Home education- what do I need to know ? Realised I don’t want to send dd to school!

[Olivebreadandespresso]

Can anyone point me in the direction of good sources of info / advice ? My LA website hardly says anything !

dd is a June baby was prem and has SEN. I was unsure about school
anyway as she couldn’t manage nursery at all, we don’t have an EHCP and in all honesty I think she will be happier and healthier at home/ at home Ed groups etc being home educated at her own pace.

I just don’t know where to start !

I'd actually say that someone claiming this is a massive red flag, and indicates that they're not a suitable person to be home educating any child.

If your child has complex SEN then do think about specialist schools - you'll need an ECHP though. But remember the choice isn't just mainstream or HE. There are other options.

Personally I would start by applying yourself for an EHCP. You can use sendcop for this.

This then allows you the freedom of naming a specialist education placement of you feel your DD would benefit from this.

If you don't, or if you try it and it doesn't work you can ask for an EOTAS package. This is education otherwise at a school. The EHCP will outline any therapy that's needed to meet your desired outcomes. They can then provide some salt, OT etc to support you. It's always worthwhile remembering its 10k for the most basic send placement so use that if you are fighting for a budget for educating at home.
Or you can look at flexi schooling.

FB is always a good place to start for HE. Also just Google the law. All you have to do is provide an education- there is no curriculum you must follow.

Having said all that just be aware that if you choose to apply for an EHCP and choose to HE it can be ceased or they'll ask for evidence you are doing what's needed to meet the desired outcomes - which is where your request for funding to do this comes in.

That's a very basic outline. But I agree with others to look at all options and be open and flexible to what suits your dd best as she grows up.

https://www.educationotherwise.org/

This site is very helpful

If your DD has high care needs. You may find that time she would be as school is essential for you to have a break. You can't possibly care and educate without a bit of rest bite for yourself.

Have you thought about deferring start date to later in the year or the following year instead?

HEFA (Home Education For All) on Facebook is a great place to start.

Also Educational Freedom on Facebook.

I home educate my DC (ex primary teacher too) and would recommend joining your local Facebook group too to start to build connections and to get a feel for what is in your area.

If you have any questions I am happy to answer them.

Are you sure?

If your daughter’s needs are significant then she would probably get an EHCP. It might then be that special school was recognised as the provision needed. In that case I would urge you to send her - special schools are wonderful and do so much for the children to support them holistically. If the EHCP said her needs could be met in mainstream, you could make the decision to home educate if you wanted. But I would still apply for one and then take it from there.

Also Google home schooling groups with your area or town. You’ll soon meet up with like minded parents.

Contact your local education dept at your LA and ask for a visit from their SEND home education officer. Ours has loads of info on resources and there us a good local ehe group if we need it. She is also the one we send yearly reports to and she gave us some great feedback.

I do think some LAs are more supportive if EHE than others but again, your local FB groups will give a good idea of how yours works. Although some posters on the FB group are a bit militant for us...you have to pick the important bits out of the rest sometimes!

As for socialising there are loads of activities in most areas, and some places offer HE groups eg science museum in Bristol

There are lots of home ed groups on Facebook. Look for Education Otherwise on there. I've been home educating over twenty years. LEA are rarely a good source of information. Look for home education groups for your county on Facebook too

Quite. I've got a degree in Maths but my kids school is still better at teaching them Maths than I am......

What are her SEN? Do you have the knowledge/ skills to support her with them?

What about her social skills?

How will it affect your career? Do you have other dcs? Do you have a supportive partner?

In what way at was she not unable to manage at nursery? What does d they advise?

I think you need to give a bit more detail before posters can advise you. I’m sure you don’t mean it but your op sounds as if you just think it would be nicer/easier when she is tiny rather than having really thought through the long term implications of HE a 10 year old.

Thankyou I had a look at this one earlier it’s really helpful !

Because of the 2 full days she would have needed breakfast and after school club and im at burnout point so i feel this is an option I hadn’t considered till now but with her DLA it has made us consider this route as I’d be able to facilitate it

Is she meant to be starting this September?

‘Teaching maths’ isn’t really how most parents home educate though.

I don’t see myself as my DC’s ‘teacher’. I facilitate their learning.

My DC learn numeracy naturally through real life experiences, via online platforms or in the case of my eldest with a temporary tutor now she’s older for the sole purpose of passing the gcse.

Yes and I wasn’t sure tbh but didn’t really have many options and then she got awarded dla a couple of weeks ago and I found out that it then could mean I could get carers, be pretty much getting the same amount as I earn but be able to HE dd and be a whole lot less stressed about everything

Really I think we need a ‘pause and reset’ and just to take a step back and have breathing space to look at the options , I was thinking deferral but then I was stressed about work. I have a lot to think about

Please don’t take this the wrong way but your decision to HE should be based on what is best for your dd. What is going to give her the best chance of reaching her potential and the best support for her SEN.

Your stress at work, DLA, shouldn’t come into it. Surely she has had her transition visits and is already to start school with her peers?

What does her nursery / preschool say?

I think you should let her go to school.

edited for typo

Home schooling is a great option for some, but it's not something to be taken lightly; despite it seeming great and flexible parents who give their children a decent home education work hard to do so (even though yes, it is flexible). It depends a lot on area as well, we don't homeschool but there's a fairly large group of parents who do and everyday there are meets, subject sessions, some local amenities do reduced entry fees etc for those who are homeschooling.

Personally I'd consider deferring a year/as long as possible to keep options open, and apply for any support they might be entitled to.

If you can afford to not work then they wouldn't need wraparound care would they? And you'd be available for appointments? Not sure how the finances change between the scenarios? You being stressed at work shouldn't impact it really, it's what best for them.

What does her dad think?

What was your own experience of school?

@Olivebreadandespresso

OP, on a MN thread about home education you always get posters trying to talk you out of it by trying to convince you it’s best for the child to go to school. Right alongside threads about how awful the UK education system is and how it doesn’t cater well for SEND children.

I would say, listen to your instincts about what is best for your child. Home education is a valid and healthy choice to make and in fact in the UK school is “opt-in” meaning home education is the default option. As a society we are so conditioned to think that the best way to learn is at a desk, in a classroom with a teacher but I can tell you that many many people do not learn best this way. There are so many more ways to learn and to in fact thrive.