Ross High School, Well Wynd, Tranent, East Lothian EH33 2EQ
ROSS HIGH SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL
Meeting of Tuesday 27th January 2015
Present:
J Belton (Chair), R Powell, J Robertson, N Neighbour, A Muir, B
Esamal, G Walshe, A Welsh, P Reynolds, A Archer, Cllr D Grant, N
Nicholls (Clerk)
Apologies: Cllr K McLeod, Cllr J Gillies, Cllr S Akhtar
Minutes
1. Introductions and Apologies
JB welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced AA who had recently
taken up post as Deputy Head.
2. Minutes and Matters Arising
The minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2014 were proposed by GW
and seconded by AM.
GW said that the school employability project was going ahead. Canon and the
local Co-op were the main business links. SA had asked the school what it
would like in terms of a business group for the ward. AA had a good deal of
experience of working with businesses to improve pupil employability.
N Neighbour reported on Ross Rocks Reading; books for members of the
public to pick up and read had been placed in Pencaitland and Tranent.
RP said that a Fa’side Area Partnership Active Transport Sub-Group meeting
was taking place in Tranent where Ian Dalgleish would talk about a school
cycling programme.
PR thanked GW for sending out thank you letters to people who had provided
prizes for the school’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
3. Head Teacher’s Update
A French/Spanish teacher and a Science/Physics teacher had been appointed.
David Fitzgerald had been appointed as permanent Principal Guidance Teacher
for Fa’side House – moving from a temporary post in Winton. A temporary
Principal Guidance Teacher for Winton House would now be advertised.
Action
PR handed round the new school Aims and Values and Code of Conduct
produced after consultation with staff and pupils. The school development plan
was well on track in terms of progress and development priorities.
An NHS anti-smoking project had begun involving 35 influential pupils in the
school (chosen by pupils) being trained to offer peer support. In England such
schemes had resulted in a 60% reduction in the number of pupils smoking in
school. PR would look at whether an award might be appropriate for pupils
carrying out this work.
Three pupils had graduated from the Children’s University at Queen Margaret
University (QMU). New Rights Respecting Cards would be awarded to pupils
who had respected others’ rights and would be recorded on the merits system.
The school had hosted rugby teams visiting from Merewether, Australia. The
under 13s football team had reached the last 16 of the Scottish Cup. The school
would try to obtain additional funding/assistance towards transport costs for the
away fixture. Some pupils had been featured canoeing in Scottish Paddler
Magazine.
There had been a great turnout to the S2 Curriculum Evening two weeks ago.
S2 pupils were making their subject choices. A language was not a compulsory
choice but was being encouraged by the school and SCILT (Scotland’s National
Centre for Languages) speakers were talking to S2 classes on the benefits of
learning a foreign language. 45 pupils and 5 staff were going on the 6th year
London trip.
Prelims were now underway. JB asked how the QMU Academies and prelims
timetables fitted together. PR said that the Academies had now been opened
up to schools in Edinburgh which might have different prelims timetables
compared to those in Mid and East Lothian. Neil Craik-Collins was discussing
with other East Lothian Secondary Schools whether or not it would be useful to
share Advanced Higher Classes.
4. Finance Update
AM said that there was £435.44 in the Parent Council bank account. Proceeds
from the Christmas raffle organised by staff had been paid into the School Fund.
5. Reporting
Senior school
PR said that reports to parents should state clearly where a pupil was now, what
they could do next, where they should end up and if they were on track to do
that. If pupils were under-achieving this would be shown on the SEEMIS
reporting system. At present there was a tracking report for senior pupils (with
no written dialogue) followed by a Parents’ Evening, a full final report with
dialogue followed by more tracking.
PR asked for the Parent Council’s view on having three tracking reports each
with a next steps dialogue but smaller than the present full report. It was agreed
that this might be beneficial. It was suggested that the school’s core values
should be in the reporting system; a template could be used for the production
of the three shorter tracking reports; links for next steps support could be
included on the school website; reporting would need to take account of what
PR
pupils wanted to do when they left school including the grades which they might
need to secure a place on a particular university course. It was noted that the
combined 4th, 5th and 6th year Parents’ Evening had worked well but that there
had been long queues for some subjects and that tables in the Library were too
close together to allow confidential discussion between parents and teachers.
Years 1 – 3
Neil Craik-Collins would be coming along to the next meeting to talk about a
new system of reporting for years 1 - 3 which would show where pupils were at
present and next steps.
6. Parent Council Publicity
N Neighbour would produce cards about the Parent Council which could be
handed out to parents. AA would assist with producing a Parent Council logo. It
was noted that the council ran Edubuzz website training sessions from time to
time for Parent Council members. N Neighbour said that 91 people had liked
the Parent Council Facebook page.
N
Neighbour
AA
7. Parents’ Queries
PR would send an email to parents to let them know if Easter study clubs would
be going ahead. It was felt that, in general, the number of emails from PR to
parents was about right. JB asked if the school had any plans for use of the
outside social area. It was suggested that the Ranger Service might be able to
assist with a lunch time gardening club. PR would follow this up. BE passed on
a comment from a parent of a 3rd year pupil praising Ross High. JR and AM
praised the use of the Edmodo system by teachers in the school.
8. Fundraising
It was agreed that another Quiz Night should be organised and that this would
be discussed at the next meeting.
PR said that the school planned to hold a Burns Supper next year and had been
in contact with the Tranent Burns Club about this.
9. Any Other Business
AW offered to help with the running of a second-hand school uniform thrift shop
towards the end of the school year. The school was considering whether blazers
should be introduced for 1st - 3rd years. About 70% of 4th, 5th and 6th years were
currently wearing blazers. It was thought that more pupils might return to
wearing their blazers as soon as the weather became warmer.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday 24th February 2015 at 7.00pm.
PR