Building Stronger School Communities

1. Building Stronger School Communities A Presentation by Susie Higgs Extended Services Coordinator (Fareham East)

2. THE BACKGROUND Responding to the enquiry by Lord Laming into the death of Victoria Climbé, the 2003 Green Paper ‘Every Child Matter’ proposed a range of measures to reform and improve children’s care.

3. THE AIMS • The primary aim was to protect children like Victoria, but it went far beyond that to maximise the opportunities to young people, improve their lives and fulfil their potential. • It set out a framework of services that covered children and young people from minus 9 months to 19 years. • It aimed to reduce the numbers of children who experienced educational failure, engaged in offending or anti-social behaviour, suffered from ill health, or became teenage parents.

4. staying safe being healthy enjoying and achieving economic well-being making a positive contribution THE FIVE OUTCOMES

5. AN OVERVIEW THE 2003 ECM VISION • Sure Start Children’s Centres in each of the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods • promoting full service extended schools • increasing the focus on activities for children out of school through the creation of a Young People’s Fund • increasing investment in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) • improving speech and language therapy • tackling homelessness • reforms to the youth justice system.

6. The introduction of the Every Child Matters programme was a major shake-up in how schools and other agencies work. The old practices, saw many teachers, doctors, social workers and other professionals working in isolation and sometimes secrecy, unwilling or unable because of red tape to share information and resources that might help children at risk, are now fast disappearing.

7. KEY BENEFITS All of these measures should prevent any child from ‘slipping through the net ‘and they will receive the necessary services at the first onset of problems through: • Information sharing between agencies. • Developing a common assessment framework (CAF) so that basic information follows the child. • Introducing a lead professional responsible for ensuring a coherent package of services to meet a child’s needs • Developing an ‘on the spot’ service in a multi-disciplinary team based in and around schools and Children’s Centres.

8. HOW DO EXTENDED SCHOOLS PLAY A PART? Since most children and young people spend much of their time in school, it was logical that the school would become integral to the delivery of services, drawing together social and healthcare agencies to help children "enjoy and achieve" during their time at school.

9. THE EVIDENCE? • Government figures indicate that attending extended schools can boost children’s academic attainment by around double the national average.

10. There is clear evidence that children’s experiences greatly influence their outcomes and life chances in later life. “Educational attainment is a powerful route out of poverty and disadvantage”

11. Hampshire Biographies • Keith is 21- living in a deprived ward • Intermittent schooling • No qualifications • In perfect physical health • Has never worked – and neither have his parents • Living in a social housing flat with his two year old boy – ‘difficult’, violent, unaffiliated, behind his peers • About to be a father of another child

12. HOW THIS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED • Each school cluster has been asked to develop its own model of managing its extended facilities through consultation and based on local need. • A partnership ‘Wedding Cake’

13. THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF THE EXTENDED SERVICES ‘CORE OFFER’ • A varied menu of study support such as homework, sports and music clubs • High quality childcare from 8am- 6pm • Parenting support and information, parenting programmes and family learning • Swift & easy referral to a range of specialist services • ICT, sports & arts facilities and adult learning for the wider community

14. A REAL EXAMPLE • Temporary support assistant qualified as a a dance teacher asks to take a year 6 class for dance • The first lesson is very difficult. The pupils are reluctant to take part, particularly the boys. They mess about, laugh and treat the session as a joke • Next lesson the support assistant decides to teach ‘street dance’ • During breaks staff find pupils practicing dance moves in the playground • Support assistant asks pupils to demonstrate some moves during a lesson. Other pupils are impressed, even clap • This particular support assistant provides help to one of the Year 6 boys with significant learning difficulties (Level 1 in English and Maths) he becomes very interested in ‘street dance’. This pupil is generally badly behaved, regularly absent and not interested in learning but street dance captures his interest.

