Before a concern becomes a complaint

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am delighted to meet the children as they arrive for a new school year, full of excitement and anticipation. In line with the 2022 Revised National Curriculum’s aim of educating democratic citizens with a sense of inclusion and autonomy, our class will work together to build the following classroom culture.

1. A classroom where children grow as themselves, without limits based on gender or appearance

• I will help children confidently express what they enjoy and develop self-esteem, without placing limits on their choices of colours, games, future aspirations, or hobbies.

• Across classroom routines—including lining up, individual classroom responsibilities, and seating arrangements—I will ensure that all students have equal opportunities to experience a variety of roles.

2. Classroom rules grounded in mutual respect, so that no one is excluded or hurt

• I will guide children carefully so that a classmate’s appearance, physical characteristics, way of speaking, or family circumstances do not become material for teasing or jokes.

• From the beginning of the semester, we will learn peaceful ways of talking that recognize our differences and involve listening to one another, so that no one is excluded or made to feel small in the name of “just joking.”

3. Warm communication and partnership between school and home

• Children grow most securely when there is trust between school and home. I will openly share the positive changes and moments of learning I see in the classroom. Please feel comfortable speaking with me whenever you have questions or concerns about your child’s school life.

I look forward to your warm support and partnership.

March 202X
Your child’s homeroom teacher, Grade [ ], Class [ ] 🌸

[Grade/Class] — advance notice of [lesson topic] this second semester

[For the teacher: Complete the fields for your grade or grade band, subject and unit, then remove these instructions and unused examples. Check when the standard applies against your school’s and grade team’s curriculum plan.]

Dear Parents and Guardians, [Add one or two sentences about your class’s learning and growth in the first semester.] This semester, we will connect the curriculum below with our class’s needs, helping children respect differences and build a classroom in which no child is excluded.

1. Curriculum connections and learning goals for our grade

Grade and grade band: [The class’s grade and the grade band to which the standard applies]
Subject and unit: [Subject and actual unit title]
Planned timing: [Timing according to the school’s and grade team’s plan]

Relevant achievement standard: [Verified code] [Wording of the standard]
Source checked: [Curriculum title and official document or link]

Our class’s learning goal: Building on [children’s actual questions, relationships or learning needs], this lesson will connect the achievement standard above with [the specific learning and practices children will develop].

2. What our class will explore — select for the grade and unit

[Retain only the examples that fit your grade and unit, or replace them with your actual plan. These are not activities to be taught uniformly across all grades.]

• Optional example · Respecting diverse families and ways of life: Through [selected materials/activities], children will explore different family forms, including families headed by grandparents, single-parent families, multicultural families and adoptive families. They will learn to value and respect every family, so that no child is excluded or hurt because of their family circumstances.

• Optional example · Exploring gender stereotypes and hateful language: Using [a picture book, video or other media selected for the grade’s developmental level], children will examine gender bias and language that puts others down. They will learn language that respects people’s dignity instead of excluding classmates.

• Optional example · Building a classroom free from teasing and exclusion: Through [the activities actually planned, such as discussing classroom situations, conversation or role-play], children will learn not to treat differences as wrong or inferior. They will consider how to prevent verbal abuse and exclusion and live together safely and peacefully.

3. Materials and activities we will use

Materials: [Titles, sources, reasons for selection and how families can review them]
What children will do: [Actual activities and questions connected to the lesson’s learning goals]

4. Continuing the conversation with families

If you have questions about the learning goals, materials or activities, please contact us through [contact route/how to raise a question]. We can review the actual plan together and discuss how children can learn safely and respect one another.

[Date] · [School, grade, class and teacher’s name]