Congratulations to our Family Learning Learners

Learner Awards Celebrate Inspirational Family Learning Successes

Three outstanding Kent Adult Education Family Learning learners have been recognised with Learner Awards after being nominated by their tutors for their hard work, determination and commitment to achieving their goals.

The awards celebrate learners who have overcome challenges, shown resilience and made significant progress on their learning journey. This year's recipients, Marina, Haseena and Laura, have each demonstrated how Family Learning can help parents gain new skills, build confidence and support their children's education.

Marina's Decade of Determination Pays Off

Marina began attending Family Learning English classes ten years ago after arriving in the UK and recognising the importance of improving her English. 

Reflecting on why she enrolled, Marina said:

"I started because my English was very weak and of course if you go to a new country you are going to have to speak to a lot of people, therefore I need people to know for certain what I am saying."

Learning a new language was not easy.

"Learning English was quite difficult because it was very new and very challenging."

As a mother of three school-aged children, Marina has remained committed to improving her language skills while ensuring her children are well supported and thriving at school.

Her tutor, Nikki, praised the remarkable progress she has made over the years, particularly recently. Marina's confidence has grown dramatically and she has achieved excellent attendance. One of her proudest accomplishments has been passing her Level 1 Speaking and Listening exam.

Marina's journey has not been without setbacks. She has taken several exams over the years and has not always passed first time. However, rather than giving up, she continued working towards her goals and successfully passed her reading exam on her second attempt.

Her resilience has become an inspiration to others in the classroom.

"It doesn't matter, just keep trying!" is the encouragement Marina often offers to fellow learners who are worries about exams.

Despite having limited opportunities to practise English at home, Marina makes the most of every opportunity in class to participate and develop her skills. She plans to continue improving her English and building confidence through conversation with others.

Nikki said: "Marina has been with us for a while and she should be recognised for her commitment to try and improve her skills and for her resilience with the exams."

Haseena's Commitment Inspires Her Classmates

Haseena was nominated by her tutor Andrea, in recognition of her dedication to learning and the commitment she has shown while balancing family life and education.

As a mother of four children, attending classes each week required careful planning and determination.

Haseena shared: "One of my biggest challenges was balancing my studies and personal commitments. I also challenged myself to step outside my comfort zone and build confidence in my abilities."

Her tutor highlighted not only her strong attendance but also her commitment to staying on track with her learning whenever she missed a session. Haseena consistently completed any work sent to her and remained focused on achieving her goals.

The results speak for themselves. After successfully completing her Entry Level 3 Speaking and Listening exam, Haseena went on to achieve a Level 1 Speaking and Listening qualification this year. She worked exceptionally hard to prepare, attending additional online sessions to support her learning. 

Andrea said: "She really deserved to pass as she worked very hard."

Haseena actively participates in lessons and is known for supporting classmates who may be struggling, helping to create a positive and encouraging learning environment.

Her passion for learning English shines through in everything she does. Like many learners, she does not always have opportunities to practise English at home, but she understands how important these skills are and continually motivates others to keep working towards their own goals.

Looking ahead, Haseena plans to continue developing her skills and building on the progress she has already achieved.

Andrea added: "Haseena has been with us for a while and she should be recognised for her commitment to try and improve her skills."

Laura's Journey from Learner to Teaching Assistant

Laura's Family Learning journey demonstrates how developing confidence and skills can open doors to exciting new opportunities.

She first enrolled on the Cooking on a Budget course at South Avenue in March 2025 because she wanted to learn how to make her money go further while preparing meals her children would enjoy.

Laura not only achieved her goals but became an invaluable source of encouragement for other learners. She regularly celebrated the successes of her classmates, helping to raise confidence and self-esteem throughout the group.

Recognising the benefits of attending regularly, Laura continued her learning journey by enrolling on Keeping Up with the Children in English in April 2025.

Initially, the course felt daunting. Laura had not enjoyed a positive experience at school herself and lacked confidence when supporting her children with homework.

However, her openness, honesty and willingness to engage helped her thrive. She embraced new knowledge and quickly put her learning into practice at home, particularly when helping her son develop his phonics and reading skills.

Laura discovered new techniques for supporting reading, including how to ask questions about a story, use illustrations to aid understanding and help a child work through unfamiliar words.

These new skills transformed her confidence.

She was proud of herself for overcoming her initial worries and attending the sessions, discovering that she was more than capable of supporting her child's learning.

During the course, Laura shared her ambition of becoming a teaching assistant in a school. Motivated by her experiences, she began volunteering at South Avenue to gain valuable experience.

Her hard work paid off. In April 2026, Laura secured a Teaching Assistant position at South Avenue, turning her aspiration into reality.