Beaulieu Parent Consultative Council
Beaulieu Convent School, Wellington Road , St Helier , Jersey , JE2 4RJ
www.beaulieu.jersey.sch.uk/choosing-beaulieu/parent-consultative-council.htmlAbout
Beaulieu is proud to launch our brand new Parent Consultative Council.
What is a Parent Consultative Council?
A Parent Consultative Council is a parents' consultative group that is run by a volunteer body of parents to represent all parents, with support from the school. A Parent Consultative Council enables parents to meet up, share ideas and feedback to the school. It also provides parents with a voice, enhancing relationships between a school and its parents and ensuring a school and its Directors are fully aware of parents' views.
Why introduce a Parent Consultative Council at Beaulieu
During 2011 we conducted questionnaires, seeking the views of our Directors and Trustees, staff, students and parents. A key finding from the parent questionnaire was our parents' desire for enhanced communication with the school and a closer involvement in their daughters' learning.
In addition, we have restructured the Board of Governors to include only our Directors. We will no longer have an elective parent representative or a staff representative from the primary and secondary schools. The function of the Directors is to ensure the smooth and successful running of the school as both a place of learning and a business. They are the strategic decision makers and business managers.
We do see a great deal of value in involving our parents prior to making important school decisions, however, and for this reason we have developed a Parent Consultative Council. The Council will provide a forum for parents to come together, share ideas and present their views to Beaulieu's Senior Management and Directors for consideration as part of their decision making.
Parent Councils provide a way of enabling parents to have a voice at school. They also give parents the opportunity to contribute to policy making on issues important to them and to play their part in improving our children's learning. Parents involved in their child's learning, and school life in general, not only enhance their own child's performance but also help to drive whole school improvements.
The Beaulieu community is at the very heart of our school and we believe further parental involvement will only serve to strengthen our very special community further, minimising barriers and forging lasting relationships.
Main aims of the Beaulieu Parent Consultative Council
To give parents a voice and gain their views prior to our Directors' decision-making, developing a culture of ownership and community.
To develop a partnership between our Parent Consultative Council and the school in order to support and enhance our children's learning and improve our school.
Benefits of a Parent Consultative Council
For parents
Parents will have an official forum to meet up to share views, put forward ideas to the school and our Directors and be informed of latest developments.
Parents become more informed about their child's education.
Parents can become actively involved in sharing opinions prior to Director decision-making,enhancing ownership.
They can receive help and advice on enhancing their child's learning as well as any other issues of importance (e.g. bullying policy).
A Parent Consultative Council should enhance relationships and communication between staff and parents.
For students
Any concerns our students have can be addressed and resolved more quickly if there is positive communication between parents and staff.
Informed parents can support their child's learning more effectively.
Children whose parents are involved in their education tend to perform better.
For Beaulieu
A Parent Consultative Council will enable the school to keep parents fully informed and allow them to have a say prior to the Directors' decision-making.
It enhances Beaulieu's resources and capabilities, as parents contribute their time, knowledge and experience which complement the expertise of staff.
It should help the school to reach parents less engaged with Beaulieu.
Scope of responsibilities
The role of the Parent Consultative Council is consultative and advisory. Decision making and strategic leadership remains the role of the Board of Directors.
At the request of the Chair of Directors the Parent Consultative Council may be asked to review plans or recommendations and offer their conclusions to aid decision-making.
The Parent Consultative Council is not a forum for raising individual concerns or complaints. There are existing channels in place with Mentors and the Senior Management Team for this purpose.Categories: Schools.
