Curriculum

Marmalade Schools recognise the importance of building a community around the school with families, parents, the local community, and the Marmalade staff team.  The nurseries each choose a charity annually that they fundraise for, and the schools also are involved in events in the local area.

Parents as Partners:

Marmalade Schools recognise parents as the first and most enduring educators of their children. We believe that children benefit most from early years education and care when parents and settings work together in partnership.  We provide many opportunities and events for parents/families to support, attend, contribute, and take part with the nursery community, along with providing opportunities for parents to contribute their own skills, knowledge, and interests to the activities of the setting.

We aim to:

• Support and enhance parent’s/carers skills and understanding of their essential role as educators by involving them in their children’s education and in the full life of our setting. We aim also to support parents in their own continuing education and personal development.
• Build strong relationships with families providing guidance and encouragement to develop children’s prime and specific skills.
• Develop and maintain a shared respect, understanding and value for all children’s individual families’ backgrounds and previous experiences.
• Foster open two-way communication between each child’s home and nursery.

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Parent Communication with the schools: 

• On-going daily dialogue with parents to improve our knowledge of the needs of their children and to support their families.

• Through our online digital learning platform, Tapestry weekly entries
• Encourage and support parents to play an active part in the setting through the PTA.
• Involve parents in the shared record keeping about their children - either formally or informally - and ensure parents have access to their children’s written developmental records.
• Consult with parents about the times of meetings to avoid excluding anyone.
• Weekly parent story time visits.
• Parents are also encouraged to visit the school to assist with topic work, e.g.  circle time activities/trips etc.
• We work with families using their personal calendars to inform us if they would like to share other family festivals or celebrations.
• Ensure that the Separated Policy is adhered to for parents who do not live together.

 PTA

Marmalade Schools has a well-established Parent Teacher Association to help parents meet each other and to provide a non-academic support network for the good of the schools.  The PTA meet with the Heads and Principal once a term to share information about school events and for the parents to share their views. 

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