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We are hoping to trial a Parent Forum so look out for details:
Research shows that parental involvement is a contributing factor to children’s attainment in education.
What is the parent forum?
The parent forum will be an active working group, arranged in a series of meetings.
To give parents a voice in the setting.
To involve parents in the life of the setting.
To ensure a free flow of communications between parents and staff.
To support the social and personal development of parents and staff.
To act as a link with the local community.
To represent all parents within the setting.
Who can be involved in the forum?
All parents, carers and staff at the setting will be given the opportunity to attend the forum and take part in discussions. Although the forum will be an informal way for parents to get together with staff, it will have a structure to enable it to run effectively and efficiently.
The forum essentially will provide parents and carers with the opportunity to inform and advise staff on the views of parents. It will not have the responsibilities, decision making powers, or the formal structure of a formally elected committee. For example the Parent Forum cannot change policies, but can comment on them prior to their implementation. All parents will be entitled to attend the meetings and to take part in the discussions. Parents will be asked for original ideas and preferences which are then developed rather than being asked to express a choice between or approval of, a limited range of options.
Managing the meetings
Parents will be given the opportunity to suggest ideas for the agenda. For the first meeting some time will be given to discuss the role of the forum.
Organising the forum
When and how often the parent forum should take place will be discussed. It may for example have:
a regular termly slot
a rotating slot each term (e.g. during one term it could take place during the day, another in the evening and then another at the weekend)
Roles and responsibilities
A facilitator will lead the forum and:
ensure that enough time is allocated to each agenda item
ensure that the meeting gives a fair chance to everyone to put forward their points of view
ensure that the decisions made by those attending the meeting are understood by everyone and that those decisions are recorded
set the schedule of meetings
co-ordinate the agenda
ensure that relevant papers are provided for the meeting
inform parents of the date and time of the meetings
ensure that all follow up to the meetings is carried out
Organising the agenda
Although the meetings are intended to be informal, the agenda for each meeting will be posted on parent’s notice boards a week or two in advance of the meeting.
Some examples might include discussions about:
The setting’s policies and how they are implemented at the setting.
Organisation of the day.
Nutrition, food and health.
Curriculum and learning through play.
Links with the community.
Additional services parents require.
New government initiatives.
Everyone at the forum is entitled to hold an opinion, or to disagree with an opinion, but it should not become personalised. The forum is not the place to air grievances, either by staff or parents. Grievance and complaints procedures are in place to deal with issues should they arise. It is also not the place to discuss the progress of individual children within the setting.
To Conclude!
Our Parent Forum is a group of interested parents who will come to termly/ half termly meetings to discuss various school issues.
The meetings will operate as an open discussion forum.
It will provide an opportunity for us to explore (discuss & review) new initiatives and school developments with parents and to get feedback on issues in school.
The group won’t have any statutory responsibilities, duties or powers in the school, but it will help us to communicate more effectively with our parent community. The only qualification required is to be a Parent!
This group would act as a ‘sounding board’ for the school to try and ensure that we are really able to get a feeling for what you think about school issues. It would not have decision making powers as the Governors do, but would be an important element in the development and further improvement of the school.
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Prospectus
Parent Forum
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