Dear Parents, Carers, Teachers, School Staff and Pupils –
We would like to extend our huge appreciation to everyone that helped make the Bruntsfield Primary School Winter Fair such a success.
We couldn’t have done it without the time and contributions offered by everyone, and our special thanks to Kristin, Jenni, Lina and the rest of our events team for their coordination and calmness.
As we look forward to the new year, we will continue to redistribute funds that have accrued over a number of years. As school life returns to relative normality, we are committed to supporting projects and initiatives that will widen access to opportunities for our community while recognising the diverse needs of our children. Stefan continues to work his magic with our clubs offering and we have been able to support a variety of training opportunities as well as kit/equipment and 100 discounted/free places. We continue to welcome funding applications from teachers and staff from within BPS but will also consider other applications from external community organisations which are intended to add value for the school, pupils and staff.
As such, most of you should be aware of the proposed development of St Oswald’s Centre (which sits immediately next door to BPS). We have received a funding application from their board, which would contribute to the ongoing renovation costs of a building that holds the potential to be an amazing resource for the school and local community.
We are excited to invite you to a Special Meeting that we will be hosting in school on the evening of Monday 16th January to discuss how funds are redistributed fairly to key priority areas in a speedy and transparent manner. As valued stakeholders we would really hope that you are eager to engage in supporting the school to nurture continued positive development
In other news, many of you will have been following the National Discussion on Scottish Education and there was a fantastic turn-out of parents and carers at the recent live online event. Parents made brilliant contributions, sharing views, observations and ideas. With the consultation now closed the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Ann Somerville, set out the next steps in a letter to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee:
“The National Discussion will deliver a ‘Call to Action’ with clear priorities for the future of Scottish education. Building on the highly valuable insights from recent reviews, the National Discussion will provide Scottish Education with the right platform to take a lead and to set our own direction for the future, with as much consensus as possible.”
The expectation is that a set of principles for the next 20 years of Scottish education will be developed and finalised in January and February 2023, with a particular focus on children and young people and their views.
Finally, you may be aware that there are a number of committees which representatives of parent councils attend to raise issues on behalf of parents. Please find links below to recordings of the most recent Consultative Committee with Parents and Education and Family Committee. You can also find the minutes from our own most recent Parent Council meeting (16 Nov) on our website.
In the meantime, here’s to a fun-filled festive break and a happy & healthy 2023!
Warm regards,
Bruntsfield Parent Council
