The Friends of The William Hogarth School Constitution
Name
1. The name of the Association shall be The Friends of The William Hogarth School
(‘FOWH’)
Objectives
2. The object of the FOWH is to advance the education of pupils in the school. In
furtherance of this object the FOWH may:
a. develop more extended relationships between the staff, parents and others
associated with the school
b. engage in activities which support the school and advance the education of the
pupils attending it
c. provide and assist in the provision of such facilities for education at the school as
the committee in consultation with the Governing Body shall from time to time
determine
3. The FOWH shall be non-party political and non- sectarian.
Officers and Members
4. Membership of the FOWH shall be open to parents and carers of pupils attending
the school, staff employed at the school and other persons connected with the
school and subscribing to the objectives of the FOWH as the Committee may at
their discretion determine.
5. The President of the FOWH shall be the headteacher of the school and shall be an
ex-officio member of the Committee, not required to offer herself for re-election.
6. The Officers of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and
shall serve until the commencement of the next Annual General Meeting.
7. The Chair and Secretary of the FOWH should be parents or carers or staff
employed at the school.
8. The Chair or other officers may be removed from office at a special general
meeting of FOWH called for this purpose by a majority of two–thirds present.
9. The management and control of FOWH will be invested in a committee which
shall consist of the following officers: President, Chair, Secretary and Treasurer
together with up to 8 other members of the committee (to include additional
officers appointed under Clause 11). In addition The President may nominate up
to two members of the teaching staff, and the Governing Body may nominate one
Governor representative to serve as members of the committee.
10. Members of school staff and parents or carers who are not nominated members
are entitled to attend meetings of the Committee and join in discussion but shall
not be entitled to vote on Committee matters.
11. The Committee may appoint other officers from amongst their number at any
Committee meeting eg. Vice-chair, Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer or
Publicity Officer. Officers so appointed retain office until the next Annual General
Meeting of FOWH.
12. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members to the
Committee or any other sub-committee provided that the total number of
Committee members shall not exceed that stated in Clause 9.
13. Four members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
14. In the event of a tied vote the chair of the Committee shall have the casting vote.
15. The Committee shall have full power to conduct and superintend the activities of
FOWH and will exercise such powers to perform such duties as expressly directed
by FOWH.
16. At least one meeting of the Committee shall be held in each term. 4 members of
the Committee can call a Special Committee Meeting by giving 7 days notice to
all other committee members, stating the reason for the request.
The duties of the Secretary
17. The secretary shall ensure the production and retention of the minutes of every
General Meeting of FOWH and every meeting of the Committee. Such minutes
shall be approved and signed by the chair at the next General or Committee
meeting.
The duties of the Treasurer
18. The treasurer will be responsible for keeping account of all income and
expenditure and shall present a financial report to all Committee Meetings.
He/She shall present the accounts duly audited for approval by the members of the
Committee.
19. Bank accounts shall be operated in the name of FOWH and withdrawals shall be
made on the signature of any two of the following : the Chair, Secretary or
Treasurer.
20. The financial year shall commence on 1st September each year.
Sub – committees
21. The committee may appoint sub – committees as it deems necessary and shall
prescribe their function provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub –
committee shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible and
provided that no such sub –committee shall spend funds of the FOWH other than
in a budget agreed by the Committee
General Meetings
22. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the FOWH shall be held during the
Autumn Term and shall transact the following business:
22.1 to adopt the minutes of the previous AGM
22.2 to receive and adopt the audited accounts for the preceding financial year
22.3 to receive the chairs report
22.4 to elect a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary
22.5 to elect other members to the Committee
22.6 to elect an auditor who is not a member of the Committee to audit the books and
the accounts of FOWH
22.7 to transact any other business included in the agenda
23
24
Ten members shall constitute a quorum for the AGM.
At General Meetings each member of the Association shall vote personally and
have one vote to exercise
25 Unless otherwise specified a motion shall be carried if a simple majority is
recorded in its favour.
26 A Special General Meeting can be convened at the request of 10 members of
FOWH in writing to the secretary and stating the business to be transacted.
Fourteen days notice shall be given to members of FOWH of any such meeting
and the meetings shall be held within 30 days of the request being made.
27 Any General Meeting shall be convened by notice in writing not less than 14
days in advance of the meeting. The notice shall specify whether the meeting is
an Annual or a Special General Meeting and shall state the date, time and venue
of the meeting, together with the business to be transacted.
Alteration to the Constitution
28. No alteration to the Constitution may be made except at the AGM or a
Special General Meeting called for this purpose. Alterations to the
Constitution shashall receive the assent of two-thirds of the members
present at a AGM or a Special General Meeting.
Dissolution of the FOWH
29. The FOWH may be dissolves by a resolution presented at a Special General
Meeting called for this purpose. The resolution must have the assent of
two-thirds of those present and voting. Such resolution may give
instructions for the disposal of any assets remaining after satisfying any
outstanding debts and liabilities. These assets shall be given to the school
for the benefit of the pupils of the school or in the event of a school closure
to the school to which a majority of the pupils of the closing school will
go. If this cannot be done then the effects will be given to some other
charitable purpose.
General Provisions
30.
FOWH shall be affiliated to the National Confederation of Parent Teacher
Associations.
31.
The President shall have the ultimate decision on all educational matters,
and shall be consulted on the distribution of funds by FOWH for the
benefit of the pupils at the school.
32.
Any matter not provided for within the Constitution and concerning the
organisation and activities of FOWH shall be dealt with by the Committee
and their decision shall be final.
Adoption
33. This constitution was adopted by The Friends of The William Hogarth
School on
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