How Pen Green Centre build trust with parents as a starting point for their Early Years Pupil Premium strategy

Children don’t develop in isolation: they grow and thrive within the context of their relationships, especially those with their parents and carers. By building strong, reciprocal relationships with families, we can create a secure and supportive foundation for children’s learning and development. For example, the EEF’s Working with Parents to Support Children’s Learning guidance report highlights the importance of both the home environment and the early years setting in creating supportive contexts for children to develop their communication and self-regulationHow children monitor their emotions and thoughts, and adapt their behaviour in different circumstances. skills.

That’s why our Early Years Pupil Premium strategy at Pen Green begins not with paperwork, but with trust.

Parents are a child’s first educators, and they bring with them a wealth of knowledge about their children’s interests, needs and experiences. When early years practitioners respect and actively engage with this knowledge, it not only enriches our professional understanding but also strengthens the child’s learning journey.

At Pen Green, we aim to work with parents rather than do to them, fostering a culture where families are seen as partners, not as clients.

At Pen Green, our work with parents is built around some shared beliefs. For example, we honour parents’ commitment to their children and acknowledge that our services must be accessible to all carers and parents. That means we must respond to the challenges that accessibility can pose. Our work with families and young children is founded on the belief that we need to respond flexibly, rather than expecting families to adapt to our ways.

We’ve designed our centre to welcome families in. We hold regular opportunities to engage in conversations in the centre as well as home visits that allow us to connect in meaningful ways.

We view all families as capable and resourceful. Listening deeply to their stories and experiences helps us to understand their needs and positions them as experts in their child’s life. We recognise the families with various cultures and languages derive no benefit from being stereotyped.

Parents bring new and often better ideas with them, so we need to work in partnership.

Our multidisciplinary team includes educators, health professionals and family workers who collaborate to provide joined-up support. Families shouldn’t have to navigate fragmented systems alone. We plan and evaluate learning with families. This strengthens their involvement and ensures that what we offer is relevant to each child’s context.

Trusting, respectful relationships with families are vital when it comes to identifying eligibility for the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP). To access this funding, we need to gather sensitive information. Families are far more likely to share this information if they feel respected, valued, and not judged.

When families feel stigmatised or excluded, they may be reluctant to engage or to disclose the information needed to assess EYPP eligibility. That’s why our approach is always relational, never transactional.

We explain what the EYPP is, how it can benefit their child, and how we use the funding to enhance learning opportunities for those who need it most. Our aim is to ensure that families feel included in the process and understand that their child’s wellbeing and development is our shared priority.

The EYPP isn’t just a funding stream: it’s a mechanism to support equity. And working in partnership with parents is essential to making sure it reaches the children who need it.

Ultimately, our commitment to working with parents is rooted in the belief that families matter not just as contributors to a child’s development, but as partners in shaping the culture of our setting. The more we listen, collaborate and co-construct, the more effective our support becomes.

Visit the EEF Guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium

Read the EEF’s guidance report, Working with parents to support children’s learning

Pen Green leads the East Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub. To find out more about their work on involving parents in children's learning, click here