Family Learning

One of our projects supports parents to learn English. This means parents can participate more confidently in their children's education and in their family life.

We can:

• Encourage parents to take part in their children's education.

• Provide opportunities for learning basic communication skills in English through mother tongue support.

• Empower parents to gain confidence and enrol in a college to learn English.

• Provide information about the UK educational system.

• Help parents to learn basic IT skills.

• Encourage and provide information about Early Years Education (eg PEEP programme)

• Raise the awareness of schools and various agencies regarding the barriers and issues of language, culture, job prospects, racism etc.

Glossary

Admissions Authority
Schools which handle their own pupil applications are Admission Authorities. They send out information about the school and pupil application forms, giving a deadline for receipt. Schools will have an admissions' policy. Hampshire County Council is an Admission Authority as they are responsible for admissions to community and voluntary controlled schools.

BSA
Basic Skills Agency supports individuals acquiring basic skills.

Catchment Area
Some admission authorities give priority to children who live in an area around the school.

CEO
Chief Education Officer.

Community School
State schools in England and Wales which are wholly owned and maintained by the local education authority. The LA is the admissions authority - it has main responsibility for deciding arrangements for admitting pupils.

County Schools
State schools in England and Wales which are wholly owned and maintained by LAs - Local Authorities.

Day Nurseries
These take children under five for the whole working day. Children can attend on a part-time or full-time basis according to their parents' needs. They may be run by local authorities, voluntary organisations, private companies, individuals or employers. There must be at least one adult for every eight children and at least half of the staff must have a qualification recognised by the local authority.

DCSF
Department for Children, Schools and Families

DfE
Department for Education

EAL
English as an Additional Language.

EWO
Education Welfare Officers (otherwise known as Education Social Workers). They are employed by LEAs to monitor school attendance and help parents meet their responsibilities.

ESOL classes
English for Speakers of Other Languages.

Foundation Stage Profile
This is completed by the schools at the end of the foundation stage in the summer term of year R. It shows how much progress children have made with their language and mathematical skills, etc.

GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education. A qualification taken mainly by pupils who are 16 years old. Can be taken in many different subjects.

GNVQ
General National Vocational Qualification - vocational qualifications taken mainly by pupils age 16 and in full-time education.

IEP
Individual Education Programme, these programmes are drawn up by the class teacher and/or special needs co-ordinator within a school to provide individual support for children deemed to have needs over and above that of other children within the class either through learning difficulties or because they are considered to be exceptionally bright or gifted children.

Independent Schools
These are schools which are not funded by the state and obtain most of their finances from fees paid by parents and income from investments. Some of the larger independent schools are known as public schools, while most boarding schools are independent. Further information is available from the ISIS - Independent Schools Information Service

INSET
In-service education and training. All teachers have access to INSET in schools, helping them to refine their teaching and management skills.

LA
Local Authority, for instance Hampshire County Council. Children's Services is part of the local authority.

Literacy Hour
An hour of learning to read and write in school, broken down into various activities.

National Curriculum
Covers what pupils should be taught in state maintained schools. The National Curriculum provides a balanced education for your child covering 11 subjects overall, and is divided into four Key Stages according to age.

National Curriculum Levels
All pupils undergo national tests and teacher assessments at ages 7, 11 and 14. The school will then send you a report telling you what National Curriculum Levels your child has reached in both tests and assessments.

National Literacy Strategy
A government initiative which aims to raise standards of literacy for all children in infant, primary and junior schools. It tries to involve parents as much as possible.

National Numeracy Strategy
A government initiative which aims to raise standards of numeracy for all children in infant, primary and junior schools. It tries to involve parents as much as possible.

Nursery Classes in State Primary Schools
These take children from the age of three or four and are open during school term time. They usually offer five half-day sessions a week. There must be one adult for every 13 children and staff are qualified teachers and assistants.

OfSTED
Office for Standards in Education An official body which regularly inspects all the schools in England which are mainly or wholly state funded. OfSTED inspectors produce education reports which are meant to improve standards of achievement and quality of education, provide public reporting and informed independent advice. You can look at reports for all schools at the OfSTED website.

Pre-school Playgroups
These generally take children between the ages of three and five and most offer half-day sessions. Usually non-profit making and managed by volunteers and parents. There must be at least 1 adult for every 9 children and at least half of the adults must be qualified leaders or assistants.

Private Nursery Schools
These take children between the ages of two and five and offer half or full-day sessions and some stay open in the school holidays. There must be at least 1 adult for every 13 children and at least half of the staff must be qualified teachers.

Prospectus
A school's prospectus is a brochure containing useful facts and figures, which the governing body must publish each year for parents and prospective parents. The government sets minimum requirements for content, so that parents can easily make comparisons between different schools. Copies will be available at the school for reference or free of charge to parents on request.

PTA
Parent Teacher Association

SEN
This definition of Special Educational Needs can be found in the publication called Special Educational Needs: a code of practice . (DfES, 2001).

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

Children have a learning difficulty if they:

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or

(b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority

(c) are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would so do if special educational provision was not made for them.

Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.

State Nursery Schools
These take children from the age of three or four and are open during school term time and normally offer five half-day sessions a week. There must be at least one adult for every 13 children. Staff are qualified teachers and assistants.

State Schools
Otherwise known as publicly funded schools and attended by over 90 per cent of pupils. Parents do not pay any fees. The Local Education Authority is the admissions authority (in this case: Hampshire).