, he will ensure that a proper acknowledgement will be in the book in future.
The PA store key is used by lots of people, particularly at the moment, so please ensure you take it only when you are going to the store. Please do not keep it over night and return it as soon as you have finished with it.
Treasurer’s Report
MBG reported that, having received bank statements today and NNU monies having been paid in, the current account has £52,582.86 including all Ball income to date (£18,600 of expenses for the Ball have already been paid) and the deposit account has £12,014.08.
Review of Events
HS reported that our last Phil The Bag collection made £320.00. SL presented HS with a Certificate of Achievement that she had received from them.
Future events
Summer Fair – 21st June 2015
JK reported that plans are in full swing. Olde Colesdon Archery Club has confirmed attendance and Melody Hocking (MH) is busy organising the Dog Show. Registration for the Dog Show – which will be 5 “fun” classes - can either be on the day or in advance by contacting MH () but full details will be out soon.
The list of events is as follows: Pets Corner, Dog Show, Bubble Football, Archery, Quad Bikes, Bouncy Castle, 27 school-run stalls and 29 external stalls.
There will also be a Tug O’ War with teams of teachers, Upper Sixth Formers and parents (Dads). We are putting together 2 Dads teams of 8 so if you’d like to join in, please contact JK (). The winning team will win a case of beer!
Due to the unavailability of technical staff and equipment, there will, unfortunately, not be any performances from the School’s Music or Dance Departments. Graham Nott will act as compere.
SL and JK are meeting with John Dodwell to finalise the layout of the Fair and there will be a final Fair meeting next Tuesday.
Summer Raffle – June/July 2015
LM reported that she has received £770 from tickets sold so far. A reminder will go in the Newsletter and SL asked LM to draw up a chart of the breakdown of sales after the Summer Ball.
Summer Ball – 4th July 2015
All arrangements are in hand but TW reported that there has been a problem this year caused by student tables not being complete due to friendship groups. This has made costs tight. Please could people send in their pre-orders of alcohol as soon as possible.
There is one full table and a couple of seats left. TW also asked for volunteers to sell raffle tickets at the start of the Ball. Please contact TW () if you are interested.
Fireworks Night – 7th November 2015
Christmas Dinner Dance – 28th November 2015
Prep Christmas Fair – 5th December 2015
Burns Night – 23rd January
Any Other Business
If you haven’t already done so, please let Catherine Berger () know if you are able to attend Headmaster’s Thank You Supper on 22nd June.
SL and TW had a meeting with the people who run Schoolclasslist.com, the self-registering website for parental contact details. The site is free to use unless we want to include “add ons” (eg maps) which would incur a fee. People would be able to add advertisements so it has potential to take the place of CatAd.
The PA Committee was unanimous in its support for the use of this website to replace the Directory.
JK asked for volunteers for Lost Property and Nearly New Uniform as 2 volunteers are stepping down from each. If you are interested, please contact Sheila Castle on 01883 652751/07790 994140 for Lost Property, or JK () for NNU. A job description for Lost Property is attached.
Dates of Future Meetings
PA Reps’ Meeting 10th June 2015
PA Committee Meeting 9th September 2015
PA Reps Meeting 16th September 2015
PA AGM followed by Committee Meeting 4th November 2015
PA Reps’ Meeting 11th November 2015
NNU Sales 27th June 2015
Headmaster’s Thank You Supper 22nd June 2015
Meeting closed at 9.20pm
Lost Property
Our small room/cupboard is based in Hillside, the house that is to the right of Humphreys Hall behind the hedge! We are computerised though with our own PC to help log the named lost property items.
We are open two mornings a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8.15 – 9.00.
We currently have five volunteers but at least two of us will be stepping down as our sons are learning to drive, so we won’t be “dropping off” at school anymore.
We generally only need one volunteer to cover each session, however when we receive a large delivery of lost property, usually from the sports centre, we might ask for another volunteer to come and help, as it’s important to try and get the named lost property items back to the students asap, particularly if they are taking part in sports fixtures.
All named lost property is identified by house, class and date received, and these items are logged onto our simple computer system and then the list is distributed throughout the school so the named pupil can come and collect it! (A house cup is awarded to the house which collects its lost property most promptly).
It’s great getting to know the regular offenders, and lovely to receive a big thank you when they receive their lost items.
Being part of the lost property team has many benefits. Keeping an eye out for your child’s possessions, knowing you are providing an invaluable service for the parent community, and, in fact, saving parents money and of course the yearly invite to the Headmasters Thank you supper!
Of course there is a bit more to it, but you learn as you go along, no two days are ever the same!
If you want to know any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sheila Castle 01883 652751 or 07790 994140