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ITE session
Involving refugee parents and communities
AimsTo increase understanding of the impact
that parents and community involvement makes on pupil attainment
To develop awareness of some of the barriers experienced by refugee parents and carers to being involved in schools
To understand some of the key factors for successfully engaging with refugee parents and communities
Working With Parents 1: Welcoming Parents (Bruce Grove Primary School)
Pre-session activity: Feedback and discussion
Partnership with parents carers and the communityParents and carers play a crucial role in the
education of their children. They are a child’s key educator and know them better than anyone else
There is a wealth of research evidence that shows that children do better when there is a close working partnership between home and school
The involvement of parents and carers from different communities and their relationship to a school is a focus for Ofsted school inspections
The duty to promote community cohesion
What is community cohesion?The DCSF define community cohesion as the
working towards a society in which:There is a common visionA sense of belonging by all communitiesThe diversity of people’s backgrounds and
circumstances is appreciated and valuedSimilar life opportunities are available to allStrong and positive relationships exist and
continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community
Engagement and extended servicesA key aspect of schools’ contributions
to community cohesion is how it provides opportunities for families and the wider community to take part in activities which build positive interaction and achievement for all groups.
Parental involvement and pupil achievementParental involvement is a key factor in pupils’achievement and this is the case across all ethnicgroups. Research identifies that:Parental involvement has a significant effect on
pupil achievement throughout the years of schooling
A father’s interest in a child’s schooling is strongly linked to positive educational outcomes
Educational failure is increased by a lack of parental interest in schooling
Many parents want to be more involved in their children’s education
Key themes around engaging minority ethnic parents (including refugees)
1. Recognising diversity within and acrossethnic groups A starting point for encouraging more
refugee parental and community involvement is recognising there are different communities with different experiences
Individuals from within and across different communities should also not be viewed in ways that label or stereotype them
Key themes around engaging minority ethnic parents (including refugees)
2. Challenging racism and negative perceptions
• Some school practitioners may make assumptions about refugee parents on the basis of their background, and these can be unfairly judgmental
• Negative perceptions need to be challenged
Parents and carers from SomaliaConsultation in a south London local authority in2006. Somali parents, carers and communityrepresentatives identified that schools needed to:
Develop better home-school linksMake better use of the skills in the communityProvide more out-of-school hours learning activitiesHave higher expectations of Somali children and
young peopleBe more aware of how Somali families had been
affected by the conflict in Somalia and their experiences as refugees
Parents and carers from DR Congo and Ivory CoastConsultation in a south London local authority in
2006. The research found that:
Parents and carers were concerned about their children’s progress
Parents needed support to understand the English school system and the National Curriculum
Parents wanted to know how to help their children with homework, peer pressure and bullying
Parents wanted more opportunities to learn English
Key themes around engaging minority ethnic parents (including refugees)
3. Addressing barriersRefugee parents and carers may face a
range of barriers to being involved in schools
Activity 1
Barriers to involvement
1st
2nd 2nd
3rd 3rd 3rd
4th 4th
5th
Key themes around engaging minority ethnic parents (including refugees)
4. Empowering parentsRefugee parents are keen to be involved in
schools and also having a say on what services are provided
In some schools, there have been successes in involving parents and carers in roles where they can have some influence, such as in parent groups and as governors
Working With Parents 2: Involving Parents (Bruce Grove Primary School)
Activity 2
Involving parents
Key factors for successfully engaging refugee parents
Taking a holistic approachRecruiting staff from local
communitiesBuilding social capitalHaving a member of staff dedicated
to parental engagement and involvement
Team working and collaborationPromoting better engagement of parents,
including refugees, is a responsibility for everyone in a school
However, some practitioners may take a leading role including: The parental involvement coordinator Home-school liaison workers Extended services coordinator Ethnic minority achievement (EMA)
practitioners
The role of ethnic minority achievement (EMA) practitionersEMA practitioners have a key role in many schools in supporting the involvement of parents, carers and communities. Their work includes:
Ensuring there is a welcoming school ethosAdvising on a range of ways to make sure that
parents and carers from diverse backgrounds are listened to and consulted about their needs
Developing strategies to ensure that parents understand the school’s approach to teaching and learning
The role of ethnic minority achievement (EMA) practitionersDeveloping ways that parents can support
children’s learning Identifying ways for parents to contribute to the
curriculumDeveloping links with local supplementary and
community schools, as well as community organisations
Ensuring that parents know that home languages have an important role in children’s learning
Ensuring that the school values bilingual skillsSupporting evaluation of initiatives that encourage
parental involvement
www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/educationandlearning/management/EthnicMinorityAchievement/EMAT.html
QTS standardsQ4: Communicate effectively with children,
young people, colleagues, parents and carers.
Q5: Recognise and respect the contribution that colleagues, parents and carers can make to the development and well-being of children and young people, and to raising their levels of attainment.
Q32: Work as a team member and identify opportunities for working with colleagues, sharing the development of effective practice with them.
Further activityIn a school where you are teaching, identify:
The practitioners who have a lead role in developing parental involvement
Approaches and activities that aim to engage minority ethnic parents, including refugees
Some positive outcomes for parents, pupils and the school