A local primary school has been recognised through a national award scheme for enhancing and strengthening its links with parents and carers.
Achieving the Leading Parent Partnership Award (LPPA) is the culmination of 18 months of hard work by the whole school community, including parents, children, staff and governors.
The LPPA programme is intended to help schools meet longer term success criteria, such as improved pupil progress, punctuality, attendance and behaviour and increased parental involvement in school life.
Anne Sargent, deputy head and LPPA coordinator at Little Stoke Primary School, said:
“Everyone has contributed to the process of reflecting on, developing, and increasing the ways we link with parents and the impact this has on children’s learning. We are very proud that this respected organisation has recognised our progress and achievements.”
Over the last two years, the school has developed and increased the opportunities offered to parents to find out about how children learn and how to offer the best support at home. It has run information and training sessions and also increased opportunities for parents to get involved with children’s learning through parent and child learning events linked to its curriculum themes.
The school reports that an enormous number of parents and grandparents have attended sessions that have included building volcanoes, giant Picasso paintings, designing and building alien buggies, building giant skeletons and underwater dioramas.
Communication with parents has been improved, with twice-monthly newsletters, regular texts and emails keeping parents fully informed of dates, events and school initiatives. The school website has been relaunched with help from the Parent Contact Group and a new online learning platform will soon go live, providing information and learning opportunities for all.
Regular and effective consultation with parents has been achieved through the use of questionnaires, gathering feedback after events and open dialogue with parents.
Deputy head Anne Sargent said:
“Little Stoke Primary has transformed over the last two years into a genuine learning community. We continue to be excited by the number of parents who are keen to get involved in school in different ways, sharing their time, skills and experiences with us.”
“Staff love chatting to parents in the mornings or after school and are struck by the high quality of communication and collaboration which is so evident. This is, of course, an evolving, ever-developing drive and we continue to find the best ways to ensure that parents feel involved and informed.”
Photo: Deputy head Anne Sargent, headteacher Scott Howse and pupils celebrate receiving the award.
This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 15). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
