ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL DUNBLANE
BOARD MEETING OCTOBER 18 2005


1)	APOLOGIES: Janice Cameron. PRESENT: Carola Campbell, Sarah Carroll, Chris 
Sawyer, Mary Paterson, Jenny Kinvig, David Reid Kay, Paul Holmes, Shena McLelland, Kay 
Cox. Ken McLelland arrived midway.

2)	MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Approved. 

3)	MATTERS ARISING: 
(a)	ATTENDANCE POLICY: Absence from After School Club should be notified in writing. 
(ACTION: Mary to include in newsletter).

(b)	OPEN EVENING: Open Evening feedback generally positive. Suggestion that the 
format of the evenings could be alternated each year i.e. one year formal/next year informal.
(c)	David thanked Chris for updating the website.
(d)	DRK reported that a good deal had been struck for the outside notice board. Money 
available to buy two: one for parents one for Eco board. (ACTION: David and LR ongoing)
(e)	David welcomed Jenny Kinvig as staff rep and Paul Holmes as new Board member.
(f)	Civic Reception: Several members have committed to attending this event in November 
run by the Council for HTs, Boards and PAs.

4. CORRESPONDENCE – SCHOOL BOARD BILL: David presented detailed response to 
Draft Bill. MP has summary sheets. MP to request more leaflets to distribute to parents. Link 
from school website to parentzone suggested. KC to forward details to CS who will action. It 
was agreed that Mary would request more leaflets so that one could be sent to every family; 
(ACTION: Kay to forward link details to CS, Mary to include on newsletter and get leaflets).

5. STANDARDS AND QUALITY REPORT: Discussion re circulation.  (ACTION: Chris to put 
document on website, Mary to explain this and that hardcopy can be obtained from office in 
newsletter.)
(a) Why maths figures attainment had gone down when HMIE had rated it as a strength. MP 
reported that this was a predicted drop owing to pupils’ individual attainment expectations. 
MP concerned that information presented not always appropriate to small schools. MP 
reassured that all children were progressing as they should and achieving their full potential 
based on individual ability.
(b) What attendance figures were, since the graph is missing on the report. Mary reported 
that the figures were now in – 96.36%. There were more absences for holidays than for 
unauthorised attendance, which counts as truancy. (ACTION: Mary to reiterate in newsletter 
that parents must send a note or an absence is defined as unauthorised). 
(c) Mary confirmed that all staff reviews have now been conducted. (ACTION: Mary will 
amend S&Q before circulating).

6. SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLAN: HMIE follow-up report. Mary produced the report which 
had just come in. Board members have taken it away for consideration.

7. FINANCES: Kay offered a reminder that Carola, as Treasurer, had asked for a breakdown 
of spending, which had not been seen and that Boards can be held accountable for this. MP 
explained her understanding was that HT’s have a responsibility to share how they intended 
to spend money allocated by Councils. (ACTION: Mary to produce a budget statement on 
how money has been allocated and to have Finances included at future board meetings for 
MP to talk through finances and give budget breakdown).

8. POLICIES: 
Learning and Teaching – MP advised this is the core of monitoring in the classroom and 
means that teaching staff share the criteria with children encouraging greater responsibility 
for their work. It is also a development plan issue following the HMIE point that monitoring 
should be improved. MP has revised her plan of attending each class once a week; it’s now 
one class per week. Mary reported that HMIE concern over respect and listening would be 
addressed through the updated Teaching and Learning Policy which will now be reviewed and 
updated and tie in with Positive Discipline Policy, both to be reviewed and updated. MP 
reported that Pupil Council has said they want a “happy” school. Kay reported a useful cutting 
from TES about how kindness raises attainment – one school became a “no put-downs” zone 
and children flourished, standards were raised within a year.
(ACTION: Mary reviewing policies; Kay to bring cutting.)
(b) Draft admissions. Approved. Some concerns over availability of transport. DRK to 
contact Rebecca Maxwell. 
(c) Crisis Management Policy: MP to update. Mary reported that Newton Primary had a 
good policy. (ACTION: MP to rewrite the policy)

9. PARENT NEWSLETTERS: Discussion about format and frequency. DRK advised that 
some parents felt it was a loss that they were no longer weekly. MP explained difficulties of 
weekly newsletters. PH suggested that children could participate in producing them. (Action: 
MP to discuss with staff). David requested that the staff views should be taken and other 
ways found to replace this communication.

10. PUPIL COUNCIL MINUTES: Kay had requested these be shared with the PA and Board 
as a means of communication with them, and in line with the other cross-referencing 
initiatives.

11. PARENT PARTNERSHIP GROUP: David expressed his sorrow that for the first time in 
the school's history of unprecedented parental involvement, only one parent had come 
forward for the two positions available on the Board. In light of this, he suggested that the 
PPG might be merged with the Board, especially since it was set up in April to discuss the 
changes to the Open Door Policy and the matter had never appeared on any minutes.
It was agreed that there was a lot of crossover with the Board meetings. (Action: PPG 
members would be consulted about whether to wind up the group and merge with the board, 
along the lines of the new Bill.)
  
12. SCHOOL LUNCHES:  Following a meeting with SC, a taxi will now bring the hot food 
from the High School starting 31st October. The parental lunch sub-committee was not 
required as it was a single-issue meeting. Mary explained P1-3 now go to hall at 12 to get 
settled before P4-7 join at 12.15. Everyone is out by 12.35, giving more playtime. Lunchtime 
ends at 1.15pm. This may be adjusted with the arrival of the hot lunches as they have to be 
served within half an hour of leaving the High School. These changes require a full-school 
consultation but as this is only a trial it hasn’t been done. The school is being flexible with 
parents collecting pupils for home lunches. Shena asked if it is an issue that P3 are getting an 
extra 15min playtime a day (losing an hour and a quarter of teacher contact time per week, 
around 50 hours per year). Mary said that it could be, but it was a grey area depending on 
whether hand washing and toilet visits were officially done in teaching or lunch time. 

Discipline in the lunch hall has improved. MP reported there is now no blanket loss of golden 
time. Instead, individual children get a yellow card as a warning before losing five minutes.

13. AOCB. (a) Jolly Phonics. Carola asked on one parent’s behalf if some P2s could get 
the Jolly Phonics too. Mary said that some are already doing so. If any parent felt their child 
wasn’t secure in their word sounds, they should approach her. She asked Carola to provide 
the child’s name so that she could check, which Carola agreed to do after the meeting.
(b) Nursery extended hours. Mary said that the application had been rejected because 
there was unused provision at Newton but that she would continue to pursue it.
(c) Sweeping leaves. Jenny said that the nursery children loved doing it. 

14. Date of next meeting. It was agreed to try to make it a regular slot to make it easier 
for any parents who wanted to come. David said he was doing a letter to all parents making 
it clear they are all welcome. The next meeting is 22 November at 7pm.


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