Guidance and support for Parents
We believe very strongly in the partnership between home and school. Children can achieve well at school when their family and friends take an interest in their school and schoolwork. Getting involved in your child’s education, even in the simplest way, shows that you care about their school life. Often, the more supported a child feels at home, the more effectively she or he will learn at school. Whatever your lifestyle, or family situation, it is never too soon (or too late) to start helping a child develop a positive attitude towards learning.
This will support you in knowing the best member of staff to contact first.
We know it is difficult balancing, home, school and work with your little ones. However, it is so true that even 5 minutes a day can help your child. A great place is in the car whilst on a car journey. Children seem to love asking you all those questions and telling you things. You can use this opportunity to help them too! This can be as easy as phonetically sounding out some words and your child has to say the word ie, c-a-t 'cat'. You can ask them to look for numbers on houses or ask them timetables (Year 2 - 2's, 5's and 10's), addition or subtraction questions or even some maths problems. If your little one finds it difficult try to give feedback rather than criticism, e.g. saying ‘that didn’t seem to work’ rather than ‘you got it wrong’. This helps them think about where they went wrong and how they can improve in future, rather than just feeling like a failure. We opt a growth mind set in school, and we encourage the children to not say 'I can't do it' but to say 'I can't do it YET!'
Please check your year group curriculum letters each half-term which will tell you the focus for your child's learning for that term. This will be maths, writing, phonics or handwriting.
Please remember to allow your child to develop at their own pace, but if you do have concerns, please speak to their teacher.
Click on the links below for our guides of how to support your children in Maths and English. In addition, information regarding the phonics schemes used at the school can be found in the curriculum tab.
Extended Support for our families
We know that times can be difficult for families in different ways and at different times. As a school we believe we want to support all our families. We have an open door policy where you can ask to speak to your child's class teacher or any member within the school. If we are not able to support you then there are a number of places we can sign post you to access support. These areas of support can be:
Within our school, locally, national helplines and online.
Family Support
Karen Allan is our family Support worker who works across both the Infant and the Junior School. Karen has a vast amount of experience supporting families over her career. If you would like to have an appointment with Karen please speak to the school office who can pass you her details.
School nursing team
They can support families by providing:
- The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) including your child’s school entry review and year six growth monitoring.
- Support and advice for healthy weight.
- Support for growth and development issues.
- Help if you are worried about your child's health.
- Individual care plans for children with health concerns requiring support in school.
- Support for children with complex health needs.
- Enuresis (bed wetting) advice.
- Child protection, working with young people, parents and other agencies.
- Health promotion, education and training.
- Healthy sleep routine information and advice.
- Emotional wellbeing support and help.
- Parent and young person drop-ins.
- Immunisations, including the HPV vaccination for year eight girls.
- Young person’s sexual health and contraceptive advice.
- Young person’s alcohol advice and support.
- Young person’s support to stop smoking.
- We work in Partnership with all agencies across Southampton.
Each school is part of a cluster which has a public health nurse lead. If you have any concerns about your child’s health or wellbeing you can:
- Contact us by phone or email.
- Speak to your child's school or college.
- Come along and see us at one of our drop-in sessions – ask at your child's school or college for details.
- Request that we come and see you.
- Talk to another health professional who will put you in contact with us.
- Contact your GP.
Public Health Nursing Service
Adelaide Health Centre
Millbrook
Southampton
SO16 4XE
Tel: 0300 123 6661
Email: SNHS.healthvisitingsouthampton.nhs.net or SNHS.publichealthnursingsouthampton.nhs.net
Local Support Services
No Limits is an award-winning, local, independent charity providing a unique combination of prevention, early intervention and crisis support to young people, based on a nationally evidenced model.
They provide information, advice, counselling and support through a range of services available ‘under one roof’.
You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Or maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and who can point you in the right direction to get the support you need for your family.
To help, the Listening Ear service offer 1-1 telephone appointments with a family support adviser for parent carers looking for a listening ear, reassurance and practical and emotional support.
Carers in Southampton supports parent carers to look after their own health and wellbeing. The support from the service includes:
- Help for carers to get in touch with the support and services they need
- An opportunity for carers to get together
- Keeping carers informed about relevant local events
- Letting carers know what their rights and entitlements are
- Enabling carers to have their say
- Offering support when concerned about changes in the life of the person they care for
- Helping carers draw up an 'emergency plan'
- Offering support through a dedicated telephone helpline
Contact: 023 8058 2387
The Buzz Network is a group for Southampton Parents/Carers of Children and young people with a disability or additional needs. It is funded by Southampton City Council who work closely with the Southampton Parent Carer Forum to ensure it is meeting the needs of families.
- Contact: Sam Wiseman - Short Breaks Officer
- E-mail: buzz.network@southampton.gov.uk
Welcome to the journey of Autism. We support families with their journey whether they are at the starting point or on the road. We offer 1-1 support to parent/carers with signposting to relevant agencies, advocacy at meetings for school, CAMHS, housing etc. We can support with form filling and paperwork. We also offer peer to peer matching as well as a group to meet others in similar situations. We promote to reduce isolation for families and hope to increase confidence and acceptance.
