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PARENT GROUPS
“For parents, it’s a way of getting a first-hand insight into how schools tick and how lessons are taught”
evening drinks or meals so that everyone can be involved. For any busy parent keen to lend a hand at their child’s school but worried about how they’ll cope, particularly when they’re also balancing other care- or work-related commitments, the best advice is not to overdo things. For those fortunate enough to have more time available during the day (and in these more enlightened times, you certainly shouldn’t feel judged if you don’t), offering to help out at your child’s school can be surprisingly satisfying. For parents, it’s a way of getting a first- hand insight into how schools tick, how lessons are taught, and why the maths all seems different compared with the way you learned it (this helps no end when you’re giving a child a hand with their homework). For schools, it’s an opportunity to access additional support and – where a parent has a particular skill, say in languages or sport – the opportunity to add extra inspiration to the curriculum. You may even find parents who are keen gardeners, for example, encouraging pupils to get involved in the full cycle, from planting the seed to harvesting the crop. In financial terms, parents’ contributions – either through direct gifts or through events – raise millions of pounds for schools. On average, donations equate to just under £60 per child. While the money raised is undoubtedly vital, giving cash-strapped schools a financial lifeline, there’s another reason to help. Pupils who see their parents coming into school and working with their teachers to support them also get positive messages about the value of their education and why it really matters. And that’s something you can’t put a price on.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
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