HAMPSHIRE County Council has been praised by an education watchdog for its delivery of family learning in communities across the county.

The local authority has been included in a case study published by Ofsted which details examples of good practice of how authorities work with learning providers and schools to encourage adults to get back into education to improve their child’s mathematics and literacy skills.

Over the past two years, the county council has focused on ‘joint delivery’ of family learning programmes which has included working closely with partners, tutors, school teachers and head teachers to devise programmes that ensure parents or carers and their children can learn together.

And parents and carers have told Ofsted that family learning courses provided by the county council have been “life-changing”. In one case, a learner explained how the family learning course had helped her to achieve her ambitions of becoming a nurse which was something she dismissed because she did not have a GCSE in mathematics.

Councillor Keith Mans, executive lead member for children’s services at Hampshire County Council, said: “I am really pleased that the adult community learning work that we lead in Hampshire has been recognised nationally, and my congratulations go to all those at the county council, and our partners, that work so hard to ensure high standards are both set and met.

“The benefits from the joint learning experience are manifold. Crucially, family learning programmes can contribute to improvements in children’s educational attainment and, at the same time, adults’ job prospects can broaden as well.”

He added: “This area of work is also a very good example of how we are fulfilling our strategic aims to improve health and wellbeing for all and to promote economic prosperity in Hampshire.

“Well done to all involved, including the learners. This collaborative approach, clearly, has been the key to success.”