NGA view of Parental Involvement in Schools

NGA view of Parental Involvement in Schools

The NGA say they believe that a distinction needs to be made between parental involvement in the education of their children and parental involvement in the running of schools. The first is essential; the appropriate mechanism for the second is through representation on the school governing body. Governorship is a rewarding experience and allows parents to have direct influence on the vision and strategy for a school.

Effective governing bodies will ensure that policies are in place to: engage, support and report to parents. Such policies will not just meet the statutory minimums but will seek to foster an attitude of inclusivity.

In setting the culture and ethos of the school governing bodies (GBs) should consider what role parental views and values should play. GBs should see parents as part of the life of the school and actively seek their views.

The NGA supports the Home School Agreement and believes that parents also have to take responsibility for their children’s education and behaviour and support the school’s policies.

Effective governing bodies (GBs) will ensure they have a variety of mechanisms in place to consult parents, including:

Regular surveys of parents’ views

Mechanisms for parents to submit views at any time

Parent councils or other means (e.g. Parent Teacher Associations PTAs) to directly engage with parents to seek parental views

Complaints procedures which are well publicised and easy follow

The NGA say they fully accept that parents want the best education possible for their children and where insufficient places are available locally we support the provision of new schools. The NGA do have concerns that ‘Free Schools’ being set up to increase choice will have a negative impact on resources.

Taken from NGA website http://www.nga.org.uk/pol-parents.aspx