Our Jenni’s a winner

Jenni Williams

Getting involved in her children’s school has helped a York mum-of-four to re-start her own education.

Jenni Williams didn’t sit her GCSEs but is now heading for university thanks to Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) help and support from Haxby Road Primary Academy’s Pupil and Family Wellbeing Team.

Jenni also collected accolades at the York Adult Learners Awards, organised by York Community Learning Partnership. She was a finalist in the ‘Biggest Achievement Award’ and voted overall winner.

Subject to successful outcomes of WEA Helping in Schools and Helping Pupils with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities accredited courses, Jenni will embark on a two-year foundation degree at York St John University, working with children and young people. She has ambitions to then study for a further year and become a one-to-one mentor, helping others, in the same kind of family support environment that has helped transform her own life.

And Jenni has working in the Haxby Road Primary School’s own café to thank for the turnaround. “I have a child in nursery, another in year 4, and two others that have been through Haxby Road and have now left,” she explained. “I volunteered to take over the running of the café last January. It’s very informal and relaxed, for parents dropping off their children. I bring in people who help with family information, Citizens’ Advice, benefits, that sort of thing, to give them a platform and a chance for everyone to have a chat and keep up to date with what’s going on.”

The school has also developed a second café, along similar lines but aimed at parents of two-year-olds who attend Haxby Road’s Tiny Steps Academy. “These sessions aim to involve parents in their children’s education, to help them support their children’s learning and there are arts and crafts activities for everyone to get involved with,” said Jenni.

Running the cafés gave Jenni the chance to join other parents in taking part in the WEA Helping in Schools course, designed for parents who wish to volunteer in school and also support their own children’s learning. She has also played an instrumental role in helping to set up the WEA Learning Journeys course at Haxby Road Primary Academy, an initiative which aims to encourage parents to be aware of developmental opportunities for themselves and to help them talk about aspirations for their children, with their children.

“Some parents do not have good memories of their own schooldays,” said Diane Quinney, WEA organiser for York. “This course addresses the importance of raising children’s and parents’ aspirations and doing things they both enjoy doing together.

“Jenni is a great ambassador for WEA courses and we’re thrilled she did so well in the adult learner awards.”

Zoe Lightfoot, head of school at Haxby Road Primary Academy, said Jenni’s achievements were testament to her dedication and the hard work she had put in: “We feel so proud of Jenni,” she said. “We know that parental involvement is integral to raising aspirations and our children’s educational outcomes. Our family wellbeing team do a brilliant job in encouraging those partnerships but it is also so important to have Jenni as an ambassador to really share the amazing things you can achieve with the right support and a ‘can do’ attitude.”

Jenni added: “I’d like to thank tutor Kerry Roberts and the WEA team, and everyone at Haxby Road. They’ve all been amazing, approachable and down to earth to work with. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do any of these things without them.”