In these case studies we explore how can make a understanding poverty in your catchment area can make a big difference for school staff. We find out how three schools raise awareness amongst their staff.
Welfare advice can make a big difference to families who are struggling financially, and schools are increasingly offering ‘referral pathways’ to help boost incomes. This case study features two educational settings who are supporting families in this way.
Schools who offer a range of support for families living on lower incomes have also put thought into how this help can be promoted to boost uptake. Balwearie High School in Fife and Braes High School in Falkirk have both found multiple ways to get the message out to parents and carers.
These case studies describe how uniform policy which is mindful of costs and developed in collaboration with the whole school can really take the pressure off families.
Uniform banks can be a really good way of ensuring everyone has what they need, and how a school chooses to set them up can vary according to their context and the needs of families in their area. These case studies show how schools have taken different approaches to suit their setting.
Lots of schools have decided to run breakfast clubs, knowing that they help children to have a better start to the day. There is no one way to approach setting up a breakfast club, funding and running it however, and in this case study there are ideas about how this has worked in several different settings.
Wallace High School and Bannockburn Primary School in Stirling are both aware of how important families voices are to adapting and evolving their practice. Scott Pennock at Wallace High shares strategies for engaging with a wide parental demographic and Audrey Ross at Bannockburn Primary describes how their practice changed following discussions with families.