“You’re sending something home for the children to do that they are already the experts in.“
Faye Rogers, St Paul’s Primary School
The Need:
Faye was keen to enhance her connections with parents as she knew this would have a positive impact on the self-esteem and achievements of the children in her class. Schools can be a difficult place for some adults, and Faye wanted to find an accessible resource that encouraged families to get involved with their children’s learning in a way that was fun and non-threatening. The Reception class at St Paul’s Primary have been doing Helicopter Stories since 2017, and the approach is strongly embedded in their ethos. Faye was keen to explore whether this could work at home.
What They Did:
Faye used the Helicopter Stories at Home online programme to plan and implement a session with parents that gave them everything they needed to beginning scribing stories and acting them out in their front rooms. She ran the introductory session using the lesson plans and printable resources provided, and afterwards, encouraged parents to send in any stories they had scribed.
The Results:
The videos and handouts provided in the Helicopter Stories at Home programme made it easy for Faye to introduce the approach. The session was well attended, and parents were engaged and eager to try out Helicopter Stories with their children.
Faye has started to receive evidence of Helicopter Stories happening at home, with videos of parents scribing and acting out their children’s stories uploaded to Tapestry. The children love sharing with the class, the stories they have told their parents, and there is a sense of connection between families and schools, as a result of the engagement with Helicopter Stories at Home.
