The full minutes are circulated via the school portal to all parents and carers, including a full list of attendees and actions. If you would like to attend future Parent Council meetings or contact the Merrylee Parent Council, please do so using the contact form on this webpage.
Welcome, introductions and apologies
Minutes from 1st October Parent Council meeting were approved by Clare and seconded by Ross
Actions from 1st October Parent Council meeting
Attainment
Colette updated the meeting that there had been a Collaborative Improvement Visit at the school comprising Glasgow City headteachers and leads in literacy. Then feedback from this visit was very positive. They were very impressed by the children,
with their engagement and knowledge of their learning. As a school we were advised to look more at a National Standard for the assessments as the Merrylee standard is generally high. Therefore it can be understood that attainment is higher than the recent Quality and Standards Report suggested and would be expected to rise again in next years report.
Merrylee usually aims for 80-90% level and the reports are done annually.
In addition, evidence is being gathered by teachers which will identify children that are on track and those that might not be on track.
Paired Reading
The school would still benefit from more people volunteering to take part in paired reading. If anyone is able to spare 20 minutes once a week, please get in touch with Mrs McLaughlin.
Reading workshops
Colette will schedule dates in for these.
Pitch/ Play area surface replacement
- Ross updated the meeting that at the recent Newlands and Auldburn Area Partnership meeting on 9th November, £100,000 will be awarded to the Cathcart and District Community Council (CDCC) ward.
- CCDC met on 23rd Oct and confirmed that there will be a community consultation poll in late January to help determine how this money will be spent. Yla mentioned that the pitch came up highly in recent polls.
- When the polls are live, everyone can vote on their priorities and parents/ carers should be encouraged to vote and comment on why they are voting for the pitch and what its replacement would mean for their child.
- It was noted that Linn ward could put forward some of their area budget as a lot of children attending Merrylee live in this ward.
- A parent had noted health and safety concerns from the degrading pitch. This has already been assessed by GCC health and safety personnel and is deemed useable.
- It was noted that CCDC have also put aside funds for Merrylee playpark.
- GCC will cost the pitch surface replacement with an organic option.
Pupil Voice
PC will be asked to attend the next Pupil Voice meeting.
PC Supporting Letter
Letter of support to GCC from the PC to help push forward the defibrillator installation and the outdoor classroom roof costing and any other outstanding elements will be addressed in the new year.
Headteacher’s report
Colette reported that the outdoor classroom has been tidied up and is now useable with the help of 4 parents/carers and 20 children, who all did an amazing job.
The roof is temporarily covered in tarpaulin to keep it weathertight.
The school will share a time-lapse video of the big tidy up with the school community.
This meeting is Colette’s last ever PC meeting as HT of Merrylee and Colette thanked everyone for all their help and support in making Merrylee so great and shared that it had been an absolute privilege to be HT. We wish Colette all the best and a happy retirement.
Communication within the school community
There was a discussion about communication within the school community.
Social Media + website
It was decided that Merrylee Greenfingers will close their Facebook page and will post through the PC account. They will use image folders to signpost to grant funders which require there to be social media activity around projects.
The private PA Facebook group will continue to enable closed information.
The public PC Facebook group should be utilised but will need volunteers to manage.
PC will call out for social comms volunteers as part of their overall communications plan.
A parent suggested using the PC or school website as an information hub, and not social media, so avoiding the privacy issues etc. it was decided that Facebook would continue to be used in the immediate future while a review of all comms and how to streamline things was developed. PC are to come up with a comms plan for the next meeting for review.
The school agreed that streamlining communications would be helpful and CH asked PC to speak to Mrs Timoney regarding using the school website as an information hub.
School Comms
Inconsistencies across the variety of comms formats was noted, from Parent Portal, to Seesaw/Showbie, to Parent Pay and X/Twitter.
The school mentioned that Parent portal has challenges in use for the school, but it is deemed better than Seesaw for the viewer and the school will aim to be more consistent in their messaging.
Current Communications channels used:
PA – Facebook, class whats app chats
PC – Website, Facebook, class whats app chats, Mailchimp
School – Website, Bluesky, X/Twitter, Parent Portal, Seesaw/ Showbie, Parent Pay
Parent Council and sub-groups
There was a discussion about the size of the Parent Council, attendance at PC meetings, and how to best manage sub-groups.
In accordance with the Parent Council consultation there should be a maximum of 20 individuals comprising 18 parent/carer members and 2 teaching staff representatives on the Parent Council. If members don’t attend 3 consecutive meetings without reason or apology, they are deemed to have retired from the Parent Council. The list of members is available on the Parent Council website.
It was noted that Cllr Sean Ferguson is a co-opted member of the PC.
