Community Focused Schools

In Merthyr Tydfil we want all communities to be focused on learning and high aspirations.

Community Focused Schools follows a three-cluster approach, and we are based in the North, Mid and South of Merthyr, operating across all primary and secondary schools in the borough.

Within the team we have a Community Focused Schools Manager based in each cluster and 2 Community and Family Engagement Officers based in each cluster.

We want all schools in Merthyr Tydfil to be Community Focused Schools:

• Building a strong partnership with families.
• Responding to the needs of their community.
• Collaborating effectively with other services.

At Community Focused Schools we work towards 3 strands of engagement:

• Family engagement - Working closely with families to give children and young people the best home learning environment possible. Ensuring families have the skills, confidence, and resources to actively support their child’s learning at home. Working with families to address any barriers to engagement.
• Community engagement - Acting as a key part of the local community, offering opportunities to use the school facilities for adult learning, well-being, play, sporting, cultural and other community activities. Signposting to other support or advice services. Utilising the skills and organisations within the community to extend and enrich learning opportunities and to positively influence change.
• Multi-agency engagement - Collaborating effectively with other key services and agencies to ensure that all children thrive and learn. Sharing information so that children and young people and their families are able to access the appropriate support at the right time. Supporting access to wider services which may be co-located in a school premises or located elsewhere within the community.

Email: cfs@merthyr.gov.uk

Telephone: 01685 725000