Parents of Pupil Premium Students Session – Did you know students only spend 15% of their time each week in school? This identifies a big problem that sometimes seems overlooked… Funding Pupil Premium students is great but it can only work when the kids are in school!
A big part of the problem I experience with a number of Pupil Premium students is:
A. Getting them to school in the first place.
B. Getting them to school in the right mindset to learn and develop.
C. What they’re doing at home to support the provisions provided at school.
Funding for in school support is the traditional solution to help close the Attainment gap. However the effect is limited by 85% of a child’s life being spent outside of the school gates. If we’re serious about developing our children and closing the Attainment Gap we may need to look at provisions to support the environment outside of the school as well as inside. On review of the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) Guide to Pupil Premium Spending ‘Communicating with and supporting parents’ sits in their wider strategies section. In my experience the link between the school and the parents is often still under supported.
At Dreams2Reality this is an area we’re focusing on more and more. Last week I delivered a session to the Parents of Pupil Premium students. This interactive sessions is designed to help support parents in supporting their children. The theory being a more engaged parent equals a more engaged child. Leading to improvements personally & academically.
We all know most parents want the best for their children and from personal experience this is maybe even more relevant in Pupil Premium students. Every Parents Session I’ve delivered in the Pupil Premium Power Programme has received positive feedback. I think this is an under supported area where we can really make a dent in the Attainment Gap.
3 Key areas we focus on during our Parents Sessions are:
– Helping them understand the Pupil Premium support provided in schools for their children.
– How they can positively reaffirm or support what’s being done in schools at home.
– How to communicate better with educators and the benefits of a collaborative approach to their child’s attainment.
What’s interesting is sometimes the parents are only on their just into their early 30’s themselves. I know as a parent of 3 going on 4 I don’t have all the answers. Often I’m pushed on time and overloaded with multiple responsibilities. UK parents of both Pupil Premium & non Pupil Premium students are no doubt the same. The more support they can get to help impact their children when they’re out of school the better. It’s also part of the reason we’re so passionate about developing our Online Academy.
At Dreams2Reality we’re keen to understand whether parents engagement impacts the Attainment Gap and if anyone out there is working directly with parents to help close it. I’m excited to continue to support parents in this area through our Power Program. & I am keen to hear from anyone interested in programs to support Pupil Premium Parents.
Principals, teachers and other supporting our young people what more can we do to help close the Attainment Gap and do you think we need to do more to include parents in the provisions?
Ready to impact your students & close the Pupil Premium Attainment Gap in your school? Cameron and his team at Dreams2Reality deliver the Power Program to 1,000’s of students each year. A Pupil Premium specific program measuring and showing real impact on the Attainment Gap. From 3 Day to 15 Day Programs we can build a bespoke Power Program that works for your students and budget.
Link to the Power Programme –>https://cameron-parker.com/pupilpremiumpowerprogramme/
For bookings email – admin@cameron-parker.com
