Parentkind

How do we get more people reading for fun? This National Year of Reading, we are looking at how parents build a love of reading in their children, and how we can all support that. We’ve got new polling out today showing how committed parents are to building a love of reading – as well as the barriers they and their children face. Our national polling of 2,000 parents found: 📕 98% of parents say it’s important to encourage their children to read for fun – 65% of parents wish they could spend more time reading with their children. ⚠️ More than a quarter of parents (28%) say their own reading ability has affected how much they read with their children 📱 Children are more than twice as likely to watch TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube videos every day than they are to read for fun daily. We want all parents to feel they can help their child to learn to read, and learn to love reading. We’ll be looking at the barriers our polling identified – including screen time and homework. Then we’ll be launching a Reading Manifesto later this year, setting out how our great PTAs, schools, and government can all work together to support parents. Get in touch if you want to know more, or contribute to the manifesto!

An inspiring afternoon today at the Parentkind Roundtable in the House of Lords on reading with Victoria Dilly The School Library Association (SLA) and colleagues in other great charities. Brilliant leadership from Baroness Joanne Cash Helen Hayes Darren Paffey MP in Parliament. It was an honour to speak on behalf of Voice 21 UK (and the 1,200 schools we work with across the country) about the vital role that oracy education plays in reading for pleasure. 📣Reading aloud, story telling and talking about books - in class, between parents, grandparents and children, in book clubs, in school libraries and public libraries … Speaking and listening can be a bridge - to finding joy in books and between people. 🐶🐈 I loved learning about children finding a non-judgmental listener when reading aloud to their pets❤️ 📖 Lovely to catch up with Jane Harris earlier today and then to flag at the Roundtable the work of our friends Speech and Language UK raising awareness with parents about early language development and the value of reading aloud from the earliest stage. 📚Really looking forward to everything our Voice 21 UK team will be doing with Voice 21 Oracy Schools and Oracy Centres of Excellence to make sure oracy plays it’s part to ensure the #NationalYearofReading has real impact💥 Big Ben always beautiful but check out this January sky👇🏼

Frank Young appointed as Parentkind’s new CEO   Parentkind’s Board of Trustees has confirmed that Frank Young will become the charity’s new Chief Executive Officer following the departure of Jason Elsom at the end of December 2025.   Frank joined Parentkind in 2024 as the Chief Policy Officer, leading our work to give parents a voice in education debates and representing Parentkind in the media. He brings a wealth of education policy experience, having spent almost a decade in senior policy roles and serving on the Board of Ofsted as a Non-Executive Director until August last year. He is passionate about improving educational outcomes for children, through parents and schools working more closely together   Alex Peace-Gadsby OBE DL, Chair of Trustees, said:   “Frank’s passion for the great work undertaken by PTAs to support the community of the school, alongside his strong belief in the fundamental difference in outcomes for young people when parental engagement in education is at its most effective, really stood out for Trustees.   “He showed real collaboration in his approach and a commitment to inclusive leadership and taking the charity forward progressively with team-spirited energy, vision and ambition.    “We look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role supporting the charity’s ongoing vision that those with parental and educational responsibility can work together to best effect to ensure that every young person can reach their full potential”   Frank Young said:   “I’m honoured to have the opportunity to lead the country’s largest parent charity, particularly as this year is Parentkind’s 70th birthday. I want to thank the Board of Trustees and Alex Peace-Gadsby, our chair, for the confidence they have placed in my vision for the charity.   “Parentkind is an amazing charity with brilliant colleagues. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues to make the voice of parents even louder, celebrate the work of PTAs and to support the growth of Parent-Friendly Schools across the country.    “We will continue to make the case for listening to parents and celebrating the role of PTAs who raise more than a hundred million pounds a year for UK schools. Our job is to give parents a seat at the table and recognise the incredible work of parent volunteers.”   Later this year, Parentkind will announce a new strategy to take the charity into the 2030s, we will continue to champion the transformative role of parents in education, celebrate the work of PTAs and increase the number of schools that are officially “parent friendly”. Frank will play a major role in helping the charity to achieve its ambitions.

