Children typically spend about 20% of their time at school. So how do parents support literacy for the other 80% of children's lives, and harness all the benefits of their cultural diversity? At Erdington Hall, Birmingham we see how the head's policy to involve Early Years Foundation Stage parents more closely is paying dividends, helping children to become confident readers, writers, speakers and listeners. It is well known from research that children make excellent progress with support from home. Erdington Hall aims to build on parents' skills and enthusiasms, particularly when many of their families have English as an additional language. We see a range of parents in the classrooms and outside, sharing storytime and writing sessions, attending a writing workshop, helping on an educational visit to the zoo, as well as being interviewed. The school recognizes parents as their children's first teachers and has got them on side to provide a rich literacy learning environment.

Video Series: Literacy - The Whole Story
Release Date 2006