[Previous] [Contents] [Next]

  
Parental Participation in Schools
 

The involvement of parents in school self-evaluation and inspection

Scotland

Austria

Belgium
(Flemish Community)

France

Italy

Netherlands

Portugal
Within the arrangements for independent evaluation of a school by HM Inspectors of Schools, parents can be involved in a number of ways, for example through:
  • the completion of a questionnaire issued to a random sample of parents;
  • meeting with a member of the inspection team directly or through the chairperson of the School Board who also comments on the draft report; and
  • the work of the Lay Member of the inspection team who ensures that parents’ views are taken fully into account during the inspection.

The School Board receives an annual report from the headteacher and parents are often involved in aspects of school self-evaluation, for example, by completing questionnaires. Many schools also provide annual reports to all parents on progress in implementing the school development plan and improving the quality of the school’s work.

Austria is to implement a new evaluation system in the year 2000. At present, the performance of schools and teachers is evaluated only by the school authorities. From the year 2000, it is anticipated that schools will be externally evaluated by inspectors and internally by teachers, parents and pupils in partnership. In Belgium (Flemish Community), parents are not involved in school evaluation. School self-evaluation takes place through the school governing board during the evaluation phase of the development plan. This evaluation sometimes includes surveys of parents’ opinions. There is no formal school inspection system. School Councils are required to provide an annual report. Parent satisfaction surveys are conducted at school, local and national level. Parents are directly involved in school evaluation through their roles in Participation Councils and School Boards. Individual initiatives include:
  • parental discussions of school management and goals;
  • involvement in parents’ councils; and
  • discussion of whole-school issues as part of parents’ regular meetings with teachers to discuss their children’s work.
 Recent developments in school autonomy include parental participation in self-evaluation practices through the work of school councils. The extent of involvement is defined by each school’s policy and development strategies.

[Previous] [Contents] [Next]