Parent Forum Meeting

We are looking for a few volunteers to become parent representatives for each class at The Howard. 

Purpose
Regular, open communication and consultation is highly valued at TSSMAT. The parent forum aims to represent the views of all parents/carers and to be a voice to inform our schools of the needs of children and families. It facilitates communication between parents/carers and staff and governors. The forum works to provide feedback on provision, offer a parent's perspective on current policy and practice and input into decision making and planning for future provision. This takes place by regular communication with parents/carers and ensuring a diverse forum membership and representation of views.

 

Main Aims

• To support and promote children's learning.
• To help the school find out what parents/carers think about important issues.
• To involve parents/carers actively in school decisions.
• To make plans that support the ways the school wants to develop and improve outcomes for our children
• The forum is not in place to address specific concerns about an individual child or issues relating to individual members of staff. Parents/carers who need to discuss these issues should approach their class teacher or the Headteacher.
  
  Membership
• The parent forum's membership is made up of parents and carers of children attending TSSMAT schools.
• We aim to have one or two representatives per class. Relevant parents/carers nominate themselves as a potential Parent Forum Member and, if we have a lot of interest then we will have a vote and the parent with the most votes in each class will be appointed.  (A ballot will not be undertaken if there are 3 or less nominations).
• Members of the leadership team and a representative of the governing body also attend meetings.  - there will be at least one of the leadership team in attendance.

 

Key Responsibilities of Parent Forum Members

• To seek feedback and suggestions from as many parents/carers as possible from their respective year group and to relay the outcomes from the Parent Forum as appropriate.
• To attend Parent Forum meetings representing the views of all parents/carers in their respective year group
• To work closely with parallel members to ensure coverage of all parents/carers in that year group.
• A representative of the Headteacher to give feedback to the LAG with key items of development.

Meetings and reporting

• Parent forum meetings are held a minimum of 3 times a year
• The leadership team ensures that meetings are scheduled and dates and venues are presented on the website.
• The agenda is prepared in advance of the meeting and circulated by email or where necessary in a child’s school bag. A typical agenda includes:
  • Items identified by the governing body and leadership team for discussion.
  • Items identified by parents and carers for discussion.
• Minutes are posted to the school website for all parents/carers to view with copies available from the school

office upon request. They are presented in the newsletter.

• Meetings run to time and active participation is sought from all representatives.

 

I hope that the above information provides a flavour of the purpose and approach of the Parent Forum, if you have any questions before you decide to nominate yourself for this position then please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

The First Parent forum will be 3pm on Friday 15th October 2021.

We can then plan for future dates so that they are mutually agreeable.

 

Look out for the letter on the website!