How can family learning promote educational resilience in children and young people

One of the most compelling priorities on the current national educational agenda is to close the achievement gap between those pupils who are academically successful and those who are at risk of failure. Pupils at risk of academic failure often live in socio-economic conditions that have made it difficult for them to succeed in school. Identifying interventions that will promote educational success has become increasingly important in the attempt to improve the life chances of children and young people living in disadvantaged circumstances.
One area of research that has significant implications for the educational improvement of pupils at risk of academic failure is focused on educational resilience – “the capacity of students to attain academic and social success in school despite exposure to personal and environmental adversities” (Wang, Haertel & Walberg,1998)
This report will focus on the context of the family, how services can work in partnership with parents and families to promote these ‘protective’ features and thereby encourage the development of educational resilience in children and young people. It will:
– Provide an overview of the research and evidence around what works
– Identify models of good practice in Birmingham settings
– Outline key factors that seem to facilitate good practice