Wendy Jackson has five children, aged two to 11, but after delivering her brood to nursery or school, she felt stuck at home, in a rut.

But thanks to Women’s Enterprise, a programme at Llandrillo College, she is back in education, her confidence has soared, and she is able to help with her children’s homework.

She is taking a courses in painting and decorating, with key skills, and finds it has given her a new direction. She had thought college was not for her - and would not fit with her family responsibilities.

But Llandrillo’s scheme is designed to be family friendly. Classes take place in school hours and any childcare costs are paid. In some cases taxis are paid for - most of the women do not have their own transport and buses are rare in one of the most disadvantaged areas in Wales.

The programme is a joint winner, with Westminster Kingsway college (see left, of the award for widening participation, sponsored by The TES and Association of Colleges.

As well as painting and decorating, the women-only scheme offers electronics, plumbing, car maintenance or gardening. Key skills is built into all the courses. “Learning by stealth, is what I call it,” says project manager Irene Norman. “We don’t say ‘let’s do basic skills’. Some come here saying they cannot read or write - we just introduce things that are relevant and unobtrusive. Don’t go on a course if you can do things, go if you cannot do things.

“What we do is to get students to feel safe in a learning environment. You want them to go away and spread the word, we try to make people feel special.”

One woman, before the course, felt hesitant about opening her mouth in public. Now, on her own initiative, she is approaching shops to collect for Children in Need. And Wendy Jackson says: “It is brilliant. The best thing I have ever done.”

Ngaio Crequer