PARENT PARTNERSHIPS
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Shine Nursery recognises that positive, respectful and understanding relationships with parents are key to the child’s success. We need to continually work together and share information so that your child is cared for to the highest standard and makes excellent progress. Communication is key to the success of these relationships.
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At Shine nursery we are committed to:
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Asking for and sharing information about your individual child’s routines, needs and progress every day. As children progress into Stars (Two’s room) they become more independent and start to become part of key person groups where they play and learn together. At that point we begin to share a weekly overview of the care and learning via email.
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Giving information to parents about child development, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and ideas of things to do at home. Each half term we send information about one or two areas of the EYFS.
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Sharing information about your child’s progress and next steps. We do this through reports and parent meetings at least 3 times a year. If children need help to catch up in some areas of learning, we work together with parents so may meet or speak on the phone more regularly to ensure that the children are making progress. We will also give parents lots of ideas and activities to use at home to help children’s progress
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Working together with other agencies and parents. Sometimes children are referred to specialist services such as Speech and Language Therapists. Where other services are involved, we will meet with them and parents together where possible and again this will be more frequent.
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Our home learning projects create a link between home and nursery, so we can all contribute towards children’s development.
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Let’s Talk
Our Lets Talk cards give opportunities for babies to understand and explore everyday language through first hand experience of the objects.
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How it works?
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Each week babies will bring home a card with a language activity or picture on it. Sometimes you will be asked to let children explore objects you have at home whilst you name, describe and comment on what the child is doing. Sometimes the Let’s Talk card will have a picture on it for you to point to, name and talk about.
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Staff will also have the objects and pictures in the room, that week and will be re-enforcing the language and learning you are developing at home.
Picture Talk
Story Talk
The latest government research highlights that early interactions are crucial to children’s language development. A home and nursery environment that promotes and supports young children’s communication skills is highly important. With this in mind we use a programme in Star’s room called Picture Talk.
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How it works?
Children are introduced to a picture each week. They take a copy home and parents are asked to talk about the picture every day. Parents are asked to introduce new vocabulary, comment, ask questions and model sentences. This only need be 5 or 10 minutes depending on your child’s enjoyment and concentration levels. Parents are given question prompts to help with ideas. By the end of the week you will see how well you child has developed their language skills. Nursery staff will also be revisiting the picture to support the children’s development. They may also introduce props to bring the picture to life (and parents can do the same)
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What are parents asked to do?
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Respond positively to anything your child points to or says
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Introduce new words
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Repeat back what your child says in a sentence
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Comment and ask open questions ie What can you see? What is he doing?
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We believe this partnership working will accelerate children’s thinking, language and learning skills. This will have a significant influence on children’s achievement at school, their literacy skills and other later outcomes, including employability and mental health.
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Every word you say together, build’s your child’s brain and their capacity to learn
Our ‘Story Talk’ project is also designed to further develop children’s vocabulary and speaking skills.
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How it works?
Children bring one or two books home every week. The parent/ carer reads the book to the child and talks about the new words. The child then tells the story back to the parent, based on what they can see in the picture or what they remember.
Research shows that a developing child usually can say around 20 words by the time they are 2 years olds Then between 2 and 3 years old children can use around 300 words. This continues with children learning around 400 new words a year throughout their school life, so that by the time they leave they will have a full vocabulary.
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Sharing a story every day will give your child:
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Huge numbers of new and unusual words to learn,
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Ideas of new places and cultures,
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Knowledge of different people and animals,
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Understanding of feelings and emotions
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A shared experience with you
