Writing for Belfast Live, teacher and founder of Primary NumeraSee, Katrina Bradley speaks of the importance of parental involvement in education
The first week back to school always feels like the beginning of something new, a fresh classroom, a new teacher and a bigger schoolbag to carry. But it’s also a good reminder that children don’t walk this journey alone. Teachers may set the lessons, but parents and families add the context, encouragement and reassurance that make learning stick!
When I talk about parental involvement, I’m not speaking from the perspective of someone who has a child to get out the door on a Monday morning with their PE kit, an over-ripe banana and their homework (that was definitely not completed at 10 p.m. the night before). I’m speaking from the perspective of someone who stands on the other side of the classroom door, and I want to say, on behalf of teachers everywhere: thank you.
Children notice when home and school feel connected. It helps them believe that what they do in class isn’t just some separate world parents know nothing about. When they feel that link, it strengthens their motivation and sense of belonging, meaning they’re more likely to ‘stick at it’.
That confidence to keep going, even when things get tricky, is far more valuable than getting full marks on a spelling test, because that will come in time. It shouldn’t be about getting every answer right; it’s about knowing that their effort is valued.
Parents are crucial in helping children connect learning to the world around them. School can sometimes feel too abstract, with lessons that don’t always link clearly to daily life for kids. Home is where those ‘real-life’ connections are best made. Should it be walking around the supermarket, comparing prices to get the best deals (we all love a good bargain) or looking for shapes or symmetry on a park walk, they realise that what they’re learning has value.
It’s not always about drilling extra times tables exercises; it’s about showing them that knowledge has purpose. And when something feels purposeful, children are far more likely to engage with it. All of these little things reinforce what they’re learning in class, without them even realising it. The best part? They usually enjoy it more because it doesn’t feel like school or homework.
For some of us, our own memories of school might not be the most positive. It’s a leap of faith to trust a system that might not have worked for you. The classrooms of today are not the ones we sat in years ago. Giving the system a chance also means giving your child the space to experience school on their own terms and to see it through fresh eyes.
When we step back and watch them discover, question, and even struggle a little, we’re reminded that learning, at its best, is not something to fear. It’s something that sparks curiosity and develops crucial life skills.
Research has shown that when parents are able to take part, even occasionally, children benefit. Parents in Northern Ireland stand out for how much they support early literacy. Around 65% regularly read, sing or tell stories with their children before school, compared to just 39% internationally.
The PIRLS 2016 study also found that children whose parents were engaged in their school lives, particularly in the early years, grew into more confident readers, and that this confidence lasted well beyond the first years of school.
The best part is that none of this has to take over your life (with the exception of the World Book Day costume of course). Yes, we have an endless calendar of school events, but we know that attendance isn’t always straightforward.
Work shifts, childcare, transport, and even the sheer exhaustion of family life can make it difficult to show up every time. It isn’t about parents attending everything, or being constantly visible, but about children knowing that home and school are connected in some way.
Sometimes that’s making it to an information session, sometimes it’s rescuing a three-week-old permission slip from the bottom of the schoolbag. Whatever it looks like, it all counts, and kids notice more than they let on.
You are a crucial part of the team, and we couldn’t do it without you.
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