Connecting parents with their daughter’s learning

Remote learning in 2020 sparked unprecedented levels of interest from parents wanting to know what and how their daughters were learning in new and exceptionally challenging circumstances. In response, Penrhos offered a range of initiatives for parent involvement, which we have continued to evolve now that we are once again able to welcome parents and caregivers onto campus, to actively participate in the girls’ development and growth.

To ensure the most cohesive support framework, our teaching staff typically collaborate with parents to develop specific individual goals to nurture both the academic and the social / emotional development of each student. As part of this process, parents are invited and encouraged to engage in seminars, to make regular visits to the classroom (where relevant) and to participate in fun events.

Here are some initiatives to look forward to: • The Year 5 Great Debate, Parents vs Daughters • Year 7 Celebration of Learning Sundowner • Year 8 Crunchy Eyebrow Evenings coming in 2021 • Penrhos Full Circle: a 2020 initiative from Penrhos

College psychologists

The Year 5 Great Debate, Parents vs Daughters

A debate involves communication between two people or parties with differing points of view. The Year 5s have decided to formalise the debates that may happen in homes on a day-to-day basis between our students and their parents — normally resulting in heated conversations around bedtimes, eating vegetables or use of electronic devices. Sound familiar? Parents and students in Year 5 will be invited to take part in a Great Debate around these topics and more — parents versus students. The exercise will have many benefits including improved communication skills, planning experience, public speaking and honing persuasive arguments. There will be only one winner and being sent to bed will not be an option!

Year 7 Celebration of Learning Sundowner

The student-led Year 7 Celebration of Learning evening provided an opportunity for parents and caregivers to view and participate in their daughter’s development and growth during her first year of Secondary School. Families were able to hear student reflections on their Year 7 experience and enjoy music

and drama performances, before taking part in a student-led tour of key learning and co-curricular areas where girls showed off work that they were most proud of from the year. The tour was followed by a Parent Sundowner where families mingled and connected with fellow parents, teachers and College staff. One parent commented, “It was great to see students lead the evening with confidence and to hear the pride they had in both their work and the College.” Due to the success of the evening in 2020, we look forward to seeing the initiative take place again in 2021.

Year 8 Crunchy Eyebrow Evenings coming in 2021

Our Crunchy Eyebrow Evenings are so-named to reflect the brow-furrowing expressions which result from intense analytical thinking. These evenings provide the chance for Year 8 students and their parents to attend a variety of workshops in which they must work collaboratively to complete tasks requiring both critical and creative thinking. Hosted in the new Meg Melville Science Innovation Centre, these workshop activities will be focused on each of the four MESH areas (Maths, English, Science and HASS).

Penrhos Full Circle: a 2020 initiative from Penrhos College psychologists

Like all schools, Penrhos offers ‘inward’ looking programs that teach wellbeing skills and provide opportunities for skill development to students. But we want to do more. We know that partnering with parents is crucial in providing security, consistency and a shared language to support our girls. And so, the idea of a more ‘outward’ looking service was born — connecting with our caregivers to offer best practice psychological skills and understandings, to support our girls as they grow and develop in an ever-changing landscape. Penrhos Full Circle psychologists work with groups of adults — large and small, face to face and via technology to offer seminars, workshops, small group discussions, coffeecatch-ups and digital resources. Our aim is to support the adults in our girls’ lives to consolidate wellbeing universals, develop resilience, stay connected and be on the front foot — together. We are confident that the benefits will come back full circle to the girls.