Parental Engagement

Why does parental engagement matter?

It's long been known that the more engaged parents are with their child’s education, the more likely the child is to do well at school.

Educational researcher Professor John Hattie suggested that parental engagement is equivalent to adding two to three years to a student’s education.

But there's even more to it than this...

Today, school SLTs face a growing array of challenges—from declining pupil numbers and difficulties recruiting teachers to supporting SEND and EAL families, tackling funding gaps and improving pupil attendance.

One of the most effective yet often underutilised tools at an SLT’s disposal is a well-crafted communication strategy. Beyond simply disseminating information, strong communication and engagement fosters trust, builds relationships and positions the school as an inclusive, high-performing institution.

Effective parental engagement can provide a huge advantage for a child’s academic progression - and contribute significantly to the reputation and future success of a school.

The benefits of a strong communication and engagement strategy

Managing reputation and enhancing trust

Clear, consistent communication helps schools shape positive perceptions and build trust with families, staff and the wider community.

Addressing declining pupil numbers

Strong communication strategies turn current parents into advocates, helping attract new families and boost enrolment.

Supporting teacher recruitment and retention

Sharing a compelling school vision and culture through internal and external channels helps attract and retain high-quality staff.

Building inclusivity and enhancing support for SEND and EAL families

Tailored, inclusive communication builds stronger relationships and ensures all families feel supported and understood.

Tackling funding gaps through community engagement

Transparent communication with stakeholders inspires trust and opens up opportunities for funding and partnership.

Improving pupil attendance

Proactive, personalised communication with parents encourages engagement, early intervention, and improved attendance outcomes.

A strategic approach to communication and engagement can help SLTs navigate key challenges and ultimately contribute to the long-term success of their schools.

What is parental engagement?

Parental engagement is the meaningful partnership between schools and families in support of a child's learning and development. It goes beyond attending parent evenings—it's about creating an ongoing, two-way relationship where both educators and parents work together to support a child's academic and personal growth.

Effective parental engagement can take many forms, including:

Creating a positive learning environment at home.
Encouraging and showing interest in school activities.
Having regular conversations about what children are learning.
Modelling positive attitudes toward education and curiosity.
Helping with reading, homework, and school projects.

When families are actively engaged, students are more likely to be motivated, achieve more and feel supported every step of the way.

Why parental engagement matters to Ofsted

The most recent Ofsted framework specifically mentions parental engagement, saying:

"Inspectors will make a judgement on the effectiveness of leadership and management by evaluating the extent to which leaders engage effectively with learners and others in their community, including parents, carers, employers and local services...engagement opportunities are focused and have purpose."

So, why is engaging parents in schools so important to Ofsted? Well, according to previous publications from Ofsted:

"Parental engagement can be a powerful lever for raising achievement in schools and there is much research to show the value of schools and parents working together to support pupils’ learning. Schools have been encouraged to shift from simply involving parents with the school to enabling them to engage themselves more directly with their children’s learning."

Ofsted's own research highlighted a number of key findings and recommendations to help schools improve parental engagement.

What are the benefits of increased parental engagement?

Parental engagement has been repeatedly found to be one of the most effective measures for improving outcomes for students. In fact, research has stated: “The more parents are engaged in the education of their children, the more likely their children are to succeed in the education system.”

That said, what are some of the invaluable social and emotional benefits provided by increased parental engagement?

Family engagement equals student success
According to research, children with families engaged in their education are more likely to:

Earn higher grades and test scores
Graduate from high school and attend post-secondary education
Develop self-confidence and motivation in the classroom
Have better social skills and classroom behaviour

Close the disadvantage gap
Disadvantaged pupils have been found to make less academic progress and even regress during the summer holidays. However, by designing and delivering effective approaches to parental engagement, schools may be able to mitigate some of these causes of educational disadvantage by supporting parents to encourage their children’s learning.

Improves confidence and self esteem
When children have parents who are enthusiastic and engaged about their learning, those children are empowered to be more enthusiastic and engaged as well. This can result in more confident children who have better social skills and classroom behaviour, with improved motivation and less of a need for redirection.

Creates a sense of community
According to Helen Keller, ‘Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.’ And it goes to show, as parents who are aware of what is going on in their child’s education and take steps to become more involved with school activities and the curriculum help to build a more cohesive community.

Breaking down barriers to parental engagement

Parental engagement tends to be stronger in primary schools than in secondary schools primarily due to the increased complexity of multiple subjects, teachers and academic demands. But the need for effective, inclusive engagement is important at every stage of a child’s education.

Many families face challenges that make it harder to stay connected with school life. By identifying and addressing these barriers, schools can foster stronger relationships and ensure parents feel welcomed and supported.

Common barriers—and how to overcome them:

Language and Cultural Differences
Nearly 1 in 5 pupils in the UK speaks English as an additional language. Offering translated communications and culturally sensitive messaging helps ensure all families feel informed and included.
Busy Schedules and Work Commitments
Traditional meeting times don't suit every family. Flexible options—like virtual meetings, mobile apps, and on-demand newsfeeds—make it easier for parents to stay involved on their own terms.
Negative Past School Experiences
Some parents feel anxious or unwelcome due to their own past experiences in school. Friendly, informal events like open classrooms or joint parent-child activities can help break down these walls and build trust.
Post-Pandemic Anxiety
COVID-19 has left many parents feeling uncertain about re-engaging with school life. Clear, empathetic communication and reassurance can help reduce anxiety and encourage renewed involvement.

Truly effective parental engagement means reaching every family - including those hard to reach.

How to improve parental engagement in schools

The good news is, when schools work with parents there are plenty of straightforward ways these barriers to engagement can be overcome. With that in mind, here are six steps to improving parent engagement in schools:

Create an engagement strategy
With parent engagement boosting a child’s progress by up to two years, we’ve put together a guide to creating an outstanding parental engagement strategy here.
Invest in a parent engagement app
By investing in a communications app, such as Weduc custom branded apps for schools, you can keep all families up to date in real time, while catering to those with different access needs.
Create positive relationships with parents
Ensure your staff are on good terms with pupils’ families by keeping their parents informed on what their child is learning and setting up regular meetings for any queries and to discuss their child’s progress.
Keep your website updated
Keep your school website updated with engaging content, blogs, insights, surveys, and personnel. Plus, with the Weduc platform you can post to your newsfeed and Weduc website simultaneously.
Ensure meetings and events are accessible
When events require parents to attend in person, inevitably not everyone can make it. This may be due to simple time commitments, but it may also be due to more complex access requirements. Ensure every family is able to attend by providing options such as virtual parents’ evenings. For instance, via a Parents’ Evening System.
Personalise your communications
These days, technology has made it possible to speak to everyone as an individual. No more ‘Dear parent/guardian’. Now, you can speak to each parent by name and empower them to decide which updates they receive and how they receive them.