Bradley Stoke Community School

Using parent focus groupsfor effective

school improvement

Engagement is not always positive…

o Leadership team always hears complaints and Leadership team always hears complaints and rarely hears complimentsrarely hears compliments

o With some parents/carers, all contact is negativeWith some parents/carers, all contact is negativeo Need to be willing to talk to detractorsNeed to be willing to talk to detractorso Be prepared to let parents/carers ‘win’ Be prepared to let parents/carers ‘win’

sometimessometimeso There are always ‘no win’ situations There are always ‘no win’ situations (e.g. snow closures)(e.g. snow closures)

o Establishing a culture of positive engagement = a Establishing a culture of positive engagement = a proportionate rise in criticismproportionate rise in criticism

Examples of parent focus groups

Our school context

Context @ BSCSContext @ BSCSoFew parents committing to PTAFew parents committing to PTAoResearch base says time commitments is a big Research base says time commitments is a big pressure for parentspressure for parentsoParents are vocal about their feelingsParents are vocal about their feelings

Fringe benefits of parental engagement

Parents become allies & Parents become allies & advocatesadvocates

Synergy created – drawing on their Synergy created – drawing on their professional expertiseprofessional expertise

RewardingRewarding Build Build relationshipsrelationships

Advanced Advanced warning of issues warning of issues

via the ‘gossip’ via the ‘gossip’ lineline

Decisions based Decisions based on consultation on consultation

are harder to are harder to argue withargue with

Health Warning…

Often dealing with polarised viewpointsOften dealing with polarised viewpoints

Beware: parents with an agendaBeware: parents with an agenda

““And another thing…”And another thing…”

Risk - open the flood gates for every issue?Risk - open the flood gates for every issue?

Time consumingTime consuming

Easy not to follow through – LT must take the leadEasy not to follow through – LT must take the lead

Success Criteria

o School must be prepared to changeSchool must be prepared to changeo Need to choose your battles carefully!Need to choose your battles carefully!o High impact and short turn around (change High impact and short turn around (change

must be clearly evident)must be clearly evident)o Minimal time commitment requiredMinimal time commitment requiredo Must deal with issues real and relevant to Must deal with issues real and relevant to

parents (note – staff survey)parents (note – staff survey)o Must be honest and open discussionMust be honest and open discussiono Must be relationship orientatedMust be relationship orientatedo High trust requiredHigh trust required

Organisation

o 1 focus per group1 focus per group(e.g. reporting, behaviour) (e.g. reporting, behaviour) o Initially, Leadership Team decide the focusInitially, Leadership Team decide the focuso 3 sessions3 sessionso 2 month time span between first and last 2 month time span between first and last

meetingmeetingo Clear agendaClear agendao Parents need to make 2/3 meetings for Parents need to make 2/3 meetings for

continuitycontinuityo 10-15 parents per group10-15 parents per groupo Cheese and wine?Cheese and wine?

Recruitment

o Targeted parents (e.g. off inclusion phases) by Targeted parents (e.g. off inclusion phases) by school leaderschool leader

o Phone calls, letter and reminder textsPhone calls, letter and reminder textso Keep details on file and call on a few for your Keep details on file and call on a few for your

next focus groupnext focus groupo Build a core focus group membership – now Build a core focus group membership – now

kept on a databasekept on a database

Parting thoughts from the parents…