School as Family

For most schools, ‘wrap around care’ means that children can go in early and have access to after-school provision. At Ripple this does happen, but the concept goes much, much further. It is about wrapping the whole community in care so that children can be in a place where they can learn and thrive. The level of poverty and hardship in the local community is acute. Many families are living in one room with a shared bathroom and kitchen. There is no space for children to play. Parents are often working in zero-hours, low paid jobs, or multiple jobs with little or no security, and family conflict is not uncommon. Several children have experienced or witnessed community violence, including losing homes and family members in war zones.

At Ripple, everyone is welcomed and valued, staff are approachable and effort is made to get to know individuals so they can develop their own pathways to success. This means being flexible, trying different things to meet needs and not letting mistakes or preconceptions get in the way. Relationships are key.  This is in evidence everywhere, all the time. Children greet teachers and visitors with smiles and confidence, occasionally hugging the head. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful. Considering the immense challenges the community faces, this is a remarkable achievement. How have they done this?

In many conversations we heard the term ‘the Ripple Family’. This is not a throw-away line but a principle and policy that underpins everything that happens.

If we want children to be making progress, and we want them in school and doing well, then we need to make sure that they’ve had their breakfast in the morning and have access to uniform and that their parents are supported with housing. (Safeguarding Lead)

There is a free breakfast every morning from 7.30am and an after-school club until 6pm which is of enormous help to parents struggling to work and feed their family as well as care for children. There are nominal charges for this provision, but they are frequently waived in circumstances of dire need. It’s run by teaching assistants and safeguarding staff employed by the school. Children can do their homework there and get some support with language and reading. They also have arts and crafts activities, learn friendship skills and enjoy free play. Their ‘snack’ is often substantial, ensuring they are provided with good nutrition.

The Suffolk site is open on Saturdays, staffed by health as well as education professionals offering families a range of services on the one site.  Children get to play both inside and outside in a supervised and safe environment. Families, often living in one room, are given access to washing facilities and somewhere to cook.

We try to provide as much as we can in-house, because we know that the resources out there in the local authority are stretched, and the area has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country.  We know that our parents face challenges, and when you are parenting under pressure… you need to provide support and meet parents where they’re at.

We have a very open-door policy (with) people available to speak to parents at all times.  We get everything, from a parent coming in to discuss severe domestic abuse … to housing queries … and then what’s happening in school.  We do lots of parent outreach. We provide free legal advice for parents, ESL (English as a second language) classes in school, parenting classes, we do toilet training in school. We’ll do more educationally based classes as well… math workshops and reading workshops and things like that. But we also have parent wellbeing sessions where they’re getting together to support each other. (Safeguarding Lead)

It is this wrap-around care for families that makes Ripple unique and ensures that children are in school and learning.

The parents who spoke with us were in no doubt that this approach had been a lifesaver for them and that without it neither they nor their children would be able to function well, let alone thrive. One was now training to be a learning support assistant herself.

It really, truly, just feels like your second family here. (parent)

And the teachers … I told them about my situation, and they say … we’re here for you. You need help … I have no (extended) family here … so this is my family (parent)

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Read more about the Love of Learning Project here.

The other schools we have visited so far are: