Montrose Parent Partnership

Note of Meeting – 20 September 2017

Attendees: F Sword, M Esplin, H Keddie, M Cargill, K Foley, E Robb, D Grove-White, M Smart, S Cummins, K Taylor, A Scott, P Grey, R Pittendreich, K Pirie, A Beattie

M Esplin welcomed everyone and introductions were made.

Previous Minutes and Matters Arising

  • Standards & Quality Report has been completed and submitted to Angus Council
  • Assembly Calendar 2017/18 has been completed
  • CPD for staff – some staff have been receiving trainer training – link to primaries
  • Business Breakfast – invitation was extended to community members and employers to attend breakfast meetings on selected days

School Improvement Plan - Current Year

  • The Annual Submission has been completed with four priorities highlighted:

Increased opportunities for school leavers

Raising attainment

Health and Wellbeing

Literacy and Numeracy

  • There was discussion about the S1-S3 syllabus and the need to ensure that pupils make good progress in junior years to prepare and link into the senior phase.
  • There was also some discussion about the SHANARRI( safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving, respected, responsible, included) indicators which the school is planning to utilise and monitor by involving pupils in carrying out on-going audits of how pupils feel about the school environment and ethos.Action - MA

Attainment Feedback

•M Smart noted that the school was examining results to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement. The school would also have access to national comparator information to assist in analysis of results. He advised that attainment meetings would be held with all teaching staff and that action points would be fed into Faculty Improvement Plans. Action – MA

  • M Smart also noted that there would be greater encouragement of parental engagement to assist in young peoples’ attainment and more emphasis on encouraging young people to invest in the importance and value of exams.

Communications

•The school website has been improved and is being updated regularly.

  • Noted that texts were an effective way to communicate with parents with lateness and absence texts continuing
  • The school is using Twitter regularly with each department having an account. There was some discussion about whether a number of accounts was the best medium or one account would be more effective.
  • There was some discussion about more effective communication in the event that after school clubs were cancelled.
  • Bulletin updates are being read at assemblies
  • MAPP Facebook page to be progressed. Agreed that the school would provide a contact for information sharing to F Sword – Action - MA
  • E-mail contacts for members of the Senior Leadership Team and Pupil Care and Support teachers can be found on the school website and parents can communicate directly if this is more convenient for them.

School Update

•Noted that three Parental Engagement eventing have been held – S1 induction, Senior Phase and Anti-bullying.

•Rebecca Robertson has been appointed to the Depute Head – taking up post once Paul Cunningham has moved on.

  • Noted that it was Angus Council policy to ensure that mobile phones are switched off in school. Staff would ensure that this happens to reduce the amount of distraction and disruption in class. Action - MA
  • Noted that there had recently been issues with bad behaviour with some pupils using the Sports Centre during breaks. It was noted that pupils would be advised that access would not be allowed during break periods. Action – MA
  • Noted that school dance dates would go on the website and that M Smart would provide contact details to Donna and Maureen for photography sessions. ACTION - MA

AOB

•A discussion was held about the wearing of school blazers. It was noted that the school would appreciate parental support in the wearing of blazers and there would be further thought on how this could be more mainstreamed across the year groups. It was noted that in particular, prefects should be wearing blazers as an example to the rest of the school. Action – MA/MAPP

Next Meeting

  • Monday 6 November @ 6:30pm

Montrose Parent Partnership AGM

Held on 20 September 2017 @ 8:30pm

Montrose Academy Parent Partnership

Chairs’ Report – 20 September 2017

The Montrose Academy Parent Partnership has had a busy and interesting time during the 2016/17 school year, focussing on a range of topics that support the development of the school.

During the year, the Partnership was involved in the recruitment of the new Head Teacher and we formally welcomed Mr Smart into his post in May 2017. We wish him every success in his role in leading and developing the school and look forward to working with him and his team.

Key areas of discussion for the group this year have focussed on issues such as pupil attainment, monitoring of pupils’ progress, School Improvement Plan, communication strategy and the anti-bullying policy.

