Inspire parental engagement
Improving the quality of discussion between parents and learners about their education makes all the difference to what learners achieve.
Technology can help you provide useful information at an appropriate time, to improve this dialogue.
- More learners and parents will have access to technology at home through the Government's plans to provide computers and internet access to families.
- Secondary schools need to provide online reporting for parents by 2010, and primary schools by 2012.
We can show you how others are moving towards this and help you make progress.
Related publications
Download or order Becta publications about engaging parents.
17 March 2009
27 August 2008
How to...
Improve your school
Develop and follow a strategy that uses technology to achieve better outcomes for learners.
Plan sustainable success
Balance the economic, social and environmental aspects of technology for learning.
Achieve best value
Provide or purchase quality, fit-for-purpose technology, with the right support, at the right price.
Safeguard learners online
Protect, educate and empower everyone to keep safe and secure online.
Make learning personal
Support learners to make effective, discriminating use of technology that meets their needs.
Research shows that parental interest in their child's education is the single most powerful predictor of achievement at age 16.
Tony Richardson, Executive Director, Strategy and Communications, BectaYou should make engaging parents a priority, not simply to meet the government expectation for all schools to provide online reporting by 2012, but to improve achievement. We can support you to give parents secure online access to information about their child, when and where they please.
More learners and parents will have access to technology at home through the Government's plans to provide computers and internet access to families. Find out what it's all about.
Get inspired
Award winning practice
See how Ranvilles Infant School has turned technology to its advantage to keep parents involved with their child's education.
Parents want schools to text about child's progress
Discover what research has shown about how parents prefer to be communicated with.
Home Access
Learn about plans to improve learning at home by providing computers and internet access to families.
Find out how to engage
Online reporting
Find out how to fulfil the government expectations.
Video case study
See how Grays School have put online reporting into practice.
Self-review framework
Understand and plan how to extend learning beyond your school, by working through the extending opportunities for learning section of the self-review framework.
Data handling security guidance for schools
Find out what your school should be doing to protect personal information and minimise the risk of data being misused.
Better engagement with parents is a key issue for schools to improve achievement. You should be supporting schools in meeting the government expectation to provide online reporting by 2012. You also need to know about the Government’s plans to provide access to technology at home. Find out what it’s all about.
Read the evidence
82% of parents left 'in the dark' when it comes to their child's schooling
The majority of parents admit they don't know as much about their child's day at school as they would like, according to a new report commissioned by Becta.
Parents want schools to text about child's progress
Discover what research has shown about how parents prefer to be communicated with.
See it in practice
Video overview of online reporting
See how Cardinal Wiseman Technology College and Deer Park School have put online reporting into practice.
Find out what you can do
Top teaser
Computers for pupils
Get an overview of the funding and guidance available to provide computers for disadvantaged pupils.
Home Access
Learn about Government plans to improve learning by providing computers and internet access to more families. Help the Home Access programme by sharing your experiences of the Computers for Pupils initiative.
Communities
Parental engagement community
This space is where you can discuss all things related to parental engagement. It is an opportunity to share your experiences, give advice and explore new ideas.
"Maybe if we open up more of a dialogue with parents and carers about what information should flow to and from the home on a regular and timely basis we may be on firmer ground?"
See more communities