Parental Involvement

Latest information and updates for Parent Councils

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Latest information and updates for Parent Councils

Parents in Partnership

There are three main ways which parents, carers and guardians can be involved in supporting their children’s learning.

Learning at Home

Parents are the first and ongoing educators of their own children and, as such, should receive information and support to help develop their child’s learning at home, in the community and at school.

Home/School Partnership

Schools must be open to the involvement of parents in the work they do and they should consider ways of providing information that helps parents engage with school and their children's education.

Parental Representation

The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 provides a framework for ensuring that parents have the opportunity to express their views and have these taken into account on policy matters affecting the education of their children.

The Parental Involvement Act states that every parent (defined as parent, carer or guardian) with a child in school would automatically be a member of the school's Parent Forum. The Parent Forum may opt to elect a Parent Council, a smaller body, to represent the views of parents, but the decision as a whole as to how the Parent Council is run and how it is made up rests with the wider Parent Forum.

The Edinburgh vision for parental involvement centres on 'involving families, schools and communities in improving the lives of children and young people'. Currently, in Edinburgh, it is encouraging to note the number of Parent Councils already established:

Primary Schools 83 out of a possible 92
Secondary Schools 23 out of a possible 23
Special Schools 7 out of a possible 10
Nursery Schools 5 out of a possible 18

If you are not already on a Parent Council, why not join or become involved in a sub-group? Talk to your Parent Council Chair, or where no Council is in place, to your Head Teacher.

Further information

Contacts

Name: Parental Involvement Unit, Children and Families

Address: Waverley Court, Level 1/1, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG

Tel: 0131 469 3131