Seashells ELCC
AGM 05.10.2015
Held in the playroom of Seashells ELCC, in the Eyemouth Community Centre, Albert Road, Eyemouth TD14 5DE
Present;
Stephanie Patterson (Chairperson), Annemie Janik (Manager),
Lynsey Finnie (Early Years Practitioner), Lisa Slicer (Early Years Support Worker),
Julie Windram (Administrator).
Committee Members: Marina Batista, Laura Chisholm, Susan Smith, Gillian Kerr, Vicky Pringle (Parents/ Carers of all children who attend Seashells are automatically Committee Members)
Apologies: Sarah Maltman (Vice-Chairperson), Judith Dempster (Early Years Practitioner)
Introduction
The meeting was started with Annemie thanking everyone for attending, she understands that everyone has busy lives and really appreciates that so many of the committee members could attend. Annemie introduced the policy folder to the meeting, and invited the committee members to have a look through and read them, and informed the group that her long-term plan included uploading these onto the Seashells website. For the time being we will put copies of them in our suggestion folder in the entrance room, please have a read through and feel free to comment on them.
Planning
We are working closely with the Scottish Borders Council and our ELCC has a new support teacher, called Jane Tailor. We are having topics but we are also giving the children lots of different learning opportunities through play. Annemie showed provision area overview plans to show parents how children can engage learning through play.
To give children more individual attention and individual learning goals we started a key worker /system. Every child has a key worker which works very close with the children, fills in the observations, plps and care plans.
Transition
Transition to primary school will start again in April. The new P1s will have visits at the school and get to know the new environment.
We got invited to the Story Telling Festival with all children the 23rd of October to spend some time with children from the school nursery and Highways nursery, not as part of the transition.
Nursery starts
We are having small numbers at the moment in the afternoons, but we have some new children coming in. The maximum amount of children we ideally want in the afternoon session is 12, this is to ensure that the children are given more individual attention, as well as the number of staff gets so high.
Improvement
One big part of our last improvement plan was our outside space. We have had the new flooring put down which makes playing more safely. We also got the new pirate ship and bikes. The children enjoy their new play area and have more play opportunities.
We still would like to paint the fence to be able to take the green net off the inside. It would be great if we could meet with some parents to do it together.
We can start with P.E. again. The hall will get refurbished but as long as the work hasn’t started we can use the halls on Fridays.
Staff
Annemie informed the group that Megan McDonald was to finish in her role as Early Years Practitioner within the ELCC, as she wished for a full term contract which unfortunately the ELCC was unable to offer her.
Lisa Slicer has been moved onto a 12 hour contract, with effect from 28th September.
Training
We will be getting another pupil from Scottish Borders College, who will attend 1 full day per week starting after the October holidays.
Lynsey Finnie is hopefully going to start the SVQ Level 4 Childcare course,
Julie Windram is currently studying for the Level 2 Childcare course, and Gemma Tones is attending the ELCC on placement whilst she studies for her Level 2 Childcare course.
Fees
Julie was asked to confirm the procedure to pay the fees;
On a Friday the fee’s are calculated and a yellow bill is attached to your child’s box outside the playroom along with a bank bag.
Please insert your fee payment in the bag and pass to a member of staff.
If you are paying for fee’s before a Friday, please ask a member of staff for a bank bag, there are names of each child held beside the main door and the staff member will put your child’s name into the bag, in order to reduce confusion over who has paid the fee’s OR please ensure you write your child’s name on something inside the bag.
Julie will process the payment, and a receipt for the payment will be put inside your child’s box, if you have given payment with the yellow bill inside the bag, this bill will be attached to your receipt.
Julie was asked about paying the fee’s by standing order and informed the meeting that she is happy for the fee’s to be paid that way, some parents are already paying their fee’s this way and it works out well. If anyone would like further information, bank details etc to set this up please see Julie.
If you have any questions, please see Julie.
Finance
Julie explained that RS McColl (Eyemouth Petrol Station) have nominated Seashells as their local charity to receive their ‘Making a difference locally’ initiative fund. It is still being processed but if we receive confirmation that we have been successful all parents/ carers will be informed!
We have applied for the CO-OP Local Fund, where a number of local charities can apply to be considered for the fund, which is made up from the 5p charges for carrier bags. The local community will be given a chance to vote for the charity they wish to be successful. The final 3 charities with the most votes will receive a portion of the funding. If we are successful we would like to put the funding towards purchasing a ‘6 Seater Kiddy Bus’.
Fundraising
Halloween – we would like to hold another Sponsored Fancy Dress Halloween Party this year as last years proved to be very successful, all committee members agreed to this.
In previous years we have used Tempest Photography to take the children’s photo’s, and we receive commission from them, but it was felt that after the outcome of previous years photograph session, we would do something else. We have contacted Sophie Skene, and she has agreed to come into the nursery on Friday 6th November to take the children’s photos, more information will follow.
Christmas Fundraising – this year we will be selling Christmas mugs personalized by the children, images were passed around and the decision was made by the committee members that we would use the Santa design,
AOB
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Signed:
Stephanie Patterson:………..…………………………… Date: 26.10.2015
(Chairperson)
Sarah Maltman:……..……………………………… Date: 26.10.2015
(Vice Chairperson)