An email from the Parent Council Chair to local Councillors and members of the Education, Families and Children Committee of Edinburgh Council calling for investment in Trinity Academy to be made a top priority for the 2018/2019 budget setting process.
Tag: Campaign Budget
Victoria Consultation Response
The Parent Council has now submitted its formal response to the consultation on the proposed catchment area changes and relocation of Victoria Primary School to a new site on the Western Harbour. You can read it in full in our downloads area.
The Parent Council accepts the proposed change of catchment area for our school. However, we also urge the Council to ensure that the need for necessary investment at Trinity Academy is addressed in the near future.
These changes are driven by the rising rolls in the primary schools in this area. It is also clear that the ‘bow wave’ of those rising rolls is currently in P5 and likely to further increase the pressure on Trinity Academy’s roll. City of Edinburgh Council papers have identified Trinity Academy as already having issues with its core facilities to meet its existing capacity and forecast roll increases will increase these pressures, with no solution currently identified.
We want to ensure that when we welcome increasing number of students to the school, they have the best possible environment and resources for learning.
The consultation process ends on Friday March 17th. Please add your own feedback to these proposals through the Council’s website or by email.
Victoria Consultation Response
Deputation from Trinity Academy Parent Council to the Education, Children and Families Committee
This week we issued a written delegation to the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the ‘Wave 4’ programme for refurbishment of Edinburgh schools and lobbying for additional investment in the school.
As a result, the meeting of the Education Children and Families Committee on Tuesday this week passed the amendment summarised below:
“To further agree to offer to establish a working group at … Trinity Academy … and that improvement options be reported back to Committee in March 2017”
We felt this was necessary because there are a few specific areas where the school is already unable to accommodate its existing roll and these accommodation pressures are going to increase in the near future as larger numbers are expected from feeder primaries. Our further concern is that during the long process of preparing Wave 4 plans, investment in the school has been significantly reduced.
We are very pleased to have the chance to work directly with the Council officials on this and look forward to seeing what improvement options they propose to the committee in March next year.
A copy of the letter is available for download in our documents archive.
Deputation from Trinity Academy Parent Council to the Education, Children and Families Committee
This week we issued a written delegation to the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the ‘Wave 4’ programme for refurbishment of Edinburgh schools and lobbying for additional investment in the school.
As a result, the meeting of the Education Children and Families Committee on Tuesday this week passed the amendment summarised below:
“To further agree to offer to establish a working group at … Trinity Academy … and that improvement options be reported back to Committee in March 2017”
We felt this was necessary because there are a few specific areas where the school is already unable to accommodate its existing roll and these accommodation pressures are going to increase in the near future as larger numbers are expected from feeder primaries. Our further concern is that during the long process of preparing Wave 4 plans, investment in the school has been significantly reduced.
We are very pleased to have the chance to work directly with the Council officials on this and look forward to seeing what improvement options they propose to the committee in March next year.
Proposed ‘redesign’ of Music Instructor Service
Trinity Academy has a fantastic music department as we saw recently at the recent Christmas concert. As part of the budget proposals for 2016 onwards the Council are looking to implement a cut of 75% in the Music Instructor Service budget.
To review the school music service to explore the potential for it to be self funded, for example through the creation of a social enterprise model. 25% of the budget would be retained to support children in families who do not have the resources to access the new model and consideration would be given to those following SQA courses. A service will be created where the quality of provision will be maintained, however, there will be a contribution for music tuition based on the ability to pay.
In short the Council is proposing that the 75% will be replaced by a contribution from parents. Many see this as bringing a risk that this will affect those with the least resources disproportionately regardless of how it is presented above.
If you are concerned that this cut may affect teaching at our school you might wish to lodge your concern via a petition that has been started on the change.org website.
Of course, if you have views on this proposal please feel free to contact us and we will raise any concerns with our local Councillors.