PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT & SUPPORT

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

At St. Catherine’s every member of our school community is important; each child is known by their name and valued for their strengths as a unique and special individual created by God. I hope that you, as the primary educator of your child, will feel able to become fully involved in the life of our school. Our mission statement expresses the purpose of the school and expresses how the school’s faith life is at the centre of all our activities. Our children, our parents, our staff, our governors and the wider community all have a vital role to play in the school’s successes and we are continuously looking to improve on our previous best in order to continue to raise standards in the widest sense.

We warmly welcome the contribution made to the life of the school by parents, parishioners and members of the local community. Anyone who has a special talent, or who simply has spare time which they are willing to use for the benefit of the school, is urged to contact the Headteacher. We believe that by working together we are better able to develop the child's potential and establish a strong relationship between home and school.

Parents also provide the school with invaluable feedback about our strengths and areas for further development. This may be in the form of questionnaires, focus group work, or surveys at school functions. Your participation in these activities is vital.

COMMUNICATION

Open nights are held at regular intervals, with time set aside when parents are invited to view and discuss their children’s work. Each child receives a written annual school report at the end of the Summer Term. Parents also have the right of access to information on their child. Access to children’s records must be arranged through the Headteacher.

Parents are warmly invited to attend the regular School Masses, Assemblies and other events. We run Family Learning courses for parents during the year, covering areas such as Numeracy, literacy, ICT. We also run Classroom Assistant courses periodically.

Newsletters are emailed home at least twice a half term, and as the need arises. School and Community events are also advertised on the Parents’ Noticeboard in the school yard and our School Memo on the home page.

PARENTAL SUPPORT

Susan Jenkins is St Catherine's Family Support Partner. Susan organises and co-ordinates many programmes and activities such as support group sessions; counselling services for friendship issues, bereavement, bedwetting and divorce; adult education courses and speakers on subjects such as cyber-bullying and first aid.

Please ask!
If there is anything you're concerned about that isn't covered here please do ask, it's likely that Susan will be able to advise or at least point you in the right direction.

Susan is in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can be contacted on these days on 07506 221429 or susan.jenkins@stcatherinesnewcastle.org

Support

One of Susan's roles is to work with parents at the first signs of social, emotional, health or behavioural issues in their children, to ensure that every child arrives at school ready to learn. Susan provides support and guidance early on to prevent problems worsening and interfering with a child's ability to engage with school life.

Susan's here to advise you about who to turn to for support for your child and yourself. Where more than one organisation is involved, Susan acts as co-ordinator and can arrange for everyone to sit around one table to discuss what can be done for the best outcome for your child.

There are many familiar organisations that can support you and also some that you may not have heard of or not even have thought of - Susan can advise you, pinpoint the most appropriate and make a referral.

School health advisors

School health advisors are registered nurses who specialise in working with children and young people.

Newcastle Families Information Service
A guide to local organisations, childcare and events

Barnardos North East
On average every year we work with around 23,360 children, young people and their families in the North East. We provide over 70 services – each one of them different.

Change for Life
Eat well, move more, live longer - here's how

Family Learning
All parents want their children to do well at school and to succeed. However, many simply don't know where to start. Everything seems to have changed since your own schooldays, and you don't want to confuse your children by using different methods to their teacher. Family Learning can help.

Sure Start
Children's centres provide a variety of advice and support for parents and carers. Their services are available to you from pregnancy right through to when your child goes into reception class at primary school.

Welfare Rights and Money Advice
Here, you will find many pages of benefit and tax credits information; benefit office contact details; how to claim and appeal; benefit changes and where to get advice. And you can sign up for a benefit bulletin. There is also an area on debt and money advice.

Attendance
Susan also has the role of nipping early truancy in the bud, and is the person who will call home to find out why a child is not in school. She works closely with Attendance Officers but is always the first point of contact and will try to get to the bottom of attendance or punctuality issues.

Engaging with St Catherine's
Susan can arrange 'meet the teacher' sessions for families new to the school. She actively promotes effective communication between parents and teachers about their child's progress, through parents' evenings and throughout term time.

Susan also encourages parents to volunteer for school activities and involvement with the Friends of St Catherine's.

Transition
The transition into Secondary School can be a daunting time for you and your child. Transitional sessions will be included in your child's timetable, throughout Year 6. More information regarding these sessions will be given to your child when needed.

Learning opportunities for parents
Susan can provide learning opportunities for parents at St Catherine's through Newcastle Family Learning. Subjects include ICT, Numeracy, Literacy, Exercise, Arts and Crafts.

Contact Susan
Susan is in school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and can be contacted on these days on 07506 221429 or susan.jenkins@stcatherinesnewcastle.org