Barnet Learning Network presentation

Barnet Supplementary Schools Introduced to Primary Schools’ Heads

A series of presentations were made at the Barnet Council Learning Network Inspectors’ meetings on Thursday, 8 May 2014, to emphasise the contribution supplementary schools make in children’s education, and to discuss ways of enabling effective partnerships with mainstream schools.

The Network meetings are organised by Barnet Children’s Service, and attended by mainly primary Schools Heads, or their representatives. The meetings provided an excellent opportunity for supplementary schools to outline their work, and encourage primary schools to enter into effective partnership with them. The National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education ( NRCSE), Community Barnet, Barnet Supplementary Schools Forum (BSSF) and Paiwand Supplementary School all contributed to the presentations, which were followed by lively discussions, and expressions of interest by school heads.

Farid Mall from Paiwand outlined the partnership projects his organisation have established with Barnet and Harrow primary schools, which has been funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to work with 18 schools in these two areas. He explained that the project was going very well, and already making remarkable difference in tackling the under-achievement of children referred to it by Barnet schools. The other speakers stressed the fact that Barnet supplementary schools were well supported by both the NRCSE and Community Barnet, which provide safeguarding and quality framework for them.

It was hoped that schools would take up the offer of help made to them by the presenters and enter into meaningful partnerships with supplementary schools in their area.