Improving+Parent+Participation+in+Reading-Reading+Cafe

**__Meeting held on 11/03/2013 at Bedlinog Community Primary School__**
Tracey Williams Dyvina Parry Julie Richards 1 Nursery Nurse (Abercanaid) No supplies available (Mrs Rees and Mrs Bennett therefore could not attend)
 * __Staff present:__**

-Experiences so far discussed. Both schools have had positive feedback and it seems of range of parents/carers/grandparents/relatives are attending. The informal nature has definitely been more welcoming to those parents who have issues with school (related to their own education). Parents/relatives you wouldn't normally see have also been attending. -After the first Reading Cafe in both schools, word of mouth spread and more parents/relatives attended the second. -Bedlinog Primary have decided to run their Reading Cafes separately as having both Class 1 and 2 at the same caused issues with siblings. -Timetabling has been changed due to snow days back in January. -Staff members discussed stories to use and their end of Reading Cafe celebrations. TW and DP agreed to have an outdoors celebration with a picnic theme. A variety of activities and games to be run in the school grounds by all staff in the FP. -Questionnares and evaluation forms discussed. -Possible creation of a Reading Cafe toolkit for cluster schools/other school staff?? Could include story ideas, craft ideas, letter/evaluation/questionnaire proformas etc.
 * __Reading Cafe__**

__**Arrange date for next meeting-see headteachers.**__
__**End.**__ =**__Meeting held on 24/10/12 at Abercanaid Primary School__**=


 * __Staff present:__**

Tracey Williams Dyvina Parry Louise Bennett Sarah Rees Julie Richards 2 Nursery Nurses

__**Reading Cafe**__

__Previous Experience__


 * Dyvina Parry and Louise Bennett both shared their experiences of the Reading Cafe held in Class 1 (N/R) and discussed the sessions in detail. A variety of books were used to model good reading and basic book/reading skills. Each session included a creative activity linked to the text. Sessions were fun and relaxed to create a welcoming environment for the parents/guardians.
 * Questionnaires were provided for the adults who attended in order to collect feedback and evaluate the success of the cafe.

__Sharing of 'Storysack' resources__


 * Both Abercanaid and Bedlinog staff brought 'Storysacks' to the meeting. Abercanaid informed Bedlinog of the sacks they had ordered but had not yet received.
 * All staff loooked through the sacks to familiarise themselves with the stories and resources provided, including bought sacks and ones that had been made and put together by Abercanaid staff. (The Gruffalo, Mrs Rainbow, The Big Hungry Bear, Handa's Surprise, Little Moon, The Scarecrow That Didn't Scare, Mrs Honey's Hat-these were some of the many 'Storysacks' at the meeting).
 * Linking texts to moving image was discussed.

__Timetabling__


 * Sessions will be held as follows:
 * Session 1-18/01/13. Basic storytelling skills/introduction to Reading Cafe.
 * Session 2-01/02/13
 * Session 3-22/02/13
 * Session 4-08/03/13
 * Session 5-22/03/13-to include a celebration.
 * Abercanaid discussed how they may hold 2 sessions/day due to high numbers of parent/guardians who will attend. Bedlinog staff discussed siblings in each class. It was decided that parents could attend Class 1 for a session, then Class 2 for a session two weeks later (alternating).
 * Sessions to be around 75mins long.

__Questionnaires/evaluations/pupil voice__


 * Questionnaires were discussed and developed for use before and after sessions (for pupils and adults).
 * Importance of getting feedback is crucial.

__Way forward/to do__


 * Both schools to contact possible guest readers (these could include librarians, male role-models, storytellers, local writers/authors).
 * Develop letters for a pupil and adult lending library. WE NEED BOOKS/TEXTS. The idea being that parents/adults will bring in books/texts/magazines they do not use anymore for others to borrow and read. This will hopefully encourage parents to discuss texts, read more and be good role-models for their children. A pupil lending library will encourage the pupils to have a love of books and recycle any books they don't use anymore. Hopefully pupils who do not have many books at home will benefit.
 * Develop letters to send home informing parents of the Reading Cafe-Abercanaid have already sent out initial letters to gauge interest.

__**End.**__
 * A possible session to discuss progress has been arranged for 01/02/13 (pm)-this will need to be discussed with the headteachers of both schools.**

**__Meeting Held on 26/09/12 at Bedlinog Community Primary School__**

 * ====__Read Write Inc__====
 * ====Bedlinog staff shared the experiences of their two days training and ideas on how to maximise the training experience was shared.====

Staff pre-allocated their group and sat with a partner who'd be doing the same band.

 * ====Parental participation is encouraged in the scheme by sending home books that are fully decodable by the child either through RWI or via ORT====

decodable texts. The main parental contribution should be to encourage a love of reading.

 * ====Discussion was held on the logistics of running the scheme and it was agreed that Bedlinog could share the experiences they had and help Abercanaid with anything they had found useful. Lots of the uploaded resources from last years plc contain RWI materials.====
 * ====The OUP website has useful links for parents including Oxford Owls which could help parents with correct production of sounds. Oxford Owls====
 * ====A further meeting will be held on November 14th 2012 at Bedlinog====

Agenda

 * ====To discuss any problems Bedlinog had faced and how we'd overcome them====
 * ====Preparation of a parental information leaflet====
 * ====Ideas for a parent evening====
 * ====Share correlation chart with other OUP schemes====
 * ====Agree future dates and actions====


 * ====__Reading Cafe__====
 * ====Bedlinog staff shared their experiences of the Reading Cafe held for sessions at the school last year and the effect they had on parental confidence and participation.====
 * ====Photos and the result of a end of scheme questionnaire were discussed. We agreed that it would be a valuable scheme to continue and extend in Bedlinog and introduce in Abercanaid. It was also felt that it would be a great idea for the whole school during the Summer term to encourage participation in reading and aid transition.====
 * ====It was agreed that both staffs would meet at Abercanaid on October 24th 2012====

Agenda
> ==== ==== >
 * ====To share any resources that we have available====
 * ====Share good practice====
 * ====Develop ideas for use during the Cafes====
 * ====Prepare resources ready for Spring term sessions====
 * ====Agree future dates and actions====