Before the pandemic just 9 per cent of settings used recorded video messages, rising to 60 per cent during coronavirus, with 30 per cent saying they plan to continue to use them.
The results are based on a survey by Tapestry, an online learning journal used by early years settings and schools, which asked them about their use of different ways of communicating with parents before, during and after the pandemic.
Responses were received from more than 370 early years practitioners and teachers.
The findings also show that:
- 7 per cent used one to one video calls previously, rising to 49 per cent during the pandemic, and 26 per cent planning to continue them.
- Live video broadcasts have also increased from 3 per cent pre-pandemic, 36 per cent during it, and 11 per cent for future use.
- Nurseries are also less likely to send letters to parents. More than three quarters (79 per cent) of respondents used them before the pandemic but this has dropped to just under half (44 per cent) who now plan to continue to use them.
There has also been a shift from face to face to online parents’ evenings. Face to face parents’ evenings have fallen from 86 per cent to 47 per cent, while online they have risen from 6 per cent pre-pandemic to 30 per cent of settings who now plan to use them.
Peter Farrant, head of operations at Dolphins Pre-school, said, ‘Despite the challenges of remote communications and drops offs at the gate, relationships with many of our families have been strengthened through the shared experience of the pandemic. How we communicate with families, and more widely, has changed. Approaches we started in the first lockdown such as our WhatsApp group or remote consultations, are now just part of daily life.’
Settings comments included that they made 'weekly welfare phone calls' and 'Christmas nativity sent via email'.
Another said, 'All of our parents meetings will be online from September onwards to allow parents to access them in their own time rather than getting out of work. It was advised by teacher unions and child protection staff not do do live video streams for young children.'
However, when supporting parents who experience barriers in engaging with settings and schools, traditional methods are still important.
More than three quarters of respondents (79 per cent) reported that phone calls and face to face chats were key. However, a similar proportion (74 per cent) also reported that an online learning journal was a key communication tool.
Dr Helen Edwards, co-founder of Tapestry and a former teacher, said, ‘At Tapestry we have long been aware of the value of video in sharing children’s learning and development. However, these results show how much it has “come of age” as a medium for communicating with families. We feel it is a powerful medium that has the potential to foster stronger links between settings and home and can help make the limited time you may have with face to face chats as productive as possible.’