Summary of The Minutes - 6th July 2010

BURNTWOOD PARENTS’ COMMUNICATION GROUP

This is a summary of the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 6th July 2010

Chair: Verena West Assistant Principal

Minutes: Sarah Brack

1. Introduction and Welcome

2. School Travel Plan

Burntwood School is updating its School Travel Plan. A School Travel Plan is a document that outlines practical steps for improving children’s safety on the journey to and from school. The group was consulted on a range of issues surrounding the School Travel Plan. These included cycling, road safety and free buses.

3. Website Update

Parents are very happy with the website and made extremely positive comments about its look and content. They also find it easy to navigate. The main reason parents visit the website is to check key dates and information on uniform.

The group discussed ways of encouraging families to subscribe to the newsletter and the possibilities of receiving school letters via email.

4. AOB

• Parents are concerned that Sixth Form students are being marked as absent when they are, in fact, on a school trip.
• The group was informed about the recycling procedures that are currently in place at the school and how these will be extended in the Autumn Term.
• Parents looked at the designs created by Textiles students for a new Burntwood uniform.
• Burntwood has reached the ‘preferred bidder’ stage of its BSF programme. Uncertainty in Burntwood’s BSF programme resulted in a change to the end of term arrangements. Students will have a prompt start to next term to compensate for the change.
• Online reporting is under development so that parents will have increased access to students’ progress records.
• The group asked about the possibility of more trips for Year 8 students.
• Older students have been seen smoking at the bus stop opposite Burntwood. This will be investigated.
• Could a ‘Burntwood average’ be created and included in students’ reports to help parents assess their child’s level of performance?

The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 14th September 2010 6.30pm – 7.30pm