Minutes - 22nd October 2008

Minutes of Parents’ Forum
Wednesday 22nd October 2008

Present: John Catton, Sue Arber, Jo Melvin (Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator)

1. Welcome to Meeting

John Catton welcomed parents and introduced Sue Arber and Jo Melvin. Kevin Hartley’s apologies were given.

2. Teenage Pregnancy ~ Jo Melvin

Jo outlined the focus of her role in Peterborough and shared the following points.

i) Peterborough has a target to reduce teenage pregnancy by 55%, by 2010.
The figures for teenage pregnancy are exceptionally high in the city and, within that, the ward of Orton Longueville.

ii) The development of services to reduce these figures is a priority, targeted at those most at risk. (Handout ~ Teenage Pregnancy Risk Factors). As the school is in the ward, there is a wish to provide such services to OLS.

iii) An example of such services could be as follows:
~ real baby experience
~ youth worker support to develop self esteem and delay sexual activity.
~ school-based sexual health services through a HYPA clinic – would include
school nurse, youth worker, contraception advice on a drop-in basis.

iv) Provision would be of little or no cost to the school.

Parents were supportive of the HYPA. Jo said the provision of resources across the city was being reviewed currently. A HYPA clinic may be moved from elsewhere to OLS or the service will look for additional resources to set one up. Implementation is likely in 2009. In the meantime OLS could develop its own ‘Drop-in’ service using appropriate professionals. This could be one lunchtime a week or immediately at the end of school.

3. Minutes from Meeting held on 17th September 2008

John Catton summarised the school updates and parent issues raised at the meeting. He also gave an update on the Secondary School Review – Phase 2. Currently there is a refurbishing plan on the table for Orton Longueville. John explained the benefits of such a plan in terms of the site and quality of provision for our students.

4. Update from Headteacher

i) A new English teacher has been appointed for January 2009 to replace the colleague who left at the end of September.

ii) Open Evening was a huge success with many positive comments from prospective students and parents.

iii) A whole school review of the quality of teaching will take place in the two weeks beginning 10th November. SLT will be supported by the LA and colleagues from Ken Stimpson and Stanground as part of a reciprocal arrangement to provide ‘consultancy’ for each other’s schools. A report will be written at the end of the review. Staff will know which lesson they will be observed in.

iv) Ofsted subject inspection for Citizenship will take place on 4th & 5th November. This is part of the national programme for subject inspection.

5. Issues from Parents

i) Improved notices and signposting is needed at front of school for Open Evening.
ACTION: To be shared with MNI/PCO

ii) Students smoking at front of school site.
ACTION: Staff actively let known ‘smoking’ areas on the school site.
Students found smoking are punished by school detention and frequent offenders referred to the school nurse.

iii) Concern about KS3 SATs. John Catton confirmed that these will no longer take place with immediate effect. However, teachers will continue to make assessments at the end of Year 9 – an important predictor of success at the end of Year 11.

iv) Post-14 options structure will be finalised once the impact of the delivery of Diplomas from September 2009 on the existing curriculum has been addressed.

v) An observation that a bullying incident was dealt with really quickly.

vi) Could all vegetarian food in the school canteen be clearly labelled as such.
ACTION: To be shared with MNI/PCO

vii) Year 7 homework not on the website although evidence of a lot of homework being set. John Catton explained that use of the new site was currently under review in the light of some “teething problems”.

viii) A report of no cold taps in the library toilets (confirmed by Sue Arber after checking during the meeting).
ACTION: Matter to be discussed with MNI/PCO
However, locks were found now to be in place on all doors, repairs being organised speedily by our toilet janitor.

ix) Art starter packs have been paid for but yet to be distributed to Year 7.
ACTION: RPA to address

Date of next meeting ~ Wednesday 10th December 2008.