Parental Engagement

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Eric Burton

National Enterprise in Education Development Officer

Enterprise in Education

Cooperation with

Parents

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Parental InvolvementThe Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 recognises the vital role that parents play in supporting their children’s learning..

It places a new duty on Scottish Ministers and education authorities to promote the involvement of parents in children’s education and the wider life of the school.

It aims to help parents to be:

• Involved with their child’s education and learning• Welcomed as an active participant in the life of the school• Encouraged to express their views on school education generally

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentsaspartnersinlearning/index.asp

Parents as Partners in their Children’s Learning Toolkit

• http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentsaspartnersinlearning/images/Toolkit_tcm4-373859.pdf

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Benefits for Children • 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.

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Benefits for Parents

• Their children do better when they are involved• They are better able to help and encourage their children• They have more information about their children’s

education• Parents can build their own confidence and skills• Where there is a positive relationship between parents

and their child’s school there are benefits all round• Parents get reassurance that their children are receiving a

good education.

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Benefits For School

• Parents bring skills which complement teachers’ skills and expertise

• Parents contribute their time, so together parents and teachers are able to do more activities with pupils than teachers can do on their own

• Pupils' attainment and behaviour improve• Parents have ideas about how the school can best

support the children• Teachers have people with whom they can talk over ideas

and get help when developing plans for the school• Parents can give advice and help around reaching other

parents.

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Engaging with Parents Through Enterprise

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/89478/0021426.pdf

Learning and Teaching Scotland

What can I do to help my child become more enterprising?

Some of the most effective ways are by:

•Giving them tasks and responsibilities at home and supporting them to achieve them successfully•Being positive – turning setbacks or mistakes into learning experiences•Asking their opinion and involving them in making decisions•Encouraging them to experience new things – it doesn’t always have to cost money•Giving them real help to develop their own ideas, or career plans that are suited to their interests, talents and abilities.

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Some Examples of Co-operationTrinity PS – Sharing careersParents Sharing and Teaching Skills – music oneCfE Day East Renfrewshire – event organised and presented by pupilsTapping in to Parent science skillsGrand Parent Day

Learning and Teaching Scotland

“ Existing schools should redesign themselves with a foundation in the learning sciences, and should work closely with non-school learning environments – libraries, museums, after-school clubs, on-line virtual schools, and the home – to develop a new model of learning for the future.” P12

OECD “Learning in the 21st Century: Research, Innovation and Policy”

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/39/52/40554221.pdf

The African Philosophy

• It takes a whole village to bring up a child.

Learning and Teaching Scotland