Leadership

Involve Us, Respect Us: Engaging Young People In Relationships And Sex Education

This Barnardo's report is for policy makers who are designing statutory guidance on how RSE should be delivered. It is also for schools, teachers and support workers who deliver RSE to young people.

The Government has announced that Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) will be compulsory in all schools in England from September 2019. This means that all primary school children will be taught about relationships and all secondary school pupils will be taught about relationships and sex.

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      string(304) "... place outside of the classroom; parents obviously have a huge role to play.Harris and Goodall (1) conclude that the greatest impact on children and young people’s learning arises from the things that parents/carers do with them at home, so it is not hard to understand that if ..."
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      string(5703) "It is widely accepted that parents are the first and most enduring educators of their child; of course, this isn’t surprising considering that 86 per cent of children’s learning takes place outside of the classroom; parents obviously have a huge role to play.Harris and Goodall (1) conclude that the greatest impact on children and young people’s learning arises from the things that parents/carers do with them at home, so it is not hard to understand that if you have someone behind you, encouraging and supporting you in something, you will be at an advantage.The culture you are brought up in and the things that are valued in that culture, usually has a profound and lasting influence on you. It follows that the more engaged parents are in the education system the more likely their children are to succeed.LotterySo is it just a lottery? If you happen to have supportive parents who can give you time and encouragement you will do well and if you don’t, are you destined to underachieve?Clearly this cannot be acceptable, but the fact remains that many parents are not engaging with schools and it is their children that are at risk of falling behind. Of course, not everyone can achieve at the same level, but we should believe that everyone with the right influence and support can achieve to the best of their ability.Most schools and settings do have parent engagement strategies and go to a great deal of time and effort to try to get parents in, offering them many opportunities to attend and interact through both planned and informal events. Although it is great to see that thinking has gone into how to involve parents, there is a fundamental problem in this approach, in that it can lead to parents being viewed and treated as a passive participant in the life of the setting.A strategy that asks little more of parents than to turn up is unlikely to be successful in engaging them as learning partners. Parents need to be seen as fundamental to the successful outcomes for children and their engagement and contribution, integrated into all aspects of school and setting life considered and planned for.Engagement – what does it mean?The term engagement is also in itself problematical – what does it mean? Do you measure success by the number or percentage who venture over the threshold or passively respond to requests?Maybe attendance at parents evenings means they are engaged? Whatever way you measure engagement, none of that has a guaranteed impact on learning, just because someone shows up doesn’t mean that they are truly engaged in supporting their child. The truth is, that engaging parents is simply not enough.If we really want to harness the power of the triangle of success (school, child, parent) you need to go much further and start to think of parents as equal partners and encourage and support them in this process. This links directly to the culture of the school and how it perceives the value of parents.How are they talked about? Are they given opportunities to influence policy and practice and are they listened to? How are they encouraged and supported themselves? When they are invited in, do they immediately think there is a problem? Is there a balance of information sharing or is it all one way? Which activities are popular with parents and which do you struggle to get them to attend?Challenging ParentsConsidering these questions and others in the same vein will give you an insight as to the culture that exists regarding parents in your own school and maybe some ideas about how to make changes. Planning for parent partnerships needs to be embedded in the whole school improvement strategy and led by the needs and differing contexts of the community. It needs to be intrinsically linked to the attainment and progress of the children – a team approach for all involved.However, many schools report that they do believe in parental partnerships, but they find engaging parents challenging (2). There are many social and economic factors that conspire against some parents having the will or capacity to engage more fully. Barriers include lack of time, transport, working patterns and of course, the ‘hard to reach’.Hard to reach is a collective term, often used to describe those parents that cannot or will not engage with the school. The problem with this term is that it does not look below the surface at the real reason why the parents are not engaging, which is likely to be particular and specific to each individual family.BarriersThe barriers to engagement need to be considered individually and creative solutions found, one step at a time. Only by taking time and effort to build a strong relationship based on trust and respect from day one, can you begin to build the pathway to future partnership. 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Early Years

Parental Engagement Is Good. But What Does It Really Mean?

