Tip 3 – Community spirit

Community (n): the people living in one particular area or people who are considered as a unit because of their common interests, social group, or nationality

On March 30th 2020, we posted a blog entitled C for Community, as part of our A to Z hints and tips for recovery. The blog included advice on how to keep parents feeling connected to your school despite the impact of the pandemic and its related school closures. Fast forward 10 months and who would have thought we would still be weathering the storm. Hopefully, as we approach the dissipating stage of what has been a simply calamitous year for so very many, we will emerge closer and more appreciative of all we have. I, for one, have been astounded at the efforts teaching and support staff have made to continue providing my daughter and grandchildren with a quality education; despite many of their colleagues, from who they gain support, being furloughed.

So, how is your school community faring? Has the pandemic encouraged you to communicate more often, or is the contact with your parent group purely academic?

Being a part of a community can make us feel as though we are a part of something greater than ourselves; important at a time when we may be feeling vulnerable or disconnected from our usual social support network. To feel part of a community, people need to feel: safe; seen; heard; and honoured.

Your school provides physical and emotional safety for its pupils, but does it offer the same for their parents too? Do those that engage with you know that you are concerned with their wellbeing? The past year has brought about feelings of uncertainty and anxiety unlike any many of us have ever known. The requirement to isolate has created unprecedented levels of separation.

Luckily, it is likely that you already have a quick solution to hand, a body of people whose primary function is to offer opportunities for social interaction, a group in which everyone shares a common interest, your school PTA or Friends Association.

How often do you speak to the chair of your PTA/Friends group? How active has the group been throughout the last 12 months? How visible is the group? If the answer to these questions is ‘not very’, you are missing a fantastic opportunity to forge a closer community and to underpin the value of your school and its offering.

Whilst social activities are currently limited to online only, this can be a benefit. It means your events are not subject to fitting within the school calendar or usual timetable. Events are not reliant on the availability of a venue or of staff. They are not limited by the usual restrictions; parents who are usually unable to participate due to distance can now take part, as can pupils. Best of all, the chance to review your traditional events and consider their suitability for online delivery can spark creative solutions and new ideas. These may appeal to a wider audience who are somewhat captive and more able to participate than perhaps they have previously been.

During the past 10 months, I have been lucky enough to take part in a very entertaining online quiz, an online auction, a fascinating history tour, I attended a wreath making workshop prior to Christmas, have relaxed whilst learning to give myself a professional facial, and have wine tasting and cake decorating courses yet to look forward to. As a Friends group, we have welcomed parents and pupils who have never before been involved in any of the PTA activity, we have raised funds despite our school gates being firmly closed, and we have regularly communicated the opportunity to participate to the school community. Important contact that in itself demonstrates that the school is working hard to keep everyone in touch with one another.

Three further benefits have resulted from our efforts. Firstly, the money raised as a result of these events has been donated to some very worthwhile local causes most impacted by the pandemic. Secondly, we have been able to offer parents and those in our immediate location, the opportunity to highlight their businesses or services to the wider school community. Whilst the school does not endorse these businesses, it provides a platform for parents to network within a safe and closed community. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the cost for participating in these activities has been lower than we have been able to set previously, as many of the previous related costs no longer apply. This has also encouraged greater participation.

With the likelihood that social distancing will continue for some time yet, now is the perfect time to further building your school’s community closeness, and what better way to do so than through your very own parents and friends.

Headspace Academics; fresh thinking, grown from experience. Helping school leaders find future proofing solutions to their school’s long-term security.