Parents as Partners in their

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Parents as Partners in their Childrens Learning
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What do we mean by parental involvement?

• Three elements
• Learning at Home
• parents as first and ongoing educators of their
  own children
• Home/School Partnership
• schools, parents and the community working
  together to educate children
• Parent Representation Parent Councils
• parents have an opportunity to have their views
  represented

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Why parental involvement?

• Where parents are involved, children do better
  and achieve more

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What difference do parents make?
Children spend only 15 of their time in school
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What difference do parents make?
85 of the language we use as adults is in place
by the time we are five years old and 50 is in
place by the time we are three years old.
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What difference do parents make?
Most differences in achievement by 14 year olds
in English, Maths and Science are due to home
influences.
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What difference do parents make?
When parents are actively involved in reading
with their children at home their childrens
reading scores improve, on average, by between
12-18 months.
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What difference do parents make?
Doing homework regularly through their years at
school has roughly the same benefit as an extra
years schooling.
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The benefits for children are

• It is easier for children to learn when they get
  encouragement at home
• They will do better and achieve more when their
  parents are involved
• Children get access to more activities in and out
  of school when there are more adults to help
• Their concerns can be sorted out quicker when
  their parents have a positive relationship with
  school staff
• They are happy when their parents are enjoying
  events in the school

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The benefits for staff are

• Parents bring skills which complement teachers
  skills and expertise
• Parents contribute their time, so together
  parents and staff are able to do more activities
  with pupils than staff can do on their own
• Pupils' attainment and behaviour improve
• Parents have ideas about how the school can best
  support the children
• Staff have people with whom they can talk over
  ideas and get help when developing plans for the
  school

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Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006

• The new legislation aims to help all parents to
  be

• involved with their child's education and
  learning
• welcomed as active participants in the life of
  the school, and
• encouraged to express their views on school
  education.

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What is the Parent Forum and Parent Council?

• Every parent with a child at the school is a
  member of the Parent Forum
• Parent Forum can choose to have their views
  represented through a Parent Council
• Parent Council
• smaller body that can represent parents views to
  the school, local authority and HMIe

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Functions of the Parent Council

• Support the school in its work with pupils to
  raise standards
• Gather and represent parents views
• Promote contact between the school, parents, and
  the local community
• Fundraise
• Assist at and organise events

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Benefits for Parents

• Involvement with childrens learning can help
  build parents' confidence and skills
• Concerns can be addressed quicker if parents
  have a positive relationship with the school
• Parents can be reassured about the quality of
  education their children are receiving

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Parents view

• I want my school to be
• Relaxed
• Flexible
• Inclusive
• Welcoming

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Benefits for Schools

• Parents bring a great range of different skills
  which complement teachers experience
• If parents contribute their time - together
  parents and teachers are able to do more
• Pupils behaviour and attainment improves
• Parents can provide ideas about how schools can
  best support their child

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Resources

• Guidance
• Toolkit
• Welcome Pack
• Angus Policy
• Making the Difference leaflets

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Useful Websites

• Parentzone website
• www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk
• Parent Institute
• www.parent-institute.com
• Learning and Teaching Scotland
• www.ltscotland.org.uk
• Parents as Partners in Learning
• www.hmie.gov.uk
• Kids Health
• www.kidshealth.org