Bradford Council Conservative Leader Kris Hopkins has put forward a draft 10-point plan which he believes will serve as a very useful guide for parents with children who are underachieving at Greenhead High School in Keighley.
Cllr Hopkins intends to discuss the plan with interested parents together with representatives of the school, local educationalists and other relevant parties.
He produced his proposals following a meeting earlier this week with a range of individuals and groups in the town to discuss his comments in last week’s Keighley News which criticised some parents of pupils at Greenhead High School who, he said, had failed to properly support their children to attain the benchmark five GCSE passes.
“My proposals are hardly rocket science but I believe they will serve as a useful set of pointers for parents who want to do the right thing for their children but have so far come up short of the mark,“ Cllr Hopkins commented.
“The general thrust of the plan is for parents to take a more active interest in their child’s education, for them to inject more discipline into their child’s home life and to ensure that English, if it is not the pre-dominant language at home, is spoken regularly.
“I intend to convene a wider meeting within the next two weeks involving parents, staff, representatives from the mosques and local educational professionals to begin a serious dialogue on these ideas and to chart a constructive and clear way forward.
“My comments in last week’s Keighley News have clearly started a debate in the community and that is obviously to be welcomed. However, properly assisting those pupils at Greenhead High School who have underachieved is what matters and that is why the involvement of all interested parties and, crucially, educational professionals is so important.
“I have already had a discussion with a range of individuals including, for example, the Keighley Council of Mosques who I would like to thank for being so supportive in their approach. But wider talks are essential as we seek to include everyone’s views in finding a set of solutions. I am not precious about what the outcome may be – my only stipulation is that it works.”
Cllr Hopkins’ 10-point plan for parents with children who are failing to achieve at Greenhead High School is as follows:
1. Take a personal interest in your child’s progress at school – monitor their homework and try where possible to read stories and books to younger children
2. Ensure your child is a regular attendee at school
3. Get your child to school on time
4. Provide dedicated space at home for your child to study
5. Ensure English is spoken regularly at home, particularly by older children
6. Get more involved in the day-to-day running of the school – become a volunteer or even a governor
7. Work with the school, not against it – if you have concerns, make an appointment with the school and talk about them directly with a member of staff
8. If you have a daughter at the school, make sure you achieve the proper balance with regard to their domestic responsibilities
9. Do not take your children on extended holidays in school terms
10. Take advantage of extended services offered by the school such as parenting groups
