My colleague Jane Haswell from the Families and Schools Together team told me about this message she had received from Whitecote Primary School recently...
"Hi Jane - The volunteer course : we feel its given our parents a thorough training and a more professional approach to working in school. Parents involved with the course have fed back that its also helped them both with their own children's learning and they've found themselves using some of the display skills in their jobs. From our point of view we feel we have set ground rules for volunteering which are very difficult to do with parents who just appear in the classroom. The volunteers seem more open than expected to working outside their child's year group, I think because they have a better view of whole school needs. One parent is also looking to eventually apply for classroom assistant roles from previous nursery nurse qualifications so we feel more confident in giving her opportunities to develop some group work skills because of the training she has gone through. The accreditation element of the course seemed to motivate parents to remain committed and gave them access to learning which I know in one case will continue now her confidence has built through this course and others. Whitecote staff also commented how good it was to have the assembly and celebrate parents achievements in front of the children, who were very excited. Our Learning Mentor has accessed the training and we are planning the next course for the Spring term to hopefully reach volunteers that couldn't make your slot. We could update you after the spring term if you want as to response to the second round of training and number of volunteers that we have managed to retain.Thankyou once again. Karen Tatham Whitecote Primary"
The FAST team do a brilliant job reaching and supporting parents and carers. If you want to find out more contact Chris Bennett , Jane Haswell or Val Cain.
Chris
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