4. Transition into Reception or
Nursery Class
What will this involve?
Why is it important to get this right?
Home visiting
What
are the benefits and logistics?
What will a home visit look like?
5. Why home visit?
Building relationship with family
Family and child at ease
Family as first and most enduring
educator
Emotional security
Shared understanding
Initiate communication
6. What is a family?
More than a half of British families feel
under-represented by media, politicians
and advertising
57% say marriage is not necessary a
factor
77% feel single parents can be „a proper
family‟
59% agree that same sex couples make a
family
7. Partnerships with families
What are the
gains from
partnerships
with families?
For whom?
What can be the
barriers and
challenges?
Who are the
losers?
Allen report „Early Intervention‟ (Jan 2011): http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/earlyintervention-next-steps.pdf
Field report „The Foundation Years‟ (Dec 2011):
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110120090128/http:/povertyreview.
independent.gov.uk/media/20254/poverty-report.pdf
8. Really, really important bit….
Children are often a parent‟s most
precious belonging.
Families trust teachers every day to look
after their most treasured belonging.
There is only one perfect child in the
world,
and every mother has it.
Chinese Proverb
9. Parents are (usually) experts on their own
children
Their skills complement professional skills
Parents can impart vital information and
make informed observations
Parents have the right to be involved
Parents can be highly effective teachers
of their own children
Parents should contribute to decision
making
http://www.teachersmedia.co.uk/videos/leadersh
ip-parent-voice
10. EPPE Report from the Primary Phase: Pre-school
and Family Influences on Children’s Development
during KS2 (DCSF Report 061)
The HLE has a greater influence on a child‟s
intellectual and social development than
parental occupation, education or income.
What parents do is more important than who
they are, and a home learning environment
that is supportive of learning can counteract
the effects of disadvantage in the early
years
11. Factors used to measure the
HLE:
Reading to children
Playing with letters and numbers
Teaching number rhymes and songs
What will you
Painting and drawing
do to
Joining the library
encourage
these?
Taking children on visits
Arranging for children to play with peers at
home
12. „Establishing good home-school
relations is not easy. The challenges
include lack of time and the need for
clarity . . . More fundamentally, mutual
respect between home and school,
though desirable, is not always present
. . .‟
(Alexander, 2010, p79)
14. Communication
In groups of three take the role of parent,
teacher or observer
Consider or even act out your scenario
How does it feel to be the
teacher/parent?
What observations can the observer
offer?
15. NUT - http://www.teachers.org.uk
Prepare for the parents' eveningby making
sure that your notes on your pupils are in order
and easy for you to refer to. Take a pen and
paper to jot down any important points that
parents may make.
Wear clothes that will make you feel
confidentabout the image you project.
Make parents feel welcome, smile and shake
hands.Remember that parents may be feeling
nervous and intimidated.
Try and be as positiveas possible about each
pupil. Even when you have to say something
negative, try to begin and end the discussion
with a positive comment.
16.
Make sure you know to which parent of which
child you are speaking.
Be concise in your comments and avoid
using jargon.
You may wish to suggest one or two targets
for the pupil and encourage the parents to
discuss these with the child.
Offer the opportunity for parents to make
comments and to ask questions.
Be polite, but firm,in saying goodbye to any
parents who talk a great deal. Standing up
and shaking hands is a good technique.
19. Reflections
Identify a particular interaction with a
Teaching Assistant/Nursery Nurse
What happened?
Why was it challenging/interesting/
empowering?
What did you learn from it?
Did it or will it affect what you did or do
subsequently?
20. Desirable skills and personal attributes
identified in each other by TAs and
teachers
Teaching Assistants
Relationships
Communication skills
Ability to take initiative and be
proactive
Punctuality
Open-mindedness
Conscientiousness
Good standard of writing and
subject knowledge
Ability to plan, manage time and
manage behaviour
Being alert and sensitive to the
needs of the teacher
Teachers
Relationships
Communication skills
Effective delegation
and enabling
autonomy
Reward and celebrate
success
Effective organisation
and management
Wilson and Bedford (2008)
22.
