State schools and parental engagement

Did you go to a state school? Does your child go to a state school? Do you feel that you are missing out on seeing all of the wonderful goals your child has achieved?

If you answered yes, then this article is for you.

There is always a presumption that because your child goes to a state school – an education system where the government funds the school – it means you do not care that much about their educational journey. Even as you read this you know it is not true. Of course you care about your child’s education – you are their parent. In almost every case, it is not where your child is educated – but the quality of the education that matters.

Yet there may still be a nibbling feeling in the back of your head that you aren’t doing everything you can for them. The feeling that you could do more to be involved in their educational process.

Or perhaps the worry that you are missing out on all of the fantastic activities that your child does, such as them playing the drums for the very first time. They’ll tell you all about the excitement after at home. Jumping around with how happy they are to find this interest in drums. And wanting to practice this new hobby. This involvement with your child’s life makes you smile.

But then you think to yourself, it would have been nice if you could have gotten a photo or video of your child playing the drums for the first time. A tiny bit like when they were a toddler and took their first step. You dashed for the video recorder. Switched it on. And filmed your child’s first hesitant walking! A memory to keep forever.

In this situation, you realise it would be nice if you, or the teachers at the state school, could have captured this moment of your child. A memory for them to look at when they are older, as a professional drummer for an international band.

Are you liking the idea of being able to capture your child’s successes at school? To see them growing in their independence? Are you worried about what state school think about parent engagement?

Then let us show you a glimpse of what we will cover:

- Do state schools feel parent engagement is important?
- How do state schools engage parents?
- Do you feel involved with the state school your child goes to?

Do state schools feel parent engagement is important?

The answer to this is simple. It’s a yes. Any school can see that when parents take a closer interest in their children’s school life, their educational level heightens. The reason for this is because your child knows that they have your full support. And this support makes them work harder, as well as finding life long interests, such as science or playing the piano. And when your child finds new interests, it also leads them to become more independent.

We can see for state schools this is important, as your child has the chance to achieve many amazing accomplishments.

How do state schools engage parents?

There are many different ways that state schools involve parents to learn about their children’s accomplishments.

The most common way is through parents’ evenings. We all know what these are. They can be difficult to attend for some, yet you know that they are vital and important. It’s a chance to learn first-hand from teachers, how they think your child is developing, and to praise them for all the wonderful accomplishments they have achieved. As well as expressing to you how much their independence is growing.

These evenings also give you a chance to ask all the questions that you’ve been thinking.

Depending on the age of your child, when sport’s day arrives, you are invited to join and support. At secondary school, sport’s day is mainly for the children to enjoy competing with each other. And to beat personal best records. In primary and junior schools, however, sport’s day can be seen more as a family event. A place for you to witness your child take part in something amazing, and to have fun.

This type of engagement is a chance for you to see what sparks their interests, to cheer them on when they win, and help them learn a valuable lesson if they lose.

And it’s a way for you to learn what area to support them.

School plays are very popular at any school. After weeks of rehearsing, you are welcomed to watch your child perform in the play, no matter how small or big their part is. If they are playing a cat, or if they are the leading star, a sense of happiness settles in your heart. All the weeks leading up to this moment, you’ve listened to your child chat away about this show. And finally, the day has arrived and you can watch your child have fun and act.

It is amazing to see this because you feel you are given the opportunity to be involved in another aspect of your child’s life. And seeing how much they love this, makes you want to see more of their achievements in this area.

There are many different events that state schools put on to help parents be more engaged in their children’s life. However, life is chaotic. And after all these events that state schools set up, work can affect how engaged you are, which can be challenging for any parent. You may miss out on seeing your child winning the race on sport’s day. Or fail to see your child perform a song at the school play. There are many achievements that you might end up missing, leaving you feeling you are out of the loop.

There is joy when it comes to seeing your child achieve all of these amazing accomplishments. Even if it’s your child being confident enough to show something to everyone in the class. Many schools are looking for ways to enable parents to become more engaged in these moments and see their child’s independence grow.

Do you feel involved with the state school your child goes to?

Because you are a parent, you will always feel that you could be more involved.

Every parent wants what is best for their children. You know this is true – you want them to achieve everything they set their mind to, and more! For them to work hard, and for them to grow independent. For them to be able to succeed at many different projects alone.

A study on state schools shows that only 29% of parents felt that they are very involved in their child’s educational life. Whereas 72% of parents actually wish to be involved even more. These parents explained the reasons they weren’t as engaged as they hoped to be was due to different barriers – work, demands from other children, or even general tiredness.

So if you believe that you are not as involved in your child’s life as you wish, be encouraged – and know that if you do feel that you are missing out on seeing all of the amazing achievements that your child accomplishes, you are not alone. The proof is out there. Many parents, just like you, wish there could be a way to be engaged even a little more. Not in a controlling way, but rather just to witness the moment and enjoy seeing them grow as a person.

And you and all the other parents are right. There should be a way for you to be able to see your child grow their independence. To be able to witness all of these amazing milestones that they achieve.

We can all see that parental engagement is important for children in state schools, as not only does it help them be able to guide your child to greatness, but it also helps you learn more about your child, and support them in their interests.

Children spend around fifteen years at school, and that’s not counting university. During those years, there is a lot of new interests they discover. They accomplish many different achievements. Yes, we all can tell how hard state schools work to make sure their environment is welcoming – indeed, before COVID-19, they held many events to celebrate your child’s achievements.

Like many other parents, you know it would be amazing to see all the little achievements that they gain in classrooms. A way for you to capture and hold these memories, and a way to become more engaged in your child’s school life.