From the Teacher Support Network, www.teachersupport.info.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS MUST IMPROVE: TEACHER SUPPORT SCOTLAND CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The importance of stronger relationships between teachers and parents was discussed at a meeting of 150 people in Westminster in London on Wednesday, teachers, parents and stakeholders from across education.

At the event, Teacher Support Scotland and our partners at Parentline Plus presented our joint report ‘Beyond the school gate: how schools and families can work better together’, which shows that parental engagement in learning is crucial to wellbeing, behaviour, attendance and attainment.

Diane Abbott, MP chaired the meeting, which is jointly organised with her initiative London Schools and the Black Child.

Speakers included Baroness Verma, Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Families (Conservative), Baroness Walmsley, Lords spokesperson for Children, Schools and Families (Liberal Democrats), Julian Stanley, Teacher Support Scotland Chief Executive, and Jeremy Todd, Parentline Plus Chief Executive.

Julian said: “Parents and teachers should be on the same side. Parents care passionately about the education of their child, and teachers do too. It’s fantastic that many schools and families are working well together, but where they are not, something must be done.

“As the evidence in this report shows, if we don’t improve relationships, pupil behaviour and attainment will suffer, and the wellbeing of parents and teachers will continue to take a hit too.

The report shows that:

• 64 per cent of teachers said they had been subjected to verbal or physical abuse by a parent.
• 62 per cent of parents said they had been patronised, sidelined or ignored when trying to deal with an issue in their child’s school.
• Teachers overwhelmingly reported that those parents who do not engage, or with whom there is a bad or difficult relationship, have an enormous impact on their wellbeing and work.
• Both parents and teachers felt that if a child’s education was suffering as a result of a difficult home life, some form of external support such as a Parent Support Worker would be vital.

Recommendations include:

• Every school should consult the whole school community to create a comprehensive Home School Agreement.
• Every school should have adequate access to a visible parent support worker who is trained to deal with a spectrum of family and emotional issues and whose role and remit is fully understood.
• Communications must detail how parents can help their child’s education in the home. Teachers must be given adequate time to undertake this work.

You can find the report here.