What is a Parent Council?

The Parent Council is the committee appointed by the Parent Forum (see next section for more information) to run matters on its behalf. A Parent Council is not run by the school or the local authority but by the parents/carers in the school. The local authority should support a Parent Council both financially and with advice/support.

What is the Parent Forum?

The 2006 Parental Involvement Act states that every school in Scotland has a Parent Forum, which consists of all the parents/carers who have a child at the school. They are automatically members, whether they like it or not! The Parent Forum decides whether they want a Parent Council and how it is constituted and organised.

Are there any rules about who should be on the Parent Council?

Although there are no rules about the number of members on a Parent Council, there are certain things to be aware of:

• The majority of Parent Council members must be parents with children at the school
• The definition of “parent” is very wide and includes everyone with a parenting role for a pupil; this could include foster parents, family members who have care of a child and divorced/separated couples. The Parent Council also has a responsibility to be mindful of any looked-after children.
• A parent can be on more than one Parent Council, provided they have a child at each school.
• A teacher can be a parent-member on a Parent Council, so long as they have a child at the school. However, it is important to remind them they are there as a parent and not as a teacher.
• The Chairperson must be a parent with a child at the school.
• The Parent Council should promote equality and fairness in their activities and recognise the diversity in the school community.
• The Headteacher (or his/her representative) has a right and a duty to attend all Parent Council meetings as an advisor.
• In denominational schools, the local church/faith organisation can nominate a representative.

What is the role of the Headteacher on a Parent Council?

• The Headteacher has a right and a duty to attend meetings of the Parent Council or s/he can send a representative. Of course, it might not always be necessary for the Head to be at a meeting, for example if you are discussing arrangements for an event. The Headteacher is an advisor to the Parent Council and does not have a vote.
• The Parent Council may ask the Headteacher to report to their meetings but remember that parents decide on the agenda and the HT’s report should not dominate proceedings.
• The Headteacher should involve the Parent Council in School Improvement Planning and encourage the Parent Council to have an active role in the development/review of school policies.