The Parent Council

Every parent or carer of a young person at Elgin Academy is a member of our school forum, and this collective voice is represented by the parent council. I went along to one of their meetings to find out how it runs and what they do.

I spoke to James Walls, the chair of the recently restarted parent council which meets termly to discuss issues affecting pupils and families. James’ sense of personal responsibility led him to join the parent council, as a way to “give back to the community”. With his background as former station commander at RAF Lossiemouth, he has a strong set of skills to bring to the position.

In a typical parent council meeting, questions and concerns are collected and discussed. The head teacher, local councillors and sometimes Moray Council central staff are present. James stresses that a key part of the parent council is communication - often a resolution can be found simply by sharing information with other parents.

James feels the parent council creates a “really positive, respectful dialogue” which was apparent throughout their meeting. He firmly believes that “we are part of #TeamEA”, and feels all opinions voiced are heard. He gives the example of confusion surrounding tracking reports, which was raised in a parent council meeting, and these concerns were addressed through a simple email to all parents and carers. The work of the parent council also extends beyond the school day, trying to provide resources which help with “how to parent”, such as directing parents towards the “exchange counselling” service which provides professional counselling and support.

James stresses that involvement in the parent council doesn’t have to mean attending every meeting - by just dropping an email, any queries or concerns can be raised. James adds, “please just send us an email. Start the conversation, and we’ll see what we can do to help.”