home ed, SATS and special needs. help please.

[marjproops]

Got ed panel people coming in the next 2 weeks for their 6 month inspection .

DC is 12. she has sn. shes never done sats as she cant.

Im hoping they wont pressure me, theyve been ok so far, but dc does what she can AS she can, wether its a stage 1/2/3/4 whatever she can manage to her aptitude and learning ability.

has anyone ever had any pressure on this?
DC doesnt follow the normal curriculum for her year, shes never been able to, sh has the learning age of say a 5/6 year old.

weve done loads of work on things that interest her, eg, more history than geography, loads of writing practice, not so much science...getting there though.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Hi.

Are you talking about the tests taken in school? Not sure if you mean this or something else.
As far as I'm aware H.ed dc don't have to do SATS, there is no point as H.ed parents aren't ofsted registered. Unless I am mistaken of course.
I hope they don't as this was a big bonus for us
I really can't see what the point would be.

[AMumInScotland]

Are you choosing to HE rather than school, or is this some sort of out-of-school provision that the LA are providing?

With HE, you don't have to follow any set curriculum, there are no compulsory tests, and you don't have to have "inspections". All you have to do is make sure she is getting an education suitable for her, taking into accoun her sn.

But if the LA are providing something as an alternative to school then they may be able to make conditions. I doubt they would want her to do sats though - they are really to test the school, not the individual pupil.

[marjproops]

Im HE as they couldnt find a suitable school for DCS million needs.

Im a teacher and tbh really much prefer it this way, especially the thought of her being in a school with hormonal teenagers who find it hard to understand etc, its much better this way.

hope you're right about the sats thing, i actually arranged the inspection, covering our backs and stuff, im pretty sure im doing the right amount of things and covering the things she can manage and stuff, im just always wanting to make sure im doing okay. my pwp is attending the meeting and shes brilliantly supportive so if there are any probs (dont see there should be though) she always backs me up.

no i dont follow the curriculum or anything, did all my research before undertaking all this HE, and i love it, dont you? much less stress and putting up with others comments/opinions etc/the dreaded school run/playground mums and the fashion competitions [grins]/and the 'tarquins so clever he passes all his exams'' stuff (school run mums arent all like that, let me stress, just a few!)

and I intend to continue HEing till dc reaches school leaving age, and even then, as some college-type stuff.

thanks for replies, youve made me feel a lot better. we have done more work in these 6 months or so than in all her years at infant AND juniors!

[morethanpotatoprints]

Marjproops

I really wouldn't worry, you sound like you are doing all the right things with your dcs. You even know where her abilities are in comparison to the stages. I would say you are well clued up.
I know what you mean it can be a worry, I am always bothered about my dd missing out on something she should be doing. i come on here though and a wise one usually puts my mind at rest.
Do you find people ask you what you are going to do for GCSE's? If I had a £ for every time I'd be rolling in money.

[Saracen]

Hi Marj, I'm glad you're feeling reassured! I can't think your LA would prefer to try to meet your daughter's needs themselves when you are able and willing to provide a tailored approach. It sounds like you have given it a lot of thought.

As an aside, I'm not sure what you mean about having arranged this in order to cover your back... is it because you think there is any remote possibility the LA could ever want to return your daughter to school? Barrister Ian Dowty, who is well respected in HE circles, has advised against allowing LA staff to visit in such a case. He observes that this gives them great latitude to interpret your educational provision as they see fit; in other words they would have control over the evidence you are presenting, which is never a good situation for you to be in. By contrast, if you submit, say, a report, then you have full control over what is being presented. From a legal standpoint this is a far safer approach.

Of course, that is just a legal view so if you have other reasons for wanting the LA to visit then it could be a different matter.

[AMumInScotland]

If you want them to come in and look over what you are doing, because it helps you to feel you have an outside view of what you have been covering, then that is fine. But remember they have no statutory right to come to your house and "inspect" your HE provision, or to make any conditions or requirements. Don't let them steamroller you into anything that you don't believe is in your daughter's best interests. They honestly don't have the legal right to insist on anything.

