What are Parent Forums?

A Parent Forum is a body of parents and carers, which represents parents and carers and provides a forum for them to put forward their views to the Headteacher and senior leadership team.

The Parent Forum is representative of all parents and carers in the school community and is an inclusive and accessible way to involve parents and carers in decisions about the School.

It is a forum through which parents and carers can be consulted, learn more about the School and how they can be involved in it, be provided with information and encouraged to network with other parents and carers.

Involvement in the Parent Forum is less formal and requires a lesser commitment than being a member of the Governing Body, whilst enabling parents and carers to make a real contribution to the School.

Aims of our Parent Forum

• To enable the school to consult with a representation of the parent body on issues pertinent to the school and gather invaluable feedback from the parents that can be used for our continuous improvement
• Enhance communication with and between all members of the school community

Functions of the Parent Forum:

• The Governing Body remains the decision-maker and provides the strategic leadership for the School.
• The Parent Forum has a consultative and advisory role; it is a means to strengthen the voice of parents and carers and to enable them to express their opinions and influence decisions.
• The Parent Forum gives parents and carers a route to express their opinions and ideas and the School and the Governing Body, a means to sound out parents’ and carers’ views on decisions about the strategic direction of the School.

The Benefits of a Parent Forum

• The school draws new and different parents and carers into active involvement of the school
• The school gains an understanding of parents’ and carers’ views and experiences
• The school demonstrates that we are engaging with parents and carers
• The school works with parents and carers to find solutions

Protocols for the Parents’ Forum

• Agenda items should be tabled before the forum the agenda for each meeting will be published on the school’s website.
• Parents & carers will be asked to register their interest in attending the next forum via parentsforum@glossopdale.school
• Please note that all issues, whether you raise them yourself or on behalf of other parents/carers, should be general issues, not related to a specific child, teacher or incident.
• If you have specific concerns about your child your first point of contact should always be their Form Tutor/ Progress Leader or the Faculty Team Leader/Subject Leader.