Stockbridge School Board
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MINUTES
STOCKBRIDGE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, STOCKBRIDGE SCHOOL LIBRARY, 15 OCTOBER 2003 @ 7pm
1.Welcome and Apologies
PRESENT: Board members: Anna Beynon (Chair), Jacqui Horsburgh (Head), John Burton, Geraldine Hobbs.
PTA: Graham Bodenham
In Attendance: Susan MacInnes (Clerk to the Board), Anne Thomson (School Business Manager), Mike Dixon (local Councillor).
Apologies: Moira McGovern, Alan Thomas, Wilf Treasure.
2. Minutes/Matters Arising
The Minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
3. Budget
Anne Thomson advised that £11,884 was being carried forward from last year. There was a proposal to use this to fund a temporary learning assistant for the early years. This would boost the early literacy and early numeracy strategies.
It was explained that the energy budget had been monitored by the school itself in the past but was now operated and controlled centrally by the Council, although there were thermostats placed around the school building.
JH was concerned that if more energy was being used the school would still have to pay although it may not be necessary. There will be a comparison with the previous year's bills. GB was concerned that this decision goes against the spirit of devolved school management and JH commented that other schools may not be so efficient as Stockbridge.
JH explained the allocation of management time. The 1.19 equivalent was topped up at her discretion. The educational supplies budget gave some flexibility. Time was allocated for management duties of the Senior Teacher and Deputy Head. The Probationary Teacher in P5 was given more support so that the Class Teacher could be released to progress the school's IT strategy. She was now teaching the whole school and also both teaching and non-teaching staff. She is also required to monitor IT repairs and deal with procurement.
4. Citizenship
JH explained that this was a curriculum requirement. As part of the staff "in service" training they had carried out an internal audit of the existing curriculum which showed that most aspects were already covered by the school. There was to be a general revision of school rules and an emphasis on traditional good manners (holding doors open etc). The scope of this was to relate what happens in the school community to the local community and ultimately to the wider global community. This is to be part of the school's development plan. She asked for comments from the Board.
JB stated that he felt that the ethos of the school was important and naturally led to wider issues. The Pupil Panel had a role to play in the development of this. GH commented that although there were good links with the local sheltered housing communities, there was a lack of awareness of elderly people outwith the school. MD enquired as to whether there was any central guidance for the citizenship themes and JH responded that there were national and local guidelines. There was a flexible arrangement to allow these guidelines to be followed through the PSE, RME and Environmental programmes and such events as Harvest Festival and various Charity programmes.
GB commented that it was a good subject to focus on. Stockbridge was conscious of its image in the community and was well-known for its good reputation. There was less attention in the modern world to manners. AB agreed that it was an important subject. JH summarised by saying that she had looked at the issue throughout the whole school including the nursery and was confident that the broader basics existed already. JB suggested monitoring feedback from outsiders.
5. School Review 25 - 27 November 2003
JH explained that this was to be conducted by Local Authority officers and the intention was to assist the school in its self-evaluation. It would follow a similar pattern to the HMI inspections. Two Senior Quality Improvement Officers and Liaison Officers would be visiting the school and assessing three areas. These would be (1) Continuity and Progression, (2) Teaching and Learning and (3) Leadership.
Statements from the Standards and Quality Report would be considered and the evidence sought to substantiate these. Such evidence would include eg. documentation, meetings with staff and pupils, parents questionnaires. 20% of all parents would be asked to complete a questionnaire on a random basis although others could request one to complete if they so wished.
At the end of the process a Report would be produced outlining points for development. These would not necessarily be the same as those identified by HMI as developmental areas. However, they would be incorporated into the next year's Development Plan.
These Reviews took place approximately every 6 years (ie between the HMI inspections) and were another type of external audit of the school. In addition the Care Commission were also scheduled to inspect the Nursery provision in January 2004.
JB asked how the two sets of audit sat with each other. JH explained that the HMI looked at every aspect of the school whilst the Local Authority dealt more with the school's self-assessment. They were usually done on a cluster basis i.e. Stockbridge, Flora Stevenson's Royston and Granton were all assessed more or less together as they all fed into Broughton High. The inspectors may discuss the cluster with the Head Teacher of Broughton.
JH advised that the draft Report would be produced and presented to the Council before the School Board and then the parent body.
6. Board Recruitment
Two parents had offered themselves as nominees. An external member who was a local architect had also been approached to be a co-opted member.
AB would find out from the School Board Unit if there were any other applicants who had applied directly. Otherwise the Unit would advise everyone that the two parent members were to be appointed without the necessity of an election.
MMcG intimated that she was happy to continue as a co-opted member. Bernadette McLaughlin was to be the new teaching member. JB and WT had intimated that they were to stand down from the Board from November 2003.
7. Next Meeting
This is scheduled for Wednesday 25 February 2004.
8. AOB
AB thanked the retiring members for their support to the Board and the school over the past years.
Susan MacInnes (Clerk)
30 October 2003
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