Parental Engagement

sandbach high school and sixth form college

Sandbach High School & Sixth Form College: Awarded the GOLD STANDARD QUALITY AWARD for Parental Engagement

The Parent Council is something we are extremely proud of in our school community. The Parent Council is a group of parents who volunteer to represent their views. It has an enormously important role to play in our school improvement by ensuring that the parental perspective is represented and considered. 

Our Parent Council creates: 

  • A route through which parents as a group advise the trustees of their views 
  • ★A route for the trustees and Senior Leader Team to consult parents as a group 
  • ★A platform for parents to share views and ideas 
  • ★A platform to support parents 
  • ★Confidence in parents to support their child 
  • ★Confidence in parents to get involved in the life of the school 
  • ★An opportunity for personal development 
  • ★A platform to reach out to other parents 

Purpose & Aims

Our Parent Council provides an excellent forum for parents to come together, share ideas, and put forward their views to the Senior Leadership Team and the Trustees of our school. They break down barriers, perceived or actual, between the school and parents who are less involved in the school. 

It serves two distinct but related purposes: 

  • To give parents a voice and increase their active involvement in decision-making, fostering a culture of ownership and participation. 
  • To develop a partnership between the school and parents/carers in order to support and promote the pupils’ learning and bring about change. 

Benefits for our Students

  • Our students behave better and achieve more when their parents are involved in their education.
  • Parents will receive advice and information about how to support their learning.
  •  Concerns can be resolved more quickly when our parents have a positive relationship with school staff. 
  • Our students know that we are a community that listens. 

Benefits for parents

  •  Parents have a forum in which they can come together, share ideas, and put forward their views to the Senior Leadership Team and trustees.
  •  Their active involvement in decision-making is increased, fostering a culture of ownership and participation.
  •  They get the support and advice they need to help and encourage their children with their learning.
  •  Our parents have more information about their children's education and the quality of that education.
  •  Our Parent Council breaks down barriers, perceived or actual, between the school and parents who are less involved in the school.
  • The Parent Council has improved working relationships between the school and parents who are already involved in the school.

Benefits for School

  • School has been able to develop a better understanding of the views and needs of parents and how we might address them.
  • Parents contribute time, ideas and skills which complement the ideas, skills and expertise of staff and trustees.
  • Parent Council enables the school to keep parents informed and allow them to be part of decision-making processes.
  • Parents become involved in all aspects of school life.
  • As a school we are able to provide details of our Parent Council in the section of the Ofsted Self Evaluation Form (SEF) relating to parental involvement.
  • Parent Council provides a clear route for parents as a group (rather than as individuals) to feed back to school and trustees.
  • School can reach out to parents who are currently less engaged, or not at all engaged with the school and overcome some of the barriers which prevent parents from engaging with the school.

Become a member of the parent council

We are always looking for and welcoming new members of the group.  If you are interested in taking an active role in your child's education and having a real impact on their education, then please contact our Secretary Shelley Wootton, sandbachhighparentcouncil@gmail.com or Alice Whalley Assistant Headteacher Awhalley@sandbachhigh.co.uk  

Relationship with other school bodies

The Parent Council has a close working relationship with the trustees (and the leadership team). This ensures that the goals of the Parent Council relate to the strategic direction of the school and its broader objectives. The trustees know what issues are being raised in the Parent Council and what actions the school is taking in response. These are created by: a representative from the Parent Council liaising regularly with a senior member of staff, allowing the school to respond promptly to requests and to discuss ideas and how these might be taken forward. 

Parent Council Meetings

  • A review of Covid risk assessment.  The Council reviewed the risk assessment and have ensured they are informed to share with all parents our rational behind safety measures.    
  • Online Learning Review
  • They have provided constructive feedback based on Parent comments / feedback. 
  • The PC reviewed / evaluated the wellbeing of students at home, via Facebook and emails to the PC support address. Sharing suggestions from parents. Focus areas, activities we could do to alleviate screen time and workload.  All have been actioned and supported. 
  • PC shared concerns of the parent body regarding the setting of homework.  This led to no setting of homework for KS3 following a day of online learning.
  • Reviewing in partnership with students our bullying policy
  • The new parent version of the Stamp It Out @Sandbachhigh Anti – Bullying Newsletter distributed February 2021 which Parent Council share and promote. 
  • Feedback on Year 11 and 13 grading procedure 
  • Feedback on the new progress report system 

Parent Council also continue to support parents / carers via, email/Facebook / social media   

The Parent Council also continue correct, incorrect (inaccurate information posted on social media). 

Please come along and join our thriving Parent Council your support does make a difference. 

Parents and Friends Association (PFA)

Here at Sandbach High School we have a growing Parents and Friends Association. This group is an important aspect of our school community and one that we are proud of. We are always after new friends. If you are interested in becoming a friend of the school, please email Miss Jane Unwin for more details  Junwin@sandbachhigh.co.uk  

Plenty of tea and cake available! 

Parental Engagement Events

Our highly acclaimed Parental Workshops. We work hard as a school to support parents and carers as much as we canEach academic year we host numerous Parent / Carer workshops, ranging from Supporting Your Child with Revision, Subject specific support to Online SafetyAll of which are aimed at helping you and your families to understand and support your child in their academic journey.  The workshops are interactive and delivered by our wonderful and dedicated staff. PowerPoint slides (converted to PDF) can be found below. 

LPPA Award

Sandbach High School is currently working to achieve a school improvement award (LPPA) but more importantly, see how we can work better with you and create a solid parent-school working relationship to benefit our young people.

In order to evaluate our current provision, we need your input. Your views are important in helping us understand what we are doing well and how we can do even better.

Please will you complete and submit the survey (emailed to parents/carers on 8th March)

It should only take a couple of minutes. Please respond within the time frame, ending Monday 18th March. After the given timeframe the link will no longer be valid and your comments may not be included in the survey results.

All responses and suggestions will be carefully considered and used to plan a range of school improvements.

We are working to achieve a LPPA award and create a solid parent-school working relationship

PEG events

Managing and Supporting your child's emotions

On Tuesday 5th March we are excited to host a joint parental engagement event with mental health charity VISYON. This will run from 5:30-7pm and will focus on managing and supporting your child’s emotions. If this is something you would be interested in please can you book using the Microsoft form link https://forms.office.com/e/JVZ4F15aCr (There is a minimum number required for the session to run so please make sure you book using the link).

Managing and supporting your child's emotions PCW Tuesday 05032024 Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College

Sandbach High School & Sixth Form College: Awarded the GOLD STANDARD QUALITY AWARD for Parental Engagement

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