There are various ways that we communicate with parents at Rainbow, to help them to know what is happening!

1. Parent portal on the website – with an A-Z of information, its like a handbook. Click here to view the A-Z
2. Newsletters – these are sent between 3 and 12 times a year via email, and include updates on staffing, information about policies and reminders from staff. The newsletters are sent directly to parents’ email, but they need to have subscribed
3. Broadcast blasts – these are sent via a whatsapp message to the parents phone, with short, single subject messages, general messages are usually sent between 6 – 7 times a month; parents need to have the manager’s and director’s phone numbers saved in their contacts to receive these
4. Daily Class Whatsapp broadcasts – these tell the parents which staff are working in the room today, what the activities on offer are, any special events, theme of the week, circle time topic and the menu of the day, reminders can also be included
5. Photos – many photos are taken each day (click here for guidelines) of children playing, learning and taking part in daily routines at gan, these are posted to the Rainbow Facebook Page
6. Ad-Hoc Voice-notes or phone calls during the day – parents will receive a message or a call if there is ‘something they need to know’ for example their child has bitten or been bitten, a bump, a bruise, a piece of key information. These can also be used for WOW moments – where a team member leaves a voice note to provide feedback on an ‘insight’ to the child’s day (they made it to the toilet 3 times without missing, they created a masterpiece using only green paint, they helped another child who fell in the yard…etc!)
7. Parent Call-backs – parents can send a message to the gan phone in the classroom, and request a ‘call back’ to discuss an issue or concern that they have. The call backs will usually happen during sleep time, and undertaken by the key worker or the team leader
8. Parent meetings on request – these can be set up by staff, or the parents, to discuss a particular issue or concern. They will usually be with the team leader, and the key worker, or the manager; depending on the nature of the issue
9. Daily contact with classroom staff at the end of the day – this may be very short; for examples with the Leopards staff (who stand at the door at the end of the day), but could be a longer opportunity to chat and provide individualised feedback where possible. Pandas and Crocodiles have a team member stationed outside the door to meet parents and chat to them, this is usually a different team member each day. For the Frogs class, a team member who has been with the child during the day will bring them down and pass them to their parent and give feedback. A member of the Rainbow team (usually from Armadillos) is on the main door of the building for pick up, and can chat and give informal feedback to parents as they wish.
10. Weekly detailed voice-note feedback – The keyworker, team leader or another team member in the group sends weekly feedback with a general update for each child, each week. Each day is a different colour group. This voice-note is between 1 and 3 minutes
11. Planned Parent Consultations  – These are like parent/teacher meetings have happen 2 – 3 times a year, either in person or on zoom. The keyworker, and team leader or deputy team leader are present, and the development records of the child is shared, along with observations, photos and a discussion about their participation, development and next steps