Home School Partnership at Prince Albert School

1
Home School Partnership at Prince Albert School

• Sharon Cufflin
• Sally Wilford

2
(No Transcript)
3
Background

• Aston is an inner-city area in Birmingham.
• Recognised as a socially deprived area with free
  school meals around the 55 level.
• Area is populated by a range of different ethnic
  groups.
• In a 2006 government survey Aston was identified
  as a significant divide community because of
  its low levels of home computer ownership (15
  of homes against the national average of 89)

4
(No Transcript)
5
ICT Links - the starting point

• 9 Years ago gave away computers to families
• 15 laptops purchased for class and home use.
• Worked with the UFA to fund teachers online
  during the evening.
• 2002 DfES commissioned study looking at the
  motivational effects of ICT
• 2002 - Computers purchased in a pilot 45
  computers purchased through DfES. Given to year 5
  children.
• Increased motivation clearly evident although
  problems with online access, staff skills,

6

• This partnership between local development
  funds and school has resulted in hundreds of
  families going online. The results have been
  staggering.
• Schools minister Jim Knight,
• BETT 08 Opening speech

7
ICT Home-School ProjectAston, Birmingham

• Sally Wilford
• Lead Teacher, Primary
• ICT Home-School Project
• Aston, Birmingham.

8
This ICT Home-School Project

• Began in September 2006.
• Initially involved 3 primary schools and 1
  secondary school with Prince Albert being the
  lead school.
• In the primaries every child in Year 3 was
  offered a stand alone computer for the home with
  broadband internet access, curriculum software,
  plus installation and technical support for 10 a
  month.
• Don Passey from Lancaster University was to
  evaluate the project.

9
Overall aims of the project

• Address the digital divide.
• Use the child as the primary educator of the
  community.
• To monitor the links between ICT engagement and
  the childrens attainment in core skills,
  particularly numeracy and literacy.
• A learning partnership between the home, the
  school, the L.A, Birmingham City University and
  Aston Pride New Deal for communities.

10
Implementing the Project

• Laptops to support the curriculum in the
  classroom.
• A Project Director, Project Manager and Lead
  Teacher were appointed.
• Aston Pride were to provide technical support to
  the homes.
• A wireless cloud was to provide broadband access
  via the schools filtered service to the homes.
• Suitable software was searched for.
• Online services were investigated.
• Meetings were held to inform parents/carers.

11
What did we do ?

• Project with ITT English students from BCU using
  animation- sent home CDs of work.
• Weekly Numeracy homework.
• Competitions - Mathletics, using Education City
  activities, Fast fingers typing.
• Parents workshops linked to curriculum and
  setting homework to be e-mailed back to school.
• Homework on different countries via Barnaby Bear
  Blog.
• Children e-mail Powerpoint presentations home of
  work done in school to share with family.
• Parents training.

12
Reactions

• Teachers positive and willing to take the
  challenges on board with support and guidance
  throughout the year.
• Parents- some concerns over internet access,
  worry about lack of own skills, children breaking
  computers, enthusiastic about having a computer
  in the home.
• Pupils very excited, motivated and enthusiastic.

13
Initial Challenges for Home Computers

• Getting parents to fill in forms- Not easy to
  fill in, no bank accounts, facilitating paying by
  cash, chasing payments.
• Software and appropriate licences.
• First batch of computers not imaged so software
  had to be put on individual computers.
• What about children who have their own home
  computer accessing software?
• Children living outside of wireless cloud and /or
  not having a home BT telephone line.
• Accessing the helpline successfully.

14
Outcomes

• All year 3 children have access to a computer
  broadband
• Linking with BCU - technology and teaching in
  small groups, producing fantastic animations.
• Parents more involved with childrens homework,
  making comments supporting home learning.
• Parents attending training, workshops accessing
  ICT through home language resources, using
  computers for own needs at home.
• Children doing weekly homework via internet which
  they now understand can be tracked.
• Children motivated to extend own learning far
  more than before.
• Learning more personalised.
• Children have high level ICT skills and are both
  competent and confident ICT users.

15
Findings by Don Passey from Lancaster University

• Initial findings at the end of the first year
• Family access to the computers
• 125 computers were installed.
• 56 Mums used them.
• 88 Dads used them.
• 945 people used the computers. (7.6 people per
  computer )
• 226 people used the computer to support their
  work.

16
How the project has evolved

• 365 Children involved with project from years 2
  to 5.
• Increase in parental involvement.
• Increase in online homework, some now via
  learning our platform.
• Home access to school data commencing Feb 09.
• Phase 3 will involve further schools in Aston.
• Additional funding incentives to train adults.
• By 2011 it is expected that half of the homes in
  Aston will be connected to the internet (2500
  homes)

17
What do you need to make an ICT Home-School
Project successful ?

• Suitable school infrastructure to support laptops
  software, with high level of technical support.
• Headteacher, senior management and governing body
  with vision and willingness to use budget to
  support this.
• Lead teacher for the project within each setting.
• Enthusiastic, proactive class teachers with some
  ICT skills who are given support, training and
  extra time to embed ICT into the curriculum and
  involve parents.
• Planning for all pupils to have a computer with
  broadband access wherever they live.
• Helpline and technical support to ensure home
  computers are kept up and running.
• ENTHUSIASTIC PUPILS These come FREE !

18
Ask me project
19
Ask me project engaging parents in the early
years

• Digital Dialogue established
• Social sharing coffee mornings each half term
• Photos displayed around the school

20
Parents invited to social sharing sessions
21
World Top Hundred Students
22
World Top 50 Classes
23
UK Top 100 students
24
UK Top 50 classes list
25
What the children think of the project
26
(No Transcript)