The Power of Your Voice

Today, in the last of our series looking at how parent and carer voices can be represented in education, we want to invite you to imagine what the best version of Abbyehill would be for your family, and what kind of parental representation will best achieve that.

Over the last month, we’ve looked at the power of a strong parent council, the power of strong collaboration between different sections of our school community, and the power of integrity for building trust and influence. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Parent Council is the only form of parental organisation available to us, however this is not the case. There is another model available, that of the Parent-Teacher Association.

What’s the difference?

Parent Council

The Parent Council is a formal, statutory body made up of parents, teachers, and community members. It has specific rights, structure and responsibilities, like providing a platform for parents to share their thoughts on school matters and actively participating in decisions about policies, curriculum, and budget allocation. Parent Councils also raise funds and organise events to enrich life at school. 

Recent examples from our own Parent Council include;

  • collaborating with the school senior staff to develop the Home Education policy,
  • successfully calling for more outdoor learning,
  • providing funding to support that learning,
  • consulting with Edinburgh City Council’s schools estates team on our new playground
  • hosting the various parties and events that happen throughout the school session (eg Artists in Residence Garden pARTies, Hallowe’en parties, film nights, the annual Summer Fair, and more).

Parent-Teacher Association

on the other hand, is more informal. It focuses on activities like organising fun events and fundraising to support the school. It is still required to follow good governance, but can be much less formal around decision making and responsibilities. It does not get involved in setting school policy, curriculum or budget allocations.

There is, however, no requirement for the Parent Forum to have any formally organised representation. Parent Councils are actively encouraged by government legislation and council policy, but they are not mandated. Neither are Parent-Teacher Associations. We are free to choose what will best support our families.

So now, it’s your turn to share your thoughts.

How would you like to be represented in our school community?

The following four options are available to us, as a Parent Forum. Please read the summaries and decide which option will best support your family during your time here at Abbeyhill. You now have the opportunity to vote for your preferred option, either in person at the Parent/Teacher Evenings this week, or online through a link we will send out via email.

Voting will close at midday on Monday 9th October.

The results will be announced and next steps agreed at the Parent Council’s Extraordinary General Meeting, to be held in school on the evening of Tuesday 10th October.

We hope you’ll feel free to discuss this important decision with each other, and recommend following the links to additional reading if you wish. Your input is invaluable, as it helps us align our efforts with your family’s needs and aspirations.

Here are the options for representation, with a summary of their pros and cons.

No formal representation

1
  • Flexible, individualised engagement in your child(ren)’s education.
  • Families connect with school on their own terms.
  • Fewer administrative responsibilities and potential conflicts.
  • Harder to establish a sense of community.
  • Difficult to advocate for systematic changes or policies that benefit the whole school community.
  • More difficult to coordinate larger-scale initiatives or fundraising efforts.
  • Risks small groups of parents duplicating each other’s work, or assuming others will take action and so doing nothing.
  • Significant increase in workload for the Head Teacher, making it harder to meet with her and meaning other things will have to be dropped.

Parent-Teacher Association

2
  • Focuses on fundraising and events.
  • Promotes community building.
  • Mobilises resources and creates a sense of belonging among parents.
  • Allows concentrated efforts on specific initiatives.
  • Less bureaucratic than a formal Parent Council.
  • Limited influence on educational policies and decision-making processes, in school and at council level.
  • Lack of structured platform for parents to have their say on curriculum changes and budget allocations.
  • Fundraising likely to take priority over other aspects of parental involvement.
  • Potential overshadowing of advocacy for academic programs or policies.

Full Parent Council

3
  • Formal, statutory body with defined responsibilities and rights.
  • Provides a platform for parents to actively participate in decisions regarding school policies, curriculum, and budget allocations.
  • Allows for a broader scope of involvement, encompassing fundraising and shaping educational initiatives.
  • Ensures a unified voice and organised communication between parents and the school.
  • Leads to more effective advocacy for systemic changes.
  • Creates opportunities for parents and carers to be involved in a wide range of activities (administrative and/or hands on), depending on their interests.
  • More administrative responsibilities and potential conflicts.
  • Balancing diverse opinions and interests can be challenging.
  • Requires effective leadership and consensus-building.
  • Formalised decision-making process requires additional time and effort from parents and carers.

Parent Council + separate PTA

4
  • Benefits of structured representation and focused fundraising efforts.
  • Parent Council for active participation in shaping educational policies.
  • Separate PTA for community-building events and fundraising initiatives.
  • Comprehensive and balanced approach to parent involvement.
  • Caters to a wider range of interests and preferences.
  • Coordinating efforts between Parent Council and PTA requires effective communication and collaboration.
  • Balancing priorities and initiatives of both groups can be complex.
  • There may be additional administrative responsibilities and costs associated with managing two separate bodies.
  • Finding a harmonious balance between the roles and responsibilities of each group is crucial for success.

Your involvement is a cornerstone of our children’s success

Please spend some time considering which form of representation will best support your family during your time here at Abbeyhill, and remember to cast your vote.

Together, we can shape an exceptional educational experience for all our children, and build a community that sets the foundations they will need to thrive in the 21st century.

 

Further Reading: