SCHOOLS in Edinburgh are rarely out of the headlines. This is not surprising given the nature of the Edinburgh economy and the importance of education in providing the kinds of skills that a modern city like Edinburgh needs and which our schools, at their best, can help to nurture.
Schools are also often hubs of community activity and one of the defining characteristics of a thriving neighbourhood.
Among the great assets of schools in Edinburgh is how involved parents are in the day-to-day work, as they deliver out-of-hours
activities, coach sports teams, volunteer in nurseries, fund school improvements and run events such as school fairs.
For years, many schools have had dynamic parents' associations, usually involved in fundraising and events. Then we had school boards, now scrapped. The Parental Involvement Act in 2006 set up parent councils and in Edinburgh more than 100 schools and nurseries now have them. They represent the views of parents to the school and city council, and provide a sounding board for staff on parents' views.
Over the summer, a number of parents set up the Edinburgh Parent Councils Network, the first such initiative anywhere in Scotland. Entirely parent-led, it recognises that many positive ideas for schools are developed by parents themselves, and simply by sharing these ideas parents can help each other without having to go cap in hand to the city council.
Parents add huge value to the work that staff and pupils do, and that is why I proposed a motion to the city council on October 16 commending the work of Edinburgh Parent Councils Network and seeking council support for it. That the motion passed unanimously shows that councillors from all five parties genuinely appreciate what parents bring to schools.
I hope it can continue to help schools flourish – as the city council owes it to parents to appreciate their efforts and to support them in any way it can.
• Alison Johnstone is the Green spokesperson on education. Any parent body wishing to sign up can go to groups.google.com/group/edinburgh-pc-network