A NEW course unveiled to help parents get to grips with home-schooling has been described as a 'lifeline' by a Lancashire mother.

This comes as Lancashire Adult Learning launches free and flexible English and Maths classes online to help make sure children don't fall behind in their education as the latest lockdown regulations force the majority to return to home-schooling.

For Naomi Jenson, who has had to balance supporting nine-year-old son Oliver's education while caring for 14-month-old daughter Harriet, this has proved to be vital.

She said: “I would highly recommend Lancashire Adult Learning’s Family Learning offer, it has been a lifeline for me in ensuring that Oliver does not get left behind in his learning.

"The tutors on the course are helpful and friendly, and don’t mind you asking questions or asking them to repeat areas of work.

“The way children are taught now at school and the curriculum they learn is completely different to that I did, and some of the terminology used such as fronted adverbials can leave you feeling unsure and confused about how best to support your child.

“I am now much more confident in this area, and we were also pointed in the direction of brilliant resources to help further. It’s also nice to know in greater detail what our children are learning at school."

The classes are delivered by Nelson and Colne College Group, Lancashire Adult Learning and Accrington and Rossendale College.

Lead by Lancashire Adult Learning's family learning team, they aim to give parents the opportunity to ask the tutor questions about how their child has been taught in school.

Ms Jenson, from Thornton Cleveleys, said: “I have previously done other courses too with LAL, including catch up maths, where I learned a fantastic new way of doing fractions, and a valuable course on coding which is now on the curriculum with computing, and something Oliver really enjoys doing.”

As well as the new English and Maths offer, LAL’s new family learning provision for 2021 also includes a range of science, technology and engineering activities for children to enjoy while feeding their imagination.

There are also family wellbeing sessions which include subjects such as yoga and growing your own vegetables along with opportunities to enrol onto accredited courses that can lead into employment as classroom assistants.

Assistant principal for adult learning Andrew Parkin said: “With the return of home-schooling at the start of 2021, we understand how difficult it is for parents who are juggling work and caring commitments and the education of their children, and so we have rolled out our offer to support adults wherever they live in Lancashire.

“Balancing work and childcare is just one aspect of home schooling, and our brilliant family learning team are there to support parents who may be struggling with or who are not be comfortable with the curriculum. The way children are taught and areas of study change all the time, and we are that helping hand.

“Alongside the important English and maths classes, we also have relaxed sessions designed to get families together and share the benefit of learning and I hope we see learners right across Lancashire take advantage of our new offer.”

To find out more, visit: www.lal.ac.uk.