POA Learning staff at HMP Dartmoor have been supporting parental educational engagement at a local primary school, and signed a learning agreement with the school to ensure continued partnership working.

POA Learning is delighted to be able to assist more community based learning within West Devon and to actively help the development of pupils within the local primary school (Princetown Primary) via parental educational up skilling and engagement.

Parental engagement has a large and positive impact on children’s learning. Parental involvement in the form of ‘at-home good parenting’ has a significant positive effect on children’s achievement and adjustment even after all other factors shaping attainment have been taken out of the equation. In the primary age range the impact caused by different levels of parental involvement is much bigger than differences associated with variations in the quality of schools themselves.

The assistance to engagement being provided by POA Learning is in the form of updating parents in key functional skills - literacy, numeracy and ICT. 

Many parents ceased formal learning years ago. However, with rapid curricular development parents may require up skilling in key aspects of literacy, numeracy and ICT so that parents are best placed to assist their children with their educational development.

 The POA Learning Centre based just outside of HMP Dartmoor is providing a safe educational environment with individualised tailored learning plans for any parent who feels that they would benefit from brushing up on key functional skills so to engage more effectively with their own children’s learning path.

Princetown Primary School Head Teacher Phil Whittley, who has signed a learning agreement with POA Learning said:

Parental engagement has a large and positive impact on a child’s learning. To be able to direct parents to POA Learning for tailored Information, Advice and Guidance with the aim of up skilling in key skills is simply beyond fantastic.

To have such a community based educational resource right in the heart of our isolated community will have a positive impact not only on adult education but also indirectly on the educational development of our school community.”

Andy Harding – POA Learning, South West Regional Manager went on to say:

To think that POA Learning can not only assist parents with their education but also by default their own children due to the parental engagement policy is very rewarding indeed.

Ivan Judd and I are delighted to be working jointly with the staff at Princetown Primary School on this new venture.’’