TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1) Prize Giving - Parents would like to know what the criteria are for receiving prizes - both at
junior and senior level.

- It is felt that these criteria should be made clear to both parents and young people to allow
them to aspire to achieving.

- Why are progress awards not being awarded at the main prize giving - these young people
have achieved just as much if not more than the ones who are top in subjects.

- Marr Trust donated money in the past for academic awards - all children used to get £10 book
tokens. Is this still happening as young people not receiving the monetary rewards any more? -
Elaine at least partly answered this on Wednesday, do we feel we need more information?

Response

All senior prizes are based on the SQA results. The junior school awards are based on
achievement and effort in class. The school is aware that not all awards are given out on
a prize giving evening due to time and size of hall constraints. However, student’s efforts
are highlighted at 'Celebrating Success Assemblies'.

The Marr Trust still supports the prize giving but any donation by them is between the
Trust and the school

2) The timing of the Colours awards being given out.

- too late to allow students to have them on their blazers to wear during the school year.

- Could these be given out in June to allow for this to happen over the summer.

- Especially important for 6th year students.

Response

Due to academic results and prefects being appointed after the summer holidays it is not
possible to intimate colours/band awards until after school returns. Students will be
advised of the latest awards prior to the September weekend

3) School Team Photos - could these be put in the Diary? They are an inclusive way of
celebrating team spirit and achievement and a memento for young people to look back on in
future.

Response

This is a matter for the PE department. However Rae will speak to Craig McPike
4) Art Display - so much fantastic material is produced by the young people at Marr - could this
be displayed and perhaps even have a fundraising evening where they sell their work?? - this
has been suggested before??

Response

Some art work is already on display. Now that the building work is completed more art
will hopefully be displayed around the school

1/ 2 / 3 and 4 could be grouped under Celebrating Success??

5) School Calendar - It would be helpful to have school trips on the Calendar to allow parents to
be aware of what is coming up. Example is in 2nd Year just now there are two trips being
proposed and the first was very over subscribed - The young people believe that there is a
second languages trip scheduled to Barcelona - Elaine HT Report from last meeting said that
there was a trip planned to Barcelona in Sept 2018 for 1st year. I believe Rae verbally stated that
it would actually obviously be a Second year trip (bit quick for new first years to go away). I
wasn't confident on looking at the HT report and minutes to state categorically one way or the
other - an entry in the Calendar with the year group who will be travelling would be really
helpful. - I think we covered this in the meeting and the outcome was the Rae agreed that trips
were to be put in the calendar and that it was in progress?? Correct?

Response

School trips at secondary school are not like primary school trips where P7 always go to
Dolphin House and classes always have a trip but are very much bespoke and are driven
by teachers. As soon as a request has been approved pupils in the particular subject and
year are made aware of the forthcoming opportunity.

Trips can be put in the calendar at the start of the academic year but this should not be
taken as final as further trips may be arranged/announced. More expensive trips will
usually be intimated further in advance to allow time to save or fundraise

6) Discipline - Parents are wondering about the process for discipline at school - specifically
within the classroom but also the wider school environment.

Comments were -

-The process is there but is written in 'Education Speak' - it would be helpful to have a
translation document for Parents and Students to refer to and understand easily.

- Is the process being followed consistently by all staff - seems to be some cases where
punishments are being handed out in very large quantities and quite randomly?

- Concerns that better behaved children are losing out on teaching time because of teachers
having to deal with bad behaviour. Also concerns that when children are excluded, the result is
that they are moved to the head of departments classroom and they then may be disrupting Nat
5 or Higher Classes?
- Suggestions about mentoring programs which are available - as per Jackie's email MCR
Pathways etc.

- Parents have volunteered to be involved in working with the school to develop preventative
measures - following CALMS presentation - no one has come back to them asking for
involvement? Is there an update on this?

Response

Any matters that parents have concerning discipline at the school should initially be
raised with their own child’s guidance teacher

7) Dyslexia Friendly Schools - This had been raised previously at a couple of meetings - parents
had volunteered to be involved in a focus group but have heard nothing back? is there an
update on the focus group? Could we have this discussed at a meeting in the future?

Response

This can be discussed at a future meeting if desired. Fiona Young is happy to talk with
any parents who have concerns

8) Homework - concerns from parents about the lack of it in the junior phases of the school and
then young people are suddenly bombarded with a huge increase in the senior phase.

Comments--

-Feeling was that a more gradual approach would be sensible

- Consistency was mentioned parents noting that some young people had homework every
night while others had nothing.

- Homework planners had been mentioned at last meeting as a topic to be followed up on.

Response

The school this year is using the GLOW classroom rather than planners. Parents will be
able to use their child’s password to access the site.

Homework will very much be dependent on the subject. Under the Curriculum for
Excellence model students are encouraged to develop at school and consolidate at
home. Students should therefore be encouraged, if no homework is given, to review
recent class work at home and ensure that they have a sound knowledge of what has
been taught
9) Sanitary Bins - It seems that there are not sanitary bins in all the girls toilets - the
consequences being quite disgusting

Comments

- perhaps this is a hangover from the unisex toilets and bins need to be relocated? - is it correct
that toilets are no longer unisex?

- there is an expense associated with emptying these - if it is not being done for financial reasons
would it be possible to mark the doors of toilets which do or do not have bins so that girls know
before they use the cubicle?

I believe that this has already been raised by some 5th year girls with Mrs Maxwell and the ones
they reported to her have improved - so perhaps something already in progress?

Response

Sanitary bins are in 'girls' toilets with the exception of two sets of gender neutral toilets.
The girls know where these are situated.

10) Lockers - young people had lockers taken from them - are these going to be returned to
them? What will the process be?

Response

The lockers were withdrawn from the students whilst a uniform system was set up and
lockers in the new part of the building recently handed over became available. Lockers
are now being allocated to students. Students have been kept aware of the situation

11) Class Sizes - concerns about class sizes being over the 30 maximum in the senior phase.

The example given was a Nat 5 Maths class where children are apparently being asked to
register in another class and then return to be taught in the Nat 5 class so that there are not too
many showing on the register in the Nat 5 class.

Comments

This must be particularly difficult to manage when teachers are already teaching 3 subject levels
in one class - feeling that this was not the way that the 6:6:6 model was explained when at
consultation phase.I believe we have covered this and been told that the 3 level teaching is a
Scotland wide thing and the large classes are categorically not happening ?

Response

Any questions or concerns about specific class sizes should initially be raised with the
guidance teacher of the student
12) Lack of Attendance on Last Day / Week of term.

Comments

- given the figures Elaine presented at previous meetings regarding absense in relation to
performance it is really concerning.

- it seems to be a culture and this is still with both staff and pupils - pupils are not encouraged to
attend school on the last few days.

-Teachers are not there when students do turn up

- could we revisit the discussion about incentives to attend - changing the culture etc

Response

Pupils ARE encouraged to attend up until the last day of term. The figures for the end of
2016/17 showed improvement. Parents and teachers should continue to encourage
students to attend all school time up until the end of term

13) One I forgot to mention the other night was the cost of delivery for school PE t-shirts

- I am already looking at this for Craig McPike at the moment (It overlapped with some hockey
stuff). I have a quote from MBLEM who will be able to stock in town hopefully and have also
been approached by Colin Hill (Gilmours) who do the hockey kit and so he will also provide a
quote and can offer free delivery.

Response

As has currently been happening any discussion on this matter should continue to be
between interested parents/ sports groups and Mr McPike in the PE department