The report Family Learning: What parents think, published last week, found that parents who had dropped out of school as a result of bad experiences and who lacked basic literacy and numeracy skills were put off from signing up for family learning courses because they feared a repeat of their childhood. One parent said, 'Who wants to go on courses? I hated school so I'm not going to want to go to college.'
However, the report found that children in families who took part in family learning courses showed improved reading, vocabulary, concentration, and self-confidence. The children also had more respect for their parents, who in turn became better role models.
Among the report's recommendations were that courses should be free and offer free on-site childcare; they should be advertised in a way that emphasised that classes would not be reminiscent of parents' early formal education; and that students should be known or familiar to each other and of a similar educational background. It also noted that mothers were 'heavily over-represented' in most family learning programmes, although a number of initiatives targeted at men had successfully recruited fathers, grandfathers and other male carers.
Angela Brassett-Grundy, co-author of the report, said, 'People who recall bad school experiences are afraid they'll be made to look stupid in front of their peers and their children by strict, critical teachers similar to those they remember. But parents who have been on literacy and numeracy family learning courses report that their teachers are encouraging and supportive.'
Family learning is supported by Sure Start, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, the Campaign for Learning, Ofsted and the Department for Education and Skills.
The report costs 10.95 from the Institute of Education on 020 7612 6050 or e-mail ioe@johnsmith.co.uk.
Co-author Cathie Hammond added, 'Because parents are motivated to help their children to learn, family learning has a great potential to reach people who might not otherwise engage in education as adults. It benefits both the individual and other members of the family.'
The research was based on the views of parents aged 24 to 50 on family learning courses in nursery, primary and secondary education in two London boroughs, and comments from a group of non-participants.