“. . . it is essential that we work together
effectively, understanding the different roles
and responsibilities and how we can facilitate
each other as well as support the child. It is
when the professionals do not work together
effectively that there is a gap in provision and
support that children suffer, sometimes
disastrously . . .“
(Johnston &Nahmad-Williams (2009) Early Childhood Studies, p394)
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/statutory/g00213160/workingtogether-to-safeguard-children
25. “Primary schools need stronger support in
ensuring that the range of professionals
working in schools . . . are working in a
cohesive team . . . in order to improve
outcomes for all and to narrow the
achievement gap for more vulnerable
children.”
Alexander, 2010, p504
26. Key principles to success (i)
Differing perspectives are valued and
respected
Change comes from the bottom not the top
Services need to be brought into the
community – not the reverse
Services need to be co-located to improve coordination
Open access to training
Highest priority should be given to areas of
highest need
27. Key principles to success (ii)
Causes rather than effects need to be
addressed
Wider range of services such as advocacy for
the vulnerable
Building independence rather than dependency
Emphasis on improving self-esteem and selfworth
Increase in non-judgmental working
High quality early years education and care
should be prioritised with the employment of
28. Common Assessment
Framework
Aim:
To identify at the earliest opportunity, a child‟s
additional needs which are not being met by the
universal services they are receiving; to provide
timely and co-ordinated support to meet those
needs
The CAF is a standardised tool used to conduct an
assessment of a child‟s additional needs [in the
broadest sense] and help practitioners decide
how those needs should be met (CWDC, 2008)
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/
strategy/integratedworking/caf/a0068957/the-caf-
29. Three main focus areas for CAF
Development of the child
Parents and carers
Family and Environment
31. Supporting tasks
Read Ch3 in Edmond and Price (Aspire).
This explores leadership and interagency
working
You may like to look up Whalley, M. (2001/7)
Involving Parents in their Children‟s Learning
Field and Allen reports
SBT1: how does the school/nursery work
with families and colleagues in support of
children‟s learning and wellbeing to promote
Positive Relationships?
Watch more of the clips
www.brighton.ac.uk/education/national_priori
ties
Notes de l'éditeur
What do we mean here?See Principle: Children learn to be strong and independent through PRWhy do we need to build PR?Who with?Who says? TS8(e) communicate effectively with parents regarding pupils’ achievements and wellbeingUltimately for the benefit of the child
Three categories:FamilyColleagues in school/settingColleagues beyond school/settingNote idealised version of ‘the family’! Link to good resource: http://capitadiscovery.co.uk/brighton-ac/items/1331408
First involvement with familyVertical – change of phase/contextHorizontal – change of teacher, change within phaseThink of Evie’s day . . . Transfer – move from one school or phase to anotherTransition – move from one year group to another
Share experiences of what generally happens, e.g. new families to area visit the school, children’s pre-visits to class, meetings in school/nursery with family Any tricky bits here so far?Common practice of home visits – seen and researched as being as ‘good practice’Again share experiences As YR teacher should receive info from child-minders or pre-school as part of the WEYFS. No obligation for formal report though (but some will do this). Don’t forget info from 24-36month assessment (this might be in report form), and IEPs or Play Plans
Tricky things:Cost, staffing, choice of family, travelling, language, equality/equity, optionalForms/paperwork (what do you need to find out at this visit?), dates and times, role of two staff, play things from school, family learning packs, etc.Investment in to the on-going partnership with families that should ensure throughout educationMay reveal things you didn’t know about ‘a family’ . . .
2008 Lewis, J et al. Males working full time and females part time most frequent pattern in UKNumbers of working mothers increased substantially: 1951, 1 in 6 mothers to 2008, 4 in 6 (Hansen, K et al 2008). . . . But mothers still undertake the majority of child care (Gray, A 2006)Heard this last week on news too!
