Parent Council (PTC)
Welcome! If your child attends Rhynie School, you will automatically become a member of our ‘Parent Forum’. If the terms ‘Parent Forum’ and ‘Parent Council’ are new to you, you will find a short explanation at the end of this page and some links for further information. If you have already had experience of Parent Forums and Councils, you will know that, within Scottish Government guidelines, each Parent Forum can choose how to set up their representative Council.
Our Parent Council (PTC).
Like most Parent Councils, our meetings are attended by the Head Teacher (or her representative), members of the teaching staff, and representatives of the local community. At Rhynie Primary School, our aim is to be as democratic as possible so that any parent might attend and participate in Parent Council meetings. However, we only discuss general matters that relate to school life; this is not somewhere we bring individual problems. We welcome any parent who feels that they have something to contribute to the running of the school community. The only fixed posts on the Council are those of Secretary and Treasurer who are elected from people who regularly attend Parent Council meetings. The post of Chairman is filled on a rotational basis of approximately two-four meetings each a year.
Your Involvement.
Any member of Rhynie Parent Forum is very welcome to attend the Parent Council meetings. Sarah Smith is our Chairperson for this year. You do not have to attend Parent Council meetings to help support the school, but it would be very much appreciated if you do!
Current Events.
Information on Rhynie Parent Teacher Council events are posted on Rhynie PTC Facebook page.
Background.
The benefits of involving parents and carers in the activities of schools have long been recognised and appreciated by parents and teaching staff alike.
A less formal but equally important organisation, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), organised events for pupils and their families which, in addition to raising essential funding for school activities and equipment, also helped to unite the school community.
Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006.
In 2006, a review of parental involvement in schools resulted in the formation of a more inclusive parent representative group, the ‘Parent Forum’. All parents and carers of pupils are automatically members of the school’s Parent Forum, which should meet once or twice a year to hear about developments or issues in the school. However, as it would be impractical for the whole Parent Forum to meet with any frequency, it was proposed that a smaller group of their representatives should meet more regularly with members of teaching staff and representatives of the local community, such as local councillors, clergy or police, to enable more in-depth discussion and to take on some of the functions of the previous PTA. These people form the ‘Parent Council’ (PTC). Further information about Parent Forums and Parent Councils can be found at:
www.scotland.gov.uk
www.sptc.info
www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents
www.opfs.org.uk
www.children1st.org.uk/parentline
www.parentnetworkscotland.org.uk
