what do i do now....help

[pinkkoala]

we applied for a primary school place for our dd to start in sept, although i wanted to try home ed, my LEA advised me to look at schools and choose one and i could still change my mind right up until the day she started.

We have had our letter back but she hasn't got a place in the school we chose, basically it's a good school and everyone wants it.

We have to send the letter back saying if we agree to the school they have chose or not.

We want to home ed until she gets a place in the school of our choice, we will probably be moving to the area so she is then in the catchment area for primary and secondary schools that we want.

How do i go about explaining this to the LEA when i send the letter back saying no to the school they gave us. Has she now got to be de-registered, and what will the LEA want to know and what will they do.

There is no way we are sending her to the school they chose, basically it came 126th out of 195 on the league table, the one we chose came 13th out of 195.

They have given us a rubbish school.

[AMumInScotland]

I would probably keep it very simple.

Dear X,

We do not wish to accept the offered place at Y school for September.

We wish to remain on the waiting list for Z school.

If a place becomes available at Z school by September, we would take this up, otherwise we intend to educate our child at home until a place becomes available there.

Yours sincerely,

I think keeping it simple and not going into the detailed reasons makes it less likely they will misunderstand anything!

You don't have to deregister her, as by saying you don't want the place she won't be put onto that school's register in the first place IYSWIM.

After you move, you should then contact the LEA again and/or the school directly to make sure you are on the waiting list there and with your new address so they can contact you.

The LEA people handling the schools admissions will probably hand on your details to whoever deals with Hom Ed there, and they may get in touch to ask about how you are educating your child - you can get tons of advice on here aboout how to handle that if/when it happens.

HTH

[Lindenlass]

What AMIS said. Your DD isn't on a school register until you accept a place for her. You don't even need to say you're HEing in the meantime.

[pinkkoala]

i have just checked our local authority and the admissions reasons why the places are full, basically it went to siblings and people living closer and there are no places left, don't think we stand a chance of getting her in there.

We had considered home ed before we looked at schools but i still liked the idea of trying home ed at least for a year, i think she may learn more on a one to one basis then being in the school they chose which has 60 children in one class, two teachers floating about and approx 10 assisstants, also forgot to say the toilets were in the classroom and you could smell them.

i just wonder whether i am doing the right thing as it is her future at the end of the day.

i already use workbooks from a company called schofield and sims, she does lots of arty crafy things at home, loves being in the garden, she goes on trips to the zoo, seaside, park and has a few cheap hols a year.

Do you think LEA will say we can't take hols in term time, they may think she isn't getting proper education.

[AMumInScotland]

It's up to you how to arrange your time over the year - you don't have to work to school terms, or weeks, or days, or anything else! The only thing is that you need to provide "fulltime" education. But there's no real definition of what that is. Which is nice in some ways, and a bit baffling in others when you're starting out!

But it's up to you which weeks of the year you're going to call "holidays" and they don't have to be the same as the ones which schools have.

[Lindenlass]

I think you're doing the right thing if you HE her, but then I would! I'm a very passionate HEor who is seeing benefits all round for my children and for all the HEd children I know!

The LEA have no legal right whatsoever to interfere in how you educate your children unless they think you're severely neglecting them. There is now research backing up what lots of HEors have known for decades about informal learning. You can do what you like when you like.

May I suggest you read some books such as How Children Learn At Home by Alan Thomas and Harriet Pattison; or any books by John Holt; Free Range Education is also a good book for learning about how different families approach HE.

I'd also suggest trying to meet up with other local HEors to see what they do and also to make friends and gain support.

[pinkkoala]

thankyou lindenlass and amuminscotland, i have found your comments and suggestions very useful.

my biggest concern was teeling other people like parents and in laws and friends as they may think i am stupid, but i have told them now only as much as i want them to know, though.

some people think i am silly as i am not qualified like a teacher or for my sanity i should send her to school but i feel more relaxed in myself after giving up work last summer, not as stressed in the mornings trying to get ready and get her to nursery etc that i feel better able to cope. I feel like i would be just as stressed trying to get her ready for school in the mornings that i don't want all tension again. I am enjoyin my time with her at the mo and i know that is because i am more relaxed, she also gets a lot more quality time with me as i am at home all the time and can do housework etc as and when.

I am worried about the LEA calling round and saying negative things though.

[Lindenlass]

Family and friends can be tricky, but maybe if you invested in a book like free range education you could ask them to reserve any judgement until they've read it?

Re your LA - making contact with local HEors will help you find out what your LA is like and if you're likely to get any hassle from them, and if so, what to do about it. Whereabouts are you? Not far down the page on this topic is a thread on how to find local HEors, also a books thread and a websites thread.

[Kayteee]

Hi Pinkkoala,
Just a quick message here. Try looking at Education Otherwise website. All you need to know there.

LA have no say in your choice of Education, even though some boroughs "try it on". If they do give you grief, get everything in writing. Ask them to quote the section of the Education Act which states that they have to give permission/say negative things etc;...they won't be able to as there is no such law. It is your right to choose how you educate your child.

[nappyelite]

if you haven't registered at school the LEA don't actually have to have anything to do with you. Also if you move areas and don't tell then they don't interfere either. The thought of someone judging your educating skills can be quite terrifying, it's a bit like someone trying to judge your parenting. Don't stress over it because you are the person who knows your child best and therefore are really in the best position to sort her education.
If you intend to put her into school when a place is available where you want her to be then try to keep up or ahead of the curriculum. Use places like Heinemann website where you can buy the same books used in schools and that way if you decide the time/place is right then she'l be able to step into formal education on alevel or above the level of the children in her year group.
You can holiday whenever you choose- if you can educate at home then why not in a hotel/caravan/tent/boat?
Good luck.