Young families are embracing a programme to develop the teaching skills of new parents.

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The Making It REAL (Raising Early Achievement in Literacy) programme enables education professionals to help parents develop their knowledge and confidence so that they can support their children to read and write at home.

Among those taking part in the nationally recognised literacy programme are teachers, parents and children aged between 2 and 5 at Trinity C of E Primary School in Heath Town.

Around 15 families are being supported by staff who hold events and take part in home visits to help raise children's literacy levels.

Councillor Claire Darke, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education, said: "All parents can support their child's progress by becoming educators and taking part in enjoyable activities which encourage their child's development and thinking.

"These can be anything from reading and sharing books to going to the library, playing games with letters and numbers and singing songs and rhymes.

"The Making It REAL programme is about ensuring parents have the techniques they need to be able to support their children to develop their reading and writing skills."

Alex Jones, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Assistant Director for Education, said: "Teachers and parents have said how positive the programme is, particularly the way it has helped developed relationships between the school and the families who are now coming into school and asking how they can better support their child's learning.

"They have particularly benefited from the events and activities which we have arranged with the school, such as a recent visit to one of our libraries where parents were able to share rhymes, stories and books with their children. Teachers have noted that the children involved in the project are now much keener to write and have a greater love of books and reading."

The programme has been so successful that it will be run again in the next academic year and involve families from the Early Explorers and nursery, as well as Reception and Year 1.

  • released: Wednesday 19 July, 2017