b. develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of pupils
c. promote contact between the school, the Parent Forum, prospective parents and the community
d. report on the Parent Council activities to the Parent Forum at least annually
e. identify and represent the views of the Parent Forum
f. comply with any reasonable request made to it by the headteacher of the school or by the education authority for information relating to its exercise of these functions
g. support the establishment, continuation and representation of parent special interest groups, eg nursery parent groups, parent volunteers, adult learning groups, parent support groups etc
3. Membership
Full membership of the Parent Council will be open to:
a. self nominating members of the Parent Forum
b. representatives of special interest parent groups within the school who will be nominated by the special interest group
c. members co-opted by the current members of the Parent Council.
The maximum number of parents who may self-nominate is 24. The maximum number of members who may be co-opted is 4, in addition to 2 teachers of the school.
The Parent Council will seek, as far as is practical, to include in its membership parents of pupils at each stage of the nursery and school.
Co-opted members may represent denominational groups, however, the Parent Council will have due regard to the cultural and religious diversity of the school population in co-opting such members.
Membership will terminate when a parent’s youngest child leaves the school, or when a member gives notice of resigning position.
4. Officers
a) Only a person who is a member of the school’s Parent Forum may chair the Parent Council
b) The Chair, Vice Chair and any other honorary officers will be elected at the inaugural General Meeting and when elected should hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.
5. Committees
The Parent Council may appoint such special or standing committees as it deems necessary and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All proceedings of such special committees shall be reported to the Parent Council.
6. Meetings of the Parent Council
a) All meetings of the Parent Council are open to all members of the Parent Forum and to the public, however, the Parent Council, including the Headteacher has the right to meet in private during discussion of any matter which the Parent Council considers should be dealt with on a confidential basis.
b) Individual cases relating to pupils, teachers or parents at the school are not matters for direct Parent Council involvement.
c) The Headteacher has both a right and a duty to attend Parent Council meetings or to be represented at a Parent Council meeting.
d) There will be an annual general meeting of the Parent Council
e) Notice of all meetings must be made at least two weeks in advance of the meeting to all members and to the Parent Forum
f) The quorum will be one quarter of the membership, provided that the number of parent members present exceeds the number of co-opted members present.
g) All issues arising at any meeting will be decided by a simple majority of those present who are entitled to vote. In cases where a formal vote is required, all parent members of the Parent Council are entitled to vote; neither co-opted members nor the Headteacher may vote. The Chair of the Parent Council will have the casting vote.
h) The Parent Council will meet at least once in every school term.
7. Finance
a) The Parent Council may raise funds by any legal means, other than borrowing and may expend these sums to carry out its functions at its discretion and in line with appropriate legislation
b) The Parent Council may receive gifts
c) The treasurer will ensure that proper accounts are kept
d) An audited annual statement of accounts shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting and circulated to the Parents Forum
8. Review Constitution
The Parent Council may review and amend its constitution, with the consent of the majority of the Parent Forum.
9. Dissolution of the Parent Council
Should the Parent Council cease to exist, any remaining funds will be passed to the education authority to be used for the benefit of the school.