Digital Families

Research evidence across a wide range of studies confirms that parental engagement and interest in their children’s learning has a major influence on the child’s academic achievements. The challenge for schools is how to support their families to express that engagement and interest effectively.

Digital Families is a dynamic programme that will excite pupils, parents and staff about using new media and technology to support learning. The programme, which is supported by the Nominet Trust, is being delivered by Campaign for Learning in an exciting new partnership with the e-Learning Foundation.

The programme also includes strategic ICT support for schools and the opportunity to ensure high levels of home access to a computer and connectivity across all families in order to sustain and develop learning at home.

The Campaign for Learning are looking for 40 primary or secondary schools across England to take part in this programme.

Digital Families will offer:

• Free expert support to develop your parental engagement strategy.
• Free individual, flexible training and support to deliver the Digital Families programme within your school and develop the skills, knowledge and confidence of pupils, parents and staff in using technology effectively to support learning.
• Access to a range of online resources, creative software, ideas, session plans and engagement tools to support parental engagement and family learning from pre-engagement to sustainability and progression.
• Free training and support for Digital Champions, both staff and parents in order to sustain the programme.
• Access to the e-Learning Foundation equity scheme to provide equipment and connectivity for families to sustain and develop learning at home.

What is required from your school?

• A commitment to the Digital Families programme, as a starting point for long-term, positive and interactive relationships with families in order to effectively support children’s learning.
• Access to an appropriate ICT space to deliver the Digital Families programme.
• Two members of staff with some dedicated time to support the project fully; this will include attending a free one-day training seminar, working with the project team to engage families, supporting session delivery and fulfilling the monitoring and evaluation requirements.
• Opportunities for the project team to contribute to INSET days to embed approaches within the school to sustain the Digital Families programme.
• A commitment to ensuring that every pupil and family has access to vital learning technologies (especially a computer and Broadband) for use at home, made possible with support provided by the e-Learning Foundation.

To find out more about how you can get your school involved contact Andy Giles on agiles@cflearning.org.uk