In Practice: Ask the experts
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Q: How can study support help improve attendance?
A: Some truants stay away from school because they experience failure there, and study support can help them catch up, eliminating their motivation for truancy. Study support enables pupils to experience success in something they are interested in and have chosen for themselves.
It increases their enthusiasm and confidence, which, in turn, raises their attainment and sense of personal achievement. It also enables children to interact with other children and adults in an informal environment, which gives them a sense of belonging, thus boosting inclusion.
Q: How can study support help gifted pupils?
A: Because study support takes place in an informal context, it can help strengthen pupil-teacher relationships. This helps enable staff to identify and develop their gifts and talents, and to discover the most effective ways of engaging with them. Study support can also be planned to involve parents and carers as co-educators. This encourages home-school partnerships, recognised as being of benefit to gifted and talented pupils. Study support also gives them a chance to shine without feeling self-conscious or "different".
Bringing in expertise from other places, for example, higher education, can also provide opportunities for teachers to develop their subject knowledge and to expose them to new ways of approaching similar tasks.
Q How can my staff effectively engage children in special schools?
A: A number of factors are central to this: the commitment, drive and motivation of the head teacher and staff within each school to deliver a range of extended services and out-of-school learning opportunities tailored to meet the needs of the pupils and families; partnerships with a range of agencies, specifically health and social care professionals; high levels of expertise and expertly trained staff meeting the individual needs of pupils; recognition of the importance of multi-agency collaboration to achieve better outcomes for children and families; and creative, innovative ideas and determination.
- Your questions answered by 4Children and ContinYou's consultancy services. If you have a question, please email colin.hamilton@haymarket.com
