Effectively engaging the school community

Effective Practice
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Markham Primary School

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Information about the school

Markham Primary School is located in the village of Markham, situated in the Blackwood area of Caerphilly County Borough Council. It serves the catchment villages of Markham, Hollybush and Argoed. It is in an area of high deprivation and located within the top 10-20% of most deprived areas in Wales. There are currently 188 pupils on roll, including 24 part-time Nursery pupils. Approximately 46% of the pupils are eligible for free school meals. The on entry baseline is well below expected age related outcomes. The school provides a safe, nurturing and vibrant environment where pupils and staff are proud to be part of such a supportive learning community. Pupils make very good progress from their baselines, enabled by the school’s highly effective and unique ‘RISE’ curriculum approach.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school employs a Pupil and Family Support Worker (PFSW) who has effectively established, developed and embedded a comprehensive programme of parental and family engagement as well as developing a wide range of agency and community involvement; providing a ‘team around the school’ approach. The Pupil and Family Support Worker plays an instrumental role in all aspects of family and community engagement to meet the needs and enrich the lives of the school’s pupils and their families.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school developed a warm and welcoming environment which focussed on inclusitivity for all. Through a shared vision of ‘Nurturing and Inspiring’, staff began to create a safe and supportive learning culture where everyone felt a valued member of the ‘Markham Family’. The school recognised the need for a pastoral role which would ensure that families were supported fully, that effective communication was consistently maintained and that effective partnerships were fostered within the wider community. The focus was to take the ‘Markham Family’ commitment beyond the school doors.  

The school aimed to help ensure that pupils’ needs outside of school were met in order for them to be able to reach their full potential in school. A PFSW was appointed and the nature of their role evolved over time to meet the needs of the community of Markham and its surrounding villages.

The school recognised that positive relationships and knowing families in depth were key to the success of effectively engaging the community. The PFSW worked to ensure that she made connections and links with a wide range of support services, helping families to receive the support outside of school that they required. The pupil and family support role has evolved over time and adapted as and when needs arose. The PFSW meets with families or individuals and together they agree the best support service for them; whether it be in house with the school’s family support team and Emotional Literacy Support Assistants or externally with a range of other service providers. The school developed a Family Centred Planning (FCP) approach, ensuring that support was bespoke to the family or the individual. Over a period of four years, the school developed a range of supportive network links in order to assist with families’ needs. These include parenting support; well-being provision for both parents and pupils; additional literacy and numeracy sessions for the whole family; bereavement services; food, financial and housing assistance; good attendance workshops; domestic violence and violence against women support; young carers support; early years parenting provision and child advocacy. 

With family support firmly embedded and strengthened relationships across the school, the school aimed to further engage parents in its work. A programme of family engagement was introduced, refined and improved in order for the school to provide an annual offer of family sessions. These included:

  • Parents & Children Together sessions
  • Dads’ Group
  • Coffee mornings
  • A range of Adult Learning Wales accredited courses for parents and carers 
  • Basic Skills training sessions
  • Early Years transition meet and greet family sessions
  • Attendance workshops.
  • PFSW drop in sessions

The school continues to monitor the success and impact of its engagement activities and refreshes them regularly; responding to the interests of pupils, parents and carers in order to sustain engagement and involvement. 
 

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

  • A comprehensive programme of support and family engagement has been established and embedded. 
  • A wide range of community and agency involvement with both school and families ensures the needs of all are met. 
  • The lives of many pupils and their families are enriched through the offer of a ‘team around the family’ approach. 
  • All pupils contribute to community events and develop their skills and abilities as ethically informed citizens. 
  • Strong relationships have been fostered with all families based upon mutual trust and respect. 
     

How have you shared your good practice?

  • The practice has been shared with the governing body through pupil and staff presentations. 
  • The school has shared the model and strategy with regional consortia and local authority. 
  • The model has been shared at professional learning sessions with both cluster and regional schools and, as a result, schools have visited to see the process first hand and to further develop their own understanding of effective community engagement by liaising with the PFSW.
  • The PFSW and headteacher have shared the school’s work through the LA programme for new headteachers.