I spent lunchtime with a fantastic group of parents who had completed the INVEST programme...

“If we want to invest in the prosperity of our nation, we must invest in the education of our children so that their talents may be fully employed.”

The INVEST programme is the volunteering programme developed by Jane Haswell in our Families and Schools Together Team. I was there to present certificates to a group of parents who had completed the volunteering course my colleague Jane has developed and which now can be accredited through the Open College Network. The parenting programmes in Leeds are brilliant and reaching groups of mums and dads who are returning to learning or who missed out on qualifications and courses at school and it is wonderful to meet these talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful people and to celebrate their successses. This event celebrated the achievements of parents, mums, at eight great Leeds primary schools.

These programmes are having a real impact across Leeds; are changing lives and clearly are having an extra-ordinary impact in some of our most diverse communities. Jane Haswell, Val Cain and the FAST team are doing a brilliant job and this event has once again made me deeply proud to be part of the team here at Education Leeds. I hope that we will have some photos later.
Chris