What is a Parent Council?
The Scottish schools (Parental Involvement act 2006), became law on 14th June 2006, and came into force through a timetable which was set by the Scottish Executive. Braidwood Parent Council was incorporated in September 2007, and effectively replaces the school board and the PTA. The intention behind these changes is to improve the extent of parental involvement in their child's learning at school.
All parents / carers are automatically part of what is called the Parent Forum, and from this we have formed an elected Parent Council who meet on a regular basis.
The Parent council is divided into three working groups - The Business Group, the Fundraising Group and the Gala Day Committee who work closely together. Members of the council are ordinary parents who serve on a voluntary basis and whose basic and various 'duties' are set out below.
A Parent Council's duties include :-
- Consulting with parents and reporting to parents on matters of interest.
- Encouraging the development of links between the school and parents.
- Taking part in the selection process for a new head teacher of the school.
- Discussing and approving the head teacher's plans for purchasing books and educational materials.
- Setting dates for occasional holidays in consultation with interested parties.
- Under the direction of the local Council assisting in the letting of school premises.
- Receiving reports from the head teacher and the local education authority.
- Receiving an annual budget for administration, training and other expenses, and
- Having power to raise funds and spending for the benefit of the school after consultation with the head teacher.
Parent involvement is very important to the school. When the next vacancies arise on the Council at the AGM in September it would be heartening to have a number of prospective members from all those parents out there wishing to serve on the Council.
The Scottish Parent Council Association, of which we are members, has a vision -
Together we can...
- Understand schools.
- Contribute to the intellectual,
physical, emotional, social and
spiritual well being of our children.
- Work as partners in our local community.
- Foster respect for the tolerance of others.
- Increase parents' involvement in the
Improving Schools Agenda
(Scottish Executive Education Department).
- Increase parents' contribution to policies and
development at school, local authority
and national levels.
Parents can make a difference - When...
- They have a voice at national level.
- Are supported and encouraged.
- Meet together to share ideas, issues and good practice.
Current members are as follows:
Business - Jim Murray, Jim Ferguson, David Towers, June Beattie, Mary Colquhoun, Ursula Laing, Sheena Christie, Craig Marriott, Jennifer Docherty, Carol McAuley, Lorna James, Dorothy Thomson.
Fundraising - Gill Murray, Mairi Elder, Grace Prentice, Margaret Carswell, Valerie Worton, Eilidh Forrest, Rosie Ferguson, Sharon Irvine, Alison Duthie, Sheena Christie, Kirsty Hamilton, Ursula Laing, Jennifer Docherty, Dorothy Thomson, Carol McAuley
Gala Day Committee- Sharon Irvine, Val Worton, Eilidh Forrest, Gill Murray, Siobhan Lindsay, Margaret Carswell, Dorothy Thomson, Aileen Currie, kirsty Hamilton, Lil Cringles, Sharon Russell, Jennifer Docherty, Margaret Leith, Grace Prentice,Sheila Young, Joanne Onesti, Laura Kennedy
To give you more information about Parental Involvement in schools please refer to the following websites :
www.scottishparents.com
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/08/09
This is the constitution for Braidwood School Parent Council.
1. Objectives of the Parent Council
1.1 The objectives of the Parent Council are:
- To work in partnership with the school to create a welcoming school which is inclusive for all parents.
- To promote partnership between the school, its pupils and all its parents / carers.
- To develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of the pupils.
- To identify and represent the views of parents on the education provided by the school and other matters affecting the education and welfare of the pupils.
2. Membership of the Parent Council
2.1 The membership will be a minimum of three parents / carers of children attending the school.
3. Co-option
3.1 A Parent Council may co-opt up10 people to assist it with carrying out its functions.
3.2 The number of parent members on the Parent Council must always be greater than co-opted members.
3.3 The Parent Council will extend an invitation to co opt members as and when
appropriate, as decided by the Parent Council.
