15.9.14

Dear Parents / Guardians,

Parent Questionnaire Responses

Governors and staff would like to thank you for taking the time to respond to our recent questionnaire last term.   We were overwhelmed, not only by the numbers of completed questionnaires received (48 of families responded), but also the amount of positive and constructive feedback provided.

We have reviewed and discussed the answers provided in the tick box section as well as the comments and suggestions shared in your additional feedback. Your responses, as they were for last year, were very positive: 100% of the parents that responded feel that their child/ren enjoy coming to and being in school. 98% of the parents feel that their child is safe. 98% of the parents feel that the teaching in the school helps their child to make good progress. 100% of the parents feel that members of staff expect their child to work hard, behave and do their best at all times. 98% feel that the school is managed well and doing the best their child. 94% of the parents feel that the behaviour of pupils is consistently well managed. 96% of parents feel that their child is encouraged to be healthy and to take regular exercise.

However you have highlighted one or two areas where we can still make improvements.   These will be investigated further by staff and in some cases plans have already been put in place.   Our Parent Forum will provide another means to strengthen home to school links and to discuss any areas that you have identified that need further discussion.

Listed below are the key areas and some of the strategies we are putting in place in response to your comments. We have focussed on areas where there was a less than 90% positive response from the replies we received:

Questionnaires: July 2014 (48 of our families responded) – next steps:

• 84% of parents feel that the school responds well to any concerns they have. 8% do not know and 3 people disagree. 98% of parents feel that the school is managed well and doing the best their child.

Action – Headteacher to continue to be at the gate most mornings. Continue Parent Forum as a channel of communication for School Improvement themes. Headteacher to continue to be available and make presence known at Meet the Teacher and Parents Evenings.

• 85% of the parents that responded feel that they are well informed about their child’s progress. 7 people did not agree

Action – Since the questionnaire was sent out and returned we distributed our annual reports for pupils where pupil progress and attainment were closely related to National Expectations. We have received positive feedback from parents as to how useful this information is. We will continue with this style as well as all teachers to link parent evening feedback more tightly to our Pupil Progress Meeting discussions ie discuss with parents where their child is in relation to National Expectations both attainment and progress.

• 84% of the parents that responded feel their child receives the appropriate homework for their age.

Action – whole school homework policy reviewed annually and homework to be monitored. Parents have a divided opinion with regards to homework. Some parents feel there is too much whereas others feel there isn’t enough.

• 81% of the parents that responded in years 1 – 6 feel that their child was helped to settle in well when he or she started at school.       100% of the parents that responded in Reception feel that their child was helped to settle in well when he or she started at school.

Action – The Reception/Year 6 buddy system is extremely effective. We will extend this strategy to pupils that start school in other year groups, especially mid year entries.

• 80% of KS1 parents that responded and 67% of the KS2 feel that there is a good range of clubs. 10 KS1 parents and 15 KS2 do not. 78% of pupils (KS2 pupils were asked) feel that there is a good range of clubs all the time and 22% said sometimes.

Action – Monitor variety and year groups to ensure breadth. Link this area with Parent Forum for further ideas.

In addition to the Parent’s questionnaire, your children may have told you that we also gave them a questionnaire to fill in.   Their views and comments have also been discussed and we have already begun to work with the children, during circle time and through conversations in PSHE (Physical, Social and Health Education), on the areas that they have commented on.

We promised a non-uniform day to the house which returned the most questionnaires. The winner was “Wymarc” and their non-uniform day will be next term.

Yours faithfully

Staff and Governors

Clavering Primary School