If they are overall helpful to you, and make useful suggestions, or you just like to feel you have involved them and listened to them, then that has value for you. But if they start being silly about tests/exams or telling you that you must do x, y, or z, then tell them, as politely or rudely as you choose, to go away and not be daft.

Their legal rights are 1. to ask you to tell them how you are ensuring your daughter is getting a suitable education, and 2. to refer you to court if you cannot or will not provide them with answers a "reasonable person" would accept. And the court could, if they felt they had to, order your daughter to attend school. But since that would mean the LA had to find space for her, and they are doubtless happy not to have to, I seriously doubt they would do any such thing, certainly since you seem to be well on top of the situation and understand what levels your daughter is at and are moving her on at her own pace.

[marjproops]

thanx all. sorry for late reply, logged off after last post last night!

I was told they come every 6 months or so to make sure childs not playing hooky or anything? maybe its just where I live as there do seem to be a number of teenagers around the street often? i often wonder myself if they have inset day, are HE'd or playing hooky.

I suppose in a way i do fret a bit as i take DC out for nature lessons/museum visits and the like and if someone sees a child out they might contact someone? I know what I mean!"!!

I know what Im doing and doing the right thing, but there are those out there that dont and its always the honest people that seem to get the hassles at the end of the day.
morethan i dont get asked about exams but if I had a £ for everytime someone asks if DC has a social life, as they think i keep her imprisoned...I just tell them now Ive changed her name to Boo Radley

[FionaJNicholson]

Hi

Are you in England?

You may have people from your council wanting to visit you every 6 months but it is entirely up to you whether you agree to this or not. The Government has also clarified that children and parents do not have to be "seen" at the Annual Statement Review.

I'm struggling to understand why you are putting up with this degree of intrusion, as it does appear stressful for you.

If you were out during "school hours" and someone did contact the council, the answer would be that you are home educating. (The council must know that you are home educating since they are round your house so much) Home educators don't have to keep school hours, days or terms.

Here are the Government Guidelines on home education (for England)
media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/e/guidelines%20for%20las%20on%20elective%20home%20educationsecondrevisev2%200.pdf via this page
www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/parents/involvement/homeeducation/a0073367/elective-home-education-guidelines

[marjproops]

yes im in england.

Im pretty sure everythings okay and i know what im doing and its right for DC, its jsut I had so much sh*** when she was at school, one parent even said to me they pick on me as they know im a single parent with no support/partner...turns out this parent was proved right until i got it sorted!

I can battle when i want to, i just get paranoid too much, and ill certainly point out to them do they need to come round every 6 months?

maybe theyre covering THEIR backs?

[marjproops]

ps-thanx fiona for the links.

[marjproops]

forgot to come on here yesterday.

update:

It was an annual review thing they came for as DC has sn. theyre very pleased with her progress and what weve done together. double checked to confirm dcs not ever doing sats or gcse's, plus they offered some help because of dcs sn if i needed it!

cant believe how well it went., showed them her work and they were quite pleased with it.

[FionaJNicholson]

marjproops thanks for the update, it sounds like you are feeling less stressed about things.

Have they said when they'll be back in touch?

[marjproops]

Hi.Thanx.

they said theyd prob get back to me for sept. see if im still HE. ive told them im hE till end of DCs education- at 18 or whatever, bbut that's the only thing they kept pushing me about but my pwp person was totally backing me up and they accepted it.


its been such a sh time lately so just such a relief that ONE things gone right. told them a bit of our circumstances and they agreed that HE was less stressful for DC with all these other things going on.

ill just keep holding my own about this as its working for both of us.

[FionaJNicholson]

right so when they said we'll be back in touch in September you basically said there was no need because there wouldn't be any change?

if so, that's good!

[marjproops]

oh yes! SuperMarj in charge . !!