The Home-School Partnership

Children thrive when parents are meaningfully involved in their learning.

We at Dundry Primary School place the highest value on the partnership between home and school, and we encourage parental involvement in a wide variety of ways to maximise the role that parents play in the education of their children.

Parent Helpers at School

Parents bring a wide range of useful skills and are always welcome to help in school. No specialist training is required, simply enthusiasm and an ability to relate to children.

Type of Parent Help- What it involves?

Working in the classroom regularly or occasionally under the supervision of the teacher or helping with learning activities. Parents may help individual or groups of children with art and craft, cooking, computer work or reading activities. We also welcome parents who can provide administrative support, and help with displaying children’s work. Parents often accompany outings from school, or help with the annual residential trips to provide a higher ratio of adult-pupil supervision. Help with sporting activities working alongside teachers as part of the curriculum or activities running after school clubs.

Homework Partnership

We believe that our mission of helping children to achieve their maximum potential in a creative, caring environment is significantly enhanced by parents who reinforce the challenges and standards set by the school, and support their children in achieving their best. Parents are therefore actively encouraged to:
• discuss homework activities best suited to their child with staff
• discuss the importance of homework with the child and help develop a sense of responsibility for it
• monitor the child’s understanding of homework tasks
• encourage the use of dictionaries and reference materials in the completion of homework
• encourage wider reading and writing and a love of books
• check completed homework and encourage selfcorrection of errors
• help develop a sense of pride and achievement in work done well.

We greatly value our partnership with parents in helping to achieve the highest possible standards for our pupils. Parental involvement and support in the management of children’s homework is expected, and it is assumed that parents will take an active interest in ensuring that homework is completed satisfactorily and on time.

Curriculum Developments

The school aims to keep parents informed and to consult with them where appropriate on all aspects of curriculum development. This is done in a variety of ways, including presentations, workshops which demonstrate classroom practice, exhibitions of children’s work, written information and one-to-one discussion. A school website is being planned which will be used to help keep parents informed. The Headteacher is always available to parents wishing to discuss any aspect of the curriculum.

Sense of Community

The community spirit engendered in the school is symbolised by highly enjoyable family events such as the End of Year Barbecue, the Christmas Lunch, Sports Day and numerous other occasions run by the PTA.

Parent Teacher Association

Dundry Primary School prides itself on a very active and successful Parent Teacher Association of which all parents and staff are members. It is known as ‘Friends of Dundry School (FODS). It is run by a dedicated committee of volunteer parents who organise a wide range of activities each year with the objective not only of raising significant funds, but also of generating a sense of community and fun in the school, the village and beyond.

The Governing Body

The Governing Body benefits from a number of parent governors who have close links with the children in the classrooms and with other parents in the community.