Guidance on the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006

Glossary

Childcare Partnerships - There are 32 Childcare Partnerships - one in each local authority in Scotland. Childcare Partnerships aim to expand childcare in a certain area in line with parental demand.

Combined Parent Council - In certain circumstances the Parent Forum of two or more schools may establish a Combined Parent Council.

Denominational school - A school transferred to local authority control under Section 16 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (or earlier statutory provisions), or established under Section 17 of the 1980 Act. Generally denominational schools will have close links to a specific faith community, and may have an ethos based on a particular faith.

Education Authority - The Education Department in local Councils, responsible for publicly funded schools in their area. The Act's provisions covers pupils attending an education authority school

Equal opportunities - Defined in Section L2 of Part II of Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998 as the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions.

Equal opportunity requirements - Defined in Section L2 of Part II of Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998 as the requirements of the law for the time being relating to equal opportunities.

HMIE - Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education, often known as HMIE, is the Executive Agency responsible for school and education authority inspection and review.

Home school link worker - Home school link workers provide a service working with pupils and their families which often addresses specific issues, such as physical/mental health, attendance and family circumstances that may hinder or disrupt a pupil's learning.

Integrated Children's Services - Local authorities in Scotland work with relevant agencies and organisations to plan services and support for children and families in each area.

Non-resident parent - The parent who is not the main day-to-day carer of the children. If the children stay with both parents, the non-resident parent is the one who spends fewer nights with the children.

Parent - Defined in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 as amended. Includes guardian and any person who is liable to maintain or has parental responsibilities (within the meaning of section 1(3) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995) in relation to, or has care of a child or young person.

Parent Council - The statutory body responsible for representing parents' views. Parent Councils replace the system of School Boards.

Parent Forum - All parents who have a child attending a public school are automatically a member of the Parent Forum for that school. The Parent Forum may choose to be represented by a Parent Council.

Placing request - Where the parent of a qualifying child makes a written request to an education authority to place his child in the school (other than a nursery school or a nursery class in a school) specified in the request, being a school under their management.

Pupil - Defined in the 1980 Act but for the purposes of this Act includes a child who is under school age if that child is in attendance at a primary school, whether in a nursery class in such a school, or not.

School Development Plan - All schools are required to produce a development plan under the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. Development plans must now include a reference to the education authority's strategy for parental involvement.