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How ‘Family Learning’ Can Improve Your Setting’s Standards Of Parental Engagement

Children learn best when their parents are engaged with their education – so let’s use our resources and expertise to get them engaged, says Claire Matthes…

Claire Matthes
by Claire Matthes
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There is many a harassed early years practitioner who will argue that parents get in the way of doing their job properly.

Parents may come and go early or late, disrupting the setting routine, may make a lot of demands or ask too many questions. But this is exactly why we should encourage and build on parental engagement – so that parents are working with us, not against us, for the greater benefit of their child. By ‘parental engagement’ I mean parental engagement in learning, as opposed to parental involvement in schooling (e.g. attending a parents’ evening, or helping out on a cake stall). There is much evidence that suggests if parents engage with their children’s education, the attainment of the child will increase by 15%, no matter what the social background of the family.

In practice, this takes the form of Family Learning, referring to “Any learning activity that involves both children and adult family members where learning outcomes are intended for both, and that contributes to a culture of learning in the family.”

This 15% increase may in some part explain Ofsted’s focus on Family Learning. Ofsted is keen to see examples of settings offering Family Learning opportunities to those families they are involved with, as the evidence of the positive long-term impact is well documented. So if, as well as educating and caring for their children, we can bring a renewed and informed love of learning to their parents, why wouldn’t we? “Because of the cost!” I hear you cry! However, there is funding available if you know where to look…

Finding funding

In nurseries where there are a number of children receiving Early Years Pupil Premium, that funding can be pooled and used to put on a course or workshop targeted at, and based on, the needs of those children and their families.

The fact that the course may appeal to other parents too can be advantageous as, after initial targeting and prioritisation of places to EYPP parents, it can be opened up to others who may nonetheless benefit. This will promote a level of social cohesion and diversity, as well as making it even more cost-effective. Where the course or workshop is being provided by local Adult and Family Learning, as in the Treasure Basket workshop example cited later on (which was provided by Surrey County Council), the costs are further minimised as the only outgoings are the cost of advertising and the provision of an additional staff member.

If the course is run in your setting during usual working or opening hours, staff and venue costs are often already covered. There are other possible funding sources available, too. A quick search here can take you straight to any local funding options available. Town and borough councils may have small grants that you are eligible for, and your local council’s Early Years and Childcare Service can often direct you to funding sources or even offer events or workshops themselves.

Reaching the right people

Whatever the course you are offering and whichever funding source is accessed, it is important to strike a balance between targeting families you believe will benefit from what’s on offer, and those who are interested in the subject matter but may not fall into the aforementioned group.

Where this is the case then offering the course directly to those parents you really want to attend as a priority first and then opening it up to other parents to fill spare spaces may be an option. Parental engagement isn’t a simple, straightforward thing, but nor is it rocket science. If there are particular parents you really want to attend a workshop, adopt a creative approach – try a number of things to either attract them or break down the individual barriers to engagement. What might this look like in practice? A highly risk-averse mum of a young baby said she couldn’t attend a Treasure Basket workshop as there was an awkward hour between dropping off her older child at the school next door and the start of the workshop. I felt that the workshop may reassure her of the benefits of heuristic play so giving her baby a greater chance to explore the world and giving mum the confidence to let her do so. I offered Mum the opportunity to come into the children’s centre straight from drop-off and feed her baby whilst having a cup of tea, and she came! When evaluating the success of the course, bear in mind that whilst data is important, reflecting upon individual achievement and forward steps taken with a parent can provide satisfaction, as well as being a building block for future engagement.

Who should we target?

At our Surrey County Council children’s centre we receive local government Foundation Stage Profile data that can indicate areas to develop. For instance, a below national average score for communication and language led to us developing a Chatterbox programme for our families, encouraging the development of speech and language through songs, rhymes, games and storytelling.

A nursery or preschool will also have access to national Foundation Stage Profile data, but may also find it helpful to observe and listen to parents’ needs and act accordingly. Maybe you’ve noticed a significant number of parents struggle to fill in nursery forms or budget for bills, including nursery expenses? Offering courses that help improve parent’s numeracy and literacy clearly then has a knock-on positive effect on nursery life and the home learning environment. Where there is so much to be gained from engaging parents through Family Learning, any effort put into sourcing funding, and planning and implementing courses or workshops can only be viewed as time well spent. Identifying needs and targeting the parents who will most benefit ensures that process is more time-efficient, cost-effective and relevant.

Where parents gain knowledge and enhance skills, their children will also benefit – a fact that research confirms, Ofsted recognises, and that early years practitioners will not be surprised by.

Preparing for Ofsted

If you are expecting a visit from the inspectors, as well as looking at what you could and should be offering parents, step back and take a look at what you have already offered or are currently offering.

Firstly, are parents gaining knowledge from your setting that might in some way be benefiting their child? If so then you are already on the right track. For instance, if you have put on even informal sessions explaining the EYFS, then this is in itself highly valuable, as it would have highlighted to parents the prime areas of learning and what mums and dads can be doing with their child and/or looking out for at home. If you haven’t tried this approach, why not give it a go? These types of sessions will also help you in that parents are able to gain an insight into what you are doing with the children and why – the greater appreciation and understanding will benefit parents, children and setting alike. Always remember to ensure that you can demonstrate what you have done or are doing in this area with planning and evaluation documents, photographs and testimonials.

Claire Matthes is a Froebel-trained EYT who works in a Surrey Sure Start children’s centre.

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