Home-School Partnership

The term 'parents' is employed throughout this policy to refer to parents, guardians, carers or others in 'loco parentis'.  Central to the policy is the tenet that, at its most effective, the education of young people is a collaborative enterprise involving teachers, parents and the pupils themselves. 

Parents know a great deal about their children; they have particular insights about their strengths, skills, interests, preferences, aspirations, anxieties and difficulties.  Accordingly, the importance of meaningful communications between teachers and the parents of their pupils, can hardly be over stated.  Therefore, the whole School is committed to establishing and maintaining an effective working relationship between the School and home.

There are two basic concepts that are vital to success of this relationship, i.e.

• parents must be well aware as to the high value that the School places upon their contribution - this policy has already stated the important role that the School believes parents have in a children's education.
• parents must be well aware of, and understand our educational practice and philosophy.
• Parental involvement and interest is at its height when parents are dealing with the specific needs of their own child within the school context - although this is reflected in detail by this policy and its implementation, parents are always encouraged to contribute to the development of the broader school community.

AIMS

1. To develop good communication with parents and to fully inform them about what is happening in School by:

• making letters 'user friendly', useful and informative, e.g. before Sex Education is offered, the content and method of delivery is outlined in a detailed letter to parents. Many parents ask us to recommend suitable books and other learning resources for them to purchase and keep at home. At the end of each academic year we write to parents suggesting a selection of books that will help their child at home.
• sending weekly newsletters containing information such as dates and events, details of class topics and the achievements of our pupils etc.
• having a termly Early Years Newsletter for parents, detailing everyday life in the Early Years class and frequently asking for specific curriculum related items to be brought into school such as baby photographs, empty boxes etc.
• organising workshops with the aim of informing parents about sensitive or topical issues concerning children’s health.
• holding a meeting for all parents whose children are coming into the Nursery and Reception classes - during these visits the Nursery “All About Me” booklet will be discussed. While children visit their classroom, parents will hear about the day to day procedures and be able to discuss any concerns that they may have.
• having parents evenings, open evenings and open days, etc. when parents are free to look round the school. At the start of the academic year, we hold our Curriculum Evening, where each teacher talks about the curriculum for each year group. This evening allows parents to ask questions about our curriculum and also provides an opportunity for discussion in greater depth with any member of staff should the need arise. 
• holding an open door policy, where parents are able to speak to any teacher at any time and if an immediate discussion is not available, to book a convenient time through the school office.
• reporting to parents about their child's progress through the Parents Consultation Evenings [Autumn and Spring terms], Approach to Learning cards [Autumn and Spring terms], the Annual Report [Summer term] and the Parents’ Open Evening, which provides an opportunity to discuss each child’s Annual Report.
• using staff INSET opportunities to develop confidence and expertise in communication and listening skills and an understanding of other people's roles and attitudes.
• producing up to date publications which help to inform and involve parents, e.g. the Curriculum Booklet - This is revised annually and issued to parents at the autumn term Curriculum Evening. It contains relevant information for each specific year group and outlines the range of work to be covered over the academic year. Nursery parents will also be able to discuss their child’s on-entry assessment certificate.
• This site includes several policies and/or sections of policies that may be of use to the parents, e.g. the rewards and sanctions policy. A full range of our policies is listed and copies are available upon request. The New Entrants Information Booklet also tries to answer many parents’ immediate questions and concerns.

2. To make good use of parents' expertise and willingness to enhance their own child's and other children's learning by making them feel welcome and by actively involving them in the general life of the School, we encourage parents to:

• assist staff in acting as chaperones while pupils attend pupils' swimming lessons, school trips and topic workshops.
• attend and where appropriate, be actively involved in preparing for assemblies, productions and events.
• attend relevant festivals, performances, concerts and celebrations, e.g.
• Infant and Junior Christmas productions
• Year 6 Leavers' service and Review
• Harvest Festival
• Sports Day
• become involved in the home/school homework programme.
• attend parent/teacher conferences where the child's progress and assessment record is discussed.
• actively support the PFA - a vibrant body, which is particularly adept at combining social and fund raising events.
• use opportunities presented in the Infant classes, when leaving or picking up their child to have informal discussions with class teachers.

