| Research suggests that when parents are involved in their
children's education, there is a noticeable improvement in their
performance at school.
The Family Learning project has three core
aims:
- To raise the literacy, language and numeracy skills of
parents
- To give parents the skills and confidence to become more
involved in their children's learning
- To improve children's acquisition of literacy, language and
numeracy
Courses on offer include:
- Family Literacy Course - Intensive
- Family Numeracy Courses - Intensive
- Family Literacy Workshops
- Family Numeracy Workshops
- Family Computer Workshops
- Keeping up with the Children
- Nursery Laptop Course
- Other Family Art/Drama/Science/History workshops
All of these courses are funded through the Learning and Skills
Council and Newham's Learning Community Project and are based on
models developed by the Basic Skills Agency.
The project is usually delivered in Primary Schools by the
Learning Community Team, in partnership with schools during school
time, or as twilight sessions and on Saturday mornings. The project
is also run in Early Year's settings, Adult Learning Centres and
Playing for Success Centres.
Benefits of Family Learning
The Family Learning Project has proved very successful and has
shown a substantial improvement in the children's attainment. For
example, children involved with the Intensive Literacy courses
demonstrated a reading age improvement of up to 21 months over the
3 month course period. Other benefits for children are demonstrated
by many parents speaking of an improved concentration on the part
of their children and a greater enjoyment in learning.
Parents also often find that they gain positive benefits from
the courses. They enjoy the time they can spend with their children
away from the pressures of family life and many gain an
understanding of how modern schools work, and how literacy and
numeracy are taught. The courses help to break down some of the
fears that some parents may have about schools and help to forge
working partnerships between parent/child/school.
Having participated in the courses, many of the parents have
gone on to work in schools as supervisors, teaching assistants,
reading volunteers and volunteer assistants. Some parents have also
gone on to become school governors and course tutors, whilst a
number of parents progress to Further Education.
Family Learning Week
A whole range of activities are taking place this week (7 -15
October) for Family Learning Week. Download a copy of the
programme (available as a PDF) for details of events.
Contact details
For further details on Family Learning and Parental Involvement
courses please contact:
Bopinder Samra
Learning Community Services
Ramgarhia Education Centre
231 Plashet Road
E13 0QU
Tel: 020 8472 9134
Email:
Bopinder.Samra@newham.gov.uk |