Relationships with Parents

We believe that children learn to be strong and independent by developing positive relationships with the adults in their lives, at home and in school.  We recognise the importance of establishing positive relationships with parents because we understand that an effective partnership between home and school will have a positive impact on children’s learning and development.  We value the role of parents as children’s primary educators.  We encourage parents to share their unique knowledge of their child, providing further insight into the child as an individual (e.g. characteristics, interests, experiences, likes, dislikes).  This supports practitioners in establishing interesting and stimulating learning experiences, responding to children’s needs and interests.

New Parents Meetings

All parents/carers are invited to attend a meeting in the term prior to their child starting at our setting, where information about the setting and curriculum are shared.

Stay and Play sessions

All children are offered the opportunity to come and visit the setting to ‘play’ and meet the adults in school.  These sessions are held after school and every parent/carer has an individual meeting with a member of school staff so information can be shared and questions can be asked/worries addressed!

Curriculum Information

An Early Years specific newsletter is sent home on a half-termly basis. It shares information about what children will be learning during the half-term and also the key vocabulary that will be learnt in our ‘Magic of Reading’ sessions.

 

RWI meetings and parent involvement

Parents/carers of children in Upper Foundation are invited to attend meetings throughout the school year (led by our RWI lead) to enable them to support their child's reading journey in school.  We share QR codes so parents can watch RWI videos with their child, linked to their current level of learning.  We also let parents know on a weekly basis which sounds their child will focus on during that week, so additional practise can be done at home.

 

Something for the Weekend

Each week we share suggestions of how parents can support their child’s learning at home, including videos and suggestions of how letter formation can be practised at home.

 

50 things to do

We share the ‘50 Things To Do’ app with parents which provides parents/carers with low or no cost ideas for play– we link these to our current learning and share a weekly suggestion of an activity that families may like to explore at home.  Buddy the Bear visits every child’s home during the course of the year to take part in 1 50 things activity with each family!

 

Linger and Learn

We invite parents into school to work alongside their child in the setting.  We provide a ‘menu’ of suggested activities to include, but also allow the children to initiate their own learning with adults from home.

 

Evidence Me

We share our observations of children with Parents/Carers using the ‘parent share’ feature of Evidence Me so that they receive regular updates of their child’s ‘significant learning’.  Parents can also send us a ‘Parent Postcard’ to share learning from home with the class.

 

Positive Relationships at School

We have a dedicated and caring EYFS team who ensure that each child feels a sense of belonging in our setting.  Our team are skilled at being sensitive and responsive to children’s individual needs, feelings and interests and also supporting and scaffolding the children’s learning through their independent play.