Tuck Shop

The first discussion was about the school tuck shop, a topic previously mentioned in the school bulletin. An email had been received with feedback, and parents at the forum agreed that greater clarity was needed regarding spending limits, the range of items available, and the emphasis on healthy snacks. The educational benefits of children handling money were acknowledged. Currently, the tuck shop is available only for Years 3–6, as younger children receive fruit as part of their daily routine.

Parents’ Evening Feedback

Parents provided positive feedback on the booking system for parents’ evening. They asked Mr. Nash to clarify the purpose of the summer term open day, particularly regarding opportunities to discuss their child’s school report. The possibility of spreading parents’ evenings over two weeks was discussed, as it could help manage staff workload.

Communication and Extra-Curricular Events

Parents in attendance were happy with the school’s communication and found the fact that events were planned well in advance, useful. Mr. Nash noted that some parents had suggested improvements and assured them that the school was working to ensure timely updates on events.

School Website

The forum discussed the school’s transition to a new website provider as part of Equals Trust. Parents requested improvements to the website’s calendar feature, which Mr. Nash agreed to explore.

Talk for Writing Event

Parents praised Mrs. Westies’ recent Talk for Writing presentation and appreciated the opportunity to see how children were developing their writing skills.

Joining Equals Trust

Mr. Nash asked if parents required any additional information about the school’s transition into Equals Trust. Parents felt that periodic reminders about the benefits of being part of the trust would be helpful.

Maths Teaching

Some parents expressed concern that maths was not given the same emphasis as reading and writing. Mr. Nash reassured them that staff were receiving high-quality training from Equals Trust and that a new maths scheme would be introduced in September. This initiative builds on the work already underway in some year groups. Concerns were also raised about the progress of the previous Year 6 cohort. Mr. Nash encouraged parents with specific concerns to speak directly with the school for further clarification on the steps being taken to improve maths across all year groups.

Homework

The topic of homework was discussed, with differing opinions, as is often the case. Mr. Nash reiterated his commitment to ensuring the school’s approach works for the majority of families and promised to take parents’ feedback to the Leadership Team for further discussion.

The next Parents’ Forum meeting is planned for Summer Term 2025, with details to be shared in the school bulletin.