We want to work really closely with all our parents and carers. We know that a child’s successful education depends on a close partnership between parents and school. We are always available to talk to you to discuss any matters on your mind and we regularly offer you opportunities to meet with us. We think that if you get to know us well you will be best placed to help your child do well at school. We know school today is probably very different to the schooling that you had as a child, so do take up the opportunities we provide to come into school and see how we work. Our Senior Leaders and staff are around at the start and end of the day and are available for quick, informal chats. Your child’s class teacher will also come outside onto the playground at the end of the day and that is a good opportunity to talk to them. For those matters requiring more time then we advise organising a meeting through the school office.
Reporting to Parents
Parent-teacher meetings are held in the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms where appointments are made for individual consultations. As part of these meetings we will give you a termly report showing you how well your child is doing and also giving you the key targets that your child needs to work on for the following term – those things that your child’s teacher thinks will make the biggest difference to them doing even better at school. At our parents evenings, parents and carers have an opportunity to look at their children’s books, be informed of present attainment and progress and discuss next steps in their child’s learning.
By the time of our parents evening in the summer term, you will have received your child’s annual report and parents have the opportunity to discuss this with the child’s class teacher and go on and meet your child’s teacher for the new school year.
Parent Voice – a way for parents and carers to get involved
We have a parent group – a group of parents who come into school and give us feedback on specific areas of work that we are doing as well as give us more general ideas about what parents would like to see going on in school. This group also works alongside our staff to organise and support school events; our school discos and fairs can only work well with the help from parents and carers. Parent Voice are a friendly group who meet informally and will always welcome new ideas and offers of support. If you would like to join this group do let us know or look out for the date of their next meeting in our newsletter. If you can help, your time would really be appreciated.
Volunteering
The school can always benefit from parents and carers who can offer us some regular help during the school day. It doesn’t have to be time consuming. We can always do with volunteers to listen to children read or help out in class with more practical activities like art. Some parents have also helped out with school admin; photocopying or getting other things ready for school events. If you have some regular time to spare and would like to volunteer please contact the school office staff who will put you in contact with a senior member of staff.
Volunteers will need to have a new enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service, formerly known as Criminal Record Bureau) check to confirm that there are no reasons why they are not suitable to work with children. The school will pay for this check to be done. More details about the requirements of this check and the documents you will need to provide can be found here.
https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview
Parent and Carer Views
We really value your opinions as parents at Richard Alibon and as a school we respond to the needs of our community. As part of our school self-evaluation process we regularly ask for feedback from the school community. Information from surveys, workshops and discussions really help us as school leaders to plan what the school needs to do next. The findings of our last annual parents’ survey can be found here. [link required]
We also encourage parents and carers to record their opinions about the school online at OFSTED’s Parent View website. The link can be found here.
https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/parent-view-results/survey/result/19918/current