31 Jul 2020

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      string(5717) "There is a weight of evidence that concludes that the greatest impact on children and young people’s learning arises from the things that parents/carers do with them at home, so it is not hard to understand that if you have someone behind you, encouraging and supporting you in something you will be at an advantage.1The culture you are brought up in and the things that are valued in that culture usually has a profound and lasting influence on you.  It follows that the more engaged parents are in the education system the more likely their children are to succeed. Evidence from Charles Deforges’ longitudinal study demonstrates the importance of parents and carers in their child’s ability to learn, with up to 10 times the influence of teachers.2 So, is it just a lottery? If you happen to have supportive parents or carers who can give you time and encouragement, you will do well, but if you don’t, are you destined to underachieve? Clearly this cannot be acceptable, but the fact remains that many parents/carers are not engaging with settings or schools and it is their children that are at risk of falling behind. Of course, not everyone can achieve at the same level, but we should believe that everyone, with the right influence and support, can achieve to the best of their ability.Every teacher and practitioner knows how important it is for children to get support at home, yet everywhere I go, I ask them if they have had any training in how to develop learning partnerships with parents, and so far, I have never met anyone who has. Considering how vital it is and how it affects the long-term educational outcomes for children, isn’t it time we supported those involved in Early Years education in how to do this? After all, when children are young, it is a golden opportunity for parents and carers to develop the skills and confidence to support their child throughout the whole of their education, helping them to achieve their full potential. For partnerships of this quality to happen in all schools and settings you need two things:  trained staff who are both confident and competent in developing parent/carer partnerships and parents and carers who understand their role and are confident and have the capacity to support their child. The first involves investment in training and professional development; the second is undoubtedly a lot more complex. The child poverty action group report that currently 30 per cent of the UK’s children are living in poverty;3 this is a blight on family life and causes inertia. It is not simply that these parents and carers do not know or understand how or do not want to support their children—they simply may not have the energy or the mental capacity to do so. Many families are living in chaotic circumstances due to financial, social or health pressures, and for them just getting through the day and feeding their children may be enough of a challenge.It is easy to jump to quick, off-the-peg solutions, such as recommending activities for parents and carers to undertake with their children or investing in resources such as apps that encourage learning songs or rhymes or giving out free books. These are great ideas, but it’s a bit like giving someone a new purse when they have no money, it simply doesn’t address the root of the problem, so will not solve it. There is already a wealth of resources out there to support parents and carers who are motivated to play with and support their child’s learning and development, so the problem is not so much about those who don’t do it, but about those who can’t.Experience and instinct should tell us that these parents need less of being told what to do and more support to navigate the challenges they face daily. This can only happen where they have the opportunity to develop a close relationship based on mutual trust and respect with someone who can encourage them to get involved, as well as signposting them to what services and support are out there to meet their own needs. This links directly to point one—if all teachers and practitioners were trained in building parent/carer partnerships, there would be a significant reduction in families that are perceived as ‘hard to reach’ or ‘reluctant to engage’ and an increase in parent/carer capacity to get more engaged and involved.The Achievement for All pilot (2009-11) clearly demonstrated how parental involvement can be significantly enhanced through a structured conversation, combined with a whole school approach and real determination to tackle the barriers and engage all parents/carers in an effective, inclusive relationship with the school. 4 ‘Face-to-face communication with parents/carers, treating them as equal partners with expertise in their children’s needs is crucial to establishing and sustaining confidence.’  Brian Lamb (2009)5It is for this reason that all Achievement for All’s programmes have a strong focus on developing learning partnerships with parents. The training given to teachers and practitioners helps them to build respectful and effective partnerships based on working together to meet the learning needs of their child. Using the evidence-based, Structured Conversation technique results in a joined-up approach between home and school and having a clear understanding of the challenges some parents face. It offers the tools to be able to confidently engage with families from all walks of life, and has led to the development of successful partnerships and improved children’s outcomes.Parents and"
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Special Needs

