KEVIC - not a uniform PA meeting :-)

I've just got home from (via the Bay Horse's excellent ale its true) a very very good meeting-
King Edward IV Community College Parent Association Special General Meeting- a exceptional experience, which, for a graduate of KEVIC herself (class of '96 yo), was a lot less daunting and a lot more dynamic and positive than I had feared.

Going along as a radio maker helped me be objective - and being in a room I was not taught in helped steer me clear of fond reverie...... ah!- those wonderful times- oops! Although I did no recording I listened to the discussion with wide open ears and was impressed with the passion and clarity of argument that the parents bought before the principal, vice principal and the Parents Association.

My daughter will attend KEVIC in September and it gave me great hope for her future to be in a room of intelligent and engaged parents of that school. I had attended with a two-pointed interest- for Town Crier's article on the uniform issue next Thursday, and for myself as a prospective parent to take the lay of the land as it were with a mind on getting involved next term (PA's have been unfortunately stereotyped as cake baking cliques...)  My own stand on the KEVIC uniform is that of most parents I have spoken to about the issue- I voted against it, but would accept it if the decision to reintroduce it had been a democratic one, but it had not been, and now the issue is not in the (almost full black, synthetic, expensive, imported) uniform, but the conduct of the school throughout the process. The  document below is the Transition Survey results- perhaps the research the KEVIC governing body decided to use as there permission to reintroduce the uniform?


 Research from independent bodies show there is no measurable improvement to student morale, teaching, academic achievement or community good feeling by the introduction of uniform (I'll reference that info as soon as I locate the link...) Improvement comes from investing in building student morale, improving teaching, supporting academic achievement and working on community good feeling.....Most of the rest of Europe teaches its children in non uniform- to great results.... Maybe in this case, the reintroduction of uniform, which is considered a regressive step by many parents and teachers, is undermining those things, instead of building upon them. A good feeling toward KEVIC- and its non-uniform status-  felt by its kids and community is the greatest asset the Governing Body should wish to promote.

Representing several hundred  concerned parents and other community interests and children at KEVIC, the majority of the 34 people at the meeting had come to discuss agenda item 3:

'To discuss how the Association acting by its committee and its regular meetings may be more effective in promoting a partnership which helps the college listen and deal with parents' concerns'

 or maybe, it was agenda item 4:

Committee feedback on ways the association has worked with the school to promote the school aims: to help advance the education of the students at the college in particular by:

a) Developing effective relationships between the staff, parents and others associated with the college

b) Engaging in activities or providing facilities or equipment which support the college and advance the education of the students

Either way, and between the lines, the meeting was mainly called to begin to find a communication strategy that could successfully deal with the many parent's strong dissatisfaction with the process of 'consultation' that school and PA had carried out, and their wish that that process be openly re-addressed....     still some way to go- but there is reason to hope.....

The meeting touched on:

• the meaning (within statute law) of the word 'consultation'
• Ms Mason's soon to be distributed 'uniform introduction summary' document
• the use of the uniform experience as a learning opportunity for KEVIC students to gain insight into democracy, rather than feudal governance (issue was raised around students being disciplined for wearing badges and teeshirts supporting no uniform campaign)
• the Governing Bodies' procedure to decisions, and it's obligations regarding involving parents
• the role of the PA regarding representing parents to the Governing Body

 and about 100 other valid and pertinent points....

Here is some documentation from the facebook group:


The ale's got to me- ah! I need to go to bed- ...

Here is the campaign facebook group, here the minutes of KEVIC PA meetings  but not up to date yet - the meeting of May 9th is worth a read when it comes available, and through this link you can hear the AMAZING TOTNES MONSTER uniform special....       g' night!