We asked the School Improvement lead, Jackie Buckland, about the impact of SCARF in their schools. Before her current role, Jackie was a Headteacher in Gloucestershire and also spent several years in the Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning (GHLL) local authority advisory team.
Headteachers of our 17 schools completed a survey in July 2021 and all reported positively on SCARF. Comments included:
Headteachers also referred to the use of the ‘Back to School’ lessons, which supported pupils’ wellbeing during the transitional periods after lockdowns.
The fact that all of our schools have chosen to continue using SCARF this year is a testament to the quality of the approach and resources.
In addition to this, I attended RSE training led by SCARF's RSE specialist, Lisa Handy. I found it extremely beneficial and have used information and ideas for it with PSHE co-ordinators.
I carried out detailed monitoring of PSHE with book looks and pupil conferencing in the Trust schools. Findings included:
Our CEO, Quality Assurance Lead and I have all carried out the annual Safeguarding Audits for all 17 schools, during the Summer Term of 2021. Included within this is pupil conferencing on how the curriculum helps them to understand how to stay safe. Pupils talk readily about SCARF and confidently about the individual lessons that support them in this area.
Feedback goes back to Coram and the team there always listens so that they can continue to act on any changes needed and improve the resources.
We are genuinely proud to have developed such a strong partnership with Coram and SCARF, for the benefit of all of our Trust community – pupils, staff and parents/carers.
Developing this relationship has allowed our staff to have access to a high-quality resource, expert training and ongoing support but most importantly our pupils have had access to great learning opportunities and a sense of agency …. our children have been able to give direct feedback to the SCARF team, which has been listened to and acted upon.
The power of this for young people is great – a sense of agency in their learning about themselves and others and being able to influence how this is delivered is amazing!