Please contact us with any support needs or more information:
Telephone: 07306 411022/07824 995295
Email: southamptonautismservice@gmail.com
Website: Southampton Autism Support Service
- YoungMinds - Parents helpline | Mental health help for your child.
- Mind - Parenting with a mental health problem.
- ECMHC - Early childhood mental health consultation.
We don’t use the phrase “Stranger Danger”, because the vast majority of strangers aren’t dangerous.
We teach children Street Sense instead. This approach gives them strategies to use if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe when out on their own or with friends. They use their Clever radars to help them learn when a situation feels safe or unsafe.
- Clever Never Goes - Child safety program.
Family Lives is a charity with over three decades of experience helping parents to deal with the changes that are a constant part of family life. We know that many people play active roles in raising children, from dads and mums, grandparents, stepparents and non-resident parents. Our role is to support all of you to achieve the best relationship possible with the children that you care about, as well as supporting parenting professionals. We recognise that the best way to support families is to provide professional, non-judgemental support and advice in a way that all members of the family can freely access. We provide this through our 24 hour helpline, extensive advice on our website, our email and live chat services, befriending services, and parenting/relationship support groups.
- Helpline: 0808 800 2222
- Family Lives
- Empty Nest Syndrome
Concerned about Covid-19? You’re not alone. We’ve pooled practical advice on everything from family life to homeschooling. Down-to-earth parenting advice you can trust. We’re on hand to support parents, when you need us. Browse our articles on the most common parenting questions from our experts. Or talk one-to-one with a qualified parenting coach about anything that’s worrying you. It’s all free, and no topic is too big, small, or embarrassing.
Channel Mum is the friendliest and most honest community for mums everywhere. There is always a place for you here, because we know it takes a village to raise a child. You can also chat to other mums and professionals in the Channel Mum Support Group.
Home-Start volunteers help families with young children deal with the challenges they face. We support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children from birth to starting school. Families struggling with post-natal depression, isolation, physical health problems, bereavement and many other issues receive the support of a volunteer who will spend around two hours a week in a family’s home supporting them in the ways they need.
Parents' Information Service gives advice to parents or carers who may be concerned about the mental health or emotional well being of a child or young person.
- Helpline: 0808 802 5544
- Website: Young Minds
- One Plus One is an online relationships resource offering information and support through an interactive website and online courses such as See It Differently designed to help couples see the impact of their arguments on children and learn how to do it differently, and Getting It Right for Children to help separated parents communicate without distressing their children.
- Mums Meet Up connects mums locally and across the UK. It provides a quick and simple solution for mums to find others in their area, in the same boat, and to go on the journey of being a mum together - creating proper real life friendships for them and their children. Within just a few clicks mums are able to search their county and locality to find mums similar by age, age of child and circumstances (such as mums to be, working mums, single parent mums & more). Additionally, mums of children with disabilities are able to search by similar conditions, as well as location.
- Dads House aim is to make sure children remain the priority after divorce, separation or bereavement. There are many ways in which we help dads and families, including offering emotional support, combating loneliness and isolation by being available to chat with Dads on the phone or in-person at our drop-in centre, breakfast clubs, law clinics, food banks and accommodation/housing. Our goal is to have drop-in centres around the UK run by Dads.
- Single Parent Helpline: 0808 802 0925
- One Parent Families/Gingerbread is the leading national charity working to help lone parents and their children.
- Families Need Fathers help with shared parenting issues arising from relationship breakdown whether you’re the mum or dad, married or unmarried (Helpline: 0300 0300 363).
- Grandparents Plus is the only national charity (England and Wales) dedicated to supporting kinship carers - grandparents and other relatives raising children who aren't able to live with their parents (Call: 0300 123 7015).
New Family Social promotes the care and upbringing of children by LGBT adopters and foster carers by allowing these families to socialise and share support in a safe environment. It helps to create a wide pool of adopters and foster carers by raising awareness and encouraging and supporting prospective adopters and carers, and by promoting their utilisation and fair treatment. It also works to advance public awareness and acceptance of these families in the interest of the growing number of children being cared for by them.
- Helpline: 020 3880 2683
Pink Parents offer a range of support services and social activities for all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual families, whether you are considering parenting, have grandchildren, are fostering or adopting or are an Uncle or Aunty, Pink Parents can offer you support and a place to meet new friends.
If you're a gay man or a lesbian, it doesn't mean you have to go through life without having a family of your own. The options available to potential gay and lesbian parents are wider now than ever before.
Being a Step Parent contains over 90 articles written by experts who continually update and add new content.
Useful Websites
Below are links to some useful websites that can be used to support the childrens' learning across the core subjects of literacy and numeracy.
