Parents Supporting Student

Achievement

in YEAR 7 at The Kingsway School

Ms L Balfe Assistant Headteacher

Mr R KnottDeputy Headteacher

Parental Engagement

• All parents

• Everyone can do this well

• No qualifications needed

• No cost involved

• NOT rocket science!

Parental Engagement is:

• Parents taking an interest in your child’s education

• Parents supporting and encouraging your child’s learning

• Parents giving a clear message that we value education and want your child to achieve

Parental Engagement:

• Is second only to having a great teacher in determining a child’s educational achievement

• Can add an extra 3 months’ progress to a child's achievement over a year

• Is a more important influence on student’s achievement than any other sociological factor including income, ethnicity, social class or parental educational achievement

• The engagement of fathers has a greater impact than the engagement of mothers (especially on boys)

• The most effective form of parental engagement is when a parent has regular discussions in the home about what their child does in school

• Effective parental engagement does not require any teaching by the parents

• Parental engagement brings positive results for young people of all ages

• Secondary school – direct contact with teachers not as easy as in Primary school

• Children less communicative about school

• Parents can feel less in touch with their child’s education

• The most important thing is to let your child know that what they do in school is important to you

• Talk to your child about what they have done in school

• One or two well-timed questions

• Focus on the positive - a good or an unusual thing that has happened

• Ask your child a question that they can’t answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no’

Don’t take ‘nothing’ for an answer!

Use our school website and Facebook page to find out what is happening in school.

This can be a good way into a conversation

HOMEWORK

• Recorded in planner. Insist on this. Check it regularly

• Check that your child completes their homework carefully, without rushing it

• Somewhere quiet, with a flat writing surface, for homework to be completed

• Homework Club after school in the library on Foxland on any week night• Some students work in their local

library

• NO television, mobile phone, computer or games machine on • If computer being used for homework,

make sure it IS being used for homework

• Not getting (enough) homework or not recording it? Speak to your child’s tutor or House office

Helping with what your child is learning

• Ask your child about their next or current topics

• Help them research a topic before they start or to deepen their understanding

• Use opportunities to explore around a topic together – watch a television programme,

visit a museum or borrow books from the library

Encourage your child to READ as much as possible – anything and everything! Talk to them about what

they have read.

What if I know nothing about the topic?

• Be honest!• Golden opportunity to help

your child. • Ask them to explain it to

you; let them become the teacher. This helps to reinforce learning.

If English is not your first language and you would like help to improve your own spoken and written English

• We are offering ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) sessions in school

• Please pick up a leaflet as you leave if you are interested in taking part

How will I know my child is making progress?

• Target levels or for each subject

• PARENT ENGAGEMENT PORTAL on the Kingsway website regularly, to check your child’s progress

• Ask how they have done in assessments. Ask if they know what they have to do to improve

• Talk to us if you have concerns about your child’s progress

When will I be sent information and invited into school ?

• Information on your child’s progress in every subject at the end of each term

• REVIEW DAYS with the Tutor to discuss their progress in all of their subjects and set targets for future progress

Friday 8th January 2016 and Friday 15th July 2016 (this date tbc)

• YEAR 7 PARENTS’ EVENING on Thursday 28th April Individual appointments with all of your child’s subject teachers

Any questions or concerns? Don’t wait!

• Your child’s TUTOR is the key point of contact

• Write a note in your child’s planner or email them

• Questions or concerns about specific subject can be emailed to the Head of Department

• A list of Tutors’ and Heads of Departments’ emails is included in the booklet you will receive as you leave (along with everything covered in this presentation)