Overview of Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy Courses 2011- 2012
Children’s
age range
covered
Play and language/Play and Talk
Parent/Carers
only or
Parent/Carers
and Child
Taster/
workshop
Introductory
Short
2 hrs
9 – 10 hours
30 hours
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Intensive
72 hours but
can be
delivered in
60 hours
0-3
years
Early Start: Baby talk 0 – 1year; Small 0-3 years
Talk 1-2 years; Talk Together 2-3 years 0-5
Early Years Foundation Stage
Playing with Language/Play and Talk/
3-5 years
Fun with Number
Being Healthy/Family Health
All ages
Parent/Carer
and Child
Family Literacy
3 years +
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Family Numeracy
3 years +
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Combined Family Literacy and/or
Numeracy
Family Finance (can be parent only) /
Family Fun on a budget
Keeping up with the children Literacy or
Numeracy / Enjoying English
Muddle Free maths
Making Reading Fun (9hr)
Fun with writing (9hr)
E-learning and Numeracy (9hr)
Family ICT (9hr or 30 hour)
Skills for Families Springboard
5 years +
Parent/Carer
and Child
Parent/Carer
and Child
Parent/Carer
and Child
All ages
Parent/Carer
and Child
**
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School age
Parent/Carer
only
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*
Parent/Carer
and Child
Parent/Carer
and Child
*
Parent/carer
and child

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
Parent/Carer
only
** Can provide this as a taster and 9 hour under Family Numeracy
School age
Can provide this as a taster under Family Literacy

List of Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy
(FLLN) Courses/Workshops
Taster Courses and Workshops
Course Length: 2 hour
Criteria: Taster courses and workshops should attract new learners and include a
facility for signposting participants to other programmes. They should offer
some screening for literacy, language or numeracy needs so that learners can be
offered an appropriate choice of next steps.
Parents / Carers and Child Courses

Play and Language / Play and Talk Taster
Objective: To encourage parents with no or few qualifications to talk to
and play with their babies and toddlers. Also, to set out the importance of
play in early language development. For children aged 0-3 years.

Family Literacy Workshop
Objective: To raise standards of literacy for both parents and children, to
extend parents’ skills in supporting their children’s developing literacy
skills and to provide opportunities for parents to go on to further
programmes. For children aged 3+.
* Can incorporate a shorter version of Playing with Language

Family Numeracy Workshop
Objective: To provide opportunities for parents and young children who
need it most, to improve their numeracy skills. For children aged 3+.
Family Finance workshop can be incorporated into this programme.

Combined Family Literacy and/or Language and/or Numeracy
Workshop
Objective: To provide and explain opportunities for parents and children to
improve their literacy/language/numeracy skills. For children aged 5+.
Parents /carers only

Keeping Up with the Children Taster / Making Reading Fun
Objective: To explain how parents/carers can become more involved in
their children’s education by understanding the literacy/numeracy
curriculum and improving their own skills. Where screening shows that a
learner does not have a literacy/numeracy need, the programme should
signpost other (non FLLN) activities or programmes including those based
in school or wider family learning. For parents/carers of school age
children with a LLN need.
Introductory Programmes
Course Length: 9 hours 4 sessions of 2.25 hours
Criteria: Introductory programmes should attract around 60% new learners and
set out clear progression opportunities (in learning or otherwise) for learners.
Learners should develop their own skills and improve their ability to help the
children in their family. All adult learners should be assessed on their own skill
level.
Parents/ Carers and child

Play and Language / Playing with Language Advertised as Play
and Talk / Baby Talk / Small Talk
Objective: To support parents and carers and their children with language
development and positive interaction. It will look at the importance of play
and the home environment and will show parents/carers how improving
their own skills can help their children. It will also introduce the Early
Years Foundation Stage. For children aged 0-5years.
Being Healthy
Objective: To improve literacy, language and numeracy skills alongside
an understanding of better nutrition, healthy lifestyle and physical and
mental wellbeing. All age groups
 Family Finance
Objective:
This course is aimed at developing parents’ literacy,
language and numeracy skills and their knowledge and understanding of
everyday financial matters. It will provide opportunities for parents and
school age children to develop financial literacy skills. This course will
require access to ICT. It can also be offered at Children’s Centres for
parents and their pre school age children as ‘How to have Family Fun
whilst living on a budget’.
Parents/Carers only – Introductory 9 hours

