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Making the difference - improving parents' involvement in schools: a consultation on a draft bill

1 introduction

This consultation paper has been prepared by the Scottish Executive. It explains why Ministers consider that improving parental involvement in education is important, how such involvement helps improve children's attainment and achievements and contains a draft of a Bill which is intended to help achieve this.

The draft Bill's main objectives are to:

• support more and better parental involvement in their children's learning
• create more flexible, locally agreed means of parental involvement in their children's school
• build on existing rights to parental information, like report cards, for example
• allow input to shape new arrangements for parental involvement in school life
• strengthen the partnership between parents and schools
• ensure education authorities listen to and engage with parents more proactively
• extend the principle of devolving school decision making to decisions on parental involvement itself
• ensure continued parental involvement in new, modern appointment processes for headteachers and deputy headteachers.

The draft Bill is made up of 17 sections. The text of this paper broadly follows the order of the sections and sets out the policy behind the proposals in the Bill. It is not a comprehensive description of each section of the Bill but focuses on the key issues.

A series of questions has been included to focus on those key issues which are either raised
in the draft Bill or which might yet be included in it, in light of responses to the question.
The list of questions is not intended to restrict responses. While we will particularly appreciate respondents' views on the key questions, all comments and views will be welcomed and carefully considered. After responses have been analysed Ministers will consider what proposals to introduce in the Scottish Parliament.

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