Nursery World - Take twos...using home-to-nursery learning bags

In line with the Tickell review recommendations, provision for two-year-olds will need to place strong emphasis on involving parents in their children's development. James Hempsall outlines the practical steps one nursery is taking to achieve this.

Parents have many opportunities to be involved at Sunshine Nursery and are actively encouraged to be partners in children's learning. Sunshine Nursery provides childcare for Seascape Sure Start Children's Centre in County Durham. The nursery was part of the original phase one pilot and has provided nearly 150 places for eligible two-year-olds since 2007.

The nursery identified very early in the pilot that many families who used free entitlement places for two-year-olds did not always have access to appropriate toys or resources to continue learning at home with their child.

Recognising that learning would not be achieved by resources alone, the nursery introduced a three-week course to support families with home learning using Every Child a Talker materials. The course aims to provide skills and confidence with a child's language development and wider learning at home. Home-to-nursery learning bags and diaries contain guidance notes and the resources families will need.

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