Family School Partnerships

Helping Australian and New Zealand Schools Develop Positive Family School Partnerships

Beyond educational achievement, parental engagement is associated with having a positive impact on various indicators of student development

Some of the benefits of parental engagement include:

• More regular school attendance    
• Better social skills,
• Improved behaviour
• Better adaptation to school
• Increased social capital 
• A greater sense of competence and efficacy for learning

Considered broadly, parental engagement consists of partnerships between families, schools and communities, raising parental awareness of the benefits of engaging in their children's education, and providing them with the skills to do so. International research has shown that parental engagement (of various kinds) has a positive impact on many indicators of student achievement, including:

• Higher grades and test scores
• Higher successful completion of classes
• Higher graduation rates
• Enrolment in higher level programs and classes
• Lower drop-out rates
• A greater likelihood of post- secondary education

Are your families fully engaged in your school community?

INNATE Education's 'Family School Partnership' programs provide the perfect opportunity for the school community to learn about ways to fully engage families within the school context and provide strategies to enable the successful embedding of a 'Family School Partnerships' culture. These programs provide a transformational experience where students, staff and parents receive expert training and gain new perspectives on what it means to be truly engaged in their child's learning and the school and wider community.  These sessions will scaffold ways to implement various 'Family School Partnership' initiatives relevant for your unique school context, aimed at supporting families to bridge the divide between home and school and to engage parents for learning, through learning and about learning.

INNATE Education can tailor an individual program to meet the needs of your school context.

You can select from a wide range of 'Family School Partnerships' and 'Parent Engagement' topics including:

• 'Family School Partnerships'- Where do we begin?
• 'Community Conversations' facilitated by 'INNATE Education' staff
• A paradigm shift from 'Inward' to 'Outward' focussed schools
• Building your schools Capacity to lead 'Family School Partnerships'
• 'Parental Engagement' Versus 'Parental Involvement'
• 'Family School Partnerships'  a case study and tour of innovative and successful 'FSP' schools
• Parents and friends 'What's Working Well' and 'Even Better If' group feedback sessions
• Staff 'What's Working Well' and 'Even Better If' group feedback sessions
• Student 'What's Working Well' and 'Even Better If' group feedback sessions
• School Leadership Professional Learning - "'Lead the Leaders" in implementing and embedding 'Family School Partnerships'
• School Board Professional Learning - Why is 'Family School Partnerships' core work?
• Full Staff Professional Learning - ' Creating a Family School Partnerships culture '

Family School Partnerships' courses can be tailored in length from a half day, full day or 2 day program.  If you would like any additional information regarding the above programs, please feel free to contact us.

"When parents engage with their children’s learning, children’s learning outcomes improve and schools perform better ... irrespective of parental income or student background" Butler 2010

"…supporting families to bridge the divide between home and school, to understand the culture and language of schooling and building parent capacity and self-learning can be important innovations to overcome the effects of poverty on children’s learning outcomes" Hattie 2009

'Family-school and community partnerships are re-defining the boundaries and functions of education. They enlarge parental and community capacity; they create conditions in which children learn more effectively. In these ways they take education beyond the school gates'. Muller 2009

Parent Engagement 360º Review

'INNATE Education' staff will meet with parents, staff and students and conduct a full 360 degree review of the school's 'Family School Partnerships and 'Parent Engagement' status.  Once the review is complete we will work with key stakeholders to design, develop and implement a thorough, meaningful and comprehensive 'Family School Partnerships and Parent Engagement' program specifically targeted to meet the needs of the school community.

International Study Tour

"Leading Family School Partnerships" Study tour: Los Angeles and Santé Fe, New Mexico (September, dates to be confirmed early 2015)

This study tour builds the capacity of schools and school leaders in particular, and promotes schools and communities working more effectively together as part of the school improvement agenda.

• The importance of the history and culture of the land and its impact on schools and community.
• The role of strong and committed leadership with a clear vision that was reinforced by school and community leaders.
• Understanding of the connection between culture and community.
• A focus on becoming an outward facing school where an 'outward facing school' leads community transformation as part of its strategic role in working in partnership with others
• An understanding of how critical the quality of relationships are to learning.

Family Engagement in Action school tours

Meet at the first designated lead 'FSP' School and have a live tour and presentation from the host school on their FSP journey. Then board the bus and visit 2-3 other leading 'Family School Partnerships' and 'Parent Engagement' schools. Return to original school for de-brief and conclusion.

About Jamie Madigan

Jamie is a well renowned and key educational leader in the area of 'Family School Partnerships' and 'Parent Engagement'. He presented at the 6th ACU International Conference on Educational Leadership- Paradox and Possibility 12-14 August 2013, Sydney, where he presented a 90 minute workshop titled: 'Leading in Partnership- A paradigm shift from inward to outward focussed schools' He also delivered a 90 minute presentation at the 2013 'Wellbeing & Community Partnerships Conference' in November 2013 titled 'Engaging families in school communities'. He has also been actively sought out to present on 'Family School Partnerships' to various school leaders throughout Australia