As part of our Community provision at Tuckswood Community First School we are happy to offer a variety of parent workshops and groups. These have several benefits:

• they make it possible for parents to enhance their own skills
• understand the work their children are doing in school & become better able to help them
• meet and work with other adults in the local community
• develop self-confidence
• in some cases give accreditation, or lead to accredited courses.

Family Learning
The Family Learning organisation is Government funded by a DfEE grant and offers a wide range of courses in schools. They work in co-operation with the school. Providing a Tutor, Early Years teacher where appropriate and crèche workers. School provides the space to work and the parents who take part. When we have courses in school, our staff often provide some tutoring as well. These opportunities really promote a friendly and positive atmosphere in school, in which our parents feel relaxed and able to discuss & ask questions about what goes on in school. Our input into the courses gives us time to respond to their questions. We have benefited from courses such as:

• 'Playing Together'
• 'Numeracy in School'
• 'Drama in the Community'
• 'Learning Together'
• 'Reading Together'
• 'Working in Schools'
• 'Laptops in Schools'

Many parents from these courses come in to help in class and are an invaluable support to the work we do.

The Family Learning organisation is now going to fund us to run our own 'in-house' course for our Parent Helpers. This will be an exciting challenge for us.

Parent Support Groups
Parent Support groups are very popular at Tuckswood. Funding for these groups comes from Social Services (via the Unthank Centre) and Education. Two group facilitators are provided and the parents in the groups set their own agenda for the meetings. Issues of confidentiality are established straight away and parents are free to discuss anything they chose to in a relaxed and supported atmosphere. We usually find that once a group is established, friendships are formed that continue long after the group ceases to be.

Whatever group the parents attend, we find they work with full commitment and confidence. The courses are all evaluated and always well received. We are delighted with the continued support from both the above organisations, enabling us to continue to run these groups.