I had to learn to read to help my daughter with her homework

8:49am Tuesday 1st July 2008

Comments (1)   Have your say »

WHEN Rissvoy Scarrott gave birth to her daughter she knew at some point the time would come when she would be asked to help her with her homework.

It was a terrifying thought, because Miss Scarrott could barely read and write herself. She had spent her childhood in and out of school – mostly out – travelling with her parents as they toured the country picking fruit.

A young mum determined to get the education she never had as a child has won an award for her progress

But she plucked up the courage to enrol on an adult learner course, and now five years later has just won a Highly Commended award from NIACE (National Institute for Adults Continuing Education).

She said: “I was so shocked to get the award. I am thrilled to bits with all the progress I have made. Me and my daughter are learning together. It’s great to be able to help her with her homework and I’m hoping to get a good job in the future.”

Going to school and getting an education was never a priority for Miss Scarrott’s father. “He would say, ‘Would you rather have food on the table or an education?’” she fondly recalls.

Miss Scarrott was born in to a Romany gipsy family and lived most of her life on the road.

She said: “I went to six different schools as a child. I didn’t make many friends because I wasn’t ever there long enough, and I would get bullied because I was a traveller.

“I would spend the whole summer away from school most years, fruit picking in the seasons, and there were times when I was at school when my dad would come in and take me out because we had to move on to somewhere different. To me it was just a normal way of life.”

Miss Scarrott’s poor school attendance resulted in a lack of important life skills.

“My writing was terrible,” said the 28-year-old. “I couldn’t even spell simple words, or even the places I lived, like Worcester and Malvern. And I had trouble with household bills and letters.”

“My dad couldn’t read or write at all. When he had to sign something my mother would sign it and he would just put a cross. My mother could read a bit but not great.”

It wasn’t until Miss Scarrott, who now lives in Tunnel Hill, Worcester, had her daughter Annabella that she decided she needed to do something about her lack of education.

“I knew Annabella would need help with her schoolwork and I didn’t want her to not be able to come to me,” she said.

Miss Scarrott enrolled on a skills for life course at Malvern Community Learning Centre, based at the Malvern campus of Evesham and Malvern Hills College. She has just completed level one in the course, which includes English, maths and computer skills, and is on her way to level two – GCSE standard.

She said: “It has given me so much more confidence.”

Miss Scarrott’s daughter, aged nine, attends Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary Schoo, St John’s, Worcester.

Miss Scarrott said: “We have been studying the same things so we have been able to help each other.”

Miss Scarrott said one day she hoped to get back out on the road, but while Annabella, who has cerebral palsy, is still in full-time education she would never consider removing her from school.

She said: “I want Annabella to get the education I never had. She is so clever and I don’t want her to waste that. Going to school is really important, I know that now.

“I am so glad that I got the chance to come back to college and learn. I would definitely encourage other people to do the same.”

Miss Scarrott won £200 with the Highly Commended award and is hoping to spend that money learning to drive.

Pat Jones, manager of Malvern Community Learning Centre, put Miss Scarrott forward for the award.

She said: “Riss has made so much progress since coming here. She has her computer, English and maths certificates and also does cookery – she even led one of the classes. I felt she really deserved the award for all her hard work.”