March FOTS Meeting

FOTS AGM Minutes 23rd March 2021 Attendees:

Mrs Evans (KS1) Nicola Nott Lizzie Hughes Graham Gilbert Jules McLean Joseph Nicholson Jo Cole Steph Maxwell Steph Tatman Jemma Meehan Angela Lee Alex Clarke Ali Gyoker Jules Campbell Joey McGinn Tola Smith Angela Richardson C Askew

Summary of Project spends (see spreadsheet)

- now have a spreadsheet with staff contact allocated to each project

Completed:

- Storage container (£2000)

- Christmas lunch decorations (£336)

- Pantomime (£175)

- Outside learning area + equipment (£6,000 grant + £6,000 FOTS)

Active projects:

- Foundation stage improvements; equipment & reading books

- Lower playground improvements; entrance, cycle pods, planned path resurfacing (Paul)

- Classroom pledges; KS1 (small world sets and outdoor equipment), KS2 (TBC - items have been ordered and need to be assigned to correct classrooms)

- External Education Providers; World Book Day Author visits (£612.50 - amount TBC)

Y6 books £500

Forest School Maintenance

£1,500 allocated (usually £500 annually + £500 carried over from last year + £500 moved over from External provider underspend)

Proposed spend:

£1000 -> equipment i.e. ropes tarpaulins, trowels

£500 -> to clear pond (environmental person is coming in to ensure pond is cleared appropriately)

Mrs Chilvers has requested more funds including to train more forest school staff - exact amount TBC

Sustainability/Recycling initiative (was Sabrina McMann)

- recycling bins now sorted

Est approx. £500 spend if summer events go ahead (Angela Lee) including:

- reusable cups and labelled rubbish bins for events

Art equipment

Fran Galton has made some purchases including for a volcano project

Library books

- Laura Marrison initially planned to team up with the Bell bookshop and improve the books in the library (whilst supporting local business)

- new plan is to improve books in the classrooms instead

- Bell bookshop offered minimal discount so priority is to find a more cost effective source

- now working with Miss Newman to make a list of books required for each classroom

- they have had a clear out of books

- these currently being stored in the container for collection by a charity (check with Laura which charity?)

- FOTS happy to fund more books if necessary as this is considered a priority

- Graeme believes money was spent on new books previously - TBC

- need to ensure a good plan and system for purchasing and keeping track of books

Reading books:

KS1 - are currently sending reading books home with 72hr quarantine between each loan

KS2 - query why reading books are not being sent home in all KS2 classes? Mrs Evans to raise the issue and ensure consistency across key stages.

Book corners:

- being used as TA area in one classroom

- plan is for an accessible book corner in each classroom

Library:

- currently being used as the Foundation stage staff room

- FOTS members have offered to move books from the library into classrooms if necessary so books are accessible

Book donations:

- School & library welcome (age appropriate) book donations

- class reps to request donations

- some acquired via Christmas bazaar

Netball nets £541

Have been ordered - on their way

Line painting for playground (Mrs Evans)

Quotes range between £2000 - £3,100

Include use of good quality materials (containing plastic) that can last up to 10years

Option to create personal design

Lines have been repainted within the last 6years and have already gone so consider more durable material

Check playground surface quality (ensure lines are not going to outlive playground surface itself)

- Discuss with Paul Haines

Local (health insurance) company had offered to sponsor sports equipment (£1,500)

Nicola to check whether Mr Masters followed this up - company still happy to contribute?

Dictionaries - done

World Book day

- accounted for under External Education Providers so poss £1000 not spent?

Other:

iPads - there should be one in every classroom

- ensure Mrs Robinson (Y3/4 class) has an iPad (currently unable to provide parent updates and photos due to lack of iPad)

Mr Masters was due to do audit of iPads

- FOTS have already provided 12 iPads (exact no. TBC)

- request each class do an audit of iPads to confirm how many the school have

Y5/6 - door on toilet

Working Bee (fresh lick of paint)

- planned for future

- not too expensive as mostly labour + paint & plants

- discussed paying a professional - decided not best use of money

Music

- FOTS purchased 20-30 ukuleles - are these being used?

- ask Mrs Melero to ensure all teachers know they are available

- musical teachers might be able to make better use of them

2nd hand uniform sale:

- next week - Tues/Weds?

Class Reps - to ask for donations

Donations – books and 2nd hand uniform

- propose leave outside main reception in designated containers

- Nicola to put out containers and let office know

Account summary (Julian McLean)

- £18,000 in bank

- £7,500 committed

- £11,000 spare

Annual commitments: £3,500

Aim to maintain min. £5,000 in the bank to safely cover annual commitments

Y6 Leavers party

- Y6 committee organising this

- £460 spent 2y ago

- FOTS also happy to fund hoodies for anyone not able to purchase

Summer Events

- assume year group bubbles will have to remain separate

- restrictions could be lifted by 21st June? TBC

1. Sports day and after party

- proposed date w/c 5th July with back up date the week after (i.e Weds 14th)

- discussed greater focus on Houses and colours

Consider:

- updating house montages in school hall

- updating house (counter) boxes and announcing overall winning house on sports day (as so close to end of term)

- printing house flags that could be paraded around (Angela Lee’s brother has redesigned each house flag)

- opening ceremony (Steph Maxwell +/- Miss Newman?)

Ensure:

- two new gazebos in time for sports day

- is insurance covering replacement?

- colours? TBC

Volunteers (Sports Day):

C Askew

Angela Talbot

Angela Lee

Steph Maxwell - Opening ceremony / any performance related bits

Graeme (BBQ)

Steph Tatman - TBC (happy to help on the day – dependant on day of the week)

2. Camp out 17/18th July

- Jonathan Knight (Cool Camping) to sponsor (£500)

- approx. 30 pitches plus day tickets

Consider:

- tug of war

- bouncy castle

Volunteers (Camp Out):

Sam Tomkins

Jo /Barnaby Cole

Jules Campbell

Joey McGinn

Other suggested future fundraising events:

1. Movie night - under the stars

- poss leave until Sept when days are shorter

2. Cycle to Bruges (Tom)

- proposed for Sept (but Europe may still be in Lockdown) - postpone or move to UK event?

- Alex Clarke says all European charity events postponed to 2022

3. Halloween disco - October

4. Sponsored walk - Marlow to Henley

5. Quiz

6. FOTS T-shirts

- Alex Clarke’s neighbour can print stickers/keyrings etc

7.Cookbook

- on hold as need replacement publisher and photographer

- suggest people provide their own photos

- Angela has typed up all recipes so ready to print

- perhaps by Dec 2021?

- (Angela leaves in Sept)

(Y6 residential 28th June)

Other ideas:

Donations:

- space requests for donations out over the year (for financial and logistical reasons)

- rather than so much at Christmas (bazaar, tea towels, cards, wrapping paper, reverse advent etc)

- compile a list of all donation requests and attempt to spread out more evenly over the year

Next FOTS Meeting:

Tue 8th June 7.30pm