POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS AND CARERS

AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY.LISA GRAY 16.04.15

20 minute reflection time on previous training

session to discuss strategies used, what went

well and next steps .

Objectives :• Acknowledge relationships with all

stakeholders and the wider community

• Develop a range of approaches to communicate effectivectively with all stakeholders.

• To Understand parents/carers perceptions of school life .

• To consider implications for your own practice

Wind Park Community Primary School is situated on the outskirts of one of our major cities in the North of England. Once deemed by Ofsted to be a ‘failing school’ and described in the local evening newspaper as ‘a school that is letting down the community,’ it is now a thriving environment that all members of the school community are proud of. Of course this did not happen overnight, as the head teacher described:It’s been a real struggle, but a struggle that has been worth it. It has involved all of the community working together, and that is the reason why we have succeeded. The level of this success cannot be underestimated given the challenges that the school had to face. On my journey to the school I noticed that many of the local buildings were covered in graffiti, with rolling barbed wire on the edges of the rooftops to deter intruders. Interestingly, as I entered through the school gates, such things were not evident. A large red sign greeted me with the words ‘working together for success’. My second greeting was from a group of young boys, about eight years of age, ‘Have you come to have a look at our school mister?’ Since coming out of special measures I was to learn that the school was subject to many visits from a range of people interested in their success. My final greeting, as I entered the school building came from a group of parents who had gathered at reception. Noticing my nervousness one of them called out, ‘First day is it? Don’t worry, he’s not a bad lad, our Mr Fellows – he won’t bite.’

THINK PIECE 15 MINS

Wind Park Community Primary School

Activity 1Whole group

Seemingly on cue Mr Fellows, head teacher, turned a corner and came to greet me. Sharing a joke with the parents, he was immediately surrounded by children all clamouring for his attention. Very skilfully he seemed to acknowledge each and every one of them as he led me into his office.Over coffee he began to reflect on the journey the school had made. He described the background of the school it serves a community with high levels of unemployment and social deprivation, 72 per cent of the 210 children on roll entitled to free school meals. Three years ago standards of attainment, as measured by achievement of level 4 at Key Stage 2 tests were less than 30 per cent in literacy, maths and science; they are now all above 70 per cent. He was adamant that this success was down to many things, but he saw the involvement of the community as the most significant factor. Recalling the situation when he arrived at the school he comments:The kids were aggressive and so were the parents. Fights were the norm and sadly this sometimes involved parents. There were low aspirations and people just seemed lost. I was very worried as to whether I would be up to the job, but I was clear about one thing, that we had to build our school through the community.He described how he began appointing teaching assistants and welfare staff who lived in the local area. I wanted to break down the barriers and build human relationships between the staff and the families of the children.

Similarly, he recognised the need to establish local partnership. Given the profile of the school he targeted the local press and many school events were regularly featured. He set up a programme of activities that involved the local community police officer; the school nurse was a regular visitor too, as were representatives from the local, high profile, football team. He spoke with great pride as to how these groups were actively involved in the learning of the children, but he was particularly proud about the way the parents were now involved:At first it was a nightmare, every encounter seemed to be aggressive, but it’s different now. We have family nights, school discos and even bingo!The head was eager to take me to a coffee morning that was going on in the school hall. The parents organised it for themselves and as we entered it was the same friendly tone that we experienced at the start of the day. A number of the parents were to stay on afterwards, and as we walked the corridors we saw parents working with the children, listening to them read and baking with them. Another group were reorganising the library; people were happy to be there and it seemed to matter. I commented to the head that it was difficult to tell who the teachers were and who the parents were. His response was: ‘I involve people; it is only by people working together that we can succeed.’ It seemed that such a view was echoed by all staff members. One of the learning mentors I met commented: ‘We’re all involved in everything.’ What I was to learn was that being involved meant having the opportunity, but also the responsibility to contribute. Caroline’s involvement was to be responsible for pastoral support, a job she loved:

I just love it, I am allowed to take the lead, make decisions without having to check every little issue with the senior leadership team. For example, at one point we had a major problem at lunchtimes. I made the decision to appoint a number of parents as lunchtime supervisors, at first they simply watched the children fight, and even worse, and if it involved their own child they sometimes took sides. At first I looked to the head teacher for the solution and was surprised when he said that I should sort it out, I know why he did it now.

