Eastern Primary School Parent Council AGM

On Tuesday evening, the Annual General Meeting of Eastern Primary School took place in the staff room of the school. A group of well motivated and interested parents and carers with children across the school gathered to find out more about the potential work of the Parent Council and to join in where they could.

Claire Leslie was elected as Chairperson. Claire replaced Elaine Smith, the Chairperson for the last two years, who was no longer eligible to remain a member of the Parent Council as her son had moved up to Grove. After a discussion about the responsibilities of the Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Minutes Secretary and Treasurer, volunteers were forthcoming.

In her report, Head Teacher, Gillian Knox confirmed that all the new Primary One children were settling in well and the school was full staffed. She also reported on a number of organisational changes such as the relocation of the resource base and staff room to more central locations within the school thereby freeing up more space for alternative school uses. She also responded to a number of questions from new parents about school photographs, Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) assessments, science in the curriculum, and the potential for developing a school exchange.

The Parent Council also agreed to develop a link with Broughty Ferry in Bloom.

 

New Stretch of One Way Traffic Restriction in Seafield Road Broughty Ferry

New Section of One Way Traffic in Seafield Road

Earlier this week Broughty Ferry's latest stretch of one way street was introduced on the southern end of Seafield Road between Grove Academy and Davidson Street. This narrow section of Seafield Road now only permits traffic driving north.

Traffic driving south down Seafield Road from Balgillo Road will find that at the cross roads with Davidson Street their path direct ahead is now "No Entry" and they need to turn right or left down Davidson Street.

Temporarily, there is also no turn available along Davidson Street heading west as this leads to Claypotts Road which is currently closed for complete resurfacing work.

As my photograph taken at twilight shows, the new short section of one way traffic begins by the back entrance to Grove Academy.

This traffic change came from recommendations made by a short life working group. This was formed to address concerns about pupil safety in anticipation of the move of Eastern Primary School to the refurbished old Grove building next door to the new Grove Academy. Chaired by the Chief Executive David Dorward, this group involved Head Teachers and members of the Parent Councils of Grove Academy and Eastern Primary Schools, senior members of staff from the Council's Education and Transportation Departments and Tayside Police and Ferry Councillors.

It is hoped that this measure will divert traffic towards the front entrance of the school on Claypotts Road and reduce the number of vehicles exiting Church Street onto Queen Street. The one way was deliberately introduced during the summer vacation so that residents could get used to this before the school runs resume on Tuesday 12 August.

Successful Spring Fair at Eastern Primary School

Mrs Skea announces
the results of the raffle.

On Saturday morning 19 May, Eastern Primary School held it's Spring Fair. This major fundraiser was organised by a sub-group of the parent Council under the leadership of Chairperson, Elaine Smith. For the first time the school used the Games Hall in their 'new' building where they re-located last year. This provided a large covered area for the stalls and many activities including face painting while some of the sporting activities took place outside such as the climbing wall. It was good to see so many parents and carers, children and teachers enjoying the attractions; it had the buzz of a busy covered market. The top raffle prize of an iPad2 drew a high level of interest in the draw. Depute Head Mrs Skea announced the winners at the end of the morning.  
As well as the fun of the fair, there was a wall chart inviting post-it comments from parents about what the school should 'Keep Doing', 'Stop Doing' and 'Start Doing'. This should provide a useful additional channel for feedback to the staff under the leadership of new Head Teacher Mrs Knox.

Eastern Primary School Parent Council Meeting Tuesday 24 April Beginning at 19:15

On Tuesday evening after my surgery at the Broughty Ferry Library, I attended the meeting of the the Eastern Primary School Parent Council. The new Head Teacher, Gillian Knox, attended her first parent council meeting after taking up her new role at the start of the Summer Term. She acknowledged the warm welcome she had received from pupils, parents and carers  and staff and looked forward to working closely with the Parent Council.
In the course of the meeting a number of issues were raised about child safety at the point children are dropped off at and picked up from school.  I was able to brief the parents about the work of the School Parking and Pupil Safety Working Group.
There was also surprise that the use of the Games Hall as a polling station on Thursday 3 May would preclude the school from staying open open on that day. We were told that this was because the games hall could not be sealed off from the reminder of the school. This surprised me because I had assumed that the Games Hall could be locked off so that it could be used as a sports hub out of school hours while securely keeping these users out of the school and council offices. To be investigated!

Charity Shop for Eastern Primary School was a Winner

The Charity shop that Eastern Primary School Parent Council organised for the week before the October holidays in Gray Street was a very effective fund raiser for the School. 


Chair of the Parent Council, Elaine Smith, informed me that: 
"we were very successful, 
we managed to raise £1380".
The money raised by the Parent Council will be divided equally between the School and the Resourced Location in the School.


Well done the Parent Council.

Good as New Charity Shop Open for This Week in Gray Street - Organised by Members of the Parent Council of Eastern Primary School

Industrious members of the Eastern Primary School will be opening the doors of their temporary Good as New charity shop on Monday at 29 Gray Street in Broughty Ferry.


The shop will open between 10 and 4 for the week of Monday 3 October - Saturday 8 October.


A rota of Primary Seven pupils will be helping out in the shop and making practical links with their Enterprise Project.


Chair of the Parent Council, Elaine Smith is taking a leading role in running the shop. She confirmed, at the recent meeting of the Parent Council, that the cash raised by the shop will be divided between the School and the Resourced Location at the school for pupils with special learning needs.