Cost of the School Day Dundee Poverty Commission

Sara Spencer25 August 2015

About Cost of the School Day

About Cost of the School Day / 25 August 2015

Overcoming poverty related barriers to participation at school

1. How do education policies and school practices impact on the participation and school experiences of children and young people from low-income households?

2. How can education policies and school practices reduce or remove stigma, exclusion or disadvantage for children and young people from low-income households? What works and what else needs to be done?

339 learners (P5-S6) and 111 school staff in 8 Glasgow schools – 2 mainstream Secondary, 2 ASN Secondary and 4 Primary Schools. Mixed deprivation levels. Focus on all elements of their school day.

Poverty Leadership Panel project, funded by Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, Glasgow Centre for Population Health and Glasgow City Council Education Services

FindingsCost pressures on low family budgets

• Uniform cheapest option but some don’t have decent or sufficient clothing. Clothing grants help but not everybody takes them

• No financial support for transport within 2-3 mile boundary• Resources cost money and certain subjects/tasks have costs attached• School meals significant cost if no free meals. Hunger an issue and staff

plug gaps. Uptake and use of free meals variable • School trips impossible for some - additional hidden costs • Small costs for clubs and fun events can mean non-participation • Financial support for clothing and meals not there if low paid but just

over threshold

Findings Unequal access to the curriculum and other opportunities

• Transport costs affect attendance at school and access to after school supported study/ homework clubs

• Inconsistent resource expectations and consequences• Costs affect participation in certain subjects and the completion

of some tasks• Need for resourcefulness to do ICT based homework. Library

access limited. Support for learning at home limited.

Findings Unequal access to the curriculum and other opportunities

• Missing trips means missing fun and personal development. Staff time and effort to keep trips free/ low cost –more options if parents can pay.

• Costs for club entry or hidden costs of equipment or travel excludes low income children… but not charging limits what can be done at the club.

• Unequal access within schools for children but also between schools with different populations

• Missing out on fun events - children want or feel obliged to take part to take part in fun events

Findings Stigma and difference

• Uniform equalises but still key income indicator and first thing to be picked on. Inflexible dress code enforcement a problem.

• Important to do and have same things as friends in school and outside. Difference visible in schools with fewer children from low income households

• Under-use of free meal entitlement in Secondary as free meals means staying in alone while friends go to shops

• Children embarrassed about asking for financial help for trips and feel left out when they can’t attend

• Children feel left out and embarrassed if can’t take part in fun events - non-uniform can single out and affect attendance.

Some approaches which work to overcome barriers

• An affordable school year- spacing events • Fundraising which doesn’t always ask families

to contribute (e.g. bag-packing) and not asking children for money

• Lending resources without trouble• Modifying expectations and tasks; providing

support to access ICT • Consistent rules, expectations and practice

between staff members on uniform, resources etc

• Rewards and merits not affected by issues related to finances at home

• Anti bullying alert to income based bullying or stigma.

• Greater poverty awareness amongst children

• Making sure entitled families get financial support they need, e.g. clothing grants, free meals

• Understanding, listening and sensitive staff – discretion and empathy

• Ensuring costs as affordable as possible and supporting parents to afford it (e.g. flexible instalments for trips)

• Covering costs, subsidising and providing sibling discounts where possible

• Systems in place where children and young people don’t have to feel embarrassed asking for help or subsidies

What changes have been made already?

Small low or no cost changes in direct response to children and young people’s concerns. Potentially big impact on what children can do and how they feel.

• Removing need for badged sweatshirts• Improving communications about financial support• Addressing inconsistent practice in lending resources and ICT

expectations• Starting homework clubs with ICT access• Stopping non-uniform days; ‘chuck it in a bucket’ fundraising• Reducing number of home craft activities

Some questions to consider

• Do these findings resonate with you in Dundee?• How would you go about using this process and

these findings in Dundee schools? • What impact do you think it could have?