We are the Parent Council for Victoria Primary and Nursery School in Falkirk We are the Parent Council for Victoria Primary School
As of tomorrow lunchtime Victoria Voices ceases to exist - best wishes to all P7 pupils as they move on after the summer and wishing all parents & carers a safe and healthy summer break. I hope a parent council can be re-established asap to ensure your rights as a parent are protected. After 15 years supporting the school and nursery its been a pleasure but it’s over and out
I will continue to post any updates about the proposed changes until the end of term when sadly after 14 plus years this page and our X account will be closed as there will no longer be a parent council and my last child leaves Victoria
Just received this evening
Dear Parent Council Chair,
The proposed timeframe of next week for engagement with children and young people has been postponed until June. This change has been communicated to all Headteachers this afternoon and information on Participate+ updated. All parents/carers will be informed tomorrow via GroupCall.
When ready, parents/carers will be able to access the questions we will be asking and how the responses will be gathered. Engagement with children and young people will not include the presentation given to parents and carers.
15/05/2024
Project • Learning Week Engagement Following the conclusion of the Council's budget meeting back in February, a decision was taken at Council to engage with stakeholders on a future change to the learning week in our educational establishments. This change, if agreed by Council, wo...
For information to all parent/carers
School life - Changes to the learning week | Falkirk Council Life at primary and secondary school
The meeting invites were sent via Seesaw it’s Thursday 16/5 at 5pm
Has any parent received an invitation into the school to the budget presentation by our headteacher next week? (Please check spam before replying) We have been asked to feedback tomorrow TIA
Learning week proposal:
There will be a briefing for Parent Council Chairs tomorrow evening to give detail on a proposed change to the learning week. The proposal is for schools to finish at lunchtime on a Friday (reduction of 2.5 hours per week).
The parent body will be consulted on this, but if you have any feedback here is the link
https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/coins/viewSelectedDocument.asp?c=e%97%9Dc%92k%7D%90
Parents/carers will shortly be invited into a meeting at their child's school to discuss the proposed changes to the school day.
Falkirk Council are proposing that:
Pupils in school all day from Monday to Thursday, with a lunchtime finish on a Friday.
The council says that the reduction to the school week would allow the council to remove non-class contact cover requirement and associated cost.
For secondary pupils, the change would be from 26.6 hours to 24.75 hours per week. Pupils would lose 20 days of teaching over the year.
This is against the recommendations of the Scottish Government which is seeking to make the minimum teaching hours 27.5 hours and has warned Falkirk Council these proposals would not be acceptable.
Falkirk Council is saying that other Local Authorities have this model of the early Friday finish which they do, however they have shorter lunches and earlier starts to make up the hours which is NOT what FC are proposing.
Other authorities which run the model of finishing early on a Friday are currently seeking to INCREASE their teaching hours not reduce them.
As we have no Parent Council the outgoing chair is deeply concerned at these proposals and urge you to attend any consultations and make your voices heard.
You will be aware of the current proposal to make changes to the learning week in our schools. Before a decision is taken by Council on whether to accept this proposal, engagement with stakeholders (including parents) must take place. The timeline, dates and types of engagement are currently being finalised and will begin in May. This will include an invitation to a meeting for Parent Council Chairs from across the Council area.
We are contacting you in your capacity as Chair of your schools Parent Council to inform you that the details of engagement (including dates and times of meetings) will be circulated week beginning the 15th April. The communication in April will provide more detail on how parents can access engagement sessions to ensure their views are heard prior to a decision being taken by Council.
At the moment we do not have a current Chair but if interested in taking up the reins please email [email protected]
03/05/2024