31st January Committee Meeting

Venue: St Andrews Road,

Time: 8pm

Attendees: Graeme Gilbert Jo Cole

Julian McLean Sue Golledge

Joseph Nicholson Louise Jones

Jane Hendry Nicola Notts

Pete Moody

Apologies: Steph Maxwell

Jo McGinn

Barry Carson

Financial update: Julian confirmed £22,000 of available funds

Update on classroom pledges: Rosie compiling list of teacher’s requests and will order the items. Julian will be notified when payment is required.

It was agreed that all purchases are to be made, by the school, by February half term. Any money not allocated by this time will be put back in to the FOTS pot and allocated elsewhere

Action: Pete to feedback that all classroom pledge purchases must be made by February half term

Nicola showed the FOTS website design she has developed. Ability to update with fundraising info, event news etc. Tickets for events can be purchased through the site, newsletters pushed out from the site and a FOTS email address is linked to the site. Opportunity for corporate sponsorship of website in return for logos on homepage

Costs: £60 for first 2 years then £100 per year thereafter

Plan to get all parents to sign up to the website and a FOTS information sheet/newsletter and sign up details to be added to the new parents’ information packs

Nicola confirmed that the Creative Duck would sponsor the website for 2 years and have their logo displayed

Agreed that the website was a great idea

Actions: Joseph: discuss website sponsorship when talking to corporate sponsors

Nicola: create FOTS info sheet and discuss with Jules about having this added to new parent information packs

Review of school’s aspirations of items that FOTS could look to support took place:

Purchase of 12 iPads for FSU – cost circa £3,000

Clarification on educational value of iPads for reception children required before FOTS commit funds

Action: Pete to obtain clarification from FSU lead and report back to FOTS via Slack by Monday 4 February. Vote for approval via Slack will then take place

External door for the library – cost unknown

This needs more investigation by Premises Committee and County Council to confirm it is a viable option

FOTS keen to support and will consider the financial input when plans have been approved

Action: FOTS to be advised by Helen Jones when the plans are approved and costs have been obtaine

Audio system for whole school use – cost £3,000 - £4,000

Pete confirmed that he has received 3 quotes for an audio system that will be easy for all teachers to use. Quotes in include all required equipment and installation

FOTS confirmed spend of up to £4,000 for audio equipment

Action: Pete to confirm to Helen Jones that equipment can be purchased

Lower playground – cost unknown

Ideas of how to improve the lower playground area around the scooter stands were discussed

FOTS agreed that a bike storage rack and double the amount of scooter storage rack than is currently there is required. As astro turfing the triangular area is not cost effective, it was suggested that the area is concreted/tarmacked

Discussions over the uneven surface on the pathway leading up to the lower playground resulted in a suggestion that this area is also concreted/tarmacked at the same time as the scooter area is refurbished

Agreed to ringfence £5,000 to contribute towards refurbing this area once school has confirmed designs

Action: Jo to discuss FOTS’ suggestions with Jules

Reading corner – cost unknown

School wants to create a quiet, reflection/reading area outside Pete’s classroom where the overgrown grasses currently are. It will be used by all the school as an outdoor learning space. This is in response to a SIAM inspection

Request is for FOTS to help fund the groundwork and decking of this area

FOTS queried why a new area needed to be created when there was already an area at the top of the field that was created for outdoor learning but is no longer used. Currently FOTS not in support of funding new area. However is was agreed that FOTS would match the money raised by the pj day that the school council arranged to raise money for the reading corner.

This are is currently unusable due to poor flooring. FOTS suggested we fund refurbishing this area to use as reflection space instead of creating a new space

Another suggestion was that a plan was drawn up (by premises committee) of the long-term plan for the lower playground area. It would be more cost effective and look more ‘joined up’ if a theme and a proper vision was developed for these areas rather than tackling each area separately

Action: Jo to attend next premises committee meeting to suggest this

Pete to put FOTS suggestion to support the refurb of existing area for reading corner instead of developing the new area and feedback to FOTS

Update on Events planned for this yearCeilidh (8th Feb)65 people attending which is a good number for dancing and accommodating tables Jo and Jane to buy booze from Tesco’s w/c 4 FebruaryLeft over booze from Graeme’s to be used – Jane to collectJoseph to collect beer and pint glasses from Rebellion on 8 February and deliver to Town Hall – quantities and timings to be discussed with JaneSue, Jo and Julian to assist with Town Hall set up on 8 February in the afternoon – Jane to confirm timings

Plans for FOTS to support an event for kids during school time

It was approved to ringfence £1500 for this school year to fund one event per term to benefit all year groups. First event to be booked this term, before the Easter break

Suggested events were the Mad Scientist, cookery using the science lab, survival style activities using the Forest school etc.

Action: Pete to discuss this option with Helen Jones as it needs to be able to be accommodated within the curriculum and feedback to FOTS

School Sports day (July), agreed it is to be a Friday

On the back of the successful after party last year it was agree that we should have a social event after this year’s sports day with bar, BBQ, stalls etc.

Action: Nicola to lead this event

Other opportunities (aim to have 1 child/ 1 parent event every term)

Glow in the dark disco – to be explored for October

Action: Jo to lead and investigate sports hall at Henley College

Bingo for parents and kids – to be explored for April

Action: lead for this event required

AOB

Ovens for science lab

Still not been ordered

Actions: Jo to follow up with Jules. FOTS suggest ovens be ordered by February half term or funds are allocated elsewhere

Science lab and Forest school audit

Results of the usage ‘audit’ was raised

Action: Jo to request audit results from Helen Jones