Behaviour was an issue that the school took very seriously, as Caroline described: ‘It is the first step in learning.’ Being in the school I was very aware of a range of procedures that were intended to develop consistency. For example, the ‘Golden Book’ that celebrated good behaviour, the ‘Golden Way’ — directions such as ‘we will care for each other and be friends’ and the ‘Golden Rules’ – ‘we will not be unkind’. Whilst impressive, these signposts simply reflected the individual and collective responsibility that was part of the daily experience of all involved at Wind Park. One Year 4 child, Jamie, summed this up:

‘When you feel you are getting angry you just have to press the panic button’.I looked for evidence of an internal alarm system that would bring forth a team of experts

to come and rescue Jamie. Then he showed me the panic button in the centre of his hand and he explained that when he pressed it he could control his own behaviour.

At the age of eight Jamie understood that he had to be responsible for his own behaviour. Of course the school did have a team of experts that worked effectively to help those children in greatest need, but self-responsibility and commitment to the school community was the starting point.

The children were committed to the community because the community was committed to them. This was wonderfully exemplified at the end of the school day. I say the end of the school day but what I mean is at 3.30 p.m. a whole range of community activities get underway. Children take part in a range of sporting activities provided from agencies beyond the school gate. A computer and art club run by staff members adds to the range. To complement this, a group of parents run a family crèche for the nursery and very young children. Another group of parents are engaged in a computer course run by one of the teaching assistants. This is the third year that the course, which is sponsored by the local university, has been running.As I gathered up my things to leave Wind Park Community Primary School I reflected back on a day which convinced me, that if we want our children to succeed it is best and probably can only be achieved in community.

What is the main message here?

What implications does this have for your setting ? Select one key quote from the text and write it on a post it note

Two perspectives on successful partnershipsIs there a place for parents in schools?Yesby Clare Griffiths, Head teacher, Parkview Primary School, DerbyParental involvement in schools works. Parents have been central to Parkview since we opened six years ago, helping us achieve our aim of being ‘the best we can be’.The governing body includes many parents. The way we have developed our leadership together means there is now real trust in how we meet, draw up and implement our school development plan. Our purpose is to provide optimum conditions for learning and these adults bring experiences and opportunities. Parent governors attend student school council and include council representatives at the annual meeting with parents. They recruit, attend staff meetings and Inset and are Investors' in People. They bring building and finance expertise to develop our outdoor classroom and strategy to extend provision. Members of faith communities and police lead assemblies, RE and PHSE sessions, and run out-of-school clubs ranging from recorders to prize-winning gardening. Parents are leaders in our many open sessions, constantly evaluating how we are doing through conversations and questionnaires.The Parents' and Friends' Association (PFA) socialises and fundraises effectively and imaginatively. Our PFA provides enrichment for learning that goes well beyond the additionalresources provided. Meetings with the group and individuals are vehicles for developing dialogue about learning. Our IT coordinator made a presentation to parents about potential improvements in technology and methodology; parental knowledge and skills, as well as fundraising, achieved more joined up understanding and provision. These parents are ambassadors, linking with other PFAs and businesses, and sounding boards for how we could improve together.

Activity 2 Split into 2 Groups

15 mins

We have more parent helpers than teachers, enhancing our capacity to individualise learning, make visits, play sports, run crèches and clubs, and bring in the world of other work. Librarian parents train us, and others run community classes. We develop helpers and organise adult education classes for parents. Parents gain work experience, qualifications and sometimes employment with us. They are part of what we do as well as a proud and celebratory audience. Parents have brought in first-hand information to areas such as Geography and History. They accelerated the development of music through bringing their own bands into school to play with the children in our concerts as well as converting the caretaker's space into a music room.Ours is an open school. We hold special events, responding to parental requests as well as linking sessions with the school improvement plan, which they help to develop. Policies and initiatives are developed with parents, increasing energy, impact and sustainability. We have created valuable new knowledge about our children, learning and the community. We began cautiously and sometimes got it wrong. Not all parents are able or keen to be highly involved; some parents and staff disagree at times. But we see children's happiness at having parents in school, helping us to achieve another of our aims having fun learning together and we plan to have more of this.