3. To actively involve parents in the education and progress of their child by:

• offering parent/teacher consultations and where appropriate, in the presence of the child.
• providing home-school reading record books where parents can comment on work at home.
• offering three Parents’ Evenings each year.
• offering a Curriculum Evening, where we can explain to parents the school's coverage and approach to an area of the curriculum, e.g. reading.
• offering Open Mornings where parents, escorted by Year 6 pupils can see the whole school at work.
• running workshops for parents on specific areas such as sex education, healthy eating.
• having a clear set of terms and conditions, which parents agree to on first accepting their child’s place at the school. The contract also requires them to commit themselves to certain obligations and responsibilities implied by these expectations therefore we expect that parents/guardians will provide the following support:
• ensure that their child attends regularly and punctually
• notify the school if their child cannot attend for any reason (this is for the child’s safety as well as administrative purposes)
• obtain ‘authorised leave of absence’ for their child if required during term time
• in deference to our elderly and fragile neighbours, to refrain from parking at any time in Priory Close, as set out in our New Entrants Booklet
• ensure pupils have all the necessary equipment for lessons e.g. P.E. equipment.
• attend the designated Parents’ Evenings and any other pertinent events, to discuss their child’s work and progress. (Infant work is viewed at Parents’/Open Evenings and displayed on classroom walls.)
• attend the annual Academic Evening, which is arranged by the Governing Body and which provides an opportunity for us all to celebrate the success of others
• adhere to the school policies and practices on visitors and the school security of the children in our care
• assist with the provision of 'raw' materials for e.g. model work or other basic resources or help for various topics.
• facilitate the use of reference material if necessary, e.g. independent research
• look at their child's Reading Record and/or Homework Diary and their child's books/folder containing their class work/homework, to support/help with the organisation of this and discuss the work involved.
• during and after the topics on sex and relationship education and human reproduction we hope related issues will be discussed in the security of the family. [Year 6 parents are offered a child friendly, “All About Me – Just for Girls/Just for Boys” booklet at no extra cost, to help them discuss bodily changes.]

4. To foster an atmosphere where parents feel that all staff, including the Headteacher, are accessible for discussion surrounding:

• school issues including the Curriculum;
• family matters;
• individual child's progress.

THE PARENT & FRIENDS ASSOCIATION (PFA)

The School has a very active PFA. All parents of children in the school are automatic members and its activities raise significant sums of money for the school. Some of its activities are:

• the Christmas Fayre and Summer Fun Day.
• family evenings and dinner dances.
• PSHCE assemblies and class discussions where parents or family members have a special theme or aspect of life to share with us e.g. What it means to be a Muslim/Hindu/Chinese etc.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring and evaluation of the Home-School Partnership is dependent upon the effectiveness or otherwise of each aspect of this policy and its implementation. The criteria by which the monitoring and evaluation is reliant is described below:

PARENTS

• the number of parents who request that their child be educated at this school.
• the number of parents who attend 'meetings' regarding their child.
• the number of parents who attend school functions a) involving their child and b) not involving their child - the functions are identified earlier in this policy.
• pertinent feedback from parents, governors or pupils.
• relevant updating of the information for parents in the New Entrants Information Booklet.
• the success of the PFA events/projects and the number of active committee members.
• the application by parents of the Terms and Conditions.
• the number of parents helping out in trips, workshops etc.

PLANNING

• the inclusion of Home-School partnership issues in improvement planning.
• time allocated to planning for better Home-School partnership.

INSET - STAFF & PARENT GOVERNORS

• involvement by all staff and Parent Governors in INSET courses relating to Home-School partnership issues.
• SMT involvement in Home-School partnership issues.