Beyond the Classroom: Why Year 11 Parental Engagement Matters
How do we get more parents involved in their children’s education, particularly during one of the most important years of secondary school? It’s a question many schools are asking. We spend so much time focusing on motivating students, improving attendance, raising aspirations and preparing young people for their GCSEs. But how often do we stop and think about the role parents play in all of this?
At Dreams 2 Reality, we believe Year 11 parental engagement is a vital part of helping young people succeed. That’s why our recent Impact Day at English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form in Hartlepool wasn’t just about working with students. It was about bringing the whole school community together.
Engaging Parents, Not Just Students
Following a day working with Year 11 students, we invited parents into school for an evening motivational session. The aim wasn’t to tell parents how to parent. It was to explore how the language we use, the expectations we set and the encouragement we provide can influence how young people approach their education. We shared practical messages around mindset, motivation and helping young people focus on what they can control. One of those messages was our concept of “Putting Dots in the Bank”. Focusing on the small, consistent actions that eventually lead to bigger outcomes.
And it was fantastic to see that message resonate with parents too.
Parent Feedback From English Martyrs Catholic School
Following the session, we received this wonderful message from a parent:
“I had the pleasure of listening to Cameron speak at my son’s secondary school, and what a fantastic speaker he is. He was engaging, entertaining and delivered a really powerful message to both parents and students about having a positive mindset and believing in what you can achieve. We all left feeling inspired and I think we’ll all be adding plenty of “dots in the bank!” Thank you, Cameron, for such an uplifting and memorable talk.”
For us, this feedback captures exactly why parental engagement matters. The message didn’t finish when the session ended. It was something parents could take home, discuss with their children and hopefully put into practice.
Making Parental Engagement Part of the Bigger Picture
We know that getting parents into secondary schools isn’t always easy. Engaging parents during Year 11 can be particularly challenging, especially when conversations often revolve around attendance, revision, exams and academic performance. That’s why we believe schools need to create opportunities for parents to engage in positive, meaningful and inspiring experiences.
Our Dreams 2 Reality Impact Days are designed to support this approach, bringing together:
- Students: Building motivation, confidence and ownership of their education.
- Teachers: Exploring practical approaches to supporting and motivating young people.
- Parents: Helping them understand how they can encourage and support their children through the GCSE journey.
When students, staff and parents hear consistent messages, we create more opportunities for those messages to be reinforced beyond the classroom.
Bring a Year 11 Parent Engagement Session to Your School
At Dreams 2 Reality, we deliver motivational parent sessions, Year 11 workshops and whole school Impact Days designed to increase motivation and strengthen connections between schools and families.
Whether you’re planning a GCSE information evening, looking to improve Year 11 parental engagement or want to bring students, staff and parents together, we’d love to support your school.
Contact us to find out more about our Impact Days and parent engagement sessions. admin@cameron-parker.com