During the year, development of the School Improvement Plan has been a key focus for the school’s senior management team. The Plan has been developed in consultation with the Partnership and a concise version detailing priorities, how these will impact on the school and its young people, and the actions that will be taken to achieve these is now available of the school website. The Partnership looks forward to supporting the school on a continuing basis towards achieving positive results and a good outcome for pupils through regular discussion, comment and monitoring of the School Improvement Plan.

Attainment has been a standing item for discussion at the Partnership meetings with discussions focussing on how parents are kept up to date on their children’s progress through the reporting system, the encouragement of pupils to take advantage of supported study sessions and study leave arrangements. Improving attainment levels and how the school takes this forward through the School Improvement Plan will continue to be a focus for the Partnership over the coming year.

Communication with parents also forms a core element of our discussion at the Partnership meetings. We have focussed on how to improve lines of communication directly from the school to parents and discussed the various ways that this is currently done, including the traditional paper form (letters and local newspaper), school website, text and twitter messages. Improvement of communication will remain a key focus for the group. We have also discussed how MAPP can communicate more widely in order to encourage a wider membership of the group. We are currently examining the potential to set up a MAPP Facebook page and we have a page on the school website for the provision of information to parents. A drive to recruit new members to the Partnership was held at the S1 Parents’ Evening in June with Partnership members being present at the evening to chat to parents on an informal basis and hand out information leaflets to encourage an increase in membership.

In addition to the core business of the group, we have received several interesting presentations and consultations, including a School Improvement Plan consultation, details of the change to the school week, a very interesting and professional presentation from two pupils who have developed an App for Montrose Academy and continued updates on pupil involvement in the development of the Anti-bullying Policy.

As well as playing an active role in core school business, the Partnership also continues to support other activities through practical input or via funding contributions. One of the most enjoyable of these is our support at the annual Christmas dances which produces a key source of income for the Partnership. Last year, the Partnership raised over £700 through this support which was a great boost for our balance sheet. Our healthy funding levels allows us to make contributions to other activities in the school, and over the course of this year we have supported the costumes for Rock Challenge and purchase of the Dux Medals.

In summary, this has been a busy year in which the Partnership has played an active role in supporting the school. A number of us have attended training events and represented the group at Parent Council Rep Meetings where we have been able to hear about issues affecting other partnerships and benefit from sharing good practice. We have been actively involved in the recruitment of senior staff within the school and have been consulted and involved in the development of school policy. The low number of parent representatives of the Partnership was a continuing concern over the past year and we are actively discussing how we can encourage wider membership of the group. We would like to thank those parents and teachers who continue to support the Partnership and look forward to a continued good working relationship over the coming year. Our shared goal of ensuring our young people are supported to reach their highest possible potential is key to the culture of MAPP and our relationship with the school.

Maureen Esplin and Donna Grove-White

Co-Chairs

20 September 2017

Treasurer’s Report

The Financial Statement for the year to 31 August 2017 has been prepared, copy attached.

We have a Balance at the end of the year of £3,166.89.

The cheque raised for the school Dux Medal donation 2016 has still not been presented to the bank. This would give a final balance of £3,126.89.

During the year we have banked £750, monies raised from the School Dance, compared to £905 in 2016.

As a group we have donated a total of £600 in the year 2016 – 2017 compared to £670 in 2015 – 2016:

£40 Dux Medal

£60 Gift for Francis Keats

£500 Rock Challenge.

Shona Cummins

Treasurer/Secretary.

Nomination of Office Bearers –

  • Chair Person – Maureen Esplin and Donna Grove – White – Proposed by M Smart and seconded by F Sword – unanimously carried.
  • Treasurer – Elizabeth Robb proposed by Shona Cummins and seconded by Karen Taylor – unanimously carried.
  • Secretary – notes will be taken by Montrose Academy staff.

AOB

1.Fundraising – Pop up shop

2.School Dances – dates and volunteers

3.Name Competition – for Parent Council

AGM Closed – 9pm