Parents As Partners In Excellence

Slide 1: Parents as Partners in Excellence Celia Burn Scottish Learning Festival September 2007

Slide 2: Outline of workshop Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 Implications of the Act Research evidence Linking with other initiatives Resources

Slide 3: Opportunity “A once in a generation chance to take a fresh look at how parents are involved in their children’s learning and in schools more generally” Robert Brown, Deputy Minister for Education and Young People

Slide 4: Purpose of the Act Modernise and strengthen the framework for supporting parental involvement Engage parents meaningfully in the education of their children and in the school community Support parents and staff to work in partnership

Slide 5: Duties Duties on Ministers and Education Authorities to promote Parental Involvement Education Authorities to: prepare strategy for parental involvement (to include reference to equal opportunities and looked after children) give advice and information to parents promote and support Parent Councils establish complaints procedure

Slide 6: 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

Slide 7: Implications of the Act for schools Need to review current parental engagement and identify key areas for improvement – audit in Toolkit Parental engagement to be integrated into school development plan Barriers identified and addressed Whole school approach Joint working with new Parent Council

Slide 8: Why involve parents? Parental engagement helps raise pupil achievement – where parents and teachers work together the gains are significant. Parents’ influence is greatest in supporting learning in the home. A two way relationship is important and schools giving the message that parents matter. Support for parents needs to recognise their specific needs. (“Engaging Parents in Raising Achievement – Do parents know they matter”. Warwick University July 2007)

Slide 9: Why parental involvement? Where parents are involved, children do better and achieve more

Slide 10: What difference do parents make? Children spend only 15% of their time in school

Slide 11: 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.

Slide 12: What difference do parents make? Most differences in achievement by 14 year olds in English, Maths and Science are due to home influences.

Slide 13: What difference do parents make? When parents are actively involved in reading with their children at home their children’s reading scores improve, on average, by between 12-18 months.

Slide 14: What difference do parents make? Doing homework regularly through their years at school has roughly the same benefit as an extra year’s schooling.

Slide 15: What do we mean by parental involvement? Three key dimensions - 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 – parents having an opportunity to comment on practice and a voice in the development of education policy at school, local authority and national level.

Slide 16: Beyond involvement Parental involvement – or parental engagement. A two way exchange and dialogue A joint enterprise

Slide 17: Framework The, Act, Guidance and Toolkit Curriculum for Excellence Assessment is for Learning HMIe – Journey to Excellence, HMIe- How Good is our School 3 HMIe Guide – Partnership with Parents

Slide 18: The Journey to Excellence

Slide 19: Framework – Journey to Excellence Provides good practice; guide to how meet the 10 dimensions; self- evaluation tips Dimension 3 – Develops a common vision with children, parents and staff links with Curriculum for Excellence

Slide 20: Framework – Journey to Excellence Dimension 5 - Works in partnerships with other agencies and its community: The school in its community Working with partners to meet the needs of all children and young people Multi-agency approaches to improve learning

Slide 21: Journey to Excellence Dimension 6 – Works together with parents to improve learning: Developing parents support for their children’s learning Active involvement of parents in school activities Collaboration and representation

Slide 22: Curriculum change and parents Comfortable with the familiar. Whatever the quality they will judge the curriculum against what they did at school. Need to explore the four purposes or capacities Parents need to know how they can support their children’s learning at home.

Slide 23: The four capacities Confident individuals Successful learners Effective contributors Responsible citizens

Slide 24: Areas for involvement Skills for work – what skills do parents already have that they can contribute Global citizenship – parent involvement and participation evidence of this Cross curriculum working provides ideal opportunities for engaging parents – health promoting schools, eco schools

Slide 25: Exercise In groups of 3 or 4 identify areas of the curriculum where it would be possible to draw on the skills of parents. Look at the Skills Survey from the Toolkit and think about how you might be able to work with your new Parent Council to take this forward.

Slide 26: Top tips Have a member of the senior leadership team with specific responsibility for parental partnership. Share with all partners the importance and impact of parental engagement. Analyse the impact of all events and activities on pupil achievement. Embrace work with parents with enthusiasm and passion!

Slide 27: Resources to support implementation Toolkit and Guidance Making the Difference leaflets Involving parents CD Rom Parentzone http://www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk/ and Parents as Partners http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentsaspartners inlearning/index.asp Parent Council Welcome Pack

Slide 28: Parents as Partners ‘Schools need the support of Parents to be truly ambitious and excellent’ Peter Peacock, ex Minister for Education and Young People

Slide 29: HMIe Guide – Partnership with Parents 9 quality indicators for parental involvement Draws out key indicators and themes to help evaluate quality of partnership with parents HGIOS 3

Slide 30: How Good is our Parental Involvement?

Slide 31: How Good Is Our School - 3 1.2 Fulfilment of statutory duties 2.2 The schools success in involving parents carers and families 5.1 Parents views on the curriculum 5.3 Involving parents in learners needs and plans 5.4 Engaging with parents using assessment information to improve learning

Slide 32: How Good Is Our School - 3 5.5 Expectations and achievement 5.6 Equality and fairness-all parents 5.7 Partnership with learners and parents- active involvement, barriers, participation, reaching out to parents 5.9 Gathering parents’ views to improve through self evaluation 6.1 Parents actively involved in development and review of policies

Slide 33: How Good Is Our School - 3 6.2 Active parental participation on representative groups 8.2 Involvement of parents re funding to support improvements in learning 9.1 Work with parents-shared vision 9.2 Leadership and direction communicated to parents 9.3 Developing people/partnerships