Seventeen schools in Nottingham will be opening up their facilities for families to enjoy a variety of activities together.

Nottingham City Council has been awarded £357,335 over the next three years from the Big Lottery’s Family Learning Fund for sessions at schools in Hyson Green, Forest Fields, Radford, Lenton and Aspley for approximately 2000 city residents.

Each school - Manning and Bluecoat secondary schools, Djanogly City Academy, and nursery, infant and primary schools in the area - will provide 40 hours a year, or approximately six hours a week for families together, with an additional 18 hours during National Family Learning Week in October.

They are open to children and their parents, older brothers and sisters, grandparents and aunts and uncles. Sessions could include arts and crafts, computer skills, story-telling, drama, dance, healthy eating, DJ skills, genealogy and English as a second language. Families taking part will be able to choose the sorts of things they would like to see on offer when the activities begin, probably at the start of the next academic year in September.

The grant, which is the result of a successful bid by the City Council’s Central Education Improvement Partnership in Children’s Services, will also fund session leaders and the costs of child care for those who take part.

The new programme follows six popular one-off family sessions at schools in the area over the past year.

Councillor Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio holder for Children’s Services, said the activities held last year had been very successful and families asked if there could be more of them and more choice.

"Families are children’s first and most important teachers. The values, attitudes and culture that we learn from our families can stay with us throughout our lives. Without family support, a child’s formal education can be a struggle and family learning schemes are often a second chance for parents, carers and other adult family members, creating a fresh chance to pursue personal ambitions.

"Providing these family opportunities can help support children’s integration and learning, raising standards in schools and also bringing people together to help build strong and cohesive communities"