Our PTA is PURELY for fundraising and arranging social events. SHOULD IT BE more???

[drosophila]

What is the norm. If the parents have a concern say about the performance i the league tables where do they go to express their views or ask questions. Should the PTA play a role in that or is it for the Parent Gov?

I think that's the norm

If parents have a concern about the performance or league tables or behaviour or any of the other myriad of concerns they should speak to the head

If their concerns are not suitably addressed then they go to the board of Governors

to make it clear no the PTA should not be involved in a 'school' issue as this is not their role .. they are after all a group of volunteers with no legal standing nor obligations ...

I mean more general issues rather than specifics e.g if the school results are steadily declining year on year and a bunch of parents are concerned and talking about it how would you expect them as a group to approach the head? I thought that the PTA would be a good place to start.

Twig is right as usual) - you need to write to the board of governors or ask your parent governor to bring it up at a meeting

if the results are steadily declining and you are concerned you need to get a meeting with the head

the pta is not part of the management structure

Our school has started a 'parents forum' which will meet twice a term to discuss various topics of concern. I thought that the PTA could have fulfilled this role.

blimey I joined the PTA to make teas at the school plays and run a stall at the summer fete.

Don't lay any of that heavy stuff on me

I suppose I was thinking that as there may be several parents with a concern they couldn't all fit in the Head's office. Luckily one of the Parent Govs sits on the PTA so she often takes things forward.

PTA : Translation ......... a bunch of mugs who gather on a regular basis to figure out how best to elict cash from parents, in order to redistribute it to the children and staff.I am happy to do this.

How the school performs is an issue to be raised with the board of governors.

NO!

Mars.

If a group of parents has a concern I would ask for a meeting with the chair of governors and a parent governor.

disagree strongly

the HEAD should always be the first step

Governors are after

PTAs are usually for fund raising only. The governors of my children's primary school hold a meeting for parents about their Annual Report, which would give parents an opportunity to comment on performance in the league tables.

Twiglett is right that an "ordinary" parent should talk to the Head first about any concerns, but standards are one of the governors' main concerns, so they will almost certainly be considering the league tables results.

The Head teacher is also on the board of Governors.

(LGJ... I simply answered the original question! lol)

Sorry, was assuming the parents had spoken to the head individually and got nowhere.

Agree head first, then govs.

I agree, as Chair of the PTA we have nothing to do with school policy, we are voluntary fund raisers.

The PTA shouldn't be involved in school policy or performance. It's not for the PTA.

As others have already said, if parents have concerns, they should speak to the Head and then to the Governing body.

A parent forum sounds like a good idea as well. All parents can then come along to that and leave it at that. If it went through the PTA, that might confuse some people to the PTA's role, and could even put some people off as they might think it isn't for them, as they aren't PTA members.

Do you think the PTA should be doing more/be more involved then?

Blimey I clicked on ths and thought-Twiglets back!!

Jemima have you realised you have resureccted this from 2006?

Bums that's the second time in a month that I've posted on a 'back from the dead' thread. Mumsnet HQ, please could you archive these to oblivion?