PAPER B

Committee :    EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LIFELONG LEARNING SELECT COMMITTEE

Date :              11 MARCH 2002

Title :              THE FAMILY LEARNING POLICY

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARY

Following national and local developments in the area of Family Learning it is timely for the Isle of Wight Council to determine a policy for the development and contribution of this important work. Family Learning is part of the Council’s Strategic Plan, the Education Development plan and the Adult Learning Plan.

The Basic Skills Agency, a national body which offers funding, training and development of Family Learning Programmes, offered local authorities the opportunity to bid for funding, training and development of Family Learning Programmes, offered local authorities the opportunity to bid for funding to hold local planning days to formulate policy and practice in the field of Family Learning. This followed an OfSTED report on national family learning which highlighted the need for strategic planning and clear policies for this area of work.

The Isle of Wight obtained one of the grants to carry out this process and this policy is the result of this consultation process.

BACKGROUND

Family Learning work has been taking place on the Island since the Isle of Wight College and the Education Directorate obtained a small grant from the Basic Skills Agency in 1992.

Small-scale family learning course and projects have been sited in various primary schools since then. A post arose combining the management of a Family Learning Centre at the primary school and a continuation of the family literacy courses and family learning developments on the Island. Sarah Teague was appointed as Family Learning Consultant.

In 1999 this work was extended through SRB funding by East Cowes Primary School in partnership with the Isle of Wight College.

In June 2001 a development proposal resulting from a survey of need for family learning on the Island involved the appointment of two Family Learning teachers and Learning Support Assistants to roll out the Family Literacy Courses in ten Island primary schools. At the same time the Basic Skills Agency called for local education authorities to devise family learning policies to support their strategic plans for the development of family learning. The Basic Skills Agency funded LEA planning days for the development of such policies.

The draft policy has been discussed at length by the Assistant Director of Education, the Lifelong Learning Officer, the Family Learning Consultant and the policy amended and re-drafted several times in the light of recent national and local developments.

The consultation process for this policy has involved all the main stakeholders.

Contact Point :           Sarah Teague, Family Learning Consultant, East Cowes Primary School ☎ (01983) 292935

A G KAYE

Strategic Director of Education and Community Development

Isle of Wight Council Family Learning Policy

Introduction

Family Learning is taken to mean any planned activity in which adults and children come together to work and learn collaboratively. (Family Learning: a survey of current practice, OfSTED, 2000).

In its broadest sense it includes activities undertaken by parents/adults/carers to enhance both adult and child learning in traditional educational settings and also other community venues. It may involve learning about roles, relationships and responsibilities including parenting education. In this sense Family Learning has a strong association with the concept of citizenship.

Central to Family Learning is raising achievement in the local community, changing attitudes to learning and offering accreditation to parents in their locale.

Aims of Family Learning

·    To raise the profile of learning in the community of the Isle of Wight.

·    To help raise achievement in schools by presenting learning as a family activity.

·    To build the skills level of the local community to assist in regeneration.

·    To provide opportunities in schools and community environments on the Isle of Wight for families to learn together.

·    To provide professional parent support in the areas of behaviour management, drugs awareness and parenting skills.

·    To build confidence and self esteem within the family.

Objectives

·    To offer a range of family literacy and numeracy courses in schools and community environments.

·    To develop and deliver family learning courses and workshops in the wider community giving opportunities for families to learn together in a variety of settings.

·    To develop dedicated Family Learning Centres within communities, which offer a range of courses, workshops and services.

·    To develop and deliver parenting support and family programmes.

Planned Activities

To achieve these objectives a number of activities have been developed:

East Cowes Family Learning Centre as a pilot scheme for the Island

Grandparents’ Day

Dads and Lads Football Days and writing workshops

SHARE (Literacy & Numeracy for Year 1/2 Parents)

Family Myths & Legends Day

Year 8 Family Big Book Project

Year 1 and Year 4 Family Literacy courses

Family Numeracy (3-5 years)

Community based Family Learning activities

e.g. Ventnor Botanic Garden, Dinosaur Isle, Ryde Artworks, English Heritage sites

In addition the Isle of Wight participates in the national Family Learning Weekend and ‘Bring your Parents to School Day’. These are annual events supported by the Campaign for Learning and raise awareness of activities available on the Isle of Wight for families to enjoy learning together.

