Education chiefs have been praised by inspectors for their delivery of family learning.

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has highlighted the way Hampshire County Council works with schools and other organisations to meet the challenge of encouraging adults back into education.

Ofsted says that the authority’s approach is helping people improve their literacy and numerical skills, as well as those of their children.

Over the past two years the county council has worked with partners, tutors and head teachers to devise programmes that enable parents and their children to learn together.

Some of the parents and carers told Ofsted inspectors that the courses had proved life-changing.

One learner said that it had helped her to achieve her ambition of becoming a nurse, something that she had previously dismissed because she did not have a GCSE in maths.

Commenting on the report, Cllr Keith Mans, the county council’s executive lead member for children’s services, said: “This is excellent news.

“I’m really pleased that the adult community learning work that we lead in Hampshire has been recognised nationally.

“My congratulations go to all those at the county council and our partners that work so hard to ensure that high standards are both set and met.

“The benefits from the learning experience are manifold.

“Family learning programmes can contribute to improvements in children’s educational attainment and at the same time adults’ job prospects can be broadened as well.”