There is so much misinformation out there about home education

[sandyandkirsten]

Not a TAAT but inspired by discussions on one.

Home education is NOT a safeguarding concern on its own.

Home education is NOT the same as "children missing education" or CME.

Home educated children are NOT required to follow the national curriculum or do formal sit down learning like at school.

Home educated children are NOT required to be on a register of any description. If you choose to home educate from the start the LA probably won't even know about you initially. If your child was originally in school and you de-register them to home educate then the school is legally obliged to inform the LA who then get in touch with you to see if you need any support.

No, home educating families are not all conservative, religious types and neither are they all hippy anti vax types.

Yes, home educated children do socialise with other children, often extensively.

I was home educated myself (for the most part, I had a small amount of formal schooling) and now I home educate my son. We have an excellent relationship with the elective home education officer at our LA, who is very supportive.

The matter of whether there "should" be a register or home educated children "should" follow the NC or be monitored more closely is neither here nor there when it comes to the law (personally I wouldn't object to a register or increased monitoring but I certainly would object to being forced into following the national curriculum).

I just wanted to get that off my chest!

Well said.
I’m really naughty at the moment, I’ve been home educating 6 years now, since ds was 5. Anyway, when ‘concerned parents’ start talking about how he needs to follow the curriculum/have la meetings etc I tell them we play minecraft and eat crisps all day so not to worry, purely to see the horrified expressions

Unfortunately a minority ruins it for the majority. I do think a register would be a good step forward.

Unfortunately a minority ruins it for the majority

People should know better than to judge a whole community of people for the actions of a few. I don't judge all schooled children based on the behaviour of a few of them.

Anyway, when ‘concerned parents’ start talking about how he needs to follow the curriculum/have la meetings etc I tell them we play minecraft and eat crisps all day so not to worry, purely to see the horrified expressions

I genuinely think is what my MIL thinks we do all day! Despite the fact my 5 year old is reading at a level surpassing his 7 year old schooled cousin, if that's the kind of thing you judge success by.

My son is studying college courses, he’s 11 and so it’s all about how he’s missing a secondary education and aren’t I worried about his social life. I’m grateful when I see gangs of school kids skiving and smoking that he’s happy studying something he’s interested in with like minded people

I suppose as I was home educated myself I should be friendless and weird with no social skills and no qualifications.