What we offer

i. Host a programme delivered by one of our volunteer coaches
We can match you with one of our fantastic network of volunteer coaches to deliver the Parent Gym programme in your school or centre.
Parent Gym has been delivered to more than 10000 parents since 2010 - it consists of six, weekly, two-hour sessions facilitated by your Parent Gym coach. Sessions are practical and interactive, with a different parenting theme each week. They’re filled with evidence-based tools and techniques that parents can easily apply at home. The sessions are supported by high-quality, specially-designed magazines. Each week parents choose a ‘mission’ to try out at home and report back to the group on successes and trials.
Our volunteer coaches are:
- All parents themselves
- Carefully selected, trained and assessed by Parent Gym
- Quality assured by parent feedback and ongoing monitoring and observation
- DBS checked
The benefits of the programme for schools and centres include: increased parental self-efficacy and mental well-being; improvements to home routines; children showing improvements in behaviour, attendance and ‘school readiness’. Many parents have told us that a key benefit of attending Parent Gym is the formation of a parent community – the final Parent Gym session equips parents to continue running their own support group, which can even become the foundation for a first Parent Teacher Association. Schools and children’s centres often use the feedback reports from Parent Gym programmes to support with School Improvement Plans or Ofsted inspections.

Read on below for more information on the support we provide to schools and centres, and how to bring Parent Gym to your organisation.
ii. Train a member of staff to deliver the programme in-house
Parent Gym is delighted to offer free training to staff wishing to deliver the programme in their school or centre.
We provide high-quality facilitation training, all the materials you need to run Parent Gym programmes, and ongoing support and mentoring – all at no cost to the school or children’s centre.

Who is eligible to train as a coach? Staff members considering training with us need to be confident, warm, full of infectious energy and passionate about supporting parents.
Training with us is a selective process. We only accredit coaches who can demonstrate their ability to coach using our model.
In order to train you need to be a Mum or Dad with kids over three years old.
Most of our coaches also have:
- The ability to relate well to people from a range of different backgrounds
- Confidence to lead groups
- Some teaching, coaching or group facilitation experience
Training process
1. Screening call with Parent Gym to discuss the role and ensure there is a good fit with the school/centre and staff member. Give us a call now – 02073685698
2. Half-day Try Out – including a chance to deliver ten minutes of a Parent Gym session.
3. Three-day Training Academy - master the skills of coaching, learn more about the science of facilitation and deliver chunks of Parent Gym content with constructive feedback.
If the final assessment shows a strong fit with our style of coaching, the coach is certified and ready to deliver Parent Gym in their school or centre.
Click here for a printable leaflet outlining our in-house training offer.

We have now run nine Parent Gym programmes. The impact of the course can be seen with improved behaviour of the children in school. We hope to continue to work with Parent Gym for a very long time.
Deputy Head
Woodmansterne Primary School
Coming to Parent Gym was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The content of the course was spot on. As a parent there are always things to learn or be reminded of, and to me that is exactly what Parent Gym is about- it gave me the tools to make life easier. Now when I want to implement a rule or find an activity to do with him I consult my Parent Gym Magazines. To all parents who are thinking of joining please do as it's very rewarding. I cannot believe I completed the course with an 11 week old baby in tow- that's how comfortable and inclusive Parent Gym was. And now, even though the course is finished, the group still meets. Thank you all for putting together such a wonderful programme.
Shameika

Support

Parent Gym will help you ensure the programme
is a success in your school or children's centre.

A flying start
You will receive a centre support pack with everything you need to get parents signed up for the programme. We can provide full-colour printable flyers, posters, digital materials, and a Parent Recruitment Guide with tips for signing up parents which have worked for other centres. We also offer text message reminders for your parents. You can call us directly in the office at any time for practical advice.
For our in-house coaches we also provide extensive support and guidance in preparing to deliver your Parent Gym programme. This includes a personal Coach Mentor, who will be in touch to provide guidance and talk through any challenges as they arise.
A continued buzz
All our coaches are creative, confident and sensitive parents and can welcome even the most reluctant parents with a warm smile. Parent Gyms have run everywhere from classrooms and canteens to sports field viewing spaces. Tea and biscuits are always welcoming so we encourage you to offer these if you can. All parents receive a weekly magazine which is easy to read and share at home, offering added value to the weekly sessions.
Since we started delivering programmes in 2010, 96% of parents have rated their Parent Gym sessions as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’.
A sustained momentum
All parents who complete the programme receive a certificate in the final session – it is always a nice touch if the school Head or centre manager can drop in and congratulate the parents. We also encourage parents to keep meeting – coaches provide a 'Power to Parents' guide on how parents could structure this with some tips to keep them going. If you have a space you can keep free after the programme for parents to keep meeting, that would be great.
Our in-house coaches will receive a feedback visit from their Coach Mentor during their programme, with detailed developmental feedback that they can reflect on and apply when they run their next Parent Gym programme.

Ready to join ?

To offer Parent Gym in your setting all you will need is
- An enthusiastic Head/Deputy/Centre Manager who goes out of their way to champion Parent Gym with colleagues and parents
- A team of staff within the school who share responsibility for promoting the programme - including a designated contact person such as a School-Home Support worker
- 12-20 parents who commit to coming to all the sessions
- A private space for 12-20 chairs to be arranged in a semi-circle (with some tea and coffee provided), and a flipchart stand
- A commitment to assist with our evaluation process
- If possible, a crèche - or an extra pair of hands and some toys in the room - to enable parents with younger children to attend
We never ask for any payment from schools or parents, but if you want to provide a small incentive for parents to come (such as a raffle or a gift voucher), that will do no harm.
Staff wanting to train as in-house Parent Gym coaches will need to meet the eligibility criteria as outlined above. We also ask that you make a commitment to delivering Parent Gym programmes regularly in your school/centre once trained.

To find out more about running Parent Gym please email info@parentgym.com or call us now on 020 7368 5698.

What we offer

Support

A flying start

A continued buzz

A sustained momentum

Ready to join ?