This report provides an outline of a forum held with parents at Soldiers Point Public School (SPPS) 5 November 2014.
Aim
The aim of the forum was to hear directly from parents about some of the school's current practices and share ideas for improvement to help shape the future directions for the school.
More specifically the forum aimed to:
hear about what is working well in the school and what areas could be looked at for improvement
obtain feedback about the overall vision and strategic directions for the school
gather suggestions on how we achieve successful partnerships through collaboration and communication.
The outcomes of the forum will be used to assist in the development of the school’s 2015-17 School Plan. The School Plan is a three-year strategic plan require by the Department of Education which identifies the overall vision of the school, key directions and goals, and actions to achieve those goals.
Outcomes will also be considered by the P&C in planning future P&C initiatives and broader school community activities.
Forum
The forum was facilitated by Ruth McLeod, School Improvement and Finance Committee Coordinator with presentations from Simon Parson, SPPS Principal.
Nine parents attended the forum which ran for 90 minutes.
Participants were asked to participate in a series of workshop tasks aimed at gathering their ideas for the school.
Summary Findings
The outcomes from the forum reflect several key themes. These include:
SPPS provides a positive, caring learning environment supported by professional staff and the broader school community.
Communication between the school and parents/ care givers continues to be of concern.
Ideas to improve communication include more opportunities for direct contact between class teachers and parents/care givers; and increased communication regarding school processes.