Partnership Conference Cavendish Hotel 18 th January 2012

Welcome Agenda Action planning School visits

Government calls for response.. Children’s Minister Sarah Teather called on parents, charities, teachers and LAs to contribute to the Government’s SEN Green Paper; ‘I want to look at every aspect of SEN – from assessment and identification to funding and education. We need to strip away the cumbersome bureaucracy but ensure there is a better, more comprehensive service for families’

The SEND Green Paper March 2011 Support and Aspiration A radically different system that: supports better life outcomes for young people gives parents more confidence by giving them control transfers power to front-line professionals and to local communities a new approach to identifying SEN a single assessment process and ‘Education, Health and Care Plan’ a local offer of all services available parents to have the option of a personal budget by 2014 giving parents a real choice of school greater independence to the assessment of children's needs The Green Paper proposes:

Pathfinders The Department for Education and the Department for Health have appointed 20 Pathfinders representing 31 Local Authorities To develop a new birth to 25 assessment process and single plan incorporating education, health and social care assessments, bringing together the range of support on which children, young people and their parents and families rely; To explore how the voluntary and community sector could improve access to specialist expertise and to introduce more independence to the process; and To ensure the full engagement of children, young people, and their parents and families. To be run over the next 18 months with completion March 2013

The pathfinder means: Doing business differently, more flexibly, more responsively Enabling children and families to drive the agenda Each and everyone of us (including parents and children) being held to account by owning the agreed actions in plan Keeping personalisation alive and realistic Seizing this opportunity To be involved To share the learning To influence reform

Engagement …..

Engagement.. Parents – what does it feel like to be an ‘engaged parent’? Schools – What does it look like to have parents engaged?

Engagement Involvement partnership Collaboratio n Commitment communication Relationships

Why bother …? What are the benefits /advantages for the child of having a parent who is successfully engaged with the school and their learning? What’s in it for me?

Why is parental engagement so important? Parental involvement in a child’s learning has a powerful effect on achievements and aspirations throughout the years of schooling It has a huge impact in the early years on children’s cognitive development, language, literacy and number skills Parents who believe they have the ability to help their children are more likely to hold higher aspirations for them By the age of 16, parental interest and aspiration have a positive influence on children equivalent to 4 additional terms progress at school

Parental involvement is strongly positively influenced by the child’s attainment A father’s interest in a child’s schooling is strongly linked to educational outcomes for the child Aspirations are lowest in white-working class communities Parental interest and aspiration have a big impact on whether pupils stay in education post-16 The likelihood of educational underachievement is increased by a lack of parental interest in schooling Why is parental engagement so important?

Any Suprises…?

What makes the biggest difference? It is parents showing an active interest in a child’s learning that makes the biggest difference. This means parents talking to children about what they are learning, helping them with skills for learning and encouraging them to think about the future. Getting parents into school has little impact on a child’s achievements but it does send a message from parent to child that school is valued and education is important. It also builds relationships that enable schools to help parents better support their children.

Effective Partnership -what works well? As a school … As a parent … You may wish to jot ideas on your action plan..