Local Context

Family Learning has developed over the last 9 years on the Island from a pilot course delivered by the Isle of Wight College funded by the Basic Skills Agency to a pilot dedicated Family Learning Centre in one of the Island’s primary schools. Many innovative courses/workshops/sessions have taken place involving an extensive curriculum for families.

Whilst the majority of Family Learning work has taken place in schools, a considerable variety of learning activities are also provided in museums, libraries and through Arts events. Community involvement is growing and Family Learning Weekend 2000 saw an encouraging response to Family Learning from community groups and new venues. A priority for Family Learning on the Isle of Wight is therefore to develop provision in a wide range of venues.

National Context

‘A Manifesto for Family Learning’ produced by the Campaign for Learning, 2000 outlined a strategy for how government should work with a range of partners to establish a coherent support framework for Family Learning in all its forms.

Its two main recommendations to local authorities are that:

·    they should appoint, or designate, dedicated Family Learning Officers to co-ordinate planning and provision, consult with families and, where necessary, initiate new programmes

·   Education, Leisure Services, Housing and other Family Learning related departments should be required to include Family Learning Plans within the statutory planning framework. This should reflect wider Family Learning issues, such as access to play facilities, as well as the provision of formal education.

Key Funding Streams

Family Learning on the Isle of Wight is currently funded by the Learning and Skills Council, Single Regeneration Budget and Schools Standards Fund. Smaller individual projects may be awarded funds from Education Extra, Basic Skills Agency and other agencies working in community regeneration and parent education work.

Relationship of Family Learning to Other Policies and Strategies

Family Learning supports the Isle of Wight Council’s corporate objectives 2 and 3 which aim:

·    To raise standards of achievement, encourage learning and promote opportunities for all.

·    To develop the knowledge and skills needed for employment.

·    Opportunities.

The Education and Community Development Strategic Plan 2001-2004 states that we value families and believe that every individual in the community should have the opportunity to achieve the very highest that his/her potential will allow.

Family Learning supports inclusion but it is also central to raising achievement, community learning and best value.

Family Learning supports a number of key priorities in the Education and Community Development Plan (2001-2002).

Priority One – Raising standards of literacy and numeracy across the key stages.

Priority Two - Promoting parental and community involvement in literacy and numeracy.

Priority Five: Improving Lifelong Learning Provision and Achievement

The Early Years Development and Childcare Plan highlights the need to include parents, who are their child’s first educators, and carers in all aspects of children’s early learning and to encourage participation and involvement in early years provision.

Raising Awareness about Family Learning – Locally and Nationally

The Isle of Wight recognises the importance of raising awareness at local and national level of the issues involved in Family Learning.

The Family Learning team regularly attends national conferences organized

by NIACE, Basic Skills Agency, Education Extra, Campaign for Learning, CEDC Widening Opportunities for Learning. The LEA is a member of the Family Learning Network sharing good practice with mainland colleagues.

Partners in Family Learning

Family Learning has attracted many partners for the development of a wide range of programmes. These include CEDC Widening Opportunities for Learning, Campaign for Learning, the Basic Skills Agency, English Heritage, Parent Education and Support Forum, Local Education Authority and the local Learning and Skills Council. Local partners include Further Education providers, the Health Authority, Lifelong Learning Partnership, Education Business Partnership and local sports facilities including the Island’s football club and local writers, Early Years Unit, Sure Start and Springboard.

School Partners

All schools involved in the delivery of the 2001-3 Family Learning Development Plan will need to place Family Learning within their School Development plan. The Family Learning Teachers will attend Governors meetings to inform school planning and future funding of Family Learning within the school. It is recommended that these schools appoint a Family Learning Governor with a special interest in the issues concerning families in the local area.

Family Learning Centre

A mission statement outlines the aims of the Family Learning Centre. (Appendix 1)

Termly evaluation forms and whole school attitudinal survey results together with school SATs and baseline results are recorded with an annual report presented to Governors and community leaders.