We are delighted to be attending a  launch event for Languages in a Nutshell today,  in collaboration with SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages. Pupils, parents and teachers will enjoy a celebration of languages in Irvine this afternoon, including yoga in French, Spanish storytelling and a theatre production. We are delighted to have received the […]

As many of you will know, more than two thirds of local authorities now charge for musical instrument lessons in school. Councils have introduced or increased fees, charging up to £524 per year for music tuition. We have been asked to send written evidence into the Education and Skills Committee about instrumental music tuition, specifically […]

Research shows that the most influential figures in children’s career choices are parents and carers, and to achieve the best outcomes, it’s important to start conversations early. As a parent or carer, you play an important part in helping them to get onto the path to finding a job that offers them the future they […]

‘Not Included, Not Engaged, Not Involved: A report on the experiences of autistic children missing school’ was launched by Children in Scotland, in partnership with the National Autistic Society Scotland and Scottish Autism. The launch included a well-attended event featuring some moving personal accounts from parents of young people with autism who had been informally […]

Our latest e-newsletter is now available, you can read it by clicking here.   If you would like to be added to our mailing list, drop us an email to- office@npfs.org.uk.

NHS Health Scotland and Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland have jointly launched a suite of resources to raise awareness, prompt discussion and take action to combat child poverty in schools. The first resource from NHS Health Scotland is a short film on the ‘Cost of School’.  The film shows a range of people, […]

Scottish Government ‘Delivering for Today, Investing for Tomorrow’.  First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon,  outlines “a clear vision of the kind of country we want to be” as she delivered her Programme for Government during a speech to the Scottish Parliament today. It includes details of a £250 million health investment package, with £30m of this fund dedicated […]

The facts speak for themselves…there are more young people than ever seeking help for their mental health. One in five people will experience a mental health problem at some time in their lives (Scottish Government).  One in five children will experience a mental health difficulty at least once in their first 11 years. One in […]

Exam results day is coming. Getting your results can be a stressful time, and some people struggle to decide what to do next. Whether things don’t go according to plan or better than expected, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) have a variety of options to support learners from 7 August onwards. Support is available over the phone, online and in […]

Do some schools present university as the main path to take when college, training and work are equally valuable routes? This is just one question the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee will explore in a new inquiry that will also look at whether information about other pathways, such as work and training, is offered […]

All children have the right to extra help with their learning and for their views to be considered when decisions are being made about their support. Recent changes to education law saw the rights of children with additional support needs aged 12 – 15 extended to give them many of the same rights as their […]

We are delighted to launch  these new resources for parent councils and their schools today. A huge thanks to all who were involved in their creation – the Argyll and Bute Headteachers group, the Scottish Parental Involvement Officers Network,  the Scottish Learning Group and all of the individual parents and parent councils who provided feedback. […]

Scottish Government know that the earliest years of life are crucial for every child, and the evidence tells them that if our early learning and childcare (ELC) offer is to help give children the best start in life and contribute to closing the poverty-related attainment gap, it has to be of a high quality. Families […]

2018 marks the ‘Year of Young People’ in Scotland, and the theme for Learning Disability Week reflects that. ‘My Generation’ will focus the country’s attention on the experiences of young people with learning disabilities in Scotland. The more parents engage in their child’s learning, the more likely it is that they will help raise their […]

National Numeracy Day Numbers are all around us – at home and in daily life. But people can often feel overwhelmed by bills, confused by bank charges and wonder if supermarket deals are really worth it. The UK’s first ever National Numeracy Day is on Wednesday 16 May 2018. Taking part can help bring you […]

Working together for our children Reviewing parental involvement: one year on National Parent Forum of Scotland annual conference  When parents are involved in their children’s learning, it benefits children, families and schools: children do better. This was the main finding of the NPFS 2016 review  of the 2006 Parental Involvement Act. One year on since publishing […]

Scottish Government have been consulting on the  changes they believe will improve educational outcomes for young people, how they will work in practice, and what legislative changes are needed to enable them to happen. Many thanks to the parent councils and parents who took part in focus groups and got in touch with us to share your […]

