Parental Engagement In Early Years

At Springwell Park, we acknowledge the importance of parental engagement for a child's academic and emotional success. We pride ourselves on our high level of collaboration, with a strong relationship between our practitioners and the child's family being at the heart of what we do. EEF's research into Parental Engagement in Early Years highlights the importance, stating that parents being involved in the child's education is consistently associated with the children's subsequent academic success. We are proud to say that we have consulted this research to help create our offering. 

We pride ourselves on our ongoing communication with our families. We aim to have a strong relationship with, not only the children, but also the parents and the carers -  it is through this relationship that we are able to truly understand the child as a unique learner and therefore tailor the curriculum to meet their needs, incorporating children's interests throughout the year. Our teachers welcome all of the children in daily and see the children out, and both times the teachers are available for the parents to chat to. Our parents are able to contact management and pastoral through our school Dojo app, as well as contacting the Phase Lead via telephone call. 

Examples of our high level of parental engagement: 

• Transitions - We are proud of the transitions that we offer at Springwell Park. We acknowledge that starting school is a huge milestone for both the adult and the child, therefore we offer multiple transitions for both, where they are able to see the setting, ask questions, and familiarise themselves. 
• Welcome to Nursery/Reception - We host welcome meetings at our school for the parents of nursery and reception children. During this meeting, the parents learn all about our school, about the child's upcoming year, and are able to ask questions. 
• Home Visits - We conduct home visits for our nursery and reception children. This is a crucial time where the teacher is able to meet the child on a 1:1 basis and the parents are able to ask any questions. 
• Meet the Teacher - We host a meet the teacher session in September, where the parents all come into the classroom and listen to a presentation from their child's Class Teacher. 
• Early Reading Workshop - We host an Early Reading workshop for our reception parents. This is where the parents learn all about our phonics scheme and about how they can help their child at home. 
• Come Read with Me - The parents are invited into the classroom to see a story-time session in action from their child's Class Teacher, before they go on to read 1:1 with their child. 
• Come Calculate with Me - The parents are invited into the classroom to see a maths lesson from their child's Class Teacher - they then complete some maths activities 1:1 with their child. 
• Nursery singalong - The nursery children sing Christmas songs in a performance for the parents. 
• Reception Nativity - Reception children perform the Nativity for their parents and carers. 
• Stay and Play - The parents and carers are invited into school to play with their child within the classroom environment. We have general stay and plays, as well as curriculum specific, such as Festival of Light Stay and Play and Christmas Stay and Play. 
• Sports Day - Parents are invited to come and watch their child perform in our Sports Day.
• Nursery graduation - we hold a graduation event for our nursery 2 children in summer term and the parents and carers are invited in.