PARENTS will go back to school this week to learn more about their children's schooling.

Families from the Bishop Auckland area will receive a lesson in learning from staff at King James I Community College, to encourage them to take a more active role in their children's education.

The school's parents' day initiative, which has been tried successfully in other parts of County Durham, aims to encourage parents and grandparents to help to plan a strategy for each youngsters' development.

Parents can spend a whole school day in discussions with their child's form tutor, updating themselves on new aspects of education and touring the building, which has undergone a three-year, £3m transformation.

Deputy headteacher Ken Hall said: "We want to give parents more time to get involved in their children's education than they have at traditional parents nights.

"One school which tried this found that they reached almost 90 per cent of parents instead of the more usual 30 per cent.

"We are looking at what puts parents off coming to parents' evenings. Sometimes their own experience of school has not been good and they think it is still the same. By coming in they can help set targets for their children and work with them to make sure they are met and exceeded. They will find out what coming to school is all about and, hopefully, we can make King James a more accessible place."

Evening sessions are available for parents who cannot get to King James on Friday. Contact personal tutors on (01388) 603388.