Colleagues in BEMIS have let us know about a new project that they are involved in. Parents 4 all aims to: empower parents of the host societies and of migrant origin in dealing with ethnic and cultural diversity at schools Create tailor-made training material for parents, helping them to develop intercultural skills and actively support […]

EMPOWERING SCHOOLS: A CONSULTATION ON THE AIMS OF THE NEW EDUCATION BILL The new Education Bill will go to Parliament by June 2018. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on what should be in the Bill. Following is a summary and the points that we would really like to hear from you on. Please email […]

NPFS has developed this updated publication for parents which provides a helpful overview of the National Improvement Framework. The National Improvement Framework (NIF) sets out what needs to be done to improve Scottish education so that every child can achieve their full potential. It uses accurate information, gathered from schools, local authorities and national organisations, to […]

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. We are delighted to be sponsoring the 2018 Parents as Partners in Learning Award. Parents are valuable assets to any school community, from early years through to primary and secondary schools. The Scottish Education Awards recognise that partnerships with parents […]

Scottish Government recently consulted on their guidance in relation to Extending Children’s Rights. You can read our response by clicking here: NPFS re Extending Children’s Rights

Scottish Government recently consulted on their proposed measures to gauge the attainment gap, as well as their proposed milestones towards closing it. You can read our consultation response by clicking here: NPFS NIF Response on attainment gap

National Parent Forum for Scotland (NPFS) and Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland (CPAG) are delighted to launch a national Cost of the School Day toolkit resource for Parent Councils across Scotland. Insufficient household income can mean that some children and young people don’t have the resources needed for school and can’t easily afford to […]

The Scottish Government would like you to help them find out what matters to parents about their school and their child’s education, focusing on what needs to be done to make the improvements we all want to see. The survey will close on October 16th and will inform the annual report for the National Improvement […]

We are pleased to have received a formal response from John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary outlining how Scottish Government plan to proceed. You can read the full letter by clicking below:

Recently, an NPFS regional rep asked for further information about how SDS services support young people in making well informed choices about their next steps in learning and future careers. The queries and responses are shown in the Q&As below: How are schools, parents and young people engaging with My World of Work. What impact […]

Sexting, cyberbullying, catfishing, FOMO and digital footprints – these are just some of the topics and issues that the Young Scot 5Rights Youth Commission explored in their 15-month investigation. The 5Rights project looks beyond online safety and protection for young people online, and calls for the realisation of their rights in the digital world just […]

NPFS are currently working with Child Poverty Action Group to update their Cost of the School day parent council toolkit to encompass rural issues. We have recently held three focus groups and discussions in South Lanarkshire, Shetland and the Western Isles.  The reports can be read by clicking the links below. NPFS Focus Group Lanarkshire […]

We were pleased to submit written evidence to Scottish Government in response to this consultation. Scotland’s Strategy for the Learning Provision for Children and Young People with Complex Additional Support Needs 2017-2026 aims to support improved outcomes for children and young people with complex additional support needs through strategic commissioning of national services; with particular […]

Read our response to the EducationCommittee’s  call for evidence on the Children and Young people Information Sharing Bill here: GIRFEC Response from NPFS

Schools across Scotland start their new academic year this week. Transitions are the moves that children and young people make from stage to stage. Find out how you can support your child and help transitions go smoothly on the Parenting Across Scotland website. There are top  tips on helping your child  get off to a good […]

We know it is a worrying time waiting for exam results This helpful video from SQA shows you exactly what to expect! http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/65952.html

Skills Development Scotland’s Exam Results Helpline will open on Tuesday 8 August as students across the country receive their National, Higher and Advanced Higher results. This is the 25th year of the *free helpline which offers advice, information and support for young people and their parents. It will be open from 8am until 8pm on 8 and […]

We have been hearing from lots of parents who are concerned about the changes to N5s in the new session, and future changes to the other National Qualifications. We’ve helped Scottish Government to compile this guide to the changes, and they’ve added a helpful timeline. You can download it here: National Qualifications – NPFS QA […]