Student Roost’s Post

This morning I was invited to The Jungle in Cowley Centre as the guest speaker at Oxford Hub's SEN Coffee morning. It was a great opportunity to work with 2 other charities and to have the opportunity to share information about how Be Free Young Carers can support siblings of SEN children if they are impacted in anyway by their siblings condition. It was a very emotional morning, several parents cried when they were introducing themselves and explaining what had brought them to the session. As a SEN parent myself it was easy to relate to all that I was hearing, lack of support from schools, children in mainstream settings that couldn't cope, children being excluded or put on reduced timetables, EHCP's that were not fit for purpose, trying to organise meetings with professionals and being passed from pillar to post and on top of all of that trying to stay strong for your child/children and dealing with behaviours at home that escalate because of these failings. It's hardly surprising that parents are driven to tears. SEN children are still being let down by our education system and this impacts not only their education but also the home life for all the family. In my role at Be Free Young Carers I am in a position to offer support to siblings, our trips and holiday activities give them a little bit of much needed respite. We can also offer 121 emotional support and counselling, sometimes no matter how well they have coped in the past things just get too much. We are able to offer this support quickly, we firmly believe in early help and not fire fighting. It was lovely to see one of my parents there as she was able to vouch for us and explain how much we had helped her son. I've been working for Be Free Young Carers for just over 2 years, trying to spread the word in Oxford, and opportunities like this are great way of doing this. We know there are 12,000 young carers in Oxfordshire and we wont stop raising this issue until we have reached them all. If you could help by telling everyone you know that works with children and families about what we do then that would be amazing!!! Or if you run a group for families and you would like me to come and tell them myself then just give me a shout. #youngcarers #SEN #siblings #raisingawareness #advocatingforyoungcarers #sharing

As you guide your school through the final weeks of term, the December finish line brings both festive cheer and familiar challenges. Here's how successful school leaders are maintaining momentum: Managing the merriment - When pupils arrive in increasingly elaborate Christmas jumpers and Year 7s belt out Mariah Carey in the corridors, channel this energy rather than contain it. These moments become treasured school memories. Supporting staff wellbeing - Successful leaders recognise that their staff are running on coffee, mince pies, and professional dedication. Smart delegation of tasks and ensuring PPA time is protected helps maintain morale. Choose what can wait until January. Cherishing collective achievements - From Reception nativity plays to Sixth Form charity initiatives, watching the school community come together creates powerful moments. Whether it's TAs organising Secret Santa or ECTs leading their first carol concert, every contribution matters. Maintaining perspective - Amidst parents' evenings, data drops, and governors' meetings, effective heads keep sight of what matters: pupil progress and wellbeing. That child in Year 6 who finally conquered fractions or the Year 11 who found confidence in the Christmas assembly - these victories make everything worthwhile. The end is in sight, and remember that this seasonal chaos creates the memories that our children will cherish.

Very few things will get me up at 4am… One of the few is: driving from London to Nottingham for Leducate's Moving On Day! Moving On Day is an annual event held by the Redhill Academy Trust in Nottinghamshire, and Leducate, along with other presenters (such as HSBC this year), provide the workshops and sessions. It’s a day where sixth form students attend to learn skills they can take with them as they ‘move on’ to the wider world. This year we were at Nottingham Trent University, and spoke to more than 300 students from multiple schools. It was my first year volunteering to help give the sessions, and was great practice for my public speaking. I learnt a lot about pacing, tone, and finding my ‘natural’ voice. The sessions included: 🧑⚖️ Criminal Rights and Responsibilities - driving offences, police interactions, and drugs 🏠 Life Skills - tenancies, contracts, consumer rights and debt ❤️ Consent and Healthy Relationships - modern dating (how to safely date online), consent, revenge porn, and the effect of alcohol I helped to deliver the Life Skills sessions, and while Adam Kayani was talking about tenancy deposits, I thought I would mention a tip I got from when I was starting to rent: always take pictures of everything when you move in. After I mentioned this we got lots of questions from students about utilities, the Housing Act, and black mould (don’t get me started on that!). These questions were a great indicator because they showed that the students were engaging with the material, and most of all, found it helpful. Experiencing Moving On Day for myself demonstrated just how tangible legal education is. Its tangible importance cannot be overstated. Understanding your rights as a young person, tenant, student, and consumer are crucial for confidently entering the wider world. Now that’s a 4am start that I’ll happily agree to again! P.s. if any of my fellow law graduates are interested in pro bono or working with charities, do visit the Leducate website and have a look at how to get involved! It’s an amazing charity and our volunteers are so important to its success.

Mission 44 is part of a coalition of charities calling for change to reduce #LostLearning. Record levels of school exclusions and suspensions are a growing concern. Not only do they limit a child’s future opportunities, they too often address the symptoms of much deeper issues, not the root causes of poor behaviour. The most vulnerable young children continue to be the most impacted, making this a serious social justice issue that policymakers, educators and the community need to work together to take urgent action to address. https://lnkd.in/e245xwE2

It's so great to launch today our new film 'It's You!' that aims to highlight the importance of #parentpoweredlearning and how together we can create powerful, everyday learning experiences. If you are a parent or working with families to support learning, do watch the film and explore and share the resources!

