MP wants parents to get an insight

BARNSLEY’S only Conservative MP is pressing for more to be done to stop schools preventing parents from viewing teaching materials.

Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, spoke to the head of Ofsted regarding ‘concerning reports’ of schools restricting parents.

She said: “I was pleased that HM Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman agreed with me that schools should be sharing learning materials with parents without restriction, and that claims of copyright infringement should not be used to prevent them from being seen.

“This is particularly important when it comes to matters that are the subject of debate or contention, such as those covered in PSHE and RSE. All resources must also be age appropriate.

“Parents should always take the lead in teaching their children values, and it should be the role of schools to support them in this.

“Anything taught in schools about these topics must be respectful of parents’ beliefs and done only with their knowledge and consent.

“Given how important education is, I’ll continue to push for transparency and openness so that parents can be confident that schools are teaching the facts in an age-appropriate way.”