At The Flower Cottage, we believe that partnership working is essential to support children in their educational, social, and emotional needs, as well as their overall well-being and future successes. We are committed to working closely with our families, relevant external professionals, the local authority, and other boroughs. Additionally, we frequently invite other organisations into our setting to provide enriching learning opportunities for the children. Some of these include weekly BilinguaSing Spanish lessons, Moo Music sensory sessions, intergenerational interactions through visits to care homes, and forest school experiences.

Our foundation at The Flower Cottage is the 'Development Matters' guide, which is a non-statutory curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This guide helps us make summative assessments for individual children. You can access the guidance by scrolling to page 11, number 7, through the link provided.

Working in partnership with parents and carers is central to our approach. From the very beginning of each child's journey, we focus on effective teaching and learning that supports development and nurtures the child's interests. We treat parents and carers with respect, valuing their thoughts, wishes, and contributions. This collaborative relationship allows us to understand each child's unique culture, background, and interests, helping us build a comprehensive picture of the child and lay the foundations for their education.

Here are some ways we promote and encourage parent partnership:

- Regular ongoing communication: We ensure two-way communication through various channels.

- Email: We use email for sending multiple documents, important information, and invoices in the preferred format (PDF or Word).

- WhatsApp: This platform has proven effective for communicating with individual parents and carers. We use it for observations, weekly overviews, updates, and sharing important information.

- Multiple platforms: We showcase our setting, events, and the children's learning on Facebook, Instagram, and our website. These platforms can be accessed via the social icons on the Home page.

- Phone calls: Some parents prefer discussing over the phone, especially for meetings about learning and development, updating folders, or addressing inquiries.

- Inviting families to trips/events: We love having families join our outings, which provide opportunities to catch up and discuss the children. We also host annual birthday and graduation parties for parents and carers to celebrate with their children. Photos from these events are shared on our social media platforms.

For more information about our home learning book bags, please click on the 'Planning, Learning, and Development Booklet' in the drop-down box.

At The Flower Cottage, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive and collaborative environment for the benefit of the children and their families.