Skills for Families Springboard
Objective: To introduce parents and carers to the range of family services
and programmes available in their locality and to signpost them to the most
appropriate progression route (including family learning or other
programmes, local opportunities or voluntary work in schools, children’s
centres etc). Can include an element of ‘home grown’ provision to make the
programme appropriate to a particular group of learners or setting (e.g.
Sure Start or Children’s Centre). It will include some assessment of skill
level.

Keeping up with the Children
Objective: To introduce parents and carers to how their children are
taught in the literacy hour and the daily maths lesson at schools, so that
they can be confident in supporting them. To develop adults’ own literacy
and numeracy skills.
For parents/carers with language, literacy or
numeracy needs who have school age children.
Under this programme we will offer
Muddle Free Maths – Key Stage 1 & 2
Enjoying English - Key Stage 1 & 2
Making Reading Fun
- this will be offered to parents with children in
Reception & Year 1 and will look at ways of making reading more enjoyable.
It will be based on the free book given to five year olds and will involve
links to the local library.
E-learning and numeracy - To teach parents how to use spreadsheets to
support numeracy
Family ICT 9 hour - To teach parents how to use the Word package to
support their children’s literacy.
Family ICT 30 hour - To teach parents how to access on line information
and become more confident in the use of ICT with their children. For
parents who need additional help with their language, literacy or numeracy.
Short Programmes
Course Length: 30 hours
Criteria: Short courses should be suitable as a progression programmes from an
introductory course or for a new learner. They will identify those learners who
are able to gain qualifications. Learners should be screened and offered some
diagnostic assessment to ensure that the programme content is appropriate to
their needs. All short programmes should include a range of ‘home time’ activities
and demonstrate clearly how effective family engagement with a child’s education
can make a significant impact. These programmes may be taken as two successive,
complementary but different modules of up to 30 hours each with the national
test being the final learning goal using the Move On approach. Open College
Network Certificates on 'Supporting your child with learning' or ‘Story Sacks’
can also be achieved on these 30 hour courses. Speaking and Listening
qualifications can also be offered to ESOL parents/carers.
Parents/ Carers and child
Play and Talk
 Early Start – Baby Talk 0-1 year; Small Talk 1-2 years; Talk
Together 2-3 years
 Early Years Foundation Stage - 0-5
Objective: To enhance language development from birth to 3; encourage
strong attachments and positive everyday interactions among
parents/carers and their babies and young children. To help parents and
carers explore ways of playing and talking with and listening to their
children and to enhance early language development. Programmes will
provide situations for parents/carers to develop their own language,
literacy and numeracy skills while providing relevant activities for babies
and young children to extend the range of vocabulary and communication
skills they use. Early Start encourages the use of all languages spoken at
home and lays a foundation for lifelong literacy and learning. Parents will
also learn about the Early Years Foundation Stage as part of these
courses.

Playing with Language 3-5 years
Objective: To help parents understand, develop and use language
interactions that have been researched and shown to be useful. To
improve parent/carer skills and help them prepare for their child’s entry to
school To provide opportunities for parents and carers to work towards
the national tests or an Open College Network Certificate in Story Sacks
or Supporting your child in Family Learning
All the courses above will incorporate the Early Years Foundation Stage
and can be more flexible about the age range of the children.

Family Literacy
Objective: To raise standards of literacy for both parents and children, to
extend parents’ skills in supporting their children’s developing literacy
skills and to provide opportunities for parents to work towards entry level
qualifications and/or national tests as appropriate. For school age children.

