Parents' involvement with their children's schools usually starts as soon as they enter primary school. Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) or Home School Associations (HSAs) welcome the fresh energy of eager new parents at the beginning of a long primary school life. But nursery school heads are not usually approached, so when I suggested starting a parents' group to Mary Hart, head of my son's Margaret McMillan Nursery School, it's no surprise she was a bit sceptical about how successful it could be.
Mary's concerns related to the high turnover of children in under-fives settings.
'Sometimes you barely get to know parents before they're passing on to another school. Experience shows that setting up a PTA in a nursery can be difficult and the staff are often left to run it. Many children are here for only one academic year.'
But what swayed Mary to supporting the idea was the possibility of funding for a series of pre-planned activities led by parents under the banner of the Friends of Margaret Margaret McMillan.
The philosophy behind the north London group's existence is simple - activities and social events for the parents, carers, teachers and 180 children attached to the nursery school, set in a relaxed atmosphere outside work hours. Busy daily schedules often leave little time for parents and carers to get to know others in their local community. The few minutes during drop-offs and pick-ups, I find, just about allow for a polite 'hello'.
Some parents do make reciprocal arrangements for tea, chat and play, but this is usually a very small and selective gathering, limited to inviting those whom the organiser feels comfortable with.
I felt I could benefit by meeting other parents and children while doing fun activities with my son. The feedback I received after sharing my thoughts with other parents motivated me to at least have a go at raising some funds to set up a group.
Questionnaires were drawn up and distributed throughout the nursery school, providing an opportunity for all to make suggestions and comments. Using this information, an application to the Pre-school Learning Alliance for a Family Learning Award helped our small group - made up of myself, Mary, Hannah FitzGibbons (deputy head teacher) and Michaela Gaffney (parent) - to decide on a succession of activities to take place throughout the first year. Clay workshops, cultural and nature trips and a series of newsletters featured as exciting possibilities. But everything we planned depended on extra resources.
Granted the 3,900 from the award scheme in April, parents, teachers, nursery nurses and children have already been on bug hunts and a picnic, and painted ceramic tiles. The first Friends Focus newsletter has been distributed. The support and enthusiasm has been tremendous - some events have even been oversubscribed. All children at the school are automatically members, so there are no special forms or membership requirements. And nursery staff are also encouraged to bring their own children and join in.
An underlying benefit, Mary believes, is that staff can relax in the back seat while parents take the lead. She says, 'It's great to go along on a trip and not be in charge. The parents have arranged everything. It's valuable for parents to see that you are there as part of the group. This has knock-on effects of making them feel empowered to make their own suggestions.'
She admits that the early stages did require a lot of work and commitment, but feels that as the group develops the staff input will ease up.
For children, seeing their school and community in a different context widens their expectations and understanding. They learn to manage different types of situations and how to function in different types of social groups, which enable them to distinguish between when something is structured and formal, and when it is social and easy going.
The funding from the award scheme ends in March. But we hope to apply for further funding or be in a position to use the wider community to continue organising activities. NW
Sharon Wallace is happy to help anyone who would like to set up a parents group. Contact her on sjwallace@cableinet.co.uk.
