What is Family Learning?

Family learning provides a range of opportunities for families in the widest sense (children, parents, carers, grandparents) to learn together in order to raise skills across generations. These activities enable families to learn in a relaxed and ‘fun’ atmosphere, picking up ideas to reinforce learning at home.

Why Family Learning Important

Research has shown that families are our first and most important teachers, and that parental support is a key factor throughout a child’s education. Children spend only 15% of their waking hours in school, which leaves 85% spent at home, with huge potential for learning.

Children whose parents support their learning and take a keen interest in their education do better at school and in later life. Family learning leads to improvements in:

• children’s learning and behaviour
• adults’ own skills and their awareness of opportunities for further learning
• adults’ abilities to help their children learn
• adults’ job prospects
• confidence for both adults and children to enjoy learning together
• positive attitudes towards education for adults and children
• offers parents a second chance to return to learning and develop their own skills
• has a huge impact on health, family relations and lifelong learning.

Family Learning at St Mary’s

At St Mary’s, we really value the relationships we have with the families of the children who attend our school.

During the year, parents are invited into school to take part in a range of fun workshops with their children during our ‘Family Learning’ sessions. All work produced from family learning activities is then proudly displayed in our classrooms and corridors.

Please see work below which was created in our family learning workshops – these range from projects based on equality and diversity to drum sessions!