Parents Matter!

Graduation Ceremony at the Ecology Pavilion!

More than 300 parents, children and staff gathered on June 2nd, to celebrate the NRF funded family learning days out, residential projects and the DfES funded Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities courses. As well as receiving certificates, families enjoyed food, face-painting, dressing up, stilt-walkers and balloon artists!

See www.parentsmatter.tower-hamlets.lgfl.net for our latest news and resources

Issue 9 – September 2007 for staff in schools and

early years settings

Don’t forget to get ready for

6th-14th October 2007

A planning guide is included with this edition of Parents Matter, and funding grants of £200 are available. Contact us (details on back page) if you would like any further advice, or an application form.

Alice Model Nursery School: trips to Greenwich, Lakeside and London Zoo!

Alice Model Nursery organised a series of trips to extend classroom activities and support children’s learning. W

hole families

have been involved and are now out and about all of the tim

e!

Secondary SEAL arrives

Guidance is now available for secondary

schools in relation to the promotion of the

Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning

(SEAL). SEAL includes the themes of self-

awareness, empathy, managing feelings,

motivation, and social skills. These skills

provide a foundation for im

provement

which encourages pupils to become m

ore

reflective, engaged and active in their

learning.

SEAL also explores how parents and staff

can work in partnership to support the

social and emotional development of

pupils, including opportunities for pupils to

apply their learning at home.

Updates will soon be available providing

inform

ation about the progress of

Secondary SEAL and how schools leading

on implementation are involving parents.

� ��� If you would like to hear more, please

contact Samantha Cox, Secondary

Behaviour and Attendance Consultant on

0207 364 0471.

Osm

ani Primary School: running the Strengthening Families,

Strengthening Communities (SFSC) course

Osm

ani is seeing the benefits of delivering the SFSC course after a group of parents took the programme in

the spring term

. The parents went on to set up their own parents’ forum, which aim

s to support other

parents with school concerns and to raise funds. They have already held a successful jumble sale and a

cake stall for Comic Relief, and planned a summer fair. The course proved so popular that the school

decided to run a full 13-w

eek SFSC course in the summer term

, and m

embers of staff are due to attend the

5-day training programme so that they can facilitate courses in the future.

Jo Riley, Assistant Head Teacher and Inclusion Coordinator

If you would like m

ore

inform

ation about training

for facilitators, please

contact Andy Sim

ons or

Tom Morris on 020 7364

1537 or tom.m

orris@

towerhamlets.gov.uk

St John’s Primary School: a sack of surprises!

In the spring term

’07, parents at St. John’s Primary School

worked together to m

ake a sack of surprises for the school

nursery. The Rainbow Fish was the story of choice. Props

were m

ade of the characters in the story which children

will be able to use to help them retell the story.

Some numeracy games relating to the story were also

made. Parents enjoyed the chance to be creative as well as

having a chance to find new ways to help their children

learn. M

arijke Kempson, course tutor

Kobi Nazrul Primary School: Family

learning with ‘Made of Money?’

In close liaison with headteacher Wendy Hick, Made

of Money?, a family financial literacy project, led a

series of workshops with parents at Kobi Nazrul

school. Two workers, one Bengali-speaking, first

ran a taster session that enabled parents to assess

their skills, confidence and interest in different

areas. In four further sessions they covered topics

such as budgeting, saving, debt and credit, as well

as looking at family communication around m

oney

issues and ways to teach children about money

within the home.

Feedback from parents was really positive. Wendy

says: ‘The workshops have been extremely

successful at Kobi Nazrul. The parents found them

to be practical, useful and a great way of

netw

orking with each other. It was also a positive

experience for the parents to work with their

children on family budgeting.’

Made of Money? started in 2005, part of the locally

based charity Quaker Social Action. We focus on

money m

atters, aim

ing to enable families to have

more open communication around m

oney, to

empower parents to be m

ore in control of their

finances, and to equip children with the skills to

make inform

ed choices around m

oney.

� ��� The project has funding and resources to run

similar sessions during 2007-08 in three m

ore

primary schools. For further inform

ation about work

in primary schools, please contact Sue W

agstaff, at

Made of Money?, The Tab Centre, 3 Godfrey Place,

London E2 7NT, 020 7729 2631, or email

suewagstaff@qsa.org.uk

Extended Schools update

22 pilot schools across Tower Hamlets have so far been

involved in extended schooling. This year, all schools across

the borough are invited to join an extended schools cluster

in their LAP area. An extended school is one that offers a

range of services to pupils, their families and the wider

community beyond the norm

al school day.

Extended services include parent courses, ESOL, adult

literacy and numeracy, family learning, childcare and

children’s after school sports and activity clubs. Clusters

will include schools as well as outside agencies such as

health, social services and the youth service and third

sector voluntary organisations. A cluster coordinator for

each pair of LAPs will coordinate the work of the cluster.

