I am Mrs Smith - the Home/School Support Worker at Bilton C of E Junior School.
At BJS we are very aware that in order to support children in achieving the best possible outcomes, we must look at the ‘bigger picture’.
We now live in a time where pressures on children and their families are mounting and sometimes that can impact on the way children behave, learn and feel. We also know that at times parents need support too.
We are invested in your child’s learning and pay particular attention to their Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) in-put. My role supports this through me working with children and families to identify any barriers to wellbeing and learning. We then work together to look at the best ways to tackle concerns. Positive changes can be achieved through support delivered directly in school (for example through 1:1 with the child, delivering the Triple P parenting program with families or holding Early Help support meetings. This is not an exhaustive list! There may also be times where we need to look at services delivered by external services but I can work with you to access those.
If there is an issue that may, in some way, impact on your child’s wellbeing or ability to either attend school or settle and concentrate once they are with us, please let me know. For some, this may be connected to development or health issues, for others it may be due to a house move, relationship breakdown or loss within the family. The list is endless, but rest assured, I am more than happy to work with you to find the best way to support you and your child.
Attendance and Punctuality
At BJS we have a good level of attendance, however as we always strive to improve, this is another area I focus on. I regularly monitor attendance (and punctuality) levels and will let you know if your child’s attendance/punctuality is giving us cause for concern or falls below a certain level. This is not done to criticise your parenting, it is done to advise you of any concerns we might have and again, to offer support if it is required.
This is only a brief introduction, but please do get in touch if there is anything you feel I might be able to do to support you or your child.
I am normally on the gates in the morning so feel free to come and have a chat, or I can be contacted via the main office (tel: 01788 810675). Alternatively you can email me at homeschoolsupport@biltonjuniorschool.co.uk
Mrs M Smith
‘The school’s family support worker also plays a significant role in supporting the welfare of pupils and families.’ OFSTED February 2018
Helpful websites:
For free parenting workshops and courses, including Solihull Approach, run outside of BJS:
https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/parentingprogrammes
Warwickshire’s Children and Families Team have a wealth of information and support available at:
https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/children-families
For details about claiming Free School Meals:
https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
For access to adult mental health support: (including ‘Wellbeing for Warwickshire’ & MIND)
http://warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth
For access to mental health support for children and young people and advice for parents:
https://cwrise.com/home (which gives access to the Dimensions Tool)
Please feel free to look at our wellbeing page (under the Parent tab) for lots of helpful information around family life and wellbeing.
We work closely with the Young Carers organisation and are proud to be the first primary school in Warwickshire to achieve their Gold School’s Award!
Young Carers do an amazing job supporting young people who are in a caring role. The project describe a Young Carer as 'a young person who lives with someone who has an illness, disability, mental health or substance misuse problem'.
If you think this project could help a young person in your life, have a look at the link and if you have any questions or would like a referral making, either contact me in school or contact the project direct www.warwickshireyoungcarers.org.uk