Home–School Partnership
What is it?
What happens in the programme?
Roles and responsibilities
Philosophy
Successful features
Key messages in different languages
Evaluation (Literacy)
Secondary Home-School Partnerships Programme
What is it?
The Home–School Partnership programme is part of the Government's
national Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
In December 2000 the Government announced a new initiative to support
the professional development of teachers of Pasifika students in primary
and secondary schools.
The Pasifika Literacy initiative is focused on achieving the goals of
the Pacific Education plan across the school sector and is an integral
part of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
The Home–School Partnership has been a very successful programme
that has emerged from this initiative.
While it was initially targeted at raising Pasifika student achievement,
schools involved in the programme have been able to involve other ethnic/language communities in cooperative, collaborative partnerships.
Given the success of the programme the original folder of materials has
been redesigned as an inclusive model for all schools to use in developing
and strengthening Home–School Partnership.
Early in 2004 a video was distributed to all primary schools. The video
features parents, facilitators, and key teachers who describe the key
benefits of the programme and the impact that the programme has had on
their schools and communities.
The programme itself aims to raise student's achievement, in the context
of the New Zealand Curriculum, by training teams of teachers and parents
to deliver sessions for parents and families that will empower them to
help their children to develop their language and learning skills. All
members of the school community are kept informed and are involved with
the programme. This helps to develop a mutually beneficial partnership
between home and school.
The teachers learn about the children's language and culture and how
to incorporate this prior learning in school programmes. The parents learn
the culture of the school, its processes and its expectations.
Evaluation of the Home–School Partnership: Literacy Programme
A report has recently been released providing an evaluation of the delivery model and outcomes of the Home–School Partnership: Literacy which has been delivered in over 150 schools since its inception in 2001.
The Home–School Partnership: Literacy Programme was developed by the Ministry of Education. It has expanded from an initiative in 2001 where schools engaged with Pasifika parents and other minority language parent groups through a series of teacher and parent-facilitated workshops, often in a Pasifika language. These sought to validate and expand on effective literacy practices in the home setting, particularly where a language other than English is used. This report evaluates the delivery model and outcomes for key stakeholder groups against the intent of the programme as described in the facilitator resources.
Click here for the report: Evaluation of the Home–School Partnership: Literacy Programme
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