Parent Community

‘Community’ is a word we use a lot at Hillbrook. We believe it is a basic human need to be part of a larger group and to feel you belong.

Despite this, for some time now the idea of community has been declining in the western world: neighbourhoods, churches, even families are no longer as strong a source of community as they used to be.

Around ten years ago research from the United States began suggesting that schools that function as communities for their students are likely to produce stronger academic results than schools that function as bureaucracies. That research is now quite compelling: schools that are strong communities – especially with high levels of mutual trust and respect – have students who are likely to do well.

For all of these reasons we strive to maintain and develop Hillbrook as a thriving, inclusive community, where adults and young people feel connected and welcomed.

In 2020 it became apparent to the P&F that changes in family circumstances with both parents working, the traditional P&F model no longer works for schools and parents.

With this in mind, the current P&F at that time held 3 workshops to reimagine the future for the Hillbrook P&F and the P&F legally disolved on 31 December 2020. a

In 2021/2022 Parents.Connect and Parents.Learning have come together to provide connection in line with the following purpose statements, which have now become the basis for our parent connection as a result of the P&F workshops.

Build relationships and community to create a sense of belonging and share responsibility.

Share the skills, knowledge and attributes of our parents to grow inolvement and expand the horizons of our students.

Foster learning to enable parents to lead their families with insight and confidence.

Deliver the Hillbrook vision ‘to open minds, inspire hearts and nurture dreams’.

Parents.Connect provides the opportunity for parents to achieve a greater sense of belonging in the Hillbook community.

Parents.Learning is underpinned by a sense of belonging that is reinforced by the contribution of Parents.Connect in creating a supportive and engaged parent community.