Parenting and Family Learning
Parenting is one of the five Extended Services core offers and a key vehicle for the delivery of the Every Child Matters and the Every Parent Matters agendas.
Providing parenting support is one way that The Blyth School can help to remove barriers to learning in pupils and benefit the wider community. Research shows that pupils’ attainment, attitudes, and behaviour are improved in schools that work effectively with parents. Increased parental participation in school life is another benefit, which, in turn, is a significant driver in improved outcomes for pupils.
LOCAL STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION:
Support for parents in Northumberland has been enhanced through the addition of a Parent Support Partner to each of the 15 school partnership areas. The Parent Support Partners are an integral part of the core Extended Services Team within each partnership area. There are also 5 specialist Parent Support Partners working across the county leading on parenting work with dads, young parents, immigrant families and parents of children in early years settings. The work of the Parent Support Partners focusses on preventative and early intervention activities and is embedded within the school context. Following the ethos and good practice around delivery of all Extended Services the support provided for parenting is delivered in partnership with a number of local agencies, from both the statutory and Third Sector. These include Children’s Centres. Family Learning, Parenting Initiative and Family Link. The work within Extended Services is also embedded in the County Council’s Parenting Strategy.
TO MEET THE PARENTING SUPPORT ELEMENT OF THE CORE OFFER, SCHOOLS SHOULD PROVIDE:
Information sessions for parents and carers of pupils joining reception and on transfer to secondary school
Information about nationally and locally available sources of advice and support
Access to parenting groups that use structured, evidence-based parenting programmes, as well as more informal opportunities for parents to engage with the school and each other,
Family learning sessions allowing children to study with their fathers and mothers, where consultation has shown there is a demand.