Prantan BSGI

Comhairle nam Prantan BSGI BSGI Parent Council

f/c Bun-sgoil Ghidhlig Inbhir Nis c/o Inverness Gaelic Primary School

An t-Slag Bhuidh Slackbuie

Inbhir Nis Inverness

IV2 6BA IV2 6BA

parantanbsgi@gmail.com

Parent Council Annual General Meeting

4th December 2018 at 7pm

BSGI

Parent Council Attendees:

Mary Riddoch Vice Chair

Esther MacRae

Jennifer MacDonald

Rosie Jardine Secretary

Other Attendees:

Lena Walker, Head Teacher

Parents x 3

Dolina Grant - Gaelic Community Learning and Development Officer

Apologies:

Garry Main Chair/Treasurer

Peter Davidson

Al Macleod

Minutes

1. Welcome

Welcome to all attendees.

2. Actions Outstanding

Progress

Owner

Bins for playground Garry has investigated the cost of fitting these and it is reasonable. Still need to ask if Mears will empty the bins once they have been installed.

Garry will order these. Make sure birds cant get into the bins.

Garry

List of baking equipment needed post to be put on Facebook asking parents if they have any spare to donate.

Mary

Mary to investigate if anyone wants to take the Comann nam Prant Inbhirnis forward as a group.

Mary

Post details of the planning application on the Facebook page for parents to access and review. Lena will email out the post to those not on Facebook.

Mary

3. Completed Actions since Last Meeting

What

Who

Garry to buy more play saucers and space hoppers. Need a list from Mrs Maclaren. No longer needed school got money to buy more active play equipment.

Garry

Extend invitation for representative of a Pupil Council to attend the Parent Council Meeting. Representative Kirsty Riddoch will be attending. Kirsty is on the school Pupil Council.

Lena

4. Head Teachers Report

Curam Cloinne:

Missing Paperwork 1 document was stored in a locked cabinet where it was displaced out of the file. Parent made aware and document destroyed.

Statements have been issued and any billing issues brought to the attention of The CCM have been addressed.

Please direct any questions to Kirsteen Keir, CCM, directly preferably by email to ensure correspondence is documented.

An email was issued regarding Availability until the end of school session.

CCM would like to remind all Parents that the Childcare Service runs between the hours of 08:00 and 17:45. The Childcare Service closes to Pupils at 17:45.

The Highland Council let is until 18:00 and Staff/Pupils are not insured to be in the building after 18:00. Staff require the last 15 minutes for administration duties.

Parent council Thanks:

Thank you from Mrs MacLeod for supporting tea and coffees at our Christmas Fayre. Also, to parents who were involved in running the Halloween disco. Raffle will be drawn with stall prizes at assembly this Friday. We raised 1841.

Oidhche Challain:

Feisean nan Gaidheal partnership. Fis na h-ige parents support has been fundamental in running Mr MacMillans class leadership project with the class from props to costumes to lighting workshops and organising knitting workshops and the program. We are also grateful to parents who will provide the musical support and help with lights and microphones. This has allowed Mr MacMillan to focus on the script and teaching the pupils the songs.

Staffing update:

We welcome Mrs Thomson back to BSGI teaching in P1/2 and Mrs MacLeod P1 will be Acting Depute during Mrs Bartletts maternity leave.

Cafaidh Coimhearsnachd na Gidhlig:

A big success with lovely feedback. Children benefitted from learning new skills and community awareness. The money will go toward school trip.

Parent Helpers:

Looking for support with reading groups and our library if there are any volunteers please email the school to arrange times to help out.

School Improvement Priorities:

Spelling staff trained in wraparound spelling with working group looking to create a spelling rationale for BSGI

Health and Wellbeing Part 1 Emotional literacy training completed with Lou Kinnear with all staff.

Profiling Learning Conversations will go home termly. Learning caf will commence term 1 & 2.

Andy McKechnie 345 for whole school day Sports Leadership request for support with money towards funding this.

5. Chairs Report

The Chair was unable to attend due to illness.

