At the heart of our approach to parent communication is a strong, trusting partnership between families and practitioners. Our Parent Communication Framework sets out exactly how and when you are expected to communicate with parents and carers, whether through daily handovers, updates on our App, learning journeys, assessments, or dedicated parent consultations with your key child’s parents/carers. It has been designed to give you clarity, consistency, and confidence in how you are expected to share information about your key child’s wellbeing, development and progress.
To ensure our teams communicate with families effectively and meaningfully, we have developed a comprehensive Parent Communication Training Package for practitioners. This includes a detailed video tutorial and practical toolkit, supporting staff in all aspects of communication, from daily updates and statutory logs to sharing learning stories and writing high‑quality assessments. The framework has been shaped closely with parents and staff, who helped us understand what is both valuable for families and achievable for staff, ensuring the right balance between keeping parents well informed and enabling practitioners to spend quality time with their key groups of children. We are confident that this framework will further strengthen the relationship between families and practitioners, ensuring communication feels clear, purposeful, and warmly connected every step of the way.
The Parent Communication Framework Training Package has been developed to support and strengthen how you communicate with parents across all areas of your practice. Here are the resources to support your practice:
Training package: To support your learning and reflection, we have created a training package in the form of a video, an online toolkit, and a Wise Owls notebook that can be used to make notes on what actions you may need to take and to record observations and notes about your key children.
Practitioner resources: We’ve created a new online Practitioner Toolkit, available now on our Staff Hub in a staff only area of our website. This toolkit includes helpful templates, examples, and guidance designed to support your parent communication in a practical and accessible way.
Questionnaire: At the end of your training, please take a few minutes to complete the short questionnaire. This will helps us to know who has completed the training, as well as understand how well the training supported you and what your next steps will be to further develop your practice.
Handover at drop off and pick up Regulatory logs including: Sleeps and sleep checks, Nappies, Meals, Accidents, Incidents and Medication
Behind the scene Snapshot Photos and Videos sharing brief highlights of your week
One detailed learning journey per month for your key child One every two months for preschool children
2-year checks School Readiness Assessment Parent Consultation after 2-year check Parent consultation after School Readiness check
We’ve created a new online Practitioner Toolkit, available now on our Staff Hub in a staff only area of our website. This toolkit includes helpful templates, examples, and guidance designed to support your parent communication in a practical and accessible way. Here are some of the tools you will find:
To monitor developmental progress, inform future planning, and communicate learning clearly with parents, all key workers are required to provide one detailed learning journey per month for each of your key children. For preschool practitioners, you should provide one detailed learning journey every two months.
The progress check at age two is a valuable opportunity for early years practitioners to support children’s development and wellbeing. It offers a chance to share with parents the vital role early development plays in a child’s future and to guide them in understanding their child’s needs. Most parents are eager to learn how their child is progressing and how they can help at home, making them especially open to thoughtful, supportive conversations. As practitioners, it is important we approach this check with care and sensitivity, recognising that some parents may feel anxious or judged. By building trust and working in partnership, we can empower families to play a confident role in their child’s early development—laying the foundations for lifelong wellbeing.
In the term before a child starts school, practitioners will complete a School Readiness Assessment. This provides a clear picture of the child’s strengths and areas where they may need further support. The assessment will also help guide discussions during the parent consultation in the spring term, where practitioners will work with families to explore ways they can support their child’s transition to school. These conversations are an opportunity to share practical ideas, build confidence, and ensure that each child is well-prepared for this important next step.
Parent consultations are an important opportunity for families and early years practitioners to come together and talk about a child’s progress, development, and wellbeing. These meetings help to strengthen the partnership between home and nursery, ensuring that everyone is working together to support the child’s learning journey. You are expected to arrange a parent consultation with your key child’s parent/carer after their two-year check and after their School Readiness Assessment.