The Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) Preparing for Literacy guidance report provides a powerful blueprint for early years settings to enhance communication, language, and literacy development. A key recommendation from the report, Recommendation 5, calls for settings to “support parents to encourage their child’s literacy development”. This reflects a growing consensus that parents are not just passive observers in their child’s education journey, but active, essential partners.
At Lyons Hall School (also the home of Essex Research School), Early Years leaders Eleanor and Amelia have embraced this challenge wholeheartedly. In this article, we explore how they’ve turned Recommendation 5 into action, offering practical and impactful strategies that any early years setting can adopt.
EEF Preparing for Literacy Recommendations Poster
Why Parental Engagement Matters
Eleanor and Amelia identified a clear need for action: year after year, children were entering reception with underdeveloped communication and language skills. Many were unable to speak in full sentences and had limited vocabulary. It also became apparent that some families did not regularly share bedtime stories, and in some cases, had little awareness of how to support their child’s literacy development.
As Amelia explains, “We realised that improving early literacy outcomes had to start with empowering parents. When families understand how to support learning at home, we can close the gap – particularly for our most disadvantaged children.”
This thinking aligns closely with the EEF’s assertion that effective parental engagement can be more impactful than some traditional interventions. However, the report also recognises the challenges: engagement with parents has been declining, and schools must be proactive in fostering it.
EEF Preparing for Literacy: Recommendation No. 5
Practical Strategies That Make a Difference At Lyons Hall School, Eleanor and Amelia have implemented a wide range of strategies, all rooted in the EEF’s evidence base and adapted to suit the needs of their community.
1. Workshops and 1:1 Support: The team runs Autumn and Spring term reading workshops to introduce families to early literacy strategies. These sessions are accessible, hands-on, and based around real-life examples. Importantly, they offer multiple sessions to suit parents’ schedules and follow up with those unable to attend.
Workshops aren’t just about telling parents what to do – they model it. From playing simple, oral blending games like What’s in my box? to demonstrating how to share picture books, the goal is always to ensure parents leave with a clear, manageable idea to try at home.
2. Weekly Home Learning and Chatter Bags: To build a culture of talk at home, the nursery uses “Chitter Chatter” activities and “Chatter Bags” early in the year. These invite children to bring in items from home that matter to them, promoting vocabulary and storytelling in a meaningful context.
“Children love talking about things they care about,” Eleanor explains. “And when parents are part of that process, the language learning is even more powerful.”
3. Bedtime Story Bags: One of their most creative and impactful strategies is the weekly Bedtime Story Bag initiative. Identified children take home two new library books, a soft toy, and a torch to create a magical bedtime reading experience. This small intervention helps families build a routine around reading and creates a sense of excitement and importance around books.
The team reinforces this message during induction evenings and parent-teacher conferences, explaining the long-term cognitive and emotional benefits of bedtime reading.
4. Fluency Texts and Family Celebrations: To build reading fluency and confidence, each class is introduced to a new whole-class text every term – fun, rhythmic stories like Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose are selected. Children learn to read them with expression and understanding, supported by actions and repetition.
These texts are also shared with families via celebration afternoons and digital platforms. During these events, parents observe strategies in action, read alongside their children, and leave with practical tools and a renewed sense of purpose.
Using Technology to Bridge Gaps
Recognising that many parents are more confident with digital formats, Lyons Hall has embedded the use of Tapestry, an online learning journal. Weekly videos are uploaded showing teachers modelling phonics, reading stories, and singing nursery rhymes.
This is especially useful for EAL families, who receive tailored videos of staff reading with their children. These bite-sized clips help parents mirror classroom strategies at home, reinforcing the message that literacy development is a team effort.
EEF Preparing for Literacy: Shared Reading Tips
Removing Barriers and Promoting Equity
Eleanor and Amelia understand that not all families find literacy support easy. Some may feel self-conscious about their own reading skills, others may face time or language barriers. That’s why they focus on removing stigma and offering gentle, personalised support.
“We use visuals, model strategies, and always explain the why,” says Eleanor. “It’s about making it feel doable, not overwhelming.”
For example, families are encouraged to warm up texts by discussing pictures before reading, take turns reading pages, and understand that repeated reading builds fluency – ideas shared via workshops, celebration events, and one-to-one chats.
Sustaining Engagement and Planning Ahead
Parental engagement isn’t a one-time initiative; it needs constant nurturing. Lyons Hall is already looking to deepen their impact. In response to recent observations, they’re planning a new summer celebration afternoon focused on reading. This will recap key messages, model strategies again, and offer space for parents to ask questions about their child’s development.
Their advice to other settings? Stay flexible. No cohort is the same, and support must evolve alongside families’ needs. Use every opportunity to model, explain, and empower. And most importantly, keep the message consistent: reading with your child every day has a profound and lasting impact.
Final Reflections
The EEF guidance rightly highlights that engaging parents is not always easy, but the potential benefits are enormous, especially in the early years. Lyons Hall Nursery example shows that when schools invest in this area creatively and consistently, they can transform home environments into rich spaces for learning.
As Eleanor and Amelia put it: “Without families on board, progress is slower. But with the right support, we can build a lifelong love of reading – together.”
Key Takeaways for Practitioners and Leaders
1. Start with families: Eleanor and Amelia’s work shows that strong early literacy begins when parents feel informed, supported and confident.
2. Make reading fun and accessible: Story bags, celebration events and workshops help embed reading into family routines.
3. Use digital tools effectively: Platforms like Tapestry provide visual and accessible support, especially for EAL families.
4. Anchor your work in evidence: Following EEF’s Preparing for Literacy guidance has helped the team build sustainable, effective practice while reassuring families that their efforts matter.
Together, these strategies form a culture of literacy that boosts outcomes and brings joy to families and learners alike.
📣 To hear more about the approaches shared in this article, sign up for the free webinar with Eleanor and Amelia. 🗓 3 June 2025,4 to 5pm 🔗 Sign up here: RS Network | Exciting Early Years FREE Webinar!