At the last meeting, a representative from the Highland Council attended to discuss the plans for the new nursery and P1 block to be built on the grassed area next to the school. The planning permission for this has now been submitted and parents are encouraged to review the application and make comments. https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=PHTR34IHMFO00&activeTab=summary

6. Funding / Treasurers Update

There is approximately 7,900K in the bank.

Expenditure approved:

1. Andy McKechnie - 345 approved.

7. Extension to School

Jacquie Laird, from the BSGI Safe Routes to School Committee, attended the meeting to discuss the impact of the school extension on the routes into the school. A response to the planning application has been sent to the Highland Council explaining the main issues considered by the Committee. A copy of the response is in Appendix 1.

8. AOB

a. Fundraising

The next event is the Burns Supper on Saturday 26th January 2019. Tickets will be available for this in the New Year.

9. Next Meetings

The meetings for the year will be:

Wednesday 16th January 2019

Tuesday 26th February 2019

Monday 1st April 2019

Wednesday 15th May 2019

Monday 24th June 2019

All start at 7pm in the school.

10. Appendix 1

11. Appendix 2

Head Teachers Report from the 30th October 2018

School Extension Update -

Jane Day has shared drawings of interior and exterior of new building.

Parking Update -

Highland Road Safety officers meeting agreed to discuss possibility of a gate opening at back of playground onto rollerball car park. This will be discussed with Rollerbowl to see if it is a possibility.

Painting of circle to discourage parking around circle and taxi only bays Term 4.

Buses -

Concerns regarding buses communicated to Caro Munro, Highland council transport officer. In the interim, to ensure the safeguarding of children dropped off early by buses, the gate will be opened from 8.30am. This is safer than being left in the car park which, depending on driver, is a patchwork occurrence.

Please note that PSA supervision starts at 8.45am. All children entering gate before this time are not supervised and the gate will be open.

Staffing update

Ashley Bartlett, Acting Depute appointed on secondment. Maternity leave will be covered by Acting Principal Teacher, Alison MacLeod. Class teacher vacancy has been sent to council for advert and is process is ongoing. We are currently advertising for after school vacancy. There continues to be a pressure with no long-term Gaelic supply available at present. There is a possibility that upper school stages would require English supply should a situation arise where there is no supply available to cover long term vacancy. Every effort will be made to ensure continuity and consistency of staffing where possible. The council have been made aware of this ongoing pressure.

School Improvement

Profiling

Learning Conversations were completed at parent appts. Pupils enjoyed reading comments from parents/carers. Next learning conversation will go home this term.

Curriculum Rationale

What does learning at BSGI look like. Good response to the questionnaire sent via email. Next step parent consultation group to look at draft of rationale & pupil voice gathering activity in response to their thoughts on what learning should look like.

VVA promotion of bilingualism

Vision, values and Aims are embedded in daily business of the school using Gaelic Ambassador / Gaisgich theme. Children are engaging and details of what this means has been shared in the last two newsletters.

Health and Wellbeing. Partnerships have been developed with the community. Birchwood Highland visited the school with a toolbox of lessons. The school took part in mental health awareness day. Community Psy Nurse visited and lead an assembly for upper pupils on strategies for keeping our minds healthy.

Developing Young Workforce Gaelic community caf project. Acting PT Alison and P7 teacher Iona Campbell visited Drakies caf and agreed to lead a project which would incorporate our developing the young workforce learning experiences as a whole school. P7 will take a lead responsibility with classes taking turns to run entertainment. Parents of classes will be invited depending on what class is on rota to provide entertainment.

Choir 30 pupils attended first session. Aiming to compete at local mod in June.

Nollaig / Christmas Fayre hampers information to follow. Partnership show with Feisean nan Gaidheal Mr MacMillan will take a lead role with his class in a drama. Choir will perform new material with partnerships to support with drama specialist, musicians and lighting. Feis na h-oige will provide support in liaison with parents for costumes, make up, props and set design.

Reminder Mobile phones are not permitted in school and must be handed in to school office.