1. 24 “ Recognising parents’ expertise in their own lives, and emphasising partnerships by doing things with families rather than to them is crucial! ” Moran et al 2004 “ It is vital that schools maintain the trust and confidence of parents who are our partners in educating children. ” Steer report 2005 “ Parents must be aware of the high value we place upon their contribution. ” Deputy Head Alder Grange Secondary School

2. 25 Words associated with partnership working: Agreement. Negotiation. Openness. Choice. Empowerment. Mutual Respect. Togetherness. Superior knowledge. Control. Inequality. Imposed goals. Protection. Are there any others?

3. 26 The key elements for positive partnerships with parents. Positive partnership calls for: 1.Mutual respect and trust. 2.A recognition of equality between parent and professionals. 3.Awareness of cultural and ethnic diversity. 4.Partners to share information and skills. 5.An acknowledgement and sharing of feelings. 6.All parties to play a role in the decision making process. National Academy of Parenting Practitioners 2008

4. 27 What is a Parent Council? A parent council is a body of parents representing parents, run by parents with the support of the school. It solves two distinct and related functions: To give parents a voice and increase their active involvement in decision making, fostering a culture of ownership and participation. To develop a partnership between the school and parents/carers in order to support and promote the pupils’ learning and bring about change. DCSF