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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Can a parent improve a school's fortunes?

37 replies

Fruitflylady · 03/05/2017 19:03

My DS will be starting at a local secondary that 'requires improvement'. It was his choice and he's happy to be going there, but the school seems disadvantaged compared to many in the local area. My question is, what can I as a parent do to help this school, if anything?

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 04/05/2017 19:53

I have a maths degree.
I would be terrified of teaching/running a lunchtime support class!

I would be more than happy to do 1-1 support a but a bunch of teenagers - I'd run a mile!

WyfOfBathe · 04/05/2017 20:02

You can offer your help to the school, but I don't know whether or not it would be accepted. Unlike at primary schools, secondary schools don't tend to use parent helpers as much. I can only think of one time we used one, and she was a friend of a friend of one of the teachers in our department.

DriftingDreamer · 04/05/2017 23:21

Definitely go and have a chat asking if there is any way you can support the school.
Why not? Engaged parents are a huge plus and you are clearly one.
My child goes to a secondary that is undersubscribed and in a disadvantaged area. I have found that they are happy to talk to me about ways that I can perhaps be supportive.
Governors are an option. Discuss if interested.
Supporting science- well ask... may bite your hand off.
Parent Forum to take part in?
Is there a PTA?
Good luck...

Rufus27 · 04/05/2017 23:32

Parents have helped in the schools where I've taught in the following ways. All were appreciated!

Volunteer TA
Listen to students reading
Display board assistance
Fund raising/PTFA - even just donating prizes
Mentor a student
Allow work experience students in your place of work
Help with mock interviews
Help with raising aspiration e.g. Career talk
Public praise if/when deserved e.g. Letter to local paper, talk positively to Y5/6 parents
Assist with a club e.g. Cookery, calligraphy, chess
Send teaching staff lots of cakes and chocolates (Ok, that one's a lie).

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 04/05/2017 23:35

It's true that you don't have to be a parent governor to be a governor IYSWIM but the school GB will have articles of association that will limit type and number of governors so that option may not be open to you anyway. PTFA is a good idea but they are mostly about fundraising- excellent and essential of course but sounds like not what you're looking for. What about setting up a Parent Council? Sort of a halfway between GB/SLT and parents? The best PCs can liaise between the two and come up with ways to improve communication, volunteering etc. Also, I may be jaded and cynical but seeing what the SLTs response to something like a PC is can sometimes tell you a lot about why they are in a position of requires improvement in the first place.

CassandraAusten · 04/05/2017 23:39

Don't be put off by some discouraging answers here OP. Contact the head or the school office and offer your skills. The worst they can say is no!

Fruitflylady · 05/05/2017 09:34

Thanks guys, some more positive responses and ideas....just what I wanted to hear!

OP posts:
bojorojo · 05/05/2017 11:45

You would be able to help much, much, more by being a Governor. Really you would. It could help the whole school in a very meaningful way. This is because you will be engaged with recruiting more pupils, making the school attractive to parents, recruiting the right staff (difficult, but staff want to work in a well run school), improving SLT by performance management, setting targets and strategic aims, and you can engage with Maths/Science and be the Science or Maths Governor. They would welcome you in this role.

I think going into a secondary school and helping in a practical way is fairly unusual and makes more work for the staff quite frankly. As a Governor you can get involved in school trips, accompany university taster courses for science - there are endless things you can do as mentioned above by Rufus but being a Governor gives you more clout to get things going. You are not just an agitating parent!

You would also have a great handle on the progress the children are making and be aware if lack of good maths and science teaching is holding the children back. You, within the umbrella of the Governing Body, and the SLT would be responsible for improvements. There is no better role than this.

All schools are short of money and you cannot squeeze a quart out of pint pot so Governors have to make sure as many parents as possible want to come to their school to raise income by higher numbers on roll. PTA money in small, standard catchment, schools never amounts to much in overall terms. Small and cosy just does not work in the secondary world because the budget will always be tight if there are not enough children and too many needy children. You need a healthy school number and a good balance of children.

You really can help, but in a professional way on the GB, not just a concerned mum who wants to help out.

Fruitflylady · 08/05/2017 14:04

Thanks Bojo, only just seen this. Your comments are really useful. The reason I'm not going for a governor role is that they have only very recently elected a whole new raft of governors, but I'll keep an eye out in case any vacancies turn up.

OP posts:
viques · 08/05/2017 15:56

do you have work contacts in your scientific field? schools often find it difficult to motivate children towards STEM subjects, especially girls, if you have contacts who could offer visits, motivation, work placement ,or if you could do similar yourself I am sure they would be keen on,hearing from you.

Rufus27 · 08/05/2017 19:03

Great advice from Bojo

harderandharder2breathe · 08/05/2017 19:08

If you're working in a STEM field can you see if your employer would link with the school to offer opportunities to pupils?

I work in financial services and my company has partnered a school in a deprived area and runs regular events. I've been there as part of teaching kids about money management for a day, they've had week long enterprise events.

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