Parent Power ‘Can Be Positive’
By admin • Jun 15th, 2010Almost 15 years ago, it was all about Girl Power, but now many UK women - and indeed the Spice Girls themselves - have become parents and wish to make a stand for their kids.
With this in mind, mums and dads have been advised to show off their "parent power" as they themselves can be a force for positive change when it comes to the standard of education their child is receiving.
The Department for Education has recently revealed that in 2008-09, 38,080 appeals were lodged for admission to maintained primary schools.
This was a significant increase from the 32,600 recorded in 2007-08 - almost 17 per cent.
Furthermore, in 2008-09, 6,460 appeals were decided in favour of the parents compared with 6,190 in the previous year, representing 25 per cent of appeals heard by a panel in 2008-09, compared with 27.8 per cent in the 12 months before.
Commenting on the findings, Amy Schofield, editor of mychild.co.uk, said that rather than being viewed as a vote of no confidence in the UK’s schools system, the figures could demonstrate an increase in the number of parents empowering themselves and speaking out to voice their dissatisfaction with their kids’ educational establishment.
She added that many mums and dads appear to be unhappy with the disproportionate number of good schools and the number pf pupils who wish to attend them and that this increase in appeals over place allocation proves that parents want more choice.
Furthermore, the results show how much faith UK adults have in their own power, showing that they are unwilling to simply accept a decision they believe to be unfounded or unfair when it comes to their own kids.
Ms Schofield advised: "Get involved in whatever way you can. Parent power is potent and if parents get involved in their child’s school they can become a force for positive change from the inside, rather than standing on the outside and accepting that nothing can change."
And there are also things that parents who are happy with their child’s school can do to ensure that standards do not slip.
The expert recommended volunteering at the school or becoming a governor in order to make changes from the inside.
Statistics from the Department for Education recently revealed that the average size of Key Stage 1 classes with one teacher present on the census day in January 2010 was 26.6, compared to 26.2 in January 2009.
During the same month, across all primary schools there were 4.1 million pupils - an increase on 2009’s figures and the first recorded rise in several years.
Are you happy with your kids’ schooling?