Hoylandswaine Primary School

Parent Forum

Welcome to the Parent Forum.

Hoylandswaine Primary School are keen to work closely with parents and carers to help shape the future of the school. This is why we are going to establish a Parent Forum to encourage greater representation and influence from those who have children at the School.

What is a parent Forum:

A Parent Forum is a body of parents and carers, which provides a forum for them to put forward their views, and those of others, to the Headteacher and IEB. It is a forum through which you can be consulted, learn more about the school, be provided with information about school improvement and encouraged a network with others parents and carers. A member of the IEB will be on the forum and act as the parent champion, representing and feeding back to the IEB.

Functions of the Parent Forum:

The IEB 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 aims of the Parent Forum are to:

• Work together to improve the education and opportunities for our children.
• Share information, knowledge and skills.
• Meet in a mutually supportive and respectful environment.
• Further improve communications between parents/carers and staff/IEB.

The Benefits of a Parent Forum

• The school draws new and different parents and carers into active involvement.
• The school gains an understanding of parents’ and carers’ views and experiences.
• The school works with parents and carers to find solutions.

How often will the Parent Forum meet?

Every ½ term for about an hour.  Meeting times will be set up so as many of the Forum can attend as possible, usually through providing options and going with the most popular.

Further to the OFSTED report the school has to provide a Statement of Action and the Parent Forum will be asked to feedback on this. This is a section from the document

Governance and Accountability 

• The Statement of Action (SOA) has been prepared in partnership between School Leaders, BMBC & HCAT, with input from the IEB. The SOA has been approved the Interim Executive Board.
• Accountability and challenge rests with the IEB, who meet monthly. The SOA will be reviewed half termly and progress against the agreed actions will be reported in the subsequent IEB. During each half-term cycle, designated link governors meet with accountable leaders named on the plan to further triangulate and challenge progress. The school will also be subject to further progress accountability via Local Authority Alliance Board.
• In addition, to ensure greater visibility and accountability for progress against implementing the SOA, on the a termly basis, the School Council and Parent Forum will be engaged and involved for feedback and challenge as representatives of the beneficiaries of plan.
• The life of the SOA will be from approval by OFSTED through an 18/24 month period, although in several areas, work started immediately and has already progressed to address areas identified as significant weaknesses in the report.

Parent Forum Vision and Mission

Hoylandswaine Primary School, through the Parent Forum, aspires to engage with all parents / guardians, providing them with a voice and to actively contribute to making a real difference to the educational and life experience of students.