Parent post newsletter issue seven

The parental involvement act - a new law to support parents

Parents, carers and family members are by far the most important influences on children's lives. After all, between the ages of five and 16 children spend only 15 per cent of their time in school. Research shows that when parents are involved in their child's learning, children do better at school and throughout life. Changes have been made to the law to help parents and schools work together as partners in children's learning.

A new approach to parental involvement

Because parents have such a vital role to play in their children's education, the Scottish Parliament has passed a new law called the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 to encourage and support more parents to become involved.

Most schools are already working very hard to involve parents, but the act makes it a top priority for education authorities and schools to support the involvement of parents:

• at home - by providing them with information on what their children are learning at school and how this can best be supported at home
• through school - by providing them with opportunities to contribute to the life of the school eg by helping out in the classroom, on school trips and at school events
• in a more formal way - by helping them to decide what kind of parent group the school should have.

What parents have said

Parents are clear about what help they want to support their child's learning. You want good opportunities to express your views, to raise issues that are important to you and your child, to get a proper response to your requests and questions and to know more about what goes on in schools. The new law makes it easier for you to do all of this.

Who can be members?

Generally, members of the parent council must be parents of children who attend the school and the chairperson must have a child in the school.  However, the parent council can decide to co-opt other members, for example teachers and or people from the wider community, who will have knowledge and skills to help them. In denominational schools, the parent council must invite the relevant church or denominational body to nominate a representative to be a co-opted member. The parent forum will decide how the members are to be selected.

Duties on education authorities

The new act places certain new duties on education authorities. In North Lanarkshire we have:

• a duty to 'promote involvement of parents in school education'. This includes giving advice and information to parents about their own child in response to reasonable requests. 
• a duty to 'develop a strategy for parental involvement' and in doing this to consult with parents, pupils and any other interested parties.  The parental involvement strategy will mean that we have procedures in place to ensure that parents' views are heard and that parents get the information they need and want about their child's education.
• a requirement to have in place a complaints procedure covering how we carry out our new duties under the act.
• a requirement to give advice and support to parent forums and assist them in establishing a parent council.

What does the act mean for schools?

Many schools already have a range of ways to ensure that parents are involved in the life of the school. Existing methods and new ideas for involving parents will now be included in the school development plan.  Schools will continue to seek better ways of involving parents, but you can expect your child's school to:

• welcome and encourage partnership with parents
• provide responses to requests from parents for advice or information
• tell you about school events and how you can be involved in the life of the school
• tell you about what your child is learning and meetings or events involving your child
• work with the education authority and parent forum to find the best way of setting up and running a parent council
• have a clear complaints procedure and also guidance on how you can contact the education authority if you want to.