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Leading Parent Partnership Award
On Monday 25th March 2024 an assessor from The Leading Parent Partnership Award (LPPA) visited Woodlane High school.
We are proud to announce that we achieved this nationally recognised award which has helped us to improve our strategies to engage parents and carers more fully in every child’s learning experience. The Leading Parent Partnership Award gives schools a coherent framework to deliver effective parental engagement from early years to Post-16.
One of the principle criteria of the award is the promotion of, and participation in lifelong learning within the school for parents and carers. It is vital that parents and carers understand and support their child’s learning and development.
The LPPA offers long term benefits such as improved pupil attendance and behaviour and increased parental involvement and support. We hope to continue to improve communication between school and home and nurture the child/parent relationships by highlighting the benefits of adult learning and the positive impact this can have on a child’s education.
The LPPA consists of nine evidence-based objectives:
1. The school demonstrates a commitment to work towards achieving the LPPA
2. The school makes and implements effective plans to achieve and maintain the LPPA
3. The school is a welcoming, communicative and friendly place for parents
4. The school promotes the awareness and participation of all groups of parents in supporting their children’s learning and developing their own learning. In addition, the school holds and actively promotes a programme of opportunities and events for joint parent and child participation
5. The schools provides a good induction for all new parents
6. The school provides parents with relevant and user-friendly guidance and information to help them support their children’s learning
7. The school produces and implements parent-friendly policies to establish effective home–school links and improve children’s attendance, punctuality, progress and positive participation in school
8. The school provides good support for all parents as their children move through leave the school
9. The school summarises its achievements against the LPPA Objectives and outlines its future plans
The LPPA award was a very thorough but rewarding process. The assessor was impressed by how the school provides an exceptional environment for the young students; how staff are highly professional and clearly committed to maximising the potential of every pupil and also recognising the importance of the school’s determination to build strong home school links. The detailed evidence portfolio can be used to demonstrate to Ofsted inspectors and other stakeholders, that the school has an outstanding and sustainable programme for parental engagement.
Areas of strength were:
- The school makes efforts to listen to parent voice and respond to their concerns. For example, they shared details of an extensive consultation process regarding changes to the school day and, in response to requests, have ensured that funded wraparound provision is available for all students from 8am to 4pm every day. Examples of feedback included throughout the portfolio indicate that parent consultation is a particular strength.
- Staff use a range of methods for communicating with parents including highly readable newsletters and regular texting. There is also extensive information on the school website including an excellent video aimed at prospective parents. Regular information about students’ successes appear in the newsletter and elsewhere.
- School staff and outside agencies provide a range of courses around reading, travel, phonics, e-safety, puberty etc and there are targeted interventions for key families who can work with therapists and other specialists.
- There are termly parent meetings (with both in person and virtual options). Reports have been simplified and parents’ sessions run to help them understand and interpret the data they contain. All KS3 parents receive brief, daily written reports on their children’s progress. Staff have also consulted parents around the new systems which have been very positively received.
Impact of the LPPA award:
- Improvement in year 11 outcomes and improvement in progress data
- Wider engagement and involvement of parents in understanding teaching and learning
- Greater whole school community cohesion
- Increased workshop programme and much higher levels of parental attendance, and this extended opportunities for parents to be involved in learning with the children and with other parents
- More involvement of subject specialists in the workshops, a priority in the school’s improvement plan
- Parents recognise that the school is inclusive and works with the family to support the students’ individual needs
Woodlane High school is proud of its working relationships with parents and carers. We want families to feel comfortable, supported and happy to contact, visit and spend time in school working in partnership with our staff.
Thanks to the parents who gave their time to speak with the assessor and to the pupils and staff who, as always, spoke with enthusiasm about their school.