Aims of the Parent Forum:

To improve the way the school communicates with parents.

To increase the number of parents that are involved in strategic decision making across areas of the school that impact on the lives of the pupils and their families.

To be open to all parents and representative of all parents across the community.

 

Key responsibilities of the Parents’ Forum:

1. To provide support and advice to the school on how best to engage and communicate with parents.

2. To ensure that parents are represented on all key decision-making groups.

3. To build and maintain a strong working relationship with key decision-making groups.

4. To share information about the Parents’ Forum and key decision-making groups with parents in the school community

5. To carry out any agreed actions in the annual school development plan.

 

Meetings are termly, open to all families and the agenda is shared in advance. Parents have the opportunity to add items to the agenda. Items are categorised as 'for information' or 'for discussion'. The school will endeavour to run a free creche during this time, to enable as many parents to attend as possible. One of the termly meetings per year will be held in the evening.

 

Parent Reps

Parent reps help bring our school community together by supporting communication, building connections between families, and offering a friendly point of contact for parents. It’s a supportive and voluntary role – not about having all the answers, but about helping families feel informed, included and involved.

Here’s what the role involves:

• Welcoming new families and helping them settle in.
• Encouraging a friendly, inclusive atmosphere amongst parents.
• Sharing occasional messages from the school that might be helpful to other parents.
• Encouraging respectful, clear communication between families and the school
• Listening if parents have general questions and pointing them to the appropriate member of staff if needed eg: class teacher, office staff. 
• Reps don’t speak on behalf of others or get involved in individual concerns – those are always best raised directly with staff. They are not expected to attend Parent Forum ‘on behalf’ of the class. 
• Occasionally being asked to share general parent views with school staff, always in a positive and constructive way.
• Occasionally, reminding parents that if a response to their question can wait until the next working day, that is what should happen. 
• The role should last for one year, with different parents having the opportunity to take on the role.

Just to note: Parent reps aren’t expected to send reminders about calendar dates, trips or events already shared by the school through newsletters or the website. They are also not expected to organise collections or gifts.

Being a parent rep is a great way to support your child’s class and our wider school family. Every bit of help makes a difference!