For the last five years, The Premier League has been using the appeal of football to engage with secondary school students in a personal development programme that helps them grow the skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in life. Premier League Inspires, which is supported by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), works with young people aged 11-18 who are at risk of not reaching their potential. Through face-to-face group sessions, mentoring, workshops and social-action projects, young people are given opportunities to develop personal, social, employability and life skills that will assist them as they transition from school into the wider world. With 45 professional football club charities and more than 960 secondary schools and educational establishments involved in the programme so far, the expertise and reach of #PLInspires will be used to support the "Youth Guarantee", a government initiative which was announced this week and aims to get young people into education or employment. Since Premier League Inspires began, more than 29,000 young people have benefitted from the programme. More than £11.1m has been invested into the programme via the Premier League Charitable Fund to date. Find out more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eMvYDJyn

I was recently quoted in The Guardian discussing the challenges of asking parents and carers to donate money for school supplies, projects, and events. My biggest concern is for families in impoverished and socially deprived areas, where these requests can cause shame and real financial hardship. While I understand the strain of shrinking school budgets, we must consider the impact on these families. I'd love to hear your thoughts—how can we support schools without placing additional burdens on those who are already struggling? #Education #SchoolFunding #ParentSupport #SocialEquity Department for Education iAM Learning iAM Compliant

School Management Committee (SMC) Meeting at GPS Bamnara Date: [18/5/2024] Location: GPS Bamnara Participants:Youth Club President,Parents and School Management Committee (SMC) Members Agenda: 1.Addressing the issue of a damaged tree in school premises. 2.Organizing a fund for the school from the local community (Pind) for the welfare of school. Meeting Summary: A meeting of The School Management Committee (SMC) of GPS Bamnara was held by Sanjhi Sikhiya Fellow to discuss relevant issues affecting the school. The meeting was attended by the Youth Club President, several parents, and SMC members. Key Points Discussed: Damaged stems of Tree Issue: A damaged tree in the school premises poses a potential safety hazard to students and staff. Decision: It was unanimously agreed that the damaged stems of tree should be cut down to prevent any accidents or injuries. The SMC will coordinate with local authorities and ensure that the tree is safely removed as soon as possible. Fundraising for School: Proposal: To enhance the resources and infrastructure of the school, it was proposed that a fund should be raise with the involvement of the local community (Pind). Action Plan: The Youth Club President and one young smc member vikrant offered to take the lead in collecting funds.Parents and SMC members pledged their support and participation. Next Steps: Tree Removal: Immediate action will be taken to arrange for the safe removal of the damaged tree. Fundraising Formation: The Youth Club President along with smc members will collect funds till next smc meeting Conclusion: The meeting concluded on a positive note with a clear action plan for addressing the immediate safety concern and enhancing the school's resources through community involvement. The participants expressed their commitment to working together for the betterment of GPS Bamnara. We are deeply grateful for the active participation and unwavering commitment from everyone involved. These collaborative efforts are crucial as we work together to create a safer and more supportive educational environment for our students.Together, we are making a positive impact on primary schools and building a stronger, more resilient community! 🌱📚 #Education #CommunitySupport #SchoolWelfare #SMC #GPSBamnara #SafetyFirst #CommunityEngagement #EducationalDevelopment #pylp #sanjhisikhiya

Supporting Clever Never Goes : The Replacement for Stranger Danger! At Ethical Creatives, we're proud to support Clever Never Goes, a remarkable child safety and education charity. Clever Never Goes has replaced the outdated 'Stranger Danger' model of teaching with a simple yet powerful concept: Empowerment Through Agreement: Children are taught never to go anywhere with anyone unless it's been pre-agreed. This takes the burden of decision-making off the child. They don't need to judge whether someone is a stranger or a danger, they simply don't go unless it has been agreed. Clever Never Goes provides a simple set of teaching tools for Key Stages 1 & 2 that is always free at the point of delivery and has been downloaded by more than 3500 schools. The comprehensive lesson plan and presentation equip teachers with all they need to deliver the programme. Teachers, office staff and playground monitors have a simple system to refer to that is depicted on boards at school entrances and gates. Unless a pick-up is pre-arranged, the child cannot go. This empowers gate staff who might otherwise be pressured to release a child. As one of our social impact initiatives we lend our support to Clever Never Goes both creatively and strategically, helping to ensure that all the teaching tools are free to schools. Together, we're making strides in keeping our little ones safe and informed. Share Clever Never Goes with a primary school you know! Find out more at clevernevergoes.org #CleverNeverGoes #ChildSafety #EmpoweringKids #SocialImpact

💰 Funding 💰 A recurring challenge I have when accessing funding for OUR GOAL CIC is that many grant providers state that their funds cannot be used on programmes, projects and interventions which take place when there should be statutory provision (i.e. during the school day). The problem is that statutory provision does not always meet the needs of all. I believe delivery of interventions during the school day is crucial to reach some of the young people who need it most. Firstly, because it engages those who would not otherwise access the intervention. At OUR GOAL CIC, we particularly work with inactive teens who are unlikely to join a sports club because they have negative experiences of physical activity and don’t see it as a space for them. Secondly, because delivery during the school day removes barriers to participation. This is especially true when working with young people who face access barriers to engaging in after-school clubs such as travel and cost. School-based interventions allow us to physically get to where the young people are, when they're there, and work with them to make a positive difference. #funding #teens