Take views from students who are parents. Look at Parental Responsibility here – see hand out
Mustn’t forget
*look at clip to see if there is a key excerpt*and note that:Family influences have a much more powerful effect upon young children’s attitudes and achievements than either school or neighbourhood factors (Bronfenbrenner)Emphasise that:A successful home-school relationship can be a key element in making a school stronger and more effective. In particular, it can make a real difference for groups of underachieving pupils and their families.Research evidence and inspection data show that schools which have learned to work well with parents can expect significant, consistent and lasting benefitsSwanson (2011) teachers’ supporting families’ self-efficacy leads to them providing more natural learning situations in daily lifeLink to a children’s centre where they demonstrate the ways to involve and link with families; we had a Family ForumCould consider whether a successful home school relationship depends upon on a successful home - discuss
From Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2007) ‘Parenting and the different ways it can affect children’s lives: research evidence“There is no clear-cut, causal link between poverty and parenting. However, poverty can contribute to parental stress, depression and irritability leading to disrupted parenting and to poorer long-term outcomes for children” p2Lifting families out of poverty in itself does not lead to improved educational outcomes“limited engagement families” rather than hard-to-reach – changes round relationshipEPPE also found that a ‘good’ primary school could to some degree ameliorate for a disadvantaged start
Factors from EPPE Teacher couldRun workshopsFamily learning opportunitiesRole model when families in roomLink families to Children’s CentreUse Busy Bags or similar family/home based informal learning opportunities
See scenarios
Whizz through these
Why?Who benefits?Who do we mean?Who says?TS8b – develop effective professional relationships with colleagues….TS8c – deploy support staff effectively Highly likely to be a ‘leader’ (even if first job) in Foundation Stage.See today’s Aspire readingEdgington, M The Foundation Stage Teacher in Action (quite old but very wise!)Moyles, J Effective Leadership and Management in the EYJones & Pound Leadership and Management in the EYAlso Jillian Rodd
See reading (Fisher)Back to EYFSP again – linking up with the Yr1 teacherLook at clip. Continuing the Learning Journey – transitions in the EYFS. Section 2 Continuing the Journey. May be available in the OLC or Library (2005 training materials)What strategies do we see?Realistic?
Table chat and share
This is what teachers and TAs identified in each other as desirable skills and attributesWhat were your experiences of Teachers and TAs working together?What happens when any of these attributes are not sufficiently developed? Did you have experience of this? What did you do?Teacher’s Media link http://www.teachersmedia.co.uk/videos/working-with-teachers-practical-tips Check to see if you are signed up to Teachers Media to access this15 minute video identifying how TA role has changed and some of the challenges involved. Student responses?
Historical background – only really since 2000 that this has been seen as a priority initiated by some high profile child fatalities The benefits to children and families of multi-agency working and the integration of services have been confirmed by research. The Inter-Departmental Childcare Review found that ‘an integrated approach, that ensures the joining up of services and disciplines, is a key factor in determining good outcomes for children’ (DfES, 2002, pp.32–33).‘This means that the organisations involved with providing services to children - from hospitals and schools, to police and voluntary groups - will be teaming up in new ways, sharing information and working together, to protect children and young people from harm and help them achieve what they want in life.’Every Child Matters (from the Aims, 2003)
Despite ECM no longer being a ‘brand’ the content is still prevalentLink to the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013. Includes sharing information too
Integrated processes ‘drive’ multi-agency working and support the delivery of integrated frontline services – throughInformation sharingCAFLead Professional – ‘Boundary Spanner’ (Sewell, J. 2007) person who literally spans the boundaries between different professions – often a teacher (!) as we see the children most
But what are the issues in working this way?What can help or hinder this joined up process?
One aspect is the need for support/training to de-mystify each others’ rolesFrom the Alexander’s conclusions and recommendations
From Gasper (2010) in Kate Wall’s (really good) book Special Needs in the EY
CWDC Children’s Workforce Development Council – one of the ‘quangos’ to go, but again its principles still endureNFER study report (April 2011) The CAF Leads to better outcomes for child/young person, especially where multi-agency interventions involvedMost common initiating trigger = behaviourIs cost effective; investment “The CAF process is an enhancement to capacity for early intervention and not a costly bureaucratic overhead”
1.Development of the childHealth, behaviour emotional and social developmentspeech, language and communicationidentity and self esteem, aspirationsfamily and social relationshipsself care and independencelearningprogress and achievementparticipation in learning2.Parents and carersbasic care; ensuring safety and protectionemotional warmth and stabilityguidance, boundaries and stimulation3. Family and Environmentfamily history, functioning and well-beinghousing, financial and employment considerationssocial and community factors including education
?What will you do?!
New link (25-11-13) to the National Priorities site including all things SEND
