posted by Derek Yeoman, Community Assessment & Review Officer, Bellevue House

“The main impact of the project in our school is a change of mind-set. Rather than going ahead and doing things, we’re really thinking carefully about costs and financial impact on our children and families – the phrase ‘cost of the school day’ comes up constantly now in our planning and discussions. It’s not just an initiative or project where we go back to normal after it’s finished, there’s been a real shift in our thinking.” (Head Teacher, Glasgow)

We are delighted to share the Cost of the School Day report with you, being launched today at an Inclusion and Equalities conference for Glasgow schools. The full report and executive summary can found at: www.cpag.org.uk/costoftheschoolday

Contained in this report are learning and recommendations from over 300 children and young people and over 100 school staff members in Glasgow:

• The key financial barriers affecting participation throughout the school day for children and young people from low income households
• Good practice measures which children say help to reduce costs, ensure equal access to opportunities and reduce poverty related stigma, along with their ideas about what more could be done
• Recommendations for local authorities, schools and other stakeholders
• Resources to support poverty proofing in schools and local authorities along with examples of simple changes made by schools participating in Cost of the School Day.
  
  We hope that you find the report findings and resources useful and that you are able to use them in your own settings. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you would like to discuss the report or are keen to get involved in the next phase of the Cost of the School Day project.We encourage you to forward this email to any relevant colleagues or networks and to promote it on social media: #CostofSchoolDay
  
  Sara Spencer
  Cost of the School Day Project Manager
  Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland
  Ladywell, Unit 9,
  94 Duke Street,
  Glasgow G4 0UW
  Tel: 0141 548 1056
  Email: sspencer@cpagscotland.org.uk
  I work Mondays to Thursdays