We welcome grown up volunteers when we have the capacity to do so. At the moment COVID makes this impossible, but the time will come when we shall do again.

Why

Parents and carers are the most knowledgeable people about their children and are their child's first educators. When parents and carers volunteer in school it can have a measurable and lasting effect on a child's experience of school:

• They learn lots about how the school works, and can demonstrate to children that they trust the school, helping their child feel secure.
• They know what is going on in school, making it much easier to talk about it at home, and to follow up on activities at weekends. This builds a consistent approach to a child’s learning, and shows a child that their grown up values their education.
• They get to know staff, which eases communication. This builds parents' confidence and self-esteem, leading to more effective communication with primary and then secondary schools.
• They get to meet other parents, become less isolated, and able to give and receive support.

What

All parents and carers can support school work by adding information and samples of things children have done at home or on holiday to their child’s Learning Journey, either on paper or by email to their child's Key Person.

Those who can volunteer during the school day, either as a one-off or regularly, can:

• share skills such as: sewing, woodwork, playing a musical instrument, teaching art and craft techniques, planting and gardening, computer and other ICT work, cooking, reading and writing with the children in a variety of languages
• help us take children on trips as part of ongoing curriculum activities
• mend books, toys and other equipment
• help setting up activities and tidying away afterwards
• organise, help and support fund-raising activities
• help us arrange and celebrate events such as International Day, Eid or end of term lunches.

How

Before a child starts nursery school families meet their child’s Key Person, who will explain the value of parental involvement in school, and find out if you are able to join in, and how. They will share this with other staff.

Local volunteers can email the schools, explaining what they can offer.

When adults volunteer regularly with the children, they receive an induction, covering things including safeguarding and health and safety. Regular volunteers working more than once a week must have a full DBS check. Some parents may not feel initially confident enough to work with a group of children. We are happy for parents to work alongside a member of staff in order to learn the way we work with the children. All regular volunteers will have the educational objectives of each activity explained by a member of staff and guidance given as to the most appropriate way to carry it out.

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