Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, has published a summary of its summer of engagement calls and visits to independent special schools for the spring and summer terms 2021.
Catch22’s Include Wales primary school is highlighted as an example of best practice, with the report stating:
“Staff have continued to strengthen engagement with parents and families through the introduction of parental sessions outside of school hours.
“Parents have the opportunity to come into school with their children and discuss any concerns they may have, and staff share the strategies that the school uses to support their child. The headteacher reports that the focus of these meetings is not usually academic, but on behaviour management approaches. The headteacher confirmed that the school is monitoring the impact of this approach in terms of pupils’ improved engagement in learning. For example, one pupil’s attendance has increased significantly from one hour a day to almost full days since the improved parent-school engagement provided through these sessions.”