Taking Time to Connect with the Home Learning Environment

8 May 2019

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Leadership Briefing issue 7.02(74)"
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      string(5600) "ResourceCURRICULUM AND QUALIFICATION NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK OF DISENGAGEMENTOriginal DocumentReview Of The Curriculum And Qualification Needs Of Young People Who Are At Risk Of Disengagement. This NFER review considers curriculum-related approaches to engaging young people in learning and curricula and qualifications used to engage young people and to facilitate their progression in education, employment or training. It explores what the best available research tells us about the curriculum and qualification needs of young people at risk of temporary disconnection from learning.KeywordsEngagement, young people, learning, curricula, qualifications, education, employment, trainingSummaryThis NFER review considers curriculum-related approaches to engaging young people in learning and curricula and qualifications used to engage young people and to facilitate their progression in education, employment or training. It explores what the best available research tells us about the curriculum and qualification needs of young people at risk of temporary disconnection from learning.The review forms one of a suite of four literature reviews that have been completed under the From Education to Employment theme and identifies the key approaches that need to be considered when devising strategies to engage or re-engage all young people, but especially those at risk of temporary disengagement from learning.Main Findings:· Consideration of curriculum and qualification needs is relevant for all learners, and especially those who are at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training (NEET).· Common themes to consider are: the need for positive teaching approaches that adapt to meet young people’s needs; supportive and informal environments to learn where young people can achieve success; supportive relationships with teachers; high quality advice and guidance; and the availability of high quality curricula and qualification options (including vocationally-related options) that give young people opportunities to progress to their choice of further learning or employment.· Much of the literature comments, to some extent, on how the curriculum and qualifications can influence young people’s engagement with learning, but rarely makes links with the segment of NEET young people who are ‘open to learning’ or ‘undecided’ about their futures but at risk of temporary disengagement from learning. This suggests that there is currently a gap in research around effective strategies to engage or re-engage those who are ‘open to learning’, or ‘undecided’ NEETs.Key Approaches:· Encouraging learners to take ownership of decision-making related to their learning.· Using flexible approaches to teaching so that all learners are engaged and stimulated.· Teachers having knowledge, skills and expertise in their subject area (particularly important for vocational subjects) as well as expertise in pedagogical approaches.· Ensuring that, especially for young people at risk of disengagement, learners develop a relationship with a trusted adult who can help them to ‘keep on track’ with their learning.· Considering the class size, as evidence indicates that smaller class sizes are particularly important to keep those learners at risk of disengagement engaged in learning.· Being alert to when learners need extra support, such as when they are not managing their workload or when they may need catch-up tuition.· Ensuring that all teaching (academic and vocational) is delivered in an appealing way that not only interests the young person but where the relevance to life (for example future careers) is drawn out.· Creating a warm, supportive learning environment where teachers show interest in learners and their learners’ work.· The development of a well-managed, disciplined learning environment conducive to learning.· Creating a work environment based on mutual respect where learners can develop an independent approach to learning.· The provision of well-informed, impartial careers information, advice and guidance (IAG) including course taster sessions. This is especially important for those who are unsure about the way forward and which career or qualifications they want to pursue.· Providing young people with a wide choice of subjects and courses to suit their interests and learning style.· Providing a flexible and personalised curriculum so young people can study the most appropriate qualification at the most appropriate place for them.· Ensuring that there are good quality vocational, applied and practical qualifications and pathways open to young people.· Having, where relevant, practical and unit-based assessments which provide the opportunity to acquire incremental progress, are flexible in terms of start and completion dates and offer the option to retake courses if needed.· Making sure that curricula and qualifications provide opportunities for learners to develop personal, social and employability skills.ActionNotesAuthorR ChimaDate CreatedSeptember 2012Enquiries to:raspal.chima@yahoo.co.uk(Authoring Unit)Month / YearPage 1 of 1©Birmingham City Council"
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Leadership

