Author: Breadalbane Parent Council

Meetings, Parent council

Agenda for March 2013 Pitlochry meeting

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Don’t forget, the next Breadalbane Academy Parent Council meeting is in Pitlochry on Tuesday 26th March, 7pm in staff room at Pitlochry High School. All welcome!

We’re still working on the agenda. At the moment it looks like this:

  1. Welcome and apologies
  2. No 23 bus update
  3. Fund raising update 
  4. Update on the recruitment of a Gaelic Medium teacher
  5. Avon and the BPC 
  6. Parent Council questionnaire. 
  7. Evidence2Success update
  8. Pitlochry parents: a chance to raise any Pitlochry specific issues. 
  9. Head teacher’s report
  10. Any other business

If there’s something else you’d like to discuss, let us know on contact@breadalbaneparents.com. Or just turn up on the day and raise it under “any other business”.

Child Welfare, Perth & Kinross Council

PKC Evidence2Success survey: what do you think?

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Jason O’Flynn, the Perth & Kinross representative at the Scottish National Parent Forum has asked every Parent Council in the region to find out what you, the parents, think of the Evidence2Success survey recently carried out by Perth and Kinross Council and NHS Tayside.

In February, all children in Perth and Kinross from primary 5 upwards took part in the Council’s Evidence2Success survey. PKC describes this as “engaging communities to increase the involvement local people have in decision making and other actions”.

However, some parents have expressed reservations about the survey. Their concerns include:

  • Not enough effort was made to gain the parent’s consent: some parents say they didn’t receive the letter the council sent out. And the survey was opt-out, rather than opt-in.
  • That consent wasn’t informed: had they seen the kind of questions in advance, some parents say they would not have given consent for the children to take part.
  • Questions were inappropriate to the children’s age: with 9-year-olds being asked if they took specific, named drugs; if they or their friends carried knives to school and so on.
  • Some questions were intrusive: with children asked to comment on who lives in their home with them; their relationship with their parents; their weight; their sex lives and so on.
  • The data can be linked back to each child: parents were told the survey was confidential, but each child was asked to enter their date of birth and their Scottish Candidate Number.

Some parents have even complained to the Scottish Information Commissioner; claiming that the survey breaches the Data Protection Act 1998.

Perth and Kinross strongly refutes this claim and stands by the survey. A PKC spokesperson said:

“The aim of the project is to help us work with communities to significantly improve the health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families in Perth and Kinross. The approach involves members of the Community Planning Partnership … working with the social research unit at Dartington to refine existing and develop new approaches to service provision. “

See the full quote in The Courier.

What do you think about the survey?

  • Do you support Evidence2Success?
  • Do you have any concerns or questions?
  • Would you have liked greater consultation before hand?

Tell us what you think! Either post on this item or mail us at contact@breadalbaneparents.com

If you haven’t seen the surveys yet, you can see them here:

Meetings, Parent council

February minutes now online

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The February minutes are now available. Highlights of the meeting include:

  • Breadalbane kids quiz astronauts over a radio link to the International Space Station.
  • Parent Council offers financial help with the cost of transport to school activities.
  • Breadalbane chemistry pupils win regional trophy for prestigious Top of the Bench quiz. Next stop: the national finals in Luftborough!
  • Parent Council discusses the council’s controversial Evidence2Success survey.
  • HMIe are coming to inspect the school on 18 March 2013. They will be asking the views of Parent Council.

The last item is particularly important. As a parent, you have a right to be heard. If you have anything you want the Parent Council to raise with the HMIe inspects, tell us now!

For a complete run-down of what was discussed, see the full minutes online.

Meetings, Parent council

Parent Council to meet in Pitlochry

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The next meeting of the Parent Council is on Tuesday 26th March, 7pm in staff room at Pitlochry High School. We’ll be discussing all the usual stuff and everyone is welcome.

It would also be great to hear from Pitlochry parents, including parents of kids in S4 who are about to make the move to Breadalbane, about any Pitlochry-specific issues.

If you have something to say, or questions you want answered, then we want to hear from you.

Child Welfare, Clubs & activities

Family activity day for young people with additional support needs

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On Saturday 16th March, 10am-12 noon at the North Inch Community Campus, Perth there will be a family activity day for young people with additional support needs.

With two hours of activities including trampoline, basketball, boccia, badminton, gym use, table tennis and much more, it promises to be a fun day out. And if you have completed a gym induction and it is registered with Live Active you can also use the gym on campus, which will be supervised.  

The day is sponsored by Perth and Kinross Disability Sport. Entry costs £3 for two people or £5 for a family of more than two people.

If you want to attend, please email Lynn Melville providing the following information:

  • The names of the children attending.
  • The number and ages of children attending
  • How many adults will be attending.

For full details, download the official flyer for the event.

Perth & Kinross Council, School news

Council wants your feedback on Breadalbane Academy

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The school is being inspected this month, in what’s called an Extended Learning and Achievement. As part of the preparations for this visit, the council has posted an online survey which it wants parents to fill in.

http://pkc.community-campus-extended-learning-and-achievement-visits.sgizmo.com/s3/

It only takes a few minutes to fill in and will help make the inspection a success.

 

Clubs & activities

Volunteers needed to save Duke of Edinburgh

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Breadalbane pupils set to miss out on Duke of Edinburgh awards places: school calls for adult volunteers

Breadalbane Academy’s Duke of Edinburgh scheme is the victim of its own success. Under the leadership of languages teacher Mr Gus Clarke, and his predecessor PE teacher Mrs Sheila Burrell , the scheme has been such a hit that the school no longer has enough mentors for all the pupils who want to take part.  It desperately needs adult volunteers, otherwise lots of enthusiastic young people will miss out.

“For each team of up to seven pupils that goes out on expedition, we need one qualified adult”, explains Gus Clarke.  “If we are to continue supporting those pupils already enrolled in the Award at Breadalbane, I think it will be necessary to cut this year’s intake to 14 or even seven pupils.  Such a shame when we have just won £5,000 from Lloyd’s bank to buy new tents!”

Can you help?

Can you help? We are looking for adult volunteers who:

  • enjoy working with young people and would like the opportunity to pass on their knowledge,
  • have time to give over the summer to help with the expedition section of the Award.

If you have outdoor experience, that’s great. If you don’t, don’t worry, you’ll get all the training you need. The most important thing we’re looking for is enthusiasm and a level-headed approach to life.

It won’t cost you a penny

Don’t worry, it won’t cost you a penny.  The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Association, in partnership with Perth & Kinross Council, will provide any necessary training, and where practicable will cover the cost of the trips and other expenses.

“The Association is keen to help volunteers and to make sure that any available funding is brought to the volunteer’s attention”, says Steve McQueen, Senior Development Officer at Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Association, Perth and Kinross. “We also work very closely with Perth & Kinross Council to provide the necessary training and resources for volunteers.  All new volunteers receive guidance and also a personal welcome from an area co-ordinator, who will help and support the groups, their leaders and most importantly, the volunteer.

Get in touch

Breadalbane Academy desperately wants every child who applies to have the chance of taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme next summer. But at the moment that doesn’t look like it will be possible.

Could you volunteer to be a Duke of Edinburgh mentor? To find out more, email Steve McQueen.