Links with parents

[pixie]

How do you make links with parents?
We hold parent evenings, the younger children have contact books, newsletters, comment boxes, but what else could we be doing?

[Ruthierhyme]

Hi Pixie welcome to Silkysteps.

Sounds like you have lots already covered !

The one thing I'd be interested to find out about is Parent/carer workshops. We have family learning sessions in our Primary school where parents can go to find out about and have a go at the sort of activities the children do in school... these are held in school time so as far as I'm aware older Children aren't present.

Curious how successful combining a parents evening with this more hands on approach would be !?

[pixie]

That sounds like a good idea, i thought we were doing alot already but it's somthing our early years team have picked up on!! How else do you link with parents about the child's learning?

Staff training would highlight the importance of developing relationships with parents to create true partnership working. Its crucial to working together
Also developing links with your local childrens centre to ensure parents are well informed of what's available for them in terms of wider support
An information session about the EYFS will also inform them of how the children learn and why you do what you do - also how can this learning links and be extended to the home environment.
Making developmental files alway available to parents is another way of working together.

Don't forget to document all this as it would contribute the grade Ofsted will give you for your partnership parent link.