You are your child's most influential teacher.  Research shows that children do better at school if their parent or carer actively supports them with their homework.  Below is a list of things you can do that will help your child achieve their potential.

Ways you can support your child

  • Attend meetings, parents' evenings and information events, to build positive relationships with staff at your child's school.
  • Share information that might impact on your child’s learning and behaviour with key staff.
  • Support home learning expectations. Find out what homework your child's expected to do when, and build these times into your weekly schedule.
  • Send them to school ready to learn each morning.
  • Establish age-appropriate bedtime routines.
  • Make sure they eat breakfast, and talk positively to them about what they'll be doing at school that day.
  • Get them to school on time and develop a habit of good attendance.
  • Take an interest in their school experiences. Make time at the end of the school day to ask them about their day and encourage them to share their learning.
  • Teach them organisational skills; help them to pack their school bag the night before and develop independence.
  • Teach them study skills. Help them to identify what helps them to learn.
  • Encourage them to see the value of their learning and understand why they need the skills they're developing. Talk to them about their aspirations.
  • Familiarise yourself with the school behaviour policy.

What to do if you've got concerns

If you're concerned about the education your child's receiving, follow the steps below. By following this guidance, you should be able to sort things out with your child's school quickly, so that things you're concerned about don't get any worse.

Step 1

In the first instance, talk to your child's class teacher, form tutor or the school's designated teacher for previously looked after children about your concerns. It's probably best if you pre-arrange a meeting with them so that they've got time to listen to you without interruptions.

Step 2

When you meet, discuss and agree a set of actions to try to resolve the issues you've raised. At the same time, agree a date for a second meeting to review the impact of the actions you've agreed.

Step 3

If this doesn't resolve the issue, you're dissatisfied with the response from the initial meeting, or you still have concerns, you can escalate the matter.  For primary this would be to the headteacher, or for secondary, the head of year.  You should also tell your child's adoption worker or SGO support worker about your concerns, if you have one.

Step 4

You, your child’s adoption worker or special guardian(SGO) support worker may contact the Virtual School Head for advice on how to best resolve the matter. You can take a look at our Barnsley Virtual School support offer.

Step 5

If the matter isn't resolved, you may wish to submit a complaint. Each schools complaint procedures will be different and can be found on the schools own  website 

Step 6

It's really important that anyone supporting your child recognises the need to work together towards a positive outcome. Make sure your child's views are central to any decisions that are made.

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