Lancaster tutor wins national award after providing free classes for parents to help children with their homework

Paul Slater - who provides free maths classes for parents - has been recognised with a national learning award.
Paul Slater.Paul Slater.
Paul Slater.

The maths and science tutor, who struggled at school himself, put on the free evening classes after seeing that many parents didn't have the skills and confidence they needed to help their children with homework.

Paul said he wasn’t motivated at school, and didn’t really apply himself, and ended up working in a series of jobs that he didn’t find fulfilling, which took a toll on his mental health.

But going back to college in his thirties changed his life.

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It was initially hard work being an adult learner, but he found it hugely rewarding, and it gave him a real sense of achievement.

He excelled at college, and went on to achieve an astrophysics degree, and to become a qualified teacher, working both in secondary schools and colleges.

The sense of achievement he got from learning inspired him to support other adults to do the same.

After going on to university, Paul became a maths and science tutor.

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Paul saw that many parents locally didn’t have the skills and confidence they needed to help their children with their homework.

This motivated him to put on free maths classes for adults, so that they could develop their skills and support their children’s learning.

He said: “I am inspired to teach because I believe that education is one of the single most empowering tools in life.

"My own experiences have informed my attitude to education.

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"Making the decision to go back to college, as an adult learner, to retake my A-Levels and then embark on an astrophysics degree turned my life around.

"It was hard work but it was rewarding and I found strength that I didn’t know I had. It gave me a sense of achievement and that is what I seek to give others when I teach."

The GCSE-level courses are run once a week at a church hall in Blackburn.

Paul produces his own learning materials, and runs interactive quizzes and discussions to support people with their learning.

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He is also the founder of Lancaster Homework Club - a free weekly drop in session in Lancaster Starbucks for anyone seeking help with the study of maths and science.

Paul is now a finalist in the Festival of Learning 2020 Employer Award.

Organised by Learning and Work Institute, and supported by the Department for Education, Festival of Learning is an annual campaign which aims both to celebrate the power of learning to transform lives, and to encourage more adults to take part.   

Paul added: “I was motivated to start free classes for adults because I saw that plenty of parents wanted to help their children to succeed, but didn’t necessarily have the mathematical knowledge to assist, or the money to pay a private tutor either.

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"I want to make maths accessible, from the top down by starting with parents and adults and seeing the impact this has on the younger generation."

Stephen Evans, chief executive of Learning and Work Institute, said: "Paul’s commitment to supporting parents to build their confidence with maths and better support their children’s education is truly commendable.

"He is making a real difference to families in his local community.

"Festival of Learning awards celebrate the commitment and achievements of outstanding adult learners, tutors, projects and employers.

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"These stories show us how transformative lifelong learning can be, not just for individuals but for families, communities and  society as a whole.

"As we look to build back better after the pandemic, we need to redouble our efforts to provide access to lifelong learning opportunities for all."

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