Stronger together: working with parents

 

As an educator, have you ever wondered what more you can do to understand a child’s needs? But at the same time empower parents and carers to feel confident in the support given at home?

Through this article, I hope to inspire simple ideas to strengthen the way you work with parents and help foster a kinder partnership between schools and parents/carers.

What did I notice?

Through my experience as an EYFS teacher and SENCO, I found my role incredibly rewarding yet demanding. It can be easy to get lost in the world of Primary Education, especially with the day-to-day tasks that staff have to manage. But the biggest challenge I faced wasn’t within the classroom"”it was how to encourage engagement with our co-educators: the families!

I had to reflect deeply"”were parents truly 'hard to reach,’ or did the school feel inaccessible to them? I rarely asked families about the barriers they faced"”not from a lack of care, but due to a busy schedule and limited time to consider these questions.

"How are you finding educating your child at home?" or "What can I do to support you?" - questions such as these during parent meetings, opened up deeper conversations. Many families shared feelings of being overwhelmed and uncertainty around strategies to support their child. This led to feelings of inadequacy and distressed behaviour at home.

These challenges were more common for parents who were new to English (EAL) or had children with learning differences and disabilities. It was no surprise, then, that relationships between home and school sometimes felt strained.

As a teacher myself, I understand the burden of workload and what may feel like 'just another thing’ added to your to do list. However, once I started asking families about their challenges and support needs, I felt inspired to make a change.

What did we do?

Here are simple, manageable steps we implemented to strengthen partnerships with parents and encourage parental engagement:

• EYFS Induction Meetings - Setting expectations from the start helped parents feel involved. Sharing real examples and inviting a previous parent to speak made it more relatable.
• Early Access to Online Tools (e.g. Tapestry) - Parents were set up early on, allowing them to see their child’s progress and feel connected to learning.
• Feedback Forms - Parents often felt unsure about how to support their child. Providing anonymous feedback options and directly asking for input helped us offer targeted support in phonics and behaviour strategies.
• Learning Menus - Weekly shared learning menus, with links and videos, helped parents prepare their children at home. Clear, bullet-pointed documents made it accessible for all.
• Technology Support - Many parents struggled with online tools. We provided workshops and 1:1 support to ensure all families could engage. In some cases, a quick five-minute demonstration was all it took to guide them.
• Workshops - Sessions on phonics and curriculum topics helped parents understand how to support learning at home. Even small guidance on phonics pronunciation made a big difference.
• Videos & Images - For families who were new to English, visual aids were invaluable. Short videos of teaching methods gave clarity on strategies and resources.  We did this through digital platforms such as Tapestry.
• Classroom Invitations - 'Come Learn With Me’ sessions allowed parents to observe and take part in lessons, strengthening their confidence in supporting learning at home.

The impact of improving parental engagement

Working with parents via tools like Tapestry and learning menus encouraged them to take an active role in their child’s education. Parents began sharing videos from home, which gave teachers valuable insights for assessments, particularly in EYFS. Their contributions made assessments more accurate and meaningful.

As parents felt more supported, their confidence grew. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, they started asking for more help on phonics and learning techniques. This open dialogue made feedback more constructive and reduced any defensiveness.

For teachers, this shift was equally impactful. Seeing parents engage with learning strategies reassured staff that co-education was not an added burden but a shared responsibility. As a result, staff felt more comfortable working alongside families, and children benefitted from a consistent learning experience at home and school, leading to progress.

CASE STUDY

A pre-verbal child joined us in the middle of Year 1, entering an already full class with several students needing additional support. The family, new to English, faced challenges at home and had received little support from their previous school. As a result, behaviour and engagement was challenging at home and at school.

Initiating early meetings helped establish a supportive environment and encouraged the parent. However, language was a real barrier, making it difficult for them to engage with feedback, which delayed collaboration

Practical steps towards working with parents

We introduced the parent to Tapestry and gave her in-person guidance on how to use it. A short, adapted transition period helped the child settle, while regular updates"”including photos and videos"”allowed the parent to see teaching strategies in action. Additional videos demonstrated how learning was structured, including the use of a visual timetable and resources like Numicon.

When the parent shared that language was a barrier to understanding feedback, we arranged translation support when holding meetings with external agencies and a bilingual staff member for internal meetings.

Positive changes for all

With improved communication, the parent felt more confident in reinforcing learning at home. The visual timetable was replicated at home, and consistent strategies helped make daily routines, like bath time and dinner, smoother. Within 2-3 months, the child had settled in well and was making steady progress"”something worth celebrating!

Moving forward - lessons and next steps

Recognising the importance of parental involvement, we introduced Come Learn With Me sessions. These allow groups of parents to observe and take part in a lesson that is relevant to the cohort. Such as Writing, Reading or Maths. These vary for some of our children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

For this child, her session focused on communication skills and learning strategies, such as using concrete resources, visuals and limited language to carry out maths activities- which were planned specially for the child.

By creating a stronger home-school partnership and working with parents more directly, we have seen real progress"”not just for the child, but for the whole family.

Conclusion

Primary and EYFS practitioners make a huge impact on children’s lives. Teaching can feel relentless, but even small changes help build stronger connections between schools and families.

Take one small step today towards improving parental engagement "”share a simple strategy, offer a workshop, or ask a parent how you can support them.

Keep going, keep inspiring, and remember"”your work is truly valued. Together, we can create supportive environments where every child thrives.

 

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