1 st May 2008

1. 1st May 2008 Home access and parental support Exploiting technologies to support parental engagement including online reporting Mike Briscoe – Director, Institutions, Leadership and Safeguarding

2. What parents say(Parents’ Involvement in Children’s Education survey 2007) • 57% would like to be updated termly or more often • 79% would find web access to reports on their child very or quite appealing Helps me support my children’s school work. I can share and contribute to my child’s learning when I’m away. Helps me contact schools via email and receive training in using ICT Gives me information about which websites I can encourage my children to use

3. What is government saying? “Parents we consulted over the last six months all said they wanted to be more involved in their children’s education. And schools see the benefits of greater engagement with parents...We know from schools around the country that if families are going to be involved really effectively, they need a good two way flow of information - a channel which is more efficient and more frequent than a once a year written report, or a letter home when there is a problem or a cause for celebration. Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Learners at the BETT Show January 2008

4. The parent premium Parental involvement in a child’s schooling between ages 7 and 16 is a more powerful force than family background, size of family and level of parental education.Feinstein, L & Symons, J. Oxford Economic papers, 51 (1999) Effect of parents / effect of school

5. What is it that makes a difference? A father’s interest in a child’s schooling is strongly linked to educational outcomes for the child (Hobcraft. CASE briefing Nov 1998) It is the ‘at-home’ relationships and modelling of aspirations which play the major part in impact on school outcomes (Desforges 2003) Very high parental interest is associated with better exam results than for children whose parents show no interest (NCDS 1999) Pupils’ achievement in the schools where the impact of parental involvement was [judged to be] outstanding had clearly improved. (Ofsted 2007) …It’s what parents do, rather than who they, are that counts They [parents] should be supported… providing the results of periodic assessments for parents in an easy to understand format, (2020 Vision: recommendations)

6. Parents will be contacted by a staff member at secondary school before their child starts at the school; Parents will be able to attend information sessions at the new school; Every child will have a personal tutor who knows them in the round, and acts as a main contact for parents; Parents will have regular, up to date information on their child’s attendance, behaviour and progress in learning; Parents Councils will ensure that parents’ voices are heard within the school; Parents’ complaints will be managed in a straightforward and open way. Parental engagement Department for Children, Schools and Families The Children’s Plan Building brighter futures Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families by Command of Her Majesty December 2007

7. Learner Access from home Home and course work Access to resources Access to materials Email exchanges Parent and learner days Community information SMS texting Parents resources Online reporting Mobile phone alerts Electronic reports Parent School

8. Learner Computers for Pupils Home Access Programme Real-time reporting Parent School

9. Empowering Children and Families enabling home access to technology for all What do teachers think? What do heads think? Videos available on rm.com

10. Access to technology at home can offer • increased opportunities to access resources, support and interaction • continuity of learning between school and home, but also to bring informal learning to school • improved motivation and engage learners • development ICT skills and competencies • improved attainment • provide a focus for dialogue between parents and learners that supports motivation and achievement • help support a ‘culture of learning’ within the wider community.

11. What is the problem? • The high growth in computers and connectivity is now slowing • 39% of UK households still not online • 1.5m school age children with no access to a home computer • 2.5m school age children don’t have access to the internet at home • Real imbalance between the have and have nots • Increasing digital divide • Impact in many schools on offering opportunities to all

12. What is being done? • Minister’s Task Force • January 2007 – April 2008 • Report to Minister May 2008 • Public consultation • Testing ideas and exploring opportunities • Focus on benefits for all • Not just learners, but the wider family • Focus on education, but does not ignore other benefits

13. Achieving Universal Home Access will provide everyday benefits for all Family and Society Family & Learner Health(NHS Direct) SocialNetworking(Opportunities for all) Learner Parental Engagement Online Reporting Home ICT=+0.5 grade=+9% 5A-Cs Personal Cost Savingse.g. energy, holidays insurance Government Services(CLG savings – estimate at £80m) Improved behaviour and lower truancy rates Communications(potential for free phone calls) Skills and employability(e.g. 10 unique community users for every computer)

14. Future activity Maximising benefit Convincing parents Removing barriers • Advice and guidance for schools • Training and support for parents • Links between government schemes • Support for learners • Linking home access to other benefits • The value of technology in supporting learning • The type of access learners need • How they can use technology for other benefits • Making purchase easier • Reducing cost for most disadvantaged • Identifying suitable solutions • Reducing admin burden

15. Learner Computers for Pupils Home Access Programme Online information Parent School

16. Computers for Pupils • 2 year initiative to provide 100,000 pupils in the most deprived homes with computers and internet access • Over 1000 schools • Second year - 50,000+ homes benefiting already • Becta mini-competitions and connectivity offer • Additional funding so more learners can benefit (Now £90m) • 10% of most deprived backgrounds will have benefited from chance to access technology and the internet from home • Funding solely for the technology

17. Why now and what can you do? • Currently, only certain groups have access and support • Universality makes it worth making changes e.g. communicating with parents, engaging pupils What can be done • How much do you take advantage of home access? • How could home access assist you with your priorities? • Have you reviewed your ICT strategic planning?

