Parent Engagement
“Working together to open doors for students”
All parents and carers are equally valued as part of our school community. Students’ learning is improved when we work in partnership with their parents or carers and their wider family. We believe in close co-operation with all families and in regular consultation between the home and the school.
Bishop Barrington has a parental engagement programme that seeks to identify and break down barriers to parent involvement and proactively reach out to parents. ‘Engage’ is our programme for bringing students and their parents or carers together, to engage in fun and interactive activities. There is a bespoke programme of parental engagement for all students from years 7-11.
The evenings are either subject specific – giving parents and carers the opportunity to experience how a subject may be taught – or will focus on other elements of academy learning that may be important for our students. The events will be a mix of in person and virtual to cater for the needs of all parents.
Students and their parents and carers are invited to several Engage Evenings throughout the academic year. The Engage Evenings are a big part of our commitment to working with parents and carers, and welcoming them into the academy.
Research
Research shows clearly that schools improve when there is a strong connection with parents as part of the learning community. At Bishop Barrington, we are committed to promoting parental partnership and involvement in children’s learning and the life of the school.
Recent analysis suggested that increasing parental engagement in primary and secondary schools had on average two to three months’ positive impact. Therefore, regular engagement events are essential.
Things to Consider
- Engagement is often easier to achieve with parents of younger children.
- Flexible approaches allow parental engagement to fit around parents’ schedules.
- School must seem welcoming for parents, especially those whose own experience of school may not have been positiv.
- Support given must be practical and easy to use.
Involvement in the Life of the School:
The Governors and the staff of Bishop Barrington Academy are actively committed to a programme of engagement with parents and families to enhance and promote learning. This includes promoting learning as a lifelong skill for pupils and parents.
This process will start before the pupils have arrived at the school and includes the following features:
- A designated member of the Senior Leadership Team has overall responsibility for parental engagement.
- Preliminary contact with parents at our Feeder Primary Schools, especially those for whom transition may be more challenging.
- Families are invited to regular events, activities and celebrations that are organised by the school. These occasions provide an opportunity to celebrate achievement and success and to showcase our pupils’ talents.
- Regular newsletters are sent home, and each family receives a copy of the school prospectus. A texting and email service is in place to ensure that, if necessary, parents receive speedy, up-to-the-minute information and alerts.
- Parents can view uch of this written information on the school website.
- The creation of a Parent Forum to meet regularly across the year.
Parental Contact
Parents and carers can make appointments to see a Head of Year, a member of the Senior Leadership Team or the Headteacher through the school office and these can be set up with immediate effect in some instances, or at a time convenient to the parent.
All parents can be expected to be reached within 24 hours of any contact that was made to school.
