ONE of the hardest nuts to crack in Scottish education has been encouraging a wider cross section of parents to get involved in the running of schools.

A survey conducted by the Scottish Government in 2005 found 70 per cent of parents said they had never volunteered to help despite half being willing to do more.

Families who don’t get involved often feel parent councils are dominated by the same elitist cliques - or they simply don’t have the time to help.

READ MORE: Parents warn schools ‘out of reach’ for many families

Analysis of those who typically do get involved shows groups such as those from more disadvantaged backgrounds or ethnic minorities have particularly low representation.

Despite these historically low levels of participation research repeatedly shows us the benefits of parents being involved.

From reading to children in the early years to helping with homework, providing support at school events or ensuring the parental voice is heard when key decisions are made are all seen as helping drive up standards.

The Scottish Government wants to improve parental engagement with schooling and the current Education (Scotland) Bill has provision for a new duty on headteachers to collaborate with families on important matters of school policy and improvement.

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Undoubtedly there are instances of good practice around the country where headteachers routinely consult with their parent councils, but, as the National Parent Forum of Scotland highlights, this is by no means country-wide.

Independent research by Ipsos MORI to assess the impact of the

Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act found parents are frequently consulted only when decisions have already been made.

There are also important questions about what effective collaboration looks like outside the confines of the parent council.

While the latest YouGov survey shows 55 per cent of parents think their headteachers are open and approachable, a significant minority either do not, or do not know, which suggests further progress could be made.

The NPFS says schools need to understand that lack of involvement does not stem from the fact parents cannot be bothered to engage.

“Schools need to play a role in following up on why parents are not feeding back”, the forum says, removing as many barriers as possible by providing crèche provision or longer parent’s evening slots if required.

READ MORE: Parents warn schools ‘out of reach’ for many families

The legislative nature of any proposed changes is also causing a concern. The NPFS said attributing extra statutory duties on parent councils could potentially deter certain parents from joining because even the most committed were volunteers with limited time.

There is also a warning from the Scottish Parent Teacher Council - now known as Connect - about the complex nature of the Scottish Government’s consultation - and what happens next.

“Parents .. are struggling to understand and respond. They also feel that their responses are then roundly ignored.”