Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy

CONSTITUTION

CONSTITUTION of the Grove Academy Parent Council


1. AIMS
The aims of Grove Academy Parent Council (hereinafter referred to as “the Council”) are:

  • To promote partnership and communication between the school, its pupils, their parents/carers and the wider community.
  • To develop and engage in activities which support the education, physical and emotional well-being of the pupils, both within and outside of the school.
  • To identify and represent the views of parents/carers with regard to the education provided by the school and other matters affecting the education and welfare of the pupils.

The Parent Forum is made up of all of the parents, carers or guardians, hereinafter referred to as ‘parents’ of pupils at Grove Academy.

2. MEMBERSHIP

2.1 The membership of the Council consists of parents/carers of children attending Grove Academy as selected by the Parent Forum.

2.2 The Council’s membership will comprise a minimum of 6 and maximum of 15 parents.

2.3 Parent members of the Council should, as far possible, be parents of pupils at different stages of the school, but election by nomination and vote takes precedence over such representation.

2.4 Members of the Council shall be appointed at the AGM after selfnomination. They shall be elected for a one-year term and be eligible for re-election. Parents shall always form the majority of the Council.

2.5 In the event that there are more than 15 nominees, members shall be elected by a simply majority vote of all parents present. If there is a tie, nominees with a greater share of the vote than the tie will be considered elected. Nominees sharing the tied vote and those with a lesser share of the vote shall be subject to a subsequent majority vote, and so on until 15 members are elected.

2.6 The Council may co-opt up to 3 persons to help carry out its functions. Co-opted members should be proposed by a member of the
Council and supported by the majority of members. The co-opted members shall not have a vote on the Council and shall retire at the
AGM but shall be eligible to be co-opted for a further term.

2.7 A member of the Parent Council failing to attend three consecutive meetings without reason/apologies may be deemed to have retired from the Parent Council.

3. OFFICE BEARERS

3.1 The office bearers of the Council will be the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson, the Secretary and the Treasurer.
3.2 The Chairperson must be a member of the Parent Forum. In the absence of the Chairperson at any Council meeting, another member of the Council will be appointed temporary Chairperson selected by those present at that Council meeting.

3.3 The office bearers will be selected by the Council on an annual basis at the AGM.

4. MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL, CONFIDENTIALITY & ACCESS TO MEETINGS

4.1 An annual schedule of meetings, at least one per term, will be agreed by the Council at the AGM. Meetings may take place virtually
and/or in person.

4.2 The Secretary will liaise with all interested parties before finalising the agenda for a Council meeting.

4.3 The quorum for any meeting will comprise at least 3 members of the Council, 2 of whom must be office bearers.

4.4 Each parent member of the Council shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority vote of those present. The Chairperson shall have both a deliberative and casting vote – one vote as a PC member and one vote as Chair. The Chairperson's casting vote shall be used only in the event of a tie.

4.5 Unless discussing an issue it considers confidential, all Council ordinary meetings shall be open to members of the Parent Forum
although they will not have voting rights.

4.6 The Rector or their representative has right and duty to attend meetings of the Council.

4.7 The Council shall invite local Dundee City Council councillors to attend their meetings, and other community leaders deemed fit from time to time.

4.8 School pupils, represented by the School Captains and/or members of the pupil representative council may attend Council meetings.

5. MINUTES OF MEETINGS

5.1 The minutes of each meeting will be recorded by the Secretary, in whose absence the Council will appoint an acting secretary to record such minutes.

5.2 Once approved, a copy of the minutes will be made public and be available on request.

6. SPECIAL MEETINGS

6.1 The Council or 50 members of the Parent Forum shall have power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting which the Council shall arrange within 4 weeks of such a call.

6.2 All members of the Parent Forum should be given at least 14 days’ notice of any EGM together with an indication of the agenda for that meeting.

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The first Council meeting of each school year will be an Annual General Meeting, and will normally be held before the end of September. A notice of the meeting will be sent to all members of the Parent Forum at least 2 weeks in advance. The agenda for this meeting will include:

  • a report on the work of the Council
  • approval of the accounts
  • selection of the new Council and office bearers
  • a report by the Rector on the school’s activity

In the event that there are several persons wishing to be selected for official posts a ballot of the Council members may be conducted.

8. CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION

Changes or additions to this constitution must be made at an AGM, or at an EGM called for the purpose. The proposed change shall be specified in the notice calling the meeting and be approved by at least two thirds of all members of the Parent Forum present.

9. FUNDING

9.1 The funds of the Council shall be lodged in a bank, building society or other account in the name of the Council. Cheques shall be
drawn, or withdrawals made against the signatures of at least two named Council members. For electronic banking, make sure transactions are carefully recorded and shared at meetings. Invoices and expenses repayments should be signed off by two people.

9.2 The Council will be responsible for ensuring that all monies are used in accordance with the aims of the Council.

9.3 The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping accurate records of the financial transactions of the Council. The books shall be brought to balance six weeks before the AGM and the accounts shall be reviewed by an individual appointed at the previous AGM by the Parent Forum. The individual should be independent of the Council.

9.4 The Treasurer should report on finances at every meeting.

9.5 In the event that the Council ceases to exist, any remaining funds shall be passed onto its successor organisation, and if such an
organisation doesn’t exist, to the school.

June 2022