Mumsnet Talk

I'm having issues with ds's (private) school, and there isn't anywhere suitable for him to move to. He's being assessed for aspergers, has sensory and mobility problems as well. It's likely that I will have to find a new school for him, or I could home ed. I know that he'll be bullied again in a state school (been here), and this would be the 6th school move. He's 13.

He has a real flair for languages, and is currently studying german, spanish and latin. Would I be allowed to home ed him, but to take him to different countries around Europe so that he could learn more about the culture and experience the languages first hand? It would be far better then learning out of a book or off youtube. Financing this wouldn't be too much of an issue. We'd go for a few weeks at a time, then return to the UK. I've studied loads of subjects at university, so there should be no issue there.

Is this crazy?

I love this idea. Wish I could do that.

Really? I love it, I'm not sure whether I could get away with it though.

I dont see why not. So long as the curriculum is also followed. I bet it doesnt harm celebs kids that tour with them or move around a lot. If anything I think its better to be consistent that way than to move around lots of different schools.

There are no residency requirements if you are home educating in England. (Not sure where you mean when you say "here")

You can move around as much as you like. The only thing I would say is that some aspies have issues with transition and you might need to keep an eye on all the chopping and changing, packing, unpacking, settling into different routines etc. (Subjective bias creeping in here I suspect!)

Yes, it's crazy. Crazy good.

You do not have to follow a curriculum of any sort. Your son can learn whatever you and he think would be best, in whatever way suits him.

Experiment to find what suits him as an individual. If he doesn't like all the travel then you might need to try something different, but I'm sure you'll figure it out as you go along!

Have fun.

Crazy? Are you kidding? I would do it in a heartbeat if it suited my family (and if we had the funds).

If you think he'd enjoy it then go for it. You could involve him in the trip planning too, lots of learning opportunities there.

I knew someone whose child was really into maths. When she home educated him they visited some of the countries that his favourite mathematicians came from.

I know of at least one other home educating family who spent their time travelling around the world with their two children for over a year before returning to the UK.

If you have the funds do it! I would definately take my DS abroad - probably to places where he could see his favourite animals in the wild. I don't see any problem with it. After all don't they take children for school trips abroad in school so children can get different experiences?

Yes :-)

No curriculum needed, no need to stay in one place. Go for it!

What a brilliant idea and what a lucky son.

Thank you. He's thinking of going to Oxford (Law I think), how would home ed affect this? I'd make sure he sat his GCSEs and A levels somehow.

My dc is younger than yours and would be in Year 6 primary, but is now home edded. We are planning on doing something similar. Our stretches won't be for weeks at a time, but the plan is to do 4 European countries and some trips within UK as she is history mad too and 'needs' to see anywhere associated with The Tudors. We can't wait.

That sounds fab! I'll take him to Hampton Court whilst we're in London. Music can be done in Mozart's house.

Exams are fine - there are various plans afoot to get funding, but he will be able to take them. There is a website specially about HE and exams but I don't know theaddress.

OK. I think you need a proper planning session. I have been on MN a long time, and I remember a lot of your DS's school changes. I really think he has had far too much uncertainty in his education, and it's time to introduce some stability.

Do you really have the funds for this? What if there is a change in your own health?

I agree with you, TheFallenMadonna. Could and should are two different things.

LadyMary, think long and hard about your DS and his needs. Life is not just about childhood. His childhood needs to prepare him for life as an adult. He needs consistency. He needs to be able to stick at things even when it's hard.

In the blink of an eye he will be an adult, looking for work. How well a child who has moved 6 times in eight years, then only learned in totally exciting contexts, be able to apply himself to a working environment, where he is just one of a team?

The school changes are why I'm doing this. He's faced with yet another school change, they have withdrawn his bursary (lack of funds). I can just about cover the fees if I don't eat or pay any bills, and I'm trying to find more work to increase our income, but at the moment it's cheaper to save up and do my plan. We'd return to the UK after a few weeks, save up and go somewhere else.

It will be a very balanced curriculum. There's a great home ed group here, and he does get to mix with other children elsewhere (he's ?Aspergers, and I know how vital this is). If I could leave him where he is, then I would. It's the only school he's been to which has tried to understand his needs and not labelled him as 'weird', 'naughty' or 'odd'. Removing him is the very last thing I want to do, but I'm being backed into a corner. My illness has been in remission for over 2 years, and I'll ensure that we have adequate health cover.

I worry for him. You say he wants to do law at university. That will be a lot of drudgery (I say that as a law enthusiast) and grinding. How has his educational experience thus far prepared him for the reality of fitting into a system?

Your reaction to any difficulty he faces is to pull him out and move on. I understand that you can't afford to keep him at this school, but as I remember it, posters saw this coming when you were first considering this school, and you assured them (us) that it wouldn't happen. It has.

Law would suit him very well, I think. He should have the choice though so I'm not pushing him into anything. He does work very hard at school and he is an A/A* student. I do worry for him also, and this is the very last thing I want. I'm sitting here looking for jobs in fact.

I've said nothing to indicate that this would happen, he's been there for over 2 years. I'm not sure whether you have me mixed up with someone else? I have not moved him from schools lightly. It's incredibly unsettling for a child, he has however, been very badly bullied and there was no way that I'd leave him at a school where the children are happy to ram his head into a door. I did go to the head, and she didn't believe him. What else was I to do?

I don't know your history or schooling situation. I do however have experience as a home educator of children who were in school.....and of HE children who have had amazingly free and unstructured lifestyles, who have had no problem with ' reality of fitting into a system'.....including doing Law at University.
I'd say go for it if you have the chance!

I think it sounds great, if you are so flexible and can afford it. Would you do this for a year or two or right through?

Just keep in mind if you are planning on spending some time in Germany that home education is illegal there. It is not illegal in Austria IIRC. If you are going to spend a couple of months at a time in Germany outside of school holidays, just keep that in the back of your mind.

I'll see how it goes. I'm trying my hardest to keep him where he is, so this is a last resort.

You would definitely be allowed it, there are no problems on that front.

In terms of going to Oxford, it should not be a problem either. You could even move to a tutorial type system for learning (give him a subject to research, a reading list and make him write an essay which he can then discuss with you) which would make the transition to uni much easier.

You could also meet up with home edders in the countries you visit, that could be a positive experience for him too.

I'd need a tutor for Maths, I couldn't do this. I'd make sure that he was around other people as well. It's hard knowing what to do for the best sometimes.