Zaynah was the first child in her family so her mother, Iram, wanted her to play and interact with other children of her own age. When Zaynah was nearly two years old Iram started taking her to stay-and-play sessions at Netherton Park Children's Centre in Dudley.
There they found a warm welcome and were soon invited to join the Butterflies group, which offers a range of age-appropriate activities for one- to two-year-olds.
The staff make sure that all parents feel welcome and get to know each other, and Iram enjoyed joining in with the activities alongside Zaynah.
They made pizzas and chose their own toppings; they looked at hard, dry pasta and saw how soft it got when it was cooked and ready to eat.
Sometimes the group did a joint painting with footprints on large sheets of paper on the floor.
In the spring, when Zaynah was nearly three, she joined the Ladybirds group and Iram would leave her to play with other children for a couple of hours twice a week. Zaynah was shy and quiet at first but soon grew in confidence. By this time, Iram felt comfortable with the setting and staff, and knew she could approach them with any difficulties, especially as some were from an Asian background.
Zaynah understands and speaks Punjabi, the language the family speak at home. She also attends a school on Saturdays where she is learning to recite the Koran in Arabic, the language of prayer for Muslims, so she can join in with this at home.
Moving on
In the September, after her third birthday, Zaynah joined the nursery class. She attended for half-day sessions, first in the afternoon and then for a year in the mornings.
She enjoyed the accessibility of a wide range of well-resourced activities.
The staff both supported her independent choices and encouraged her to join focus activities. She made many friends and involved other children in her play. Iram also got to know many families and took a place on the centre's governing body.
The teachers and early years practitioners in the nursery class kept in close contact with Zaynah's family to share her progress and the next steps in her learning. They respected the fact that there were times when Zaynah stayed away to be with her family during religious celebrations, but also shared celebrations such as the Eid festival with the family at the centre.
The staff at the centre took Zaynah, and the children who were transferring with her, for visits to their primary school. The first week at school was a gradual introduction to the full day in the reception class, and Zaynah settled quickly and confidently. She is making good progress and enjoying her developing reading skills.
Iram now regularly brings Zaynah's baby sister and brother to family sessions at the centre.
Firm foundations
Lesley Rowland-Roberts, headteacher of Netherton Park Children's Centre, says, 'Our highly skilled staff team value the positive relationships that are established with parents, and ensure through consultation and discussion that we offer a wide range of services.
'These services include the open access stay-and-play sessions that Zaynah first attended, outreach support, one-to-one family support programmes, a young mothers' group, holiday play schemes, toy and book libraries and a range of groups not just for children aged birth to three, but also for their parents.
'Staff and parents share the development of these young children by observing and engaging in their play. Parents have an opportunities to meet and chat with others, seek advice and support, and share concerns, have fun and celebrate progress.
'We also encourage parents to become engaged in their own learning as well as their child's. They can access courses on paediatric first aid and food hygiene, as well as cookery groups. Some parents who are studying for education and childcare courses attend the centre on placement.
'The centre has a team of bilingual staff who support all groups. We make sure that services, activities and information are accessible to everyone and support the sharing of linguistic diversity. For speakers of other languages, English classes are held at the centre, but many of the staff and parents are able to welcome attendees in their own language. Iram speaks English fluently.
'Zaynah's learning and development were supported by detailed and regular observation of her play and interactions, enabling staff to plan the next steps in her learning process. As well as written observations, we also use photographs and drawings to complete children's learning stories, which are often displayed and are always shared with parents. Children are very proud of their stories and are often to be found sharing them with others.
Mutual respect
'We have a clear ethos and proactive approach to valuing and respecting diversity, and actively promote good personal and community relations. All staff contribute to the formation, development and regular review of policy documents, together with the governors.
'Parents' contributions are always valued and we are currently consulting with everyone who uses the centre - the children, their parent/carers, staff, governors, partners and other professionals - on how to improve the outdoor environment to ensure that it will meet all their needs.
'The centre fosters a positive atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
Appropriate support is provided for children and families for whom English is an additional language, and home and community languages are encouraged.
'There is an inclusive environment in which all contributions are valued. Our resources and displays reflect the experiences and backgrounds of the community. The content of all services offered at the centre reflects and values diversity, encouraging the exploration of bias and challenging prejudices and stereotypes.
'The teaching is responsive to children's different learning styles, with staff taking steps to recognise every child's rights.
'At Netherton Park Children's Centre, everyone recognises the importance of a successful transition to and from the centre. As children move into the Foundation Stage at the centre, and from there to their mainstream primary school, a comprehensive induction programme is planned to support a developmentally appropriate transition.
'Within the centre, the aim is for children to move seamlessly through the groups from birth to five years old. Moving on from the centre, the transition includes home visits, planned visits to the new setting with staff and parents, talking about "when you go to...", visiting the new outdoor environment as well as the indoor one and the opportunity to share a school dinner with a parent. We also welcome the children's prospective teacher and early years support staff to the centre to share their nursery experiences.
'All this fosters greater understanding between parents, the centre and new setting of the child's learning, development and well-being.
'Our links continue into all the children's first term at school, when their former keyworker visits them to share in their new and exciting learning opportunities.
'For many of the children this is the culmination of a long and positive partnership with the centre and their family, during which time everyone hopes to have forged a firm foundation upon which to build their future learning.' NW
Further information
* Developed from 'Celebrating Young Children - and those who live and work with them', available as a free DVD from DfES Publications, tel: 0845 60 222 60 e-mail: dfes@prolog.uk.com quoting Ref: DfES 1211-2005 DVD
Effective practice questions
1 How do you make parents feel welcome and valued in your setting?
2 What information and activities are available to families?
3 How do you make sure families see and understand this?
4 Do you have staff who speak other languages or do you make translators available?
5 Do you run a keyworker system?
6 How do you record and share children's progress?
7 How do you help children to feel confident and settled when they start in your setting?
8 How do you support children leaving you to go to another setting or school?
9 Are there times when you celebrate cultural or religious events?
10 How do families in your community share in and contribute to these events?
