What are the main responsibilities of the Parent Council to the Parent Forum?
The Parent Forum (all parents/carers at the school) can expect the following from the Parent Council (PC):
- To get news and information about the PC and its activities
- To be invited to be involved in PC activities, such as sub-committees
- To be asked for their opinion by the PC on issues about the school community
- To have all views listened to and represented in an equal and fair way
- To be involved in how the PC is organised and how it operates, for example, making changes to the constitution
- For the PC to be inclusive and recognise the diversity in Scottish schools by involving parents from the whole school community.
Are there any rules about who should be on the Parent Council?
There are no rules about the number of members on a PC, there are certain things to be aware of:
- The majority of members must be parents with children at the school
- The definition of “parent” is very wide and includes everyone with a parenting role for a pupil; this could include foster parents, family members who have care of a child and divorced/separated couples. The PC also has a responsibility to be mindful of any looked-after children.
- A parent can be on more than one PC, provided they have a child at each school.
- A teacher can be a parent-member on a PC, so long as they have a child at the school. However, it is important to remind them they are there as a parent and not as a teacher.
- The Chairperson must be a parent with a child at the school.
- The PC should promote equality and fairness in their activities and recognise the diversity in the school community.
- The Head Teacher (or their representative) has a right and a duty to attend all PC meetings as an advisor.
Can other people be on a Parent Council?
It is a good idea to include other people from the school and local community, but this must be agreed by the Parent Forum (all parents/carers at the school). Think about local community groups, family members, friends of the school, local charities, business representatives, local and community councillors, church/faith representatives, colleges or employers.
These people are invited and co-opted onto the committee and are therefore not voting members of the PC; parents must always be in the majority. In denominational schools, the local church/faith group has the right to nominate someone to the PC.
The PC may also find it useful to co-opt/ask other people to come along on a “needs” basis. For example, if you are going to discuss road safety then the community police officer may be helpful to you.
Although it might not always be appropriate (or very interesting) for the pupils to send a permanent representative to your meetings, it is a good idea to keep up links with the pupils, e.g. by exchanging minutes with or asking for ideas from the Pupil Voice Groups.