Working with parents
Many schools already enjoy the benefits of a close working partnership with parents. Research increasingly shows that when parents are involved with their child's education, children do better. Parental involvement is therefore an important lever for raising children's achievements.
To encourage increased parental involvement, parents now have new rights and opportunities to have a greater say in education. Parents have the right to get involved in decisions
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at local-authority level - for example, challenging local authorities on the quality and range of schools available in the area, and
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at a school level - for example, concerning school policy.
Local authorities have a duty to promote diversity and increase parental choice in planning and securing the provision of school places. There is also an explicit duty on local authorities for the first time to respond formally to parents seeking changes to the provision of schools in their area, including new schools. Likewise, schools are now under a duty to have regard to the views of parents. This means that schools will need to consult with and listen to the views of parents before making decisions on issues such as extended activities, travel-to-school arrangements, school meals, the curriculum and pupil behaviour. It is up to schools how they fulfil their new duties.
This area of TeacherNet looks at involving and working with parents. It includes information on:
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Parents as partners: the case for greater parental involvement.
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Parent councils, including information on how they can be established.
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Parent champions: how parents can support school improvement.
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Parent satisfaction: how monitoring parental satisfaction can help to raise standards.
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Fair and equal access to schools.
Homework matters!
Research shows that your interest and involvement in your
child's learning and education is more important than anything else in
helping your child fulfil their potential. Getting the best out of homework is a new addition to the help your children to
learn series. The booklet is full tips and information on how you can help your
child with their homework.
ParentsCentre
The ParentsCentre website offers information and support
for parents on how to help with their children's learning, as well as tips
on dealing with issues such as bullying, truancy and internet safety. The site also has discussion forums for
parents and an 'ask the expert' facility.
Parent-school partnership
The parent-school partnership supports parents, schools, local
authorities and health professionals by working together to provide an
all-round education for gifted and talented children. See NAGC's website
for more details.
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Involving fathers can also benefit the fathers themselves, and their families. In fact, engaging fathers can make a significant difference to the lives of both child and father well beyond the years of school-based learning. We are currently working on this section and will soon provide a range of material and case studies on how you can involve fathers in their children's education and benefit both. |
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New case studies added New case studies have been added to the 'Research and case studies' section. |
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'Getting the balance right: towards partnership in assessing children's development and educational achievement.' A discussion paper by Professor Sheila Wolfendale Read this paper and consider what it has to say — does it provoke thoughts about your school? The Plowden Report sums up the simplicity of the idea — 'If the parents are involved, the children may be helped.' As part of our focus on parental involvement in children's learning and development and the recent debate about assessment for learning, we have worked with Professor Sheila Wolfendale from UEL on a paper about involving parents in assessing their child's learning and progress. |
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London PICE Conferences, Spring 2004 The PICE Team would like to thank all the attendees at the LEA conferences for their contribution and enthusiasm. We felt the conferences were a great success and judging from the feedback, so did everyone else as well. We have now added the slides and materials from the conferences and the latest on the parental involvement networks' agenda. |
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IPRA Training Pack and Video
The training pack, which includes a suggested programme for an INSET day, is now available to order from Prolog 0845 602 2260. |
The IPRA Training Pack and Video support the
information contained in the Materials for Schools — Involving Parents,
Raising Achievement booklet (ref: PICE/IPRA).
