The second meeting of the newly formed Parent Support Group was held on the 19th of July 2022 at 6pm with further meetings continuing quarterly.
After parent introductions, we welcomed one of our new business partners, Lisa Demetri, who manages the community programme for Morrisons Store in Scarborough. Lisa explained to the group that from September, children would be offered the opportunity to gain work experience in the store’s ‘Market Place’ in the Bakery, Fish and Pizza departments. Morrisons have also offered to support our young people further, by carrying out interview coaching with them.
Other new developments have been made with another local business, Legrand Electric Ltd, which is offering similar support for our young people. This factory is based very close to the school and is offering our students the opportunity to interact with the business, by visiting the manufacturing facilities and experiencing what modern-day manufacturing looks like.
We are also approaching HMS Hull prison and looking into a prison tour in order for our young people to make positive choices in avoiding crime or anti-social behaviour.
Each of our students have engaged in discussions for ‘My Summer Plan’ providing them with some activities to look forward to during the summer break. Parents were consulted in devising such a plan to enable themselves and their child to being proactive during this time. Parents were also given a 'Self-Care Plan' to support their child with positive mental health and well-being activities for each week.
The College transition scheme for Year 10 and Year 11’s was also discussed during the meeting and parents were told that three places at two colleges have been sought with one Year 11 student starting a vocational course in September.
Some of our students have recently supported McDonalds in Scarborough town centre as part of the school’s Good Citizenship scheme helping out with a public Tombola and other activities for over a couple of hours, which was another proud topic of coversation.
The group were also informed of a new exciting development with PSHE where our children will now gain a BTec qualification after completing the units that are covered in this subject, as well as the school’s new offer of a BTec Land Management course as well as a BTec in Hair and Beauty.
A confident and illuminating insight into to the life of a student in our specialist setting was delivered by a Year 7 student titled ‘Leighton’s Journey’. This gave both parents and staff a powerful presentation of the barriers and mental processes a child may go through when they are finding it difficult to regulate their emotions. This student went on to explain and offer strategies to the group on how they could support their own child. It is hoped this can be part of personal development for public speaking as well as interacting with members of the public.
We are continually evolving as a school and always strive to do our best for the young people in our care. We thoroughly enjoyed updating the parents of our young people about all of the wonderful things they have been, and will continue to do in school and are looking forward to our next meeting.