LPPA

Commentary on the mini-portfolio of evidence:

• All the key performance indicators are evidenced and meet the requirements of the award. The LPPA co-ordinator provided a very comprehensive and well organised portfolio.
• The working party is representative of the whole school community.
• There are a range of high quality displays which celebrate aspects of the school’s work, including the numerous clubs on offer.
• The school uses a range of methods of communication. Other documentation shows the very clear lines of communication available to parents.
• A wealth of information is available for the parents on the school’s website and in paper form at the main office.
• Parents lead a range of clubs for pupils including knitting, gardening and art and craft.
• Parent workshops continue to be offered across a broad topic base, including developing a good bedtime routine, cooking, e-safety and specific aspects of the school’s curriculum. This aspect of the award is particularly strong.
• Comprehensive induction material is published for parents.
• Leaders use a variety of ways to gather feedback from parents. This information is then used to help inform aspects of school improvement. Parent questionnaires show that parents are very positive about the school.
• Lots of information about the curriculum is sent home to help parents support their children’s learning.
• Objective 9 Evidence Record is a very reflective document and evidences a school which has a clear vision as to how it will continue to work in partnership with parents.

Commentary on discussions with stakeholders:

Leadership

• Leaders are very reflective practitioners and recognise the value and importance of parents engaging with school. Because of the effective work of the staff and the open nature of the school, parents have built up a high degree of trust.
• The school has a clear, shared vision of how it wants to develop parental engagement in the future.
• The governors are kept very well informed about developments towards the LPPA. Some of the governors contribute to the school’s work in involving parents and as a result have a clear understanding of the positive impact on the whole school community.

Staff

• The staff interviewed demonstrated a commitment to working in partnership with the parents.
• Staff are fully involved in the development of parental engagement. They are very responsive to the needs of parents and are flexible in their approaches.
• Staff are regularly kept up to date regarding aspects of the LPPA award. Approaches developed as the school worked towards the first accreditation have been firmly embedded.
• Staff celebrate that overtime, parents have become more involved in many aspects of school life.

Parents

• A variety of workshops have been organised for parents to help them support their children. Parents have found these very useful.

• Parents feel that communication is a real strength of the school and value the approachability of all staff.
• Documentation parents receive is helpful, informative and free from unnecessary educational jargon.

Pupils

• The pupils interviewed were very proud of their school and clearly enjoy their learning.
• Pupils value their education. They thoroughly enjoy the wide range of opportunities they are given to carry out collaborative tasks with their parents.
• Pupil voice within the school is very well established.

Strengths identified during reassessment:

• The portfolio evidences a range of documentation which reflects a school which strongly believes in working in a true partnership with parents. The documentation provided evidences practices which are firmly embedded in the school’s systems, and not merely produced to evidence KPIs.
• The ways that the school celebrate the contributions of parents are excellent. Parents who work as ambassadors for parental engagement are provided with labelled, high visibility vests, so other parents can identify them easily.

Impact:

• Parents are extremely grateful to a school team who are very approachable and helpful. Those interviewed have been involved in the school for many years and feel that the way parents are involved in school life continues to strengthen. 
• The determination of leaders and staff to work with parents has had such a positive impact. Parents are eager to support the school and attendance at a variety of different events is high.
• Feedback from parents via the various methods used by the school, again reflect the positive relationship between the school and the parent body.

Areas for development:

• Following the impact of COVID-19, increase the number of parents who are key ambassadors for parental engagement.
• Following feedback from parents, further develop the transition arrangements as pupils progress through the school.

Verifier recommendation:

• Southey Green Primary School to be awarded the LPPA Award for a further three years.