Our setting recognises parents as the first and most important educators of their children. All of the staff see themselves as partners with parents in providing care and education for their child. There are many ways in which parents take part in making the setting a welcoming and stimulating place for children and parents, such as:
- exchanging knowledge about their children's needs, activities, interests and progress with the staff;
- helping at sessions of the setting (especially outdoor learning);
- sharing their own special interests with the children;
- helping to provide, make and look after the equipment and materials used in the
- children’s play activities;
- taking part in events and informal discussions about the activities and curriculum
- provided by the setting;
- joining in community activities in which the setting takes part; and
- building friendships with other parents in the setting.
The parents' rota and joining in
The setting has a rota which parents can sign if they would like to help at a particular session or sessions of the setting. Helping at the session enables parents to see what the day-to-day life of the setting is like and to join in helping the children to get the best out of their activities.
Joining the rota is not the only means of taking part in the life of the setting. Parents can offer to take part in a session by sharing their own interests and skills with the children. Parents have visited the setting to talk about their particular work or to show a pet to the children etc.
We welcome parents to drop into the setting to see it at work or to speak with the staff.
The 'Key person' and your child
Our setting uses a key person approach. This means that each member of staff has a group' of children for whom she/he is particularly responsible. Your child's key person will be the person who works with you to make sure that what we provide is right for your child's particular needs and interests. When your child first starts at the setting, she/he will help your child to settle and throughout your child's time at the setting, she/he will help your child to benefit from the setting's activities.
Learning opportunities for adults
As well as gaining qualifications in early years care and education, the setting staff take part in further training to help them to keep up-to-date with thinking about early years care and Montessori education.
The setting also keeps itself up-to-date with best practice in early years care and education and staff members have Personal Development Plans. We are fortunate to be able to access both Montessori training and updates, but also to attend and participate is west Sussex County Council Early Years training and workshops.