What we see:

We surveyed our Storypark families to ensure we’re making an impact. We have been delighted with the responses:

• 97% of parents felt that Storypark has enabled them to be more involved in their child’s learning.
• 94% of parents felt that Storypark has enabled their wider family to be more involved in their child’s learning.
• 96% of parents felt that Storypark has enabled them to gain a greater understanding of their child’s interests and strengths.
• 92% of parents rated Storypark as easy to use.

We also surveyed our Storypark educators to ensure we’re making a difference in their work:

• 80% of teachers felt that Storypark has helped improve their teaching practice.
• 92% of teachers felt that they had more communication with families through using Storypark.
• 78% of teachers felt that they have a greater understanding of the children’s interests and strengths through using Storypark.
• 98% of teachers surveyed rated Storypark as easy to use.

What we hear:

We are continually humbled by the feedback we receive from our users. This is how we know that Storypark has:

• Dramatically improved connections between parents, wider family and teachers.
• Supported more effective transitions from early learning services to schools.
• Enabled teachers to spend their time more effectively.
• Helped grandparents and working parents be more included in their children’s learning.
• Provided better insight for children with supported learning needs.
• Provided parents and teachers with deeper understanding and insights into children’s current interests, enabling better and more immediate support.
• Improved planning ability and outcomes for teachers.
• Enabled the child’s voice to help define ‘what’s next’ in their learning and pursue their interests and passions.
• Helped embed learning by letting children revisit and review their experiences.

Why this matters – research

The impact parental involvement has on children’s learning is well documented.

Researchers have evidence for the positive effects of parent involvement on children, families, and school when schools and parents continuously support and encourage the children’s learning and development. The most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status but the extent to which that student’s family is able to:

1. Create a home environment that encourages learning.
2. Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers.
3. Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community.

Harvard Family Research Project – Harvard Graduate School of Education

Young children experience transitions from home to service, from service to service, and from service to school. They need as much consistency and continuity of experience as possible in order to develop confidence and trust to explore and to establish a secure foundation of remembered and anticipated people, places, things, and experiences. Recording learning – sharing what is important to your child – eases this transition.
Strong foundations: Outcomes of good practice in transition processes for children entering primary school – Fabian & Dunlop UNESCO

Children have better outcomes in early childhood settings when there are partnerships with families and the community.
“When you enrol a child, you actually enrol a family”.
– Auntie Lyn

Equity and diversity are key principles for forming respectful partnerships with families. When families feel supported and included in their child’s education and care children have better outcomes. Family-centred practice recognises the key role that families play in their child’s development and has been identified in many studies as being the optimal model for ensuring holistic, collaborative education and care.
– Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework
Equity and Diversity – Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, University of Melbourne
Evidence Paper Practice Principle 4: Equity and Diversity
Authored for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
by Madeleine Saffigna, Dale Franklin, Amelia Church and Collette Tayler.