� ��� To find out who the cluster coordinator is in your area,

contact Suzanne W

right on 020 7364 6049.

Stephen Hawking School: trips to the Aquarium & London Eye!

NRF Family Learning Days Out Project � ��� for more info please contact the Parental Engagement team (details on back page).

Bangabandhu: Parent Voice event

Holding a Parent Voice event (like the one pictured

right at Bangabandhu Primary School) can be a great

way to m

eet and work together with parents. Schools

and settings can take the opportunity to share good

news, review policy, consult on both existing practice

and new ideas, and seek the views of parents on a

variety of issues. The events can be inform

al, interactive and fun, and parents have said in feedback that they find them a great way

to m

ake friends and feel more engaged in their children’s education.

� ��� W

hy not organise a Parent Voice event in your school/setting? For more inform

ation contact Jill McGinley (details on back page).

Training Programme

Parental Involvement in Children’s Learning: Home-School Relations in Theory and Practice

5th October 2007 – 28th March 2008 Course tutors: Jill McGinley and Mary Stacey ���� Closing date for applications: 28th September 2007 A part-time course over 2 terms for staff working with parents in a range of educational settings. Accreditation: Open College Network Level 2 and 3 in partnership with Tower Hamlets College.

Interpreting courses for bilingual staff

1. Introductory course: Interpreting in Schools and Early Years Settings (10 hours) 18th-19th Sept 9.30-3.30 2-day intensive course ���� closing date for applications: 12th Sept

2. Accredited course: Community Interpreting – Essential Skills & Knowledge (60 hours) 26th Sept – induction 9.30am – 12noon 3rd Oct – 12th Dec - 9.30am – 4.30pm Open College Network certificate at level 2 or 3 ���� Closing date for applications: 19th Sept

In partnership with the Workers’ Educational Association

Supporting children’s learning & development Practical sessions for staff involved in the planning & delivery of curriculum-focused workshops 8/10/07 9.30-12.00 Early Years & Primary 26/11/07 16.00-17.15 Secondary

Effective communication with parents & carers Explore effective home-school communication strategies 13/11/07 9.30-12.00 Early Years & Primary

Family events workshop A practical session for staff involved in planning and facilitating residential breaks and family learning days out. Funding applications to support school/setting activities may be available (NRF funded initiative) 15/10/07 16.00-17.15 Cross-phase

ABOVE WORKSHOPS AT THE PDC, English St, E3 4TA

For info or application forms, or to register by phone, please contact the Parental Engagement Team on 020 7364 4127 or edwina.hunte@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Curriculum workshops for parents: the story so far…

The Equalities and Parental Engagement Team of facilitators has successfully co-delivered over 50 workshops with school staff in over 15 schools across Tower Hamlets. We have worked closely with schools who have engaged with well over 200 parents from a broad cross-section of the community; reaching mothers, fathers and grandparents. We are looking forward to getting started in 5 new schools in September and sharing good practice with new colleagues.

���� For more information contact the Parental Engagement Team on 0207 364 0972 or edwina.hunte@towerhamlets.gov.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.

PAC Autumn Term Events

Tuesday 11th September: Annual Review meeting for parents of Year 5 children with statements of SEN. Two alternative times: 10.00-11.30am or 5.30-6.30pm. Invitations have been sent to parents.

Thursday 27th September: Early years and special needs. 10am-12.30pm for parents and staff, 1.30–3.00pm for staff. Booking essential.

Thursday 18th October: Monthly event for parents (topic to be confirmed). 10am-12.30pm.

Thursday 1st November: Bengali parents event – the work of the school’s educational psychologist. 10am–12noon.

Thursday 8th November: Epilepsy Support Group. Parents and professionals welcome. 4.30-6.00pm.

Thursday 29th November: Event for Somali parents (topic to be confirmed). 10am–12noon.

Parents Advice Centre 85 Harford Street, E1 4PY 020 7364 6489

Please tell us what is happening in your school/setting! Contact Jill McGinley (Parental Engagement Adviser)

on 020 7364 4946 or jill.mcginley@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.parentsmatter.tower-hamlets.lgfl.net

CORRECTION: In Issue 8 we incorrectly referred to Shirley Arlain as School-Home Support Worker at Old Ford School. Shirley is in fact the Extended Schools Co-ordinator, and Maureen Padmore is the School-Home Support Worker. We apologise for the mistake.

www.familylearningweek.com Full of resources, ideas, activities and advice for planning your events for

Family Learning Week

www.dad.info A new online community with news, features, support, help, advice, forums… and more!

Websites

www.familyandparenting.org/parentsweek Parents’ Week is 15th-21st October and this site is full of resources designed to support

you in planning events for the week