Improving outcomes for children through parental engagement and Pupil and Family Support – St. Peter’s Primary School, West Dunbartonshire

Published 17/12/2018.  Last updated 11/04/2023
sourcePractice exemplars categoryAssessment categoryParents and families

​How to use this exemplar to improve practice?

The presentation provides a focus and structure for using the National Improvement Framework driver 'Assessment of children's progress' as a means to:

  • gather SIMD data to measure the school's poverty related attainment gap
  • use and share this data with staff to formulate a plan to improve outcomes for children
  • recruit a Pupil and Family Support Worker to further build relationships with parents and to increase their engagement with school
  • measure the impact of the contribution of the Pupil and Family Support worker on targeted families in attendance, late coming and the contribution to overall attainment
  • increase and improve parental engagement in their children's learning.

Reflective questions

  • What is the SIMD profile of your school?
  • What data do you use to measure your poverty related attainment gap?
  • What does your school, parent forum and wider community consider to be the main barriers to attainment and achievement?
  • What change do you want to see?
  • What interventions do you and your wider school community think will help break down these barriers?
  • Are parents involved in helping take this initiative forward?
  • Do you have access to a Home-link/Family Support worker to help you take this forward?
  • Have you identified your first key priority?
  • How and when will you measure the impact of interventions?

Download(s)

PowerPoint p​​resentation: Improving outcomes at St Peter's Primary, West Dunbartonshire (1 MB)

Explore this exemplar

What was done?​

The context and profile of the school was shared with all staff. This included a whole range of data including Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), Curriculum for Excellence levels, free school meal entitlement, looked after children, social work and educational psychology involvement. Equipped with this information, staff identified the main barriers to children’s attainment and achievement. The Parent Council was consulted and its views taken into consideration​.

Why?​

Positive relationships with parents and stakeholders has always been a key feature of the school ethos, but it was recognised that there were families who found it more challenging to engage with the school.

​Low attendance rates, frequent late-comings and pupils struggling to engage in meaningful learning in the classroom environment were identified as key barriers to learning. Introducing the role of the Pupil and Family Support Worker was recognised as an intervention that could potentially improve outcomes for children by building closer partnerships with parents​.

What was the impact?​

The school was able to evidence:

  • improved parental engagement in their children’s learning
  • increased attainment
  • improvement in attendance for targeted pupils
  • a significant decrease in late-​comings
  • improved partnerships with parents
  • improvement in targeted pupils engaging more meaningfully in the classroom environment.

Improving outcomes for children through parental engagement and Pupil and Family Support – St. Peter’s Primary School, West Dunbartonshire

Published 17/12/2018.  Last updated 11/04/2023
sourcePractice exemplars categoryAssessment categoryParents and families

​How to use this exemplar to improve practice?

The presentation provides a focus and structure for using the National Improvement Framework driver 'Assessment of children's progress' as a means to:

  • gather SIMD data to measure the school's poverty related attainment gap
  • use and share this data with staff to formulate a plan to improve outcomes for children
  • recruit a Pupil and Family Support Worker to further build relationships with parents and to increase their engagement with school
  • measure the impact of the contribution of the Pupil and Family Support worker on targeted families in attendance, late coming and the contribution to overall attainment
  • increase and improve parental engagement in their children's learning.

Reflective questions

  • What is the SIMD profile of your school?
  • What data do you use to measure your poverty related attainment gap?
  • What does your school, parent forum and wider community consider to be the main barriers to attainment and achievement?
  • What change do you want to see?
  • What interventions do you and your wider school community think will help break down these barriers?
  • Are parents involved in helping take this initiative forward?
  • Do you have access to a Home-link/Family Support worker to help you take this forward?
  • Have you identified your first key priority?
  • How and when will you measure the impact of interventions?

Download(s)

PowerPoint p​​resentation: Improving outcomes at St Peter's Primary, West Dunbartonshire (1 MB)

Explore this exemplar

What was done?​

The context and profile of the school was shared with all staff. This included a whole range of data including Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), Curriculum for Excellence levels, free school meal entitlement, looked after children, social work and educational psychology involvement. Equipped with this information, staff identified the main barriers to children’s attainment and achievement. The Parent Council was consulted and its views taken into consideration​.

Why?​

Positive relationships with parents and stakeholders has always been a key feature of the school ethos, but it was recognised that there were families who found it more challenging to engage with the school.

​Low attendance rates, frequent late-comings and pupils struggling to engage in meaningful learning in the classroom environment were identified as key barriers to learning. Introducing the role of the Pupil and Family Support Worker was recognised as an intervention that could potentially improve outcomes for children by building closer partnerships with parents​.

What was the impact?​

The school was able to evidence:

  • improved parental engagement in their children’s learning
  • increased attainment
  • improvement in attendance for targeted pupils
  • a significant decrease in late-​comings
  • improved partnerships with parents
  • improvement in targeted pupils engaging more meaningfully in the classroom environment.