Parental enagement seems an odd choice of phrase when the drive is towards involving parents in their child’s education. But we seem to be stuck with ‘Parental Engagement’ in the context of keeping parents informed about their child’s progress, attainment, behaviour, attendance and SEN status. Software vendors have focussed their efforts, based upon their own products, providing this basic set of information.

At SchoolsICT we like to talk about ‘Parent Involvement’ because we understand that involving parents is not just about the provision of specific data but it is about being involved in an informed conversation about their child’s learning.

So should that conversation look like?

It should be more than a school providing information at set times during the year. It should be more than a paper-based report that appears several weeks before a Parent Evening discussion with a teacher. It should be more than a one-way conversation – school to parent.

We believe it can be so much more, and the potential for a positive impact on learning can be realised when parent involvement is based upon an informed conversation between parent, teacher and student.

Parents need access to high quality, timely information about attainments achieved, targets set, attendance, behaviour and SEN status. They also need information about work that has been set, their child’s progress, feedback on completed activities and the ability to enter into conversations via e-mail, SMS and maybe even video conferencing.

For a long time, parents of secondary school children have felt disenfranchised and isolated from their child’s learning. It is now possible, with the correct tools, for parents to become fully involved.

If your school would like more information contact us at SchoolsICT. Our advice is given freely but it content could prove invaluable!