Parents Forum

THE PARENTS FORUM – A BRIEF HISTORY

The Parents Forum was launched in July 2006 following an invitation from Jim Foley to all parents to express an interest in joining a group that would focus on educational issues and the daily experience of the children. Over 30 parents responded and since the first meeting the Forum has met frequently with a regular attendance of about 20 parents.

At each meeting issues that parents have raised as priorities for them have been discussed and generally there has been a presentation from staff responsible for the area under consideration, which has proved very successful. In March terms of reference were agreed for the Forum (see Minutes, 5 March) and Mrs Joanie Barber and Mr Gerald Joy were elected as Chair and Vice Chair respectively, to serve for one year in the first instance. It was agreed that from now on the Forum will meet once a term in a business meeting and once a term there will be two presentations by staff to which all parents will be invited.

Membership of the Forum 2007-2008

Mrs Joanie Barber (Chair); Mr Gerald Joy (Vice Chair); Mrs Lesley Brennan, Mrs Una Butler, Mrs Catherine Cadogan, Mrs Dawn Clifford, Mrs Ellen Dawes, Mrs Deborah Dempster, Mrs Suzanne Dix, Mr Tony Fahy, Mrs Anne Gannon, Mrs Tracy Hancock, Mrs Elizabeth Horton, Mrs Kate Iredia, Mr Larry Kearns, Mrs Christine Kearns, Mr Tony Kenny, Mrs Alma Kirsz, Mrs Dee McCann, Mrs Debbie McGovern, Mrs Maria Melville, Mrs Friederike Pritty, Mrs Caroline Skerrett.

Terms of Reference

Purpose

• The purpose of the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (STACS) Parents Forum (the forum) is to:
• Enable parents of pupils to discuss matters of interest or concern to parents as identified by the forum in relation to educational issues and the daily experience of the children.
• Provide a vehicle for communicating to the headteacher the views of parents on the above.
• Discuss and support the spiritual life of the school.
• Receive presentations from school staff on areas of school activity identified as being of particular interest to parents and to provide feedback to the school from a parent’s perspective; and
• Publicise the role of the forum at appropriate school events.

Membership

• The forum membership is comprised of volunteer parents who attend ‘forum business meetings’ to enact the business of the forum and provide continuity of participation. Membership will ensure that all Year groups in the school are adequately represented. Staff and Governors who are parents of children in the school are welcome to attend the business meetings of the Forum. At the start of each academic year the membership will be reviewed to offer participation for incoming Year 7 parents.
• Members are at liberty to substitute another school parent in their place if they are unable to attend a ‘forum business meeting’.
• All school parents are invited to attend ‘forum presentation meetings’ at which school staff will provide information on topics selected by the forum followed by discussion and parent views.

Governance

• The forum has no formal role within the governance framework of the school and will avoid overlap with any of the formal governance procedures e.g. the remit of the school governing body.
• The forum will not provide an alternative means to pursue complaints or grievances for individual pupils outside the existing complaints/grievance procedures. The experiences of individual pupils may be cited by way of illustration to ascertain the extent to which an issue is of general concern or interest.
• The forum will appoint a Chair and Vice Chair, from among parent members, to conduct the business meetings of the forum. In the event of any uncertainty as to the extent of the remit of the forum the Chair of the forum will consult with the Headteacher.

Communications

• The membership, the minutes and action points arising from forum business meetings will be posted on the STACS website. All members of the forum will receive copies of minutes by post.
• Whilst attendance at the meeting by a parent governor is not compulsory, it would be welcomed.
• Topics to be the subject of presentations by school staff will be publicised in the school Friday Letter and on the STACS website. Parents will be invited to provide feedback on the website.