Parent Partnerships
At Normanby Primary, we place great importance on our partnership with parents and carers, as it is integral to meeting the holistic needs of every child.
Engaging parents effectively in their child’s education can have a remarkable positive impact, equivalent to up to four months of additional progress. By establishing a strong partnership with parents and carers during the early years of their child’s schooling, we enable teachers to personalise their teaching methods, emphasise the significance of education, and ensure that each child receives the best possible start. We are committed to maintaining this close working relationship throughout a child’s entire primary education journey at Normanby, understanding that parents and carers hold the utmost influence in shaping a child’s life.
How We Engage Parents and Carers:
Parent’s Evenings:
Parents are invited to attend parent’s evening events in October, February, and July each year. During these meetings, teachers discuss each child’s progress across the curriculum, their behaviour, engagement in their work, and overall well-being at school. Parents have the opportunity to review their child’s work, observe any displays, and experience the learning environment first-hand. Alternative appointments, video calls, or telephone calls are offered to parents who cannot attend these evenings.
Feel Good Friday Newsletters:
Each Friday we produce newsletters for parents, which contain information about upcoming school events, news, reminders, celebrations of learning opportunities and other relevant details. Additionally, year group sends out a comprehensive newsletter every term, providing specific information about the topics covered, ways parents can support their child at home, and any pertinent year group information such as parent/carer sessions, field trips, or performances. The latest newsletters can be accessed here.
Apps:
We encourage all parents to sign up for the communication apps we use, accessible on phones or tablets. The apps we utilise include:
School Gateway
School Gateway serves as the primary electronic communication method between the school and parents/carers. By signing up for this app, parents can support our goal of becoming a cashless school. They can use the system to make payments, give consent for school trips and events, manage school meals, and sign up for extracurricular clubs. Important letters, forms, and online information are disseminated through email, app messages, or text messages via School Gateway.
Seesaw:
Seesaw is an online education platform used by teachers to assign home tasks to children. Teachers share learning materials, assign homework, spellings, and provide other educational information and activities through this app.
MarvellousMe:
MarvellousMe enables teachers to send regular, quick, and important news and feedback to parents regarding all aspects of school life. It is used to super charge home learning conversations and provide positive praise for pupils’ work or behaviour.
Events
Class Events
Each class invites parents, carers, and families to special events throughout the year. These events allow children to collaborate with their parents in school activities and provide parents with an in-depth understanding of their child’s classroom experiences. Past events have included craft activities, French cafes, music events, online safety sessions and reading workshops.
Special Events
We organise various activities throughout the year where the entire school community can come together to celebrate special occasions. These events, such as Christmas shows, carol services, Easter shows, and sports days, and events linked to online safety we have receive positive feedback from both pupils and parents about these events.
Parent Voice
We actively seek the views of parents throughout their child’s time at primary school. Building effective and open relationships between teachers and parents/carers is crucial in identifying and addressing any issues that may affect a child’s learning. It fosters an atmosphere of respect and trust among all parties involved. Our communication channels include informal discussions with staff and formal surveys, ensuring we have an open and transparent mechanism for parents who have concerns about their child’s education. We actively seek the views of parents and carers on important matters such as health and safety, safeguarding, curriculum, and remote and home learning.
Can you contribute?
We are dedicated to fostering stronger relationships with our parents. If you would like to play a more active role in shaping your child’s school experience, please don’t hesitate to let us know. You can contact the school office and we will arrange a meeting for you to have a friendly conversation over a cup of coffee with a staff member. During this discussion, we can explore different roles and opportunities for your involvement.
