Family learning in Richmond upon Thames

“… as a result of this support and positive intervention, we have seen parents integrated into the life of the school, benefiting the children, staff, their own children and not least themselves. Several of the parents have gone on to take and pass exams and some have gone on to further education.”

Barnes Primary School

Benefits of family learning

Family learning programmes are carried out in both school and outreach venues across the borough. Schools that have run family learning programmes report that they have been instrumental in achieving successes as follows:

• Promoting lifelong learning for the whole family
• Building the confidence of family members of all ages as they join together in a learning activity
• Helping to involve parents/carers in their children’s education and to be better able to support them
• Increasing parental awareness of the way schools operate and opportunities for their involvement
• Heightening the learning experience and raising standards of attainment of pupils
• Combating the feelings which lead to poor school attendance
• Raising the achievement of adults
• Providing progression routes, signposting individuals or family groups of subsequent learning opportunities
• Adults developing their own basic skills into further education and ultimately the workplace