Q. Does anyone have any advice on how to improve staff spelling and grammar? A parent has complained about the quality of the written feedback that we provide each day. It is something that I have also noticed and it doesn’t give a good impression. How can I improve this without screening every written message?
Katie Townsend, nursery manager, The Court House, Bristol Childcare
‘We try to encourage our staff not to be embarrassed or self-conscious about spelling and grammar, and foster an environmentwhere they feel comfortable asking for help. We actively encourage our team to ask each other to proofread what they have written, or how to spell if needed, without judgement.
‘We set this standard from the beginning of someone’s career with us. I, or a senior team member, will proofread all new hires’ work until we are happy they have reached the standard we expect.
‘As a manager, I lead by example and ask senior staff to proof everything I write before sending itout to parents or putting it on display.
‘If a member of the team needs extra support, I suggest they read aloud what they have written. When a person reads in their head, they might read what they intended to write. But if they read aloud, they are more likely to say what is actually on the page and hear if the sentence structure is not quite right, or if using a different word might be better. This is the first thing I teach new members of staff when I’m giving them instructions about how to record observations of children.
‘In staff meetings, and in training, I like to show employees examples of writing; for example, observations, moments and spotlight months. I show them a selection written by a member of staff when they joined, and then later examples when their writing improved. This helps staff see the difference between poor and strong writing.’
Alana Hardman, nursery manager, Busy Nought to Fives
‘My first step would be to organise a brief training session or staff meeting for the whole team focusing on effective written communication. Use this time to highlight common spelling and grammar issues you’ve observed.
‘Addressing the issue as a group avoids singling out individuals, which can be embarrassing and counterproductive. Group training fosters a sense of collective responsibility and encourages a supportive atmosphere where everyone can benefit from the shared learning experience. It also helps maintain a positive team dynamic, as it emphasises improvement as a collaborative effort.
‘Share resources like style guides or grammar handbooks with staff, and encourage a culture of staff referring to these.
‘If the problem is occurring on electronic communications, review your grammar-checking software and check staff understand how to use it.
‘Another idea is to create templates for common messages. These help maintain consistency and quality. For example, your welcome message, or daily updates, such as: “Hello parents! Today your little ones had a fantastic time exploring [theme/activity] They enjoyed [highlight of the day]. Looking forward to more fun tomorrow.”’
June O’Sullivan, chief executive, London Early Years Foundation (LEYF)
‘Poor spelling and grammar in a setting is hugely unprofessional. Many of our families have English as a second language so it is important they read correct written English.
‘At LEYF we have strict rules about proof-reading. “Read it aloud” is top of the list. Any serious communications are sent to me to check. We also have templates for things such as newsletters.
‘I have bought a dictionary for all of my nurseries, and we have fostered a culture where it is not demeaning to check words, but seen as educational and expansive. We also encourage staff to learn new words. It’s about helping people develop a broad vocabulary as well as confidence. I would also recommend the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss.
‘For years we have taught our apprentices oracy. I spend hours talking to my staff about avoiding slang and thinking about to whom they are speaking. For example, saying, “go to the toilet” not “go toilet”.
‘Many of our children are coming to the nursery to learn English, so they need to learn it properly. Inaccuracies in signs and displays around a setting are disrespectful to parents and disadvantage the children. I tell my staff, the aim is to make it easy for the reader to understand what you’re saying.’