The Parental Involvement Working Group of the Scottish Catholic Education Service encourages all parents and Parent Councils to respond to the Call for Evidence by the National Parent Forum Scotland.

Parental involvement in Catholic schools is important for all aspects of the life of the school as it aims to build a community of faith and learning. Any Catholic school exists to take forward the responsibility entrusted to parents for the education of their children, an education that is complete and acknowledges all aspects of the development of children and young people: mind, body, emotion, spirit.

Click here  for a paper,  written by the SCES Parental Involvement group with helpful advice and suggestions of some areas that you may wish to include in your submission.  A copy has also been sent has to all parent councils.

THE BACKGROUND:

Ten years ago the Scottish Parliament passed a law to ensure that parents can be fully involved in their children’s schooling.

This was to help parents:
• be involved with their child’s education and learning
• feel welcomed to take part in the life of the school
• and to be encouraged to express their views, on their school and working together with the school.

This review asks for your opinion on the impact, successes and shortfalls of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006.  This includes looking at how well schools involve parents in what they do, and finding ideas to develop ways to better involve parents in the life and work of their schools. It is also hoped that it will inspire everyone to look at the most effective way of helping parents support children in Scottish schools.

A ‘Call for Evidence’ is a way to ask the public what they think,  gather information on what issues exist, and suggest ways of dealing with them.  It includes set questions, but can also involve people describing what their experience has been, or what their opinions are.

See http://www.npfs.org.uk/2016/09/01/parent-councils-we-want-your-views/