This section covers in more depth UTC South Durham's parental engagement strategy. Their approach and the impact it has had (including the thoughts of our parents themselves) with actionable takeaways for individual practitioners, leaders and other stakeholders in education.
Key Points Summarising Session 2
This session focuses further on Parental Engagement and its outcomes
- How do we know we are successful? The UTC acknowledges that they are not perfect and this area continues to evolve and develop and be a work in progress.
- One of the key ways in which the UTC captures parents' views is through the Ofsted Parent View report https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/ . Through this parents can contribute their viewpoint on their students' education provider. South Durham UTC do this yearly and occasionally more than once in a year to get parents' views. This is used to gauge parental views and comments and analysis has shown that most parents 97% would recommend South Durham UTC as an education provider to other parents. This is a really powerful tool. The UTC also asks parents to directly feedback their views and thoughts. , and give this opportunity through the Ofsted View Report.
- Additional measures and outcomes for engaging with parents and gaining their views are undertaken via:
- Parent evenings - 90% attendance.
- General feedback.
- Parent Ambassadors - volunteers form the parental community who choose to work with the UTC to support prospective parents and choices especially as students join at age 14.
- Parent Trustee recently recruited 6 put themselves forward and 150 voted.
The positive Impact of these initiatives on the young people feed through to improved outcomes for students and improved attendance for students. South Durham UTC are very focused on the individual student and what is in their best interest to help them achieve their full potential.
The Parent Journey
South Durham UTC works hard to take parents with them on the journey, and as such focus on certain touch points. The 1st thing being that students join at the age of 14 and change their education provider to join South Durham UTC.
- This kicks off with a pre-application/pre visit process and approach. There is an online application and there is then regular contact, the school makes sure every student and every parent is met face to face. This builds the relationship and connections from the start, and reaps rewards.
- Once a place has been offered still a lot of engagement and touch points before students start in September each year. This engagement focuses on the style of education and the culture of the UTC and what they can expect and what they are signing up to. Focused on clear values and vision for the school and this is shared with parents and potential students so that they are clear what the school is like and expectations. The message is very clear, open and honest and is well communicated so that parents and staff and students are all brought into the vision.
- Post place offer again there is a focus on keeping in touch with for example family STEM events. There is clear communication and expectations from the go get, and this is an intentional approach to the engagement.
- Once the student has joined in September, at the start of the year time is spent onboarding students and also parents, and this is cemented at the end of September each year with new students showing parents around their new school. In addition South Durham UTC have a community agreement shared with parents and that sets things out for the student and parents i.e. what each party will do i.e. school, parents and students so all are signed up. As an on-going strand of communication there are also student-led conferences and there is continuing ongoing communication to build on relationships and positive contact through their crew leader (tutor/mentor). This then means if there are some issues these can be addressed and supported through positive action and feedback to parents through good communication.
