ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the importance of purposeful, open and structured relationships with parents as a means of ensuring the best possible education for the children in school. It suggests that there are many ways in which the partnerships can be developed and supported in school, and the tasks are a good starting point for this. It is important to recognise that, not only is parental involvement desirable in achieving positive educational outcomes, but it is also a professional requirement of all teachers, as detailed in the Professional Standards published in 2012. Parents’ evenings form part of a teacher’s statutory duties and are an important fixture of the school year. Many schools will operate a termly parents’ evening, where parents are invited in to discuss their child’s progress. A strategy to encourage closer relationships between parents and schools is to maximise on the expertise of parents and other members of the community.
