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CONTRIBUTORS


Why schools should nurture parent power! This month, regular Education


Today contributor GRAHAM COOPER, head of education at Capita SIMS, makes the case for better parental engagement.


Time was, a parent would send a letter to a school if there was an issue that was worrying them. They would expect to receive an appointment to discuss the matter in perhaps a day or two.


Now, in the world we live in with so many methods of communication we expect an instant response and if we don’t get it, we look to alternative mediums to share our concerns.


And for even the most resilient headteachers, there are two words that have the potential to send shivers down the spine – Parent View. This anonymous online service allows parents to share thoughts on their child’s school with Ofsted at any time.


A governor recently revealed that Ofsted inspectors had arrived at his school with a view that parental engagement was poor. This was due to three negative Parent View questionnaires.


Schools want parents to be engaged as they know parental support is key to raising standards of teaching and learning. However, it’s vital that they take the lead and foster strong home-school links.


Enhancing the home-school relationship


Parents who are kept informed and engaged are more likely to hold positive views on your school.


One way schools can build parental relationships is to make it much easier for them to engage with school life – the rewards will pay dividends far beyond the school inspection.


We recently conducted some research to look at what primary and secondary school parents want to see in a school report. What struck me most was how similar the requirements of primary and secondary parents seem to be – parents with children of all ages told us they want to know if their child is happy and confident in class.


Three quarters (75%) of primary school parents told us it is very important to have information on their child’s happiness and confidence. Interestingly, for parents of secondary school children, this percentage increased to 77%. However, this information, by its very nature, is hard to quantify. In our survey, only 46% of primary parents agree that they receive this information from their child’s school, while for secondary parents, the figure drops to just over a quarter (27%).


However, providing short, yet insightful, updates on a pupil’s school life could give a parent a better insight into their child’s happiness and confidence.


Getting parents on board


I know of a school where access to more information electronically has helped one full-time working mum feel much closer to her child’s school life, allowing her to initiate conversations at the dinner table as she knows what her child has been up to in school. A father at the same school revealed how immediate access to information online had raised his opinion of the school. Having that strong support from home is essential – not only to the achievement of your pupils, but also to the ongoing improvement and success of your school.


In most cases, by helping parents to understand the positive impact that their support can have, they will be much more likely to work with you to secure the best possible outcomes for their child. Informed parents are happy parents.


The new SIMS Parent app and SIMS Student app allow schools to easily communicate with parents and students http://www.capita-sims.co.uk/EdTodayColumn


12 www.education-today.co.uk


Exam survival


This month, Education Today columnist KIRSTY BERTENSHAW offers some practical pointers for teachers and pupils feeling stressed at exam time.


Exams are a necessity of the education system. Obviously, early revision and constant revisiting of content is required to prepare for exams, but what else can be done to survive them? Often forgotten is mental preparation! How can you prepare your pupils mentally? Mindset and attitude have a real effect on exam success. Here are some hints and tips that might help! Panic is a feeling commonly reported by pupils when they sit mock exams. Once the paper is placed in front of them and the exam feels real, panic and anxiety can set in. This wastes time and reduces the pupil’s ability to answer questions in the time given. One way to combat panic is to practise mindfulness techniques in the classroom, as follows.


One method is called ‘body scan’. Not as complicated as it sounds, this requires more time than others. The aim is to be aware of each part of the body, noticing any sensations before moving on. It can help to close your eyes to concentrate on each part of the body. Start with the top of the head and slowly move down the body, taking time to consider each part, how it feels, what the sensations are. Comfortable seating, or gym mats help – I don’t recommend lab stools!


Breathing exercises may take the form of meditation. With eyes closed, take deep breaths in and out. Try and practise this without music, as in the exam hall there will be silence. Another method is anxiety controlling breathing exercises, such as ten short breaths in, then ten short breaths out.


For those pupils with a particular anxiety issue during exams, aromatherapy, essential oils or rescue remedies can be useful. Associating smells with meditation or calm breathing can have a greater effect on anxiety than mediation or scents alone. As handkerchiefs and tissues can’t really be taken into the exam hall, a few drops of essential oils can be applied to the cuff of the school shirt, so the pupils can breathe it in when necessary but aren’t stifled by it.


The right kind of snacks are important for maintaining energy levels during the long exam periods. Encourage pupils to have boxes of pre-made snacks at home, ready to grab when they are in a hurry. Fruit tubs, either fresh or dried, can provide a much-needed blood sugar increase but also vital vitamins and minerals. Nuts and seeds are great for a high energy snack. Homemade flapjacks or porridge- based banana pancakes are also good. Simple recipes could be distributed to pupils, with snack ideas, to help them plan to eat healthily during exams.


Sometimes schools offer a free breakfast before exams – it is important to consider what breakfast foods are offered as a lot of cereals are high in sugar – great for an hour or two, but then pupils are left feeling tired. Pastries can often be chocolate-based too, causing the same issues as high sugar cereal. Complex carbohydrate based cereals such as porridge are a much better option, as are bananas.


Setting a reward or end goal for after the exam period can help pupils manage the stress and anxiety of exams. Interim rewards can also be useful, for example a film afternoon, or exclusive use of the gym and sports equipment. Try and avoid food related reward systems though, as these can have negative impacts on anyone with eating-related disorders.


June 2017


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