School and education
A missed education for any child means missed opportunities in later life. Barnardo’s believes that every child has the right to full opportunities to learn, leading to improved life chances and better prospects.
Second chances: Re-engaging young people in education and training, March 2009
Young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) are often portrayed as ‘idle’ or ‘feckless’, hanging around on street corners rather than getting a job.
Second Chances dispels this stereotype. 75 young people attending Barnardo’s services around the UK spoke about the real challenges they faced, as well as their aspirations.
Barnardo’s services work to unlock the potential and motivation of young people who have been labelled as ‘failures’ at school. Through vocational training centres and support services Barnardo’s helps young people overcome barriers to education and training and achieve their ambitions.
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View full-length video of young people from two Barnardo's services speaking about their experiences (Windows Media file)View shortened 2 minute version of video of young people from two Barnardo's services speaking about their experiences (Windows Media file)
Young people's experiences of, and solutions to, identity related bullying: Research report Nov 2007
This research, involving 77 young people, examines young people’s experiences of bullying- not just those who are bullied, but also young people who bully and young people who witness bullying in day to day life. It specifically looks at racist bullying and identity related bullying and outlines how young people get bullied by adults as well as other young people within school and within the community. It makes concrete recommendations about how to reduce and combat identity related bullying and how to tackle bullying that takes place within the community.
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Staying on - briefing paper and DVD
The Government is planning to make young people stay on in education or training until they are 18. We asked young people in three Barnardo's alternative education and training projects in the North East of England what they thought about this - and what would need to change to make it work for others like them. Over the coming year we will be doing more research with young people in our projects to explore their experiences of education, the barriers to participation they face and 'what works' in enabling them to engage and achieve. The research will also inform our Parliamentary lobbying on the forthcoming Education and Skills Bill. For further information please contact Policy and Research Unit. Email anne.pinney@barnardos.org.uk or barbara.robinson@barnardos.org.uk
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NEW - Aiming for high
Replace fear with fun and help children prepare for the move to high school. This big box pack is full of games, activities and an animated film (DVD) to help deal with children’s anxieties.
It brings together proven Barnardo’s methods, based on years of successful work in supporting children through this crucial time. Aiming for high gives teachers, social workers and youth leaders everything they need to run lively sessions that will give children the confidence and information to cope with this transition.
Inclusive education in primary schools - supporting children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties
This pack offers a holistic approach to supporting inclusive education and explores ways of working with children, parents/carers, teachers and volunteer befrienders. Each section provides a general overview on the approach used, broader research evidence about the issues and techniques, case studies from Barnardo’s Scotland work and easy to copy appendices for the classroom. The pack comes in a sturdy ring binder and includes a CD-ROM with all the worksheets and links to useful websites.
Better education, better futures: Research, practice and the views of young people in public care
Brings together research about the education of young people in care and examples of innovative policy and practice from a selection of local authorities across the UK. It also includes the views and experiences of young people who are or have been in care.
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Food poverty in the school holidays
A follow up to 'Wish you were here?'. Looking at the issues facing parents on income support during the school holidays, this report focuses particularly on the impact of the weeks with no free school meals. Based on interviews with parents.
Burger boy, sporty girl: what children say about school meals
Lifting the lid on a nation of children who accept junk food as the staple school diet, and the media and peer influences at play on them. The report consist of two linked studies: the first includes interviews with 174 children and young people; the second was conducted by a Food Commission nutritionist and assesses the nutritional value of school meals. Children’s views are central in this report, which supports the case for poor diet contributing to alarming childhood obesity rates.
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The education of pupils excluded from school for between 16-45 days
This report set out to establish a baseline for educational services for pupils excluded from school. It looks at how pupils' education continues during exclusion, how that time is or might be used to address their problems and what arrangements best help reintegration to school.
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Evaluation of Wiltshire school start service – work in progress
An evaluation of the programme of work carried out at home, pre-school and in school settings with children and their families. Measures of emotional and behavioural changes in programme participants are used to analyse the service achievements.
Failed by the system
This survey reveals the shocking educational disadvantage faced by children in care. A world of targeted bullying, multiple placements and repeatedly changing schools is described by the 16-21 year olds surveyed. The situation of young people in care is contrasted with the support enjoyed by most GCSE pupils from parents and teachers.
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More school less play? The role of the Extended School in Denmark and England
The subject of extended schools has brought the issue of childcare, including who should provide it and what it should offer, to the fore. This short paper looks at learning from Denmark, where there is a history of schools providing after school care and compares provision there with English provision to see what can be learned.
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Obliterating the limits: can arts projects raise pupil achievement and encourage participation in the process of change?
Does using artistic media as a catalyst for community development bring successful outcomes? This report examines the issue.
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Raising awareness and promoting positive mental health and well being among young people - The role of peer support
The report presents the findings of a research study which explored young people's views and experiences of peer support and considered whether peer support approaches have a role to play in terms of promoting positive mental health and well being in schools.
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St Helen's school and Vincent Street homezone feasibility study July 2006
This partnership community project was commissioned by Swansea children's partnership and communities first to discover children and young people's experiences of outdoor play opportunities within their neighbourhood and to examine the feasibility of developing an outdoor community space by redesigning two local streets and a school yard.
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Trained up? Let down?
Revealing the view of young people on training programmes in England, this report looks at how the participants feel undervalued and excluded despite their best efforts to train for the labour market.
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