A Parent’s Guide to Making The Most Out of Your Next Review Meeting

For many parents, the term “parent-teacher meeting” conjures up memories of their own school days: sitting on a small chair, waiting nervously to hear if they were paying attention in Maths.

However, a review meeting in an Early Years setting is a completely different experience. It is not a report card; it is a strategy session. It is a meeting of experts: we are the experts on child development and your child’s life at nursery, but you are the expert on your child.

When these two perspectives align, we create a powerful parent partnership that acts as the scaffold for your child’s growth. But with only a short window of time usually available for these consultations, how do you move past the polite small talk and get to the heart of how your child is really doing?

Here is your in-depth toolkit for preparing for, navigating, and following up on your next review meeting at Thrive.

Phase 1: Preparation is Key

Don’t walk into the meeting “cold.” A little preparation allows you to maximize the time you have with your child’s Key Person.

• Review the App: Look back through your ParentZone or learning journal app over the last few months. Note down any activities that your child seemed particularly engaged with.
• Observe at Home: Has your child mastered a new skill recently? Have they started using new words? Make a mental note of these to compare with their nursery behaviour.
• Understand the Routine: Familiarising yourself with a day in the life at Thrive Childcare can help you frame your questions. Knowing the structure of their day (circle time, free flow play, mealtimes) helps you ask specific questions about how they manage those transitions.

Phase 2: The Discussion Toolkit

It is easy to fall into the trap of asking, “Are they behaving?” While behaviour is important, it is the tip of the iceberg. To get a true picture of your child’s development, we recommend using the following “deep-dive” questions, categorised by the area of development they reveal.

1. The “Well-being” Questions (PSED)

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED) is a “prime area.” If a child doesn’t feel safe and secure, they cannot learn.

• Instead of “Do they have friends?”, ask: “Who do they gravitate towards during free play, and are they beginning to initiate play with others?”
• Instead of “Are they happy?”, ask: “How do they react when things go wrong? How are you helping them with self-regulation when they feel frustrated or sad?”

Why this matters: Understanding how your child manages big emotions is crucial. It tells you about their resilience and their developing ability to handle social conflict.

2. The “Learning Style” Questions (COEL)

We don’t just look at what a child learns, but how they learn. In the sector, we call these the “Characteristics of Effective Learning” (Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creative Thinking).

• Ask: “What activities spark the most focus for them?”
• Ask: “Have you noticed a specific learning style emerging? Do they prefer to stand back and observe first, or do they dive straight in?”

Why this matters: If you know your child is a visual learner or a “schema” learner (someone who likes repetitive actions like rotation or enclosing), you can replicate this at home to support their development.

3. The “Independence” Questions

Nursery is the training ground for independence.

• Ask: “How are they managing self-care tasks like putting on their coat, washing hands, or feeding themselves?”
• Ask: “Are they confident in making their needs known to adults other than their Key Person?”

Phase 3: The Two-Way Street (Your Input)

Your child’s Key Person relies on you to provide the missing puzzle pieces. A child’s behaviour can be context-dependent; they might be a chatterbox at home but quiet in a group, or vice versa.

Please be open about:

• Changes in Circumstances: A new baby, a move, or a parent working away can cause regression or behavioural changes. If we know, we can support them with extra empathy.
• Sleep and Health: If they are dropping a nap or teething, let us know. It explains a lot about their tolerance levels during the day!
• Home Interests: If they are currently obsessed with buses or baking, tell us. We can weave these interests into the curriculum to hook their attention.

Phase 4: Understanding “Tracking” vs. “Testing”

Parents often worry about where their child sits on the development spectrum. It is vital to remember that the child development stages are broad bands, not narrow ladders.

If your Key Person says your child is “on track,” it means they are developing typically for their age range. If they identify an area for support—perhaps speech sounds or physical coordination—do not panic. Early intervention is the entire purpose of the EYFS. By identifying these things now, we can put fun, play-based strategies in place to close the gap before school.

Phase 5: The “Take-Home” Plan

A great meeting ends with a plan. You should leave with 1 or 2 clear, actionable “Next Steps.”

These shouldn’t be academic drills. They might be:

• “We will play ‘I Spy’ in the car to help with sound recognition.”
• “We will let them try to zip up their own coat every morning, even if it takes 5 minutes longer.”

The Door Is Always Open

Finally, remember that you do not have to wait for a formal invitation to discuss your child’s progress. At Thrive Childcare, we operate an open-door culture. If you have a worry at 3pm on a Tuesday, or if you just want to celebrate that they used the potty successfully, we want to hear it.

These meetings are just one touchpoint in a journey we are taking together. Let’s make them count.