National Summary Reports are part of the cycle for reporting on the implementation and delivery of the mission of the Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC). Attainment advisors, in collaboration with their associated local authority, produce reports triannually. This ensures a continuous narrative where thematic next steps are identified and…

Although a large body of literature recognises the impact of parent-teacher relationships on infant everyday experiences, less is known about the emotional experience and associated expectations of the adults themselves during earliest transitions. In the context of a multi-site international investigation across five countries -- Brazil, Finland,…

Engaging parents and children in family learning generates collaborative partnerships and can increase children's attainment, but headteachers' (HTs) views affect the nature of these Home-School Partnership (HSPs). This study into family-learning programmes (FLPs) in socio-economically disadvantaged areas in one Scottish city investigates what…

School-based health activities that involve parents are more likely to be effective for child health and well-being than activities without a parent component. However, such school-based interventions tend to recruit the most motivated parents, and limited evidence exists surrounding the involvement of hard-to-reach parents with low socioeconomic…

The Education Reform -- Joint Agreement published in June 2018 sets out the collective agreement by a commissioning group including the Scottish Government, COSLA, SOLACE, ADES, and Education Scotland. The Joint Agreement sets out agreed principles, enablers, and measures that will support and encourage the empowerment of schools in Scotland.…

This article provides evidence of the ways in which Family Learning (FL) has offered opportunities for the negotiation of a culturally responsive pedagogy that positions parents as experts. Although our study is small (ten parents and six FL practitioners) its significance lies in its longitudinal perspective and in-depth analysis, which…

This paper explores issues around stigmatisation and labelling as they pertain to pupils with SEBD. The paper draws upon an evaluative case study, conducted in two Scottish local authorities, of the implementation of support groups, and examines how the approach was experienced by pupils who participated within the intervention, drawing from a…

Promoting parental participation plays a significant role in education policies across Britain. Previous research has identified various barriers to involving disabled parents. This paper reports findings from part of a study examining disabled parents' engagement in their children's education, which focused on good practice. Twenty-four case…

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 aimed, among other things, to increase parents' rights in relation to the education of their children. In addition to the creation of the Additional Supports Needs Tribunals for Scotland, parents were given new rights to challenge local authority decisions through mediation and…

This report evaluates the services which schools and education authorities provide for learners with literacy and language difficulties. The aim of this report is to help schools, colleges and universities to take forward improvements by describing good and improving practice in addressing the needs of learners with dyslexia. Research suggests…

Case studies of four Scottish schools with family literacy programs depicted collaboration among school staff, parents, and adult literacy educators. Programs that conceptualized parents as "people" rather than "problems" challenged the deficit perspective of family literacy and enabled parents' full participation in…

This brief publication provides bullet points of what education authorities are doing well and how they can do better in the following areas: (1) Planning for implementation; (2) Transition arrangements; (3) Meeting additional support needs; (4) Resolving disagreements; (5) Coordinated support plans; and (6) Working with children and young…

This document is one of a series of guides to self-evaluation that builds on the advice given in the publication "How good is our school?" (2002 edition). This guide should be used to evaluate the quality of parental partnerships and is designed for use by teachers, managers, education support services, parents and the bodies that…

This document presents findings of a study that explored the issues for Scottish parents, pupils, and headteachers when raising grievances and seeking redress to those grievances. Focus-group interviews were conducted with 31 parents, 6 headteachers, and 8 students during December 1993-February 1994. Findings indicate that parents had a wide range…

Giving particular attention to the Lothian Region (Scotland) Preschool Educational Home Visiting Scheme, the author argues that such programs may be a gross interference in the lives of those concerned and that, far from teaching better mothering, home visitors may inhibit it by making mothers feel powerless and incompetent. (SJL)