Curriculum And Qualification Needs Of Young People At Risk Of Disengagement

13 Sep 2012

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      string(469) "... prevented young people from havinga good life. An analysis of  their repliesrevealed three overarching themeswith respect to how young peopleperceived a ‘good childhood’: thequality of  relationships they had withothers, safety, and freedom. Asidefrom these themes there were 10components identified as importantfor a ‘good life’: family; friends; leisureopportunities; school, education andlearning ..."
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      string(558) "The aim of this government briefing paper from the Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre is to provide an overview of recent evidence in the field of childhood wellbeing. The paper provides a summary of how wellbeing is conceptualised; the domains and measures employed to assess child wellbeing within the UK and internationally; how the views of children and young people are incorporated into work on child wellbeing, and some conclusions from key studies relevant to the wellbeing of children and young people in the UK."
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      string(5814) "This month’s ReportsChildren and young people’sviews on wellbeingThere has been a gradual shift in thelast few years away from being overreliant on objective measures of  childwellbeing towards engaging childrenand young people in defining theparameters around what constituteswellbeing. This move has revealedsome important differences in howadults and children define wellbeingand the aspects of  wellbeing thatchildren prioritise compared to adults.The following studies provide someimportant illustrations of  these points.In Ireland, children’s views weresought to inform the development ofthe set of  national wellbeing indicators(Nic Gabhainn and Sixsmith, 2005).Central to these 8- to 12-year-oldchildren’s views of  wellbeing wereinterpersonal relations with family andfriends (including pets), and positiveactivities or things to do. There werenotable differences between children’s,parents’ and teachers’ views of  whatwas most important for children’swellbeing (Sixsmith et al, 2007).The Good Childhood Inquiry(Layard and Dunn, 2009) surveyedaround 8,000 young people (14 to 16years old) across 16 areas in Englandand within school or educationalestablishments, asking them whatthey thought were the most importantthings that make for a good life foryoung people, and what, in their view,prevented young people from havinga good life. An analysis of  their repliesrevealed three overarching themeswith respect to how young peopleperceived a ‘good childhood’: thequality of  relationships they had withothers, safety, and freedom. Asidefrom these themes there were 10components identified as importantfor a ‘good life’: family; friends; leisureopportunities; school, education andlearning; their own behaviour; theirlocal (physical) environment; theirlocal community; money; their ownattitudes; and health, particularlymental and emotional aspects ofhealth.Research commissioned by thethen Department for Children Schoolsand Families (Counterpoint Research,2008) also focused on determiningchildren and young people’s own viewsof  wellbeing; and the views of  theirparents. This study highlighted thedifficulties of  reaching a consensus onwhat constitutes a ‘good childhood’ andhow it can become a highly subjectiveChildhood wellbeing: a brief overviewThe aim of this government briefing paper from the Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre is to providean overview of recent evidence in the field of childhood wellbeing. The paper provides a summary of howwellbeing is conceptualised; the domains and measures employed to assess child wellbeing within theUK and internationally; how the views of children and young people are incorporated into work on childwellbeing, and some conclusions from key studies relevant to the wellbeing of children and young people inthe UK.http://www.teachingtimes.comThis month’s ReportsOrder HOtline:0121 224A group work manual for practitioners by Berni Stringer & Madan MallBased on solution focused brief therapy, this manual presents a range of exercises, which can bephotocopied for use with groups or individuals. the exercises help children to explore their ownknowledge and perception of their difficulties and emphasise their ability to do something aboutit. Sessions cover everything from setting up a group, establishing ground rules and assessingindividual needs, to recording progress and celebrating success.tried and tested exercises developed over recent yearsHighlights specific problems whilst offering practical solutionsencourages children to become aware of the effects of their actions, thoughts and behaviourdesigned to be used by those with no prior knowledge of the techniquePrice: £27.50iSBn: 978-1898149-93-4For Postage and Packing add:£4.00 UK – £10.00 OverseasYork Publishing Services (iM Books), 64 Hallfield road, layerthorpe, York YO31 7ZQtel: 01904 431 213 • Fax: 01904 430 868  •  www.teachingtimes.co.ukmeasure. The study did reveal howeverthat the family was fundamentallyimportant to a sense of  wellbeing forchildren and young people.In Australia, researchers workedextensively with 126 children (aged 8 to15 years) in rural and urban locationsto develop wellbeing indicatorsfrom children and young people’sperspectives. The study concludedthat the three over-riding conceptsof  wellbeing as defined by childrenwere a positive sense of  self, securityand agency. Emotional and relationalwellbeing were integral to theseconcepts (Fattore et al, 2007, 2009).Conclusions from currentresearch relevant tochildhood wellbeing in the UKThe UK performs poorly in someinternational ‘league tables’ ofchildren’s wellbeing, although thelimitations of  such de-contextualisedcomparisons need to be borne in mind,as well as differences in definitions andin data availability that may penalisethose countries (like the UK) with moredata available for comparison.International comparisons indicatethat wellbeing is negatively associatedwith income inequality and positivelyassociated with spending on familybenefits and services.There is no direct associationbetween poor childhood wellbeing andthe prevalence of  ‘broken families’,and there is a close associationbetween childhood wellbeing andpositive family relationships.Issues and challengesWellbeing and childhood wellbeing inparticular, are widely used conceptsbut have a weak theoretical basis.There are also evident difficultiesin making comparisons in childwellbeing using indicators acrosswidely variable contexts.There are currently limited dataon child wellbeing and particularly alack of  data which is"
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Special Needs

Childhood Wellbeing: a brief preview

4 Nov 2010