Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Bill

Are you confused by the proposals for parent forums and councils? Then here is the answer....

A Brief Outline of the Main Points of the Bill

1) ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE EXECUTIVE
The Bill places a duty on both Scottish Ministers and education authorities to "promote involvement of parents in school education". In legislative terms a "duty" is a "must do" requirement and this means that parental involvement has important official status.

2) NEW TWO TIER SYSTEM
At the school level, the proposals will replace school boards with a two tier system - parent forums and parent councils. The intention is that this system will be more flexible and inclusive. It will also operate like a two-way street, with views going from the parent forums to the parent council and the parent council giving reports back to the parent forums.

3) PARENT FORUMS
The parent forum will consist of all the parents in the school and this body will decide the format and constitution of the parent council which, in turn, will conduct matters on their behalf. Parents (in the forum) can expect to have regular reports from the parent council and have their views listened to.

4) PARENT COUNCILS
The parent council will normally be a committee drawn from all the parents (i.e. the parent forum); however, in small schools the parent council could consist of all the parents and be identical in membership to the parent forum. The number of members, their terms of office and the method by which they are appointed will all be described in a written constitution.

5) CONSTITUTIONS
Local authorities will help the parent forums design the parent councils by offering a range of formats and constitutions for them to choose from. However, it will be for the parent forums to make the final decision on matters like the official name of the council, the number of members, how the members are appointed, the terms of office, etc.

6) DIFFERENT MODELS FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
There will be a lot of flexibility in the format of the new councils and different schools will be able to have different constitutions to suit their particular circumstances.
For example, the constitutions may say:

- that the council members must all be parents in the school
- that they will be parents and staff at the school
- that they are parents, staff and co-optees from outwith the school
- if a school likes its existing pattern of a school board and PTA, it can choose to design a parent council that is the same. However, if the school decides it wants to combine its board and PTA, it can design a parent council to reflect this.
- In denominational schools, the parent councils must include a co-optee nominated by the Church.

7) APPOINTING PARENT COUNCIL MEMBERS
The parent forums will decide how the members of the parent councils are to be appointed, and this will then form part of the constitution. Whilst there will be no formal elections run by local authorities (as is currently the case with school boards), parent forums will be able, if they wish, to set up an election process within the school.

8) ACCOUNTABILITY
Parent councils will consult with the parent forums (all parents) and report back to them.

9) FUNCTIONS
The functions of the new councils will include the following:

- supporting those who manage the school
- making representations on behalf of parents
- promoting contact between school and parents
- reporting on its activities, seeking the views of parents and representing those views to the headteachers and education authority
- recommending changes to its constitution for the parent forums to adopt
- the ability to fundraise
- being involved in the appointment of senior staff (the precise nature of this involvement has not yet been decided as the appointment process itself is currently being reviewed).

10) HEADTEACHER'S ROLE
The Headteacher or his/her designated substitute will have both a right and a duty to be at parent council meetings unless the Headteacher and council have agreed that his/her presence is not necessary.

11) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
The parent councils will be able to support and pay a clerk to look after administrative matters.