Family learning

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Family learning in Wiltshire is delivered by the local authority and funded by the Skills Funding Agency.

Free family learning workshops, courses and events are delivered across the county in schools, special schools, early years’ settings and a wide range of community venues.

Our aim is to:

• offer families the opportunity to learn together, discover new skills and encourage them to pursue further learning in a supportive and friendly environment.
• give parents and carers the opportunity to gain national literacy and numeracy qualifications.
• support parents and carers involvement in their child’s education and raise awareness of the vital role that they play in raising attainment levels.
• work with colleagues, partners and agencies to take an active role in consultation, development and linking up with extended services and Children’s Centres.

All family learning courses are free and aim to recruit the less confident learners (below level 2). Childcare can be funded and adults have the opportunity to gain a national qualification in literacy and numeracy.

The term ‘family’ includes all members of the extended family including parents, carers, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles.

What’s on offer?

These examples of school and special school/children’s centre/community/cluster based courses are our most popular and successful programmes. We are constantly changing and developing them, depending on learner interest.

Course	Purpose	Length	Free childcare	Progression
Workshops Practical activities dependent on planned family learning next steps.	Engagement Breaking barriers Introduction to family learning.	2 hours	No - all welcome	10 hour or 30 hour family learning course. Further family learning.
Nature detectives Super scientists Fun with food Family Information Communication Technology (ICT) Family Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Family English as an Additional Language (EAL)	Engagement. Encouraging further learning with either adults and children or part adult session joined by children.	10 hours over 5 weeks	Yes	Further family learning and initial assessment offered for appropriate family learning.
Keeping up with the children. Literacy / Numeracy	Inform parents/carers about school curriculum and how they can support children's homework.	10 hours over 5 weeks	Yes	Move On level 1 or 2 literacy or numeracy course. Initial assessment offered for appropriate further learning and adult learning.
Family literacy and numeracy. Financial capability	Support children and adults with learning together. Increase the confidence and literacy, numeracy and budgeting skills of parents and carers.	30 hours 60 hours	Yes	Move On level 1 or 2 lieracy or numeracy course. Initial assessment offered for appropriate further learning and adult learning.
School and special school programmes. Digital families Family SEAL	Information about school ICT gateway programmes. Joint family SEAL programme.	10 - 20 hours after school	Yes, dependent on need.	Move On level 1 or 2 lieracy or numeracy course. Initial assessment offered for appropriate further learning and adult learning.
Move On National test	Level 1 and 2 adults can only access this provision if they attended previous family learning programmes.	10 hours	Yes	Initial assessment offered for further adult learning.

Find out more about specific courses

• Time for you
• Numeracy - keeping up with the children
• Fun with numbers
• Family numeracy - 30 hour course
• Family numeracy - 60 hour course
• Move on numeracy
• Literacy - keeping up with the children
• Literacy - 30 hour course
• Literacy - 60 hour course
• Helping your child with ICT
• Digital families - an introduction to ICT and school systems
• Budgets and bargains
• Crafty little fingers
• Exploring food with play
• Fun with food
• Nature detectives
• Story box
• Super scientists
• Playing with language
• Family Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL)
• Family SEAL - special schools
• Family SEAL - year 7 children
• Family English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Related links

• Campaign for Learning
• Urchfont Manor - adult education courses

Last updated: 3 March 2011