EMPOWERING BLACK PARENTS Dr Lorna Cork

[email protected] Supporting Black pupils and parents

EMPOWERING EMPOWERING BLACKBLACK

PARENTS PARENTS Dr Lorna CorkDr Lorna Cork


3 Es for Empowerment3 Es for Empowerment

EXPERTEXPERT

EARLYEARLY

EFFECTIVEEFFECTIVE


Why empowerment for Why empowerment for especially Black Parents:especially Black Parents:

GENERAL GENERAL

Lower Lower attainment: attainment: especially boysespecially boys

5A* to C5A* to C

5A* to C including 5A* to C including English and English and Maths Maths

Higher Higher exclusion exclusion rates: rates: especially boysespecially boys


Why empowerment for Why empowerment for especially Black Parentsespecially Black Parents

Where a white Where a white person can go person can go and get a job, and get a job, you’ve got to you’ve got to have three times have three times the amount of the amount of qualifications for qualifications for you to even get you to even get to that position. to that position.

That’s why That’s why you’ve got to you’ve got to push your push your child that child that much harder. much harder.


BECOMING AN EXPERT:BECOMING AN EXPERT:Your Child’s SchoolYour Child’s School

• PeoplePeople

• PerformancePerformance

• Policies/Policies/

procedures procedures


BECOMING AN EXPERT:BECOMING AN EXPERT:

FINDING INFOFINDING INFO• Prospectus Prospectus • NewsletterNewsletter• School website School website • PTAPTA

• Performance tables Performance tables

(DCSF website)(DCSF website)• Ofsted Ofsted • Local Authority (LA)Local Authority (LA)

LEGAL reqirements, LEGAL reqirements, esp:esp:

Race Relations Race Relations (Amendment) Act (Amendment) Act 20002000


BECOMING AN EXPERT: BECOMING AN EXPERT: SOME USEFUL CONTACTS SOME USEFUL CONTACTS • Department for Children Schools & Department for Children Schools &

Families(DCSF) Families(DCSF) www.dcsf.gov.ukwww.dcsf.gov.uk• Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Office for Standards in Education, Children’s

Services and SkillsServices and Skills

(OFSTED) (OFSTED) www.ofsted.gov.ukwww.ofsted.gov.uk• Connexions Direct (For advice on learning and Connexions Direct (For advice on learning and

qualifications from 13 to 19) 0808 001 3219qualifications from 13 to 19) 0808 001 3219• EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance)

helpline 0800 121 8989 or local connexionshelpline 0800 121 8989 or local connexions• UCAS Parents Guide: UCAS Parents Guide: www.UCAS.com.parentswww.UCAS.com.parents

(helping students into higher education)(helping students into higher education)


EARLY EARLY

• Early Early preparationpreparation

• Early WarningEarly Warning

• Environment Environment for Learningfor Learning


EFFECTIVE LINKS EFFECTIVE LINKS FOR LEARNING FOR LEARNING

SCHOOLSCHOOL

PARENTSPARENTS

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY


PARTNERSHIPS:PARTNERSHIPS:TOGETHER WE ACHIEVETOGETHER WE ACHIEVE

““Parents, carers, the community, Parents, carers, the community, teachers, school and the pupils teachers, school and the pupils themselves share a common themselves share a common responsibility that may be responsibility that may be supported by partnership and supported by partnership and improved communications”improved communications”

NUT Born to Be Great: A charter on Promoting the NUT Born to Be Great: A charter on Promoting the Achievement of Black Caribbean BoysAchievement of Black Caribbean Boys


PREVENTATIVE: PREVENTATIVE: EXCLUSIONSEXCLUSIONS

Preventative:Preventative:

Be in a position to make an early Be in a position to make an early response to any concerns response to any concerns beforebefore they become major and the they become major and the problem has escalated, perhaps problem has escalated, perhaps to the point of to the point of exclusionsexclusions””


EXCLUSIONS: EXCLUSIONS: EMPOWERMENT EMPOWERMENT

THROUGH INFORMATIONTHROUGH INFORMATIONKEY DCSF DOCUMENTKEY DCSF DOCUMENT Improving Behaviour and Improving Behaviour and

Attendance: Guidance on Exclusions Attendance: Guidance on Exclusions from Schools and Pupil Referral from Schools and Pupil Referral Units (DCSF)Units (DCSF)

- V. imp. document, explaining the law- V. imp. document, explaining the law


Together we AchieveTogether we Achieve

Schools may be ignoring their most Schools may be ignoring their most powerful resource by not powerful resource by not harnessing the fierce dedication harnessing the fierce dedication to education shown by Black to education shown by Black ParentsParents

and community orgs.and community orgs. Supporting Black Pupils and Supporting Black Pupils and

Parents Parents Lorna Cork (Routledge: 2005)Lorna Cork (Routledge: 2005)

Documents

EMPOWERING BLACK PARENTS Dr Lorna Cork