Wednesday, 10th June 2020

NPFS hosts parents’ Q&A with John Swinney (DFM)

The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) is hosting a Q&A webinar with John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, which will take place on Tuesday, 16th June at 7pm.

The event will focus on the impact of COVID-19 and the issues related to the ‘blended’ learning approach for schools re-opening on the 11th August.

Parents and carers can register for the event through the NPFS website and are invited to post questions in advance through social media or email (details are provided below). A recording of the webinar will be available online for parents unable to attend on the day.

Today our Chair, Joanna Murphy, said:

“Parents have risen to the challenge that Covid19 forced on them but this has been a deeply worrying time for us all in many ways, not least the effect on our children’s education.

“I am confident that schools will make this year’s ‘back to school’ feel as normal as possible for our children but the reality is it will be different. The new ‘blended’ model of in-school and home learning will ensure that all children and young people will benefit from face to face contact with their teachers and friends in their school setting for part of the time, with continued learning at home support for parents in the remainder.

“As a member of the Education Recovery Group I have tried to represent the parent voice, but many questions still need to be answered. This is a fantastic opportunity for parents to ask the Cabinet Secretary questions about issues that are important to them and directly affect their children.”

Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, said:

“Parents are working incredibly hard to support pupils through these extraordinary times and we thank them for that.

“Parental engagement has a vital role in children’s learning and development and this period of school closures and learning at home has reinforced this.

“I look forward to answering some of these important questions on Tuesday and continuing to ensure that parents have the information and assurances they need to support their children’s return to school.”

If you would like to register, please follow this link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jr1M5-1hTLmVw6x86ZlWnA

*NOTES TO EDITORS*
The National Parent Forum of Scotland is a national body led by and for parents. Since its inception in 2009, it has undergone rapid development and is now an influential national and independent body, working on behalf of parents across Scotland to help every pre-school and school pupil maximise their potential.
The National Parent Forum of Scotland is comprised of one volunteer parent/carer representative from each of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas. Please visit www.parentforumscotland.org for more details.