After many years as a primary head teacher, Sue Robinson was asked what she thought would make a difference to how a child got on in school. Early intervention was her reply. Problems could then be dealt with before peer pressure and damaged self-esteem took over. She felt that a programme should be developed to support children as they start nursery and school.
This was the beginning of the Early Years Enhancement Programme, funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and set up in 2002 by Gatsby Technical Education Projects. It runs in several locations in England, including Grimsby, Hull, York, Darlington and Lewisham in London. Its aim is to prepare both parents and children for the transition into school and nursery.
Early needs
The project helps to identify children's needs early on. But at its heart is the idea that parents should be encouraged to see themselves as partners with schools and nurseries, and to play and talk with their children.
A pre-school pack has been developed for parents, which contains magnetic numbers, a nursery rhyme CD, a lace with beads to thread, a roller ball, a four part jigsaw, a glue stick and a storybook. There are also activity ideas for how to use the resources.
Under the programme, a teacher from the school, and a nursery teacher or an associate professional such as an educational psychologist or member of Sure Start, visits each parent and child before the transition and gives them the pack.
For some parents this is enough; for others, especially those whose own schooling may have been poor, six sessions of two hours each are arranged, whereby parents can learn about each activity in turn, and discuss any issues or concerns they may have. The sessions are also used as an opportunity for parents to become acquainted with school and nursery staff.
This aspect of the programme, developed in partnership with Middlesbrough Sure Start team, is called 'Make a Difference'.
An evaluation of the programme by York-based QA Research found that parents who have taken part are more knowledgeable and more confident in supporting their children. They are able to understand different activities and why they are important, and can make changes accordingly. For example, parents encouraged to read to their children and chant nursery rhymes, and get the child to join in, gained greater understanding of child development and became more aware of the activities their child would be involved in at school.
Success story
It was found that parents developed a greater appreciation of the value of play and an increased confidence in their own parenting ability, resulting in a knock-on effect on the amount of hands-on parenting. Children enjoyed having resources and activities of their own, and looked forward to starting school with more confidence.
The home visits are also well received. Parents feel more prepared and less threatened by visits made in the comfort of their own homes . They are able to raise any concerns they may have about the child and are likely to feel that they are playing a greater part in their child's education.
Teachers report that the home visits give them a good insight into what each child is like. It's also useful to see them interact in their own environment with their own family. It gives teachers a chance to discover if the child is chatty, confident or outgoing, for example, or if there are likely to be future issues.
Following the two-hour sessions parents report feeling less anxious about their child starting school. Many benefit from speaking to other parents at the sessions and hearing their experiences.
In the pilot year of the programme, ten children out of 60 were found to have special needs. If it wasn't for the programme these might not have been picked up. In one area, two children were found to have several special needs and these were both picked up at initial home visits.
Everyone involved, from teachers to parents, agree that the programme has been a success and that there is a definite need for such a programme nationwide. NW
