Originally published in 1988, this book was an up to the minute account of the way in which recent government initiatives, including the 1986 Act, would affect accountability and the quest for greater partnership between schools and parents. It pinpoints the central issues of the current debates at the time in a lucid and highly readable way, asking how public commitment to education can be created and sustained, how minimum standards can be reconciled with local variety and freedom, how choice for parents can be reconciled with equal opportunity for children, how less confident and articulate parents can become involved and how a sense of common purpose can be fostered among the confident minority. The book provided an up-to-date assessment of progress in parental involvement; an account of the recent movement here and overseas; and a detailed working guide to the development of school government under the 1986 Act and beyond. While providing an important critique of the consumerist approach to education, the author argues the case, illustrated with practical examples, for a new approach emphasising partnership, mutual accountability, better communication, more open habits be LEAs and more democratic practices within schools, involving staff, governors and parents.

This comprehensive guide book for governors specifically focuses on providing clear guidance on issues facing schools now. Topics covered include: *the Home-School agreement *the school day, the school year *citizenship *literacy and numeracy provision *school self-evaluation and the light-touch inspection. The book addresses issues that are new to all governors.

This work examines the factors that shape and influence home-school relations. At its heart is an analysis of parent-teacher relationships in an inner city borough, drawn from case studies of five primary schools and a parents' centre. Interviews with parents are revealing windows into parents' views on a range of issues, including curriculum, discipline and parents' relationships with their children's teachers.; The author also considers teachers' perspectives on these matters, and explores the influence of social class, ethnicity and gender on parent-teacher interactions. While presenting these issues within a consideration of broader themes such as citizenship, community, power and participation, the book discusses the reasons why initiatives designed to improve home- school relations appear to result in such limited change.

This text is about governing schools - about how a body made up of "ordinary" people with no professional educational experience can make a postitive contribution to the management of schools. The core of the book lays out a strategic model of school governance and considers the three key roles of planning, monitering and evaluating. Practical examples and sample procedures which governing bodies can adapt are provided. The book also looks at: the accountability of govenors; their formal duties; how they should behave in schools; the crucial relationship between govenors, staff, headteachers, communities and local authority; and the issue of inspection.

The Governance Handbook for SEND and Inclusion supports governors and trustees in developing effective strategic practice to ensure an inclusive culture in their schools. Building on the six principles of effective governance, it provides useful tips on achieving the right balance of support and challenge so that schools are enabled to meet the needs of learners with SEND (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities). Relevant for all governors and trustees across primary and secondary schools, multi-academy trusts and specialist settings, the book focuses on the role and expectations of governance in relation to SEND and inclusion. It includes: An introduction to SEND, inclusion and the six key features of effective governance Practical advice and guidance for SEND Governors and trustees on how to strategically monitor and review SEND provision A discussion of how the relationship between SENCOs, SEND Governors and Headteachers works in practice Advice on developing an inclusive culture in your school Sources of ongoing support and resources from professional organisations and websites. This book will be beneficial to all education professionals working at a strategic level, including governors and trustees, school leaders and SENCOs. It recognises the central role that governors and trustees play in setting the inclusive ethos of a school and suggests ways to ensure that strategic practice is as effective as possible.

Governors are a valuable but under-used asset to independent schools. Under the day-to-day pressures of running schools, they are too often sidelined, yet are frequently called to account by parents and the media when things go wrong. Both new and experienced governors of independent schools will welcome this lively and informative handbook, originally published in 1998, which describes the positive and constructive role which governing bodies can play in the life of their schools. It provides up-to-date management techniques which can be effectively applied to enhance the quality of education and thereby the attractiveness of schools to parents and students.