PARENT FORUM AND PARENT’S GROUP (PARENT COUNCIL)

Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 led to the                establishment of Parent Councils in primary, secondary and special schools. The Act recognises the vital role that parents play in             supporting their children’s learning. It places a duty on authorities to promote the involvement of parents in children’s education and the wider life of the school. It aims to help parents to be:

• Involved with their child’s education and learning
• Welcomed as an active participant in the life of the school
• Encouraged to express their views on school education generally

All parents who have a child attending the school are automatically members of the Parent Forum for our school. Membership of the        forum allows parents to have a say in the local arrangements to         enable their collective view to be represented on matters such as the quality and standards of education at the school and other          matters of interest to parents. These views can be represented, as appropriate, to the Head Teacher of the school, the Council and HMIe. The Parent Council, as a statutory body, has the right to              information and advice on matters which affect children’s                   education. The Head Teacher and the local councillor may attend all meetings of the School Council and have the right to speak, although not being members of the Council, have no right to vote. All parents may attend meetings of the School Council and may contribute to the discussion on any topic. However, should a vote be necessary on any occasion, only elected Council members may vote.

SOCIAL COMMITTEE

There is a very active Social Committee, a sub group of the Parents Group. Regular meetings are held in the school throughout the year. All parents/carers are welcome to attend – details of these meetings will be published in the newsletters.

Various fundraising and social events are organised throughout the year. Last year’s programme of events included a Hallowe’en Disco, for all pupils, Winter Wonderland, Primary 7 Leavers’ Dance and family BBQ.

MEET THE TEACHER

At the start of the new school year we hold a Meet the Teacher session for each class which allows parents to meet the class teacher, see the class and learning environment as well as have an opportunity to ask questions and learn what to expect in the coming year.

EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING SHOWCASE

Parents are invited to join their children in class to celebrate and explore the learning from their latest expedition. This is a lovely opportunity for children to share their discoveries, showcase their work and talk proudly about what they have learned.

CELEBRATION CENTRE

Our Celebration Centre recognises pupils who have received a Values Ambassador or Beautiful Attitudes Award. Parents are invited to join their child for games and refreshments as we celebrate their achievements together. It’s a lovely opportunity to recognise the positive attitudes and values our children bring to school each day.

CURRICULUM WORKSHOPS

Throughout the school year, a variety of workshops and visits to the classrooms, provide opportunities to find out about curricular areas and how to support your child’s learning.

Details of these will be given in our newsletters and where                 applicable to particular classes or groups of pupils, you will receive a separate letter giving details.

PARENTS’ EVENINGS

Formal appointments with the class teacher are arranged twice a year to enable parents to discuss their child’s progress and view school work.

If you have a concern about your child, parents are encouraged to contact the school at any time to discuss these – please do not wait until the next Parents’ Evening.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

School newsletters are published every month giving information about the life and work of the school.

TWITTER/X

The school actively uses Twitter to share what has been happening and future events @SMPG1964. All classes have their own Twitter/X accounts sharing additional information with parents.

PARENTAL FEEDBACK

We actively encourage your comments about the life and work of our school. This helps us to evaluate and refine our work as                   required.

BARNARDOS SUPPORT

Through funding from the Scottish Attainment Challenge, we have access to a Barnardo’s family support worker who will work with pupils and their families both at home and at school.

Parents are always welcome to make an appointment to meet with the Head Teacher or Depute Head Teacher to discuss any worries or concerns. Should parents wish to make a complaint to Education Services this should be done via the following link:

https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/council-and-government/complaint or by calling 01475 717171.