These are intended to complement the childrens' learning in the classroom.
|
Literacy |
Numeracy |
|---|---|
| Lingumi | |
| Phonics Hero | |
| Kaligo | |
| Teach Your Monster to Read | |
| Navigo Game | |
| Fonetti |
Be Safe Online
Ensuring our children are safe when using the internet is of high importance to us at Shirley Infant School. Please take some time to read our guidelines on e-safety.
Home Learning Resources
We have found some great online sites that can help you and your child keep busy for short periods of time at home.
Here is a list of helpful resources:
- Mindkit Wellbeing
- Free Subscriptions Online List
- Oxford Owl for Home - Lots of free resources for Primary age.
- Geography Games - Geography gaming!
- Blue Peter Badges - Earn badges at home. If you have a stamp and a nearby post box!
- The Artful Parent - Good, free art activities.
- Red Ted Art - Easy arts and crafts for little ones.
- The Imagination Tree - Creative art and craft activities for the very youngest.
- Toy Theater - Educational online games.
- DK Find Out - Activities and quizzes.
- Twinkl - This is more for printouts, and usually at a fee, but they are offering a month of free access to parents in the event of school closures.
- Khan Academy - Especially good for maths and computing for all ages but other subjects at Secondary level. Note this uses the U.S. grade system but it's mostly common material.
- BBC Learning - This site is old and no longer updated and yet there's so much still available, from language learning to BBC Bitesize for revision. No TV licence required except for content on BBC iPlayer.
- Openlearn - Free taster courses aimed at those considering Open University but everyone can access it. Adult level, but some e.g. nature and environment courses could well be of interest to young people.
- Blockly - Learn computer programming skills - fun and free.
- Scratch - Creative computer programming.
- Ted Ed - Engaging educational videos.
- National Geographic Kids - Activities and quizzes for younger kids.
- Duolingo - Learn languages free. Web or app.
- Mystery Science - Free science lessons.
- The Kids Should See This - Cool educational videos.
- Crash Course Kids - Educational videos for younger audience.
- Crest Awards - Science awards you can complete from home.
- iDEA Awards - Digital enterprise award scheme you can complete online.
- Paw Print Badges - Free challenge packs and other downloads. Many activities can be completed indoors. Badges cost are optional.
- Tinkercad - Online 3D making.
- Prodigy Maths - Is in U.S grades, but good for UK primary age.
- Cbeebies Radio - Listening activities for youner ones.
- Nature Detectives - A lot of these can be done in a garden, or if you can get to a remote forest location!
- British Council - Resources for English language learning
- Big History Project - Aimed at secondary age. Multi-disciplinary activities.
Maths Guidance and Challenges
Please find attached the home learning for each year group. To help your child at home please practice the activities suggested on the attachments below. The key is practising little and often. If you need any extra help please ask your child's class teacher who will be more than willing to help.
Year R
Year 1
Year 2
Helpful resources
Maths Challenges
Please find some extra Maths challenges attached below.
Reading and writing Guidance and activities
Please click on the following links for guidance on how you can help your child with their reading and writing at school.
Reading Activities
Please click on the link below for free resources from Education City
Julia Donaldson's Top Tips for Reading
Your Childs Progress
How will my child’s progress be monitored at school?
Your child’s class teacher will regularly monitor the progress he/she is making at Shirley Infant School in a wide range of subject areas. Most regular assessment is made against the core areas of learning – Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Year Leaders review progress of the whole year group to check everyone is on course to reach their targets. They discuss with class teachers how to provide extra support for children who may not be making expected progress. This may be additional support from a teaching assistant, activities to do at home or extra practice in class.
How often is progress assessed?
Ongoing assessments happen each time a lesson is reviewed by class teachers. Children are given learning objectives for each lesson so they know what they should try to achieve. They know these as ‘I can’ statements. Children are then expected to evaluate how well they have achieved the learning objectives, and use a colour code to show how well they think they have understood. They get better at self assessment as they progress from Year R to Year 2.
There are key assessment points each half term when children are assessed in Reading, Writing and Maths. These assessments are recorded on a tracking sheet so that teachers can track progress from one term to another and from one year to another.
How can I know about my child’s progress?
Your child’s teacher will talk to you about the progress your child is making each time you meet for a parent/teacher meeting. These happen in the Autumn and Spring terms. In the Summer term class teachers write a full report covering progress and attainment. At parents’ evenings you will be given target cards that will tell you what your child is currently working towards.
There are opportunities for you to come into school to review your child’s progress by looking through their books with your child. You will be able to see from their ‘I can’ statements what they are focussing on and you will be able to see in the following pieces of work if they are achieving their targets. Your child should be able to talk about their own targets and will enjoy showing their work to you.
Teachers read regularly with your child in school and make notes in a home/school reading diary. By looking at the comments made by the teacher and other adults who read with your child you will be informed about the progress your child is making. There are often targets to work on which we ask you to help with. Practice at home makes a huge difference to your child’s progress.