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:

at local authority (LA) level, for example challenging LAs on the quality and range of schools available in the area
at a school level, for example concerning school policy.

LAs 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 LAs 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:

Parents as partners: the case for greater parental involvement.
Parent councils: including information on how they can be established.
Parent champions: how parents can support school improvement.
Parent satisfaction: how monitoring parental satisfaction can help to raise standards.
Fair and equal access to schools.

Further resources

Homework matters!

Research shows that parents' and carers' interest and involvement in a child's learning and education is more important than anything else in helping that child fulfil their potential.

Homework: More information for parents and teachers

Parent-school partnerships for gifted and talented children

The parent-school partnership supports parents, schools, LAs and health professionals by working together to provide an all-round education for gifted and talented children. See the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) website for more details.

NAGC: Parent-school partnership scheme

Engaging fathers

Involving fathers in their children's education can make a significant different to the lives of both child and father, well beyong the years of school-based learning.

Engaging fathers

Involving parents, raising achievement (IPRA)

The Involving parents, raising achievement:Materials for schools booklet contains information and ideas to help you develop successful home-school links. The IPRA training pack and video supports the information contained in the booklet. The training pack includes a suggested programme for an in-service training (INSET) day.