Today, John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced in the Scottish Parliament that the Scottish Government’s aim is for children to return to school full-time, depending on scientific advice that it is safe to do so, in August.   Covid-19 has presented us all with many challenges, and […]

Our latest newsletter is out! Take a look for: Learning Together Maths Sessions Information on Blended Learning ‘Aye Feel’ from Young Scot and the Scottish Government And more… You can find the newsletter online here, and to get it straight to your inbox, subscribe here.

We recently responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Early Learning and Childcare Statutory Guidance ahead of the expansion to 1140 Hours in August 2020. Follow the download link below to read the response in full.

Today we are launching our new Learner Journey Nutshell! When it comes to thinking about options, parents have a big influence on what our children choose to do. It’s important to help our young people take the long view when it comes to making decisions. It’s not just about now; it’s also about what’s up […]

The NPFS recently submitted feedback to the Education and Skills Committee regarding School Counselling. You can read the response in full by following the download link below.

The UWS-Oxfam Partnership would like to invite you to their latest Policy Forum Making Policy Care: Exploring the relationship between care work and poverty When? 21st January 2020 Where? The University of the West of Scotland campus in Paisley. From those working in the paid childcare and health and social care sectors, to parents and […]

Have you tried the DFM’s Christmas Maths Challenge? 🎅 A great opportunity for Family Learning!   Look out for it in your P4’s schoolbag or click here to have a go.   Good Luck! 🍀 #christmasmaths This year, the Christmas Holiday Challenge is aimed at primary 4 pupils (previously primary 6 pupils). All Primary Schools should […]

The Scottish Learning Disability Awards 2020 are open for nominations! Why not recognise a person or group of people with a learning disability, and celebrate their talents and achievements by nominating them for a Scottish Learning Disability Award? This year there are 8 categories, spanning everything from the creative pursuits to sporting achievement and work […]

The NPFS responded to the Scottish Government’s Out of School Care Consultation in December 2019. You can read our response on the download link below.

Calling all Scottish School Pupils: Do you want to be in with a chance to discuss climate change with the First Minister? The Scottish Government have re-opened two climate change competitions that were originally launched during Climate Week 2019. Enter their Competitions now! 👉 bit.ly/37Hlo5n     Additional Links: Photo Competition for Primary Schools: 👉 […]

This week is Empowering Parents and Carers Week! It is important to give Parents and Carers a voice when it comes to their child’s Education. When parents are involved in their children’s learning, it benefits children, families and schools: children do better. We asked one of our NPFS Parent Reps to describe what Empowerment means […]

This week is Empowering Parents and Carers Week! It is important to give Parents and Carers a voice when it comes to their child’s Education. When parents are involved in their children’s learning, it benefits children, families and schools: children do better. We asked one of our NPFS Parent Reps to describe what Empowerment means […]

Have you heard of the Empowerment Agenda? Each week of the campaign focuses on a different segment of the Empowerment Jigsaw. This week it’s Parents and Carers and NPFS are leading on this segment of the jigsaw. It is important to give Parents and Carers a voice when it comes to their child’s Education. When […]

Parents and Carers, have you heard about the assistance dog charity Dogs for Good and their new Family Dog Service? This service is for Parents and Carers who have a child with autism between the ages of 3 and 16, who are either looking at getting a dog or who want to train their own […]

Are you a young parent who might be interested in being part of BBC’s new project: Tiny Happy People? Tiny Happy People is a new initiative from BBC Education aiming to help young parents (aged 18-34) develop their child’s language and communication skills, so they get the best start in life. Language is the building […]

This Week is #AntiBullyingWeek Bullying can make Children and Young People feel isolated and worthless, scared, lonely and lacking in confidence. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. #ChooseKindness NPFS have teamed up with Parenting Across Scotland to create a joint social media campaign sharing information for Mums, Dads and Carers about bullying. Visit […]

NPFS launches a new resource! Early Learning and Childcare in a Nutshell NPFS is delighted to launch this new publication as part of our “…in a Nutshell” series. Our Nutshells are for parents and carers to help them understand aspects of Scottish Education. This leaflet on Early Learning and Childcare gives an overview of the options […]

The National Parent Forum of Scotland are recruiting for a full-time role! We are looking for a Project & Policy Officer. Please read the information below and download the Job Description. If you have any questions, please email recruitment@childreninscotland.org.uk. Job Advert Post:                        Project and Policy Officer (National Parent Forum of Scotland) Location:               The main office […]

General Teaching Council Consultation   The General Teaching Council want to hear from you! They are trying gather the views of Parents and Carers as part of their consultation on the Professional Standards and Code. They both form the foundation of Teaching Professionalism in Scotland. Any Parents and Carers with an interest in education in […]

NEWS RELEASE from Learning through Landscapes about Outdoor Classroom Day: CHILDREN NEED TO EXPERIENCE THE GREAT OUTDOORS TO LOVE AND PROTECT IT Research shows that playing and learning outdoors as part of the school day gives children a better understanding of the environment. 4000 schools across the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) will take […]