15. IMPACT • Assistant asks the pupils to demonstrate his dance during a dance lesson – at first reluctant, embarrassed and then with encouragement, he performs • Fantastic! The other pupils are amazed. For the first time this pupil is praised for his work in school and he gains the approval of both staff and peer group. • The impact of his achievement has had enormous benefits to the rest of this pupil’s life. He begins to smile, enjoys working with the support assistant to improve his Maths and English and performed an individual dance for the end of year concert. The pupil eventually gained Level 3 in English and Level 4 in Maths at the end of KS2 tests.

16. DEVELOPMENT • This pupil now in secondary school is a second Billy Elliot – he is currently performing with a large production company • He is a different boy – proud of himself, his achievements and his school; it could have been so different. • The knock-on effect of extended services have had a huge benefit for the pupils of this school, the local community and public spending.

17. MOVING FORWARD FROM ECM • 2008 • Building Brighter Futures: Next steps for the children's workforce • Care Matters: Time to deliver for children in care - An implementation plan • Youth Taskforce Action Plan Give respect, get respect - youth matters • Aiming high for young people: a ten year strategy for positive activities Implementation Plan • 2007 • The Children's Plan: Building brighter futures • Unicef’s Report Card 7 - An overview of child well-being in rich countries” • Aiming high for young people: a ten year strategy for positive activities • 2005 • Youth Matters - Green paper on young people • Consultation on the rationalisation of grant funding from the Children, Young People and Families directorate to voluntary organisations • Russell Commission:  a national framework for youth action and engagement • 2004 • Children's Bill • 2003 • CRB - proposed reforms • Children and Families Directorate • Children at Risk Green Paper • Children's Trusts • Every Child Matters • Lottery funding

18. The Principles of The Children’s Plan Five principles underpin the Children’s Plan: • government does not bring up children – parents do – so the government needs to do more to back parents and families; • all children have the potential to succeed and should go as far as their talents can take them; • children and young people need to enjoy their childhood as well as grow up prepared for adult life; • services need to be shaped by and responsive to children, young people and families, not designed around professional boundaries; and; • It is always better to prevent failure than tackle a crisis later!

19. THE BENEFITS Improving parenting and family support through: • Universal services such as schools, health & social services and childcare providing information and advice and engaging parents to support their child’s education and development. • Targeted and specialist support when required at a much earlier intervention stage.

20. LONG TERM BENEFITS • Giving young people a voice by ensuring that they are involved in the decision-making process that affects their lives. • Opening schools to the community so that they become an focus of activities for everyone. • Raises the sense of community cohesion, involvement and unity by working in partnership to implement the government’s strategy for ECM and The Children’s Plan and building stronger school & community partnerships.

21. COMMUNITY COHESION By community cohesion we mean working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community

22. COMMUNITY COHESION STANDARDS • Close the attainment and achievement gaps • Develop common values of citizenship based on dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity • Contribute to building good community relations and challenge all types of discrimination and inequalities • Remove the barriers to access, participation, progression, attainment and achievement

23. The school’s contribution to community cohesion • Teaching, learning and the curriculum • Equity and excellence • Engagement and extended services

24. How Does The Voluntary Sector Fit?

25. Extended Services LEITCH REVIEW OF SKILLS EDUCATION AND SKILLS BILL GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT 14 – 19 FOUNDATION DEGREES DEPARTMENT OF INNOVATION AND SKILLS ECM AND YOUTH MATTERS CHILDREN’PLAN ROSE REVIEW NATIONAL STRATEGIES CHILDREN’S WORKFORCE PERSONALISATION PARENTS PUPIL VOICE WELL BEING DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES SKILLS AGENDA CHILDREN’SAGENDA COMMUNITY AGENDA COMMUNITY COHESION ADULT AND COMMUNITY LEARNING WIDENING PARTICIPATION THIRD SECTOR ENGAGEMENT CITIZENSHIP DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

26. “When spiders unite they tie up a lion” African Proverb

27. Many thanks for you attention! Any Questions? See www.farehamES.org.uk for more information