Teachers, practitioners and local authority officers from Sheffield and Oldham, representing all the children’s centres involved in the Making it REAL project, met at the university of Sheffield to reflect on the second year. This very positive evaluation day was hosted by Professor Cathy Nutbrown. Cathy facilitated the day with Joyce Connor and Helen Wheeler from the Early Childhood Unit and 

Professor Peter Hannon, who worked with Cathy on the original REAL project in the 1990s in Sheffield, also attended.

The event provided an opportunity for colleagues to share their experiences of delivering REAL and to reflect on its impact on children and families. It was heartening to see the enthusiasm of practitioners and to hear of the positive feedback from parents and children. Practitioners told inspiring stories of how home visits and special events had transformed parents’ confidence in supporting their children’s literacy, and helped to build and strengthen relationships between families, practitioners and centres.

A summary of the evaluation report for The Big Lottery, showing outcomes for children’s early literacy, will be summarised and made available in the near future.

The REAL project has enhanced practice in working with parents in Sheffield and Oldham, and there is a real determination to continue, extend and promote the approach  nationally.