School-Home Support (SHS) is a British charity founded in 1984 to help disadvantaged children and young people overcome barriers to education.[1]

School-Home Support
FoundedJanuary 1, 1984 (1984-01-01)
FounderBridget Cramp
Registration no.1084696
Location
  • London United Kingdom
Coordinates51°32′33″N 0°00′19″E / 51.5423992°N 0.0052116°E / 51.5423992; 0.0052116
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Jaine Stannard (Chief Executive)
Revenue
£3.3 million
Websiteschoolhomesupport.org.uk
Formerly called
The Langdon Park School-Home Support Service, East London Schools Fund, School-Home Support Service (UK), School Home Liaison

The charity works with schools,[2] local authorities and families, aiming to look "beyond the classroom"[3] to understand and tackle low school attendance and other issues affecting children's learning. It emphasises the importance of home experience on a child's attainment at school and works to resolve issues including poverty, lack of housing, domestic violence, and substance misuse. During the 2015/16 academic year, SHS worked with over 11,000 families.[4]

SHS is a UK registered charity, number 1084696. Its motto is "Children in school, ready to learn. Whatever it takes."[5]

Ken Olisa, the first black Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, and Tony Adams,[6] former football player and captain for Arsenal and England, are patrons of the charity. Sophie Winkleman became Royal Patron in 2020.[7]

History

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SHS was originally called The Langdon Park School-Home Support Service and began in Langdon Park Secondary School, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The school's Education Welfare Officer, Bridget Cramp, started the service in order to "put the true interests of the child first, always".[8] Along with Terry Farrell, Head of Year 7, and Peter Andrews, Head Teacher at Langdon Park Secondary School, she visited pupils outside of school hours and built relationships with their families, in order to understand the impact of their home lives on their school behaviour.

In 1989 the service became the East London Schools Fund and by 1994, operated in 28 schools across Tower Hamlets. In 1999, School-Home Support Service (UK) was set up with the aim to reach more children and young people. Combined with the East London Schools Fund, it delivered services in 59 primary schools and 36 secondary schools in 9 London Boroughs.[9]

In 2003, the East London Schools Fund officially became School-Home Support UK. In 2006, it merged with a charity with similar services named School Home Liaison in order to finally become School-Home Support (SHS), operating in 97 schools.[10]

Services

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SHS's services include:

  • School-based practitioners, who work independently and liaise between children, their families and the school[11]
  • SHS Membership, which offers safeguarding support and supervision for pastoral teams[12]
  • Early years support and intervention, with 'Ready for School' and 'Ready for Secondary School' programmes[13]
  • City & Guilds-approved training for schools and safeguarding staff[14]
  • Corporate partnerships,[15] with volunteering opportunities and 'aspiration sessions'
  • 'Troubled Families' practitioners, who work closely with families facing multiple, complex needs, as part of the Government's 'Troubled Families' programme[16]

References

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  1. ^ School-Home Support at the Islington Directory
  2. ^ "School-Home Support at Park Hill Infants School". Retrieved 2016-09-13.
  3. ^ "Family Pathways Lewisham - School-Home Support". Retrieved 2016-09-13.
  4. ^ SHS impact report 2015/16
  5. ^ School-Home Support at the Charity Commission
  6. ^ Former footballer Tony Adams becomes a patron of School-Home Support | Third Sector
  7. ^ "School-Home Support | Announcing our newest patron, Lady Sophie Windsor".
  8. ^ Over the steps in Violet Road: The Langdon Park School-Home Support Service
  9. ^ Hallgarten, Joe (2000-01-01). Parents Exist, OK!?: Issues and Visions for Parent-school Relationships. Institute for Public Policy Research. ISBN 9781860301254.
  10. ^ Facebook Milestones
  11. ^ ltd, Henley Media Group. "National Family Week - Partners & Supporters - School-Home Support". www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
  12. ^ "Open Objects" (PDF). SHS Membership Leaflet.
  13. ^ "Ready for School: a Community Links case study". Retrieved 2016-09-13.
  14. ^ "Search Results | City & Guilds". www.cityandguilds.com. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
  15. ^ "Charity shortlisted for Lord Mayor award for work in Islington school - Islington Gazette". 18 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
  16. ^ "Troubled families scheme practitioners say it has improved lives - the Guardian". TheGuardian.com. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
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