This week is #ChallengePovertyWeek .   NPFS are proud to be supporting Challenge Poverty Week (7-13 October) because we want a more equal society where children and families are no longer in the grip of poverty.   Challenge Poverty Week is a chance for us to come together and look at the kind of society we want […]

NPFS is delighted to launch three new publications today at the Scottish Learning Festival, as part of its “…in a Nutshell” series: Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) in a Nutshell Senior Phase in a Nutshell Wider Achievement in a Nutshell These leaflets will help parents to better understand aspects of Scottish Education. Today our Chair, Joanna Murphy, […]

Are you going to the #ScottishLearningFestival? Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th September.   **Thursday 26th September, 13:15 – 14:00* Come to NPFS’s Seminar on “Parents as True Partners” (Code:M4I) Joanna discusses Empowering the Learning Community & Engaging them in School Improvement. 2019 is going to be a huge year for School Empowerment.   Look out […]

The Scottish Government has launched its Out Of School Care Consultation. They want to find out what Mums, Dads, Carers and Practitioners think about childcare after school and during the holidays. The consultation asks questions about what the Scottish Government can do to better support families in accessing high quality, flexible and affordable services which […]

Parents, we want to hear from you! Do you have any good examples involving parents in school libraries? 📖 e.g. Parent Volunteers doing paired reading with the children e.g. Parent Volunteers helping to tidy up the library or sort the returns We are looking to collect good examples of Parental Involvement. 📚 If you do, […]

Now it’s the summer holidays and the days are longer, make sure you are spending time playing with your children. Play is one of the best things you can do for your child, whatever their age or ability and it’s FREE! Play Scotland are an organisation who deliver young people’s rights to play in Scotland. […]

Education Scotland has been working with practitioners and parent organisations to refresh and strengthen the Engaging Parents and Families Toolkit. New sections have been added to provide clarity, a shared understanding, and help practitioners work and engage with parents and families. The Sections that are of particular interest have been highlighted below: – Section 2: […]

NHSScotland has developed a careers guide called ‘A CAREER FOR YOU IN HEALTH’ – it’s got everything you need to know to talk about career in NHSScotland with your child.    You can download the guide at https://www.careers.nhs.scot/media/resources/A_Career_for_You_in_Health_Booklet.pdf. You could use the pack to  pick out a specific job to discuss with your child  look at the information about a specific job family […]

The 5th annual John Byrne National Drawing Competition is now open and pupils from Primary 4 through to S3 across Scotland are invited to enter. In partnership with Education Scotland, the competition aims to encourage young people to use their creativity and imagination through drawing. Since its launch in 2014, over 12,000 pieces of artwork […]

As we know, parents play a crucial role in supporting their children’s learning, and levels of parental engagement are consistently associated with children’s academic outcomes. Through monitoring and tracking, New Cumnock Primary School in East Ayrshire identified that the lack of parental engagement with the school was directly resulting in inequitable results for their pupils. With the […]

The Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee have launched an inquiry into the accessibility of mental health resources for young people, and they are looking for input from parents, carers, professionals and young people themselves. The Committee is looking into how young people get the help they need if they’re feeling low or anxious and want to hear […]

Talking About Tomorrow. Scotland’s first national conference on transitions for parents and carers of young disabled adults will take place in Glasgow in March 2019. For more information, click this link- Talking About Tomorrow   Tailored to parents and carers of young people with disabilities and learning difficulties, it brings together a wealth of information, […]

As part of the Year of Young People 2018, the Scottish Government want to hear from young people aged 8-26 on the global issues that matter to them. For the chance to win a cash prize and present their idea to Scottish Ministers, please click here. Entries close 9th December 2018.

Foundation Apprenticeships offer young people valuable work-based learning opportunities to develop their skills and employer connections in order to build their future career pathways. Learners will now have the option to select a Foundation Apprenticeships as one of their senior phase subject choices. Take a look at this short video discussing the benefits of Foundation […]

Has your child, or a child you care for, had contact with the Scottish Justice System for any reason? If so, the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ) would like to hear from you. They have created a short survey for parents and carers that will take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. […]

Own It, the BBC’s flagship service, supports young people’s digital lives and wellbeing. To coordinate with Anti-Bullying Week (12th-16th November), they have launched a new campaign tackling online abuse. The BBC is committed to facing up to this critical issue and hopes, through this campaign, to reach as many young people and parents as possible so they […]

Living Streets, the national charity for every day walking, run a national walk to school programme to encourage children and their families to make their journey an active one. They currently work with over 250 primary schools across Scotland through their Walk to School programme, engaging with families and parents through this. Living Streets have […]

East Lothian Council is committed to reducing the poverty related attainment gap, raising the attainment and achievement of our children and young people and improve inclusion, wellbeing and equality. In order to support the delivery of this commitment, the councils Education Service is undertaking a feasibility study and consultation to gather views on the following […]

The Equality and Human Rights Commission published the Is Scotland Fairer? 2018 report today. The report looks at progress towards greater fairness and equality in Scotland, showing that there has been some progress in making Scotland fairer over the past three years. However, the report suggests that serious challenges still remain. The evidence presented in […]

respectme, Scotlands Anti-Bullying Service, launch this years anti-bullying campaign- #ChooseRespect. The campaign has been designed to run throughout Anti-Bullying Week (12th-16th November) and beyond, reinforcing respect, positive relationships and empathy all year round. The campaign aims to support professionals working with young people to help create more respectful cultures in their settings. This year, they […]

