The importance of parents as partners

8th March 2019 | Little Elms Blog

One of the themes in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is Positive Relationships. The relationship between parents and their child's teacher is a very important one, second only to the relationship between child and teacher. Parents and educators should work as partners in order to ensure the child will have the best possible outcome.

In Little Elms, we strive to develop effective partnerships with parents in order to enhance the learning and development of the children with whom we work. We are all learners from birth and it is usually our parents who first give us the confidence and motivation to explore the world around us and who continue to keep us learning and stretching the boundaries of our understanding.

Here are some key messages, taken from the EYFS effective practice document:

• Parents provide a learning environment which is enduring and comprehensive. It begins even before birth, operates beyond the child’s day at the setting and provides continuity as the child transfers from one setting to another
• Over 70% of children’s lives are spent, not in a setting, but with their family and the wider community. Therefore home and community must be recognised as significant learning environments in the lives of children
• All parents can enhance their child’s development and learning
• Parents have the right to play a central role in making decisions about their child’s care and education at every level
• Successful relationships between parents and educators can have long-lasting and beneficial effects on children’s learning and well-being. Successful relationships become partnerships when there is two-way communication and parents and practitioners really listen to each other and value each other’s views and support in achieving the best outcomes for each child

Thank you to all my Little Elms parents for supporting and working closely with me to ensure your sons' learning is the best it can be.

You can watch a short video of one of our parents sharing their views about Little Elms, below:

- Mrs Skinner