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CHAPTER SIX: IMPACT OF MAKING THE DIFFERENCE LEAFLETS
The previous chapter examined awareness and usage of the Making the Difference series of leaflets and this chapter will examine the impact of the series.
6.1 Feedback received by schools and local authorities
All respondents participating in the telephone interviews were asked to say whether they had received feedback on any of the leaflets from parents (school based respondents) or feedback from schools or parents (local authority based respondents). Chart 6.1 illustrates that 76% of schools had not received feedback from parents on any of the Making the Difference Leaflets and only 22% had received feedback. However, it is encouraging to note that where feedback had been received, this was largely positive (93%) and only 6% noted that it had been neutral. No-one noted that feedback had been negative.
Chart 6.1 Whether received feedback on any of the Making the Difference leaflets from parents
Notes to Chart
Source: Q13a
Base: All School respondents (248)
Respondents were also asked to say in what ways this feedback had been positive. Forty per cent of respondents noted that the leaflets keep parents well informed or that parents find them helpful and a further 28% simply noted that the leaflets had been favourably received by parents. Twelve per cent noted that this has encouraged involvement or increased communication with parents and 6% that it contributes to the agenda for the parent forum. There were also positive comments on the format of these leaflets (14%) and the content (10%).
Chart 6.2 Ways in which feedback has been positive from parents
Notes to Chart
Source: Q13c
Base: School respondents who received largely positive feedback (50)
A higher proportion of local authority staff had received feedback from either parents or schools, with 46% claiming to have received feedback, compared to 54% who had not. All of the 16 staff who had received feedback claimed that this was largely positive.
Chart 6.3 Whether received feedback on any of the Making the Difference leaflets from parents or schools
Notes to Chart
Source: Q11a
Base: All Local Authority respondents (35)
The key way in which local authority staff felt that feedback had been positive was in relation to the leaflets being easy to read and understand (cited by 63%). Smaller proportions commented positively on the presentation of the leaflets, the design and so on (see Chart 6.4 - given the small bases, figures presented are raw numbers rather than percentages).
Chart 6.4 Ways in which feedback has been positive
Notes to Chart
Source: Q11c
Base: Local Authority respondents who received largely positive feedback (16)
6.2 Impact of Making the Difference series of leaflets on parental involvement - views of schools and local authorities
All respondents participating in the telephone interviews were asked to agree or disagree with a list of 4 statements relating to views on the Making the Difference literature. These statements were:
- The leaflets have made parents more aware of the benefits of parental involvement;
- The leaflets have encouraged parents to consider a range of ways in which they can become involved in their children's learning;
- The leaflets have helped parents understand what they can do at home to support their child's learning;
- The leaflets have encouraged higher levels of parental involvement in formal activities such as helping out in the school or joining the PTA / School Board etc.
Chart 6.5 shows responses from all school based respondents and, in general, respondents were positive about the leaflets. The highest proportions (83%) agreed "the leaflets have made parents more aware of the benefits of parental involvement" (31% agreed strongly); 82% also agreed "the leaflets have helped parents understand what they can do at home to support their child's learning"; 76% agreed that "the leaflets have encouraged parents to consider a range of ways in which they can become involved in their children's learning".
However, opinion was split in relation to the statement about the leaflets encouraging parents to become involved in formal activities with 47% disagreeing to any extent that this is the case and 44% agreeing to any extent.
Chart 6.5 Attitudes towards Making the Difference leaflets - Schools
Notes to Chart
Source: Q7 Values under 5% not labelled
Base: All School respondents (248)
The views of local authority staff were slightly more positive than school staff. Ninety one per cent agreed to any extent that the leaflets have 'made parents more aware of the benefits of parental involvement' (57% agreed strongly); 89% agreed (43% strongly agreed) that the leaflets have encouraged parents to consider a range of ways in which they can become involved in their children's learning; 86% agreed that the leaflets have helped parents understand what they can do at home to support their child's learning.
Views on whether the leaflets encourage higher levels of parents' involvement in formal activities were less polarised, with 40% agreeing this was the case and only 17% disagreeing, although 43% provided a response of "don't know" to this statement. This may simply be a reflection that many local authority staff do not have direct contact with parents and are unable to comment on this aspect of the series of leaflets.
Chart 6.6 Attitudes towards Making the Difference leaflets - Local Authorities
Notes to Chart
Source: Q5 Values below 6% not labelled
Base: All Local Authority respondents (248)
All respondents were also asked to provide their views on a number of other statements relating to the impact of the Making the Difference series of leaflets. These statements were:
- The Making the Difference leaflets are of use to parents in stressing the importance of parental involvement;
- I feel parents are better educated as to how they can be practically involved in their children's learning and development;
- I feel that in the main, the Making the Difference leaflets have provided parents with information they were largely unaware of;
- I would welcome the publication of more Making the Difference leaflets in the future;
- I feel that the Making the Difference leaflets have played a part in increases to parents' involvement in schools in my local authority;
- The Making the Difference leaflets have been a useful tool to send to schools to help them encourage higher levels of parental involvement (asked of local authority staff only);
- My local authority is supportive of ways to increase parental involvement in schools in my area (asked of local authority staff only);
- Schools in my local authority area are supportive of ways to increase parental involvement (asked of local authority staff only).
