How to help and support your child with school work

When Professor Charles Desforges, of Exeter University, carried out a Government review in 2003, he came up with some very surprising findings. The main one being that it is parents, not schools, that make the biggest difference to how well pupils achieve in their learning. When Professor Desforges compared ‘good’ schools with good parenting, he found that adults who understand the curriculum and support their children at home could boost children’s learning by 25% more than good schooling alone.

So what can parents do to get involved in their child’s school work?

Show an interest - Many schools have an active Parent Teacher Association. These groups generally raise funds and create social events for staff, pupils and parents in the school. It can be a good way to get to know the parents of your child’s friends and to meet them socially. Make sure you attend parents’ evenings, read the school newsletter and attend any meetings that relate to your child.

Volunteer - If you have spare time on your hands, most schools are keen to have parent volunteers to help with the running of school and supporting children with their learning in class. Volunteer classroom assistants help children with reading and maths and support teachers with daily tasks. If you are unable to commit to volunteering regularly, why not consider accompanying the children on an educational outing?

Help with Homework - As your children get older they will be expected to complete homework, which is a valuable aid to their learning. Home learning however, has most impact when children are younger. The most important support that parents can give their infant child is to talk more. Reading to your child daily helps them to enjoy the patterns, humour and interesting words in stories. Good speakers become good readers and writers and conversation is the key to all learning. Why not try;

- Having quiet times with the tv/music turned off and when you just talk to your child. Remember to listen to them carefully and value what they have to say.

- Talk about the topics they are learning about in school. Are there books you could share on the subject? Talk about your own experiences in the topic.

- Play board games and card games that encourage speaking/questioning/turn taking and having fun.

- Learn a new word every week.

Find a good word in the dictionary and try to use it when you speak to each other. Spell it out together and have it displayed around the house. As you learn one word, choose another to add to your vocabulary. The best writing is done when we write ‘posher than we speak,’ so these words could be a valuable addition to your child’s written work.

All homework should be carried out in a quiet environment and in a clear space. Routine is important, so find a time that suits you both. Some parents find supporting homework stressful. The key is to keep it light and fun and short. Remember, it has been said that a child’s concentration span is a minute longer than their age. Keep this in mind and break up any longer sessions with singing, moving about or doing something different before coming back to concentrating again. Having healthy snacks (like grapes or raisins) can help keep your child interested and alert.

Get up-skilled Schools are aware that learning is different to what it was when parents were educated. They are also expected to try to find ways to help parents to become up-skilled in the lessons their children are experiencing. Some schools support parents through running workshops that help to introduce new approaches to calculations in maths, how phonics are used in reading and writing or even how to get more involved in your child’s general learning through homework. Helping your child can be both enjoyable and productive. If done in the right way, it can bring about amazing results in your child’s learning as well as teaching parents new skills.

For more information on Impact in Learning workshops visit www.impactinlearning.co.uk