Family Numeracy
Objective: to raise standards of numeracy for both parents and children,
to extend parents’ skills in supporting their children’s developing numeracy
skills and to provide opportunities for parents to work towards entry level
qualifications and/or national tests as appropriate. For school age children.

Family Finance
Objective: to develop parents’ literacy, language and numeracy skills and
their knowledge and understanding of everyday financial matters. To
provide opportunities for parents and school age children to develop
financial literacy skills. Parents and carers should have opportunities to
work towards the national tests. Parent with pre-school age children can
also access these courses and the focus will be around ‘Family Fun when
living on a budget’ and will provide opportunities for the children to develop
an early understanding of measure, weight and number.
 Family Health
Objective: To improve LLN skills while developing a better understanding
of how families can work together to have a more healthy diet and
lifestyle. This will be linked to work with partners on the ‘Being Healthy’
outcome of Every Child Matters. Parents and carers will have
opportunities to work towards the national tests.
Parents/Carers only
 Keeping up with the Children + (parent/carers only) Family Literacy,
Family Language, Family Numeracy
Objective: to extend parents’ skills in supporting their children’s literacy
and numeracy (by understanding the school curriculum) and to provide
opportunities for parents to develop their own literacy or numeracy skills.
These courses will also provide opportunities to work towards a
qualification in English, Maths or Language.
Standard Programmes
Course Length: Usually 72-96 hours but can be run from 60 hours if the criteria
are met.
Criteria: Intensive programmes should include diagnostic assessment of skills
level and challenge and encourage learners to develop their literacy, language and
numeracy skills. These programmes may attract fewer new learners but 40% of
those on these programmes should successfully complete the national test in
literacy or numeracy or achieve an appropriate entry-level qualification. There
should be time available within the programme for information, advice and
guidance on possible next steps.
Parents/ Carers and child – Standard

Family Literacy
Objective: To raise standards of literacy for both parents and children, to
extend parents’ skills in supporting their children’s developing literacy
skills and to provide opportunities for parents to achieve entry level
qualifications and/or national tests as appropriate.

Family Numeracy
Objective: to raise standards of numeracy for both parents and children, to
extend parents’ skills in supporting their children’s developing numeracy skills
and to provide opportunities for parents to work towards entry level
qualifications and/or national tests as appropriate. For school age children.

Combined Family Literacy and/or Language and/or Numeracy
Objective: To improve the literacy, language and numeracy of both the
parents and the children, to develop parents’ skills in supporting their
children’s progress at school and to provide opportunities for parents to
achieve entry level qualifications and/or national tests as appropriate.
Providers may choose how best to combine modules of literacy, language
and numeracy to suit particular groups of learners (e.g. ESOL families).
Wider Family Learning Courses
All courses are for Parents/Carers and child together. During the year we may be providing some programmes
for parents only under this programme.
The purpose of these courses are to provide an enjoyable learning activity for parents/ carers and children in
order to attract ‘hard to reach’ parents/ carers who may be reluctant to engage in learning and with the school
or Children’s Centre. All the courses will include
 Learning specific to the subject area – development of their own skills
 Development of personal and social skills
 Learning how children learn and the value a family can add by supporting that learning
 Practical examples of how to support their
 Information advice and guidance about progression.
These courses must be planned with a progression route to Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy
programmes. All courses are linked to the outcomes of Every Child Matters.
Course
Description
2 hours
6 hours
10 hour
20 hour
Early Years – (Enjoying and Achieving)
Story Sacks
Find out how to use Story Sacks with your
(also offered through child. (Further courses can be offered on
our
Play
and
Talk making your own story sack)
programme )
Messy Play
Creative fun activities to do with your pre
school child
Fun with Practical Play
A three week course to provide parents
with the opportunity to explore different
play activities, paper, paint and messy play.
Fun with rhymes stories A three week course aimed at pre school
and songs
children, fun activities around rhymes
stories and songs
Fun with Practical Play, A five week course combining activities
Songs and Rhymes
around Messy Play, Craft, Rhymes and
Stories
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The above courses can be offered as
workshops for dads and their children.
Healthy Living – ( Being Healthy/Making a contribution)
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Funky Food
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Dad and Me
Family Health & Fitness
Healthy eating can be fun. A chance for
parents and children to cook together.
Courses can also target Dads, lads and
lasses.
A fun Family Health & Fitness course.
Will include Hula Hooping and healthy
lifestyle.
Creative Crafts - (Enjoying and Achieving)
Christmas Crafts
Craft activities with a festive theme for
pre-school and school age children.
Making gifts and
Making different types of gifts and
decorations for special
decorations to celebrate birthdays,
occasions.
festivals and other occasions throughout
the year
Spring or Easter Treats Craft activities for Easter and the
and Summer Craft
summer for pre school and school age
children
Bonfire Night Art
Craft activities for Bonfire Night for 5-11
Attack
year olds.
Making
and
Playing Offered as a 6 or 10 hour course, you will
Games with your child
make games with your children that you
can use at home.
Art Attack
A five week course Activities include:
Paper Weaving,
Abstract Art
Designing cloth bags, pillow cases, wall
hangings and T-shirts
Working with different art materials.
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Creating visual storyboards
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Eco Art – Recycle and Learn how to recycle and reuse items you
reuse creatively
use everyday to create interesting art
work with your children

Magical
Masks

Myths
and After this taster session you will be able
to create simple masks to use in
storytelling.
Information Technology/ Technology ( Enjoying and Achieving /
Staying Safe)
Family ICT
Aimed at parents who are not confident
Key Stage 1
with ICT. Learn how to make invitations,
or KS2/ 3
create stories on PowerPoint, use the
internet to help your child with improving
their literacy and numeracy and undertake
a Web quest with your child. At Key
Stage 2 / 3 they will focus on using the
internet to research and present
information.
DIY for parents and
Learn basic DIY techniques together that
children*
you can use at home.
Digital Families
For parents to keep up to date about how
schools (and their children) are using
computers, websites and other technology.
Also includes e-safety.
Invent, Design and Build A range of fun hands on ‘make and build’
activities for different age groups
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including the KNEX challenge to do with
your child.
Other courses
(Enjoying and Achieving)
Transition Information These courses will be offered to enhance
Sessions for Parents
the sessions already offered by the school
or Children’s Centre. They can offered at
all stages of transition and topics covered
will be agreed with the nursery or school.
Fun with Science
Learn how to have fun with science. Enjoy
activities that you can carry out in your
home.
Dad and Me
Different workshops and activities to
engage dads and their children around Art
& Craft, food or sport.
* At present only available in the East and North of the County but we hope to be able to offer these in
the South and West later in the year.
There should be a clear progression path from these courses into either FLLN courses or other adult learning
courses. We are also keen to develop new courses so let us know if you have any ideas.

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Progression Routes within programmes
Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy
Early Years
Tasters 2 hr
Baby Talk
Small Talk
Play and Language (now called Play and Talk)
mixed age group
Playing with Language (3-5)
Fun with Numbers (3-5)

Introductory 9 hr
Baby Talk
Small Talk
Play and Talk

Short 30 hr
Play and Talk
Fun with Numbers
Family Health (0-5)
Family Fun on a Budget
Fun with Numbers (3-5)
All the above courses will have joint activities for parents/carers and their children as part of the session.
School Age
Tasters (2 hrs)
Keeping Up with the Children (KUWC)
Literacy/Language/Numeracy*
Family Finance

Making Reading Fun

Tasters (2 hours)
Family Literacy/Language/Numeracy
Introductory (all 9 hour)
(KUWC lit/Lang/Num*
ICT for Parents*
E-learning and numeracy
Family Finance intergenerational
or parent only
Making Reading Fun (both parent
only and intergenerational)

Family Health


Short 30 hr
KUWC Lit/Lang/Num*
ICT for parents
Family Finance
(intergenerational)
KUWC Literacy or Language
Family Health
Short 30 hour
Family Lit/Lang/Num
* These courses are adult only.
All the other courses will have time for children and parents to learn separately and joint activities.
The Family Literacy/Language/Numeracy can also be offered as a 60 hour programme.
Wider Family Learning
Early Years (0 – 5)
Tasters
Fun with Rhymes



Messy Play
Funky Food (3.5)
Christmas/Easter Craft

6 hours
Fun with Stories, Songs and
Rhymes / Story Sacks
Fun with Practical Play
Funky Food (3 – 5)
10 hours
20 hours
Fun with Practical Play,
Songs and Rhymes
Funky Food (3 – 5
Fun with Practical Play
All the 6 and 10 hour courses above lead into the Play and Talk, Baby Talk or Small Talk programme
School Age
Creative Crafts (Enjoying and Achieving)
Tasters
Myths & Masks
6 hours

Story Shields
Christmas/Easter Crafts
10 hours
Art Attack / Eco Art
20 hours
Making and Playing Games

Art Attack / Eco Art
ICT/Technology (Enjoying and Achieving/Keeping Safe)
Tasters
Funky Computing
6 hours

10 hours
Funky Computing
20 hours
Funky Computing
DIY for beginners
Healthy Living (Being Healthy)
Tasters
Family Fitness
Funky Food
6 hours


Funky Food
10 hours
Family Fitness
20 hours
Family Fitness
Funky Food
See progression routes from Wider Family Learning to Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy programmes below
Progression routes from Wider Family Learning to FLLN programmes
Wider Family Learning
Making and Playing Games
Myths and Masks
Art Attack
Family ICT
Funky Food
Family Fitness
Fun with Messy Play
Fun with Paper, Paint & Messy
Play
Fun with Practical Play
Fun with, Stories, Songs and
Rhymes
Story Sacks
Family Literacy, Language and
Numeracy(FLLN)
 Keeping Up with the Children Literacy or
Numeracy
 Family Literacy or Family Numeracy
 Keeping Up with the Children Literacy / Language
 Family Literacy / Language
 Keeping Up with the Children Literacy or
Numeracy
 Family Literacy or Family Numeracy
 Family Health
 Keeping Up with the Children Literacy or
Numeracy
 Family Literacy or Family Numeracy
 Family Health
 Play and Talk (0-3)
 Play and Talk (0-5)
 Play and Talk (3-5)
 Small Talk
All the above Wider Family Learning courses will have an identified progression routes when they are set up
It is also possible to progress from one WFL course to another e.g. Family ICT to Family Fitness and Fun with
Paper, Paint & Messy Play to Fun with Rhymes, Stories and Song.
Hertfordshire Family Learning Service 2010 2011 information
for Schools, ESCOs and Children’s Centres
What types of programmes are offered by the Hertfordshire Family
Learning Service?
There are two main types of programmes offered by the service:
Wider Family Learning (WFL)
Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy (FLLN)
What is the purpose of these programmes?
To support adults’ and children’s learning
To help parents support their children’s learning
To break down barriers to parent’s involvement
To provide progression routes to either employment (paid or voluntary) or further
learning opportunities.
FLLN courses focus on improving the literacy, language and numeracy skills of the
parents/carers.
WFL courses provide opportunities for parents/carers and child to learn together and
should be used as a way of engaging hard to reach parents and as a progression route to a
FLLN course. Literacy and Numeracy will be embedded into these programmes.




