Oral Answers to Questions

Wendy Morton Excerpts

Monday 25th April 2016 Commons Chamber

[Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con)]

5. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that parents have more influence in the running of their children's schools when those schools become academies.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

11. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that parents have more influence in the running of their children's schools when those schools become academies.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Nicky Morgan)]

Many parents are governors and make a significant contribution to our schools, and we want this to continue, but that is not the only way we want parents to engage in schools. That is why our White Paper outlined our intention to place a duty on academies to engage meaningfully with parents, introduce parental satisfaction surveys, and set up a new parent portal to help parents to navigate the school system.

[Nicky Morgan]

I pay tribute to the many thousands of parents who already play a valuable role on school governing bodies. It is vital that schools and governing bodies listen to the views and the voices of parents, and we want academies to engage meaningfully with them. I know that that is happening, for example, in my hon. Friend’s constituency at Crawshaw Academy, where parents are invited to half-termly information evenings to comment on academy policies and to share their views with senior leaders. In a recent parent survey, 78% of respondents reported that they felt consulted and able to contribute to the academy’s development.

[Wendy Morton]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the voice and the skills of parents are greatly valued in our schools? Will she further clarify how their voice and their skills will continue to play an important part in governing bodies when a school becomes an academy?

[Nicky Morgan]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. Involving parents in governance and really listening to the views of parents are not necessarily the same thing. That is why I want academy boards to appoint parents for their skills and experience, and to set up parent councils or other appropriate arrangements to engage parents meaningfully and to represent their views to governing bodies.