18. Learner Computers for Pupils Home Access Programme Real-time reporting Parent School

19. The principles: Extending what is already good practice Making best use of what is already in place and available Efficient and effective practice (enter once, use many times) Not a duplication or replacement of the annual report Developing sustainable approaches and processes (including assessment and recording) Learner Parent School The rationale To improve the quality of dialogue between schools, learners and parents to support the immediate, emerging and developing needs of learners.

20. What can we expect? • The expectation is that by September 2010 all secondary schools will need to offer parents the opportunity for secure online access to learner information wherever they are and whenever they want and that primary schools must also meet the online requirement by 2012. • Secondary schools should already be looking at how they can improve their practice and sharing that learning with others, they are encouraged to engage with this now and not to wait until the 2010 deadline arrives.  • Many primary schools are already active and developing good practice, they too need not wait until the target date – they can already be benefiting from the move towards online reporting and start supporting the improvement dialogue right away. 20

21. What can we expect? • The expectation is that by September 2010 all secondary schools will need to offer parents the opportunity for secure online access to learner information wherever they are and whenever they want and that primary schools must also meet the online requirement by 2012. • Secondary schools should already be looking at how they can improve their practice and sharing that learning with others, they are encouraged to engage with this now and not to wait until the 2010 deadline arrives.  • Many primary schools are already active and developing good practice, they too need not wait until the target date – they can already be benefiting from the move towards online reporting and start supporting the improvement dialogue right away. Move to online access for all parents 2010 for Secondary schools 2012 for Primary schools 21

22. Clarification of expectations: information Exploiting technology affords an opportunity for information to be provided and/or accessed at appropriate frequencies, when it is relevant, at a time that best suits schools, learners and parents and to a level of confidence and quality that enables a richer dialogue between all parties (school, learners and parents). From letter to Partners 6 March 2008: • Ministers are pleased, in the light of the positive discussions, that schools and partners also wish to see a discernible difference in the quality and frequency of information between parents, learners and schools.  22

23. Clarification of expectations: information Exploiting technology affords an opportunity for information to be provided and/or accessed at appropriate frequencies, when it is relevant, at a time that best suits schools, learners and parents and to a level of confidence and quality that enables a richer dialogue between all parties (school, learners and parents). From letter to Partners 6 March 2008: • What works in your school • For learners • For parents • For you • …it must be getting better • Ministers are pleased, in the light of the positive discussions, that schools and partners also wish to see a discernible difference in the quality and frequency of information between parents, learners and schools.  23

24. Clarification on expectations: frequency The good practice that already exists clearly shows that termly engagement is highly effective, however Ministers are content at this stagenot to specify termly reporting provided that both current best practice is shared and adopted and there is discernible improvement against the current baseline.  Clearly we all wish to see best practice become universally adopted and for technology to be exploited to show improvements in [for] parent/school/learner directly. From letter to Partners 6 March 2008: 24

25. Clarification on expectations: frequency The good practice that already exists clearly shows that termly engagement is highly effective, however Ministers are content at this stagenot to specify termly reporting provided that both current best practice is shared and adopted and there is discernible improvement against the current baseline.  Clearly we all wish to see best practice become universally adopted and for technology to be exploited to show improvements in [for] parent/school/learner directly. From letter to Partners 6 March 2008: NOT requiring Thrice-yearly reportsif we demonstrate improvement 25

26. Managing system change Information management systems deliver a core - to share the important and appropriate data the school already collects to deliver annual reporting Learning platforms and other technologies offer added-value - including secure parental access • Exploiting what’s already available • Better use of existing systems for reporting – no new data demands • Reviewing current practice • Review of demands and expectations for data use and management • Review of capability and capacity of existing systems • Review of existing practice • … helping schools build on current basis of annual reporting • Attendance • Behaviour • Special Educational Needs • Achievement • Progress reporting • … and develop improved practice • A range of approaches to improve systems, processes and practice in schools 26

27. Exploiting technologies to support parental engagement including online reporting Learner Timely Mentoring Dialogue Meaningful Manageable Parent School Partnership

28. ??? MIS 2010 2012 Aspirational and innovating Real-time access, reporting and dialogue Exploiting technology Recording and reporting Workforce involvement Parental engagement Coherent and embedded Moving in a number of areas Developing new approaches Absolute basis of reporting supported by ICT (MIS) Little in place

29. A range of resource and advice Framework, guidance and actions Video case studies School experiences Presentations Advocates Hothousing

30. Framework for review Practical guidance on how to consider what is right for your school, to determine benefits and priorities Review material designed to support peer review and assist with action planning – content developed by school practitioners 34

31. School experience and online diaries Online, searchable and scalable school experiences (case studies) and diaries showing experiences, tips, ideas, support and links to resources 35

32. Home access engaging families Video available on rm.com

33. Learner Timely Mentoring Dialogue Meaningful Manageable Parent School Partnership

34. Questions? • An understanding of what parents say they want • The opportunities to improve parental engagement • Information about • Home Access and Computers for Pupils programmes • Real-time Reporting for parents • Becta’s support for parental engagement and how to find out more Visit us online at www.becta.org.uk Contact: engagingparents@becta.org.uk mike.briscoe@becta.org.uk