Parental partnership

We value our partnerships with parents/carers and recognise that strong relationships between home and school have positive impact on a pupil's progress both academically and socially and emotionally. This is particularly important for the pupil with autism that the team around the child use the same strategies, systems and structures to enable the pupil to achieve their potential.

 Parent Partnership Autism Coffee Mornings

In addition to our monthly parent coffee mornings we hold autism enablement coffee mornings once a term, hosted by our Therapy Team and Parent Support Advisor. These mornings provide the opportunity to discuss aspects of diagnosis in a safe, informal environment with other parents and professionals, as well as the chance to network and build supportive links.

Themes for previous autism coffee mornings have been:

• transition
• sensory needs
• communication needs
• socialising in the community

 Our communication with parents/carers

We know that our communication with parents and carers must be accurate, balanced and frequent.

We know that we must respect and utilise the experience and skills of the parent/ carer body. We recognise the importance of always maintaining positive and open lines of communication with parents and carers, and we are committed to doing this is a way that is accessible and helpful but also that is realistic and manageable. 

All Springfields staff recognise that communication is a two way process and aim to ensure that parents are listened to and that any concerns or questions are dealt with in a professional, timely and appropriate manner. 

We aim to ensure that our communications:-

• Keep parents and carers appropriately informed
• Are honest, ethical and professional
• Use language that can be easily understood 
• Are carried out within an agreed time frame
• Use the method most effective and appropriate to the context, message and audience. 

Parent voice is very important to us. Therese Flaherty is our full time Parent Support Advisor. The primary function of her role is to support parents/carers in supporting their children’s education and wellbeing and serve as the main communication support between parents/carers and the Academy. She can be contacted on tflaherty@springfields.wilts.sch.uk

Class Dojo

https://www.classdojo.com/en-gb/?redirect=true

In September these are comments some of our parents/ carers chose to make:

My son has just started in this school and I have seen a lot of change in him.  His less aggressive, more happier and is always looking forward to go to school unlike his previous school.

Feel that the first week has gone well.  Think the staff are working hard.  Love class Dojo.

xxxx has come on leaps and bounds.

So pleased my son has a place here, they understand the challenges autism causes with learning and socialising. Thank you

Fantastic school. So please xxxxx now attends and he absolutely loves going to school which is a big step forward!

My son's teachers are amazing! All staff on site very friendly and helpful.

We communicate regularly with parents, through a weekly phone call from teachers and regular use of Class Dojo, through social media and other more traditional means such as meetings, monthly coffee mornings and newsletters.

Our approach includes:

• updates using both social media and more traditional forms of communications acknowledging parental aspirations and saying how these are addressed
• Ensuring all parents / carers are clear about the role of the Local Governing Body (LGB) and the parent representatives within this body.

The school, through a culture of inclusion, central to the principles of Reach South, is welcoming to pupils and families from different backgrounds, faiths and those of no faith.

In order to help us with all communications, we ask you to make sure that we always have accurate contact details for you and that these are updated if anything should change.