'Lads & Dads' Initiative and Activity Day

Following on from the resounding success of its pilot, the 'Lads & Dads' initiative, aimed at year three (seven/eight year old) boys and their dads/male carers, grandads, uncles, step-dads etc.)combined with sporting activities and reading, has been running successfully this term. Funded by the Standards Fund and a grant from the Heartwell Community Awards, three schools have taken part: Canon Peter Hall CE Primary, Coomb Briggs Primary and Eastfield Junior.

Kay Snape, the LEA Study Support Co-ordinator, has been looking at various ways of involving men in their children's education and the problems linked with boys' underachievement. At age seven, assessments already show clear performance gaps between boys and girls. Boys are less likely to read for pleasure than girls and, in this increasingly technologically driven world, today's children have poor co-ordination, which affects their ability to write correctly.

Each week, for five weeks, the boys involved have been taking home a different sports bag containing pieces of sporting equipment, to practice a skill (rolling, catching, hitting, under-arm throwing and over-arm throwing) with their 'dads', as well as a book and activity sheet. The 'dads' have been working each evening with their boys.

The programme culminates on Saturday with an activity day hosted by The Immingham School. The day takes the form of a friendly and fun competition made up of five physical challenges based on the basic skills practiced in the previous five weeks interspersed by fun literacy activities. Each 'lad and dad' will work as a team, the winning team being presented with a trophy and each 'lad and dad' with a certificate for having taken part in the programme.

The 'Lads and Dads' project is a partnership between North East Lincolnshire's LEA Study Support Team, the Sports Development Unit, the School Libraries Department and the School Sport Co-ordinator Programme.

Kay said: "Working in partnership has meant we have been able to share expertise and resources. Evaluation of the pilot was so encouraging that we have begun to roll the programme out to other primary/junior schools in North East Lincolnshire."

Councillor Jim Tattersdale, portfolio holder of Learning and Childcare, said: "The programme is most definitely going from strength to strength. It is just as important for male members of the family, to be involved with children's education as it is for the female members. I am sure Saturday's event will be another successful one."

6 November 2003

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