Parent council

[Imdonewithsergio]

Can I ask what your parent council do? Ours seems to do next to nothing and I think it needs a bit of an overhaul. I was considering joining this year although it seems a bit impenetrable and was wondering what reasonable suggestions I can make.

Is that the same as a PTA or something different?

It is the same as PTA.

If it is the same as a PTA, then join and listen.
Then offer to help with things.
Then work out where you can add value and start suggesting new stuff.

If you go in suggesting big changes or new events before you have seen how things work you won't get listened to. This can be because people get set in their ways, but is also due to prior experience of having tried things, or people coming in suggesting things for others to do, without helping themselves.

@Imdonewithsergio Are you talking about fund raising? Events for parents and Dc to attend? The usual reason for inactivity is lack of people to run things. Therefore do go along and listen. If they really have few involved, try and think of easier ways to raise money. Not a huge Christmas fair for example! I’m assuming all parents are members but you are talking about the committee who run events?

Parent councils have a lot of influence in schools and can decide yay/nay on how funds are spent. They can do alot of good in schools, parents are listened to and if they liase with the teaching staff info can be gathered to perhaps take policy in new directions, eg ASN support groups, play approach etc.

@PTSDBarbiegirl They really do not have a lot of influence. They are charities that raise money for the education of children. It’s good practice to liaise with the school regarding how the money is spent, or goals for fundraising, but they have no influence on the day to day running of the school or strategic planning. They don’t have these functions in their governing document and must focus solely on delivering the purpose of the charity. Having opinions on how the school is run won’t be a purpose of a PTA.

Our pta is great. They fundraise tirelessly, they organise and run the uniform sales several times a year, they run events which add to the feeling of the school as a community. They improve the school and the lives of the pupils with money they generate. I am grateful to them.

Our PTA set up seasonal trails around the area for kids and charged for entry. So a Christmas trail, Halloween trail, Easter egg hunt etc, which have generated a lot of funds for activities in the school.

I guess it depends who's on the PTA as to how well they work and the community the school is in?

It’s always down to who is prepared to run them and do the work. Easter egg hunts doesn’t happen without work by volunteer parents. Often schools with few parents volunteering need to make fund raising choices that don’t need too much input. Huge fairs and labour intensive events come when you get lots of parents on board.

This ☝️ PTAs have a very defined role and they have no say in the management or direction of the school. PTA reps sometimes get a bit big for their boots and think they can speak to leadership ‘on behalf of the parents’! No, that is not the role of the PTA.

Join. Like any organization, they just live it when someone else knows better having never sorted out anything before.

😂😂

Parent Councils have sway in how their funds are spent and can create pressure around needs the school may have, which is what I said, not sure what you thought I meant but that is what Parent Councils can do where I live.

Any school, with funding priorities that are carefully documented and thought out, should not be bullied by the PTA. It’s normal for school Head and pta to work together on where the funding from the pta would have most impact. Yes, a pta is separate and a charity but it’s not there to work against the school or use money as a power trip.

It’s normal for school Head and pta to work together on where the funding from the pta would have most impact

The teachers out the ideas forward on need. PTA fund raises it and rights the cheque.

Are you in Scotland or England?

In Scotland, the Parent Council has defined roles and as well as the (voluntary) fund raising, has a statutory right to be consulted on education matters involving the school but not necessarily listened to and to be involved in recruitment for the senior management team. The headteacher (and/or other members of the senior management team) has to attend meetings if a Parent Council has been set up.

They replaced School Boards (which were pretty toothless anyway, except for their role in recruitment) in about 2009 (give or take a few years).