Parents On The Committee

[Guest]

Hi all

Well a bit concerned about our committee (again!). I am sure the constitution says that the comm has to be made up of at least 60% of parent who have child at pre-school when they are elected...anyway

Chair (daughter left 2 months after to go to school)

Vice (son leaves at xmas to go to school)

Secretary (son leaves at xmas to go to school)

Treasurer (daughter leaves at xmas to go to school)

Admissions (has been doing it for 3 years, eldest daughter first year, nobody 2nd and youngest daughter came for 3 weeks and mum taken her out and sent to another pre-school!!!!!??? our major competitor)

Fees (had child at pre-school last year, no child when stayed on this year)

Lunch club (child at pre-school)

Parent rota (child at pre-school)

Staff liason (child at pre-school but this week removed and sent to other pre-school our major competitor again!)

Fund raiser (had daughter at pre-school last year but non when she stayed on this time.)

General help (daughter leaves to go to school)

 

So what do you make of that??? Can it be allowed?

Issues that concern the staff are:

 

Why committee sending children to other pre-school as not good advertisement for us!? Heard the reason from one comm member was it is quieter, they sit down more, do more education etc etc. Our major competitor is private run pre-school in lovely grounds (bigger outide area, not a pack away setting but twice as expensive) .

Other concern is that the numbers drop drastically after xmas to 12 -14 per day (allowed 24!) so need commitee support. They have been capping the number of under 3yr old we take and we have lost a fair few to other settings.

Plus already other parents have complained that they struggle to get hold of anybody on committee (as we do with the chair!) and after xmas there will only be 2 members even coming to pre-school. How is this going to work?

I wonder what you all think. I am thinking of raising this as an issue for the next comm meeting next tues.

Any advice?

Thanks

Edited December 10, 2008 by marley

[hali]

committees are a problem but as long as charity commision know some of your members havnt actually got children in the pre school it is allowed! i would bring up your concerns at next meeting and try to get some parents on board that are activly involved in the setting as thy will obviously have a vested interest.

 

good luck x

[Guest]

I would speak to the PLA (are they still called that? I work in a private nursery) and your Early Years Development worker/advisory teacher for advice. Also contact the Charity Commission. Good luck!

[Guest]

I would say you are very lucky to have that many committee members as we struggle every year to elect a committee.

However you are right in pointing out that committee members using another pre-school does not reflect well on your setting. I would ask at your meeting for the parents to explain their actions. As for parents whose children are no longer at your setting being on the committee then I would say if they are good support be glad and if not ask them if they want to continue.

[HappyMaz]

Marley - I would suggest that the first place you look is your constitution. If there is something in there that stipulates how many committee members must have children in your setting and this is not being adhered to it may be that decisions made by the committee are not valid. If you're a member of the PLA then ask them too - but your constitution is what should govern how you do things and if this is no longer fit for purpose then perhaps it is time to review it?

 

And as for committee members sending their children to a different setting: how can they continue to serve on the committee of a pre-school whose ethos they can't support?

 

Maz

[Guest]

Ours is stipulated in our constitution how many have to be parents of current children - so as said in previous posts I would check that out first. Politics of committees - don't you love them!!!