There is something really satisfying about collecting stamps and getting something free in the end- reward cards keep me coming back to the same coffee shop. But how do they fit in with parental involvement?
At a recent meeting we heard about Govanhill Nursery, in the Southside of Glasgow, who have introduced their own rewards card. Parents will get a “stamp” on their card for each school event they attend, and if they have six stamps their child can go on the school trip for free. It was born out of the difficulties the nursery had to get parents to come along to school events and give them important information about their children’s learning, applying for a place in school etc. Govanhill nursery is in a diverse neighbourhood with many parents new to Scotland and unfamiliar with the education system- getting the right information to them is incredibly important but parents can be reluctant to come to school events due to lack of confidence, language barriers and other commitments.
The nursery used the rewards cards as a “hook”- a practical reward for parents making the time to come to school events. But the parents also found the events really positive as well- giving them the chance to see what their children are doing in nursery, how they can help and all the essential information about starting school in Scotland.
All they needed was a bit of card and a chance to collect the stamps.
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