Ways to support your child
A parent’s influence can have a major impact on a child’s education as they are an important part of the learning journey. Parental interest and a range of basic skills can help make school a successful learning experience for children. Parental interest sends a strong message to children - that education is important, and that learning can be fun and worth the effort. This section details some simple, yet effective ways to support your child’s learning at home and away from the school environment, supporting them in engaging with the Every Child Matters agenda.

Confidence and self-esteem
Self-esteem and confidence are very important factors in children's progress at school. A child who is generally confident and who has high self-esteem is more likely to ask questions, participate actively, express their ideas, and engage with new challenges. They are also better able to learn from mistakes, be resilient in the face of problems, accept constructive criticism and to generally push themselves harder in learning. Conversely when a child's self-esteem is low they are more likely to be negative, withdrawn, surrender in the face of a problem and have negative experiences more often.

Here are some suggestions to help your child grow in self esteem and confidence:

·  Make time for your child in your busy days and give them the gift of your undivided attention, if even just for a few minutes per day

·  Help your child to set realistic goals and then support them in achieving those goals

·  Give your child responsibility at their level at home such as setting the table or feeding a pet, always thanking them and complimenting them on a job well done

·  Let you child know when you are proud of them and say so

·  Let your child be the "family expert" on subjects that interest them

·  As much as possible, provide a range of different enriching experiences for your child, these don't have to be expensive – a simple nature walk can be a great experience

·  Tell friends and relatives about your child's achievements and positive qualities, and let your child overhear

·  Set clear boundaries and expectations for your child. This provides a sense of security and lets them know that you care enough to be consistent and clear

·  Leave encouraging notes or letters for your child

·  Always associate negativity with the problem, not the child (e.g. I do not like your behaviour when…) and follow up with what can be done to rectify the problem

·  Encourage your child to speak positively about themselves, model positive self-talk yourself

·  Always accept your child for who they are, avoiding comparisons with other children or siblings

·  It is natural to want to protect your child, but by allowing your child to resolve some problems themselves, you will create resilience and self motivation in your child

By being aware of your child's self-esteem and confidence level, you, as a parent, can act as a coach for your child. All of us do better when there is someone actively coaching us to be the best that we can be. Your child will too.

Helping with homework

·  Establish a special, quiet place with good lighting and preferably a suitable surface on which to work (e.g. a table or desk)

·  Keep basic stationary supplies in the designated homework area such as pens, pencils, ruler etc

·  Establish a regular time to complete homework (e.g. after school have a drink and snack and then complete homework before dinner)

·  Support your child with organisational aspects of their homework and encourage the use of planners, folders, diaries or timetables

·  Ensure that your child at the very least looks over their homework in advance of the deadline date and encourage them to clarify any queries with the teacher before the deadline date

·  When children are assigned larger homework projects that require several days or weeks to complete, assist them in organising a homework schedule to ensure that the project is completed to a high standard and on time. This will allow the homework to be broken into manageable pieces.

Other ways in which a parent can help:

·  Maintain a positive, supportive approach

·  Always strive for the highest standards, be encouraging and look for any areas that your child could work on and develop

·  Remember that it is your child’s homework and not yours

·  Encourage your child to clarify any queries with the teacher

·  Let your child know that you have confidence in him/her. Remind him/her of past successes and focus on the positive aspects of their learning

·  Establish a good relationship with the teacher(s), get to know them and their expectations and speak to them about any issues that you have before they become major problems

Remember the main way you can help to support your child is to show an interest in what they are doing at school and focus on their achievements, praising them regularly!