Lawthorn P.S. Parent Council AGM, Monday 15th September 2014
Welcome to Lawthorn Primary School Parent Council AGM.
The Annual General Meeting is an excellent opportunity to allow us to reflect on the past year
and for me to discuss what will be happening in our new school year, session 2014/15.
I am grateful for the positive partnership we have between the school and the Parent Council.
Most members of the Parent Council will report this evening but I warmly thank the Council and
all parents/carers and their families for their hard work and superb contributions over the past
year.
The Head Teacher’s role is to encourage the partnership and involvement of our parents/carers
and help support the Council on ways to help take the school forward.
Lawthorn Primary School is held in high esteem in the authority and the community due to the
high standards we have in the school and the level of commitment and care we give to the pupils
to ensure that they may reach their full potential.
Our school values are:
RESPECT:
We will show respect towards all individuals,
their beliefs and opinions.
HONESTY:
We will be truthful at all times.
DETERMINATION: We will give of our best in everything we do.
FRIENDLINESS:
We will be a welcoming, friendly community,
showing care for each other.
As the Head Teacher it is important to me that pupils and staff work together to try and create an
environment with a welcoming and positive ethos for the parents/carers and visitors that come
into our school.
At Lawthorn Primary School we focus on GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every Child). It is our
duty to keep the children: SAFE, HEALTHY, ACHIEVING, NURTURED, ACTIVE,
RESPONSIBLE and to ensure that every child feels RESPECTED and INCLUDED.
The school roll for session 2014/15 is 356 P1-P7 pupils and 60 Early Years Class (nursery)
pupils. This year 16 of the 50 P1 pupils that enrolled were placing requests from outwith our
catchment area.
For the session 2014/15 we have thirteen permanent teaching staff, two temporary teaching staff,
two part time Pupil Support Teachers and five members in the Management Team. This includes
two Principal Teachers, two Depute Head Teachers and the Head Teacher. We also have five
Early Year Practitioners (4 who are part time), one full time and five part time Classroom
Assistants and four part time Office Staff. Staff information is regularly updated in the monthly
School Newsletters.
Last session Homework, Numeracy and mathematics, Science and Outdoor Learning were on our
School Improvement Plan. At the start of session 2014/15 all parents/carers were allocated with
an updated Parent/Carer Guide to Homework. We now have new maths resources, staff are
receiving on-going training and from the 25 Scottish schools that made the final list in the UK
National Maths Contest, Lawthorn Primary School was the top school in Scotland, due to our P4
and P5 pupils that entered the competition. P6 pupils received a first and second place at the
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Festival for NAC. As well as resources
matched to Science outcomes we now have resources to aid outdoor learning.
This year Transition within Curriculum for Excellence, Religious Education 3-18 and Numeracy
3-18 in the Irvine Cluster and also Raising attainment and achievement in Literacy & English and
Numeracy & mathematics are on the Improvement Plan. We will keep you updated as the year
progresses.
The Management Team is currently reviewing Learning Journals through consultation with the
children, teachers and parents/carers. At Lawthorn Primary School we are aware of the
importance of parents/carers being involved in their child’s learning especially as research shows
this is a factor in raising attainment and achievement. This includes pupils being involved in
setting targets for Literacy, Numeracy and Health and wellbeing three times a year with their
class teacher and their parents/carers.
Each year we have a curriculum week. After the successful ARTS week last year we are having a
STEM week this year. We are delighted to announce that the authority has invited our STEM
Co-ordinator, Mrs. E. Wilson and two pupils from our to school to represent North Ayrshire at
the Learning Festival on 24th September. This will be an opportunity for our pupils to show the
models that achieved first and second place at the STEM Festival in North Ayrshire and share
what has been highlighted as good practice in our school.
Every pupil from P1 to P7 has a voice in the school through Community Groups. This session the
children will be involved in: Pupil Council, Play Leaders and Buddies, Healthy Living,
Promoting our School, Eco: School Grounds, Eco: Food and the Environment, Eco: Water,
Fairtrade, Eco: Transport, Glow Extra, Special Dates, Eco: Waste Minimisation, Sustainability &
Energy, History, Showcase/Special Assemblies, Art & Display, Eco: Litter, Eco: Biodiversity and
Charities.
Education Scotland visited our school last session to observe the way children record and share
information about the Community Groups on Glow (Scottish schools network). We are very
proud that our Glow Coordinator and Depute Head Teacher, Mr. English, has been invited to
present a Glow In Action seminar to delegates at the Learning Festival on 25th September in order
to discuss what has again been highlighted as good practice in our school.
We will have our Celebration of Learning event at the end of the school year where each child
discusses the successes and challenges they have had in their learning with their parents/carers
and how they may improve their learning.
I would like to close by thanking the Parent Council again for the outstanding work they do to
improve our school and for the support the Parent Council, all parents and carers and the wider
community give to our school. It is much appreciated.
Eleanor McCall,
Head Teacher