Noby Paul Strong, Head teacher, William Farr CE School, LincolnshireI went to my GP who is 30; he went to college and achieved good qualifications. He examined me and said there was nothing wrong. However, I have been ill and therefore am an expert on medicine. I questioned his conclusion. I knew I was unwell and said so. He replied 'I am right, you are wrong, I resent your attitude, go and find another GP.' Fantasy? In a medical world. Of course not.For if a doctor says you have chicken pox it is non-negotiable and you cannot bargain for measles or mumps. You would not dare disagree.At a recent parents’ evening, a geography teacher, also 30, said that there were no concerns about a child. However, the parents disagreed and since they have been to school, this qualifies them as experts on education. To which my member of staff replied, 'Well, that is my professional opinion. If you do not like it, go and find another school!' Fantasy? In an educational world. Of course.The parents then wanted to see the head teacher or chair of governors. Despite the teacher's view, they knew better. The school had not recognised their child was under-functioning; she was 'special needs' and had a 'syndrome'. Given increasing expectations by politicians of 'parent power' and 'rights' (but not 'responsibilities') parents feel more empowered to disagree with the professional decisions of teachers, taking up time more efficiently employed in the classroom. We are encouraged to recognise a parent/school 'equal partnership'. Impossible. Children are in school for about eight hours a day yet with parents for one hour in the morning and three or four after school. That is, if they are not told 'your dinner is in the oven' or 'why don't you use your Play Station, iPod, Internet, plasma TV?' I therefore contend that, realistically, teachers and educators know more about individual children than any parent. And it is about time they realised this.

One has to wonder why many parents bother having children. They send them to school ill, cannot collect them because 'it is inconvenient', expect the school to provide transport if they 'miss the bus' or feel affronted when challenged about failure to check homework. I have been a head for 20 years. Like many other schools, my staff work very hard. Our school is outstandingly successful in 'whole child' education. We are oversubscribed, housing 30 per cent more pupils than neighbouring schools. Appeals are a weekly event. You would think parents would be grateful for such a positive and caring environment. Yet they think we are at their beck and call and our motives and work constantly subjected to questioning and ill-informed comment.As parents increasingly abdicate responsibility for bringing up their children, it falls upon schools to provide a substitute. Many pupils come to school lacking the basic values of compassion, civility, humility, decency, mutual respect, orderly thought and behaviour. It is only in school that such basic principles are inculcated, principles so often undermined by completely different attitudes at home.Parents, who needs them? One thing is certain, schools and teachers certainly do not. Parents should cease their interference and do what they are good at: fundraising and ferrying their children to sports matches and school events. Where education is concerned, they should leave it to the professionals.

Activity 3 Diamond 92 groups 15 mins

The diamond nine statements 

Parental partnership is essential for realising each child’s potential –children, parents and staff all have equally important, if different, roles

• All parents want what is best for their child• The parent is the expert on their own child• We recognise that many of our parents live under highly stressful

conditions which affect their capacity to parent as we may think appropriate – we recognise that they are doing their best within the context of their individual situations

• We understand that we may have to work harder (and differently) to earn trust and credibility with some parents because of their previous life-chances and negative experiences with authority and the education system

• We need to adopt creative and flexible strategies and policies to meet a variety of parental needs

• We accept that we will sometimes have different perspectives, expectations and beliefs which result from different life-experiences, culture and contexts but strive for mutual understanding

• We take a solution-focused approach to problem-solving and do not judge or blame

• We aim for every interaction with parents to result in them feeling ‘heard’ and valued, and be a step on the way to empowerment

  

Activity 4

Think /Pair /Share

Who are the stakeholders in relation to your setting ?

10mins

From the list created previously discuss ways we can involve all these people to create a positive learning climate and build social capital for all our stakeholders

Nominate a scribe and a person from your group to feedback to the rest of the group .

Activity 52 Groups 20 mins

Vision Exercise

Points to consider:

• Do we treat everyone equally?• Who are the most important people ?• Are we investing in our relationships , if so

how and how often are we topping up this investment ?

• Do our school policies reflect and enhance positive relationships between all stakeholders?

• Do all staff invest in building positive relationships ?

• How do we communicate that everyone is a valuable member of the school community?

Activity 6 Small Group

15mins .Think of a personal experience where you were Confronted by a really upset parent unable to control their emotions .

What could you have done differently ?

How did you deal with this ?

How did it make you

feel ?

lisagray@wcpsandrscc.co.ukLisa Gray BA Hons ChYth StudSpecialist Leader of Education Worsbrough Common Primary Schoollisagray@wcpsandrscc.co.uk