Drayton Park primary teaching parents as well as children
Headteacher Damien Parrott and Solihull coordinator Yasmin Stephenson with some of the children - Credit: Archant
A Highbury primary school is handing out free parenting courses in a UK-first pilot scheme.
Drayton Park Primary, near Highbury Fields, has adopted the “Solihull Approach” as part of their efforts “to develop understanding about best practice around children’s mental health and resilience in schools”.
The approach involves parents signing up to an NHS-run course which attempts to deepen the relationship they have with their children through a number of modules.
These modules look at how a child is feeling, tuning into a their developmental needs and the parent child relationship.
Drayton Park adopted the method in efforts to boost the school’s Ofsted rating.
In 2014, it was awarded a “requires improvement” score, but in May of this year started getting back on the right track with a “good” ranking: second on a scale of four
Ordinarily, to purchase the course, an individual licence is required at a cost of £39 per pack.
Most Read
- 1 Missing: 29-year-old Islington woman found 'safe and well'
- 2 Appeal hearing of MP Claudia Webbe gets under way
- 3 Ex Arsenal player Lee Harper appeals for return of stolen shirt
- 4 Floating park between Camden Town and King's Cross
- 5 'Wrong place, wrong time': Men convicted after fatal mistaken revenge shooting
- 6 12 stolen phones recovered after stop and search in Hackney
- 7 40 firefighters called to scene as Highbury flat damaged
- 8 TfL consultation opens on plans to extend ULEZ into Greater London
- 9 Gunners pub back open for Premier League climax
- 10 New cabinet announced for Islington Council
However, the school bought 1,000 subscriptions, which it hands out to parents from the school free of charge.
Headteacher Damien Parrott said it’s a “great resource”.
He added: “We feel that all parents can gain from the Solihull online programme,” he said.
“I am a parent, have done the programme, and it has really helped me reflect on what I do well, as well as those moments in which I have not been at my best.”
Drayton Park also offers the programme in person at the school, with both individual and group classes.
Mr Parrot said: “We have made these licences available to all parents, at no cost, and created a mechanism for parents to feedback their thoughts to us.
“We also run the programme at school, with individuals and groups of parents, who we feel could benefit from doing it in a more structured way.”
For more information, visit solihullapproachparenting.com
