Home-school knowledge exchange

published:  April 2008

Increasing collaboration between home and school is often recommended as one way of improving children’s learning and experience of school.

Continuing the theme of an earlier TLA research summary on parental involvement in children’s learning, in this summary we look at a project* which explored exactly how children might benefit if teachers learned more about children’s lives outside school and parents learned more about life in school.

The 'Home-school knowledge exchange’ (HSKE) project set out to answer a number of important questions thrown up by previous research:

• how can schools communicate better with parents?
• what kinds of knowledge exist in children’s lives outside of school which could be used to help their learning?
• what are the best ways of increasing the flow of knowledge from home to school? 
• can improving home-school knowledge exchange have a direct impact on children’s attainment?

Parent interviews and consultation with school staff in twelve primary schools in Bristol and Cardiff revealed four types of knowledge that could be exchanged:

• knowledge of the curriculum and different teaching methods 
• knowledge of culture and expectations at a new school
• parents’ knowledge of their child’s personality, needs, strengths and vulnerabilities
• children’s knowledge of their learning preferences, passions and interests.

When planning their project, the researchers took account of the fact that many 'home-school projects’ have seen knowledge go from school to home, but have found it difficult to transfer knowledge the other way. They therefore tried to ensure that the exchange of knowledge was reciprocal. Their study looked at how these different kinds of knowledge exchange could engage children more in their learning both by making it more relevant to their lives and by encouraging their parents to take a greater interest in that learning.

The summary explores the positive impact the project had on children’s learning, the schools’ relationships with parents and the parents’ understanding of their children’s learning. It also looks in more detail at the kinds of knowledge which were shared between home and school and the ways in which such exchanges can happen. The case studies provide further examples of how exchange has been facilitated by schools - including working with families who are often described as 'hard to reach’.

We think this research will help teachers gain knowledge of a range of strategies for improving engagement with parents, a clearer understanding of the challenges to be overcome and a knowledge of the benefits which such exchanges can bring to their pupils. 

*Hughes, M. et al (2006). 'Special issue on home-school knowledge exchange'. Educational Review, Vol. 58, No. 4.