Parent Community Discussion Group Meeting
2pm Wednesday 9th March 2016
Notes
Mr Dan Pateman, Deputy Headmaster:
Introduction and Welcome, Aims
Ground rules for discussion
Present: Mr D Pateman Deputy Head
Mrs B Mason Learning Support Assistant
Ms W Jenkins Admissions’ Secretary and parent of James Balderson Y4
Miss W Adam Parent Governor (Parent of Max Katamba Y3)
Mr M Godel Parent Governor (Caspar Godel Y5)
Mrs D Wille Parent of Giles Wille Y3
Mr J and Mrs S Le Fondre Parents of John Le Fondre Y4
Mrs Z Le Cornu Parent of Alfie Le Cornu Y6
Mr CPateman Parent of Aiden Pateman Y5
Mrs A Baluchi Parent of Cyrus Baluchi Y3
Mr S du Feu Parent of Thomas du Feu Y6
Mr S Hickson Parent of Russell Walton Y4
Mr P Tarrant Parent of Isaac Tarrant Y5
Contributions from parents are in black and contributions from staff in red.
Parent consultations and reports
Prep has had to make changes to the consultation document this year due to levels being removed as a means of assessment. How did parents feel about the document? Standards now judged on emerging, developing or secure within the year group.
Parent consultations document: The format is good and it is useful having the comments highlighted in different colours to distinguish between October and February comments. Clear and understandable. Assessment on just English and maths?
We are expected to report on core subjects and we make comments on individual subjects at the end of year report. The consultation document is shorter than previously as staff were effectively being asked to provide three reports throughout the year. The report produced in the summer is the most comprehensive.
Is October too early to have a meeting with staff? Good to have a first impression. Should this be a voluntary consultation? Understand the importance of that first meeting and possible to glean a lot of information after 6 weeks. The meetings especially valuable in year 6 so any issues can be flagged up before the transition to College. Really important parents meet the staff teacher at this early stage in the school year.
Historically, there was an additional voluntary meeting in the school year too. It is important that teachers meet parents early in the school year. Our environment is not conducive to having parents in to school with parking etc. so this initial contact is important.
One of the benefits of the document is seeing how the boys approach learning. Parents need to know the effort being put in. This is as important as knowing how well the boys are achieving in their subjects.
We wanted to get away from rhetoric but still talk about attitudes to learning.
As a school we get evidence and can look at issues and access what we are doing for boys who are ticking ‘bottom boxes’.
The five sections were confusing for parents at first as the positive comments were at the top and progressed to less positive comments. Mr Price was going to ensure tick boxes moved to the other side so it was immediately apparent which comment had been attributed to your child. Parents now used to the boxes and comments.
A long evening for teachers - can they take place in lunch hours or before school?
Staff can have autonomy to set meetings when it suits.
Possibly include a proforma of the consultation document for new parents. This could be considered.
Is the 10 minutes scheduled before the meeting with teacher useful or not?
Would it be possible to email or post out before the meeting and have opportunity to discuss with boys before the meeting? It could be looked at but teachers would need even longer to prepare documents to give office staff enough time to send out information.
Ten minutes – disappears very quickly – a useful time to look at books. At JCG girls always come along. Should the boys be asked to come along to the meeting? General feeling was that sometimes parents needed meeting without boys present in order to discuss issues.
JCG prep do reports at Easter and then have action points for summer. Springfield do one every term.
Strengths of Prep
Academic feedback – as parents we get far more than at other primary schools. Commitment to academic standards is very high.
There is a positive and important focus on manners here. Teachers pick up on it if boys aren’t polite. Credit system makes boys very motivated. Silver stars – also good incentive. Bar higher as the boys get older.
Aim is consistency throughout school with all boys.
What is Trusted Status?
This was introduced for year 6 boys who have not achieved prefect status at end of year 5 but important boys can still make a contribution to school life and strive to achieve Trusted Status. Sometimes it feels unclear as to why boys are or are not awarded Trusted Status.
If all boys all given a position of responsibility in year 6 it becomes ridiculous and the Trusted Status/Prefect position loses all sense of merit.
Keeps boys working and motivated. RP doesn’t believe everyone should have it. Should aspire to it.
Is it rare to have in primary schools? Want them to be boys. Doesn’t hierarchy encourage bullying? General view was that it didn’t. Prefect system was traditional to prep.
When do boys get introduced to idea of prefects? In assemblies, highlighted at many points throughout the year, especially by Mrs Silvester. A strong feeling that applications for prefects should not involve parents. A real positive in the school is that a pupil who is not sporty, but it well behaved and hard working has been rewarded for it. He loves the responsibility. Self-motivation is very important.
Do boys who get a prefect position also have to get trusted status? Yes
To ensure many boys can play a meaningful part in Prep life and have responsibility we also have the Job Centre where boys apply for positions. Boys get to know about this in assemblies and from Mrs Silvester.
Another strength is that the music department is outstanding. Doesn’t matter at what level. Huge strengths of school boys are supportive of each other. Boys are really encouraged to just have a go and are incredibly well supported.
House music outstanding again this year with so many boys involved and happy to perform.
Core values- are they continued up at college? Would be good to carry it up ?
Yes and no! We anticipate more and more integration and collaboration between the schools in the future. Staff and governors working towards this aim.
Mobile telephones in school. Some primary schools insist boys hand in their phones at the beginning of the school day. General feeling is that they should not be used at all and endorsed school policy of no use until the end of the school day and off the school premises. Also issues of perception - people from different social and economic backgrounds see Prep boys with expensive phones. Possibly damages reputation of school.
Boys were reminded in assembly last month about rules on use of mobile phones. Should only be used when they are off premises.
Different senior schools have different standards and rules around mobile phones.
Another strength of Prep – the office staff. Quick to respond and helpful.
Areas for improvement
A sports club – a child didn’t want to go to particular club because of behaviour of certain boys. Staff and individual boys have been spoken to and organisational aspects of the club looked considered but it does raise question of supervision.
Parking
Archway manned by two members of staff every day. Understand there is a huge safety issue. New premises would be the best outcome!
Cars travel too fast along Pleasant Street. Speed bumps would slow cars down and it is used as a useful rat run by non-Prep parents. Useful to remind parents about the rules.
Plans are in place to provide more parking and for collection of sick children, as well as having disabled access. Recognise the problem and working to resolve within the constraints of environment.
Plan 2020 for new build. Funds being released 2019. Education appreciates we need a new building.
Would appreciate structured feedback on sporting ability of boys.
Parentmail – too much information. All correspondence has to come through office now but aware of the issue of information overload.
Christmas Service – several parents brought in coffee cups and left their litter. Can parents be reminded that this isn’t appropriate? Yes
Parents are welcome to feedback anytime to staff. Can the PCDG be more broadly known so that parents have opportunity to share concerns.