Our Lady of the Missions school is a co-educational Roman Catholic primary school serving the local community within East Renfrewshire.
- Name
The name of the association shall be the Our Lady of the Missions School Parent Council, hereinafter called the Parent Council.
- Functions and Objectives
The Parent Council is established in accordance with the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006, (hereinafter called the Act). Its functions are as described in the Act.
a) Support School Management to improve the quality of education which the school provides, and develop and/or engage to their full potential all pupils whatever their abilities in line with the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence.
b) Develop and engage in activities which support the education and welfare of all pupils
c) Provide contact between the school, the Parent Forum (being parents, carers and guardians of pupils at the school, hereinafter referred to as the Parent Forum), prospective members of the Parent Forum and the wider community.
d) Report on the Parent Council activities to the Parent Forum at least annually.
e) Identify and represent the views of the Parent Forum
f) Participate in the appointment of senior staff within the school as set out in the Act.
g) Comply with any reasonable request made to it by the Head Teacher of the School or by the education authority for information relating to its exercise of these functions.
- Membership
Full membership of the council shall be open to:
a) Self nominated members of the Parent Forum (whose children are currently pupils at the school) on an annual basis as decided at the Annual General Meeting. If more than 25 people are nominated, the Head teacher may at his or her discretion select those nominations that fairly represent the composite of the school.
b) Members co-opted annually by the current members of the Parent Council, one of whom must be a denominational nominee.
c) Teachers and support staff who are co-opted annually by the Parent Council.
Conditions of Membership:
d) All members of the Parent Council must sign and abide by the Parent Council Code of Conduct.
e) All members should aim to attend every meeting, and must not miss three consecutive timetabled meetings.
f) New members are invited only at the AGM, once a year.
- Termination of Membership
a) Membership of the Parent Council automatically terminates when all members’ children cease to be pupils at the school.
b) Members of the Parent Council can resign at any time during the school year. This must be made in writing to the Chair.
c) Members who have missed three consecutive timetabled meetings as stated above will be regarded as having terminated their membership without notice being required. The Chair will confirm this in writing to the member.
d) Breaching the Parent Council Code of Conduct or undermining the objectives of the Parent Council will result in a noted warning from the Chair. If a member continues to breach the Parent Council Code of Conduct and the objectives of the Parent Council, then their membership may be terminated by a majority of the quorum voting at a Parent Council meeting. The Chair will confirm this in writing to the member.
e) Any member who seriously breaches the Code of Conduct or critically undermines the objectives of the Parent Council may have their membership discharged with immediate effect, following a majority of the quorum voting at a Parent Council meeting. The Chair will verify this in writing to the member.
- Office
a) Only a person who is a (parent/carer or guardian) member of the Parent Council may hold any office position.
b) The Chair, Vice Chair and any other honorary officers will be elected at the Annual General Meeting and when elected are expected to serve for a minimum of two years.
- Committees
The Parent Council may appoint such special or standing committees as it deems necessary and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All proceedings and decisions of such special committees shall be reported to the Parent Council. The Parent Council reserve the right to reject or endorse any proposals or decisions made by such special committees.
- Meetings of the Parent Council
a) All meetings of the Parent Council are open to all members of the Parent Forum and to the public, however, the Parent Council, including the Head Teacher, has the right to meet in private during discussion of any matter which the Parent Council considers should be dealt with on a confidential basis.
b) All meetings will commence with a prayer.
c) Individual cases relating to pupils, teachers or parents/carers or guardians at the school are not matters for direct Parent Council involvement.
d) The Head Teacher whilst not a member of the Parent Council has a right and a duty to attend Parent Council meetings or to be represented at a Parent Council meeting.
e) There will be an Annual General Meeting of the Parent Council in August or September.
f) It is intended that notice of all meetings be made at least two weeks in advance of the meeting, to all members and to the Parent Forum subject to the activities of the Parent Council. However, the Chair may elect to hold or reschedule a meeting with a lesser period of notice to Parent Council members for extraordinary or unavoidable circumstances with the assent of the majority of those present at such meeting (providing there is a quorum present). In such circumstances, the requirement for notice to the wider Parent Forum will not be required.
g) The quorum will be one quarter of the Parent Council membership, providing that the number of co-opted members in the quorum does not exceed the number of (parent/carer or guardian) members of the Parent Council.
h) The Parent Council can invite others to participate in meetings. They will not be entitled to vote on any issues before the Parent Council.
i) Should a vote be necessary to make a decision, each full parent/carer/guardian member of the Parent Council at the meeting will have one vote, with the Chair having the casting vote in the event of a tie.
j) When a significant issue arises which requires a decision from the Parent Council, which cannot be attained by consensus, the Parent Council may proceed on the basis of a vote result. Where it is deemed appropriate that the views of the Parent Forum are required prior to a vote being taken then a questionnaire or other similar method to collect views should be undertaken.
k) The Parent Council will meet at least once in every school term.
l) Meetings are usually held on a Thursday evening in Our Lady of the Missions School at 7.00pm.
m) Dates of meetings are decided at the first meeting of the school session.
- Review Constitution
The Parent Council may review and amend its constitution subject to the approval of the majority of the Parent Council members at any Parent Council meeting that has a quorum.
- Dissolution of the Council
Should the Parent Council cease to exist, any administration funds will be passed to the education authority to be used for the benefit of the school.
Adopted as true record on
Signed: Signed:
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Date: Date:
