Parents and Carers: Have you got ideas on how to make Out of School Care more accessible and affordable? The Scottish Government are running a Consultation which asks questions about what they can do to support families in accessing high quality, flexible and affordable services which benefit children and parents and carers. They are keen […]

Parents, can you help? The Scottish Government are conducting a review of The Implementation of Additional Support for Learning in Schools. They are looking to engage with parents to identify: – Good Practice and – Areas for Further Improvement in the ways that children and young people with additional support needs progress in their learning. […]

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 […]

Update: The Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill This Bill passed Stage 3 in the Scottish Parliament on the 3rd October 2019. It will now go for Royal Assent to be passed into law. The Bill aims to end the physical punishment of children by parents or carers by removing the legal defence of […]

Do you know about the Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions)(Scotland) Bill? Useful Information about the Bill: – Johann Lamont MSP launched a public consultation on her proposed Member’s Bill on 9th October 2019. – The public consultation on the Bill will run until 22 January 2020. – The Bill has been developed by Johann […]

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 […]

In response to campaigns from the Third Sector across Scotland, plans for the new Scottish Child Payment have been brought forward.   Low income families will be able to apply for a new £10 a week payment for every child aged 0-6 for applications in autumn 2020, with the first payments reaching families by Christmas. […]

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 […]

Parents, make sure that you are up to date with the upcoming changes to all food and drink offered in schools. What is happening? Schools in Scotland have a legal duty to provide food and drink in schools which meets strict nutritional standards. The regulations help ensure that young people get the balance of nutrients […]

Parents, can you help? The Scottish Government are conducting a review of The Implementation of Additional Support for Learning in Schools. They are looking to engage with parents to identify: – Good Practice and – Areas for Further Improvement in the ways that children and young people with additional support needs progress in their learning. […]

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 […]

New Resource: The Compassionate and Connected Classroom School children are being helped to cope with the effects of adversity and trauma through a new resource looking at developing their confidence, resilience, compassion and empathy. HM Chief Inspector Gayle Gorman, who launched the resource, said: “Trauma and adversity can both have a major impact on children’s […]

A new life-changing website offering every family in Stirling (with no income checks) Free and Easy Access to Preloved School Uniform is Live! 👕👖 Congratulations to Stirling Council and all those involved for this fantastic initiative. Stirling Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to host such an online shop, which offers an […]

Did you know that any child still aged 4 at the school commencement date in Scotland has a legal right to defer their P1 start until the following year? (mid-Aug to 31 Dec borns and not just Jan and Feb borns)? Parents/Carers in Scotland have a legal right to defer such children, but the funding […]

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, […]

Parents and Carers What do you think of Skills Development Scotland’s Careers & Skills Services in schools, centres and online? Have your say now. SDS want to hear what parents and carers think of their services to support the continuous improvement of its services. Their survey will look at the ways they reach out to […]

Today is #Playday2019 The Celebration of Children’s Right to Play, highlighting the importance of play in children’s lives. #Playday is the UK’s national day for PLAY. Thousands of families get out to play at hundreds of community events across the UK. From small-scale community events to thousands of children taking part in events organised in […]

Today is…. Results Day 2019! Best of Luck to all Learners (and Parents too)! Read our “Everything You Need To Know About Results Day” website post for lots of information for your child after they receive their results. It will help you make decisions about the next steps of their Learner Journey. GOOD LUCK!

Are your children waiting for their Exam Results? There are lots of ways in which you can support them. Below is some guidance from organisations to signpost you in the right direction and to help them make the next steps in their Learner Journey.   Skills Development Scotland (SDS) –> Exam Results Helpline * Over the […]

Exam results? Don’t panic, you have options. If you want to talk to someone about your #ExamResults, the team at Skills Development Scotland (SDS) can help. Thousands of young people can access dedicated exam results support when Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) Exam Results Helpline opens on Tuesday 6 August. The helpline from Scotland’s careers service […]

In the lead up to results day on 6th August, we’re sharing young people’s stories in Scotland through the #MyLearnerJourney Communications Campaign. #MyLearnerJourney showcases and celebrates young people’s achievements across a diverse range of awards, qualifications, learning pathways and progression routes and not just those certificated on Results Day. Success isn’t all about exams and […]

In line with the Programme for Government 2018-19 commitment, the Scottish Government has launched a consultation to look at how a new Act could incorporate the United Nation Children’s Rights Convention into the law of Scotland. 👉 Click here for more details and to submit responses   The closing date is 28th August 2019. The […]

Have you heard of Resolve: ASL Mediation Service? It is the largest mediation provider in Scotland. Their latest newsletter is out now. It features an interview with Resolve mediator, Pauline Linn, and an update on their ‘Steps to Success’ guide. 👉 Click here to read their newsletter. +Their service is free for parents / carers and […]

Parenting isn’t always easy. Although it’s often amazing and rewarding to watch your children grow, and to help them learn to be independent, it can also be really hard work. If you’re struggling to cope take a look at Young Mind’s Parents’ Survival Guide here. If you think your child is unhappy or if you […]

What’s Going On Now? (WGON) is a study of young people learning and making music across scotland: * Offering an assessment of music education and youth music-making * Proposing recommendations to tackle the inequalities in music education * Proposing ways to facilitate new experiences and opportunities * Making recommendations for the future * Updating the […]

Education Scotland’s “Empowerment for Parent and Pupil Participation.” From March to May 2019, HM Inspectors of Education visited 45 schools in 32 local authorities to see how schools were engaging parents and pupils in the life and work of the school. It provides robust evidence of parents and pupils working collaboratively with education staff across […]

Aye for Ideas is a call to action – explore ideas, question ideas, discuss ideas. We want to support everyone in Scotland to think differently, to discover the world around them through STEM activity and develop a nation of curious minds. #STEMStrategyScotland Aye for Ideas gives everyone a voice to put STEM at the forefront […]

Creativity skills are crucial for young people to improve how they problem solve, have ideas or come up with a new approach to an old issue. Creativity is also one of the most important qualities employers look for in their future workforce. Our Creativity in a Nutshell helps parents find out about what Creativity means […]

Education Scotland launches “I’m an Engineer!” A fun resource for families to learn about and to engage in STEM activities using the world around them. The workbook is split into sections depending on the age and stage of children. Have fun and try some of the STEM activities and challenges as a family. Examples of activities […]

“It’s one of your rights to know your rights!” As part of the public consultation on the Action Plan for Progressing Children’s Rights in Scotland: 2018-2021, Children’s Parliament undertook a consultation to explore children’s views on how children’s human rights are experienced here in Scotland. The Scottish Government will soon be committed to incorporating the […]

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) deliver Scotland’s Career Service. They provide both face-to-face and online support to individuals of all ages in developing their career management and employability skills. They help Scotland’s future workforce to be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to flourish in the ever-changing labour market. Young ones achieving their potential relies on […]

Family Learning is so important for Parental Involvement, Parental Engagement and Improving your child’s attainment outcomes. Why not encourage your children to have a go at the Summer Maths Challenge? The Scottish Women’s National Football Team are this year’s theme after they reached their first World Cup. Have a go by clicking here. Good Luck!

Transitions for Armed Forces Families –> New Nutshell Launched! In conjunction with Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES). It aims to help make the transition to Scotland as easy as possible. Moving around is a way of life for many Armed Forces families. It can often be exciting, but sometimes it can be […]

Learning for sustainability is about the entire school community working together to build a fair and equitable society that lives within the environmental limits of our planet. A few examples of Learning for Sustainability that you may have heard your child mention are : Global citizenship Engaging with democracy Fair Trade Outdoor learning Children’s Rights […]

The Disclosure (Scotland) Bill has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament. The Bill sets out proposals to modernise and improve the state disclosure system in Scotland. Many headteachers did not seem to have a good understanding of the system, or confidence in their decisions. As a consequence, parents often wrongly face PVG checks when volunteering […]

Today we are delighted to launch three new nutshell leaflets helping parents understand aspects of Scottish Education. You can take a look by clicking the images below. Let us know if you’d like any hard copies for yourself or your school.

Outdoor Play and Learning is so important for our children. This generation of Children spend on average four hours outside a week – that is half the time of their parent’s generation. 2 in 3 Children Play Outside for less than 1.5hr/day (that’s less than 2hr guideline for prisoners in the US!) As parents, you […]

This week is Child Safety Week! #childsafetyweek aims to raise awareness of the risks of child accidents and how they can be prevented. This year’s theme is #familylifetoday: where’s the risk? This theme aims to highlight the new dangers facing families today from our modern lifestyles. There are simple solutions to keep children safe. Unintentional injury is […]

NPFS would like to take this opportunity to say a huge THANK YOU to our Volunteer Reps for their fantastic hard work. Together, we are empowering parents to fulfil their potential as Partners in Education and are helping every child in Scotland to achieve their best educational outcome.

The Scottish Government have launched their Consultation on Incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into our Domestic Law in Scotland. The Scottish Government want to hear your views on whether to incorporate UNCRC principles into Scottish Law by 14th August 2019. At NPFS we are committed to helping every […]

Thursday 23rd May is #OutdoorClassroomDay Outdoor Classroom Day is a global campaign to inspire and celebrate outdoor learning and play. Schools are encouraged to take lessons outside and prioritise playtime. In 2018 over 3.5 million children across the world got outdoors to play and learn as part of their school day. Make sure that you […]

NPFS have written their response to the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the STEM experiences of 3 to 7 year olds in Early Learning and Childcare Settings and Schools. NPFS is a member of the STEM National Advisory Group, Making Maths Count Expert Group and the Interdisciplinary Learning National Strategic Group. We believe it is vital […]

NPFS contributed to the review of Personal and Social Education. One recommendation was to ensure Consent Education is Age and Stage Appropriate. Today the Scottish Government published a new National Resource: ‘Key Messages for Young People on Healthy Relationships and Consent’. The document is part of the Scottish Government’s work on supporting positive relationships and […]

