to ask if you would consider home education?

[SundayBea]

Have read a lot of articles recently on how the numbers in home education have 'exploded' and it's on the rise by 80% a year apparently. I know of three families I think quite highly of, two of whom are ex-teachers whose children have never been to school and their children seem to be having an exceptional upbringing and education with so many fantastic experiences and opportunities. Also know of two other families who have withdrawn their children from school because of problems with their respective schools and I'm less certain of how successful it is going to be for them. Also know of several colleagues and DH's cousin who have DC under 5 who are debating not registering them when the time comes. Is this a big thing now or is it just coincidence I know of so many families like this? I was just wondering what the general consensus was.. when I mentioned socialisation one of my ex-teacher friends showed me the Facebook group she is in for her local home education community and I was amazed at the plethora of groups, classes, meet ups and outings with hundreds of members.. just for her local county! Have been debating with DP what to do about schooling at private school is unfortunately out of the question on our current salaries.. I'm now feeling like I've discovered a whole new option I hadn't considered? Sorry if this is rambling, only getting a 5 minute lunch break today!

If children are being home educated because they are being bullied or because their specific health needs are not being met then this is scandalous. provision should be made to deal with bullying effectively and also those with health needs. we should all be up in arms about this - the lack of equality.

Quite, but the public aren't up in arms and nothing changes.

taking your child out does nothing to change the system

No, but it saves the child.

That what I mean though, it's a very common problem amongst HE kids and it's been mentioned many times on this thread alone. Yet no one is "up in arms" about it and never are.

Fidel1ne you are bigot. how dare you say that my evidence is thin to non existent.

you are clearly one of those people who believes that there are 2 opinions in this world - your opinion and the wrong opinion.

as others have said you do unfortunately need the "bits of paper" qualifications and the requirement to have these for many courses is getting tougher and tougher. have a look yourselves. its all freely available on the internet.

You're not reading our posts are you?

Are you honestly surprised by this news mummymeister? I know I post about it regularly here on MN but never get much response. People Don't Care. As long as their child is unaffected. Yet have plenty to say about the perils of HE.

The OP asked about home education generally. She did not say just tell me all the brilliant bits.

One of the less brilliant bits is that moving on to the next stage can be more difficult than it is for schooled kids. And if you are embarking on the HE journey you need to know that. And it's something you may not have considered if you only have small children.

And if you are including me in ""I just think it's rather wanky to keep pontificating about how difficult things are going to be for HE kids and what poor choice their parents made" then I'd actually quite like an apology. Because it is a fucking outrageous thing to say.

and that makes fideline a bigot? How exactly?

If HE is banned as a legal choice in this country, there will be an awful lot of severely damaged children. HE saved my son's mental health (his GP advised us to consider it, for his wellbeing's sake) and that's not a unique situation. Schools are increasingly unable to provide adequate support for children with additional needs, and that is an incredibly fast-growing group of new home educated children. HE must continue if these children are to be protected and given a chance to succeed.

Remember, most people do start off sending their children to school, and are happy to work with those schools to secure appropriate provision. It's when they are repeatedly failed and backed into a corner that these parents have no choice but to withdraw them and take back educational responsibility for themselves. In many cases, the 'E' in EHE doesn't stand for 'Elective', but 'Enforced'.

I am nickifury I do write letters to my mp. I do challenge anti bullying policies where they are ineffective. there are a lot of us that do. perhaps there would be a bit more sympathy for "the cause" if people saw a bit less of the attitude from Fidel1ne

An apology? Don't be ridiculous

Fidel1ne you are bigot. how dare you say that my evidence is thin to non existent.

you are clearly one of those people who believes that there are 2 opinions in this world - your opinion and the wrong opinion.

No and you are an idiot if that is your understanding of the meaning of the word 'bigot'.

You are being outrageously offensive about the futures and life chances of our children despite clearly not knowing much about the current state and normal practices of HE, nor the reasons the majority of HE DC come to be HEed.

Bang on Queen.

Meister, yes the public should be up in arms about the regular denial of a child's needs, regular non-supporting of DC with SN, lying to save their arses when they have failed yet another child.

I have never met a HEing family who have not been driven to this choice in desperation, and then usually prove that they can do a bloody good job.
Actually, that's wrong, I know two families with teacher parents who have decided to HE because of their experiences of teaching in schools and not wanting that for their DC.

Yes Queen, exactly.

What are you supposed to be apologising for Nicki? My scrolling is very jumpy.

I know one too Phil, where one of the parents was a secondary school teacher but couldn't stomach putting her own kids into the system.

For saying I think it's wanky to pontificate about HE when you don't know much about it i.e what those who are actually doing it know.

*No and you are an idiot if that is your understanding of the meaning of the word 'bigot'.

You are being outrageously offensive about the futures and life chances of our children despite clearly not knowing much about the current state and normal practices of HE, nor the reasons the majority of HE DC come to be HEed.*

Rude. Just rude. and you are educating a child? would you expect a teacher to post something like this?

I have reported your post. I am not being outrageously offensive. I just have the audacity to disagree with you. If you being the educator of your child is seriously a better option than the state school provision in your area then goodness me, it must be beyond shocking.

And yes Fidel1ne you definitely, definitely love your children more than I love mine and have definitely proved this with your posts. is that what you wanted to hear hun?

Oh

I thought you'd said something bad.

I hope you've reported yours where you called Fideline a "bigot" for holding a different opinion to you as well.

Let's not forget that parents who choose to HE because of unmet needs and harm done to their children will have very little time available for campaigning against inadequacies in the school system. They will have an education to deliver, the child may have SN which will need to be addressed (often a full-time job in itself), routine day to day family stuff and they will possibly work, too. I raised several issues with my LA's education department (to Director level), and approached my MP on a few matters, bit it takes a lot of time and effort to make changes. Parents DO try to address the problems in schools, but the problem is massive and will take much more than a handful of angry parents to change it.

It seems ALL disagreement is BAD when it comes to the party line regarding HE.

mummy where did Fideline say she loved her kids more "Hun" I can't seem to see it or anything that indicates that she is saying anything remotely like this?

meister are you feeling okay? You want to insult other posters but they mustn't be even mildly impolite to you?

I have reported your post. I am not being outrageously offensive. I just have the audacity to disagree with you. If you being the educator of your child is seriously a better option than the state school provision in your area then goodness me, it must be beyond shocking.

So your sympathy and shock at the national SN crisis was completely 'faux' then?

Rein it in, guys. This has been a VERY useful thread for anyone considering HE. It would be a shame to have it deleted.

Queenstreaky every thread about home ed seems to go this way. you cannot disagree or you are stupid, uncaring, don't understand kids with disabilities or SN.

queen my child was actually violently assaulted in school - had his head banged off a desk repeatedly - he was 8. They found no case to answer at the initial enquirer despite never having questioned either he or I and despite me having extensive photographic evidence of injuries sustained during his two weeks at the school. I removed him after that day and expected an uproar especially as the borough I live in is well known for its anti HE stance and repeated misinterpretation of the law surrounding HE. I never heard a word from them apart from a very softly, softly home visit with no mention whatsoever of all that nasty head banging on desk business.

I never pursued it either. I never even got legal advice and the reason for that was the sheer and utter relief of my DS not having to go through what he had been going through for the past four years. I didn't want to rock the boat. I think not rocking the boat is the reason that many parents do not campaign for change or speak up. They're just so relieved to finally have a solution that works for their child so will not jeopardise it.