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Getting communication up-to-date for parents - informal contact now favoured over parents evenings

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2008/0083) issued by The Government News Network on 7 May 2008

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has today published research showing parents want even more involvement in their children's education - and prefer informal chats with school staff instead of parents evenings.

The research shows half of all parents feel very involved their child's education - up from just 29 per cent in 2001 - and the majority (65 per cent) want to get even more involved.

Parents now see informal discussions with school staff as the most useful way of finding out about a child's progress. Since 2001 the proportion of parents who see parents evening as the "most useful" way of communicating has dropped from 43 per cent to 19 per cent.

Speaking at Parent Know How event in central London Ed Balls will also set out plans to consult with parents within the next month on a range of issues to help them play a full part in their child's education.

Ed Balls said:

"We know parents are increasingly involved in their child's education - and want to do even more. But for many its a difficult balancing act to juggle work, childcare and quality family time and still be able to help their children with homework and keep track of how their child is doing at school.

"Parents tell us they like having informal contact with their child's school - whether that's a chat in the playground or the chance to go online and see their teenager's latest marks and make sure they are going to all their classes.

"I believe parents evening will always play an important role - but in today's complex world we need to help parents keep up-to-date in the way and at a time that suits them. And it is in everyone's interests for parents to be in the know when things start going wrong rather than being given a bad report card out of the blue at a termly parents evening.

"So in the next month we will be asking parents to tell us how they want to be involved. We have already said we want all children to have personal tutors and for parents to have access to online information by 2010 - but its vital we get this right and that will only happen if we get the views of those who matter most - parents themselves."

The Parent Know How event is designed to showcase new and better ways to offer support and advice to parents. The programme, worth £44M over three years, is designed so more parents can get access to information and help through the web, over the phone and text and instant messaging.

It has a particular focus on meeting the needs of parents of disabled children, fathers from all backgrounds and parents of teenage children. Research shows that these groups especially can struggle to access the information and support they need.

Kevin Brennan, Children and Families Minister, said:

"All parents need a bit of help sometimes - and the best way to get that advice may be by text message or in a chatroom. We want to reach out to parents who may not normally ask for advice or might not know where to go. In the modern world the problems parents face are not the same as the ones their parents faced. We need to make sure the advice is up-to-date - but also keep up with the new ways people communicate."

In the Children's Plan the Government outlined plans to set out and consult on a new relationship between parents and schools and legislate if necessary so that:

* parents will be contacted by a staff member at secondary school before their child starts school;

* parents will be able to attend transition information sessions preparing them for what to expect at the new school and the new life stage their child is entering;

* every child will have a personal tutor who knows them in the round, and as a main contact for parents;

* parents will have regular, up to date information on their child's attendance behaviour and progress in learning;

* Parents Councils will ensure that parents' voices are heard within the school; and

* parents complaints will be managed in a straightforward and open way.

Key findings in the Parental Involvement in Children's Education survey are that:

* Around half (51 per cent) of parents feel 'very involved' in their child's school life, a noticeable increase from 29 per cent in 2001, and 38 per cent in 2004. In common with previous years, work commitments were perceived as the main barrier to further involvement.

* There has been a moderate shift in parents' attitudes away from a child's education being the school's responsibility, towards it being more equal or mainly or wholly a parent's responsibility.

* Three in four parents (73 per cent) say it is 'extremely important' to help with homework, and this has hardly changed since 2001.

* Parents were generally very positive towards information provided by the school such as information provided about their child's progress (86 per cent said their child's school provided clear information on this) and the school being welcoming to parents, (92 per cent said it was).

* Parent's see communicating with schools through 'informal discussions with school staff' as the most useful way of finding out about a child's progress. This follows a noticeable decline since 2001 in the number who said Parents Evenings are the most useful method (from 43 per cent in 2001 to 19 per cent in 2007).

* The survey findings show many sub-group differences, but some of the strongest impacts and most consistent differences have been found in respect of parents of children identified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN).

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Parental Involvement in Children's Education (PICE) 2007 survey involved a telephone survey of 5,032 randomly selected parents of children attending state schools. Similar surveys have been carried out in 2001 and 2004. This year absent parents were included for the first time.

2. It is available at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR034.pdf

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