ABSTRACT
Over time, I have come to realise that most schools acknowledge the importance of the family–school partnership. However, this partnership looks different in each school depending on how power is shared: Some schools enact their partnership through a relational ‘power with’ lens or operate through a positional ‘power over’ lens. In a school operating through a relational ‘power with’ lens, the interpersonal connections, collaboration and a culture of cooperation characterise the cultural mores. In the positional ‘power over’ school there exists a culture of entitlement, supported by systems that allow this power stance to go unchallenged or if challenged, quickly suppressed. Following on from this, the level of trust each party has in the other, and the quality of the communication in all of its forms, contribute to the shape of this partnership.
