Parent communications

[mumofone]

A lot/most of my communication is done with parents over email and in these I get compliments, information sharing working in partnership etc but how will I prove this to ofsted, should i have a special "parent communications" file but then I don't really want them reading all our emails just the relevant bits! How do you all do this?

[joannetalbot]

A lot/most of my communication is done with parents over email and in these I get compliments, information sharing working in partnership etc but how will I prove this to ofsted, should i have a special "parent communications" file but then I don't really want them reading all our emails just the relevant bits! How do you all do this?

Hi, I tend to copy/paste relevant information from e-mails and put it into a word document with the date. You could add to it bit by bit and then print it out once you have full pages and put it in a folder for ofsted to see. I tend to keep thank you cards, messages etc together so future parents can also view them as they act as references too.

i also copy text messages and paste them into an email to myself so that I can print them off with any info that is relevant to the child etc. I get a lot of info sent to me on texts and this seems the easiest way of keeping copies for myself.

hth xx

[mumofone]

Hi, I tend to copy/paste relevant information from e-mails and put it into a word document with the date. You could add to it bit by bit and then print it out once you have full pages and put it in a folder for ofsted to see. I tend to keep thank you cards, messages etc together so future parents can also view them as they act as references too. i also copy text messages and paste them into an email to myself so that I can print them off with any info that is relevant to the child etc. I get a lot of info sent to me on texts and this seems the easiest way of keeping copies for myself. hth xx

Thanks Joanne, this is a good idea and what I'm going to do too I think but I'm just wondering how OFSTED would know whether I hadn't just made up the comments myself unless I provide actual original emails?

[moggy]

Thanks Joanne, this is a good idea and what I'm going to do too I think but I'm just wondering how OFSTED would know whether I hadn't just made up the comments myself unless I provide actual original emails?

I wouldn't worry about that- an inspector would be looking to speak to parents anyway on the day of inspection so they will hear first hand what they think.

Inspectors will be looking at the big picture- all the parent communication overall: parent questionnaires, parent comments in daily diaries if you have them, letters (good to ask parents to write a letter to the inspector once you know you are about to be inspected).
They don't have time to read every single email you might put in a folder and certainly don't have time to worry about what might be made-up or not, IMO. They might not read that kind of thing at all.

I do not keep a record of parent communication, would take too long and just more folders to deal with! I do an annual questionnaire, keep letters from parents, will ask for letters to inspector when being inspected and have lots of long and detailed reviews on childcare.co.uk which I have printed in my portfolio. I know these give an overall positive message from parents.

You can use quotes from parent communication in your SEF too.