Combined Parent Council

Combined Parent Council

The Act makes provision for the establishment of a Combined Parent Council, covering two or more schools, where this has the requisite consent of the majority of parents in each of the schools. Requisite consent means the expressed wish of the majority of parents, in each school, responding to a written notice of the proposal that a Combined Parent Council be set up. Where parents choose to set up a Combined Parent Council, the education authority should prepare a scheme using a similar process to that followed in the case of a single council (see Section C). The authority must send a copy of the scheme to all members of the respective Parent Forums and make the necessary arrangements to implement it, including an appropriate constitution for the Combined Parent Council. It will be for the Combined Parent Council to agree a name by which it will be known and to inform the headteachers of the represented schools, members of the Parent Forums, pupils and others, as appropriate, when it has been established.

In general, provisions in the Act which apply to the operation and support of a single Parent Council apply in the required modified form to a Combined Parent Council. These cover:

• developing or reviewing the strategy for parental involvement 
• composition and chair of the council 
• functions of Parent Council 
• headteacher’s right and duty to attend council meetings and meetings being open 
• financial powers 
• education authority provision of advice, information and support 
• appointments procedure for senior staff.

If a Combined Parent Council includes a denominational school its constitution must provide for at least one person from the church or denominational body to be a co-opted member of the council. Where there is more than one such church or denomination, each church or body must be able to nominate at least one co-optee.

Where the members of the Parent Forum of one of the represented schools within the combined arrangements decide to withdraw, or one of the schools is discontinued or amalgamated with another school, then the Combined Parent Council will cease to exist if the ‘represented schools’ no longer comprise more than one school. Withdrawal from a Combined Parent Council is subject to the majority of parents at the school responding, within a reasonable timescale, to a written proposal that the school withdraw from the combined arrangements. If members of a Parent Forum do decide to withdraw, then the general duty on the education authority to promote and support the establishment of a Parent Council at the school re-applies.