We recently hosted a celebration event at Uplands Primary School to mark the success of our Early Words Together at Three programme in Leicester.
Early Words Together is our programme that helps parents to support their young children’s language development and literacy and supports school staff and volunteers with ways to work with parents of three-year-old children, to build the parents confidence so they can develop their child’s communication, language and literacy skills.
Thanks to funding from Leicestershire based organisation Closing the Gap we have been running the programme in Leicester since June 2018. In this time we have been able to train and support 15 schools nurseries in the area, delivering the programme throughout the local community. Through weekly sessions across the city we have been able to reach 205 families, who along with the training from the sessions have received tips, free books and library visits as part of the programme.
Here are just some of the findings from the evaluation of the programme:
- 95% of parents believed the programme had made their child more school-ready
- 78% said they were more aware of the importance of talking to their child
- 67% say they read and share stories with their child ‘more than before’
We’re delighted with the progress we’ve seen through the Early Words Together at Three project in Leicester. I want to extend a huge thank you to all the wonderful practitioners involved and to the families who have embraced all the advice and activities so well.
Kirsty Cunnington, our Early Years Programme Manager
To recognise this success we honoured eight Early Words Together practitioners at a celebratory event where we presented the evaluation results to those who have been involved with the programme. Along with their certificates the practitioners were provided with books to help continue their work. All eight of them wish to continue to support the programme after witnessing first-hand the positive impact they have had on families and children.
Early Words Together has proven to be an invaluable project in enhancing children’s language and therefore increasing their life chances and one that Uplands infants will continue to invest in.
Michelle Orton, Headteacher at Uplands Infant School