James put himself forward to become a member of the PC. Colin, Phil and Cara are considered to have stood down from the current PC, we would welcome their return in the future.
The PC would like to engage further members to represent all year groups across the school and should put out communication on this.
The current Parent Council subgroups are:
- Merrylee Parents Association
- Merrylee Greenfingers
- Merrylee Music
- Merrylee Bikebus
- Merrylee Football
Any potential new groups to be formed such as a Comms team or Road-Safety Watch, would become subgroups of the PC.
Fundraising
Fundraising was discussed and the following was agreed:
- Raising funds from the school community with activities such as: dress up days, family events, fairs, etc, will be agreed and coordinated by the PA. The PA has a monthly meeting, which all are welcome to join, and the first meeting of the new school year is where plans for fundraising for the forthcoming year are agreed.
- All monies raised by the PA will be added to the fundraising pot and it will be discussed between the school and parent/carer community about how to spend funds, in consideration of school needs and shared priorities.
- Sub-groups who wish to raise funds for specific activities, such as the school garden, should be raised externally and out with the school community, such as grant applications. This will ensure that not too much is asked of our school community and acknowledges the school request to reduce the cost of the school day.
- Funding applications should be discussed with the PC and the school and the PC will provide support as needed. Grant funds should come through the PC accounts.
The meeting briefly discussed two grant funding opportunities that a PC member shared for Merrylee Music (Music for All and Universal Music UK). Merrylee Music are to look into and discuss with the school and the PC in terms of putting funding applications forwards.
Merrylee Greenfingers Update
Yla provided an outline Merrylee Green Fingers (MGF) update on the Lets Grow Together grant project.
- MGF are looking to speak with Mrs Allinson to ensure that the project can connect with outdoor learning.
- The key things that MGF need to achieve before the holiday are:
- Removing the broken planter in front car park.
- Take apart poly-frame tunnel polytunnel frame and store in
shipping container. - MGF need to find volunteers for laying the turf at the end of Spring term (before the Easter holidays).
The meeting discussed exploring corporate volunteering for this as well as putting on the council forum for parent/carer support.
It will require around 8+ people for a full day to complete.
Elena offered to look into how to get corporate volunteers.
Merrylee PA update
Clare updated the meeting on the work of the PA.
- Halloween Discos were very successful with 300 children attending.
- Seasonal Goods – there had been 663 orders, Clare will update on commissions at the next meeting.
- The Merrylee Cashpot for schools scheme at Asda is currently at £191. With the PA planning to get fair goods at Asda this will hopefully rise and any families who shop in Asda, this scheme runs until the end of November.
- For the upcoming YES day, PA are asking for donations to hampers/ raffles for the Winter Fair, parent/carers can donate after the day with a box at the school entrance.
- Upcoming Winter Fair tickets will be on parent pay until 27th November but will also be able to be bought on the day.
- The PA still need volunteers for stalls/ face-painters/ homebaking and will do a call out across class whats app chats.
Upcoming PA Activities: - Family fun night 2025
- Spring Disco
- Sponsored activity in term 3, details TBC
Colette asked about where to get xmas trees from this year and the PA are looking into options.
PC Treasury Report update
Graham gave a report on the PC finances.
AOB
- Parent query over having an optional school tracksuit to enable PE and daily mile without the need for constant change of footwear and changing in general. Parent is happy to cost up and look into options.
Initial feedback from the school was they felt having an optional tracksuit would add pressure on families to have to buy more things. They felt that the school is already very flexible on school uniform. Footwear can be indoor and outdoor trainers with no requirement for black school shoes.
This might be something to pick up again if needed when the new HT is in post. - Ellie mentioned that there is a fully funded opportunity for CCA to engage Glasgow primary schools in 3 creative workshops. All Glasgow primary schools should have been invited to participate in the programme. Good opportunity for expressive arts committee. Colette/PC to look into this.
- Yla mentioned that the Burrell will be providing free buses to take local school children to the Burrell to visit. When this opportunity is live Yla will let the school, know as they will need to registrar interest right away.
- Yla mentioned that the CCDC are hosting a free festive family film day in the afternoon of 14th December at Couper Institute.
- James mentioned that he is still to speak with Tennis Club about safer pedestrian access through the car park.
- James did a quick MM music update:
- MM funds from dress up day went to the school contributing to the current voice project.
- MM are keen to maintain the momentum within the group to support musical activities within the school.
- It was discussed that it would be great to have music specialists coming directly into the school, such as the opera workshop idea, and this is something that could be scheduled for Term 3 or 4.
- It was discussed that a fundraising event with a musical focus should be agreed at the first PA meeting of the 2025/26 school year.
- Dawn/PC to attend next Merrylee Music meeting.
Date of next PC meeting will be advised in the new year
