Parents can support their child by listening, talking, and encouraging – this can have a big influence on children’s learning:

• Encourage your child to talk to you about their learning, what learning is happening at school and do what you can at home to build on that
• Talk to your child about their strengths/interests and how they are progressing
• Encourage your child to talk to you about their next steps in learning and find out how you can work with the school to support this
• Ask for help if you think your child needs it for any reason
• Praise your child if he/she is working hard at something or has achieved something within or out of school
• Look for opportunities at home to develop literacy and numeracy skills: money, number problems, time, measuring, matching, size, encouraging reading, writing, understanding instructions, questioning information

• Encourage your child to take part in activities e.g. hobbies, clubs which will provide opportunities to develop a range of skills
• Help them work on tasks on their own and then talk about it with you afterwards
• Do things together where appropriate – learn together e.g. if your child has a project or task to do, take an interest and discuss with them what he/she is doing or offer support if this is needed
• Help prepare for change particularly at key transitions – talk together
• Talk to them about how they are feeling
• Work together with the school by taking part in discussions about your child’s learning and progress e.g. at parent’s nights, reviews

Parents and carers should be given opportunities to become familiar with and understand the approach that schools are taking to develop a positive culture and ethos and promote positive relationships and behaviour and model this approach at home to support Better Relationships Better Learning.