The Provider:

Birchensale Middle School, Worcestershire

Birchensale Middle School is a successful community school for 9-13 year olds.  In July 2006 OFSTED said that it was a special place in a deprived community.  13% of the 380 pupils are from ethnic minority groups.  There is a higher than average number of pupils with learning difficulties. The school has a newly refurbished and well-resourced building.  OFSTED deemed that Birchensale is a good school, a special place, that cares about its pupils.

Summary:

As a community Birchensale Middle School is committed to developing close family links. Its links range from Family Learning to addressing social, emotional and behavioural issues through its social inclusion team.   For the past four years the school has run Family Literacy and Numeracy programmes and for the past two years has run Family ICT programmes.  Pupils who have taken part in the programme have, over the past few years, made more progress than those pupils who have not taken part in family learning. As part of the co-ordinated approach to developing family links the school has a social inclusion team who help signpost families to outside agencies.  It undertakes home visits, sometimes with the local community police officer, it has a bungalow designated as a drop-in for parents who can talk with the school's learning mentor or other community agencies. Holiday activities are available as well as a wide range of extra curricular activities. 

The Aim:

This aspect of school life has been chosen because it represents what the school stands for .  Education is seen as a partnership between parents, pupils and school and the wider community.Our work on developing family links is not only a way of raising standards but also to help our pupils and families make sense of the ever-changing world.

What do you see in the school?

• The school is situated in an area of deprivation and had falling roles and poor test and examination results. The staff of the school led by senior management made a commitment to raise standards by concentrating on the quality of teaching and learning and by involving families and community through family learning projects.
• Parents come into school and not only work alongside their children but also have access to adult education ICT courses.
• The learning mentor and local community police are also involved in extended school activities beyond the school day.
• Parent consultation impacts on school development.There is evidence contained in various and varied policies which demonstrate a commitment to family and community links.
• The DHT introduced family learning to the school and has since ensured succession by training other staff.
• Meetings are held between DHT and college tutor/ adult ed. to ensure provision of training for parents other than workshops where they work alongside their own children.
• The local authority have supported the initiatives, although continuing funding has been an issue. The school have addressed this and made the decision to continue even if funding is withdrawn.
• All staff have received INSET to support family learning and have been encouraged to carry out workshops. Staff confidence has increased.
• Close liaison takes place with external agencies. The school has a bungalow on site which enables some meetings to be held outside of the school environment. This has proved to be very successful.
• Parents are in school working alongside their children in numeracy and literacy for three hours a week for twenty four weeks.
• Pupil progress is checked before and at the end of the programme. Overall pupil progress is tracked over time.
• The learning mentor runs self-esteem groups, anger management groups attendence groups and a Karate club.
• Parents and community members are able to attend an adult ICT group held in school.
• Family drumming workshop.
• Pupil progress is tracked and it can be demonstrated that participation in Family learning impacted on children's attainment. Of those pupils whose value added scores have improved, over 25% were part of the family learning group.
• Extended families are becoming involved in the classes.
• The school is now thriving, has improved its test and exam results and is now a popular school in the neigbourhood.
• Improved home school links are demonstrated.
• The school is now a valued part of the local community.
• As pupils are well known by the local police force through positive opportunities, there is less low level cvrime and nuisance on the surrounding estate.
• Good practice is shared with the Local Authority and local feeder schools.
• Assistant headteachers teach French and ICT at feeder schools.
• PE teacher covers PPA time at local feeder school.
• Family learning is reported on to all staff at staff meeting

What difference does it make?

• Parents talked of their enjoyment of the Family learning and of their improved skills.
• The top three attaining pupils had all been part of family literacy, numeracy and ICT groups.
• Reading ages in Y5 and Y6 showed an improvement of at least one year by those pupils who were part of family learning.
• Fixed term exclusions and expulsions have all fallen.
• Parents told of their improved relationships with their children. One father spoke of how arguments with his daughter ceased as soon as he attended family learning and understood the methods used to teach his daughter.
• Parents and pupils spoke of their enjoyment at family away days organised by the school.
• The learning mentor spoke of the success of joint home visits undertaken with the local police.
• One parent told of how she now intended to enrol at college because the family learning and ICT classes had given her confidence
• The school is now thriving, has improved its test and exam results and is now a popular school in the neigbourhood.
• Improved home school links are demonstrated.
• The school is now a valued part of the local community.
• As pupils are well known by the local police force through positive opportunities, there is less low level cvrime and nuisance on the surrounding estate.

From where is evidence collected to prove the Leading Aspect?

• Anti bullying policy and monitoring files
• Case studies
• Data re. off site visits
• EVC file
• Family ICT 2006/07
• Family Learning File
• Family Support Plan
• Minutes of meetings, working with other agencies
• Minutes of social inclusion meeting
• Ofsted report and plan
• Photographs
• Pupil and parent responses
• Pupil attendance figures
• Pupil progress tracking
• Pupil target setting
• Questionnaires
• Records of activities
• Records of work undertaken
• SAT's results
• School Improvement Partner report
• School Improvement Plan
• School self review
• School support team meeting minutes

The Verifiers Comment

Leading practice is demonstrated by the school's commitment to develop close family links. This is achieved through Family Learning activities; addressing social, emotional and behavioural issues through their social inclusion team and by involving families in holiday and extra curricular activities. Underpinning all their work is a commitment to raising educational standards in the school. By careful tracking of pupil progress they are able to demonstrate that many of those those pupils involved have made more progress than anticipated and have exceeded targets. The school believes that education is a partnership between parents, pupils, school and the wider community and their work on developing family and community links helps everyone make sense of an ever changing world.