MP backs drive to get more Peterborough children ready for school
A campaign's been set up to teach children the skills they need
The MP for Peterborough hopes a drive to get more children across the city ready for school pays off.
Andrew Pakes is backing the Ready Steady Grow campaign, where parents can find help, advice and practical tips in one place to help with children's learning and development from birth to five-years-old.
The campaign - run by Peterborough City Council (PCC) and Peterborough Family Hubs - aims to encourage children to develop skills needed for school, such as asking questions, following instructions and meeting others.
"It is brilliant that in Peterborough, we have so many people working to improve opportunities for young people," Mr Pakes said.
"Play is a really important part of how children develop and how they get the best start in life."
Parents have 'vital role to play'
Ready Steady Grow also offers free support through the Family Hubs scheme, with families able to access expert-led play sessions.
These include:
- Seedlings - an interactive session for under-2s and their parents/carers, with an introduction to the different types of play to help you get the most out of playtime.
- Saplings - for two to five-year-olds and their parents/carers, introducing the key skills that children will need when they go to school, such as toilet training and putting on shoes.
- Family Play - an online course for parents and carers, highlighting the benefits of playing for the whole family as well as advice and tips for playing with your children.
- Roots and Green Shoots - courses for families identified by health visitors who could benefit from tailored support.
“Parents and carers have a vital role to play in their child’s development, especially in the early years," Councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services and education at PCC, said:
"We want to support families with simple but effective activity ideas and encourage them to have fun together, whilst ultimately increasing the number of children with a good level of development at the end of reception in Peterborough."