GIVING PARENTS MORE POWER

The drive to give parents a greater role and say in their children's education took a major step forward today with the launch of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Bill.

In response to a consultation on the draft Bill run earlier this year, the proposals have been strengthened to give headteachers a role in parent councils and to give parents the right to raise unresolved concerns with school inspectors.

Other key aspects of the Bill include:
- New flexibilities which allow parents to choose the best system of parental representation for their school.
- New duties on Ministers and education authorities to promote parental involvement in education.
- New comprehensive annual reports for parents on the school's performance and the headteacher's ambitions for the school.

Education Minister, Peter Peacock said:
"Parents have a vital role in helping strengthen our schools. We know that children achieve more when their parents support and are involved in their education. This Bill will make that easier.

"We have listened carefully to the consultation responses. This is not about forcing parents to scrap systems they are already happy with. If a School Board works well, parents can choose to keep those arrangements. But for the schools where parents want to try something new, something they think will suit them better, the Bill allows and encourages this too.

"And instead of an emphasis on management issues, the new parent councils will be free to focus on any aspect of school life of interest to parents."

For more information, go to:
www.parentzonescotland.gov.uk