Kevin Culloch (KC)

Andrew LLanwarne (AL)

Graham Hutton (GH)

Allen Thurston (AT)

Ian Peart (IP)

Kevin Alexander (KA)

Fiona McIntosh (FM)

Kerstin Jorna (KJ)

Susan Duncan (SD)

Richard Smith (RS)

Lesley Elder (LE)

Andrew Nisbet (AN)

Louise McMenemy (LMcM)

Cllr. Laurie Bidwell (LB)

Parveen Afzal (PA)

Karen O’Rourke (KOR)

Julie –Anne Alexandr (JAA)

Fiona Anderson (FA)

Jo Ellis (JE)

Mary Holligan (MH)

David Martin (DM)

Cllr Ken Guild (KG)

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1

Welcome

AT opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.

2

Apologies for Absence

3

Minutes of Previous AGM

The draft minutes of the previous AGM, held on 13^th September 2011 were accepted as accurate. Proposed by DM and seconded by RS.

4

Matters Arising From Minutes of Last AGM

KC advised that the necessary amendments were made to the constitution and were approved at the December 2011 meeting. A copy of the revised constitution had been circulated prior to the meeting.

5

Chairperson’s Report 2011/12

Grove Academy has had another fabulous year. This is entirely due to the dedication of the school community including the head teacher, senior management team, teachers, support staff and students. Unusually, national attainment results are not yet available for the school. Therefore, it is not possible to report the usual facts that Grove is the top performing school in Dundee and compares favourably nationally. We have expectations that the three-year upward trajectory of the school attainment profile will have continued. The only results I can report with certainty are those from the Thurston household where my oldest daughter set a high benchmark for her sisters to follow. I offer my personal thanks to each teacher who is helping her (and every student in the school) achieve his or her dreams.

That said, schools are not only measured in terms of academic performance. Grove also has notable achievements by pupils in sports and the performing arts.  The large number of sporting achievements are quite rightly recognised by the school.  Excellence in the performing arts is apparent and the school has allowed the talent of our young adults to flourish in a number of performances e.g. the music evening and performances at music festivals. Such successes are testament to the dedication of staff that gave of themselves to support such events. These extra-curricular performances are allied to excellent learning and teaching opportunities in the classrooms on a daily basis. They all make Grove a place where young adults continue to grow and thrive. Our thanks must go to all those in the school who facilitate the achievements of our children.

Graham Hutton has bedded in as new head teacher.  We have a new uniform, a new timetable, new starting/finish times, new registration classes and a new curriculum.

The performance of the building has improved, but is still not faultless.

Dundee City Council has not delivered the road-safety improvements promised for the campus area. The council has had expert technical help from this Parent Council and it is unfathomable why this has not progressed.

Graham noted that cuts in the council budget for the school were impacting upon attainment levels in the school. The Parent Council will have an important role to play in supporting the school to ensure that Dundee City Council holds similar aspirations for students’ attainment and safety that we have as parents.

Finally, this will be my last year as Chair of the Parent Council. I would like to thank Kevin for his excellent work as Secretary/Clerk over the past four years. It simply couldn’t have happened without him. He has spent countless hours organising meetings and recording minutes.

Allen Thurston

6

Head Teacher’s Report

GH distributed copies of the 2012 SQA results report and provided a detailed explanation of the figures. He confessed to disappointment in one or two areas but overall he expressed his pleasure with the results. Targets have now been set for the 2013 exams.

Mr Hutton provided a comprehensive round-up of the school’s achievements and activities during the past year. Once again the school’s pupils demonstrated their prowess across a wide range of disciplines and achieved recognition at local and national levels.

Grove Academy were runners-up in the Scottish Schools Award for Global Citizenship at a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow on Tuesday 12th June 2012. There were over 650 applicants for the 17 different categories. Grove was presented with a certificate of achievement and a cheque for £250 which will be donated to the Meru HS fund.

School exchange trips organised under the twinning arrangements with Fukai HS in Japan and Meru HS again proved to be very successful.

GH gave details of the new staff who have now taken up posts at the school and expressed his pleasure with the positive contribution they are already making.

The 3 year School Improvement Plan is in its final preparatory stages before implementation. Mr Hutton noted the positive impact which the new school uniform has made and informed the meeting of the many comments, emails and phone calls he has received complimenting the pupils on their appearance.

7

Treasurer’s Report

DM advised that there has been no income or expenditure in the past year.

8

Nomination & Election of Office Bearers

The following persons were elected and will serve as the Parent Council’s office-bearers for the forthcoming year.

9

A.O.C.B.

Nil

10

Date of Next A.G.M.

Tuesday, 10^th September 2013