Who are the target groups for these free programmes?
Both WFL and FLLN are aimed at parents/carers who do not have a Level 2 qualification
(A-C GCSE English and Maths) or whose skills have faded and are no longer at this level.
We talk about parents/carers with ‘Skills Fade’.
The FLLN courses give parents/carers an opportunity to brush up on their skills and give
access to national qualifications in English and Maths at Entry Level, Level 1 (GCSE D-E) or
Level 2 (GCSE A-C). Speaking and Listening qualifications are also available for ESOL
(English for Speakers of Other Languages) learners. The courses range from tasters to 60
hour programmes. Some courses are for parent and child and others for parents only.
How do I know if the parents/carers invited fit into this target group?
School and Children’s Centres may have identified where parents are not confident to help
their children. Teachers should be encouraged to both identify parents/carers and give
personal invitations.
Wider Family learning courses can encourage parents/ carers into the school or Children’s
centre, support better engagement with staff and contribute to school life. They
encourage intergenerational learning and will provide a signpost to the FLLN tasters.
FLLN taster courses provide a non threatening screening tool that enables the teacher to
identify who is eligible for the longer courses. It is therefore a good idea to invite as
many parents as possible to the taster courses so that you have 9 parents able to progress
to the 9 hour or 30 hour courses.
How can I market the courses to attract the correct learner group and
recruit 9 parents?

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

Personal invitations, coffee morning and talking to parents are often a better marketing
tool than publicity materials on their own.
Inviting us to staff/team meeting so that all your staff/team have a better
understanding of what we are offering and can therefore promote/sell the programme
more effectively to parents and carers.
Talking to parents about ‘skills fade’ and how they can develop their ability to help their
children.
Using Wider Family Learning programmes as these are often a less threatening starting
point than FLLN courses but they need to provide a clear progression route to the
Family, Literacy, Language and Numeracy programmes.
How many parents/carers do I need to attract in order to run a course?
WFL courses: You will need 9 parents and 9 children.
FLLN courses: A minimum of 9 parents/ carers.
We cannot accept children without an adult carer.
What are the benefits for schools and Children’s Centres?
•
•
•
•
•
•
By raising the attainment of parents/carers, the attainment of children will improve
Links and relationships with parent/carers will improve
Parents/carers develop as positive role models in promoting the importance of
education
Will promote the use of the library & access to literature
Intergenerational courses in Literacy and Numeracy will develop the attainment of
children as well as the parents by providing an opportunity for the children to have
additional small group teaching.
Part of the Extended Schools and Children’s Centre ‘core offer’
What are the benefits to parents/carers?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Raised self esteem
Increased motivation to learn, work & engage in the community
Improved relationships
Greater confidence
Better communication skills
Begin to identify own needs
Accreditation opportunities
All learners on short (30 hour) and intensive FLLN programmes will have:
 Access to an assessment which helps them identify how they can improve their own
skills.
 Opportunities to take national qualifications at the appropriate level
National Tests in English and Maths at Entry Level, Level 1 or Level 2. (Level 2 is
equivalent to GCSE grade A – C).
 Opportunities for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) to take a
Speaking and Listening qualification
 Opportunities to gain units OCN (Open College Network) units as part of the
Progression Award
We are currently offering the following OCN units
(Supporting your child in Family Learning – Literacy focus
Supporting your child in Family Learning – Numeracy focus
Supporting your child in Family Learning – Early Year Focus
Making and using Story Sacks
(We will be extending these to include ‘Understanding the Use of Computers for
Family Learning’ and ‘Participating in Leisure Activities’)

Guidance to help plan their progression into other learning, training or employment
opportunities.
Strong partnerships are essential to the success of this programme.
For 2010 –11 we will be working closely with ESCOs, Schools and Children’s Centres to
increase the number of 30 hour courses in order to enable parents/carers to access
accreditation. A follow on 30 hour course can be offered if the learners need more than
one 30 hour course to gain an appropriate qualification.
We are also planning to increase the number of 30 hour intergenerational parent/carer and
child courses by:
 Offering more Early Years’ programmes
 Working with targeted groups of parents/ carers and children in the schools/
Children’s Centres
 Offering more parent/carer and child courses in Numeracy and Literacy in schools
For further information please contact:
Irene Austin Family Learning Senior Development Officer
Mob: 07769918659 Office: 01992 588819
email: irene.austin@hertscc.gov.uk