It’s National Digital Learning Week 2019! #NDLW19 Over 80,000 people already work in the Digital Technical Industry in Scotland, but this industry is constantly thriving and growing. Your son or daughter could be a part of it too! This week there are 5 curriculum focused challenges for your young ones to try: Social Studies, Expressive […]

This week is Learning Disability week! #LDWeek2019 The theme this year is ‘Community:Active, Connected, Included’ Make sure that as parents you are involved in your School Community. Parental Engagement raises Child Attainment. During Learning Disability Week we would like to remind all schools how to support parents with learning disabilities themselves, or parents of children […]

Each year, ‘Together’ publish the State of Children’s Rights in Scotland Report. This Report monitors the implementation in Scotland of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The aim is to incorporate UNCRC principles into Domestic Law. The Article from the 2018 State of Children’s Rights Report has been published. NPFS […]

The Scottish Government have published a review which summarises the predicted trends that will shape the lives of young people over the next decade. View it here: https://bit.ly/2FMZbFK See Section 5 for current trends in education in Scotland as well as future trends. The current trends highlight attainment changes, while the future trends highlight how digital […]

Children in Scotland’s 25 Calls Campaign, to Change Children’s Lives for the Better, celebrates their 25th anniversary. 25 Calls is a plan of action which will contribute to children rights and ensure that children experience equality in the future. 25 Calls sets out to achieve real change. View Children in Scotlands 25 Calls website here. Call 10: […]

NPFS are delighted to be sponsoring the “Parents as Partners in Learning” category at the annual Scottish Education Awards. NPFS would like to say a massive congratulations to this year’s three finalists: – Larbert High School, Falkirk – St Albert’s Primary School, Glasgow – Craigton Primary School, Glasgow We are very much looking forward to meeting […]

Numbers are so important in everyone’s lives. They are all around us. We use them every day: Cooking Shopping and working out whether supermarket deals are really worth it Splitting the bill after dinner Paying bills NPFS are proud to be a Champion of National Numeracy Day, the annual celebration of numbers. Numeracy skills in […]

Scotland has a ‘Ten Year Strategy for the Learning Provision for Children and Young People with Complex Additional Support Needs.’ The ten-year strategy is running from 2017 to 2026. The ten-year strategy aims to improve outcomes for children and young people with complex additional support needs, with a particular focus on education. The Scottish Government ran […]

NPFS are encouraging families to have a look at this brilliant parental engagement activity. Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT) is inviting families to share how they learn languages at home. Families are encouraged to create a short video or take photographs to show the whole family learning languages together. Winners of the competition will […]

This week is #CyberScotWeek19! To coincide with this week, NPFS are delighted to be launching their ‘Cyber Security Careers’ Nutshell, created in partnership with Skills Development Scotland  Our Nutshell is a starter for you to speak to your young person about options for future work. To read it click here. • Cyber security is one […]

The Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee have launched an inquiry into the experiences of 3 to 7 year olds of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Their inquiry will explore the extent to which STEM subjects are included at schools for those aged 3-7, whether teachers have the skills to teach STEM subjects and the successes […]

Everyone at NPFS would like to wish all children sitting their external examinations the best of luck. The SQA Exam Timetable can be found here. We would also recommend you to encourage your children to use the SQA Personal Timetable Builder to create their personalised exam timetable. Click here to check it out. Have a look at […]

Are you looking for something fun but educational to keep your child occupied this Easter Holiday? Why not try The Deputy First Minister’s Easter Holiday Maths Challenge! You can give his quiz a go by clicking here. Primary school pupils should have received them in school, but if you missed it, then hard copies are available […]

The Scottish Government’s Out To Play Guide has been launched. It includes guidance for setting up outdoor spaces for children to play. Outdoor Learning has huge benefits for children’s health and wellbeing and can be responsible for boosting academic attainment. Article 31 of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all […]

This helpful new video from SCQF, made with the help of staff and students at Ayrshire College, highlights how Qualifications undertaken whilst at school have changed over the past few years, with Vocational qualifications such as National Progression Awards (NPAs) and Foundation Apprenticeships sitting on the SCQF alongside traditional Nationals and Highers. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/ucA6q5zEkdk

NPFS Chair, Joanna Murphy was pleased to meet with Mr Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on Tuesday January 29th. During this meeting Joanna updated Mr Swinney on the progress that Scottish Government, Local Authorities and schools have made so far in progressing the recommendations from the NPFS Review of […]

Scottish Government launches new campaign to help parents with ‘small wins’ to make their day easier Parent Club aims to support and help parents of primary school aged children with ‘small wins’ to make their day easier. The campaign recognises that parenting can sometimes be tough and that parents experience many challenges and pressures throughout […]

The Scottish Government published the 2019 National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan today. The framework sets out activity the Scottish Government and partners will take to drive improvement for children and young people.   You can view the summery here, or the full document here.