English department meeting, Tuesday 22 September. Present are Karen, Bram and Fatima. Karen is chairing.

Karen: Good afternoon everyone. We have three items: the October test week, the new reading scheme for Year 7, and who does what at the open day. Let us start with the test week. Bram, you drafted the schedule.

Bram: I did. The Year 8 reading comprehension test is now on Monday 12 October at nine, sixty minutes. I suggest we keep that. What I do want to propose is that we merge the spelling test with the reading test, so one sixty-minute test instead of two separate ones.

Fatima: I agree. Two separate tests in one week is too much for Year 8. But then the study planner has to be updated, because it still lists two tests.

Karen: Good. Then we decide: one combined reading and spelling test on Monday 12 October, sixty minutes. Fatima, will you update the study planner?

Fatima: I will. I will have it ready by Friday.

Karen: Fine, Friday 25 September then. Item two, the reading scheme. We received two trial packages. Bram has looked at them.

Bram: Yes, and honestly I find it hard to choose. One package has much better texts for weak readers, the other has a digital environment that works far better. I would actually like to trial both for a period in one class.

Fatima: Can we afford that? And do we have the time, with the test week coming up?

Karen: I think we should not decide this today. I propose we carry it over to the next meeting, and that Bram asks the publishers in the meantime what a trial period costs. Agreed?

Bram: Agreed. I will email them this week.

Karen: Then we carry the choice of reading scheme over to the meeting of 6 October. By the way, has anyone heard what is going on with the coffee machine in the staff room? It has not worked for a week.

Fatima: I reported it to the caretaker, who would get someone to look at it.

Karen: Good, then we need not do anything with that. Item three, the open day on Saturday 7 November. We need two people at the English stand, and someone to run the taster lesson.

Bram: I will do the taster lesson, I did it last year too.

Fatima: I can be at the stand in the morning, until half past twelve.

Karen: Then I will do the afternoon at the stand. That settles it, and Bram, you send me the outline of the taster lesson before 1 November, so I can put it in the programme booklet.

Bram: Yes, will do.

Karen: Then we have covered everything. To sum up: one combined test on 12 October, Fatima updates the study planner by Friday, the reading scheme goes to 6 October and Bram asks for the trial costs, and for the open day Bram runs the taster lesson and Fatima and I are at the stand. Thanks everyone, see you next week.
