PFA

PFA

PFA

Introduction

Children's learning extends beyond the school with early learning taking place primarily at home in the early years. By taking children's 'learning lives' in a more holistic view, education policy makers draw up support plans to assist in children's learning. Home-school relationships refer to the relationship between parents and schools. There is a profound focus on advancing parental engagement in order to facilitate broader children's learning. Children actively influence the nature and degree of relationship between parents and the school. Thus, policy and strategy must take into account this three way relationship. Currently, schools consider parental engagement a high priority as a facilitator of children's learning. The Children's Plan of 2009 emphasises on parental involvement to assist children's learning. Schools' white paper comprises parental guarantees to support children's learning and expect parental involvement in educational matters. The white paper illustrates a holistic policy leading largely towards a collaborative partnership between parents and schools. Digital technologies establish connections between parents and schools in order to raise parental engagement. Home Access initiatives hope to remove barriers through computer technologies and the internet. Online reporting requirements provide online access to crucial information regarding children's learning such as attendance, behaviour, and needs (Grant p.2). All these policies and initiatives will hopefully strength parental-school ties and evolve children's learning systems. The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the significance of home-school relationships to children's education. The essay will also consider the impact of differing socio-economic backgrounds on children's educational progress throughout their school years. Finally, the essay will evaluate the potential of home-school relations for supporting children's learning.

Discussion

Background

England historically offers a diverse setting in maintained and private sectors for the literary provision for children aged five (in some cases, four). However, the fragmentation in the literary provision creates several challenges for children and their families. Bertram and Pascal (1997), in their study of the Labour party's policies, argued that the United Kingdom's early childhood practices and systems are uncoordinated and expand rapidly in their struggle to met national need and otherwise waning with little or no integration. The 1997 election of the Labour party brought with it significant changes in United Kingdom's education policies. Labour policies emphasized a reduction in child poverty. Blair's government also promoted a return to work for lone parents, especially single mothers by extending childcare provision. In England, Wales, and Scotland, the statutory age at which children start school officially remains as five years. Rogers and Ross (2007), however, underlined that the United Kingdom's policy of admitting children as early as the age of four differs from European or worldwide admittance practices which admit children at the age of six or seven. New legislation will facilitate early admittance in schools in the September of a child's fourth birthday. The landscape of early education provision changed rapidly and insinuated altered policies that affected children, their families, and practitioners alike. In accordance with Every Child Matters, practitioners incorporated the prerequisites of The Children Act of 2004, as well as the Childcare Act of ...