A PARENT’S help parents/carers get the support that they need, when they need it so that GUIDE their children can do as well as possible at school. For children to do well at HELPING YOUR CHILD school, the child, the parent/carer and TO DO WELL AT SCHOOL the school need to work together, and IN SOUTH BELFAST relationship with your child’s school and particularly to the East Belfast Partnership who have helped us to develop this guide, helping parents and families across Belfast City. Here are some things you will need to do Choosing a School • Visit the school, and attend parent meetings, open nights and inductions. Starting a new school is exciting but can hold some challenges, such Meet your child’s teacher. as making new friends, and learning new things, not only for your • child but for you too. If your child will be age 4 by the 1st of July, • Ask about uniform, school lunches and facilities. then they will begin school in September. • Ask your child if they like the school, do they have Here are some tips to help make it as easy as possible: friends going there? • Ask other parents for advice. Before choosing1 • Stay well ahead of any deadlines. Keep up to date with relevant information, and keep an eye on local Next steps papers and websites. Here are some things that you need to know: Collect application forms and guidance notes from the school What are the local schools? • • or the Belfast Education Library Board. What do you need to know and do to get a place, what are the • Fill out the form, be as accurate as possible and include all deadlines for applying? • relevant information (schools or support contacts can help • What is the uniform like, what are the facilities, and how do with this). you pay for school lunches? • Find out the application deadline at www.belb.org.uk • When is the school open, is there an after schools homework Tel. 028 90564000. club, and what other things does the school do? • Hand in the form in January, BEFORE the deadline. • How will you get to the school for pick up and drop off? • Does the school have a good reputation? What do other For more information visit www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk parents say about the school? click on ‘Choosing a school’. Starting School Here are a couple more ways to prepare your child Before your child’s first day at school or nursery, there are some for school skills that it is good for them to know, to help make the first day a bit smoother. Below is a list of skills that parents can usually • Visit the school with your child, to see the classroom and meet teach or show their children to help prepare them for school. the teacher. Make sure your child can: • Chat to your child about starting school, and what it will be like. • Hold a crayon • Make sure you have uniform, a school bag and a pencil all ready • Put on or take off their coat and hat for the first day, and anything else they will need. • Go to the toilet and wash and dry their hands • Children should have a change of clothes for their first year of school, in case of accidents. • Eat a snack and lunch on their own Make sure your child is aware that they will be without you Listen to others while they are talking • • while at nursery or school, and practice this beforehand. • Follow instructions • Answer questions when asked After starting school • Recognise colours • Encourage your child about their new school by asking them • Recognise their own picture about their time at school, what they have done and what they • Put on their own shoes have learnt • Play alone and in groups, sharing toys. • Ask about the friends they are making. Visit www.early-years.org for more information, using the parents section for advice on preparing your child for nursery, or More information visit www.nidirect.gov.uk and click on the telephone 028 9066 2825. Schools, Learning and Development section. Help with homework As homework gets more difficult, your child might need to use a computer. If you don’t have a computer at home, why not use one in the school, after schools clubs, or your local library. The library computers have internet access and can be used for free. It is free to borrow books from a library. South Belfast Libraries: A Helping Hand Finaghy Library 38B Finaghy Road South , Belfast, Help with money BT10 0DR Tel: 028 9050 9214 • Is your child going on a school trip that is too expensive? Why Minicom: 028 9050 9214 not ask the school for support. Some schools have special Email: [email protected] funds that might3 help with school trips. If the school uniform is too expensive, contact the Library • Lisburn Road Library Board to request some support. Visit www.belb.org.uk, and 440 Lisburn Road click on the Parents and Students section to see what help may Belfast be available. BT9 6GR Tel: 028 9050 9223 The Library Board can also help with school meals. Visit the • Minicom: 028 9050 9223 website www.belb.org.uk to find out how this works, and what Email: [email protected] help is available. • Are uniform and school books expensive? Are there other parents who share this opinion? Ask your school to run second Ormeau Road Library hand days! 247 Ormeau Road Belfast For information on who can get support, visit www.adviceguide.org.uk, BT7 3GG and click on the Northern Ireland section, then Education, and Tel: 028 9050 9228 School Education to find out about support for school meals, uniform, Minicom: 028 9050 9228 and transport. Email: [email protected] Dealing with a difficult situation You and the School Most parents at one time or another during their child’s education will have to deal with a difficult situation. This may be a child’s Don’t be worried about communicating with your school, the staff misbehaviour in school, or requesting extra support for your child, will want to hear from you. There are some key people in your school but either way it can be difficult. Below are some tips to help that you should try to meet at the start of the year. connect with your school at these times. • Go to the Parent Teacher evenings, Parent mornings, and First things first school events4 to meet the principal, your child’s teacher, the parent worker, and anyone who looks after your child. • If a situation arises, your first point of contact should be your child’s teacher, or the principal, to get all the information, and Ask for the contact details of the schools Special Educational • if needed, guidance. Needs Coordinator (the SENCO). Try to stay calm so that the situation doesn’t escalate further. • Who do you contact for closure dates and information about • school fees? Make sure you keep a copy of this persons contact • If there have been several incidences, keep a written record. information. • Speak to the school on how to proceed, and if needed speak to • Keep a copy of any letters from the school, and your child’s the parent worker or outside advisors. reports in file and keep it somewhere safe. • If there has been no progress in dealing with the situation, look • Get involved in the PTA, or the Board of Governors, be part of at contacting the school board of governors. decisions that will affect your child. • Never feel that you cannot speak with the school staff. They are • Go to events held in the school and volunteer to help organise there to educate your child and your relationship with them is these events. very important. Assessing your child Special Educational Needs If the school is unable to meet your child’s need on its own, you can request BELB to make a statutory assessment. A parent can make If you are worried about your child’s progress in school, the first step this formal request in writing, or the school principal may offer to is to speak to your child’s teacher, the school SENCO or Principal. write and request the statutory assessment on your behalf. • Ask the teacher if they think your child is having more difficulty If you are writing the request yourself, you must include the than others in the class. right information, and submit the form before the deadline. For information on what to include in the request letter, contact the Is help already5 being given? Special Educational Needs Advice Centre (SENAC) on 028 9079 5770. • Children have different levels of need, and so help is given on a • Once you have written and sent off the letter: five stage basis. Ask which stage your child is on. • Stages 1-3 take place in school. At stage 2 an Individual • Keep a copy of the letter, and the date it was sent on. You Education Plan will be drawn up. It will outline targets, how should get a reply within six weeks. they will be achieved, and a date to review progress. Parents The reply will let you know whether the Board will carry out an should be kept informed, and given tips to help support their • assessment or not. child at home. At stage 3, external help can be given. Stages 4 and 5 focus on statutory assessment and statements. • If the Board does not make an assessment, you can appeal to the For more information visit www.deni.gov.uk, and use the Special Educational Needs Tribunal.