Join the next PIXL SEND & Inclusion Leaders Network! 📅 Tuesday 10th February 🕒 3:45–4:45pm 🎤 Guest Speaker: Rachel Timms, Headteacher at Grange Academy – a specialist school supporting pupils with diverse SEND needs aged between 5 and 16. This session will focus on supporting pupils with Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH) needs – one of the fastest‑growing areas of need in schools. Connect with fellow SENCOs and Inclusion Leaders, share strategies, and gain practical insights to strengthen your SEMH provision. 🤝 We’re also delighted to welcome colleagues from Parentkind, who will be joining us to share their expertise on supporting the parents of pupils with SEMH needs — helping you build stronger home–school relationships and more holistic support for families. ✅ Free to attend – open to all PiXL member schools - don’t miss out! 👉 Reserve your spot now via the PiXL Portal. #Inclusion #SEMH #SENDLeadership #SENDSupport #InclusionMatters #Collaboration #PiXLNetwork PiXL Parentkind Rachel Timms

Important read for parents, educators and anyone involved in early years development! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eP_BZgS6 A new article in The Guardian highlights a growing concern: around one in four children in England are starting reception classes without being toilet trained, according to teachers, alongside other basic life skills challenges that can impact learning and classroom time. The findings are backed by new research from Kindred Squared, based on a survey of 1,000 parents across England. As the discussion grows about what it really means to be “school ready,” it’s vital to support families with the right guidance and resources. That’s why Parentkind is continuing to support families with practical, evidence-based resources to help children Be School Ready: Our Be School Ready hub is a one-stop place for practical tips and tools to help parents navigate the transition to school and understand key milestones for new starters. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eAVs-FCt Our Be School Ready toilet training toolkit is a supportive guide to help parents with what can be a tricky phase of early development, helping children gain confidence and independence before starting school. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eFMeTc42 Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or professional in the early years space, sharing accessible and positive resources like these can make a real difference for families preparing for school.

Today, Peers in the House of Lords have the chance to act to help parents, and protect children. We’ve written – with a coalition of 26 leading voices across 13 organisations – to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, and Sir Ed Davey asking them to back Amendment 94a to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This would ban social media for under-16 users, putting the onus of the companies to ensure they don’t show their content to children. We’re really proud to say that Hugh Grant, Sophie Winkleman and Peter Andre have signed up – they recognise the harm social media can cause children, and want to see the Government act on clear social media age limits. 93% of parents tell us that social media is harmful to children and young people and today, politicians have a chance to act. We hope all parties heed parents voices, support Amendment 94a, and take decisive action to keep children safe.

Big Parentkind news Today we’re proud to launch The Parent guide to school complaints – a new, practical guide created by Parentkind in collaboration with the Department for Education, Ofsted and leading education bodies. After months of working with parents, unions and education organisations across the sector, this official guide is designed to help issues between home and school be raised early, calmly and constructively. Why does this matter? Parentkind data shows that when relationships between home and school work well, children do better. Yet in a recent Parentkind survey, 1 in 4 parents told us there has been a breakdown of trust between parents and teachers at their child’s school. That figure shocked us, and it’s why we knew action was needed. This new guide supports parents with clear, reassuring advice on: o How to raise feedback, concerns or complaints o Who to speak to, and when o How to keep conversations focused, factual and solution-focused o When and how to escalate if needed It sets out a simple five-step process and explains what helps issues get resolved faster, and what can make things harder. What makes this guide so powerful is the collaboration behind it. Parents, the DfE, Ofsted, teacher and headteacher unions and education bodies have come together to agree an approach we can all support. That kind of shared commitment is vital in tackling the rise in parental complaints. The guide will be shared widely with parents across England and is available to download here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ePtwxxFX

It’s peak holiday booking time! Get an average £50 donation each time someone books a holiday via @easyuk. Join today:  

Proud to be featured in the Parentkind Magazine this spring. My role as PTA Communications Lead and Class Rep has reinforced that effective communication is the foundation of any successful community. Whether it’s coordinating teams, sharing the right information at the right time, or creating spaces where people feel connected and supported, the impact is real. Thank you to Parentkind for highlighting the vital role volunteers play in bringing people together. 📖 Spring 2026 issue https://lnkd.in/egYsx2Zw #Communication #Community #Leadership #Collaboration #Volunteering