As Chart 6.7 demonstrates, respondents in schools were largely positive about the impact of the Making the Difference leaflets. Ninety four per cent agreed with the statement 'The Making the Difference leaflets are of use to parents in stressing the importance of parental involvement' (53% agreed strongly); 85% agreed they would welcome the publication of more leaflets in the future (50% agreed strongly); 80% agreed "I feel parents are better educated as to how they can be practically involved in their children's learning and development." A smaller proportion (69%) agreed that the leaflets have provided parents with information of which they were largely unaware. Although a majority of respondents (57%) agreed with the statement 'I feel that the Making the Difference leaflets have played a part in increasing parents' involvement in my school', 34% disagreed (19% disagreeing strongly).
Chart 6.7 Attitudes towards the impact of Making the Difference leaflets - Schools
Notes to Chart
Source: Q16 Values below 5% not labelled
Base: All School respondents (248)
Once again, the views of local authority staff were more positive than those expressed by school staff.
As shown in Chart 6.8, all local authority respondents agreed that their local authority is supportive of ways to increase parental involvement in schools in their area (100% agreed strongly); that schools in their area are supportive of ways to increase parental involvement (94% agreed strongly) and that they would welcome the publication of more Making the Difference leaflets in the future (74% agreed strongly). Ninety eight per cent agreed that the leaflets are of use to parents in stressing the importance of parental involvement and 94% agreed that parents are better educated as to how they can be practically involved in their children's learning and development. Just over four in five (83%) agreed that in the main the leaflets have provided parents with information they were largely unaware of. In relation to the statement 'I feel that the Making the Difference leaflets have played a part in increasing parents' involvement in schools in my local authority' while 63% agreed with this, around one third (37%) stated they did not know.
Chart 6.8 Attitudes towards the impact of Making the Difference leaflets - Local Authority Staff
Notes to Chart
Source: Q14 Values under 6% not labelled
Base: All Local Authority respondents (35)
School based respondents who had distributed the Making the Difference leaflets to parents were requested to state the impact the leaflets have had overall on parental involvement. Chart 6.9 illustrates that 50% of these respondents felt that the leaflets have made a 'positive impact'. In contrast, around one third (34%) pointed out the leaflets had made no impact and 15% did not know. Only 1% indicated the leaflets have had a negative impact on overall parental involvement.
Chart 6.9 Impact of sending out Making the Difference leaflets on overall parental involvement - response from schools
Notes to Chart
Source: Q6e
Base: School respondents who have distributed leaflets (231)
School respondents were then asked to state the positive ways the Making the Difference leaflets have had an impact overall on parental involvement (see Chart 6.10). One in three (34%) believed the leaflets have increased parental involvement and the feeling of involvement. Just over one in four (27%) thought they informed parents, made them more aware and up-to-date. Thirteen per cent said it reinforced messages.
Chart 6.10 Positive impacts Making the Difference leaflets have had on parental involvement
Notes to Chart
Source: Q6f
Base: School respondents stating leaflets made a positive impact on parental involvement (116)
When local authority respondents were asked to state the impact the Making the Difference leaflets have had overall on parental involvement, 81% agreed that sending out the leaflets has had a positive impact on parental involvement. Nineteen per cent said they did not know (see Chart 6.11).
Chart 6.11 Impact of sending out Making the Difference leaflets on overall parental involvement - response from local authorities
Notes to Chart
Source: Q4e
Base: Local Authority respondents who have distributed leaflets (31)
Local authority staff were also asked to state the positive ways the Making the Difference leaflets have had an impact on parental involvement. As Chart 6.12 illustrates, just over half (52%) of the respondents thought the leaflets had raised awareness and interest of parental involvement. Around one quarter of the respondents (24%) were of the opinion the leaflets were simple, user friendly and easy to understand and 12% maintained the leaflets could be used in conjunction with other activities/tools at schools.
Chart 6.12 Positive ways Making the Difference leaflets have had an impact on parental involvement - local authorities
Notes to Chart
Source: Q4f Values below 8% not presented
Base: Local Authority respondents who stated leaflets had made a positive impact on parental involvement (25)
In summary:
- Views on the series of leaflets and their impact were very positive from both school and local authority staff and where feedback had been received either from parents or schools, this too was largely positive;
- Key themes emerging from the telephone interviews were that these leaflets provided relevant and topical information, they were written clearly, helped to raise awareness of key issues and showed how parents can become involved in their child's school;
- While views from schools and local authority staff on the series of leaflets were generally positive, and they were viewed to have had a positive impact on parental involvement, the quantitative data also suggested that any increase in parental involvement as a direct result of these leaflets was limited.
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