Well done to all involved. This in from the council, in their own words. Ed
The Isle of Wight Council’s Family Learning Team has won a prestigious national award, hosted by major education journal The Times Educational Supplement.
The team, which is part of the learning and development division at the council, have been announced as winners of the outstanding contribution to the local community accolade at the inaugural Further Education Awards.
The award is described as ‘aiming to celebrate imaginative ways of helping communities economically, socially or culturally’.
Praised for initiative
Judges outlined they chose the council’s Family Learning Team for the way it seeks out parents with few qualifications who are unemployed or have mental health problems and teaches basic skills using fun family workshops. It also offers opportunities to gain qualifications for employment.
Short courses that fit in with what children learning in school are provided, and learning also promotes healthy eating and living. In some cases, parents study alongside their children in the classroom.
The judges described how they were impressed with members of the team saying they “are not just out to deliver learning to families, they are going out to engage, cajole and inspire people to see learning as relevant to their lives.”
Sarah Teague and Rob Brindley from the team, Head of Learning and Achievement Roger Edwardson as well as Councillor Dawn Cousins, who is responsible for education, accepted the award in London on Friday 11 November.
“Deserved win in prestigious new awards”
Cllr Cousins said “I send my congratulations to the Family Learning Team for their deserved win in this prestigious new awards scheme.
“The team work very hard to make a difference to families who need help with education, and their work does make a real difference.
“Around 600 families are engaged with the team each year, and over the last three years the team found that every parent they had worked with had gone into voluntary or paid employment while all said they were better able to support their children’s learning.
“When you think about it, that is an incredible achievement. They fully deserve this recognition.”
The team were up against a number of other organisations, including Brighton & Hove City College, Prospect College in Essex and St Mary’s College in Blackburn.
