Information for parents

Parents are the first educators of their children, and have an ongoing impact on their education. The Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 gives parents a say in their child's education, and places a responsibility on us to support this in 3 main ways:

• Learning at home - supporting your child's learning and development outside school
• Home/school partnership - being welcomed as an active participant in the life of the school
• Parental representation - having your views heard and taken into account

Parent Forum and Parent Councils

The Parent Forum is every parent, carer or guardian with a child at the school. The Parent Council is a smaller group, drawn from the Parent Forum, that gathers and represents the views of all parents, in some smaller Orkney schools, the Parent Council is the entire Parent Forum. Parent Councils replaced the old School Boards, and every school in Orkney has one. We support each Parent Council with administration, finance, insurance and training.

Resources for parents and Parent Councils

Chairing a meeting - training papers

A set of 9 training papers to help Parent Council chairs run effective meetings, covering everything from meeting priorities and agendas to problem solving and group dynamics.

How we support additional learning needs (ASN)

If you have a concern about your child, or feel they have an unmet need, your first point of contact is their class teacher (pre-school and primary) or guidance teacher (secondary).

Assessment is an ongoing process of gathering and understanding information about a child, to help identify what will support their development and learning. It includes discussion with parents and professionals, and may involve observation or individual work with the child.

We manage assessment and additional support through a staged approach:

• Stage 1 - "In class" - the class teacher reviews the curriculum, approach, pace and challenge. This is routine practice, and parents get feedback through general home-school partnership working.
• Stage 2 - "Class Plus" - the class teacher seeks support and advice from colleagues, such as a Support for Learning Teacher, and additional resources may be introduced. Parents are involved in discussion when a child moves from Stage 1 to Stage 2, their contribution to assessment and planning is highly valued.
• Stage 3 - "School" - the class teacher is actively supported by a Support for Learning Teacher, additional resources are allocated, and the school may seek advice from the Pupil Support Team or Educational Psychology Service. This stage involves a cycle of planning and review with parents and the child.
• Stage 4 - "School Plus" - other staff and providers may be asked to assist, and the child will have an individualised education programme, reviewed regularly with parents, the child, and others working with them.
• Stage 5 - "Multi-agency" - planning and provision is undertaken by a multi-agency team.

This approach supports Getting It Right for Every Child, a national initiative describing how we give children and young people the best start in life, working in partnership with other service providers.

Resolving disagreements

The way schools and the council plan to meet a child's additional support needs is based on consultation and collaboration, so concerns should usually be dealt with promptly and at an early stage. If a disagreement does arise, it's expected this will be resolved at school level through continued discussion with the appropriate staff. Some disagreements may go on to involve council officers.