The aims of this group are to: Make dad’s more aware of the importance of their role in their children’s education and over all well-being. Make dads more aware of current research here Use the skills that are unique to this group of parents in order to impact on children’s lives Share what we do in school and bring dads into this whole process. The Coopers Lane school “Dad’s Matter Group”

Why bother? The Rationale At CL we believe it is crucial for dads to become more visual, more audible and more active in their child’s learning. All our current voluntary help in classes is provided by mums so now it is time for dads to get involved too. We believe that dads are a relatively untapped resource. It is crucial to engage dads in the way that mums are already engaged in their children’s learning at CL.

What we do: We meet once a month in the local pub as many dads still do not like to come into school We discuss approaches to homework, how to help their child with this and their home reading tasks We examine current research and debate how important we feel it is for dads to be active in their children’s learning and why. We feed back on last month’s homework task (every dad has a task to complete with their children in between meetings) We examine ways of bringing even more dads on board.

What we are going to do in future: We aim to secure funding ( help pleeese!!!!) to visit a school in Belgium to see how they are utilising dads skills to clean and maintain the school We want to have dads more visible on parents’ evenings drumming up support We want to see dads volunteering to help in the classroom We want to equip dads with the necessary skills to contribute more fully to the academic side of their child’s education

After only two meetings this is what they were saying: My kid thought it was funny because I had to a homework task too My son thought it was great because for once we got to spend real focussed, quality time with each other I am shocked by what primary kids are expected to learn now in my day this would have been a secondary school task It was nice when they corrected me when I was reading the book to them I found it was an excellent bonding activity just to sit for a length of time and work with him I was amazed at how well she can read Usually it is swimming, football or athletics I am the taxi driver for, so it will make a change to sit and do the stuff my missus normally does (new Dad to the group looking forward to the homework task)

Problems we have encountered: Some dads do not see it as something they should be involved in Funding. We need funding to do this and we find this time consuming and often frustrating. The personal experience of school for some dads has been negative and so this affects their involvement now Dads’ self esteem and their ability to see their involvement as important as their wives/partners.

Some things we have learned at CL: Dads are not more or less important than mums. Both have skills to offer which are unique to them. The balance does need redressing. Dads are often told or tell themselves that this kid thing is not for them. They often do not want to meet in school but there is more than one way to skin a cat. Get them down the pub. Some of the dads we are working with have not had a male role model in their lives. They are desperate to play a role in their child’s education they just do not know how to get in especially if their partner is very active in this.

Help, Help, help!!!! Recent DfES guidelines for schools on engaging Fathers is a good start but we need Government to lead in rolling these out to all schools Resource this initiative fully so it can be effectively sustained Use schools like Coopers Lane and others to spread the word by all means but we are doing this without guaranteed funding so lets put our money where our enthusiasm is!!

Achievements of the group so far: Now hold an annual Bring your dad to school week in the summer term. This is in its 3 rd year and last summer over 40 dads came in to do many things and share who they are, what they do and how they help their child at home, with other children and dads Dads organise an annual party in the park in the Autumn term every year as a way for parents and children to meet in an informal and friendly manner before the new year begins Some of our dads are training in the school and LEA to be male mentors Some of our dads have met education ministers at No 10 to give advice on parenting strategies Dads matter now help to organise our annual Summer fair Dads matter was the subject of a very successful Teachers TV programme in which dads got the chance to show case some of the work they are doing with their children Dads now design and build structures in the school and are engaged fully in certain maintenance projects in the school Dads successfully coach and run the school football teams. Dads matter visited a school in Belgium for 3 days to learn how dads there are breaking new ground in the area of educating their children.

Children’s poems about their dads The perfect dad (by Tom and Akshar) The perfect dad would play with me, he won’t tell me off when I am being crazy. He is never ever too long on the PC, He helps me with my homework tirelessly

Children’s poems about their dads “Dads” (By George and Connor) Dads are; Helpful and kind, Kind and helpful. Cool and organised, Always calm, But also stern and strict. This is the rhyme about My dad He is perfect!

Children’s poems about their dad What makes a great dad is… (By Nathan and Robert) He burps, He farts, And loves cream tarts. He is rubbish and poo At Play station 2. He always plays games with me, But is distracted by life too easily. He can get mad When I am bad But when I grow up I want to be my dad!!