About Family Learning

Family Learning describes a wide range of activities and courses where parents, grandparents, children, carers, neighbours and friends are involved in learning together.

Programmes are tailored to the needs of children and their parents, relatives or carers, mainly in schools and nurseries but also in libraries, community centres and other venues. The length of time is flexible - 2 or 3 hour workshops, short courses of up to 6 weekly sessions or longer courses of a term or a year. Many courses bring parents and children together to improve skills for both; others offer tuition to parents/carers alone so that they are able to provide their children with greater support at home.

“Children with very interested parents progress 15% – 17% more in mathematics and reading between ages 11 – 16.” DfES Brief, Prof. Charles Desforges

The success of the programmes is due to the informality and flexibility of the teaching approach balanced with parental contributions and fun activities for parents and children.

Our Aims

	Develop Family Learning programmes across County Durham
	Increase parents' ability to support their children’s learning and through this, raise their own skills levels
	Engage local families in learning and training provision and help them progress to higher levels of education
	Improve the performance of children through parents and children working together
	Promote links between local and County wide initiatives and liaison between projects involving Family Learning
	Work with a range of partners to meet local needs

Family Learning is Important for Parents

	Involves them in the development and support of their child’s learning
	Helps them understand how children are taught in school
	Helps both parents and children improve their skills in word, number and IT
	Raises self-esteem
	Increases confidence
	Improves home school links
	Provides opportunities and advice for further study
	Promotes and supports parenting skills
	Improves job prospects

Family Learning is Important for Children

	Is known to enhance achievement
	Is known to improve behaviour
	Increases self esteem through achieving success
	Increases skill with word, number and ICT
	Increases confidence
	Positively enhances how the child is seen by others
	Helps foster a positive attitude toward school
	Improves communications with parents
	Helps improve social skills and relationships with peers and adults