As many of you will know, the Scottish Government are keen to ensure that the Gaelic language has a sustainable future here is Scotland, introducing many initiatives to preserve our heritage through their Gaelic Language Plan. Scottish Book Trust are supporting the government’s ambition through their Gaelic Bookbug Programme. Firstly, there are now Gaelic Bookbug […]

The mental health of our children and young people is a huge concern, with research suggesting that 10% of children in the UK experience a mental health problem of some sort between the ages of 5 and 16. Developed with the help of child psychologists, counsellors and teachers, award winning ‘The Worrinots’ app provides children […]

A new educational resource was recently launched by the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland. Ziggy’s Sports Day is a book which addresses the importance of parental behaviour in the car, and the impact it can have on children. The book will be distributed to all P1 classrooms throughout Scotland and pupils will be encouraged […]

Back in 2012, the Scottish Government looked to the future, and which skills would be particularly important for the next generations of our workforce. Recognising the need for relevant language skills as a key part of our future as an integral part of a global society, they set out an ambitious and challenging agenda for […]

National Museums Scotland is committed to encouraging all children to visit and enjoy their museums. They have a range of initiatives to support and welcome children with additional support needs to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, from providing colourful sensory backpacks to borrow for free while you visit through to holding After Hours […]

Reach is a fantastic website full of advice, support and tips, presented in a very relatable, age appropriate way. Hear from young people talking about support that helps, watch their innovative animated videos and read advice written by young people, for young people. Reach can also help children to understand their rights at school, helping […]

Whether you have a toddler or a teen, Sleep Scotland’s free telephone Support Line is available to provide advice and support to parents and carers across Scotland struggling with their children sleep problems. Their Helpline number is 0800 138 6565. Lines are open 10am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday, or you can contact them via […]

With so much negativity in Scottish education at the moment, often directly blaming the Curriculum for Excellence, it’s no wonder that there are morale issues amongst teachers in our schools. This insightful article written by Headteacher, Gerry Lyons, which sheds a positive light on our education system, was published on the TES website. “I’m fed […]

Play Scotland welcomes Richard Louv, Author to Scotland Richard Louv is a journalist and author of nine books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder; The Nature Principle; and Vitamin N. Translated and published in 24 countries, his books have helped launch an international movement to connect children, their families […]

Home-Start in Scotland is on a mission to engage a more diverse group of volunteers. Support from the Children and Young People’s Fund to increase male volunteering has fuelled growing ambitions. Since Volunteers Week 2018 Home-Start UK has been highlighting the benefits of volunteering and of increasing volunteer diversity in family support work.   Two […]

Pupil Inclusion Network Scotland (PINS) is funded by the Scottish Government Learning Directorate. They have been running for 14 years and have around 1400 members, largely made up of professionals who work with the most vulnerable and marginalised learners when it comes to formal or informal learning or support for schooling. Many of their members are […]

Upstart Scotland is a campaign for a play-based kindergarten stage in Scotland for children aged 3-7, supported by thousands of professionals in health, social work, children’s rights, early years, the arts and education. It was started in 2016 because of the enormous change in children’s habits of play over the recent decades, which are clearly linked to […]

It isn’t easy for parents or children to go through separation or to live in separate homes. Parenting Apart sessions, brought to you by Relationships Scotland, can help parents think about their children’s needs and move forward positively when living apart. Parenting Apart is a brief intervention, a one off 3 hour session, for parents to […]

We have responded to the Scottish Government’s public consultation- ‘Review of Part 1 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and creation of a family justice modernisation strategy’. Read our response here

Children’s wellbeing is at the heart of Getting it Right for Every Child. This means focusing on the wellbeing of every child to ensure they are safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included (the wellbeing indicators). This document outlines new policy guidance in response to the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research conducted in […]

Earlier this year, The Education and Skills Committee carried out an inquiry into the impact of poverty on attainment and achievement of school-aged children and young people. Poverty is an increasing problem for families, with more that 1 in every 4 children in Scotland recognised as living in poverty. The Committee was interested in finding […]

Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, and the Getting to Know Getting it Right for Every Child Team announce the launch of their new resource, ‘Involving children, young people, parents and carers in planning to meet children’s wellbeing needs’. This is a great resource, with really useful, easy to edit, step-by-step templates for teachers to […]

The Salvesen Mindroom Centre, a charity supporting the families of children and young people with learning difficulties, have recently updated their Essential Rights Guide for parents and carers of children and young people with learning difficulties. The aim of the guide is to provide parents and carers with a comprehensive and accessible resource that informs them of […]

The National Parent Forum of Scotland Chairperson, Joanna Murphy, responded to the Scottish Government Consultation Paper- Early Learning and Childcare Service Model for 2020. The responses to the relevant questions can be accessed here- ELC 2020 Service Model Responses     The original consultation can be accessed here- https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/03/1918/0