As a primary school headteacher and at present a seconded development officer for the “Partnership with Parents” initiative, I commend any parent like J Vincent Waters who takes an active and participatory role in supporting their child’s education and school (Letters last week).
Whether they decide to become involved in a school board, a parent teacher association or merely support events and initiatives organised by the school, their support is welcome and contributes valuably to the service in general.
However, in my experience, most parents are concerned with the day-to- day operation of a school and the impact this has on their child’s ability to learn, to make friends, to become confident and to be happy.
Most parents do not wish to be involved in development planning, appointments, devolved school management or issues of building maintenance.
Recent reports suggest that the Scottish Executive plans to create more meaningful and effective strategies to engage with parents for the benefit of their child’s education.
To achieve this, it is vitally important that various groups embrace the policies that are being presented, in the true spirit of “working together”.
In my opinion the recommendations in the Banks report will not become a reality as new ideas and policies have overtaken these.
The tone of last week’s letter from J Vincent Waters suggests that the Scottish School Board Association is made up of superior individuals, far better placed to represent Scottish parents than any other body.
But the Scottish School Board Association is no more a statutory body than the Scottish Parent Teacher Council.
I wonder if, despite the points raised by J Vincent Waters about the representativeness of the SPTC, the views he expressed were those of Scottish parents?
Name and address supplied
