FAMILY activities set up by local schools are having a positive effect on children and taking learning to a new level.

Children, adults and even teachers packed the University of Bath's Oakfield Campus in order to try out the arts and crafts organised by the Swindon Ten Learning Network.

Ben Schmidt, co-ordinator for the Swindon Ten Learning Network, said: "Parents are the most important role models.

"The children observe their parents as learners who try, fail and try again. So here they experience each other as learners."

The event is one of many provided by the Swindon Ten Learning Network, an initiative between parent co-ordinators at ten Swindon schools.

Saturday's event involved Moredon Primary and Rodbourne Cheney Primary School, Penhill Primary, Nythe Primary, Lainesmead Primary and Oliver Tomkins Junior School.

Throughout the day children and parents made clay faces, plaster cast figures, wooden giraffes, wire butterflies and school emblems.

Mr Schmidt added: "Parents are coming in and saying they don't know how long they can stay and they have ended up still being here four hours later."

The primary aim of the initiative is to get parents actively involved with their child's learning.

But the scheme works so well that even teachers give up their free time to drop in.

Jeannette Turner is the headteacher at Lainesmead Primary School.

"At events like this, the children get to see staff in a different light," she said.

"And it's also nice for the parents to see what you can do."

She thought many of the activities done by the children during the day could be continued at home, and planned to transfer some of the ideas to school lessons.

Although organisers are seeing some familiar faces, word of the events has been spreading in the playground.

Teacher and parent co-ordinator at Moredon Primary School, Tracie McGrory, said: "There have been people here that you would not normally reach, which is fantastic.

"And I think the parents are enjoying it as much as the kids."

Artists Gordon and Toni Dickinson, from the No Added Sugar Company, work a lot with schools in the area and were impressed by the level of interest in the event.

"It's wonderful watching them coming in," said Gordon.

"No-one seems to be bored and it's nice to see parents working with the children."

Other schools involved in the Swindon Ten Schools Learning Network are Churchfields School, Dorcan School, Greendown School, Nova Hreod College and the Swindon Academy.

The next event will be a film- making class at each junior school on May 3, 10am till 3pm.

For more details visit www.swindonten.net.