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Regeneration money has provided for a coordinator to develop
a family library and family learning activities at a primary
school in Devonport, a deprived area. Evaluation has shown
that parents' confidence and skills are improving, that they
are helping children with their homework and spending more
time sharing books with them.
Background
This project provides high quality learning resources for
parents at Mount Wise Primary School to borrow and use at
home with their children. The aim is to increase parents'
involvement in their children's learning, and to support improvement
in the children's attainment at school, in an area where there
is little spare money for families to spend on educational
resources.
What goes on
The Learning Together Library (LTL) is open twice a week after
school. Computer software, games, puzzles, construction kits,
science activities and books have been provided for it by
the Devonport Regeneration Company. The company employs three
local parents (one of whom describes this as their first "real
job") to run the library, as well as the family projects
coordinator, using money from New Deal for Communities. The
resources are suitable for a wide age group, from babies to
adults, with the most popular items being family board games.
Science activities come a close second, and there is sometimes
a waiting list for them: fathers tend to be particularly keen
to borrow this kind of 'hands on' kit.
The library has also started a 'Bee a Reader' incentive scheme,
to which over 90 children signed up. Children borrow two books
and fill in a simple book review for each book they read.
The review must also be signed by the parent. Children complete
a sticker card and receive medals and certificates in assemblies,
to which their parents are invited. Once the 30 book Gold
Medal target has been reached, children embark on 'Star Reader'
which has a £5 book token award for each 30 books read.
Children who reach 90 books receive a £10 book token.
Results of the project
Within less than a year of it opening, 60% of families at
the school had registered with the project and were using
the library regularly - this figure has risen as new families
join the school. Staff report that the parents value the library
and that children talk about the games and activities regularly
in school: they are enthusiastic and there have been very
few problems with late returns or damage. Evaluation found
that all the families in a sample of 34% of LTL users were
spending more time sharing books at home since using the LTL;
80% of the sample were spending more time helping their children
with school work; and 80% of the children were enjoying reading
more. The school is monitoring SATS results to determine whether
the literacy of regular LTL users is improved.
The Family Room
This project provides a base for parents, children and other
family members to work together on a range of learning projects
and activities. These take place in the Family Room at Mount
Wise Primary School. The Family Room was a disused classroom:
it has been refurbished and fitted with a suite of computers,
furniture and resources. The enhanced capacity of the school,
provided by this room and also by crèche facilities,
gives a base for external providers, such as Plymouth College
of Further Education, Plymouth College of Art and Design and
WEA (the Workers' Educational Association), to deliver their
programmes. Sessions are also being planned which use the
resources from the Learning Together Library.
What goes on
All of the course programmes are negotiated with parents,
and as well as basic skills and computing, they cover art
and craft and other leisure activities. The main aim is to
increase the self-esteem and self-confidence of the parents,
but a significant benefit noticed by project staff is a positive
change in the attitudes of parents and children, as learning
becomes an acceptable and enjoyable part of their lives. In
addition, parents are able to develop skills which will help
them to move into jobs, and to form friendships and a support
network.
Many parents have gained qualifications in first aid and
computing. A group of 12 adults is coming to the end of its
third childcare course - leading eventually to an NVQ level
2 in Childcare. Another group of 12 started an NVQ (1 and
2) Certificate in Community Volunteering Course in January
2004: the first time that this innovative course has been
run in the area.
Wider benefits of the project
The school has become a Credit Union collection point, which
parents have been trained to run, and other parents run a
School Shop which sells stationery supplies to adults and
children. Parents have also successfully applied for small
grants to finance the setting up of the shop, several family
trips, a homework club which will involve parents, new sports
kits for the school teams, and a family activity week away.
This group of parents has also applied for a Lottery grant
to fund a further Family Activity Week. They are undertaking
the Effective Partnership with Parents Award, which has involved
them in giving presentations to the staff and governors of
the school. The parents also organised a 'Family Learning
for Real' conference in January 2004, which attracted almost
100 delegates. Linda Gilroy MP was a speaker at the conference,
and was so impressed by the parents that she has arranged
for them to give a similar presentation on the benefits of
family and parent learning to Margaret Hodge, the Children's
Minister.
Funding
The small grants mentioned above came from the Mount Wise
Children's Trust and the Devonport Regeneration Company (DRC).
DRC also provided funding for the refurbishment of the Family
Room and the staffing of the crèche, which is equipped
in partnership with the school, and on-going equipment, administration
and maintenance costs.
If you would like to visit the project, or would like more
information, contact Anne Elston, Family Projects Coordinator,
on 01752 567602 or anne.elston@btinternet.com.
For more information on New Deal for Communities visit www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/ndcomms.asp
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