The Parent Council will extend an invitation to the local councillor(s) to attend meetings but he/she will not be a formal representative of the Parent Council.
4. Period of Tenure on Parent Forum
4.1 The Parent Council will be selected for a period of one academic session.
4.2 After which parents may put themselves forward for re-selection if they wish provided their child is still at the school.
4.3 Co-opted members will be invited to serve for a period of one session, after which time the Parent Council will review and consider requirements for co-opted membership.
5. Selection of Chair/Postholders
5.1 The Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Council will be agreed by the Parent Council members immediately following its formation.
5.2 Office bearers will be re-selected by the Parent Council on an annual basis.
5.3 The Parent Council will be chaired by a parent of a child attending Braidwood Primary School. If the child ceases to be a pupil, a new Chair will be agreed at the next meeting.
5.4 There will be a Clerk to the Parent Council which will be a paid position. The Clerk does not have any voting rights on the Parent Council.
6. Reporting/Meeting Arrangements
6.1 The Parent Council is accountable to the Parent Forum for Braidwood Primary School and will make a report to it at least once each year on its activities on behalf of all the parents.
6.2 If 25% of members of the Parent Forum request a special general meeting to discuss issues falling within the Council's remit, the Parent Council shall arrange this. The Parent Council shall give all members of the Forum at least two weeks notice of the meeting and, at the same time, circulate notice of the matter, or matters, to be discussed at the meeting.
6.3 The Annual Meeting will be held in September of each year. A notice of the meeting including date, time, and place will be sent to all members of the Parent Forum at least 2 weeks in advance. The meeting will include:
- a report on the work of the Parent Council and its committee(s)
- selection of the new Parent Council
- discussion of issues that members of the Parent Forum may wish to raise
- approval of the accounts and appointment of the auditor.
6.4 The Parent Council will meet at least six times per academic year. Should a vote be necessary to make a decision, each parent member at the meeting will have one vote, with the Chair having a casting vote in the event of a tie.
6.5 Any two members of the Parent Council can request that an additional meeting be held, and all members of the Parent Council will be given at least one week's notice of date, time and place of the meeting.
6.6 A Parent Council member who wishes to no longer be a member should intimate this to either the Chair or Clerk to the Parent Council.
7. Minutes/Procedures of Meetings
7.1 Copies of the minutes of all meetings will be available to all parents of children at Braidwood Primary School and to all teachers/staff at the school. Copies will be available from the Clerk to the Parent Council and from the school office.
7.2 Meetings of the Parent Council shall be open to the public, unless the Parent Council is discussing an issue which it considers should be dealt with on a confidential basis. In such circumstances, only members of the Parent Council and the headteacher, or his or her representative, can attend.
8. Funds
8.1 The Treasurer will open a bank or building society account in the name of the Parent Council for all Parent Council funds. Withdrawals will require the signature two signatures from the four signatories of Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Head Teacher. The signatories can sign for spending up to the value of £400, a figure greater than this amount must be agreed at a meeting of the Parent Council.
8.2 The Treasurer will keep an accurate record of all income and expenditure, and will provide a summary of this for each Parent Council meeting and a full account for the Annual Meeting. The Parent Council accounts will be audited by the auditor appointed at the previous Annual Meeting.
8.3 The Parent Council shall be responsible for ensuring that all monies are used in accordance with the objectives of the Parent Council.
8.4 Should the Parent Council cease to exist, any remaining funds will be passed to the School Fund.
9. Changes to the Constitution
9.1 The Parent Council may change its constitution after obtaining consent from members of the Parent Forum. Members of the Parent Forum will be sent a copy of any proposed amendment and given reasonable time to respond to the proposal.
A copy of the revised constitution must be sent the local education authority along with a list of Parent Council members.
How Can The Parent Council Be Contacted? 
Any Parent Council member can be contacted by writing to them at the school via Royal Mail or simply by 'Pupil Post'.
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