On Friday 17th  March, Edexcel's Managing Director, Jerry Jarvis, presented tutors and learners at Hull College for winning  Edexcel's Lifelong Learning Award - one of the Association of Colleges' Beacon Awards and handed over their prize of £4,000 which the college won for its outstanding work and contribution to the further education sector, announced in January at the AOC's annual conference.

Their Family Learning Project supports the national curriculum in schools and the Skills For Life agenda for adults and at the end of 2005, 28 local schools were involved in the scheme and more than 3,000 adults and 6,000 children had participated in the programme.  The people benefiting from this programme are parents, grandparents, siblings, children and teaching staff at primary and secondary schools. Over the life of the project we have engaged 3000 adults and 6000 children.

The delivery of the project is supported by Learning Links Workers who are based in schools and are recruited from the local community and funded by Excellence in Cities and the Children Fund.  Many of the Links Workers were women returners, now working within their own children's schools and are supported in their role by an innovative training programme.  Their role is to deliver family learning to meet the needs of parents supporting their children's learning and to meet their own learning needs.  
  
Hull College staff in partnership with Excellence in Cities developed and delivered innovative family learning programmes across the schools.   Each participating school employs a worker who has a good understanding of the local community and is well placed to advise on the appropriate programmes of learning that will meet the needs of parents.  The Link Worker is a key point of contact for teachers and parents.  The College has developed a training programme for Link Workers who meet regularly with partners to share good practice.

Stevie Pattison-Dick, the Edexcel Assessor for the AoC's Beacon Awards, said: "This is a highly successful project that has created significant interest within a relatively short time period.  There is no doubt that the project is benefiting many disadvantaged groups and individuals. The project has engaged significant numbers of learners who traditionally do not participate in post-16 education and training and it is a programme that could be transferred as best practice across the country."

Jerry Jarvis added:  "Numerous government initiatives have been set up to increase all types of learning. A notable few include the national curriculum in schools, the skills for life agenda and progression opportunities for adults. 

 "What this project does so well is bring these initiatives to life and to make them happen.  In aiming to raise children's achievement by involving their parents and carers in their learning, it has increased the whole family's opportunity to learn and I congratulate all the tutors, learners and those involved with the project in Hull."

During 2004-2005, 229 courses were delivered, 2,081 adult learners and 1,600 children participated, 98% of learners were retained and achieved, and 77% of learners progressed to further learning. School inspection reports give strong support to project activities and the subsequent increase in community involvement in the school.

The annual Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards is open to all providers of further education and recognises and rewards innovative and exemplary teaching and learning practice in the Further Education sector.   Edexcel continues to sponsor the award for 2006.