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If you would like to mention something to the parent council, or be part of the group, please complete the form below and we will discuss your comments at the next meeting.
Notes from recent meetings:
12th May 2022
The Parent Council met at 2.30pm in the Junior Hall and discussed the possibility of increasing the number of transition sessions to assist all children with feeling comfortable when they return in September. Over the last two years it has been increasingly noticeable that settling is hardest for some after holidays and weekends. There was also a discussion about the impact of COVID on children's well-being and the social and emotional needs throughout the school. We discussed the school's vision and approach to managing this. Finally we explored pros and cons of reorganising classes to benefit the needs of the children moving forward after an unsettled two years. We spoke particularly about how this would impact parents.
9th June 2022
After our discussion at the last meeting around how school manages the social and emotional needs of children we looked in detail at how this impacts on behaviour and explained the school's restorative approach. Further to this we focused on the school's priorities affecting the level of communication this year and agreed this needed bringing back to at least the 2018-19 level. Other business related to having a review of and clarifying the policies for sun-cream and medicines. Parent Councillors were advised to direct parents towards face to face meetings to resolve issues wherever possible as this has dramatically reduced since 2020 - understandably.
Started in November 2018, the TJ Parent Council is a group of our parents chosen by the parents of children in each class to represent their views. It provides a place to put forward views to the school leaders and the governing body and is a more accessible way to allow parents to help influence decisions made about the school, enabling people who care to make a real contribution to the education of their children.
OBJECTIVES
The TJ Parent Council works in partnership with the school to:
SCOPE
The following is a non-exhaustive list of matters on which the Parent Council will provide a forum for consultation and advice:
Areas influenced by Parent Councils in other schools:
Some topics cannot be addressed by the Parent Council & should be referred directly by individual parents to the class teacher in the first instance or a member of the school leadership team (Mrs Dunnico, Mr Penn, Mrs Preedy, Mrs O'Sullivan or Mrs Geere). This includes matters associated with:
How is this achieved?
The Parent Council will meet half termly. Meetings will be conducted in a positive spirit, be constructive and solution focused.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Parent Council is open to all parents and carers who have a child currently at Thomas Jolyffe Primary School.
If a Parent Council member acts in a way that is considered by other members to undermine the objectives of the Parent Council, their membership of the Parent Council shall be terminated if the majority of parent members agree. Termination of membership would be confirmed in writing
MEETINGS
The Parent Council meet each half term - usually on the first Thursday of the first full week from 2.30pm to pick-up time.
Should a vote be necessary to make a decision, each parent member at the meeting will have one vote, with a majority decision required to proceed. For example, members of the Parent Council can request that an additional meeting be held as long as the majority agree.
Notes from the meeting will be available on the Parent Council page of the school website.
In order to reach a wide cross-section of parents from the school, surveys which may lead to a change of provision, i.e. school uniform, school dinners etc, will be conducted electronically so that all parents have fair opportunity to comment. All suggestions for change will be put to the Governing Body who will make the final decision as to whether a change in provision is required.
Key Rules for all members to observe during meetings:
Role of Reps
Each rep is expected to cascade information to their classes, inviting feedback/ideas and suggestions in advance of or response to any meetings. Reps are expected to attend each meeting or ask another parent from that class to represent them at the meeting where possible. Reps are encouraged to fully participate in discussions and positively represent the views of their classes.
The definition of a ‘parent’ is an adult including mother, father, carers with parental responsibility or care for a child attending the school.