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Home School Liaison - a Checklist
What do you do already? What can you do next? Some practical suggestions.
Induction
Introduction to Induction Procedures
Facilitating parent-teacher communication
- Standard letters translated [1]
- Following up any written communication with personal contact - either by phone or in the playground
- Having an identified 'friendly adult' in school as the first point of contact (often the EMAG co-ordinator)
- Keeping language of all communication simple and clear
Explaining the curriculum
- A simple explanation of each subject taught in schools, with photographic support (can be in wall displays or albums)
- 'Taster' sessions for parents e.g. maths/ICT open days
- The place of PE/swimming, and the necessary kit (photo displays of any PE kit and/or uniform is common practice)
Explaining the English education system
- What is a Key Stage/SAT etc?
Find out more
- Children's progress through classes is automatic and not dependent upon passing exams
- The stages of transfer to a new school - e.g. primary/secondary
- The role of parents in supporting their child's education - reading and talking, homework etc. emphasising that this can be done/drafted in the mother tongue.
- Expectations re: attendance, punctuality, holidays
- Expectations re: attending parent's conferences. (Are interpreters needed?)
- The role of residential trips. (Are the costs prohibitive? Can they pay by instalments? Are subsidies available? Photos of past trips would be helpful.)
- KS4 options
- Higher education and career options
Find out more
Secondary transfer
- Ensure that parents understand the whole process, and their right to choice
- Can someone monitor the process for refugee parents to ensure that meetings are attended and deadlines met?
- Mid-term arrivals may have missed crucial deadlines
Social events
- School trips, parties and special assemblies are a good way to involve parents
- Targeted coffee mornings (Timing can be a crucial factor, and also provision for younger siblings)
- Special events such as International Evening
- Identify key parents within different community groups, and involve them in the organisation/invitation process
Family learning
- Targeted groups in literacy (Reading is Fundamental, Bookstart, Storysack projects might be helpful, see www.literacytrust.org.uk)
- Targeted groups in maths and computers
- ESOL classes
- Adult education classes in other subjects, e.g. sewing, business skills
- Bilingual story telling/reading
- Introductions to the local library
- Ways of maintaining the home language, e.g. letters to relatives, first draft for homework/course work
- Mother tongue classes and accreditation (GCSE/AS/A Level) involving schools' collaboration with complementary schools
Some refugee parents may be willing and able to run some of these groups
Find out more
Parent volunteers
- Translating/interpreting
- Making bilingual story sacks
- Mentoring newer arrivals
- Sharing their own culture
- Generally helping in class
- Many refugees are highly skilled and may be willing to offer help to schools in a variety of ways - if you ask.
66% of refugees and asylum seekers in London had professional or senior jobs in their own countries, 35% have university qualifications (research by the Refugee Council)
Signposting parents to relevant advice agencies
Refugee families often have multiple and complex social needs. Schools can help by providing links to:
- local advice and support agencies, e.g. CAB, health, medical, Surestart.
- refugee community organisations. Your local Refugee Consortium should have an up to date list of organisations.
- national refugee organisation helplines (see the GTC list) and information leaflets.
Recruiting staff
In 'Aiming High', the DfES suggests that schools may also consider the benefits of recruiting staff from refugee backgrounds for posts such as welfare officers and teachers with a home/school liaison brief.
[1] 'Multilingual Letters for Parents' (books 1 + 2) from Hounslow Language Service