Ann Garner

Some weeks have similar meetings and activities, and others not.  I chair the Academic and Pastoral sub-committee of one of our local high schools.  This week’s meeting was agreeing targets for different year groups.  Data from previous years, the local authority (Bury) and Fisher Family Trust (national research) are used to explore how teacher’s aspirations for their pupils compare with trends.  It’s always an interesting meeting and one that you need to be able to really focus and work with the data presented to us.  The teachers and pupils then work really hard to focus on beating the targets!  This approach of setting achievable but challenging targets has enabled the school to improve year on year.

 After this meeting I had a Tenants and Residents meeting.  We’ve got super plans being drawn up for major improvements and the residents were delighted that so much is going to be done when there have been years of stagnation.   Our Prestwich Area Partnership meeting was on another evening – thank goodness – as preparing for the meeting means an hour or so of checking minutes and jiggling in your head, how you will present the reports that you need to discuss.  I presented a short report of the workings of our Community Regeneration sub-group, which I have been chairing.  One of our projects is working towards regenerating an empty block of shops on Chapel Road that will make a huge, huge difference to residents if we can get health and support and childcare and a pharmacy there too.  Then other businesses will see viability and take on other shops, we hope.  There is a small pot of funding to push the project forward too - all we need is for our partners to work together and make it happen.   Tonight – is a local political fund raising dinner – so off to get ready.